OK, I just wanted to make this post b/c of something I see often. Basically, refering to the Rottie /Mal post I did.

Well, the Rottie guy hasn't seen my dog in about a month or so. He (Lydon) at the time we were discussing the Rottie/Mal thing he would say how untrained my dog is,how he doesn't listen or know anything, and how his dog is more far along in training.

Well, I brought mine over to the other friend Chris. It was just me and Chris and I put my dog through some drills of obedience and whatnot. He's said " Yea, your dog is FAR more trained than Lydons. Lydon said he's unsocialized and wild. Hmm. That's weird b/c he tried to attack me when I came up to the car but now that you let him out he's not growling or doing anything. I don't feel threatened at all. Can I pet him?"

I told him yes, a couple pats and that's enough. No need to hug all over my dog.

Now, with that said. I got the impression that he says he can raise it with his girlfiend and he guarantees the dog would be a calm peaceful dog. Woulnd't do anything and could have it as friendly as an average Lab.

I told him "NO, he is far from it and alot of it has NOPTHING to do with how he's raised although that is critical as well. I tried to explain that even without bite training, if if he started play fighting like he does alot with other friends, that dog would attack the firend. he says " no it wouldn't. I would raise it to be a super friendly dog and something to chill with on the couch with my girl.

I don't think he's going to get one but I get this often. People see how well behaved he is, then usually ask what he is, then they start asking about where to buy one, etc.

I try to explain how they aren't good "pets" for the average person. How they have aggresive tendencies that must be control and dealt with an expeirneced handler, how they are on the move ALL the time and you will not get a couch potato that lounges all day and night long on the floor. THen I explain how much it costs to train in terms of time and money.

So, I am trying my butt off to keep people from ruining this breed too.

What other things have I left out as to why they don't make good "regular" people dogs. Or what can I improve on with what is already said.

The biggest thing is everyone seems to want a trained dog, they buy it, and never put the time needed in the dog with exercise/training and they get bored of the dog, etc and then do the dog no justice.....

So fill me in so I can fill them in... Them being anyoen I may come in contact that "thinks" they want one.

All you can do is try to educate the ignorant, but you can't fix stupid! These kinds of people are the reason the pounds are filled with JRTs, high drive labs, border collies, etc.

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I try to explain how they aren't good "pets" for the average person. How they have aggresive tendencies that must be control and dealt with an expeirneced handler, how they are on the move ALL the time and you will not get a couch potato that lounges all day and night long on the floor. THen I explain how much it costs to train in terms of time and money.

I wouldn't say that Mals don't make good pets because they have aggressive tendencies... because they aren't aggressive (naturally).They have high drives though. They are a breed of dog that was bred to have a purpose and not to be a pet. Any working breed of dog with high drives, including a high-drive Rott, will not make a good pet if all it does it sit around the house or yard all day. They will be extremely bored and destroy your house and yard. They will be frustrated and badly behaved without a job to do, training, or exercise. They wil be prone to develop bad habits and dominance problems, which lead to upset owners and aggression related incidences. A malinois is one of the few breeds left that has not been ruined by show breeders and backyard breeders breeding for pet animals. That is why people generalize the Mal in particular and say that they are not good pets, but the reasoning is because the majority are high-drive animals. A border collie is another breed that is also particularly a high-drive dog. Of course any gsd, dobbie, rott, schnauzer-even a lab or shitzu with high drives will make a difficult pet without the right outlets. Pet owners want a couch potato not one they have to run for 5 hours a day to get it to sit still.

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I try to explain how they aren't good "pets" for the average person. How they have aggresive tendencies that must be control and dealt with an expeirneced handler, how they are on the move ALL the time and you will not get a couch potato that lounges all day and night long on the floor. THen I explain how much it costs to train in terms of time and money.

I wouldn't say that Mals don't make good pets because they have aggressive tendencies... because they aren't aggressive (naturally).They have high drives though. They are a breed of dog that was bred to have a purpose and not to be a pet. Any working breed of dog with high drives, including a high-drive Rott, will not make a good pet if all it does it sit around the house or yard all day. They will be extremely bored and destroy your house and yard. They will be frustrated and badly behaved without a job to do, training, or exercise. They wil be prone to develop bad habits and dominance problems, which lead to upset owners and aggression related incidences. A malinois is one of the few breeds left that has not been ruined by show breeders and backyard breeders breeding for pet animals. That is why people generalize the Mal in particular and say that they are not good pets, but the reasoning is because the majority are high-drive animals. A border collie is another breed that is also particularly a high-drive dog. Of course any gsd, dobbie, rott, schnauzer-even a lab or shitzu with high drives will make a difficult pet without the right outlets. Pet owners want a couch potato not one they have to run for 5 hours a day to get it to sit still.

tell me this though.

how do you explain drives to people who don't know? I mean, I have tried to give examples but at the end of the conversation, all they did was learn a new word despite me explaining the different drives and how they work.

How do you explain drives? Maybe I can pick up on a few things that'll help my explanation a little better.

thanks

Knowledge is certainly power.....give them the address of this website and suggest that they start with Ed's articles and the emails that he gets from frustrated dog owners. Then ask them whether they have an extra 2-3 hours a day to spend exercising, training and caring for a high drive dog? I have found that this usually does the trick for someone wanting a pet.

Debbie

I simply describe "drives" to pet owners as ENERGY. The dog needs burn off energy everyday. If you don't channel it into a productive, healthy activity, it will manifest itself in a destructive, neurotic way.
I also don't reccomend Mals as pets because I love the Malinois and don't think that most people are worthy of owning one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Prey drive is the main drive I would refer to when talking about a "high drive dog". Prey drive could be referred to as the instinctive need or want to chase and catch prey. That means they'll be practicing all the time...anything that moves stimulates prey drive and they will want to chase. Another part is chewing. Chewing keeps a dog's teeth and jaw strong for when they catch their prey they can eat it. Who wants a dog they'll have to be running for three hours a day, and constantly keeping in a crate so they don't eat their sofa, as a pet?
If you don't give a high drive dog an outlet to exhaust their prey drive then they will direct this energy at something you probably don't want. That's when bad habits start to form. Name any bad habit a dog has and I bet you can trace the route back to a bored dog. Think of those possiblities with a high drive dog if he was bored!
It is very hard to find a Mal with low drives (low enough to be a good pet)- One who doesn't really care to chew alot or chase and would be happy with an evening 15 min walk and an occasional chase of the neighborhood alley cat.
Does this help?

As a trainer told me - you have bought the Ferrari of dogs, dont expect it to be still for a moment!

Here in Australia not many people know what they are - many people think she's a dingo crossed with a german shepherd - and her energy level and demands have been more then enough to put people off them. She's a big bitch too and the sight of a mouth full of pearly whites and muscles (we're a little out of shape at the moment :P) hint that she's not built to be an average backyard pet or couch potato. She does love little kids though <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

If you really want your friend to understand take him to a shutzhund trial. Show him the dogs that want want want to be out there and how energetic they are!! Let him speak to a few trainers and let them explain the destructive force a bored or under exercised malinois can really be. I think when they see the context the dog is bred for they may (note: MAY) realise that something more sedate is the way to go <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Another reason is that they are crazy. My Mal pup literally ate my rear seat. I have a Ford Escape, and he ate the entire seat, save the metal frame. I'm not joking.

I love him to death, but they are not for everyone. You must be experienced with working dogs, and have a lot of patience.