The Original Rooster
Mayor of Spring Hill
Lord, if he grows into his ears, you ain't gonna be able to afford to feed him!Gunner
Lord, if he grows into his ears, you ain't gonna be able to afford to feed him!Gunner
They're definitely very smart and they need lots of stimulation to keep them happy. This breed is not for everyone and that's something that needs to be understood. When we adopted Tillie, she was labeled as being level 4 aggressive. She even tried to bite a chunk out of me in the parking lot the day we brought her home. We think someone couldn't deal with the hyperactive Mal side of her personality. But as long as you understand them, they're not hard to manage. They're very protective and loyal dogs.I've heard that Belgian Mals are smarter than most 16 year old boys.
Seriously, I heard that they're intelligence meant you had to keep them busy so they wouldn't get depressed from not being challenged.
I completely understand. My golden retriever/duck toller mix had been returned to the shelter 3 times for biting children and some adults. He had been badly abused and I figured out he bit out of fear. He can still be a handful but he's the most loyal dog I've ever had.They're definitely very smart and they need lots of stimulation to keep them happy. This breed is not for everyone and that's something that needs to be understood. When we adopted Tillie, she was labeled as being level 4 aggressive. She even tried to bite a chunk out of me in the parking lot the day we brought her home. We think someone couldn't deal with the hyperactive Mal side of her personality. But as long as you understand them, they're not hard to manage. They're very protective and loyal dogs.
It burns me up that the movies like to show how great these dogs can be but they don't show all of the time and work it takes to get them to that point. Then everyone wants a cool dog like that and runs out to get one without researching the breed or thinking about what they might be getting into. After they realize they can't handle a dog that needs something to do, they dump it on the street or in a shelter.I completely understand. My golden retriever/duck toller mix had been returned to the shelter 3 times for biting children and some adults. He had been badly abused and I figured out he bit out of fear. He can still be a handful but he's the most loyal dog I've ever had.
There's just something about holding the leash with 60+ lbs of fur, teeth and bad attitude on the other end. I always enjoyed telling people that he loved me but them not so much. He was so intense when he was working that everyone thought he was a man-eater, even my Sheriff. I did several narcotics searches in our jail with Dee-moe and he would come through the door with that leash at max extension and pulling for all he was worth. I've spoken with several former inmates over the years who were in the jail when we did those searches. They said the way he looked when he came through the door was something they would never forget.Then Pukkie, my first patrol dog, @ 50 pounds of bite everything when a call came across the radio, started salivating.
That was Pukkie, lived for bar fights. Squad of MPs getting beat down, role up in my Bongo truck and put him at the end of leash, ID cards started coming out and it was like church. Contacted their CSMs, passed off the IDs to them, 12 mile road march, full kit.There's just something about holding the leash with 60+ lbs of fur, teeth and bad attitude on the other end. I always enjoyed telling people that he loved me but them not so much. He was so intense when he was working that everyone thought he was a man-eater, even my Sheriff. I did several narcotics searches in our jail with Dee-moe and he would come through the door with that leash at max extension and pulling for all he was worth. I've spoken with several former inmates over the years who were in the jail when we did those searches. They said the way he looked when he came through the door was something they would never forget.
That was the best way to enter a NCO club in Germany too. A 5 foot gator popping teeth on a 6 foot lead. People need to research and understand that Malinois & Dutch Shepard’s are working dogs that need to be both mentally and physically stimulated. That old “20 minute walk around the block 3 times a week“ won’t cut it with them. They need more, it’s a huge commitment not just a pet. That’s the same reason they let inmates work out in prison, to burn it off. Their a handful…..but man I love em.. I’ve seen a couple females that were low keyed.That was Pukkie, lived for bar fights. Squad of MPs getting beat down, role up in my Bongo truck and put him at the end of leash, ID cards started coming out and it was like church. Contacted their CSMs, passed off the IDs to them, 12 mile road march, full kit.
Saved a lot of paperwork, careers and kept the unit off the blotter, so good relations with units.
I liken it to a light switch, off or on (wide open)That was the best way to enter a NCO club in Germany too. A 5 foot gator popping teeth on a 6 foot lead. People need to research and understand that Malinois & Dutch Shepard’s are working dogs that need to be both mentally and physically stimulated. That old “20 minute walk around the block 3 times a week“ won’t cut it with them. They need more, it’s a huge commitment not just a pet. That’s the same reason they let inmates work out in prison, to burn it off. Their a handful…..but man I love em.. I’ve seen a couple females that were low keyed.
Having been a 16yo boy I don't find it hard to believe anything is smarter than that..... including jellyfish. Just saying.I've heard that Belgian Mals are smarter than most 16 year old boys.
Seriously, I heard that they're intelligence meant you had to keep them busy so they wouldn't get depressed from not being challenged.
Good on you for rescuing him. I'm leery of adopting working dogs that I want to put to work just because I don't know the true back history. Mainly health. I'm way too attached to my dogs and its a long long time before I get over the loss of one of my dogs. I really hope he works out (it sounds like he will) and has a long and happy life with your family.My first Mal was a female from La, named her Taz. She was my K-9 when I was a GW in Alabama, worked 8 years with me. She saved my bacon on at least two occasions. She retired with me in 2005 and died in 2014.
Fast forward thru several Mals. Last Friday I see a male Mal in a local shelter...named Taz. I don't NEED another Mal(I have two and a Dutch Shepherd) but I just couldn't let him waste away in a shelter. The Mals are hard to home out and suffer in the shelter environment. So Tuesday we went to the shelter and came home with a new(to us) Malinois. 1-11/2 years old, fawn color, VERY rambunctious and friendly. He is going to be a handful to teach obedience and manners but I believe in him. We shall see.
I'll get a pic later.
The down fall of many a great breed has been the casual pet owners breeding dogs without regard to anything. Health, mental stableness, general ability and the fact that they really didn't know what they were inviting into their life to start with. I firmly believe you should have to pass some kind of test to own certain breeds of working dogs. I have a Deutsch Drahthaar and its two hours of intense mental and physical work at a minimum every day 7 days a week or accept that something is going to be destroyed. When something has been destroyed it's usually a matter of me not doing my part and keeping them busy enough.It burns me up that the movies like to show how great these dogs can be but they don't show all of the time and work it takes to get them to that point. Then everyone wants a cool dog like that and runs out to get one without researching the breed or thinking about what they might be getting into. After they realize they can't handle a dog that needs something to do, they dump it on the street or in a shelter.