Because the Mali-dutchie is a new hybrid breed that hasn't had much time to develop an origin story, we must look to the backgrounds of the parent breeds: the Belgian Malinois and the Dutch Shepherd.
These dogs have had many more years to develop a full history, one that includes the reason for their creation and how they are used today. Such information can give us an idea as to why the Mali-dutchie breed was created and what traits they may possess.
Let's first take a look at the Belgian Malinois, a breed that didn't have a very clear purpose before the 19th century. They were created in Belgium and more specifically, as their name suggests, the town of Malines.
It is believed that for centuries, this breed was used for herding sheep all over Europe but now a-days the Malinois is most commonly seen at the side of European police officers. Their excellent tracking skills and herding abilities were the perfect tools to use in the police force and the breed has made quite a name for itself as an intimidating and impressive asset to any team. In fact, some photos from a police dog trial in 1903 show the dogs scaling 10-foot ladders as if it was nothing!
Despite the Malinois' impressive agility and excellent herding skills, the dogs disappeared from the US completely in the year 1939 due to a lack of interest; this is most likely due to the fact that the average American was searching more for a house pet than a police escort.
Thankfully, the breed made a come-back after World War II when more were imported over and they took their rightful place in the police force once again. While this isn't the most popular breed for a companion pet, in the right home their loving personalities and high intelligence are truly appreciated.
Just like the Malinois, the Dutch Shepherd is a herding dog who is ready to take on the world. Originally from the Netherlands, the Dutch Shepherd was primarily used on farms as a sheep dog, guardian, and cart puller. Such skills made the breed irreplaceable for farmers and kept the Dutch Shepherd in high demand for quite a few generations.
Unfortunately, by the 1900s, the need for sheep herding had all but disappeared in the Netherlands, therefore making the need for a herding dog obsolete. While this may have seemed like an end to the Dutch Shepherd, the determined breed wasn't ready to go out of style just yet.
They were adapted to work for the police force and even as seeing-eye dogs. Because of their high intelligence and ability to learn quickly, the Dutch Shepherd excelled in these jobs just like they did at herding; therefore, although their numbers are still nowhere near what they used to be, the Dutch Shepherd still thrives today helping people in any way that theu can as a working breed.
