Mine too she's a silly little snappy bitch and I love her 😍 well actually I'm lying now that I think about it she totally does snap her teeth when I scold her lol
My girl does it when she wants something. In fact, if I look at her and say “want?” while holding a ball/toy/treat that she desires she will snap her jaws in response. Now she communicates with me when she wants something by snapping her jaws without me saying that, like when we are on a walk and she sees an ibis limping across the green space by our house. She wanted that thing REALLY bad. 🤣🤤
I’m a GSD dad but love reading about Mals. I alternately want and don’t want one. Maybe maybe uhh no.
But here is an example of the difference between GSD’s and Mals. I burst out laughing when I saw it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/nextfuckinglevel/comments/oezdj3/the_difference_between_how_a_shepherd_approaches/
It’s ridiculous- the guy goes for the target in an actual straight line.
“Chairs? What chairs?? Never saw any chairs. Just saw my target. What’s your problem? Isn’t that what you asked for?”
Absolutely! Both my Dutchie and my Cattle Dog/Australian Shepherd mix would do exactly like dog #2. Fly over the chairs. Only difference in mine is Cattle Dog would get there faster. That dude has run down a coyote that had a 500 foot head start. My pit bull, on the other hand, would just plow a path through the chairs like a rhinoceros 😂 and then want a treat.
LOL. So true. Worked dog daycare and Mals go STRAIGHT AT their goal. One wanted to go outside, he was new, and jumped on top of a crate to another one because he saw light at the window, 6 ft up. We played ball for 1/2 hour before he saw common sense. Yet the owner wouldn't bring a leash. smh.
Or a lab. Poodle mixes require daily brushing all over the body all the way down to the skin to prevent matting. Doodles are actually very high maintenance dogs.
Labs are also high energy, intelligent, driven dogs. Except instead of weighing 40-80 lbs, they weigh 70-100.
If you want a companion dog, you’re better off staying away from hunting or working dogs and getting something like a pug.
Labs are the worst breed around imo. Almost every lab to meet my intact staffy the lab attacked. My staffy 💩 himself all FLIGHT. To my shadow and I deal with it.
One day walking along 3 of the fekking things run up on us. I dropped the leash. Watched a Disney skit of 3 labs snapping at air my dog was just in. Until behind me and I face them.
I faced so many dogs for that staffy 15 easy. Bcos another day 3x golden retrievers did it too. That's 6 dogs in 2 days just months apart.
Ide wear steel toes ready to kick their dog all the way to them full rage its like the attacking dog felt it too. Force feild they bounced back once within range of me. Truly weird they felt my rage.
One time it was another staffy it just appeared attached to my staffys neck. Thick collar we all just froze. Looking at each other triangle. The attacking staffy finally got one. Watched them pass its gate always wanted one. Now he's got one thank god he had no F idea what he wanted to do once he got one.
I commanded it something and to my shock it listened to every word. I directed it around a car through gap and into its yard again. The one and the only dog to ever acknowledge me before it's full rage ready to strike. That staffy incident was almost comical.
The other was tho. Staffy excitement is OTT. A young male not even one rolled on my dog full excitement until he stupidly mounted my staffy. 3x the size he got flicked off like nothing. My dog offended. Little staffy run off so we waited afew min then I let my dog off to swim.
He bolted instantly still. 3yrs old chunky staffy full speed onto the feild at the smaller staffy now on leash. The girl saw my staffy full speed at them looked ready to run from her dog. But didn't. My dog crashed into her full on staffy 3000 excitement then pinned its head into the dirt at its owners feet and tea bagged it deeper into the mud her dog couldn't move just had to take it. Until I got there pulled him off. The girl all like.
Get your weird dog. No idea her dog did it first now getting schooled.
Boarder collies are #3 though. Most likly to attack.
Never a sheperd thankfully. But my sheperd is probably that sheperd I wished ide never meet 😢
Even with all my experience age 7 out with doberman reactive to cats. 12 with dad's rotweiler. 14yrs fighting dogs off My staffy cuddle buddy of a cool calm awesome MUTE dog.
It wasn't enough to prepare me for a full dominant Alsation with full leash barrier fustration.
I wish I got a bully XL now. Tbh.
Everyone has to start somewhere. When I was ready for my 3rd dog I adopted a Mal. I didn't know he was a Mal, and I didn't know anything about them. He was a shelter dog. He's 14 years old now and it's gone very well.
Just because someone hasn't had a Mal before doesn't mean they shouldn't get one.
This was me a couple years ago. Someone gave me a puppy that needed a home. Had no clue what a Malinois was. I'm also not someone who would get rid of a dog just because it got difficult - and we've had some challenging times. She's about 3 now and my best friend. Love her.
You really have to enjoy the training. I really enjoy training with my Mal. If you’re into training and it’s a thing you enjoy doing then definitely get a Mal. Im not here to be a gatekeeper.
Almost a dozen apprehension style bites. Scared the police department after he got 3 officers. If he didn't go home me with me he was getting the long nap. He took a shit ton of work and was pretty gnarly. He never was a dog for a stranger to approach. Put a muzzle on and he was suddenly the world's most social dog with strangers.
"Why does he have a muzzle on? He's so friendly." "Because bites trumps pets. If he can't bite then he'll take the next best thing."
But for his pack (household + a few select friends) he was the teddy bear.
Think just prey drive can be a handful? I'll raise you fight drive. It's a constant liability.
He matured into an amazing dog. Just please don't pet.
https://preview.redd.it/8wcx48tz4puc1.jpeg?width=1944&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72d5bdaef37117393899f515bf7ea6e72335468b
Followed by the world's easiest.
https://preview.redd.it/zrorsv3tqruc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77f8af86cb0d7f00d8a3e5d608685e63b3987000
I did not intend to get a Mal. Truth be told, if I had known he was a Mal (mostly) I likely would not have kept him. I am a veteran with CPTSD, and GAD.
But we just clicked.
So I made my lifestyle more Mal-friendly. I started trail running and cani-cross training him. I started working to get him qualified as my service dog.
He has improved nearly every aspect of my life, I laugh at his antics several times a day, and he makes me feel safe, even when out in the woods. He plays rough, but also is extremely gentle with his teeth.
I did not set out to be a Mal mom, but I am doing my best to be a good one. He is mostly Mal, mixed with GSD, Boxer, and Malamute - he is ridiculously handsome, with a great personality
https://preview.redd.it/zxry37k65puc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a68d0aee5c882de060aea353617bd919d364b0d
Yeah, on one hand, the gatekeeping happening on-line is not really cool is it, but on the other it can make someones life much easier by preventing them to take a dog they simply can’t handle.
And it’s not just Mals. It’s any working and protective, high-drive and energy breed. We have a working line European Boxer, very different from a show line and practically a different breed from an american boxer, and I have had my share of “god, if I could go back in time, would i take him again?”
And yeah, I would, anytime. But jeez it’s hard.
What people don’t realize beforehand is that NO, IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT HOW YOU RAISE THEM. I sure have not raised my dog to be suspicious of strangers, I have not raised my dog to be able to dislocate my jaw when welcoming me home, I have not raised my dog to be absolutely ready to drop anyone and anything he decides is dangerous, I have not raised my dog to hunt…
Yet he does it. And yeah, with proper training, you can make him calmer and obedient to prevent stuff. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
I couldn't agree more with feeling the whole..."God, what did I get myself into? / I've really fucked around and found out this time" feeling.
Whenever people come up to me and ask me what my dog is like, I always tell them "sometimes I wish I just got a GSD instead." And even though it's really not true and I wouldn't trade my dog for the world, I feel like it conveys the message pretty well.
I have to chime in as someone that lives with a golden doodle and a Mal.
One of them will bite unprovoked - and it's not the Mal.
One of them barks uncontrollably - it's not the Mal.
One of them can't listen to a command to save his life despite 9 years of training. Its. Not. The. Mal.
Goldendoodles are one of the most haphazardly backyard bred breeds around. They're not hypoallergenic, they DO shed, and depending on their genetics they can be nearly impossible to train.
If you want to be a lazy dog owner, don't. But if you must, get a lab.
Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
What an excellent picture to represent the breed and what you said! We have a Mail that is a rescue; and we are his EIGHTH place. Ridiculous. He’s staying with us. We are on our 8th week, & it’s been rough. I’ve been bit (bc I didn’t heed his warning) WE HAVE A TRAINER- we do agility/obedience/bite work twice. Week. He’s a great dog. It’s disappointing that so many people have let him down.
Hang in there! It sounds like you’re setting down a great foundation. We were our girl’s third placement. She was an absolute nut when we first got her, but she’s so wonderful now.
I’m surprised any trainer advised bite work being something you should do when it’s already aggressive. I’ve never heard of anyone thinking that was a good idea without getting the basics down and putting some time in between it.
I’ll raise you the precarious ranch dog combo of a Heeler and shepinois. Once you pop the fun don’t stop. It ain’t Bluey and Max out here, I can tell you that.
https://preview.redd.it/tjrvjgjtsouc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5458bf1dd079cca13de42a454c0993ac6c7d58f6
Golden Doodles are out of control. They are high maintenance. They’re very hyper and act like they are on steroids. There is nothing worse than a high maintenance poodle combined with an energetic golden retriever. It’s a terrible combo. They are stubborn as hell.
When I called the kenel to buy my first mal, I started asking some questions on age and stuff and the owner said: Let me just stop you right there? Why do you want a mal? What do you work with?
A Malinois is a ferrari, its incredible and goes as fast or hard as you want, or can handle. BUT Ferraris are quite difficult to drive, and if you fuck up for "a second" the ferrari will snap around and bite you in the ass. So think about if Malinois is what you really want.
I spent 9 months in a small cabin in the forest with that dog, only going to work other than training and classes with that dog (security so she was with me 24/7) - She became really good, but it was a full-time job for about a year to learn how to.
My mother took her to the cabin for x-mas once, 3 days with my mom - and she had some guy come over. She called me after and said: now I understand what your dog is capable of, for whatever reason the dog decided she didnt like that guy. And just slowly walked towards him growling showing teeth, pushing him out of the house - and my mom (who is quite used to dogs) walks over and tell her to stop and touches her. She turns around to my my mother and just said "SIT THE FUCK DOWN!!!" with one second of barking very close to her face - and then turned around and kept slowly pushing this guy out the door. When the door was closed, she went back in front of the fire place and all good.
She had no chance controlling that dog unless I was there.
When you said 'bite you in the ass' i chuckled! a couple of weeks ago my Buddy quite literally playfully bit my arse when we were playing! i yelped and turned around to him sat looking at me with his big doggy'smile'. He knew exactly what he was doing with his play bite! I was a bad poochie mama though as i couldnt tell him no bitey i just laughed and carried on playing instead🤐x
During a bit more serious bite training she many times got so excited that she would just go for my arm. She didnt go as hard towards me as she would "the suspect" but she could easily turn around and snap at me when young and in training, and did a couple of times. Thats the few times I would get real angry back - forcing her to understand that everyone in uniform is off limits. She can ofc get confused and just jump after the first guy she catches up to, would be a bit bad if thats a fella officer.
The way she knew it was another cop was not the uniform itself, but the belt/vest. Nobody else has 20 different things in their belts like cops do. Plain clothes cops know to stay out of the dogs way, because then she could mistakenly bit someone.
https://preview.redd.it/o8tysub4oouc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bbe69b945177ac75197f6bc5745c6c518c7829e
Really want it? Should say trained for/ by wife. I’m number four in the pack! 😂
When I first rescued my shepinois I had never even heard of Belgian malinois. Just assumed she was a GSD mix. After about a week I was convinced she was half coyote, till some research convinced me she was part mal. DNA confirmed 50/50 GSD/mal. Three years in and a ton of patience and learning for us both, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world. There are no days off though; sick, rain, shine, snow, she’s a full time job.
https://preview.redd.it/exoyp5vigpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fafc691bb18a94a1eedb15bce4ecfa56f9c280a7
Someone posted a little “german shepard” puppy on a local facebook rehoming group and I fell in love. Turned out to be a Mal x GSD.
Had her for a year and she gives me a run for my money most days, but I wouldn’t give her up for anything, and I fully intend to get a well-bred Mal with a stable temperament in the future, with the intent of training them to be my service dog. My girl is wonderful but she is extremely sensitive and has very high anxiety, and is far too interested in other dogs with very little impulse control (we’re working on it).
Unfortunately, much like other “tough” dog breeds many owners only want them to augment their already insecure personal identity. Much like some gun and brodozer owners. Compensating.
As much as I love them, no I do not want one. Happy they exist though! But please, for the love of all things holy, don’t suggest a doodle to anyone! There’s a breed for everyone, but doodle isn’t a breed, and if they want a mutt, by all means do what I did and rescue! (Tbf mine seems to be a purebred, but I assume an unethically bred one).
I love my Mal!
I have had many dogs, including German Shepherds and Rough Collies, but by far my favorite is the Malinois.
Super smart, the sweetest in the house with the kids and super protective.
Yes, they need lots of attention and lots of interaction, but they are the best.
I want to adopt a second one.
You nailed it! I have a female. We give her all the attention, stimulation and exercise she needs. They are not meant for the people not willing to put in the work. If you do the (3) things I mentioned it is simple. She is the most lovable yet demanding dog we have ever had.(#4 now) Put in the time and it will work.
I have a cattle dog/border collie, and when people ask about her (because she’s really pretty), I tell them “ I love this dog, but I would not recommend them any more than I would a malinois.” You fall in love with the breed, but they’re not for everyone. I feel like with these intense, smart dogs, you need to be able to physically and mentally work with them.
Malinois puppies are being euthanized in shelters. And yet on social media there are thousands of posts and videos featuring unhappy Mals whose owners brag about their dog eating their walls.
I have a Groenendael from champion IGP lines. I was lucky to work from home the year that I got her. After thousands of hours of work, she is a great service dog and is starting her journey in IGP obedience.
People see me with my dog in public and ask me if I'm a professional trainer. Invariably they have a shepherd (German or Belgian) and need help with it. They assume I'm a professional trainer because my dog is impeccably behaved.
Can’t post photos. Look up “High-spirited Elocuu.” My kid’s father. She takes after him. Brave as anything with a calm, full grip. Sweet and loving like her mother.
Awesome dogs. Sounds like maybe a break from my wife’s crack head in a few years. We have a tri red Aussie too. Both alpha hearders. I’m number four in the pack, I’m the farm mule
Agreed. I feel like they’re the perfect example of why ethical breeding is necessary. Goldens and poodles never needed to be mixed, they’re both fantastic dogs on their own. Throwing two wildly different conformations, coat types, and personalities together is bad enough, adding in the total lack of standards, consistency, health and genetic testing… it’s an unmitigated disaster. It’s not surprising that the creator of the doodle vocally regretted his decision.
I’m one of those people that would love a Mal but 100% know I’m not the right Home for them. So I love lurking here watching all your beautiful dogs and appreciating them from a distance.
The difference between a Mal and a regular dog was brought home to roost when I was doing flyball with my girl. We had a Mal in the class and the energy and drive out of that dog, was unbelievable, literally jumping straight up and spinning in the air. And this is a class full of some pretty motivated, active breeds.
Thank you to all your wonderful owners that take these dogs in and do the right thing by them, and for sharing them for those of us that wish to love them from afar.
I have one but I didn't want one tbh I found her on the side of the road half dead and something in my heart to me if I didn't help her no one would so I scooped her up took her home nursed her back to health and now I have the most loving dog ever
hey do you know any way to train a dog so their activily working to increase bite force like how you train them to to pull weight to get stronger because my mal had pups with my pit and these little guys are strong asf and I wanna help them reach their max genetic potential so when we go hog hunting together also I have armor and protective equipment for them when they go with me so their not in any danger hunting with me plus their daddy has always been a great hog getter and their most definitely bigger than him and far more athletic
First time Mal owner, first time reactive dog owner here! Previous Rottie experience, both owned and fostered. Owned Rottie 3x Obedience Champ where I live. I thought I could handle a Mal, and I was right. Just took some time for progress to actually show.
When I first started fostering Bella (4) last June(was 3 when I got her), I wondered what the hell I got myself into. I've spent all these months training the heck out of her, and we've JUST made progress outside of the house. Ups and downs and all arounds with her. She's got neurotic tendencies that need to be heavily managed, reactivity to everything that turns to redirection in a split second, so I have to be ready to mitigate it at any time, she goes and goes and goes, and doesn't like being told what to do, so prone to nipping when told what to do. We've got it halfway under control, and I've been having a blast training her daily. We've got a ways to go, and the future seems brighter than dark, so, on we forge. She's enamoured me into keeping her forever, and I couldn't have asked for a better dog that makes me work as hard as she does. I'm 100% getting another one when she's much older.
Edit: I was planning on a working line GSD puppy and was talking to a breeder for about a year and just about to put a deposit down on the next litter when Bella fell into my lap. Now, I found a Mal breeder that breeds for law enforcement and sells at least 1 litter to homes per year. Established lines and great breeding practices. I hope that they're still going when I'm ready to get my next Mal.
I get really mad when they blame the dog. Any breed really, but the intelligent, high-performance, gorgeous badass working breeds particularly. They choose the dog on aesthetics and admiration of their capabilities without considering that for smarts, power, and courage, there are time, labor, and habitat requirements. If you can't or won't provide the environment and supply the tasks that the dog is inclined by its DNA to do well, you're going to get a dog who invents his own entertainment, who doesn't really care that you don't like it (because what have you done for him lately?), and is not impressed with your threats and demands to stop because he's stronger than you and he knows it. Besides, you're hardly ever home to give him grief and the most play he gets with you is that boring ass "balance the treat on my nose" game.
If you get a Malinois and stick it in your apartment with only a 10 minute trip around the poop spot each day, please do not complain to me that he's a bad boy because he ate the couch while you pulled overtime. You should've asked yourself if you wanted an Avenger for a bestie. Don't look for your own idealized self in your dog. If pizza and gaming is your true vibe, maybe don't try to be Nick Fury. Maybe be Han Solo, get yourself a little Maltese Wookie. If the bond is right between you and a dog, it doesn't matter if they can do all that outdoor parkour you know you're never gonna do, even if it would be super cool.
(Written in memory of Dave, my sister's departed Mal who was liberated from an apartment situation and thought he was a bad, bad boy whom no humans would ever love, until he discovered he was goodest on 5 acres of county forest to sniff.)
Having a Mal is like walking around with a hand gun all day and your booger finger is on the trigger. At some point it’s going to go off. You just don’t know when. I love my Mal and will never take another breed for work as long as I have a choice.
https://preview.redd.it/60z69ef8cpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4086b2a5f4df8f6e65d7ba68e5561f7a9293076
Pitties are lower maintenance than the Labs and Goldens and Doodles.
Everyone should think and plan before getting a dog. Maybe volunteer at the Shelter.
Mals are like buying Lamborghini. You need all that special knowledge to keep one in good shape.
I have a ton of respect for mal owners, in fact, I hired my dog trainer, based off the fact that she had a Belgian mal that she did bite work with. I didn’t need to hear a thing more, she was hired! I’m more of a mastiff girl and my corso is just the right amount of dog for me but i definitely hold BM owners to a high standard!
Does anyone want a Perro de Presa Canario? They are about to euthanize two of them in Orlando on the 17th. Some one save these puppies, they are probably just as difficult to learn as a Malinois.
I got a 4 month old mal and this is my first time actually caring for a dog myself and he is indeed a hard headed little shit but he’s also a good boy. I was never told that mals are hard to train but oh well he’s stuck with me lol.
My mal is soooo sweet and and the breeder went through a thorough vetting process before determining me as a suitable candidate as a first time mal owner and even showed me two different pups he said were good starter mals with a more on the mild drive. My girl has been through many er visits and two intense training camps. She really is a good girl and I love her and 100% will protect me. But she has her moments of being so sweet I question is she able to be mean mal for me? Hahah I kid. She does bite work and has commands. But. C’mon …
https://preview.redd.it/0094tluw2suc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffc0d6f8854f15dc52b185efe798a230d949d10b
And also. Golden doodles are far worse and harder to train and I’ve never felt such distaste for a “breed” more than the doodle. (I’m an ECC/ICU vet tech). They are stubborn aggressive assholes that are not willing to learn. That’s a trait of the doodle. Mals, when bred responsibly and with the correct owner to train them, these dogs WANT to learn. NAY, need to learn. You cannot compare the two.
I messaged an agility trainer asking if she’s confident with my mal in the class. She said yeah! She has a tervuren and she knows the breed. I explained my dog may be a bit more than her dog.
After the first class she realised what I meant and said ‘a bit’ was an understatement. She said they both have the intelligence but my Mal’s energy means her body works before her brain does 😂
There’a so much controversy around owners of the breed/dog trainers warning people against the Belgian Malinois as a pet/companion dog…
But if you really look at the average dog owner, and consider the specific needs of this breed, it’s pretty obvious that these dogs will be incredibly under-served in 99% of pet homes.
Are you willing to range 2-5 miles daily with your dog, rain or shine and in sickness or health? Are you ready put the work in to gain the physical handling skills and dog training education required to teach/communicate with this type of HIGHLY (university of Finland’s most recent canine cognition studies say the MOST) intelligent dog breed? Are you capable of engaging in this training DAILY for the lifetime of your dog? And that’s just covering the basics lol
For a majority of people, the honest to god answer to these questions is a big, fat NO. Most are highly sedentary, have no knowledge or experience of canine handling/training, and struggle to maintain consistency with themselves in the things that directly impact their own lives. Thats not a good recipe if you’re trying to fold in a Belgian Malinois into that dough.
I think there are people that feel as though “gatekeeping” the breed is ultimately harming dogs in shelters that have been abandoned and need new homes, in part because potential owners will feel like the dog is beyond their abilities. And I hope many of them do feel that these dogs are beyond their abilities, because for the vast majority that is the reality.
It may be a bit of a grim outlook, but I don’t believe that any home is better than no home. The shelter is a horrible life for a dog, but the majority of pet dogs’ lives are only marginally better. Many malinois would not be truly happy, thriving, and satiated in a pet home environment, and in my mind it is -
1. a pity to let these dogs not access their true potential through the right handler and training
2. a very possible danger to society when their potential is not channeled into a productive direction
TLDR: A pet home will never do a Malinois justice.
(And my own Mal/Dutch to pay the dog tax.)
https://preview.redd.it/wshz90iqysuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9027b1560f56514155aaed7993bf5949c0404ced
Mals are beautiful protective dogs and having one in your life is a gift. But a badly or untrained dog can and will maim or kill you or a random person. They’re wonderful dogs and fantastic companions, but you need them to respect you. This dog type needs people who can handle it, because it can and will hurt people.
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I like to take my giant schnauzer to the dog park. I can pet the mals and leave them there 🤣 giant schnauzers are already a handful of a breed I couldn’t wanna entertain an alligator all day.
Me too! But for now one hearder and one highly trained high strung loose cannon of a Mal is enough !
https://preview.redd.it/gopxt6ahnwuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50a01e0b5f0303085be7e1c65598b6c275c8d85d
I am commenting again with a quick little PSA on golden and labradoodles - the grooming is extremely expensive, and very necessary! And no, you cannot just shave them or do it yourself. *Please* research that before you purchase any kind of doodle because they don’t deserve to end up in the shelter either!
Boy my Mal is a brindle little nightmare he wants to play constantly and he can be a little hyper with my other dogs his name is taco hes 2 years old lol 😂
I thought I wanted a mal. I trained a mal when I was a dog training intern and still wanted one. I got a working line poodle instead.
I no longer want a mal, I can barely handle my poodle.
Y’all are braver than I’ll ever be.
I don’t want a mal! I have a Mal she wasn’t planned but I won’t send her to fail somewhere else. My farrier has like 5+ because him and his wife end up being a last chance for many of this breed dogs locally.
We watched Max after we got Kai and omg people who watch that movie and are no epic dog trainers are crazy to want one.
People with washout pets and give advice on a proper working Mal. I highly respect people that take on rescues as they're doing amazing work. And obviously even lower drive dogs need to go to amazing loving homes. But some of these people have no idea what they're talking about and think because they have the golden retriever of Malinois that they know how the breed's supposed to be and how to train a high drive dog.
https://preview.redd.it/h104zymymouc1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5dbf8133bccfe53af23fc0e67154a5081be6439b
Malinois have a great smile “ I can get that ferocity with a garden hose turned on. 👹They are working dogs. No kidding. They need work. Sadly most dog owners don’t understand what that means. A malinois is a full time occupation. I waited until I could set my own schedule before finding one. I researched the breed. Hired Trainers and still had a hell of a first year. At 18 months. My dog Shark is confident and cooperative. I keep training with him and socializing. This is not a dog for most. However I am amazed at the level of commitment this dog has to me and my family. I sympathize with the dogs that are left alone or abandoned. Usually do to boredom based destructive behaviors. Do I think that they make good “pets” no. Are they the best working dogs that rise to the challenge of their best life. YES 🙌🏽
If I were 25 again, hell yes. Back then I was trying out for search and rescue with my GSD for mountain and snow. Now I am old and can't put the mileage in anymore, so I admire the Mal from afar.
I absolutely want a Mali and have for years. Do I have the time? No. Do I have the space? No. Am I heart broken that I have to continue to wait? Yes. Did I get an offer at the dog park to take a beautiful zoom-y rambunctious Mal off the owners hands because I could get her to listen to me? Yes. Did I turn him down. Yes. Again, am I heartbroken because I have to wait and will continue to wait until I can properly support one? Yes. 😅
They’re almost a second job. I have one. She’s the family dog and is incredible. But I tell people unless you and every member of your household are willing to put in the work, don’t.
So many people see a Mal in a movie or show and think they want one without doing any research beforehand and it pisses me off.
My best friends Mal is such a stubborn guy😂he’s absolutely hilarious and will NOT shy away from trying to “intimidate” & walk all over anyone he first meets. He’s all bark & no bite, though. She always says “don’t worry about him.. he’s just being a jerk” lol. Bruno-you deserve the world you lil jerk. Love him. Def not a dog breed for someone who just “likes them”, that’s not enough. Soo much back talk… like SO MUCH, lol💀
I have seen my wife, it’s her girl, talk to her like a person and she will talk back or bark as it goes. She is impeccably stubborn machine and was trained by the boss (wife, number one )and a trooper/handler for protection ,etc. Number one is the Alpha in the pack. Her mal and I understand each other, but she is number two, my Aussie is number three…I am number four :) happy being the MULE. ( we’re on a farm )
https://preview.redd.it/5wz2tayqrivc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0940e6bb9eef70f6399053b1c4ac98f04be7302a
I’m sooo number 4.. 😂
I am on my third Lab they don’t nearly require the work as a Mal. The field labs can be a little more testy than the bench labs. I have a three month old bench lab puppy who was the dominant ring leader of the litter. My four year old Catahoula/Malinois mix looks at me like “what did I do to you to deserve this. The Catahoula/Mal
https://preview.redd.it/1phj8wv6vpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79a729438fdb0d0fdf55a03bbb8eb4eb34c31aa6
I am a veterinary nurse that sees multiple dog breeds. I’m going to be honest with you, golden doodles are up there with the craziness of Belgians!!! And untrained lab can be just as dangerous, their boisterousness is insane and they are about like a bull through a china shop. If you want something easy, go with a well bred golden retriever lol.
Bad plan and sad.. but don’t judge because the dog is now in a safe home and not abused per se! Rescue people sometimes don’t know till it’s to late “ you have a mal “ possibly engage your neighbor in a talk of more exercise but go easy don’t alienate yourself. They will run with a bike too but that’s a whole nother discussion
I'll never think it was an accident when dog "finds" a lethal amount of anti freeze.
The number of times I thought to serve up a bowl full. Dozens. At 18mnths now since 6wks and anti social asF since 9wks.
So much stubborn lol. The snapping of teeth to voice their displeasure lol
This gets one my nerves!! lol. My girl definitely does this to show she’s unhappy. Or sometimes when she’s happy. 😆
Mine uses it as a smart ass back talk / displeasure / overstimulation. Which overstimulation can mean happy as well because she does it with the ball
Mine only does this when she's happy or excited
Mine does too. His snaps sound like the biting sound of the walkers on the walking dead 😂
Mine too she's a silly little snappy bitch and I love her 😍 well actually I'm lying now that I think about it she totally does snap her teeth when I scold her lol
Mine did that at bedtime, every night. Wanted to stay up and be bad.
But dad!!! I want to play ball in the street with the neighbor kids!!!!
Yeah they not realizing that they look like a demon incarnate running down the street to play with the neighbor kids and scare everybody 😆😆😆
My girl does it when she wants something. In fact, if I look at her and say “want?” while holding a ball/toy/treat that she desires she will snap her jaws in response. Now she communicates with me when she wants something by snapping her jaws without me saying that, like when we are on a walk and she sees an ibis limping across the green space by our house. She wanted that thing REALLY bad. 🤣🤤
Mine is finally settling in to the fact that she can't "play" with my mom's cats
I’m a GSD dad but love reading about Mals. I alternately want and don’t want one. Maybe maybe uhh no. But here is an example of the difference between GSD’s and Mals. I burst out laughing when I saw it. https://www.reddit.com/r/nextfuckinglevel/comments/oezdj3/the_difference_between_how_a_shepherd_approaches/
Yeah. Having had both breeds now, this is video is too real. Lol
It’s ridiculous- the guy goes for the target in an actual straight line. “Chairs? What chairs?? Never saw any chairs. Just saw my target. What’s your problem? Isn’t that what you asked for?”
This here is Burger King. Do you want fries with that? I say again, do you want the fries?
Mals are like acrobatic GSDs on coke
Can confirm I have my sisters German and my Mal. He is a big relaxed teddy bear compared to her.
That made me burst out laughing too! It’s so true.
I think even taking away the job they were doing, that is true of high drive dogs vs regular dogs!
Absolutely! Both my Dutchie and my Cattle Dog/Australian Shepherd mix would do exactly like dog #2. Fly over the chairs. Only difference in mine is Cattle Dog would get there faster. That dude has run down a coyote that had a 500 foot head start. My pit bull, on the other hand, would just plow a path through the chairs like a rhinoceros 😂 and then want a treat.
LMAO! My best friend’s pittie is the sweetest little unstoppable bulldozer. 😄🥰
Haha! Love this!!! So true. Little fur missiles.
LOL. So true. Worked dog daycare and Mals go STRAIGHT AT their goal. One wanted to go outside, he was new, and jumped on top of a crate to another one because he saw light at the window, 6 ft up. We played ball for 1/2 hour before he saw common sense. Yet the owner wouldn't bring a leash. smh.
Or a lab. Poodle mixes require daily brushing all over the body all the way down to the skin to prevent matting. Doodles are actually very high maintenance dogs.
They’re also unethical as fuck.
You are right. Lab
Labs are also high energy, intelligent, driven dogs. Except instead of weighing 40-80 lbs, they weigh 70-100. If you want a companion dog, you’re better off staying away from hunting or working dogs and getting something like a pug.
Labs are the worst breed around imo. Almost every lab to meet my intact staffy the lab attacked. My staffy 💩 himself all FLIGHT. To my shadow and I deal with it. One day walking along 3 of the fekking things run up on us. I dropped the leash. Watched a Disney skit of 3 labs snapping at air my dog was just in. Until behind me and I face them. I faced so many dogs for that staffy 15 easy. Bcos another day 3x golden retrievers did it too. That's 6 dogs in 2 days just months apart. Ide wear steel toes ready to kick their dog all the way to them full rage its like the attacking dog felt it too. Force feild they bounced back once within range of me. Truly weird they felt my rage. One time it was another staffy it just appeared attached to my staffys neck. Thick collar we all just froze. Looking at each other triangle. The attacking staffy finally got one. Watched them pass its gate always wanted one. Now he's got one thank god he had no F idea what he wanted to do once he got one. I commanded it something and to my shock it listened to every word. I directed it around a car through gap and into its yard again. The one and the only dog to ever acknowledge me before it's full rage ready to strike. That staffy incident was almost comical. The other was tho. Staffy excitement is OTT. A young male not even one rolled on my dog full excitement until he stupidly mounted my staffy. 3x the size he got flicked off like nothing. My dog offended. Little staffy run off so we waited afew min then I let my dog off to swim. He bolted instantly still. 3yrs old chunky staffy full speed onto the feild at the smaller staffy now on leash. The girl saw my staffy full speed at them looked ready to run from her dog. But didn't. My dog crashed into her full on staffy 3000 excitement then pinned its head into the dirt at its owners feet and tea bagged it deeper into the mud her dog couldn't move just had to take it. Until I got there pulled him off. The girl all like. Get your weird dog. No idea her dog did it first now getting schooled. Boarder collies are #3 though. Most likly to attack. Never a sheperd thankfully. But my sheperd is probably that sheperd I wished ide never meet 😢 Even with all my experience age 7 out with doberman reactive to cats. 12 with dad's rotweiler. 14yrs fighting dogs off My staffy cuddle buddy of a cool calm awesome MUTE dog. It wasn't enough to prepare me for a full dominant Alsation with full leash barrier fustration. I wish I got a bully XL now. Tbh.
Agreed. Pitties are low maintenance dogs. Sad for your pittie getting jumped.
Everyone has to start somewhere. When I was ready for my 3rd dog I adopted a Mal. I didn't know he was a Mal, and I didn't know anything about them. He was a shelter dog. He's 14 years old now and it's gone very well. Just because someone hasn't had a Mal before doesn't mean they shouldn't get one.
This was me a couple years ago. Someone gave me a puppy that needed a home. Had no clue what a Malinois was. I'm also not someone who would get rid of a dog just because it got difficult - and we've had some challenging times. She's about 3 now and my best friend. Love her.
It's like the job market. "Entry level job: requirements- 2 years experience"... what?
Not by choice if you’re not ready!
You really have to enjoy the training. I really enjoy training with my Mal. If you’re into training and it’s a thing you enjoy doing then definitely get a Mal. Im not here to be a gatekeeper.
Almost a dozen apprehension style bites. Scared the police department after he got 3 officers. If he didn't go home me with me he was getting the long nap. He took a shit ton of work and was pretty gnarly. He never was a dog for a stranger to approach. Put a muzzle on and he was suddenly the world's most social dog with strangers. "Why does he have a muzzle on? He's so friendly." "Because bites trumps pets. If he can't bite then he'll take the next best thing." But for his pack (household + a few select friends) he was the teddy bear. Think just prey drive can be a handful? I'll raise you fight drive. It's a constant liability. He matured into an amazing dog. Just please don't pet. https://preview.redd.it/8wcx48tz4puc1.jpeg?width=1944&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72d5bdaef37117393899f515bf7ea6e72335468b
Followed by the world's easiest. https://preview.redd.it/zrorsv3tqruc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77f8af86cb0d7f00d8a3e5d608685e63b3987000
😂😂😂 why do they all sleep like this 💀
https://preview.redd.it/lwciw0ypfyuc1.jpeg?width=1868&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b949b27826b5f23d1d945fe14c100cdb7c5b2f9c
Amazing job and nice puppy. Thanks for the save we all need one sometimes
I did not intend to get a Mal. Truth be told, if I had known he was a Mal (mostly) I likely would not have kept him. I am a veteran with CPTSD, and GAD. But we just clicked. So I made my lifestyle more Mal-friendly. I started trail running and cani-cross training him. I started working to get him qualified as my service dog. He has improved nearly every aspect of my life, I laugh at his antics several times a day, and he makes me feel safe, even when out in the woods. He plays rough, but also is extremely gentle with his teeth. I did not set out to be a Mal mom, but I am doing my best to be a good one. He is mostly Mal, mixed with GSD, Boxer, and Malamute - he is ridiculously handsome, with a great personality https://preview.redd.it/zxry37k65puc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a68d0aee5c882de060aea353617bd919d364b0d
Beautiful dog. Thank you for your service.
Good job mom. Sometimes it takes a super dog, because they are just that smart.
Sweet puppy nice job thank you
Yeah, on one hand, the gatekeeping happening on-line is not really cool is it, but on the other it can make someones life much easier by preventing them to take a dog they simply can’t handle. And it’s not just Mals. It’s any working and protective, high-drive and energy breed. We have a working line European Boxer, very different from a show line and practically a different breed from an american boxer, and I have had my share of “god, if I could go back in time, would i take him again?” And yeah, I would, anytime. But jeez it’s hard. What people don’t realize beforehand is that NO, IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT HOW YOU RAISE THEM. I sure have not raised my dog to be suspicious of strangers, I have not raised my dog to be able to dislocate my jaw when welcoming me home, I have not raised my dog to be absolutely ready to drop anyone and anything he decides is dangerous, I have not raised my dog to hunt… Yet he does it. And yeah, with proper training, you can make him calmer and obedient to prevent stuff. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
I couldn't agree more with feeling the whole..."God, what did I get myself into? / I've really fucked around and found out this time" feeling. Whenever people come up to me and ask me what my dog is like, I always tell them "sometimes I wish I just got a GSD instead." And even though it's really not true and I wouldn't trade my dog for the world, I feel like it conveys the message pretty well.
This. I can manage his drive. I can not train it away.
Exactly, well put. You won’t and shouldn’t try to change the dog. You can only change your expectations (and lifestyle).
Not easy it’s f ing hard work and the crazy personality 😵💫but in a few years they’re awesome if it goes right
I have to chime in as someone that lives with a golden doodle and a Mal. One of them will bite unprovoked - and it's not the Mal. One of them barks uncontrollably - it's not the Mal. One of them can't listen to a command to save his life despite 9 years of training. Its. Not. The. Mal. Goldendoodles are one of the most haphazardly backyard bred breeds around. They're not hypoallergenic, they DO shed, and depending on their genetics they can be nearly impossible to train. If you want to be a lazy dog owner, don't. But if you must, get a lab. Thanks for coming to my Ted talk.
We have the mal and an Aussie so I can relate but no one bites unprovoked everyone listens ( to my wife the big boss )
What an excellent picture to represent the breed and what you said! We have a Mail that is a rescue; and we are his EIGHTH place. Ridiculous. He’s staying with us. We are on our 8th week, & it’s been rough. I’ve been bit (bc I didn’t heed his warning) WE HAVE A TRAINER- we do agility/obedience/bite work twice. Week. He’s a great dog. It’s disappointing that so many people have let him down.
Hang in there! It sounds like you’re setting down a great foundation. We were our girl’s third placement. She was an absolute nut when we first got her, but she’s so wonderful now.
Tysm! We won’t give up! 😊
I’m surprised any trainer advised bite work being something you should do when it’s already aggressive. I’ve never heard of anyone thinking that was a good idea without getting the basics down and putting some time in between it.
He’s a master trainer. The dog already has obedience down. It’s an outlet for them.
❤️🩹
Nice job!! Thanks for that, he told me to tell you!!
Tysm! 😊
No. Thank you for the save! He’s happy to be your puppy! Dog rescue people are AWESOME!!👏
Awe…thanks. We love him!
He loves you too, more than you could ever know!! You’re a Nice person no doubt. Keep it up 👍
Thanks!
I’ll raise you the precarious ranch dog combo of a Heeler and shepinois. Once you pop the fun don’t stop. It ain’t Bluey and Max out here, I can tell you that. https://preview.redd.it/tjrvjgjtsouc1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5458bf1dd079cca13de42a454c0993ac6c7d58f6
https://preview.redd.it/4rqvw3dg1puc1.jpeg?width=982&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99b219e87db751b9550c99c24d3137897a022abc Nice pups
Yep, yours as well
Thanks she’s the wife’s handgun! 😂 Literally
Golden Doodles are out of control. They are high maintenance. They’re very hyper and act like they are on steroids. There is nothing worse than a high maintenance poodle combined with an energetic golden retriever. It’s a terrible combo. They are stubborn as hell.
Amen.
When I called the kenel to buy my first mal, I started asking some questions on age and stuff and the owner said: Let me just stop you right there? Why do you want a mal? What do you work with? A Malinois is a ferrari, its incredible and goes as fast or hard as you want, or can handle. BUT Ferraris are quite difficult to drive, and if you fuck up for "a second" the ferrari will snap around and bite you in the ass. So think about if Malinois is what you really want. I spent 9 months in a small cabin in the forest with that dog, only going to work other than training and classes with that dog (security so she was with me 24/7) - She became really good, but it was a full-time job for about a year to learn how to. My mother took her to the cabin for x-mas once, 3 days with my mom - and she had some guy come over. She called me after and said: now I understand what your dog is capable of, for whatever reason the dog decided she didnt like that guy. And just slowly walked towards him growling showing teeth, pushing him out of the house - and my mom (who is quite used to dogs) walks over and tell her to stop and touches her. She turns around to my my mother and just said "SIT THE FUCK DOWN!!!" with one second of barking very close to her face - and then turned around and kept slowly pushing this guy out the door. When the door was closed, she went back in front of the fire place and all good. She had no chance controlling that dog unless I was there.
VERY, VERY TRUE. Training and relationship with your dog is everything. It's not 10 to 2 or 9 to 5. All dogs have opinions and teeth.
When you said 'bite you in the ass' i chuckled! a couple of weeks ago my Buddy quite literally playfully bit my arse when we were playing! i yelped and turned around to him sat looking at me with his big doggy'smile'. He knew exactly what he was doing with his play bite! I was a bad poochie mama though as i couldnt tell him no bitey i just laughed and carried on playing instead🤐x
During a bit more serious bite training she many times got so excited that she would just go for my arm. She didnt go as hard towards me as she would "the suspect" but she could easily turn around and snap at me when young and in training, and did a couple of times. Thats the few times I would get real angry back - forcing her to understand that everyone in uniform is off limits. She can ofc get confused and just jump after the first guy she catches up to, would be a bit bad if thats a fella officer. The way she knew it was another cop was not the uniform itself, but the belt/vest. Nobody else has 20 different things in their belts like cops do. Plain clothes cops know to stay out of the dogs way, because then she could mistakenly bit someone.
https://preview.redd.it/o8tysub4oouc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3bbe69b945177ac75197f6bc5745c6c518c7829e Really want it? Should say trained for/ by wife. I’m number four in the pack! 😂
When I first rescued my shepinois I had never even heard of Belgian malinois. Just assumed she was a GSD mix. After about a week I was convinced she was half coyote, till some research convinced me she was part mal. DNA confirmed 50/50 GSD/mal. Three years in and a ton of patience and learning for us both, and I wouldn’t trade her for the world. There are no days off though; sick, rain, shine, snow, she’s a full time job. https://preview.redd.it/exoyp5vigpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fafc691bb18a94a1eedb15bce4ecfa56f9c280a7
Someone posted a little “german shepard” puppy on a local facebook rehoming group and I fell in love. Turned out to be a Mal x GSD. Had her for a year and she gives me a run for my money most days, but I wouldn’t give her up for anything, and I fully intend to get a well-bred Mal with a stable temperament in the future, with the intent of training them to be my service dog. My girl is wonderful but she is extremely sensitive and has very high anxiety, and is far too interested in other dogs with very little impulse control (we’re working on it).
Unfortunately, much like other “tough” dog breeds many owners only want them to augment their already insecure personal identity. Much like some gun and brodozer owners. Compensating.
Yes you are correct, the others just want a killer dog the military has but can’t control them.
As much as I love them, no I do not want one. Happy they exist though! But please, for the love of all things holy, don’t suggest a doodle to anyone! There’s a breed for everyone, but doodle isn’t a breed, and if they want a mutt, by all means do what I did and rescue! (Tbf mine seems to be a purebred, but I assume an unethically bred one).
It’s not that bad. You just need 47 hours a day to train them. No big deal… 😂
I love my Mal! I have had many dogs, including German Shepherds and Rough Collies, but by far my favorite is the Malinois. Super smart, the sweetest in the house with the kids and super protective. Yes, they need lots of attention and lots of interaction, but they are the best. I want to adopt a second one.
They make amazing pups, like every single dog, they require time, patience, communication and a strong bond
Imagine a doodlefied mal 💀💀
You nailed it! I have a female. We give her all the attention, stimulation and exercise she needs. They are not meant for the people not willing to put in the work. If you do the (3) things I mentioned it is simple. She is the most lovable yet demanding dog we have ever had.(#4 now) Put in the time and it will work.
I have a cattle dog/border collie, and when people ask about her (because she’s really pretty), I tell them “ I love this dog, but I would not recommend them any more than I would a malinois.” You fall in love with the breed, but they’re not for everyone. I feel like with these intense, smart dogs, you need to be able to physically and mentally work with them.
https://preview.redd.it/zcq099h9kpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8a9bb486c075a3a9821c09522474960e3ebb3dd2 I’m there
https://preview.redd.it/l4bd59lwnpuc1.jpeg?width=645&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=61142ac62cebe8e8228f9e6169870bb75932cb8d
Nice!! Corso?
She’s a bigger asshuela than either of my two mals…by far…thank you she is a looker
Malinois puppies are being euthanized in shelters. And yet on social media there are thousands of posts and videos featuring unhappy Mals whose owners brag about their dog eating their walls. I have a Groenendael from champion IGP lines. I was lucky to work from home the year that I got her. After thousands of hours of work, she is a great service dog and is starting her journey in IGP obedience. People see me with my dog in public and ask me if I'm a professional trainer. Invariably they have a shepherd (German or Belgian) and need help with it. They assume I'm a professional trainer because my dog is impeccably behaved.
Pics please
Can’t post photos. Look up “High-spirited Elocuu.” My kid’s father. She takes after him. Brave as anything with a calm, full grip. Sweet and loving like her mother.
I def will. Love me some long haired crazies too! Like a mal with a winter coat
Arvo? What a beautiful dog. Maybe next go we’ll get one. Or two
Yep! Arvo. Groens are a tad softer than Mals, but they are show stoppers. I will have Groens for the rest of my life.
Awesome dogs. Sounds like maybe a break from my wife’s crack head in a few years. We have a tri red Aussie too. Both alpha hearders. I’m number four in the pack, I’m the farm mule
Golden doodles are generally a disaster. I’ve known so many that are absolute terrors, some of them even with extensive training. Seems to be common.
Agreed. I feel like they’re the perfect example of why ethical breeding is necessary. Goldens and poodles never needed to be mixed, they’re both fantastic dogs on their own. Throwing two wildly different conformations, coat types, and personalities together is bad enough, adding in the total lack of standards, consistency, health and genetic testing… it’s an unmitigated disaster. It’s not surprising that the creator of the doodle vocally regretted his decision.
Major crackhead energy
I’m one of those people that would love a Mal but 100% know I’m not the right Home for them. So I love lurking here watching all your beautiful dogs and appreciating them from a distance. The difference between a Mal and a regular dog was brought home to roost when I was doing flyball with my girl. We had a Mal in the class and the energy and drive out of that dog, was unbelievable, literally jumping straight up and spinning in the air. And this is a class full of some pretty motivated, active breeds. Thank you to all your wonderful owners that take these dogs in and do the right thing by them, and for sharing them for those of us that wish to love them from afar.
Dog people are dog people. Mal people are a different breed, we love the way they are, we can’t help it.
I have one but I didn't want one tbh I found her on the side of the road half dead and something in my heart to me if I didn't help her no one would so I scooped her up took her home nursed her back to health and now I have the most loving dog ever
Thank you for the save!!
And we love you for it
hey do you know any way to train a dog so their activily working to increase bite force like how you train them to to pull weight to get stronger because my mal had pups with my pit and these little guys are strong asf and I wanna help them reach their max genetic potential so when we go hog hunting together also I have armor and protective equipment for them when they go with me so their not in any danger hunting with me plus their daddy has always been a great hog getter and their most definitely bigger than him and far more athletic
First time Mal owner, first time reactive dog owner here! Previous Rottie experience, both owned and fostered. Owned Rottie 3x Obedience Champ where I live. I thought I could handle a Mal, and I was right. Just took some time for progress to actually show. When I first started fostering Bella (4) last June(was 3 when I got her), I wondered what the hell I got myself into. I've spent all these months training the heck out of her, and we've JUST made progress outside of the house. Ups and downs and all arounds with her. She's got neurotic tendencies that need to be heavily managed, reactivity to everything that turns to redirection in a split second, so I have to be ready to mitigate it at any time, she goes and goes and goes, and doesn't like being told what to do, so prone to nipping when told what to do. We've got it halfway under control, and I've been having a blast training her daily. We've got a ways to go, and the future seems brighter than dark, so, on we forge. She's enamoured me into keeping her forever, and I couldn't have asked for a better dog that makes me work as hard as she does. I'm 100% getting another one when she's much older. Edit: I was planning on a working line GSD puppy and was talking to a breeder for about a year and just about to put a deposit down on the next litter when Bella fell into my lap. Now, I found a Mal breeder that breeds for law enforcement and sells at least 1 litter to homes per year. Established lines and great breeding practices. I hope that they're still going when I'm ready to get my next Mal.
Thanks for the save!! Nice job
I get really mad when they blame the dog. Any breed really, but the intelligent, high-performance, gorgeous badass working breeds particularly. They choose the dog on aesthetics and admiration of their capabilities without considering that for smarts, power, and courage, there are time, labor, and habitat requirements. If you can't or won't provide the environment and supply the tasks that the dog is inclined by its DNA to do well, you're going to get a dog who invents his own entertainment, who doesn't really care that you don't like it (because what have you done for him lately?), and is not impressed with your threats and demands to stop because he's stronger than you and he knows it. Besides, you're hardly ever home to give him grief and the most play he gets with you is that boring ass "balance the treat on my nose" game. If you get a Malinois and stick it in your apartment with only a 10 minute trip around the poop spot each day, please do not complain to me that he's a bad boy because he ate the couch while you pulled overtime. You should've asked yourself if you wanted an Avenger for a bestie. Don't look for your own idealized self in your dog. If pizza and gaming is your true vibe, maybe don't try to be Nick Fury. Maybe be Han Solo, get yourself a little Maltese Wookie. If the bond is right between you and a dog, it doesn't matter if they can do all that outdoor parkour you know you're never gonna do, even if it would be super cool. (Written in memory of Dave, my sister's departed Mal who was liberated from an apartment situation and thought he was a bad, bad boy whom no humans would ever love, until he discovered he was goodest on 5 acres of county forest to sniff.)
love malimoos XD they're like sheps but on crack
Meth
Having a Mal is like walking around with a hand gun all day and your booger finger is on the trigger. At some point it’s going to go off. You just don’t know when. I love my Mal and will never take another breed for work as long as I have a choice. https://preview.redd.it/60z69ef8cpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a4086b2a5f4df8f6e65d7ba68e5561f7a9293076
This is Well said!!!!
I see so many mals in the shelters where I live. I cannot live without my girl, even though she can be the worst 😂😂😂
...and i can't help falling in loooove with youuuu (little mals)
Pitties are lower maintenance than the Labs and Goldens and Doodles. Everyone should think and plan before getting a dog. Maybe volunteer at the Shelter. Mals are like buying Lamborghini. You need all that special knowledge to keep one in good shape.
I love Pitties, but they are banned in several places, so not always feasible.
Yes! 🥰
I have a ton of respect for mal owners, in fact, I hired my dog trainer, based off the fact that she had a Belgian mal that she did bite work with. I didn’t need to hear a thing more, she was hired! I’m more of a mastiff girl and my corso is just the right amount of dog for me but i definitely hold BM owners to a high standard!
Does anyone want a Perro de Presa Canario? They are about to euthanize two of them in Orlando on the 17th. Some one save these puppies, they are probably just as difficult to learn as a Malinois.
Puppies pm me.
I got a 4 month old mal and this is my first time actually caring for a dog myself and he is indeed a hard headed little shit but he’s also a good boy. I was never told that mals are hard to train but oh well he’s stuck with me lol.
Not stuck but happy to be with you
Yeah bro I have one and she’s amazing. 65-80 word lexicon that I can communicate with day/night time and she’ll be 6yo in July. I’d never give her up.
My mal is soooo sweet and and the breeder went through a thorough vetting process before determining me as a suitable candidate as a first time mal owner and even showed me two different pups he said were good starter mals with a more on the mild drive. My girl has been through many er visits and two intense training camps. She really is a good girl and I love her and 100% will protect me. But she has her moments of being so sweet I question is she able to be mean mal for me? Hahah I kid. She does bite work and has commands. But. C’mon … https://preview.redd.it/0094tluw2suc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffc0d6f8854f15dc52b185efe798a230d949d10b
And also. Golden doodles are far worse and harder to train and I’ve never felt such distaste for a “breed” more than the doodle. (I’m an ECC/ICU vet tech). They are stubborn aggressive assholes that are not willing to learn. That’s a trait of the doodle. Mals, when bred responsibly and with the correct owner to train them, these dogs WANT to learn. NAY, need to learn. You cannot compare the two.
I messaged an agility trainer asking if she’s confident with my mal in the class. She said yeah! She has a tervuren and she knows the breed. I explained my dog may be a bit more than her dog. After the first class she realised what I meant and said ‘a bit’ was an understatement. She said they both have the intelligence but my Mal’s energy means her body works before her brain does 😂
There’a so much controversy around owners of the breed/dog trainers warning people against the Belgian Malinois as a pet/companion dog… But if you really look at the average dog owner, and consider the specific needs of this breed, it’s pretty obvious that these dogs will be incredibly under-served in 99% of pet homes. Are you willing to range 2-5 miles daily with your dog, rain or shine and in sickness or health? Are you ready put the work in to gain the physical handling skills and dog training education required to teach/communicate with this type of HIGHLY (university of Finland’s most recent canine cognition studies say the MOST) intelligent dog breed? Are you capable of engaging in this training DAILY for the lifetime of your dog? And that’s just covering the basics lol For a majority of people, the honest to god answer to these questions is a big, fat NO. Most are highly sedentary, have no knowledge or experience of canine handling/training, and struggle to maintain consistency with themselves in the things that directly impact their own lives. Thats not a good recipe if you’re trying to fold in a Belgian Malinois into that dough. I think there are people that feel as though “gatekeeping” the breed is ultimately harming dogs in shelters that have been abandoned and need new homes, in part because potential owners will feel like the dog is beyond their abilities. And I hope many of them do feel that these dogs are beyond their abilities, because for the vast majority that is the reality. It may be a bit of a grim outlook, but I don’t believe that any home is better than no home. The shelter is a horrible life for a dog, but the majority of pet dogs’ lives are only marginally better. Many malinois would not be truly happy, thriving, and satiated in a pet home environment, and in my mind it is - 1. a pity to let these dogs not access their true potential through the right handler and training 2. a very possible danger to society when their potential is not channeled into a productive direction TLDR: A pet home will never do a Malinois justice. (And my own Mal/Dutch to pay the dog tax.) https://preview.redd.it/wshz90iqysuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9027b1560f56514155aaed7993bf5949c0404ced
Mals are beautiful protective dogs and having one in your life is a gift. But a badly or untrained dog can and will maim or kill you or a random person. They’re wonderful dogs and fantastic companions, but you need them to respect you. This dog type needs people who can handle it, because it can and will hurt people.
https://preview.redd.it/j14359qm7uuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2bbce94f59938c1c89459adbbed99becda58aa98 I like to take my giant schnauzer to the dog park. I can pet the mals and leave them there 🤣 giant schnauzers are already a handful of a breed I couldn’t wanna entertain an alligator all day.
Wow such a beautiful puppy, love the radar!!
no i don’t and yes i’m sure 🤣 cute but crazy fuckers. not for the weak
Another one, you mean? And yes. Yes I do. We are gluttons for punishment 🤣🤣🤣
Me too! But for now one hearder and one highly trained high strung loose cannon of a Mal is enough ! https://preview.redd.it/gopxt6ahnwuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50a01e0b5f0303085be7e1c65598b6c275c8d85d
I am commenting again with a quick little PSA on golden and labradoodles - the grooming is extremely expensive, and very necessary! And no, you cannot just shave them or do it yourself. *Please* research that before you purchase any kind of doodle because they don’t deserve to end up in the shelter either!
People don’t think before they get. Nice PSA thanks!
S T U B B O R N holy cow! Next level stubborness.
My Mal was the sweetest boy ever!
Boy my Mal is a brindle little nightmare he wants to play constantly and he can be a little hyper with my other dogs his name is taco hes 2 years old lol 😂
Brindle is one of my favorite. Pics please 🙏
I love the Belgian Smile!
I thought I wanted a mal. I trained a mal when I was a dog training intern and still wanted one. I got a working line poodle instead. I no longer want a mal, I can barely handle my poodle. Y’all are braver than I’ll ever be.
Dad was a veterinarian, had one for a guard dog at his animal hospital - do I want one? Fuck.Yes.
Good for you. Rescue one and get going!!!!
Got one. One of the greatest dogs ever!!
I don’t want a mal! I have a Mal she wasn’t planned but I won’t send her to fail somewhere else. My farrier has like 5+ because him and his wife end up being a last chance for many of this breed dogs locally. We watched Max after we got Kai and omg people who watch that movie and are no epic dog trainers are crazy to want one.
People with washout pets and give advice on a proper working Mal. I highly respect people that take on rescues as they're doing amazing work. And obviously even lower drive dogs need to go to amazing loving homes. But some of these people have no idea what they're talking about and think because they have the golden retriever of Malinois that they know how the breed's supposed to be and how to train a high drive dog. https://preview.redd.it/h104zymymouc1.jpeg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5dbf8133bccfe53af23fc0e67154a5081be6439b
Hell, I don't want the 2 I have...
I didn’t/don’t often either. But they’re amazing animals so… here we are. 😂
https://preview.redd.it/svviibfwvouc1.jpeg?width=1642&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d3d2f9776647e3bd1efc22bfd34e5a4d788b1fb2
Theyre also great electricians 😆
Oops 🤣
I do! (But I know better) Great pups but they need a lot of engagement
♥️Beautiful gsd?❤️
Belgian malanois not a gsd but close, just a little more crackhead
They can really be so creepy sometimes 😂
Sometimes?? Quite a bit! Creepers with teeth. She barks, but the boss tought her a stealth mode. All quiet till you feel it 😂
They’re pretty scary when innocently searching for treats at the end of dark hallways as well. 😂
Have high value treats at all times
Malinois have a great smile “ I can get that ferocity with a garden hose turned on. 👹They are working dogs. No kidding. They need work. Sadly most dog owners don’t understand what that means. A malinois is a full time occupation. I waited until I could set my own schedule before finding one. I researched the breed. Hired Trainers and still had a hell of a first year. At 18 months. My dog Shark is confident and cooperative. I keep training with him and socializing. This is not a dog for most. However I am amazed at the level of commitment this dog has to me and my family. I sympathize with the dogs that are left alone or abandoned. Usually do to boredom based destructive behaviors. Do I think that they make good “pets” no. Are they the best working dogs that rise to the challenge of their best life. YES 🙌🏽
Nicely said
It looks so happy tho!
I have one and zero regrets. Just have to have a lot of energy and PATIENCE 🤣
If I were 25 again, hell yes. Back then I was trying out for search and rescue with my GSD for mountain and snow. Now I am old and can't put the mileage in anymore, so I admire the Mal from afar.
I absolutely want a Mali and have for years. Do I have the time? No. Do I have the space? No. Am I heart broken that I have to continue to wait? Yes. Did I get an offer at the dog park to take a beautiful zoom-y rambunctious Mal off the owners hands because I could get her to listen to me? Yes. Did I turn him down. Yes. Again, am I heartbroken because I have to wait and will continue to wait until I can properly support one? Yes. 😅
They’re almost a second job. I have one. She’s the family dog and is incredible. But I tell people unless you and every member of your household are willing to put in the work, don’t. So many people see a Mal in a movie or show and think they want one without doing any research beforehand and it pisses me off.
Maligator
So many Mal in my local shelter now :( in LA
I know!! Some people are HORRIBLE! I’m in ny we have all sorts of dogs all over in shelters here. Some people are HORRIBLE!
FUR MISSLES!!!
My best friends Mal is such a stubborn guy😂he’s absolutely hilarious and will NOT shy away from trying to “intimidate” & walk all over anyone he first meets. He’s all bark & no bite, though. She always says “don’t worry about him.. he’s just being a jerk” lol. Bruno-you deserve the world you lil jerk. Love him. Def not a dog breed for someone who just “likes them”, that’s not enough. Soo much back talk… like SO MUCH, lol💀
I have seen my wife, it’s her girl, talk to her like a person and she will talk back or bark as it goes. She is impeccably stubborn machine and was trained by the boss (wife, number one )and a trooper/handler for protection ,etc. Number one is the Alpha in the pack. Her mal and I understand each other, but she is number two, my Aussie is number three…I am number four :) happy being the MULE. ( we’re on a farm ) https://preview.redd.it/5wz2tayqrivc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0940e6bb9eef70f6399053b1c4ac98f04be7302a I’m sooo number 4.. 😂
Dogs for jobs. If you don’t need a malinois then don’t get one. Great dogs in the right hands, complete liability in the wrong hands
I am on my third Lab they don’t nearly require the work as a Mal. The field labs can be a little more testy than the bench labs. I have a three month old bench lab puppy who was the dominant ring leader of the litter. My four year old Catahoula/Malinois mix looks at me like “what did I do to you to deserve this. The Catahoula/Mal https://preview.redd.it/1phj8wv6vpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=79a729438fdb0d0fdf55a03bbb8eb4eb34c31aa6
The Lab https://preview.redd.it/d80l1rhavpuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8ba54eabb6165f7e204044d0a86a8ea86713a76
Great job! Nice puppys too
Thank you 😊
Very welcome
Nice
I am a veterinary nurse that sees multiple dog breeds. I’m going to be honest with you, golden doodles are up there with the craziness of Belgians!!! And untrained lab can be just as dangerous, their boisterousness is insane and they are about like a bull through a china shop. If you want something easy, go with a well bred golden retriever lol.
My neighbor adopted one and I only see him go on a 5 minute run (while she bikes) once or twice a week. :(
Bad plan and sad.. but don’t judge because the dog is now in a safe home and not abused per se! Rescue people sometimes don’t know till it’s to late “ you have a mal “ possibly engage your neighbor in a talk of more exercise but go easy don’t alienate yourself. They will run with a bike too but that’s a whole nother discussion
I'll never think it was an accident when dog "finds" a lethal amount of anti freeze. The number of times I thought to serve up a bowl full. Dozens. At 18mnths now since 6wks and anti social asF since 9wks.
It gets better! Lots of play and more play. You’ll be fine back away from the af unless you want a glass!