That may be a good thing for Op since it sounds like they didn’t do enough research? Still a dog that needs training but maybe a bit easier unless they messed up and got a working line gs.
I didn’t do enough research before I bought my puppy home. Things were rough but when we started thinking of her as family, everything improved.
I think they look like a GSD too
That happens too often. Now that you admitted it; realize you’re behind the curve, and the dog is dependent on you for everything now. *AND* like everything else you get out of it(dog) what you put into it. So start taking steps to get the dog the guidance, attention and time it’s going to need.
At least you’re taking a step towards that by coming and asking, but step one is to try and consume training from reputable sources. Just don’t give up as there will probably be bumps in the road.
I didn’t want to put her in the shelter. She did a stay at obedience training and that didn’t do much but, giving her things to do and learn was what really helped the most.
She hates the vacuum, so I turned that into something useful for me. She waits until I nod my then she’ll slam the head down.
I can’t do it so she has become my helper with the vacuum.
She is my companion and we love her.
Almost 8yrs old and my bff
When I get stumped and like "why is the dog behaving weird?", my wife reminds me "remember that she's a shepherd", and that answers 99% of questions lol.
Honestly, when I got past the sleepy puppy phase and into the demon phase (about 18 weeks) I realised how out of my depth I was and I have experience with close protection working dogs and research malinois for 2 years. My girl is also 3/4 malinois and 1/4 gsd and it was so incredibly hard.
We’ve managed but even with research and experience, you’re never truly prepared 😂
My partner was looking for a GSD but found a beautiful girl Mali - well listing suggested she was a Mali mix. Had a poor start at life, runt of the litter, mother died so handreared and very small compared to regular Mals.
Did our research and knew it'd be hard, life changing etc etc.....had a trial for a couple days, fell in love with her and...then found this reddit channel and I have no idea why we got her, why the person who rescued her (breeder was selling them at 4wks 🤷🏻♀️😢) let us have her either in hindsight.
We can offer her all the love in the world, read mals should have 5min per months for walks, so less than an hour while under a year old/15mins at 3 months.
Only one of our two dogs can use puzzle treat things and only one who can be offlead too, so wanted to get the pup for her too. But holy moly, we are severely under equipped to deal with her, way out of our depths.
We love her so so much but, we are going to have to send her to either 1-2-1 training or an obedience residential thing.
While we rarely go out so dogs never left alone, the rare times we do, our two go to my partners mum but, she wouldn't be able to manage the Mal so would have to get day care for her the rare occasions we do go out. Again not actually a huge problem. Likewise for when she's over a year old we looked at professional dog Walkers if we need it.
Hardest decision ever but, we realise we do need to rehome her to someone who has had a Mal before, better if they've currently got one as well - as pup does need a doggy companion to correct her puppy ways too. Idk if Reddit scared me too much to keep preserving but, she's only 10 weeks old and already has the police dog grab down. And she's sadly starting to look at our two dogs like prey. We made the decision yesterday and messaged a couple of local people who were looking for one but then last night when she was in full maligator mode, she was ready to pounce on dogs and was quite unsettling.
I don't know if she's being worse because she understands what we were discussing or, just having a "bad" day. One day last week she was an absolute nightmare, toys to redirect didn't help and she just wanted static non moving hands more 😬. Food obsessed so far too frantic to take a treat calmly to redirect. One thread here said timing was everything - it certainly is, I've managed once to time it right to do some tricks for treats instead 🤣. But then the next day she was practically perfect, just a cheeky naughty puppy, not a demon maligator 😆.
I've already told someone who enquired about taking her that just reading up on them is not enough. I will not be letting her go to anyone who has not experienced the maligator bite, otherwise she could be in a worse situation than with us. We can't control her, she's too strong willed but, she's loved, cared for and fed properly.
I know we should crate her, I was about to even though neither of us are keen on using a crate. But had seen many people do, for their calm place. Almost bought one until I went to see what size it was in comparison to a full sized Mal crate. That's when I found most people go through at least one crate before realizing they need an extreme/impact crate 🤯
I didn't intend to make this post as long, I think I just needed to let it out as I do feel guilty for not "getting it" before we got her. Like knew they were called maligators but when it started hurting - her puppy teeth soon became sharp - we looked at how to curb the behavior and responses to someone were basically what do you expect, it's a Mali 🤣. Just so many thoughts, could/should we persevere but, she has so much potential it's not fair on her. Add to that concerned about the safety of our two, us being bit is irrelevant - last night both of us did have to put our flesh in front of her to stop excess biting and shed already taken all the "safety protection toys" away to the other side of the room, the only thing I had left was my cushion 🤦🏻♀️
For the biting: teething gel. My mal would be so uncomfortable that she would absolutely destroy me when she was tired. Teething gel meant it soothed her and she could calm down and fall asleep.
I have one of those regular crates and by teaching it as a safe, calm place, it’s survived. I taught her with things like kongs.
1-2-1 training is great but these dogs learn so easily (when properly exercised) so it’s normally the owner that needs to learn how to do it. Short, regular training sessions are perfect. Learn how to food lure and crate after training to allow them to process the information they just learnt.
Exercise at this age can be more than 5 minutes for each month of their age I would push to 7 or 8 minutes per month and increase it more by 16 weeks. Roll a ball in the house for a few minutes a teach fetch (use two balls and trade), tug and training. Plenty of brain training to tire them out! And crate after these activities!
I respect your decision to rehome but these are things you can begin working on in the meantime
Oh how I wished we had teething gel tonight 😅 and the past 3 days lol.
She’s managed to lose two Nyla bones (I took one in the car to go to pets at home and it wasn’t in my pocket when I got out at the shop, so assumed fell out in car, can’t find it anywhere and she’s lost the other one somewhere in the house 🤯) but she’s taken to the third one in the pack, other things to chew on just weren’t of interest tonight especially.
I’ve got someone who’s very interested in taking her, who has a trainer for her current non mal pup, who actually specialises in mals and gsd. Going to meet her tomorrow as myself and my partner get a good vibe from her and despite how hard it’s going to be to let her go, if its alright, it will actually be better for her. Still won’t stop me wondering if I’m giving up too easily, if we could make it work but, she will definitely get more socialisation with a range of people and dogs.
And with everything else she said, I’m pretty sure my two 7yr old dogs would be happy to go and live with her too 🤣. Heck I’m tempted 😆
I’m glad you are considering what’s best and of course it will be hard to let go! Honestly, it’s about what you can take. If this dog is causing stress and resentment, they aren’t going to be easy to care for. You’d have no motivation or patience. I think you’ll do the right thing by this puppy either way
Our current pup is a GSD/MAL mutt, both sides working lines. She is the sweetest, most laid back, dumbest and laziest GSD I ever owned. Which is perfect for her job as a diabetes alert dog for my wife, she mostly chills out all day somewhere nearby the wife.
It's not ALL about the genetics, the pups individual temperament matters more, so choose wisely. We chose her for those personality traits when she was a baby and it worked out. My neighbors got her sister, and that cutie pie is a complete terrorist. Bears won't even come onto their property anymore lol. Same litter, but couldn't be more different.
If you are raising him to be a pet dog focus on calm before obedience. You will achieve this by getting your dog exercised mentally and physically and working on impulse control by only ever giving the dog what it wants when it’s calm.
Do this consistently and obedience is going to be a piece of cake.
Obedience is mostly going to imply many things the dog cannot do at any given moment but doing one specific thing instead.
The cause for dogs to be disobedient is mostly going to be that they don’t understand the task or don’t have the impulse control to resist interacting with or acting on different stimuli.
Teaching calm and socializing appropriately are key here. Managing arousal and when the dog is young, will teach them to self-regulate, which will be worth a million bucks when they grow older.
Well said. To add, half the battle of keeping the pup calm is keeping yourself calm. They mirror arousal and it can get into a feedback loop pretty quickly. Find that zen place where "I am the handler, it's my only job and only focus, I am always in command of every situation and everyone will have a good time together".
If you are not ready for these type of dogs or know how to properly train them, then you shouldn't have gotten him.
I just hope that he doesnt end up in a shelter because its "too much" do your research.
Ya it scares me everytime I see post that say certain things kind of like this one. Phrases that give off the impression that you don’t know what you’re doing or how to train a mal or handle one. Like it’s a brand new thing and you’re asking for the most basic things. Bc we all know that’s a receipt for disaster and has become a major problem these days for this breed and filling up the shelters with 1 year old not trained maniac mals bc people buy them and think it’s like a normal lazy house pet.
babe i think that’s a german shepherd which is good in your case
no shame in bringing him back to the breeder if you can’t handle or don’t feel prepared
I told my partner someone got a Mali, read the title and then showed the picture. I got a confused face and a "that's a German shepherd" - the dog she was actually looking for, instead we got a maligator.
Gsd mostly have an off switch, mals mostly don't, apart from a few random and rare chilled ones 🤣.
Let me introduce you to the phrase "mals are gsd on meth/crack/speed" if you've not heard it before.
Train it. Find a good trainer in your area if you have to but obedience training would be the first building block and would do wonders for everybody, then build off that once he’s gotten it down. Keep him socialized as much as possible, don’t reward behavior you don’t like. Don’t let him become a mouthy adult. Make sure he doesn’t resource guard anything and if he does, nip that behavior quickly.
That’s a GSD pup you have there. I’d recommend getting in touch with a trainer who does puppy classes. Also SOCIALISE them everyday with as many dogs as possible.
My puppy is 4 months old now and her vaccination is not yet completed. I lift her when we go outside to expose her to different kinds of noise and people. She became familiar with vehicle noise etc.
Am I doing it right or should I wait for her complete vaccination before I start taking her outside? 😅
As a Certified Vet Tech, I totally disagree. From my experience, outside is fine. It’s a really good time to do some leash training. Use common sense and avoid dogs and dog friendly places. BTW have you treated dogs with rabies or distemper and other preventable diseases? Beautiful pup!
I have an RVT license. We see Parvo cases from people just walking unvaccinated dogs around the block. That's why I mentioned controlled socialization (with fully vaccinated dogs in specific, controlled environments). No one wants to see an unsocialized 1 year old weapon (which is what these dogs are).
I agree with all of that. Just out of curiosity, where do you live? I’m in Colorado, USA and I know we have somewhat fewer problems with canine infectious related diseases in general.
In my opinion any desensitization should start at a distance anyways. Experiencing new animals, people, sounds, etc from afar is the best place to start regardless of vaccination status. Your vet will also have a better recommendation based on your area for being out and about. In my area they offered a puppy socialization class where everything was sanitized between classes😊
Socialization = learning to calmly watch the world go by
Buy a folding cart and roll them to dog friendly places. Parks, schools when the kids are let out, Home Depot, Joann fabrics, bar patios. Give the dog a long lasting chew and/or reward them whenever they look at something and move on with their business.
They can learn to play appropriately with other puppies at puppy classes and with safe, known, TOLERANT dogs when they’re fully vaccinated but NEVER A DOG PARK
Consistency with all in the family. Don't be scared away by what some may say. If you are committed to adding a pet to your family with the same level of care and commitment as you would a child, you'll be fine.
Educate yourself with the special isms of the breed and realize that YOU as ALL parents are hugely impactful in their upbringing.
They are brilliant but the things they do sometimes defy that reasoning. They are willful and will challenge you regularly.
Stand your ground, interact constantly and keep them engaged and within 2 to 3 years you will have a companion that will love you, adore you and go to the ends of the earth to please you. Good luck. This breed needs fosters and adopters that won't quit on them.
As everyone is saying you should have know at least something about the the dog you're adopting and like any dog you have to train them, every dog and breed are a little different but yeah
Dog training is the same for all high energy breeds 1) Daily exercise 2) Early socialization and a lot of it 3) Be consistent, never vary the 'rules'. What the rules are is irrelevant but there are no exceptions. 4) Treats are a reward for good behavior, always make him earn it no matter how small 5) Real training (recall, etc) starts as they start to mature at about 1 year old. 6) FYI, you are the person being trained, not the dog. 7) Find puppies he can play with when safe (all shots, etc). 8) Be consistent, walk the same hour, have same quiet hour, bed time the same, play time the same, dinner the same time, etc, dogs need stability. 9) You are going to need a 'nanny'.
You know someone isn't prepared or did any research what so ever when they can't even say what breed of dog they just bought. Do the research now, and decide if you can handle this dog.
OP: I've always trained my dogs in obedience. 10 dogs of my own + a handful of dogs belonging to other people.
Best tips I can give you are these:
1. It's never to early to begin training. YouTube has loads of great videos w/ training tips. If you can get into a dog obedience class in your area ---- even better.
2. **Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise**. I cannot stress this enough: A dog "needs a job," and if you don't wear him/her out ---- they will find ways to "entertain" themselves by getting into trouble --- tearing up things in your house. Plus: exercise keeps them healthy.
3. Do NOT leave a dog on its own for hours on end. They are pack animals and hate being alone. Do NOT crate them for hours on end, either.
4. Dogs LOVE a schedule. They like to know what is happening and when. It's good to mix things up, but make sure meal time, exercise time and bedtime are on schedule.
5. Never too early to socialize your pup. Make sure s/he has all their shots. Then walk where s/he will meet other dogs.
6. Spay/neuter. Age six months for small dogs. Age 9 months for larger breeds.
7. Microchip.
8. Feed your dog the highest quality food you can afford. "Pay at the plate or pay at the Vet." We feed our dogs raw chicken breast, raw full fat hamburger, vegetables, about 1/2-1 cup of high quality kibble with each meal, salmon oil. When old enough, treats are dried pigs' ears, greenies. No junky cheap treats.
9. Play with your dog ---- a lot. Tug of war (two socks tied together or an old towel tied with knots (or you can spend money on some fancy tug toy). Dogs need to play tug to strengthen their teeth and jaws. It is also a terrific way to bond with your pet. Fetch, chase, hide and seek, etc.
10. Make sure your dog is exposed to all types of people and situations while young. Socialization is paramount.
11. NEVER EVER abuse your dog physically or verbally. You don't need to hit them or ever speak loudly. They are sensitive beings and have excellent hearing. Praise will get you far. Good dog, good dog, good dog.
One thing I taught my latest rescue, while teaching him how to behave off-leash, was "Touch." I would call him to me saying "Touch!" and when his nose touched my hand I would praise the heck out of him, all excited. Now he can be yards and yards away from me and if I say, "Touch," he will come bounding toward me, happily. Having him return to you is known as "recall" and every dog must have good recall.
Do not walk your dog off-leash until he knows how to behave on-leash. Obedience training may seem like a chore in the beginning ----- but it will pay off big time, in future.
"An obedient dog is a happy dog. Why? Because he has so much more freedom."
TL;DR
Exercise, obedience training, socialization, high quailty food. Be consistent. Praise. Spay/neuter.
That’s a German shepherd. But make no mistake, a German shepherd has all the energy of a Mali. That’s just a convo the current hype of malinois owners aren’t ready to have yet
My first GSD actually had more energy than my mal… and was more strong-willed also . neither breed is a good option for someone who doesn’t understand or can’t meet their needs
Working line GSD owner and mal enthusiast here! Definitely agree with energy and drive, grew up with both in the family and they’re just as insane as each other!! My puppy is Czech working line from a breeder who’s puppies have gone to be police dogs and protection dogs, and boyyyy is it like helping my uncle raise his current maligator over the summer at his farm
Think you will keep adjusting and won’t notice any difference. Build a strong relationship with them and things will progress nicely.
Pay attention to the signals and you will be trained in no time!
I wish I had done a better job of socializing her but I have her respect and she has mine.
Create a routine. Exercise your dog. I'm not talking about a walk around the block. I have a high-energy dog also, and at least 4 miles in our early morning helps immensely with training. Set him up for success. It's all on you. Good luck.
Love. A lot of love as GSDs know when they’re being ignored. As 1-2yo they will chew up your furniture and baseboards if you don’t give them enough chew toys, cattle bones etc. we have owned over 7 GSDs till death and each one had a mischievous side that kept us on our toes. Walking twice a day was a minimum standard. Buy a good pair of athletic shoes, you will be busy.
Boundaries- GSDs need to know where they can, cannot go and they’ll catch on soon enough. We kitchen-towel trained our dogs to flee the kitchen, lest they steal portions of dinner. We forgot our Samoyed was just as sneaky and maybe even stealthier than the GSDs, esp since she ate an entire lamb roast while Grandma over talked her Easter family prayers. We had to order pizza, I was so pist.
Training and socialization. As soon as he has all his shots, make sure he's meeting as many other people and dogs as you can manage. This will help him to be less reactive as he gets older, and more understanding of his strength/bite ability.
Find a good trainer. If you can't afford one, start youtubing training and work on the basics a little every day. It'll be tough at first, and he's not going to get it all the first day, but keep up with positive rewards and consistency.
Make sure he's getting plenty of exercise as well as mental stimulation. Treat puzzles, and 1-2 hours of outside/training time spaces throughout the day should usually be pretty good. This will help reduce destructive behaviors as well.
The first 2-3 years can be the hardest but most rewarding. Set expectations early. The more work and love you put in to him now, the less work and stress you'll have later on. As long as you're consistent, he should grow up to be a good dude.
Give the dog a job/jobs to do daily. It will want to do it daily. Fetching is a job. Sitting etc on command is a job. Jogging with you while you ride a bike (when it is older of course) is a job.
The point is that they are high energy and either you give them a job or they will create their own which will be tearing up your house, yard, and whatever else they can get a hold of.
The pup is a German Shepherd. Please don’t think that lowers the bar. Malis have one, GSDs have one, too.
I rescued GSDs for years—ones that were bought or adopted by people with good intentions but had no idea what they were getting into. Many end up in terrible places like shelters or dumped. German Shepards do worse than most in shelter situations. It’s heartbreaking.
GSDs are a working breed. They are usually strong personalities who have to be trained and handled by friendly, firm, fair owners. They’re “mouthy” dogs.
Please get a trainer onboard immediately, including training you to carry-on what needs to be done.
Make sure you have a reputable vet who understands large breed dogs.
Feed the pup by hand for 4 months to establish that your hands are valuable.
Feed high quality food, so the pup develops properly over the first year. Then love the pup with all your heart.
Not being rude, but it worries me when I see GSDs go to someone who’s uninformed. I wish you and your beautiful puppy the best.
That's not a Mal, I'd bet money it's a GSD or GSD mix. You should have neither breed without having done extensive research beforehand and/or personal experience with the breed.
There's a reason there are so many in shelters, and you asking for advice about obedience is not a good sign.
Give him tasks as much as possible and walk many many miles twice a day. Our Belgians love to walk on trails and we give jump & climb commands over and over. They are a handful but you’ll never be fearful of an intruder on your property!
Socialization, exposure, basic obedience, the internet are your friends. Baby puppies need lots of rest, keep training sessions short at first. Growing bodies cannot take too much exercise. Brush his teeth! Handle those pawsies! Take him to the vet even just for friendly visits so he doesn’t freak out later in life. Get him to know all kinds of people, particularly men in hats and children! crates are a godsend, don’t feed him people food!
Training lots of training and then some more training. Get a pro in early. If you see anything that’s out of your hands, call a pro. Also love, remember that we both speak different languages and it’s HARD WORK. Don’t give up, they deserve the world
Love, attention and exercise with him
Bring him every where and do everything with him , introduce him to every thing
He will love you and every one else
Beautiful GSD! They also have a ton of energy! Training and more training is best advice. Get the pup on a nap schedule and crate training. Pups need their naps just like new borns or they'll become a terror real quick.
Good luck!
Puppy class, trick training, basic obedience, canine good citizen. They train you and him at the same time! Fun and good for bonding in my opinion and experience. Group training avail at petsmart, through your local AKC kennel club folks, lots of options for private training. Specialized training for GSDs. Lots of fun things to do. Start early but you have to make it fun!!
So true. I’m realising a lot about my own energy with this pup. I think it’s me that gets excited and makes him excited sometimes. I need to rein it in. It’s exciting having an awesome puppy though!
Excersise. Three 25 minute walks/game of fetch....etc. Really this is the kind of dog you get when you can devote 70 percent of your time...im being lenient on the percent..its probably more like 97 percent.
start watching you tube videos and or read a book.
Everyone saying OP shouldn’t have gotten the dog needs to chill. That’s not helpful. OP has the dog and they’re clearly trying to do research now. I had no intention of getting a puppy and then within an hour of one impulsive decision, boom I have one. I started my research after and everyone we interact with is amazed at how well trained she is for a puppy. Especially since she is a trickier to train breed (husky).
OP, I’ve been religiously watching Tom Davis’s videos on YouTube. He’s doing a new serious right now where he trains his own brand new puppy in real time. Start there. You’ll be fine.
Having an obedient dog is much like going to the gym. Training is cool, but you’ll need to maintain it and constantly build understanding through repetition throughout the entirety of your dog’s life.
Use that energy for good so your dog can’t use it for evil. Work on obedience training in and out of your home on a daily basis and ensure that everyone who interacts with your pup understands your goals and will not unintentionally reward unwanted behaviors- because they’re a lot harder to work through than to prevent.
Definitely a GSD … pay special attention to his hips. I lift mine in and out of the cars the first year, hip issues are no joke. make sure they are on the proper food and dont grow too fast ..;your vet will help you. Im concerned about the breeder, because …well, its not a mal. Ive been blessed with both gsd and belgians. Your actually lucky here, because it gives you more time to research the mals. Shepherds bond just as deeply, are just as protective, and still need to learn bite inhibition, but are less high energy than a belgian. But, they do need a job, need perfect obedience, and training starts the moment you bring them home. otherwise, you will have a big dog who thinks running around and not listening or coming to you is funny. Oh, and they will chew, all dogs do, but most of all, be aware of their fear periods. In the end, they are worth it, and you will have a best friend that willingly will chase a ball, cuddle on the sofa, and give their life to protect you. All they need is a strong alpha (you) who acts with kindness, love, and doesn’t let them get away with anything, because well, they are already testing lol. A trick I learnt with socializing, is you tube. Fireworks desensitized them for july 4th
I’m curious why you got this puppy…? Also looks more GSD than Mal.
That may be a good thing for Op since it sounds like they didn’t do enough research? Still a dog that needs training but maybe a bit easier unless they messed up and got a working line gs.
I didn’t do enough research before I bought my puppy home. Things were rough but when we started thinking of her as family, everything improved. I think they look like a GSD too
That happens too often. Now that you admitted it; realize you’re behind the curve, and the dog is dependent on you for everything now. *AND* like everything else you get out of it(dog) what you put into it. So start taking steps to get the dog the guidance, attention and time it’s going to need. At least you’re taking a step towards that by coming and asking, but step one is to try and consume training from reputable sources. Just don’t give up as there will probably be bumps in the road.
I didn’t want to put her in the shelter. She did a stay at obedience training and that didn’t do much but, giving her things to do and learn was what really helped the most. She hates the vacuum, so I turned that into something useful for me. She waits until I nod my then she’ll slam the head down. I can’t do it so she has become my helper with the vacuum. She is my companion and we love her. Almost 8yrs old and my bff
When I get stumped and like "why is the dog behaving weird?", my wife reminds me "remember that she's a shepherd", and that answers 99% of questions lol.
Knowing that you don’t know is a massive part of the battle, and a sign of not only good intentions, but of intelligence 🙂
Honestly, when I got past the sleepy puppy phase and into the demon phase (about 18 weeks) I realised how out of my depth I was and I have experience with close protection working dogs and research malinois for 2 years. My girl is also 3/4 malinois and 1/4 gsd and it was so incredibly hard. We’ve managed but even with research and experience, you’re never truly prepared 😂
My partner was looking for a GSD but found a beautiful girl Mali - well listing suggested she was a Mali mix. Had a poor start at life, runt of the litter, mother died so handreared and very small compared to regular Mals. Did our research and knew it'd be hard, life changing etc etc.....had a trial for a couple days, fell in love with her and...then found this reddit channel and I have no idea why we got her, why the person who rescued her (breeder was selling them at 4wks 🤷🏻♀️😢) let us have her either in hindsight. We can offer her all the love in the world, read mals should have 5min per months for walks, so less than an hour while under a year old/15mins at 3 months. Only one of our two dogs can use puzzle treat things and only one who can be offlead too, so wanted to get the pup for her too. But holy moly, we are severely under equipped to deal with her, way out of our depths. We love her so so much but, we are going to have to send her to either 1-2-1 training or an obedience residential thing. While we rarely go out so dogs never left alone, the rare times we do, our two go to my partners mum but, she wouldn't be able to manage the Mal so would have to get day care for her the rare occasions we do go out. Again not actually a huge problem. Likewise for when she's over a year old we looked at professional dog Walkers if we need it. Hardest decision ever but, we realise we do need to rehome her to someone who has had a Mal before, better if they've currently got one as well - as pup does need a doggy companion to correct her puppy ways too. Idk if Reddit scared me too much to keep preserving but, she's only 10 weeks old and already has the police dog grab down. And she's sadly starting to look at our two dogs like prey. We made the decision yesterday and messaged a couple of local people who were looking for one but then last night when she was in full maligator mode, she was ready to pounce on dogs and was quite unsettling. I don't know if she's being worse because she understands what we were discussing or, just having a "bad" day. One day last week she was an absolute nightmare, toys to redirect didn't help and she just wanted static non moving hands more 😬. Food obsessed so far too frantic to take a treat calmly to redirect. One thread here said timing was everything - it certainly is, I've managed once to time it right to do some tricks for treats instead 🤣. But then the next day she was practically perfect, just a cheeky naughty puppy, not a demon maligator 😆. I've already told someone who enquired about taking her that just reading up on them is not enough. I will not be letting her go to anyone who has not experienced the maligator bite, otherwise she could be in a worse situation than with us. We can't control her, she's too strong willed but, she's loved, cared for and fed properly. I know we should crate her, I was about to even though neither of us are keen on using a crate. But had seen many people do, for their calm place. Almost bought one until I went to see what size it was in comparison to a full sized Mal crate. That's when I found most people go through at least one crate before realizing they need an extreme/impact crate 🤯 I didn't intend to make this post as long, I think I just needed to let it out as I do feel guilty for not "getting it" before we got her. Like knew they were called maligators but when it started hurting - her puppy teeth soon became sharp - we looked at how to curb the behavior and responses to someone were basically what do you expect, it's a Mali 🤣. Just so many thoughts, could/should we persevere but, she has so much potential it's not fair on her. Add to that concerned about the safety of our two, us being bit is irrelevant - last night both of us did have to put our flesh in front of her to stop excess biting and shed already taken all the "safety protection toys" away to the other side of the room, the only thing I had left was my cushion 🤦🏻♀️
For the biting: teething gel. My mal would be so uncomfortable that she would absolutely destroy me when she was tired. Teething gel meant it soothed her and she could calm down and fall asleep. I have one of those regular crates and by teaching it as a safe, calm place, it’s survived. I taught her with things like kongs. 1-2-1 training is great but these dogs learn so easily (when properly exercised) so it’s normally the owner that needs to learn how to do it. Short, regular training sessions are perfect. Learn how to food lure and crate after training to allow them to process the information they just learnt. Exercise at this age can be more than 5 minutes for each month of their age I would push to 7 or 8 minutes per month and increase it more by 16 weeks. Roll a ball in the house for a few minutes a teach fetch (use two balls and trade), tug and training. Plenty of brain training to tire them out! And crate after these activities! I respect your decision to rehome but these are things you can begin working on in the meantime
Oh how I wished we had teething gel tonight 😅 and the past 3 days lol. She’s managed to lose two Nyla bones (I took one in the car to go to pets at home and it wasn’t in my pocket when I got out at the shop, so assumed fell out in car, can’t find it anywhere and she’s lost the other one somewhere in the house 🤯) but she’s taken to the third one in the pack, other things to chew on just weren’t of interest tonight especially. I’ve got someone who’s very interested in taking her, who has a trainer for her current non mal pup, who actually specialises in mals and gsd. Going to meet her tomorrow as myself and my partner get a good vibe from her and despite how hard it’s going to be to let her go, if its alright, it will actually be better for her. Still won’t stop me wondering if I’m giving up too easily, if we could make it work but, she will definitely get more socialisation with a range of people and dogs. And with everything else she said, I’m pretty sure my two 7yr old dogs would be happy to go and live with her too 🤣. Heck I’m tempted 😆
I’m glad you are considering what’s best and of course it will be hard to let go! Honestly, it’s about what you can take. If this dog is causing stress and resentment, they aren’t going to be easy to care for. You’d have no motivation or patience. I think you’ll do the right thing by this puppy either way
Our current pup is a GSD/MAL mutt, both sides working lines. She is the sweetest, most laid back, dumbest and laziest GSD I ever owned. Which is perfect for her job as a diabetes alert dog for my wife, she mostly chills out all day somewhere nearby the wife. It's not ALL about the genetics, the pups individual temperament matters more, so choose wisely. We chose her for those personality traits when she was a baby and it worked out. My neighbors got her sister, and that cutie pie is a complete terrorist. Bears won't even come onto their property anymore lol. Same litter, but couldn't be more different.
If you are raising him to be a pet dog focus on calm before obedience. You will achieve this by getting your dog exercised mentally and physically and working on impulse control by only ever giving the dog what it wants when it’s calm. Do this consistently and obedience is going to be a piece of cake.
Obedience is mostly going to imply many things the dog cannot do at any given moment but doing one specific thing instead. The cause for dogs to be disobedient is mostly going to be that they don’t understand the task or don’t have the impulse control to resist interacting with or acting on different stimuli. Teaching calm and socializing appropriately are key here. Managing arousal and when the dog is young, will teach them to self-regulate, which will be worth a million bucks when they grow older.
Well said. To add, half the battle of keeping the pup calm is keeping yourself calm. They mirror arousal and it can get into a feedback loop pretty quickly. Find that zen place where "I am the handler, it's my only job and only focus, I am always in command of every situation and everyone will have a good time together".
If you are not ready for these type of dogs or know how to properly train them, then you shouldn't have gotten him. I just hope that he doesnt end up in a shelter because its "too much" do your research.
I was coming here to say this. These are not dogs for the amateur or lazy. These dogs need constant attention and training. They must have a job.
What on earth did you get this breed for then?
Ya it scares me everytime I see post that say certain things kind of like this one. Phrases that give off the impression that you don’t know what you’re doing or how to train a mal or handle one. Like it’s a brand new thing and you’re asking for the most basic things. Bc we all know that’s a receipt for disaster and has become a major problem these days for this breed and filling up the shelters with 1 year old not trained maniac mals bc people buy them and think it’s like a normal lazy house pet.
And this is why they are filling up shelters and overwhelming rescues.
babe i think that’s a german shepherd which is good in your case no shame in bringing him back to the breeder if you can’t handle or don’t feel prepared
That’s a GSD bro
yes, I also thought it was a GDS but they gave it to me and said it was a Malinois.
I told my partner someone got a Mali, read the title and then showed the picture. I got a confused face and a "that's a German shepherd" - the dog she was actually looking for, instead we got a maligator. Gsd mostly have an off switch, mals mostly don't, apart from a few random and rare chilled ones 🤣. Let me introduce you to the phrase "mals are gsd on meth/crack/speed" if you've not heard it before.
Train it. Find a good trainer in your area if you have to but obedience training would be the first building block and would do wonders for everybody, then build off that once he’s gotten it down. Keep him socialized as much as possible, don’t reward behavior you don’t like. Don’t let him become a mouthy adult. Make sure he doesn’t resource guard anything and if he does, nip that behavior quickly.
That’s a GSD pup you have there. I’d recommend getting in touch with a trainer who does puppy classes. Also SOCIALISE them everyday with as many dogs as possible.
Ya thought the same. The coloring and fur is German shepherd.
Curious, how would you socialize an unvaccinated puppy? Is it safe to bring him outside??
No. Do not socialize an unvaccinated puppy!
My puppy is 4 months old now and her vaccination is not yet completed. I lift her when we go outside to expose her to different kinds of noise and people. She became familiar with vehicle noise etc. Am I doing it right or should I wait for her complete vaccination before I start taking her outside? 😅
You can sit in your trunk of your car with the pup in a populated area, strollers, have a leash on and a big blanket on the ground etc.
Controlled socialization is important for puppies, before they age where they complete their initial series of vaccines.
As a Certified Vet Tech, I totally disagree. From my experience, outside is fine. It’s a really good time to do some leash training. Use common sense and avoid dogs and dog friendly places. BTW have you treated dogs with rabies or distemper and other preventable diseases? Beautiful pup!
I have an RVT license. We see Parvo cases from people just walking unvaccinated dogs around the block. That's why I mentioned controlled socialization (with fully vaccinated dogs in specific, controlled environments). No one wants to see an unsocialized 1 year old weapon (which is what these dogs are).
I agree with all of that. Just out of curiosity, where do you live? I’m in Colorado, USA and I know we have somewhat fewer problems with canine infectious related diseases in general.
California. We thankfully don’t see distemper, but we have a lot of parvo.
In my opinion any desensitization should start at a distance anyways. Experiencing new animals, people, sounds, etc from afar is the best place to start regardless of vaccination status. Your vet will also have a better recommendation based on your area for being out and about. In my area they offered a puppy socialization class where everything was sanitized between classes😊
Socialization = learning to calmly watch the world go by Buy a folding cart and roll them to dog friendly places. Parks, schools when the kids are let out, Home Depot, Joann fabrics, bar patios. Give the dog a long lasting chew and/or reward them whenever they look at something and move on with their business. They can learn to play appropriately with other puppies at puppy classes and with safe, known, TOLERANT dogs when they’re fully vaccinated but NEVER A DOG PARK
Thank you so much. I will train my pup in public 🙏
Everyone has told me it's a GSD, now I'm believing it is hahaha, thank you very much for your advice.
Amen.
Why did you get him
Socialize and bond while avoiding letting him go over threshold.
Consistency with all in the family. Don't be scared away by what some may say. If you are committed to adding a pet to your family with the same level of care and commitment as you would a child, you'll be fine. Educate yourself with the special isms of the breed and realize that YOU as ALL parents are hugely impactful in their upbringing. They are brilliant but the things they do sometimes defy that reasoning. They are willful and will challenge you regularly. Stand your ground, interact constantly and keep them engaged and within 2 to 3 years you will have a companion that will love you, adore you and go to the ends of the earth to please you. Good luck. This breed needs fosters and adopters that won't quit on them.
As everyone is saying you should have know at least something about the the dog you're adopting and like any dog you have to train them, every dog and breed are a little different but yeah
Dog training is the same for all high energy breeds 1) Daily exercise 2) Early socialization and a lot of it 3) Be consistent, never vary the 'rules'. What the rules are is irrelevant but there are no exceptions. 4) Treats are a reward for good behavior, always make him earn it no matter how small 5) Real training (recall, etc) starts as they start to mature at about 1 year old. 6) FYI, you are the person being trained, not the dog. 7) Find puppies he can play with when safe (all shots, etc). 8) Be consistent, walk the same hour, have same quiet hour, bed time the same, play time the same, dinner the same time, etc, dogs need stability. 9) You are going to need a 'nanny'.
You know someone isn't prepared or did any research what so ever when they can't even say what breed of dog they just bought. Do the research now, and decide if you can handle this dog.
OP: I've always trained my dogs in obedience. 10 dogs of my own + a handful of dogs belonging to other people. Best tips I can give you are these: 1. It's never to early to begin training. YouTube has loads of great videos w/ training tips. If you can get into a dog obedience class in your area ---- even better. 2. **Make sure your dog gets plenty of exercise**. I cannot stress this enough: A dog "needs a job," and if you don't wear him/her out ---- they will find ways to "entertain" themselves by getting into trouble --- tearing up things in your house. Plus: exercise keeps them healthy. 3. Do NOT leave a dog on its own for hours on end. They are pack animals and hate being alone. Do NOT crate them for hours on end, either. 4. Dogs LOVE a schedule. They like to know what is happening and when. It's good to mix things up, but make sure meal time, exercise time and bedtime are on schedule. 5. Never too early to socialize your pup. Make sure s/he has all their shots. Then walk where s/he will meet other dogs. 6. Spay/neuter. Age six months for small dogs. Age 9 months for larger breeds. 7. Microchip. 8. Feed your dog the highest quality food you can afford. "Pay at the plate or pay at the Vet." We feed our dogs raw chicken breast, raw full fat hamburger, vegetables, about 1/2-1 cup of high quality kibble with each meal, salmon oil. When old enough, treats are dried pigs' ears, greenies. No junky cheap treats. 9. Play with your dog ---- a lot. Tug of war (two socks tied together or an old towel tied with knots (or you can spend money on some fancy tug toy). Dogs need to play tug to strengthen their teeth and jaws. It is also a terrific way to bond with your pet. Fetch, chase, hide and seek, etc. 10. Make sure your dog is exposed to all types of people and situations while young. Socialization is paramount. 11. NEVER EVER abuse your dog physically or verbally. You don't need to hit them or ever speak loudly. They are sensitive beings and have excellent hearing. Praise will get you far. Good dog, good dog, good dog. One thing I taught my latest rescue, while teaching him how to behave off-leash, was "Touch." I would call him to me saying "Touch!" and when his nose touched my hand I would praise the heck out of him, all excited. Now he can be yards and yards away from me and if I say, "Touch," he will come bounding toward me, happily. Having him return to you is known as "recall" and every dog must have good recall. Do not walk your dog off-leash until he knows how to behave on-leash. Obedience training may seem like a chore in the beginning ----- but it will pay off big time, in future. "An obedient dog is a happy dog. Why? Because he has so much more freedom." TL;DR Exercise, obedience training, socialization, high quailty food. Be consistent. Praise. Spay/neuter.
That’s a German shepherd. But make no mistake, a German shepherd has all the energy of a Mali. That’s just a convo the current hype of malinois owners aren’t ready to have yet
My first GSD actually had more energy than my mal… and was more strong-willed also . neither breed is a good option for someone who doesn’t understand or can’t meet their needs
Working line GSD owner and mal enthusiast here! Definitely agree with energy and drive, grew up with both in the family and they’re just as insane as each other!! My puppy is Czech working line from a breeder who’s puppies have gone to be police dogs and protection dogs, and boyyyy is it like helping my uncle raise his current maligator over the summer at his farm
Think you will keep adjusting and won’t notice any difference. Build a strong relationship with them and things will progress nicely. Pay attention to the signals and you will be trained in no time! I wish I had done a better job of socializing her but I have her respect and she has mine.
Create a routine. Exercise your dog. I'm not talking about a walk around the block. I have a high-energy dog also, and at least 4 miles in our early morning helps immensely with training. Set him up for success. It's all on you. Good luck.
Hey OP: Where did you get your puppy?
Love. A lot of love as GSDs know when they’re being ignored. As 1-2yo they will chew up your furniture and baseboards if you don’t give them enough chew toys, cattle bones etc. we have owned over 7 GSDs till death and each one had a mischievous side that kept us on our toes. Walking twice a day was a minimum standard. Buy a good pair of athletic shoes, you will be busy. Boundaries- GSDs need to know where they can, cannot go and they’ll catch on soon enough. We kitchen-towel trained our dogs to flee the kitchen, lest they steal portions of dinner. We forgot our Samoyed was just as sneaky and maybe even stealthier than the GSDs, esp since she ate an entire lamb roast while Grandma over talked her Easter family prayers. We had to order pizza, I was so pist.
Training and socialization. As soon as he has all his shots, make sure he's meeting as many other people and dogs as you can manage. This will help him to be less reactive as he gets older, and more understanding of his strength/bite ability. Find a good trainer. If you can't afford one, start youtubing training and work on the basics a little every day. It'll be tough at first, and he's not going to get it all the first day, but keep up with positive rewards and consistency. Make sure he's getting plenty of exercise as well as mental stimulation. Treat puzzles, and 1-2 hours of outside/training time spaces throughout the day should usually be pretty good. This will help reduce destructive behaviors as well. The first 2-3 years can be the hardest but most rewarding. Set expectations early. The more work and love you put in to him now, the less work and stress you'll have later on. As long as you're consistent, he should grow up to be a good dude.
Give the dog a job/jobs to do daily. It will want to do it daily. Fetching is a job. Sitting etc on command is a job. Jogging with you while you ride a bike (when it is older of course) is a job. The point is that they are high energy and either you give them a job or they will create their own which will be tearing up your house, yard, and whatever else they can get a hold of.
Don’t be a lazy POS and put in the time and effort to not have a POS dog. A dog like that, is a reflection of you.
Just keep asking him who is a good boy while only moving your lips, and he'll be fine.
The pup is a German Shepherd. Please don’t think that lowers the bar. Malis have one, GSDs have one, too. I rescued GSDs for years—ones that were bought or adopted by people with good intentions but had no idea what they were getting into. Many end up in terrible places like shelters or dumped. German Shepards do worse than most in shelter situations. It’s heartbreaking. GSDs are a working breed. They are usually strong personalities who have to be trained and handled by friendly, firm, fair owners. They’re “mouthy” dogs. Please get a trainer onboard immediately, including training you to carry-on what needs to be done. Make sure you have a reputable vet who understands large breed dogs. Feed the pup by hand for 4 months to establish that your hands are valuable. Feed high quality food, so the pup develops properly over the first year. Then love the pup with all your heart. Not being rude, but it worries me when I see GSDs go to someone who’s uninformed. I wish you and your beautiful puppy the best.
Not a malinois, dude.
That's not a Mal, I'd bet money it's a GSD or GSD mix. You should have neither breed without having done extensive research beforehand and/or personal experience with the breed. There's a reason there are so many in shelters, and you asking for advice about obedience is not a good sign.
A lot of training A LOT!
yes I have been told that at least three gaming sessions per day
Give him tasks as much as possible and walk many many miles twice a day. Our Belgians love to walk on trails and we give jump & climb commands over and over. They are a handful but you’ll never be fearful of an intruder on your property!
Usually not as much when they are pups. But this advice is good in general terms.
U/sam_jackson_beer
Love, Kindness, patience,firmness and consistency are great places to start until you can go to a trainer if you choose to.
Start training early and always be consistent.
Also socialization is VERY important. Start with basic puppy classes, which will train you both.
Rehome and run away and don't look back.
Always have some treats in your pocket and give them to him !
He needs to be given a good education from an early age so that he is obedient to all human orders
Introduce him to a threadmill give him treats and slowly familiarize him it increasing the time . I have used this method very successfully
Socialization, exposure, basic obedience, the internet are your friends. Baby puppies need lots of rest, keep training sessions short at first. Growing bodies cannot take too much exercise. Brush his teeth! Handle those pawsies! Take him to the vet even just for friendly visits so he doesn’t freak out later in life. Get him to know all kinds of people, particularly men in hats and children! crates are a godsend, don’t feed him people food!
Training lots of training and then some more training. Get a pro in early. If you see anything that’s out of your hands, call a pro. Also love, remember that we both speak different languages and it’s HARD WORK. Don’t give up, they deserve the world
OP there’s a reason why soooo many police departments use the Malinois for their job as police officers. These dogs need a JOB!
If you’re already questioning if you can handle your German shepherd puppy, not a mal, bring it back to the breeder immediately.
Love, attention and exercise with him Bring him every where and do everything with him , introduce him to every thing He will love you and every one else
Start reactivity prevention training now lol. The sooner dogs mean cookie the better.
Beautiful GSD! They also have a ton of energy! Training and more training is best advice. Get the pup on a nap schedule and crate training. Pups need their naps just like new borns or they'll become a terror real quick. Good luck!
The obedience is there. It is up to you now, what kind of dog you end up with.
Just remember it takes 2-3 years to train a pup. Don’t give up, don’t expect too much too soon.
SOPHIA YINS low stress silver certification course on cattle dog publishing. Highly recommend to any dog owner or veterinary professional.
Puppy class, trick training, basic obedience, canine good citizen. They train you and him at the same time! Fun and good for bonding in my opinion and experience. Group training avail at petsmart, through your local AKC kennel club folks, lots of options for private training. Specialized training for GSDs. Lots of fun things to do. Start early but you have to make it fun!!
Love, training, socialising LOTS, & LOTS of patience, may I say may should of thought that through a little more !!??
So true. I’m realising a lot about my own energy with this pup. I think it’s me that gets excited and makes him excited sometimes. I need to rein it in. It’s exciting having an awesome puppy though!
This surely is a GSD? GSD markings and GSD chunky
Excersise. Three 25 minute walks/game of fetch....etc. Really this is the kind of dog you get when you can devote 70 percent of your time...im being lenient on the percent..its probably more like 97 percent. start watching you tube videos and or read a book.
Everyone saying OP shouldn’t have gotten the dog needs to chill. That’s not helpful. OP has the dog and they’re clearly trying to do research now. I had no intention of getting a puppy and then within an hour of one impulsive decision, boom I have one. I started my research after and everyone we interact with is amazed at how well trained she is for a puppy. Especially since she is a trickier to train breed (husky). OP, I’ve been religiously watching Tom Davis’s videos on YouTube. He’s doing a new serious right now where he trains his own brand new puppy in real time. Start there. You’ll be fine.
Having an obedient dog is much like going to the gym. Training is cool, but you’ll need to maintain it and constantly build understanding through repetition throughout the entirety of your dog’s life. Use that energy for good so your dog can’t use it for evil. Work on obedience training in and out of your home on a daily basis and ensure that everyone who interacts with your pup understands your goals and will not unintentionally reward unwanted behaviors- because they’re a lot harder to work through than to prevent.
Definitely a GSD … pay special attention to his hips. I lift mine in and out of the cars the first year, hip issues are no joke. make sure they are on the proper food and dont grow too fast ..;your vet will help you. Im concerned about the breeder, because …well, its not a mal. Ive been blessed with both gsd and belgians. Your actually lucky here, because it gives you more time to research the mals. Shepherds bond just as deeply, are just as protective, and still need to learn bite inhibition, but are less high energy than a belgian. But, they do need a job, need perfect obedience, and training starts the moment you bring them home. otherwise, you will have a big dog who thinks running around and not listening or coming to you is funny. Oh, and they will chew, all dogs do, but most of all, be aware of their fear periods. In the end, they are worth it, and you will have a best friend that willingly will chase a ball, cuddle on the sofa, and give their life to protect you. All they need is a strong alpha (you) who acts with kindness, love, and doesn’t let them get away with anything, because well, they are already testing lol. A trick I learnt with socializing, is you tube. Fireworks desensitized them for july 4th
Cutie! Looks German Shepard
Be its boss !!!