If our rescue has any Belgian Malinois available, potential adopters must be experienced German shepherd or Belgian Malinois owners.
We had a Shepherd named Max. His displacia (sp) got so bad last winter we had to put him down (sniff, sniff).
He was the most naturally smart, instinctive animal I’ve ever owned.
I miss him terribly.
Two of the police dogs to which I attend are nothing but a joy with which to work. They are attentive, gregarious and responsive. I look forward to seeing them for routine checkups. Again, these are handled and worked which means they are trained and used to being handled. I am anticipating the movie, Max, and having worked with MWD in the USAF hoping to see a good depiction of one.
I was privileged to have two wonderful Belgian Malinois share their lives with me,
These are wonderful dogs, and I worry about them being “popularized”. They are very sensitive, very smart, and are best for farm work, with a close relationship with their human family.
I truly love this breed so much, and hate to see greedy breeders try to get in on a fad, and ruin these wonderful dogs. It hurts.
God bless my two, now over the rainbow bridge, Hanna and Shadow, who never left my side, and never failed in keeping the farm and garden safe from any and all predators and varmints.
And, in my opinion, way better than the GSDs that the AKC, in the USA, has ruined over the years, with their stupid breeding for looks, not working ability or temperament.
I have had two Belgian sheepdogs (black long haired version of this breed) and one Belgian Tervuren, the long haired version of the black and tan Malinois. Our Tervuren male is our only dog to bite an invading black bear right in the butt. That bear never came back! Sadly, Larson is gone now. They are really smart dogs.
Mine is a rescue dog, got him when he was 2.
10 years old now, he is the best.
Very smart, and sweet to other critters.
He wants to play, until things get weird....than he can be really scary.
The neighbors are terrified of him, and I like it that way.
*smile
Someone on IMDB claimed there was some trivia stating Max is a Belgian/Shepherd mix, not pure Belgian. Which I was ecstatic about because I could not see him being quite purebred.
The head looks too German Shepherd, not that Collie-like fineness totally. Also the racoon-masked markings coming through, which I don’t think I’ve seen on a Belgian before. And the tail seems a bit too feathered whereas BelMals are pretty smooth-Collie-like whiplike again.
Yet it seems everyone is saying he is a pure BelMal?
Some breeds are simply not the average pet. The Belgian Malinois typifies this statement. They are very bright and they will find things to do if ignored. Those activities may very well involve shredding household items, including furniture.
They have high prey drive (chase instinct) combined with protective tendencies. If not socialized heavily as pups, they may be fearful. A fearful Belgian may bite without much provocation.
That said, for the right people, one cannot have a better partner, be that as an agility dog, herding dog, obedience competitor and, of course, as a Ring sport, IPO or Schutzhund dog.