sorry, long rant for the Mal folks.....


OK, I have researched, I have involved myself, and gone beyond.

I was on a running schedule of 3-5miles a day (once conditioned of course), training session after that for 25min, was home with him for the 1st 6mo of his life 24/7 besides when I had to run an errand or two\, etc.

Well, I have finally had it. I posted on it a while back and someone said and others agreed that crating is the best thing for the dog. I have done that. Fine. But when do you ask youself, enough is enough.

I mean, the crating is to prevent bowel movements and harm to himself.

Well, He's 1yr and 3mo now. He's OLD enough to hold his bowels regardless. He's old enough to behyvae in a somewhat decent maner. He is not a 4mo old puppy. Yes, he is still young but I am sorry. I am not buying it.

Well, he's been on a tangeant lately.

From defecating by the door ALL the time now. At least once or twice a week. You take him out, he B.S.'s, urinates, then he's done. I explain for him to "hurry up" (his que to go), he doesn't so we go inside. Well, today forinsance. I took him out last night, a favor since i went to the bathroom at 3am to go. He didn't. I wwoke up at 8am and took him out, he pee'd and was done. I go to get some food out and eat there at the restaurant for 45min. I come back and watch tv for 20min, and get ready to leave and bring him with me for as ride to a buddy's house where he can roam his yard.

Well, as I am packing up keep in mind he has held it for only 2hrs. Then he craps ALL OVER THE FLOOR.

He did this 2 dyas ago, he did it again 5days prior.

Hmm, what else, well, I got back from riding my motorcycle as I am not back home in So. Cali and am states away and have no family out here so I did nothing but hang out with the dog. I come back after a 1hr ride. He tore up my books on the coffee table. ROYALLY PISSED ME OFF.

Days before he searches out for anything cardboard. He tore up the box of brews, he tore up the toilert paper rolls, he tore up the fabric softener box leaving all the sheets all over the floor.

Again, I don't want o hear the " you caused separation anxiety" b/c I NEVER came home and rushed to pet him. He never expected me to touch him until I was settled in. As far as boredome. That again is nonsense, I ruyn him daily 3-5 miles, we work training in obedience for 25min a day.

He has enough activity to keep his litle mind preoccupied.

His aggresive tendencies are elevating. He's already bit me. That was my fault, the first time, the second time, puting my hand near his food, anmd I don't care what some of the people had told me in my other post.

They said don't bother him while he's eating? WHAT? If I want to stick my hands in there I WILL. And he shouldn't sahow aggresive anything. Real tough guy with his master. But when my buddies 6mo old rotie comes over he cowers when his dog PLAYFULLY takes my dogs ball, or if my dog is drinking he walks away. But if its me he wants to get tough.

He's going to wind up at the vet geting a shot of the pink stuff and he'll be done.

I like him and have spent more money and time in him that ANY of my other dogs and so far my trained pit bull far surpasses him in social ethic, behavior, mentality, aggression when the situation calls for it and so on. He was my best dog ( the pit bull), would never show aggression toward people unnecessarily. I could go stick my hands in his food any time I felt like it. No problems. He tried to test authority once and that was it.

The problem is, the bred ban nonsense is out of hand so I currently canot own one. So I wanted to try this guy out and so far he has shown to be a nut case.

I am desperatly wanting to hear your side of it with your mals. I mean let';s be real here. Do you honestly think that a mal shou ldbe keneled up unti lyou work and train it, then goes back in the kenel?

I mean, how is it going to be a personal protection dog when he's locked up? Seems to me as useful as a junk jard dog on a chain.


Sorry for the rant. I am just fed up with his nonsense lately and if its not one thing its another. You take and buy him a stuffed toy for $25, he'll play then within 20min its ripped apart. Then you get tenis balls and he enjoys them but gets bored. He won't play with kongs or whatnot on his own. He'll fetched but won't touch it unless you throw or toss it.

So does this mean i have to tolerate his destruction? Does this mean I have to playt with him with a tennis ball ALL DAY AND NIGHT long until HE is tired? Do I have to stop what I am doing to get up and play ball? I mean, howe much is enough? I am on the virge of giving him back to the breeder as he wants him anyway.

But again I have sepnt $1000s. Let me tell you again,. $1000's in this past 1yr of his life. And if this is how he is going to do, then so be it. He can go to the breeder and stay in the kenel until the breder has time for him. And with so many dogs there his time will be limited. Maybe that's what he wants.

Not sure. and again, sorry for the rant.....

You need to go get a Peekapoo or something.

My Mals are not crated to stop their bowel movements, or to stop them harming themselves, they are crated because I like my house in one piece, not several 1000 shredded pieces.

I have Mals because I wanted serious working dogs, not couch dogs. My dogs would kill each other in the house, and also most probably kill my husband given half the chance (he is my main decoy) LOL!

Your post pisses me off as much as you are pissed off.. but for different reasons. Your post is a GREAT example of why 99.9% of people should not go out and buy a Malinois without fully understanding what you have getting.

I don't own a Mal. And don't think I will for a while. I think they're probably a little too much for me right now (I already have 3 other dogs). That being said...

One year and three months is still a puppy. Many dogs (and some breeds) don't start to settle down until they're 2 or 3 years old. I know that's not the case with most GSD's but don't have a clue about Mal's. I'm sure you're frustrated as hell and that's understandable. But if he's still giving you clear signs that he's not trustworthy when left alone, at his age, isn't it reasonable to assume he just needs more time to mature? Maybe he'll never be the house dog you want. But I wouldn't make that decision until he's at LEAST two years old.

As for the aggression thing, I would assume that there have been mistakes made in his handling and/or problems when he was still with his mother. I've heard that a female with temperament/nerve/aggression problems will often pass that to her offspring in the imprinting stage. However, you're the master, he's the dog. Call me crazy if you will, but at the first sign of aggression from any dog living in my home, he gets grabbed by the scruff of the neck and driven to the ground until he settles down. I've never had a dog as stubborn or hard as a lot of working dogs, so maybe that doesn't work for every handler or every dog. Have you done the Ground Work as described in Ed's article?

You obviously have a vindictive, capricious dog that's no good at all. I 'll do you a favor and take it off your hands <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Aaron,
If I were the breeder of this dog, I would RUN to your house to get this dog away from you.

I agree with Sammy ONE MILLION percent, you are a classic example of someone who really shouldn't own a Mal (or probably any dog with a pulse). Your expectations are totally unrealistic and it's obvious you don't like the dog from your posts!


If we can tell that from reading your typed words, you can bet your dog knows it too.

You ask questions on this board and then totally dismiss the GOOD advice you are given by knowledgable people. We are tired of your whining!


Do the dog a favor, and find him a home with someone who has a clue!

Aaron - some people come to our board with dog problems and an open mind. Others, like you, don’t get it and probably never will.

I feel very sorry for your dog. Simply put people like you should not own dogs. You have moved past the point of simple handler mistakes and into the realm of stupidity.

I was tempted to delete this thread but new dog trainers need to learn something from the “DARK SIDE” of dog training and that something is avoidance.

5 minute sit stays around food bowls (see Aarons earlier posts) while you dance a jig belongs on worlds dumbest dog training show or the worlds saddest videos.

Take some advice and stop posting to this web board. Use your time more effectively and read because what you write is a complete waist of everyone’s time.

You list your profession as an animal scientist. I very seriously doubt this is the turth.

I am sure that your dog looks at living with you as a BAD DREAM COME TRUE. Find the dog as home where people can love him and properly train him

Aaron, it sounds like you're completely frustrated and disgusted with this dog, it's a sad post. The crate is the most important tool available to you, and you seem not to want to take advantage of it, it's more than just a housebreaking tool. I wouldn't even start to check for household reliability till at least 2yrs.old, at the very least! If you can't even housebreak a dog, what makes you think you can train one in personal protection? Do you think he'll just attack someone that breaks in your house? I'm certain that there's forum members that would help you find the right home for this dog, all you have to do is ask, whatever you do, i wish your dog luck, AL

I am totally flabbergasted by this statement
>>And if this is how he is going to do, then so be it. He can go to the breeder and stay in the kenel until the breder has time for him. And with so many dogs there his time will be limited. Maybe that's what he wants.
<<
You have a dog, not a human at your home. Mal's are not easy dogs, I have owned only one in my life. I would not ever have traded him for another dog. However, he WAS a trial. I knew nothing about crating, Mal's, or dog training back then, but, to the good, I was a stay at home Mom, and he was smart as a whip. I worked with him, I learned, he learned and not too much furniture got destroyed. You ought to do this dog a favor and give it back to the breeder.

Aaron,
I just went and browsed through your posts to this forum. In all honesty, I was looking for your dog's breeder's name. Someone needs to alert him/her of this situation. Sadly, I struck out.

The common theme in your posts...problems problems problems. In your mind, it's a problem dog, but it's easy to see that the real problem is with the handling of the dog.

Please, if you have one remaining ounce of compassion for this dog, contact his breeder and give him back. I'd bet dollars to donuts that is the only answer you are going to receive in this forum. For pete's sake, do the right thing and let this dog have a future with someone else.

T

Hi Aaron,
Seems like you have just one small problem: you don't need nor want a working dog.
I would offer to take your dog off your hands, but judging from this post and others of yours, you might have made to many mistakes to repair. This dog might be a lost cause.
I would give him back to the breeder. They can probably give him what he needs.
You've been given some great free advice on this thread. Read it.