I don’t usually read the stories on MSN when I log out of my hotmail account but did read the one about 20 best breeds for new dog owners. Doberman, GSD, and Mal’s were in the top 10.
I really hope nobody actually listens to that. Yes, they’re very eager to please their owner, but dog training and exercise better be your lifestyle.
Waiting for the post 1-3 months down the line
“My malinois bit (family member) after they took his bone away what do I do we love this dog he’s so great except when he eats the furniture and growls at strangers we obviously never socialized him, trained him, or did any physical or mental stimulation.”
My Mal was neglected for the first 4 months as a puppy too! Now we deal with leash reactivity.
He’s 1yo and doing alot better now but still working on it.
I’m wondering were you able to train your pup’s reactivity?
Yah I introduce my dutchie to everyone outdoors, cuz I don’t want to risk him thinking someone is an intruder. Once he meets them he doesn’t care how they enter the house as long as they pet him.
I’ve had over 50 foster dogs and several of my own of various breeds and temperaments, and I still immediately got a training coach when I got my mail/mal mix. The number of things you just cannot tolerate with a Mal is kind of staggering, but having the guidance has helped tremendously. As an example, I’ve only ever called dogs off of grabbing food that fell on the floor, and never had an issue with a dog grabbing a dropped piece of popcorn or tossing them something safe from a leftover. My mal? Nope. She isn’t allowed to eat anything I don’t explicitly give her. Even if I drop a treat in the process of giving it to her. She waits until I tell her Ok or pick it up and give it to her. It’s not “get back from the door on command” it’s “you won’t approach the door unless I say it’s ok”. Things like that. I definitely would have screwed it up without guidance but wow does it improve the whole “I have an actual electrified shark weasel in my home”
Im 16 i didnt ask for it but they bought it from a relative way cheaper than the price the go for we’ve had other big dogs but i never really spent time with them
Your parents seem to have just dumped this dog in your lap with no concept of what it is, what it's capable, or how difficult it is to manage. Since you said you can't afford a trainer (and not just any trainer will do, you would need one that has extensive experience with working dogs and ideally Mals in particular), you have a choice to makeand you need to make it fast both for your own good and the good of the dog. The choice is to either make the full commitment to caring for this dog, or to rehome it.
Choosing to care for the dog is one of the biggest, hardest commitments you'll ever make in your life as someone who has no experience with dogs, let alone one of the most driven, energetic, and intelligent breeds of dog in the world. This dog requires near constant stimulation- both mental and physical- to remain calm and happy. If the dog gets bored it will get destructive as it tries to entertain itself. This is because it doesn't know any better what to do on it's own. The plus side is the dog is extremely intelligent and literally lives for being given jobs and getting trained. You'll never see the dog happier and more excited than when yoou're doing good training exercises with it, seriously they LOVE it. Training with this dog isn't a "oh we did 6 months of stuff and it can now sit and it comes when I call it, I'm done training it"- it's a full commitment to constantly train the dog over the course of it's life, it NEVER stops. We're talking multiple long walks per day, some high energy play (fetch/frisbee/etc) multiple times per day, multiple structured training sessions per day, etc. On top of that, Mals are extremely sensitive and tuned in to their person and they do not at all respond well to negative or angry activity towards them. Training and having one requires a firm and steady, but positive and encouraging temperment towards it.
If you're not willing to commit everything to this dog then rehome it immediately. Contact some of the outstanding Malinois rescues out there ([malinoisrescueleague.org](https://malinoisrescueleague.org) and [malinoisrescue.org](https://malinoisrescue.org) are both exceptional) and hopefully they can help find the right home for it. I'm saying this because your parents are clearly both uninterested in helping and completely ignorant to how much of an issue they've caused by just dumping a dog on you like that at all, let alone a breed as notoriously difficult to manage as a Malinois. Trying to keep the dog and half assing it will result in the house being torn apart, angry parents, and a very upset you.
They're the best companions a person could ever dream of, but only if you guide them towards that with everything you've got. They're an absolute nightmare otherwise. There is absolutely no shame what so ever in choosing to give the dog up either- if you can't or won't commit to the dog fully then rehoming it is the only right thing to do and it is never embarrassing to do the right thing, especially when the right thing is hard to do.
I wish I could give comments a round of applause. I grew up with Groens, I love Mals but they are too much everything for me. OP is nowhere near equipped for this, and rehoming sounds like the kindest thing for the dog.
Start watching YouTube training videos. These are probably the dog I would say that takes the most work. But they learn very well if you’re speaking their language.
what the actual fuck, honestly I'd be telling your parents to piss off if I were you, they brought it into the house, they deal with it.
Regardless of breed, you dont dump a dog (or any animal) on someone that didnt ask for it and then expect them to look after it.
well, you've either got a world of learning to do right away, or you might be best off trying to return the dog or re-homing it. Mals are working dogs, and they are bred over many generations to do demanding physical work all day, have tons of energy, and to be strong and aggressive enough to deal with livestock and predators. Other working dogs are border collies and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Google about training working dogs, specifically mals, and see if it sounds like something you'd even want to do. Plus, everyone in your house has to be on board with it and be consistent in what you do, or they will undo your training efforts. You need a positive method, that praises or rewards desired behaviors, but is not mean or very negative when they act like an untrained dog. They are very sensitive! Think about what you want to do, try to figure it out. It doesn't sound like your parents would be too much help with this...which is too bad, but it is what it is.
[I think your parents need to see this.](https://youtu.be/12e4LXqMMtw)
You did not get a puppy, you got a lifestyle. I don’t think it’s fair at all to put this on you.
So it’s your parents dog? It’s their responsibility to pay for anything it requires. Training being one. If they can’t do that then I would suggest asking them to contact a rescue whom can take this dog as it likely will become unmanageable if it’s not worked with correctly. It’s not your responsibility to train him. You’re a kid, with no money, no experience, and no reason to be training a working breed dog.
You need to set a “pack” standard immediately. Let the dog know where they stand within that pack. In other words establish who is boss now or find your couch eaten and a look of what are you gonna do about it from the dog. Go to YouTube university and consume all training videos.. no matter the breed.
Now on another note, this is pretty f@&$ing irresponsible on both your parents and your part, to get a 9 month old dog of any sort and say it’s yours deal with it. Actually just WTF… that’s like handing a loaded weapon to a toddler n saying figure it out. 🤦♂️
Jesus Christ the more I sit and think about this the madder I get.
Seriously get to YouTube and find some experts in training that you can follow. Learn to play tug and keep lots of chew toys around. Be prepared said toys don’t last long and have to be replaced. I’m not sure which destroys toys faster the Mal or the pitbull. Oh and get ones with No stuffing in them. Jesus Christ on a crutch what a mess!!! Guess you’re getting a job soon to pay for it.
Jesus Christ man. I normally would not post trainers on here and if this is not allowed please remove my comments but, OP search and literally binge watch Beckman dog training and Robert cabral on YouTube.
Nate is one of my favorites, his videos were really useful in the beginning for us, that being said, for someone with no dog experiance whatsoever, a 9 month old working breed (never mind a mal) is about the worst possible place to start. Just have to pray the dog had a decent start before it got to them.
I highly recommend upstate k9 and shield k9 on YouTube. They literally helped me with my Mal. Anyone else meh. lol. Also get a pro trainer and train with your dog that way you learn alot about right handling of the pup.
Sweet thank you! Yeah we plan on doing some professional training too. My buddy specializes in bitework with mals and he’s gonna help us out when our pup is a bit older. He’s given us a lot of basic training tips for now though
Probably best to get the dog to someone who knows what they’re doing. I’m not trying to be an Ahole by any means, just seems like this breed is not for you. And that’s ok
Dude... Shield K9 ans Robert Cabral on YouTube immediately. However, I would Honestly say to look up a nearby malinois rescue program unless you're willing to put in a ton of work. As much as I hate dogs being given up, a malinois is not a first time dog breed unless you've had experience training dogs in the past. Wish the best for you op.
For now while you are looking into a trainer built trust and bond with games that are practical and some unstructured and maybe work on basic manners (ie "wait"). I just adopted a 8 month working Mal who was kennelled and worked so we are working on games to build recall, games to meet biological needs, a couple of tricks (pick easy ones the dogs can feel joy performing and being positively rewarded thru play or food) and K Overall "dog relation leotcol" for inside times. Weve seen a massive improvement in 3 weeks just on these and looking to start sports dog trainer and stranger reactivity counter condition once we have the trust solid.
Is this satire? I certainly don’t mean to call you out or offend you, but if you picked out a mal and don’t know the answer to this, he’s going to drive you insane.
Obedience can be playing, playing can be obedience. Everything a dog does is obedience to their environment in a way. They do not reason, they simply adapt based on what responses they get from what they do or don’t do. You can teach a driven mal to do damn near anything, but if you let even one negative thing go unpunished, they will remember it.
Please message me if you’re in need of help, I work with PSD’s/ MWD’s for a living
Op seems to be 16 and given the dog by their parents. They don’t seem interested in helping op. I think op is honestly an overwhelmed teen seeking support to train a dog they don’t know
And that’s all fine and good, but we also know the repercussions of a failed Mal at a home. This subgroup all obviously holds the breed near and dear to their heart and I’m especially tied to them, having my retired mal save me life numerous times.
Having said that, I’m more than willing to help via FaceTime or email or whatever to try and make sure that mal stays in the home
It’s a very strong dog breed. Not really for a beginning dog owner. But sometimes you just cross paths… if you have the time and patience you probably will get an amazing dog. But you do need some help. I adopted a one year old girl a couple of months ago. She definitely has some issues. The vet told me today that they saw we already had an amazing bond because she is so focused and calm around me. But I work from home, we walk 2 hours a day and do a lot of activities. She learns something new everyday and I make her push her boundaries. She was afraid of grass and water and now she kind of swims… and protects the family. She’s amazing with my daughters (the main reason we adopted her). But it takes a lot of time and patience to make her settle down and take away her stress. The prejudices are true… it’s like having a toddler shark on cocaine in your house. With the right help you will get the best friend in the world.
I would seriously consider giving him to a rescue. They will not look down on you, you are not a bad person, they will most likely applaud you for doing the responsible thing. You’re 16, you have a million other things to do other than care for a dog, ESPECIALLY THIS breed of dog. I can’t emphasize enough how many other things you have and will have going on at this stage in your life. I know this dog was essentially dumped on you, and considering you don’t have a lot of experience with dogs, this is not the right dog for someone in your situation. No 16 year old should be given a puppy of any breed to train and take care of, this is a huge time in your life. You should be out doing stuff other 16 yr olds are doing. You have done nothing wrong, and I think it was really good of you to reach out and ask for help and advise. You have a good head on your shoulders. Others have mentioned rescue groups, you can just google them and they make it very easy for you.
Go enjoy the rest of your teenage years!! They go by so fast!
Lmao. You're about to get in the best shape of your life. Please find a trainer that's experienced with this breed. They are fantastic dogs but they do require a lot more work than most breeds. Best of luck to you and your new baby.
My only question is why did you get a *Belgian Malinois* without any experience in dog training? You know, doesn't even matter the breed. Who gets a dog without doing research? I hope this is a troll post. SMFH.
Please stay calm. Exercise your Mal daily. Starting off play with puppy and do very very short trainings. Find a toy it likes for the reward. Go slow but be consistent. Mals are EXTREMELY smart and willing to please. They learn very quick! Keep your energy down and direct do not get nervous. Use quiet clear commands. Avoid sentences.
I have read some of the comments and not a lot are giving advise, so here is my two cents.
So earning his trust is a plus point, if he does not yet trust you then yes work on the trust between you.
About basic training only train what you are capable of practicing, meaning don't train him to be a protective law enforcement dog if you are not going to act out these situations for stimulation. What i did with mine was the normal basic training and leash training as this is what i have time for.
Before training starts find a reward for him, this could be treats or toys and always reward when training. normally this will also build your trust.
And these dogs like instructions so don't be scared to make rules and enforce them.
Here I’ll say it, You should have not bought the dog. Now that you have the dog treat it with love and respect and get a trainer with experience in Mals. Remember they are like children and will test your patience, your allowed to take a break for the betterment of yourself and the dog.
As someone that's trained many of my dogs and also is currently a Mali owner all I'll say is get a trainer! You need to be the boss and if you don't know what you're doing this dog Will be the boss.
They are very proud dogs who won't back down unless properly trained. My Mali allows me to be near him when he eats. Even grabbing his bowl or hand feeding him. Though i tell anybody else to make sure they do NOT go near his food. The other dogs have also learned this the harder way. It's the hardest trait I have not been able to break him from.
Listen to his growl. Mine has 3. "I will bite you, back off.." a second lighter but still intimidating "leave me alone" and then a very playful lighter growl. They're very chatty dogs. Mine has only given me the 2nd and 3rd growl but he knows to never give me the 1st because he Knows what will come.
Which brings me to the last part. This dog needs mental stimulation and a Metric Fuck Ton of it. Positive reinforcement is always the best but a medium smack on the butt does work when they're being really bad. Scruff grabbing works well too. The back of the neck. Never hit your dog and Never smack him in the face.
Good luck. You'll need it
OP, congrats on the new pup. You’re right to seek assistance with training. A few things -
Since you’re unable to afford a trainer, please go to YouTube or search for other, free training. Typically, Mals are not “starter” dogs. They require a good deal of attention. Exercise is important. Training is a must. Get everything you can at the price you can afford. You and your Mal will get back what you put into the journey of training.
Your pup is a living, breathing, thinking animal with memory recall. While a bond is important, it’s not the only thing necessary for a good owner/K9 relationship. Training will help that bond and it will set limits.
Your parents have given you a 10-15 year commitment. Your dog may be around when you’re university educated, married, have a child, and establish your career. You’ll need to continue to care for the Mal for a long time to come, so get ready for all that comes with it - food, training, vet, etc.
You’re going to get a lot of downvotes here. People are upset that your parents would hand over the keys to a Dodge Viper to a freshly minted driver. I agree with them, but grinding you down doesn’t change the fact that you have your dog. Don’t be afraid to say you’re in over your head. If you need to bail, it’s better to get out early rather than hurt the dogs ability to be adopted later.
You have to correct or reward behavior as soon as it happens. We noticed out mal was very sensitive to tones so talked to him like we would a toddler, stern and deep when correcting a bad behavior and upbeat and flowery when rewarding a good behavior, regular voice for everything else. This helped when teaching him how to gauge his bit. Mal aren’t called mailgators for nothing. While he was a puppy we would wrap our hand in a blanket and push his fact around, when he bit to hard we would correct that behavior. We took this approach to his energy and playing as well. We also give him a lot of mental enrichment. We play hide and seek, every dental treat is hidden and he has to try and find it and we hid his toys and have him try to find it. Another thing is teach patience. We did this with his food. Each meal time we put his bowl in front of him and make him sit and wait until we say go. We also did this with walking out of the door.
Everything else was basically tips from gentle parenting TikTok’s. I deadass act like he is a small child. It may sound crazy but I think I honestly believe that’s the key to having a well behaved dog. I mean it worked for my Husky and Mal and they always get complements on their temperaments and behavior.
Mike Ritland has an awesome online program and usually works with Mals and GSDs. He has a forum and he answers every Monday I believe.
Great resource for other experienced trainers, or people have been in your shoes.
I too thought I knew what I got my self into when I rescued a mal, but I didn’t give up on me or my dog. I communicated to local trainers and did constant research. Now I can’t see myself without my pup! She’s great!
Ok y’all that are freaking out, take a breath, at least OP is asking for help.
Background: My boyfriend and I (first time dog owners other than his family’s teacup yorkie) rescued two approx 10 week old Mals, male and female littermates. They had been completely neglected, never even been touched, lived on a small concrete slab in a backyard. They are now 9 months old.
Mals, even those without proper socialization at first, are possible for your first dog, but you need to spend the first few MONTHS giving them all of your time and it will most likely be expensive. Trainers, sometimes behavioralists, dog parks (sometimes twice a day), tons of toys to chew on, snuffle mats and other toys for mental stimulation. Yes, the bonding aspect is KEY for Mals, but this needs to happen in conjunction with training and setting boundaries. I have low drive Mals that do not chew anything in the house and especially my boy is an ANGEL at home. But this did not happen by magic. They are loyal, loving, insanely smart and stubborn. They will walk all over you without structure. Structure IS training. And kennel train. Kennel training is one of the MOST important things to do IMMEDIATELY.
I hope some of this info helps. Good luck to you.
Dog park is terrible advice. If you can get away with it, you're lucky-for now. I would not recommend a dog park ever, let alone a mal, let alone littermate mals.
Welcome to 9 mo.. things just might be about to get real;)
Glade you are on the half glass full side, but there is a reason 99% of the comments here are taking the other side. Props to you for to you for making it work, not all will. You still have puppies not dogs BTW.
I’ll take any win. This boy is never out of my sight and crated when I leave. Same with my girl at my guy’s house. He’s allowed to wander the living room of the apt at night while I sleep and so far so good. Hence my advice that it takes up alllll your time with this breed. But so worth it if you can.
That’s why I give the advice that it IS possible for a first time owner, never said it was easy.
I didn’t see that part where he said he was 16. Obviously that changes this. And yes, I realize the amount of work we’ve put it is INSANE and most aren’t my willing/able to do this. I just know the growing number of Mals at rescues and shelters and it breaks my heart.
For mine: We separated them at 7 months (we live long distance) so they could have time to grow and develop to head off littermate syndrome, which was already rearing its ugly head. Because of the complete lack of socialization before we rescued them, the dog park has been a GOD SEND. My boy loves it, discovered he loves dogs and it has been helping with his fears towards strangers. Still very much a work in progress I’m aware, especially when he occasionally mimics other dog’s behaviors I don’t want and I have to shut it down real quick. And YES definitely still a baby. I keep that in mind every moment of every day especially trying to not let my frustration get the best of me with his fear reactivity towards strangers.
But, I need to note, my boy is so beautifully kind hearted with dogs. He has been run up on and attacked and bitten by unleashed little dogs on the street as well as one time at the dog park (little dog owner didn’t obey the rules of actually GOING to the small dog side), and yet handles it with such grace and calm. He literally sometimes pets dogs and apparently has begun to give hugs to ones he adores. And he alters his play style depending on the size of the dog (he’s a TALL boy). So it’s not a steadfast rule about Mals and dog parks. Just depends on the dog.
Not freaking out, the OP is 16. People at that age have much more important things going on in their lives than worrying about training a dog that they can’t even afford.
Did you or your boyfriend work from home? OP is 16 and about to be in high school for 8 hours a day. Hell OP may not even have a drivers license yet
This is not the responsibility a kid should be tasked with, especially since they didn’t even ask for a dog in the first place, let alone a mal
I missed the 16 yo part. That piece of information wasn’t included in the question and obviously changes the situation. And yes we both often work from home. Hence the ability to give the dogs so much time.
Yeah it definitely does change things for OP!
And that’s awesome for you and your BF/pups. My wife works from home and is the only reason we agreed to taking in our mal.
That reason and that my mother in laws mali had an accidental litter of 11 and the parents are both theirs and amazing dogs lol
First dog is a mal? And you have no experience. Did not buy from a responsible breeder. Hope you get some good advice. I suggest looking up a good obedience training in your area.
Yes but wanting to keep him and being able to keep him are two different things. You’re presumably in school most of the day? And in a few years will be going to university or getting a job? You need to think, realistically and long-term, about whether this is something you can handle, even if you really want to believe it is. Read the other responses here, really try to understand the time and effort that will need to go into keeping this dog (and I mean keeping him WELL, so that he’s trained, stimulated, and happy, and not destroying your house). Will you even be able to take him with you if you move out in a few years? Will you be in a dorm, or apartment? Will you have roommates?
I know you want to keep him, but unless you can fully commit to the equivalent of a full-time job’s worth of time and effort for the next 10-15 years, it may not be realistic.
We all know, and ignore any mean comments. Most of the advise you are getting is to rehome it. This is coming from a community of people who know this breed and what it takes to have one. I don’t think anyone is trying to be cruel, but considering that when you asked for advice, everyone cringed, it’s not because of you. You have done nothing wrong. It’s because this is not a dog for a 16yrold in your situation. It has nothing to do with you personally. Even if you’ve become attached and want to keep the dog, think ahead a year. Are you going to school? Work? This isn’t the type of dog that you can leave home all day and night by itself.
I think people here are trying to advise you so that this dog doesn’t have a negative impact on your life, and you don’t have a negative impact on his. If you can’t afford training, then honestly you, at 16, can’t afford a dog. This is your parents fault, not yours.
Think of it this way… you need to buy food, halters leashes etc, vet bills, vaccinations, registering the dog, since you can’t afford a trainer or is most likely going to chew through some of your things, maybe shoes, the corner of your TV or Xbox, they are masters of escaping their kennels, you’re going to have to clean up the messes it makes from pooping and peeing inside until trained, they are extremely smart and get bored easily and will find things to do if you leave them alone while you’re in class or at work…
Write a serious well thought out pros and cons list before you decide to keep this dog. I wish you all the best ❤️🐾
I’m very glad you’re open to advice and came here to get it. That shows you’re serious about getting to know and take care of your new dog.
I would echo the other comments here, you need to really commit to training and exercising your dog for this to work out.
[Here](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjYrEepn8OLUEJgoZnhgPxKFiRJyTK7xd) is a YouTube playlist to get started, the good news is if you like your dog and have fun exercising and training him Mals can really be a ton of fun. You just can’t skip that or it’s going to be bad for both you and the dog.
Congratulations on knowing you’d like to keep the puppy. It’s up to you now to create the training and best life for your pup. It may not be the easiest but you will have the bestest dog jump in with both feet and commit whole heartedly. If you can commit and train you will have a fabulous dog. Does the previous owner offer or do training? There are some fabulous sites to look up. Nate Schoemer, Omar Von Muller, Robert Cabral, Andy Krueger, STSK9. I truly hope this is an opportunity for you to get into and love trainjng. Jump in with both feet if you’re going to and create and level up your skills for your dog.
I truly hope your parents will assist when you’re at school that would only be fair.
Where are you located? There may be local trainers who would be willing to take on an apprenticeship trainer. Make sure though they are familiar with larger dogs but more importantly working breeds.
Exercise and mental stimulation is critical but also Communication is key to learning for you and your pupper. To learn their language is critical and to communicate effectively will produce great results.
You can learn with your dog! Look on YouTube like the above folks say— we got tons of info from there & Maligator mom on TikTok. I got a surprise Malinois from the shelter. She requires physical exercise (couple mile run per day), a lot of cuddles and affection, and brain games before bed.
We now have a sweet girl who hasn’t had a furniture eating relapse in MONTHS! You’ll figure it out together, and if you don’t, make sure you give him to someone who has the time it requires.
You’re 16. Ultimately, you’re about to be in school for 8 hours a day. If your parents don’t work from home, this puppy is going to be in a crate for those 8 hours?
I think you need to rehome this puppy. It sounds like your parents thought this was a bargain and they’re “saving money”. Let them know they will need to replace their rugs, furniture, chairs, shoes etc when this untrained pup chews the shit out of their possessions, and ask if it is worth the money they saved getting this specific dog.
Unless your parents are willing to put in work too, this is the wrong breed/dog for you to get as a student/inexperienced dog owner
I’m sorry for anyone who is unknowingly given a dog but definitely in your case such an active working dog. I think if you would like to keep this puppy as others have mentioned you can commit and have a fabulous dog. Does the previous owner offer or do training? There are some fabulous sites to look up. Nate Schoemer, Omar Von Muller, Robert Cabral, Andy Krueger, STSK9. I truly hope this is an opportunity for you to get into and love trainjng. Jump in with both feet if you’re going to and create and level up your skills for your dog.
I truly hope your parents will assist when you’re at school that would only be fair.
Where are you located? There may be local trainers who would be willing to take on an apprenticeship trainer. Make sure though they are familiar with larger dogs but more importantly working breeds.
Exercise and mental stimulation is critical but also Communication is key to learning for you and your pupper. To learn their language is critical and to communicate effectively will produce great results.
I was in a very similar situation. Acquired the dog almost by accident at about the same age as yours, not actually knowing what she was or what we were getting into and without adequate experience.
First off decide if you are really prepared to put in the work (and spend the money) with this dog. It’ll need dedication, hard work and money.
Get a professional trainer to help. Do this now. They should come to your home the first time, ours did and assessed what we were doing right and wrong. Start looking for a trainer right now, not when it all goes wrong later.
Get a crate and start crate training if you haven’t already. Get a crate today, not next week, or next month, or when you think it necessary. Do it now.
If you have to keep this pup, you have your work cut out for you, that is a given. I think your parents have placed a very heavy burden on you and were irresponsible to do so. Having said that, you can succeed with this dog if you learn the right methods and are diligent. Training sessions should be 5 or 10 minutes several times a day. Remember to set your dog up for success and always end any time with your dog on a positive note.
Your puppy will being entering his [second fear imprint period](https://www.diamondsintheruff.com/fearimprint), also known as his teenage years. This can be a challenging stage.
Many people are suggesting using trainers that employ aversive (those using pain and punishment) techniques and tools. (Beckman, Nate Schoemer, Omar Von Muller and the like) . This is absolutely not the way to go, particularly for an inexperienced owner. The position paper on [the humane training of dogs](https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/) explains why positive reinforcement training is more beneficial to aversive or balanced training in the long run.
Short explanation is that aversive methods employ pain and punishment to force the dog to obey. They do obey, but only to avoid the pain or punishment; they do not learn to offer the desired behaviors. This training suppresses and represses the emotions and behaviors and can ultimately lead to aggressive behavior later on. Also, this method usually requires the aversive tools (choke, shock or prong collars) be used forever. This does not equate to being trained.
Positive reinforcement training teaches the dog to learn the desired behaviors by associating offering the behavior with something pleasant, such as tasty treats or some play time. You build a better and stronger bond with your dog using positive reinforcement.
A [well-fitted harness](https://2houndsdesign.com/product-category/shop-now/freedom-no-pull-harness/?swoof=1&product_cat=jellybean-freedom-harness,solid-colored-freedom-harness&really_curr_tax=21-product_cat) with D-rings on the chest and back might be a good investment. Never use a retractable leash. Ever!
Some excellent positive reinforcement trainers on YouTube are:
[Training Positive](https://www.youtube.com/c/TrainingPositive) He has a German Shepherd which is similar in temperament and needs to a Belgian Malinois.
[Absolute Dogs](https://www.youtube.com/c/absoluteDogsofficial)
[Instinct Dog Behavior and Training](https://www.youtube.com/c/InstinctDogBehaviorTrainingLLC) great series on leash manners
[Simpawtico Dog Training](https://www.youtube.com/c/SimpawticoDogTraining) \- excellent videos on puppy training.
[Dogs That](https://www.youtube.com/c/DogsThat)
If you are going to keep this dog and train him well, you must be patient, consistent, have a good sense of humor and lots and lots of tasty training treats.
You need to train him, he needs to think of you as his pack leader, not his playmate. This breed especially needs ab established hierarchy.
I recommend you go to a dog training school with your dog.
Watch larry krohn on youtube. Once youve see all his videos youll be good on how to train a dog.
Basic commands is the smallest part of training, behavior, a relationship and proper communication is key.
I've spent years as a vet tech and even longer studying dog-training techniques, I have my own husky who is a chore to work on and I train my friends' and families' dogs.
And I BARELY feel qualified TO LEARN how to raise a mali.
They are not like other dogs; they are passion projects that take a lot of time and attention to do correctly. There is a reason they are the dog of choice for police and military forces across the globe.
EXTREMELY TRAINABLE with LOADS of work!
Start doing internet research and call a local trainer who trains malis and either consult with them on your next best steps or contract their services to help you train it.
Good luck, you'll need it. I sincerely hope this isn't your first dog.
can i ask why you thought it’d be a good idea to get a mal as a first time dog? these dogs are very intense and smart, i would love to have one but they are a full time commitment physically and mentally, definitely only for a certain group of people. i’d recommend rehoming especially since you have never had any type of experience with dog training. you should try to find a person experienced with the breed instead of trying to keep this dog yourself. from what i heard, they don’t settle down.
I would think do both lol. Bonding takes time, i feel like Mals mature fast also they’re pretty aloof with people so the bonding might take be a bit longer than most other dogs, but once they trust you, they’re extremely obedient and trusting. I love this breed, having a Mal is a JOB.
I would literally hand feed your Mal and train with his food. Crate train and never hit or lose ur temper. They’re extremely sensitive and don’t ever forget a bad experience.
Respectfully you should not have gotten a Malinois if you had no prior experience with dog training lol. But I would recommend investing in a good dog trainer so your dog doesn’t turn into a complete shit show. Next time do more research and get a dog that will suit your experience and lifestyle better.
Some people here should be ashamed to answer like this, training a malinois isn't fucking rocket science... it takes time and dedication when you know what you're doing. If you don't, you seek for help and that's exactly what this person is doing right now. Those who say that the dog should be rehouse are just idiots
Finally someone that understands, I seeked for help and they only told me to give the dog away if i wanted to I would do that by now but i have decided that i want to keep and try my best connecting with my lovely dog but anyways thank you all for the advices
Dont tell me this is the first dog you’ve gotten-
I don’t usually read the stories on MSN when I log out of my hotmail account but did read the one about 20 best breeds for new dog owners. Doberman, GSD, and Mal’s were in the top 10. I really hope nobody actually listens to that. Yes, they’re very eager to please their owner, but dog training and exercise better be your lifestyle.
Oh good lord
Waiting for the post 1-3 months down the line “My malinois bit (family member) after they took his bone away what do I do we love this dog he’s so great except when he eats the furniture and growls at strangers we obviously never socialized him, trained him, or did any physical or mental stimulation.”
[удалено]
My Mal was neglected for the first 4 months as a puppy too! Now we deal with leash reactivity. He’s 1yo and doing alot better now but still working on it. I’m wondering were you able to train your pup’s reactivity?
Yah I introduce my dutchie to everyone outdoors, cuz I don’t want to risk him thinking someone is an intruder. Once he meets them he doesn’t care how they enter the house as long as they pet him.
I’ve had over 50 foster dogs and several of my own of various breeds and temperaments, and I still immediately got a training coach when I got my mail/mal mix. The number of things you just cannot tolerate with a Mal is kind of staggering, but having the guidance has helped tremendously. As an example, I’ve only ever called dogs off of grabbing food that fell on the floor, and never had an issue with a dog grabbing a dropped piece of popcorn or tossing them something safe from a leftover. My mal? Nope. She isn’t allowed to eat anything I don’t explicitly give her. Even if I drop a treat in the process of giving it to her. She waits until I tell her Ok or pick it up and give it to her. It’s not “get back from the door on command” it’s “you won’t approach the door unless I say it’s ok”. Things like that. I definitely would have screwed it up without guidance but wow does it improve the whole “I have an actual electrified shark weasel in my home”
“Electrified shark weasel” 😂😂😂
How great to read your story. Just outstanding
[удалено]
Ye but my parents bought it for me and said u deal with him soo i wont be able to afford a trainer because i dont work
how old are you? what's your experience with dogs or other pets? why'd they buy you a dog like this? Did you ask for it?
Im 16 i didnt ask for it but they bought it from a relative way cheaper than the price the go for we’ve had other big dogs but i never really spent time with them
Your parents seem to have just dumped this dog in your lap with no concept of what it is, what it's capable, or how difficult it is to manage. Since you said you can't afford a trainer (and not just any trainer will do, you would need one that has extensive experience with working dogs and ideally Mals in particular), you have a choice to makeand you need to make it fast both for your own good and the good of the dog. The choice is to either make the full commitment to caring for this dog, or to rehome it. Choosing to care for the dog is one of the biggest, hardest commitments you'll ever make in your life as someone who has no experience with dogs, let alone one of the most driven, energetic, and intelligent breeds of dog in the world. This dog requires near constant stimulation- both mental and physical- to remain calm and happy. If the dog gets bored it will get destructive as it tries to entertain itself. This is because it doesn't know any better what to do on it's own. The plus side is the dog is extremely intelligent and literally lives for being given jobs and getting trained. You'll never see the dog happier and more excited than when yoou're doing good training exercises with it, seriously they LOVE it. Training with this dog isn't a "oh we did 6 months of stuff and it can now sit and it comes when I call it, I'm done training it"- it's a full commitment to constantly train the dog over the course of it's life, it NEVER stops. We're talking multiple long walks per day, some high energy play (fetch/frisbee/etc) multiple times per day, multiple structured training sessions per day, etc. On top of that, Mals are extremely sensitive and tuned in to their person and they do not at all respond well to negative or angry activity towards them. Training and having one requires a firm and steady, but positive and encouraging temperment towards it. If you're not willing to commit everything to this dog then rehome it immediately. Contact some of the outstanding Malinois rescues out there ([malinoisrescueleague.org](https://malinoisrescueleague.org) and [malinoisrescue.org](https://malinoisrescue.org) are both exceptional) and hopefully they can help find the right home for it. I'm saying this because your parents are clearly both uninterested in helping and completely ignorant to how much of an issue they've caused by just dumping a dog on you like that at all, let alone a breed as notoriously difficult to manage as a Malinois. Trying to keep the dog and half assing it will result in the house being torn apart, angry parents, and a very upset you. They're the best companions a person could ever dream of, but only if you guide them towards that with everything you've got. They're an absolute nightmare otherwise. There is absolutely no shame what so ever in choosing to give the dog up either- if you can't or won't commit to the dog fully then rehoming it is the only right thing to do and it is never embarrassing to do the right thing, especially when the right thing is hard to do.
Everything this
🎯
I wish I could give comments a round of applause. I grew up with Groens, I love Mals but they are too much everything for me. OP is nowhere near equipped for this, and rehoming sounds like the kindest thing for the dog.
Start watching YouTube training videos. These are probably the dog I would say that takes the most work. But they learn very well if you’re speaking their language.
what the actual fuck, honestly I'd be telling your parents to piss off if I were you, they brought it into the house, they deal with it. Regardless of breed, you dont dump a dog (or any animal) on someone that didnt ask for it and then expect them to look after it.
well, you've either got a world of learning to do right away, or you might be best off trying to return the dog or re-homing it. Mals are working dogs, and they are bred over many generations to do demanding physical work all day, have tons of energy, and to be strong and aggressive enough to deal with livestock and predators. Other working dogs are border collies and Chesapeake Bay Retrievers. Google about training working dogs, specifically mals, and see if it sounds like something you'd even want to do. Plus, everyone in your house has to be on board with it and be consistent in what you do, or they will undo your training efforts. You need a positive method, that praises or rewards desired behaviors, but is not mean or very negative when they act like an untrained dog. They are very sensitive! Think about what you want to do, try to figure it out. It doesn't sound like your parents would be too much help with this...which is too bad, but it is what it is.
[I think your parents need to see this.](https://youtu.be/12e4LXqMMtw) You did not get a puppy, you got a lifestyle. I don’t think it’s fair at all to put this on you.
Convince them to get you a trainer.
So it’s your parents dog? It’s their responsibility to pay for anything it requires. Training being one. If they can’t do that then I would suggest asking them to contact a rescue whom can take this dog as it likely will become unmanageable if it’s not worked with correctly. It’s not your responsibility to train him. You’re a kid, with no money, no experience, and no reason to be training a working breed dog.
You need to set a “pack” standard immediately. Let the dog know where they stand within that pack. In other words establish who is boss now or find your couch eaten and a look of what are you gonna do about it from the dog. Go to YouTube university and consume all training videos.. no matter the breed. Now on another note, this is pretty f@&$ing irresponsible on both your parents and your part, to get a 9 month old dog of any sort and say it’s yours deal with it. Actually just WTF… that’s like handing a loaded weapon to a toddler n saying figure it out. 🤦♂️ Jesus Christ the more I sit and think about this the madder I get.
Bahahahahaa ye when u have albanian parents its a different story
I think you should find a better SUITED home for the dog
The real answer
Seriously get to YouTube and find some experts in training that you can follow. Learn to play tug and keep lots of chew toys around. Be prepared said toys don’t last long and have to be replaced. I’m not sure which destroys toys faster the Mal or the pitbull. Oh and get ones with No stuffing in them. Jesus Christ on a crutch what a mess!!! Guess you’re getting a job soon to pay for it.
But common sense should come natural. What a disservice they did to this innocent dog and their 16yr old child. Best of luck.
Jesus Christ man. I normally would not post trainers on here and if this is not allowed please remove my comments but, OP search and literally binge watch Beckman dog training and Robert cabral on YouTube.
And Nate Schoemer, Omar Von Muller are fabulous trainers as well.
Nate is one of my favorites, his videos were really useful in the beginning for us, that being said, for someone with no dog experiance whatsoever, a 9 month old working breed (never mind a mal) is about the worst possible place to start. Just have to pray the dog had a decent start before it got to them.
Thanks for the rec! I have a 13 week old mali and am trying to absorb as much training material as I can
I highly recommend upstate k9 and shield k9 on YouTube. They literally helped me with my Mal. Anyone else meh. lol. Also get a pro trainer and train with your dog that way you learn alot about right handling of the pup.
Sweet thank you! Yeah we plan on doing some professional training too. My buddy specializes in bitework with mals and he’s gonna help us out when our pup is a bit older. He’s given us a lot of basic training tips for now though
For yours and the dog's sake, please rehome it to somebody who knows what they are doing. Malis are not for beginners.
Nor a 16yr old kid that has ZERO experience.
Nor any 16 year old, sooo many much more important things going on in their lives
🫠🫠🫠
Probably best to get the dog to someone who knows what they’re doing. I’m not trying to be an Ahole by any means, just seems like this breed is not for you. And that’s ok
Dude... Shield K9 ans Robert Cabral on YouTube immediately. However, I would Honestly say to look up a nearby malinois rescue program unless you're willing to put in a ton of work. As much as I hate dogs being given up, a malinois is not a first time dog breed unless you've had experience training dogs in the past. Wish the best for you op.
For now while you are looking into a trainer built trust and bond with games that are practical and some unstructured and maybe work on basic manners (ie "wait"). I just adopted a 8 month working Mal who was kennelled and worked so we are working on games to build recall, games to meet biological needs, a couple of tricks (pick easy ones the dogs can feel joy performing and being positively rewarded thru play or food) and K Overall "dog relation leotcol" for inside times. Weve seen a massive improvement in 3 weeks just on these and looking to start sports dog trainer and stranger reactivity counter condition once we have the trust solid.
Is this satire? I certainly don’t mean to call you out or offend you, but if you picked out a mal and don’t know the answer to this, he’s going to drive you insane. Obedience can be playing, playing can be obedience. Everything a dog does is obedience to their environment in a way. They do not reason, they simply adapt based on what responses they get from what they do or don’t do. You can teach a driven mal to do damn near anything, but if you let even one negative thing go unpunished, they will remember it. Please message me if you’re in need of help, I work with PSD’s/ MWD’s for a living
Op seems to be 16 and given the dog by their parents. They don’t seem interested in helping op. I think op is honestly an overwhelmed teen seeking support to train a dog they don’t know
And that’s all fine and good, but we also know the repercussions of a failed Mal at a home. This subgroup all obviously holds the breed near and dear to their heart and I’m especially tied to them, having my retired mal save me life numerous times. Having said that, I’m more than willing to help via FaceTime or email or whatever to try and make sure that mal stays in the home
Oh yeah, that’s perfectly reasonable! I just answered cause you asked whether it was satire
😬
It’s a very strong dog breed. Not really for a beginning dog owner. But sometimes you just cross paths… if you have the time and patience you probably will get an amazing dog. But you do need some help. I adopted a one year old girl a couple of months ago. She definitely has some issues. The vet told me today that they saw we already had an amazing bond because she is so focused and calm around me. But I work from home, we walk 2 hours a day and do a lot of activities. She learns something new everyday and I make her push her boundaries. She was afraid of grass and water and now she kind of swims… and protects the family. She’s amazing with my daughters (the main reason we adopted her). But it takes a lot of time and patience to make her settle down and take away her stress. The prejudices are true… it’s like having a toddler shark on cocaine in your house. With the right help you will get the best friend in the world.
I would seriously consider giving him to a rescue. They will not look down on you, you are not a bad person, they will most likely applaud you for doing the responsible thing. You’re 16, you have a million other things to do other than care for a dog, ESPECIALLY THIS breed of dog. I can’t emphasize enough how many other things you have and will have going on at this stage in your life. I know this dog was essentially dumped on you, and considering you don’t have a lot of experience with dogs, this is not the right dog for someone in your situation. No 16 year old should be given a puppy of any breed to train and take care of, this is a huge time in your life. You should be out doing stuff other 16 yr olds are doing. You have done nothing wrong, and I think it was really good of you to reach out and ask for help and advise. You have a good head on your shoulders. Others have mentioned rescue groups, you can just google them and they make it very easy for you. Go enjoy the rest of your teenage years!! They go by so fast!
Sweet Jesus. Well sucks for that dog.
Lmao. You're about to get in the best shape of your life. Please find a trainer that's experienced with this breed. They are fantastic dogs but they do require a lot more work than most breeds. Best of luck to you and your new baby.
I would definitely rehome that dog before someone gets hurt. If you consider the dog family, think abt what’s best for yourself and that dog.
My only question is why did you get a *Belgian Malinois* without any experience in dog training? You know, doesn't even matter the breed. Who gets a dog without doing research? I hope this is a troll post. SMFH.
Considering how Albanians treat dogs I'd hope so too. This whole post is absolutely awful.
Please stay calm. Exercise your Mal daily. Starting off play with puppy and do very very short trainings. Find a toy it likes for the reward. Go slow but be consistent. Mals are EXTREMELY smart and willing to please. They learn very quick! Keep your energy down and direct do not get nervous. Use quiet clear commands. Avoid sentences.
Yea no yelling ever
Give the dog back...not for you.
I have read some of the comments and not a lot are giving advise, so here is my two cents. So earning his trust is a plus point, if he does not yet trust you then yes work on the trust between you. About basic training only train what you are capable of practicing, meaning don't train him to be a protective law enforcement dog if you are not going to act out these situations for stimulation. What i did with mine was the normal basic training and leash training as this is what i have time for. Before training starts find a reward for him, this could be treats or toys and always reward when training. normally this will also build your trust. And these dogs like instructions so don't be scared to make rules and enforce them.
So irresponsible
Not OPs fault, parents dumped the dog on them. Bad parenting.
So bizzare
Some parents… who knows.
You should pray .
OMG, you are so far behind already. The work should have started months before you even got the dog.
Here I’ll say it, You should have not bought the dog. Now that you have the dog treat it with love and respect and get a trainer with experience in Mals. Remember they are like children and will test your patience, your allowed to take a break for the betterment of yourself and the dog.
As someone that's trained many of my dogs and also is currently a Mali owner all I'll say is get a trainer! You need to be the boss and if you don't know what you're doing this dog Will be the boss. They are very proud dogs who won't back down unless properly trained. My Mali allows me to be near him when he eats. Even grabbing his bowl or hand feeding him. Though i tell anybody else to make sure they do NOT go near his food. The other dogs have also learned this the harder way. It's the hardest trait I have not been able to break him from. Listen to his growl. Mine has 3. "I will bite you, back off.." a second lighter but still intimidating "leave me alone" and then a very playful lighter growl. They're very chatty dogs. Mine has only given me the 2nd and 3rd growl but he knows to never give me the 1st because he Knows what will come. Which brings me to the last part. This dog needs mental stimulation and a Metric Fuck Ton of it. Positive reinforcement is always the best but a medium smack on the butt does work when they're being really bad. Scruff grabbing works well too. The back of the neck. Never hit your dog and Never smack him in the face. Good luck. You'll need it
OP, congrats on the new pup. You’re right to seek assistance with training. A few things - Since you’re unable to afford a trainer, please go to YouTube or search for other, free training. Typically, Mals are not “starter” dogs. They require a good deal of attention. Exercise is important. Training is a must. Get everything you can at the price you can afford. You and your Mal will get back what you put into the journey of training. Your pup is a living, breathing, thinking animal with memory recall. While a bond is important, it’s not the only thing necessary for a good owner/K9 relationship. Training will help that bond and it will set limits. Your parents have given you a 10-15 year commitment. Your dog may be around when you’re university educated, married, have a child, and establish your career. You’ll need to continue to care for the Mal for a long time to come, so get ready for all that comes with it - food, training, vet, etc. You’re going to get a lot of downvotes here. People are upset that your parents would hand over the keys to a Dodge Viper to a freshly minted driver. I agree with them, but grinding you down doesn’t change the fact that you have your dog. Don’t be afraid to say you’re in over your head. If you need to bail, it’s better to get out early rather than hurt the dogs ability to be adopted later.
You have to correct or reward behavior as soon as it happens. We noticed out mal was very sensitive to tones so talked to him like we would a toddler, stern and deep when correcting a bad behavior and upbeat and flowery when rewarding a good behavior, regular voice for everything else. This helped when teaching him how to gauge his bit. Mal aren’t called mailgators for nothing. While he was a puppy we would wrap our hand in a blanket and push his fact around, when he bit to hard we would correct that behavior. We took this approach to his energy and playing as well. We also give him a lot of mental enrichment. We play hide and seek, every dental treat is hidden and he has to try and find it and we hid his toys and have him try to find it. Another thing is teach patience. We did this with his food. Each meal time we put his bowl in front of him and make him sit and wait until we say go. We also did this with walking out of the door. Everything else was basically tips from gentle parenting TikTok’s. I deadass act like he is a small child. It may sound crazy but I think I honestly believe that’s the key to having a well behaved dog. I mean it worked for my Husky and Mal and they always get complements on their temperaments and behavior.
Until you figure your new dog out, focus on getting him plenty of exercise. You are young, so, take him on runs, walks, bike rides, trails, etc…
Mike Ritland has an awesome online program and usually works with Mals and GSDs. He has a forum and he answers every Monday I believe. Great resource for other experienced trainers, or people have been in your shoes. I too thought I knew what I got my self into when I rescued a mal, but I didn’t give up on me or my dog. I communicated to local trainers and did constant research. Now I can’t see myself without my pup! She’s great!
Ok y’all that are freaking out, take a breath, at least OP is asking for help. Background: My boyfriend and I (first time dog owners other than his family’s teacup yorkie) rescued two approx 10 week old Mals, male and female littermates. They had been completely neglected, never even been touched, lived on a small concrete slab in a backyard. They are now 9 months old. Mals, even those without proper socialization at first, are possible for your first dog, but you need to spend the first few MONTHS giving them all of your time and it will most likely be expensive. Trainers, sometimes behavioralists, dog parks (sometimes twice a day), tons of toys to chew on, snuffle mats and other toys for mental stimulation. Yes, the bonding aspect is KEY for Mals, but this needs to happen in conjunction with training and setting boundaries. I have low drive Mals that do not chew anything in the house and especially my boy is an ANGEL at home. But this did not happen by magic. They are loyal, loving, insanely smart and stubborn. They will walk all over you without structure. Structure IS training. And kennel train. Kennel training is one of the MOST important things to do IMMEDIATELY. I hope some of this info helps. Good luck to you.
Dog park is terrible advice. If you can get away with it, you're lucky-for now. I would not recommend a dog park ever, let alone a mal, let alone littermate mals. Welcome to 9 mo.. things just might be about to get real;) Glade you are on the half glass full side, but there is a reason 99% of the comments here are taking the other side. Props to you for to you for making it work, not all will. You still have puppies not dogs BTW.
Hahaha, I was going to say. 9 months and they think they have an Angel. Just wait.
I’ll take any win. This boy is never out of my sight and crated when I leave. Same with my girl at my guy’s house. He’s allowed to wander the living room of the apt at night while I sleep and so far so good. Hence my advice that it takes up alllll your time with this breed. But so worth it if you can. That’s why I give the advice that it IS possible for a first time owner, never said it was easy.
Oh I know. I have one that’s 9, and had since she was a puppy. And her sister died last year at 11 from cancer, also had as a puppy.
I didn’t see that part where he said he was 16. Obviously that changes this. And yes, I realize the amount of work we’ve put it is INSANE and most aren’t my willing/able to do this. I just know the growing number of Mals at rescues and shelters and it breaks my heart. For mine: We separated them at 7 months (we live long distance) so they could have time to grow and develop to head off littermate syndrome, which was already rearing its ugly head. Because of the complete lack of socialization before we rescued them, the dog park has been a GOD SEND. My boy loves it, discovered he loves dogs and it has been helping with his fears towards strangers. Still very much a work in progress I’m aware, especially when he occasionally mimics other dog’s behaviors I don’t want and I have to shut it down real quick. And YES definitely still a baby. I keep that in mind every moment of every day especially trying to not let my frustration get the best of me with his fear reactivity towards strangers. But, I need to note, my boy is so beautifully kind hearted with dogs. He has been run up on and attacked and bitten by unleashed little dogs on the street as well as one time at the dog park (little dog owner didn’t obey the rules of actually GOING to the small dog side), and yet handles it with such grace and calm. He literally sometimes pets dogs and apparently has begun to give hugs to ones he adores. And he alters his play style depending on the size of the dog (he’s a TALL boy). So it’s not a steadfast rule about Mals and dog parks. Just depends on the dog.
Not freaking out, the OP is 16. People at that age have much more important things going on in their lives than worrying about training a dog that they can’t even afford.
Did you or your boyfriend work from home? OP is 16 and about to be in high school for 8 hours a day. Hell OP may not even have a drivers license yet This is not the responsibility a kid should be tasked with, especially since they didn’t even ask for a dog in the first place, let alone a mal
I missed the 16 yo part. That piece of information wasn’t included in the question and obviously changes the situation. And yes we both often work from home. Hence the ability to give the dogs so much time.
Yeah it definitely does change things for OP! And that’s awesome for you and your BF/pups. My wife works from home and is the only reason we agreed to taking in our mal. That reason and that my mother in laws mali had an accidental litter of 11 and the parents are both theirs and amazing dogs lol
First dog is a mal? And you have no experience. Did not buy from a responsible breeder. Hope you get some good advice. I suggest looking up a good obedience training in your area.
Your negative
I find they’re very realistic
I asked for help if i didnt want to keep it i would rehome it by now i want to keep him just asked for some advice
Yes but wanting to keep him and being able to keep him are two different things. You’re presumably in school most of the day? And in a few years will be going to university or getting a job? You need to think, realistically and long-term, about whether this is something you can handle, even if you really want to believe it is. Read the other responses here, really try to understand the time and effort that will need to go into keeping this dog (and I mean keeping him WELL, so that he’s trained, stimulated, and happy, and not destroying your house). Will you even be able to take him with you if you move out in a few years? Will you be in a dorm, or apartment? Will you have roommates? I know you want to keep him, but unless you can fully commit to the equivalent of a full-time job’s worth of time and effort for the next 10-15 years, it may not be realistic.
We all know, and ignore any mean comments. Most of the advise you are getting is to rehome it. This is coming from a community of people who know this breed and what it takes to have one. I don’t think anyone is trying to be cruel, but considering that when you asked for advice, everyone cringed, it’s not because of you. You have done nothing wrong. It’s because this is not a dog for a 16yrold in your situation. It has nothing to do with you personally. Even if you’ve become attached and want to keep the dog, think ahead a year. Are you going to school? Work? This isn’t the type of dog that you can leave home all day and night by itself. I think people here are trying to advise you so that this dog doesn’t have a negative impact on your life, and you don’t have a negative impact on his. If you can’t afford training, then honestly you, at 16, can’t afford a dog. This is your parents fault, not yours. Think of it this way… you need to buy food, halters leashes etc, vet bills, vaccinations, registering the dog, since you can’t afford a trainer or is most likely going to chew through some of your things, maybe shoes, the corner of your TV or Xbox, they are masters of escaping their kennels, you’re going to have to clean up the messes it makes from pooping and peeing inside until trained, they are extremely smart and get bored easily and will find things to do if you leave them alone while you’re in class or at work… Write a serious well thought out pros and cons list before you decide to keep this dog. I wish you all the best ❤️🐾
I’m very glad you’re open to advice and came here to get it. That shows you’re serious about getting to know and take care of your new dog. I would echo the other comments here, you need to really commit to training and exercising your dog for this to work out. [Here](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjYrEepn8OLUEJgoZnhgPxKFiRJyTK7xd) is a YouTube playlist to get started, the good news is if you like your dog and have fun exercising and training him Mals can really be a ton of fun. You just can’t skip that or it’s going to be bad for both you and the dog.
Congratulations on knowing you’d like to keep the puppy. It’s up to you now to create the training and best life for your pup. It may not be the easiest but you will have the bestest dog jump in with both feet and commit whole heartedly. If you can commit and train you will have a fabulous dog. Does the previous owner offer or do training? There are some fabulous sites to look up. Nate Schoemer, Omar Von Muller, Robert Cabral, Andy Krueger, STSK9. I truly hope this is an opportunity for you to get into and love trainjng. Jump in with both feet if you’re going to and create and level up your skills for your dog. I truly hope your parents will assist when you’re at school that would only be fair. Where are you located? There may be local trainers who would be willing to take on an apprenticeship trainer. Make sure though they are familiar with larger dogs but more importantly working breeds. Exercise and mental stimulation is critical but also Communication is key to learning for you and your pupper. To learn their language is critical and to communicate effectively will produce great results.
You can learn with your dog! Look on YouTube like the above folks say— we got tons of info from there & Maligator mom on TikTok. I got a surprise Malinois from the shelter. She requires physical exercise (couple mile run per day), a lot of cuddles and affection, and brain games before bed. We now have a sweet girl who hasn’t had a furniture eating relapse in MONTHS! You’ll figure it out together, and if you don’t, make sure you give him to someone who has the time it requires.
Re-home it, you shouldn't have this dog.
You’re 16. Ultimately, you’re about to be in school for 8 hours a day. If your parents don’t work from home, this puppy is going to be in a crate for those 8 hours? I think you need to rehome this puppy. It sounds like your parents thought this was a bargain and they’re “saving money”. Let them know they will need to replace their rugs, furniture, chairs, shoes etc when this untrained pup chews the shit out of their possessions, and ask if it is worth the money they saved getting this specific dog. Unless your parents are willing to put in work too, this is the wrong breed/dog for you to get as a student/inexperienced dog owner
I’m sorry for anyone who is unknowingly given a dog but definitely in your case such an active working dog. I think if you would like to keep this puppy as others have mentioned you can commit and have a fabulous dog. Does the previous owner offer or do training? There are some fabulous sites to look up. Nate Schoemer, Omar Von Muller, Robert Cabral, Andy Krueger, STSK9. I truly hope this is an opportunity for you to get into and love trainjng. Jump in with both feet if you’re going to and create and level up your skills for your dog. I truly hope your parents will assist when you’re at school that would only be fair. Where are you located? There may be local trainers who would be willing to take on an apprenticeship trainer. Make sure though they are familiar with larger dogs but more importantly working breeds. Exercise and mental stimulation is critical but also Communication is key to learning for you and your pupper. To learn their language is critical and to communicate effectively will produce great results.
Oh my goodness. Good luck
I was in a very similar situation. Acquired the dog almost by accident at about the same age as yours, not actually knowing what she was or what we were getting into and without adequate experience. First off decide if you are really prepared to put in the work (and spend the money) with this dog. It’ll need dedication, hard work and money. Get a professional trainer to help. Do this now. They should come to your home the first time, ours did and assessed what we were doing right and wrong. Start looking for a trainer right now, not when it all goes wrong later. Get a crate and start crate training if you haven’t already. Get a crate today, not next week, or next month, or when you think it necessary. Do it now.
If you have to keep this pup, you have your work cut out for you, that is a given. I think your parents have placed a very heavy burden on you and were irresponsible to do so. Having said that, you can succeed with this dog if you learn the right methods and are diligent. Training sessions should be 5 or 10 minutes several times a day. Remember to set your dog up for success and always end any time with your dog on a positive note. Your puppy will being entering his [second fear imprint period](https://www.diamondsintheruff.com/fearimprint), also known as his teenage years. This can be a challenging stage. Many people are suggesting using trainers that employ aversive (those using pain and punishment) techniques and tools. (Beckman, Nate Schoemer, Omar Von Muller and the like) . This is absolutely not the way to go, particularly for an inexperienced owner. The position paper on [the humane training of dogs](https://avsab.org/resources/position-statements/) explains why positive reinforcement training is more beneficial to aversive or balanced training in the long run. Short explanation is that aversive methods employ pain and punishment to force the dog to obey. They do obey, but only to avoid the pain or punishment; they do not learn to offer the desired behaviors. This training suppresses and represses the emotions and behaviors and can ultimately lead to aggressive behavior later on. Also, this method usually requires the aversive tools (choke, shock or prong collars) be used forever. This does not equate to being trained. Positive reinforcement training teaches the dog to learn the desired behaviors by associating offering the behavior with something pleasant, such as tasty treats or some play time. You build a better and stronger bond with your dog using positive reinforcement. A [well-fitted harness](https://2houndsdesign.com/product-category/shop-now/freedom-no-pull-harness/?swoof=1&product_cat=jellybean-freedom-harness,solid-colored-freedom-harness&really_curr_tax=21-product_cat) with D-rings on the chest and back might be a good investment. Never use a retractable leash. Ever! Some excellent positive reinforcement trainers on YouTube are: [Training Positive](https://www.youtube.com/c/TrainingPositive) He has a German Shepherd which is similar in temperament and needs to a Belgian Malinois. [Absolute Dogs](https://www.youtube.com/c/absoluteDogsofficial) [Instinct Dog Behavior and Training](https://www.youtube.com/c/InstinctDogBehaviorTrainingLLC) great series on leash manners [Simpawtico Dog Training](https://www.youtube.com/c/SimpawticoDogTraining) \- excellent videos on puppy training. [Dogs That](https://www.youtube.com/c/DogsThat) If you are going to keep this dog and train him well, you must be patient, consistent, have a good sense of humor and lots and lots of tasty training treats.
You need to train him, he needs to think of you as his pack leader, not his playmate. This breed especially needs ab established hierarchy. I recommend you go to a dog training school with your dog.
Watch larry krohn on youtube. Once youve see all his videos youll be good on how to train a dog. Basic commands is the smallest part of training, behavior, a relationship and proper communication is key.
Please please find a good trainer to work with.
I've spent years as a vet tech and even longer studying dog-training techniques, I have my own husky who is a chore to work on and I train my friends' and families' dogs. And I BARELY feel qualified TO LEARN how to raise a mali. They are not like other dogs; they are passion projects that take a lot of time and attention to do correctly. There is a reason they are the dog of choice for police and military forces across the globe. EXTREMELY TRAINABLE with LOADS of work! Start doing internet research and call a local trainer who trains malis and either consult with them on your next best steps or contract their services to help you train it. Good luck, you'll need it. I sincerely hope this isn't your first dog.
Some peoples children
can i ask why you thought it’d be a good idea to get a mal as a first time dog? these dogs are very intense and smart, i would love to have one but they are a full time commitment physically and mentally, definitely only for a certain group of people. i’d recommend rehoming especially since you have never had any type of experience with dog training. you should try to find a person experienced with the breed instead of trying to keep this dog yourself. from what i heard, they don’t settle down.
If it’s your first dog Youre in for a roller coaster ride
This has to be fake. There's no way.
I would think do both lol. Bonding takes time, i feel like Mals mature fast also they’re pretty aloof with people so the bonding might take be a bit longer than most other dogs, but once they trust you, they’re extremely obedient and trusting. I love this breed, having a Mal is a JOB. I would literally hand feed your Mal and train with his food. Crate train and never hit or lose ur temper. They’re extremely sensitive and don’t ever forget a bad experience.
Respectfully you should not have gotten a Malinois if you had no prior experience with dog training lol. But I would recommend investing in a good dog trainer so your dog doesn’t turn into a complete shit show. Next time do more research and get a dog that will suit your experience and lifestyle better.
Some people here should be ashamed to answer like this, training a malinois isn't fucking rocket science... it takes time and dedication when you know what you're doing. If you don't, you seek for help and that's exactly what this person is doing right now. Those who say that the dog should be rehouse are just idiots
Finally someone that understands, I seeked for help and they only told me to give the dog away if i wanted to I would do that by now but i have decided that i want to keep and try my best connecting with my lovely dog but anyways thank you all for the advices