Winnipesaukee.com Community: Meet My 9-Month-Old Belgian Malinois Puppy Tanto

[BillTex]

Let me start by saying we are dog people. ALWAYS have a dog as part of our family.
One of my best friends has had MANY dogs, as many as 6 at a time. He and his Wife are great with dogs.
About two years ago they got a BM. This is a pedigree dog, very $$$.
All i will say is they have their hands full. This is not a pet, this dog is a weapons system.
I met the dog recently, i am very comfortable around any breed.
I would not be alone with this dog.

I hope you know what you have got in to. These dogs need a job. They are K9, security, or similar.
These are not pets. My friend Mike would be the first to tell you he regrets getting this dog as a pet. Be careful and understand the liability of owning an animal like this.

This dog has bonded with my Friiend’s wife and has attacked my buddy 3 times. They are that protective.

[georgetkingiv]

Hi Bill,

I agree with you this breed of dog is not for everyone but having said that the same can be said about many other breeds out there as well. For example, some people out there are not comfortable around Pitbulls, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, German Shepherds, etc. Yet many people own these breeds and have them as pets. In my opinion and a lot of other people's opinion. The key to owning and raising a Belgian Malinois or any other working dog breed for that matter is early socialization and training. These are very high energy dogs and require structure. They are highly intelligent and need a job hence the title 'working dog'. They desire and require both physical and mental stimulation or they can become bored and manifest unwanted behaviors. That is why early socialization and training are essential. But once again having said that the same sentiment can be applied to many other dog breeds as well.

To address your concern. I am well aware of what I got myself into as I did my research on the breed before I purchased him. That is why I am working with one of the best dog trainers in our region with him. As far as your buddies dog goes. That I cannot speak to. What you're saying might very well be true. As you know some dogs just have a bad temperament or unfortunately were not socialized enough or trained properly. As far as this breed of dog being protective. That is part of their identity as they were originally bred to protect flocks of sheep from wolves and other predators. That is why the make great guard / personal protection dogs.

Regards

George

[BillTex]

Hi George,

I wish you luck, these are very aggressive dogs and certainly need a “job”. As noted, my buddy has owned MANY dogs, never a BM before. This dog has him a bit overwhelmed.
He is working with a trainer so maybe he will calm down a bit. Beautiful animal, but more of a weapons system than a pet.

It’s a lot of responsibility/ liability having a dog like that. I hate to think what would happen if he ever got loose.

Best of luck, enjoy your new buddy. He is handsome!

Bill

[georgetkingiv]

Thank you Bill. I appreciate the kind words. As you know owning any dog comes with responsibility. We love Tanto and he truly is a good boy. We most definitely want to see him succeed, thrive, and live a full and happy life with us here in the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire. That is why we are doing everything within our power to set him up for success and that takes time, patience, dedication, understanding, love, and money. It is so important to socialize them early and training is not an option when it comes to this breed. It is a must. And when it comes to training you are not going to want to just pick up the phonebook or search Google for a 'dog trainer' because there are thousands of dog trainers out there. You want to connect with somebody who specializes in training Malinois and or working breeds dogs. That way, you are assured that your particular dog trainer is extremely familiar with the breed and, therefore, can handle anything your dog can throw at them because they have seen it a thousand times before.

Regards

George

[VitaBene]

Originally Posted by BillTex

Let me start by saying we are dog people. ALWAYS have a dog as part of our family.
One of my best friends has had MANY dogs, as many as 6 at a time. He and his Wife are great with dogs.
About two years ago they got a BM. This is a pedigree dog, very $$$.
All i will say is they have their hands full. This is not a pet, this dog is a weapons system.
I met the dog recently, i am very comfortable around any breed.
I would not be alone with this dog.

I hope you know what you have got in to. These dogs need a job. They are K9, security, or similar.
These are not pets. My friend Mike would be the first to tell you he regrets getting this dog as a pet. Be careful and understand the liability of owning an animal like this.

This dog has bonded with my Friiend’s wife and has attacked my buddy 3 times. They are that protective.

While I understand your sentiments, Belgian Malinois certainly make great working dogs but also can be great pets. Our first shepherd was a Belgian Groenendael, next was GSD mixed with Mastiff.

Hawk is our 2 year old Malinois. He is an amazing dog- smart and hard working. We walk and work him (scent). he wears a Fi collar and his step count is between 30k and 85k daily. 2 of his brothers live in town and they are pets also. I have no doubt that he would protect us with his life but I would have no problem with him being with anyone. Best dog I have had!

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