Some of the most stable dogs I've ever met we're Malinois. In the dogs I've met I'd say you'll find an equal number of stable Malinois vs. GSDs.

It depends on the individual dog. We wouldn't have so many Malinois being top Flyball, Dock Diving, IPO, ringsport, agility, military, police AND SAR dogs that were Malinois if they were these insane, unstable nerve bags that people hide from because they think if you look at them wrong they will eat you alive.

 Quote: Will Rambeau

There are two quotes by famous trainers that I always think tell the best story of a Mal:

Bernhard Flinks:
"A GSD is a rock;
A Mal is a sponge."

Michael Ellis:
"HOLY SH*T!! A BUSH!!" ( how a Mal reacts to new things in their envirorment )

I have found these comments to be oh so true!

 Quote:

Think a large Jack Russell Terrier with environmental issues.

Environmental issues is the reason why Malinois is a breed of choice for Belgian and Mondio Ring A lot of good dogs get returned to the breeder before age of 6 months because people cannot handle them and treat them as GSDs with high drive.

Ditto to everything that Katie described about having a Mal. Very well stated. Also, I love the quote from Michael Ellis, "Holy #@$%. A bush!". That pretty well says it all.

I can only offer a layman's perspective since I'm not a professional trainer or dog handler and we don't compete, yet. At this point, our Mal, Bailey, is a familty dog and she is perhaps the best and most impressive dog we've ever owned. That's not to say we didn't have our challenges with her, especially as a puppy. I definitely wouldn't recommend a Mal to anyone unless you're willing to put in loads of hours with training and time dedicated to keeping them busy or getting them tired. If you're willing to do that, you would have a great dog. Ours was never destructive to anything in the house or on our property unless you consider all the clothing we've had torn up while working her or training. Mals have a curious way to celebrate with you or to make you move faster. We just made sure she had lots of exercise and training. Still do.

As for being affectionate, she is just like any dog. She has an off switch and loves to snuggle or lay at your feet. They love their family members and love to show it. She's also been great around children, our cat and other dog.

That said, one thing we noticed about our Mal that differed from any other dog we've had is the need to be alert and to manage her behavior. It's not easy to relax and just let anyone come on to our property without making sure our dog has a command to react to. Otherwise, she will challenge and stop anyone entering our property and that can be extremely frightening. We have to make sure we command her to down or leave it or she will make her own decision. Also, we have to manage her proximity to other dogs. She's not crazy about being approached by other dogs so we have to be careful about clueless idiots with extended leashes and making sure she knows to focus on us or the walk when around other dogs.

In all though, they are great dogs. They just need more involvement from their owners than most other breeds but that's probably something you could say about most serious breeds.

 Quote: Greg Meyer

That said, one thing we noticed about our Mal that differed from any other dog we've had is the need to be alert and to manage her behavior. It's not easy to relax and just let anyone come on to our property without making sure our dog has a command to react to. Otherwise, she will challenge and stop anyone entering our property and that can be extremely frightening. We have to make sure we command her to down or leave it or she will make her own decision. Also, we have to manage her proximity to other dogs. She's not crazy about being approached by other dogs so we have to be careful about clueless idiots with extended leashes and making sure she knows to focus on us or the walk when around other dogs.

I think this is well said and very true of Mals, but also other dogs as well. My poorly bred GSD fits this to a tee, and I've had Labs and a Chow that were the same way.

I think that many dog owners could stand to be more alert in the management of their dogs, not just those who own working breeds.

although the RCMP handlers i knew loved their mals as PD's , they were dropped from the program completely for a variety of reasons : difficulty and expense of getting the ones they wanted , dietary issues , skin / coat problems , mechanical problems and were proving to be more prone to injury than the GSD .

my working colleague worked two in her career as a SAR handler , and while they were great dogs in their work and at home , she ALWAYS had to keep tight control over them , and had to be wary of pretty much any situation they entered .

Ian, where was the RCMP getting their Malinois? I've never seen one with health issues in my life, and they are certainly far cheaper than GSDs. Maybe the price went up for trained dogs because of the demand?

I just got offered a Malinois puppy for free. A GSD puppy from a "known" kennel is likely to be $2500-3500, working OR show. Luckily not all breeders charge that, but I know of many who do!

"A lot of good dogs get returned to the breeder before age of 6 months because people cannot handle them and treat them as GSDs with high drive."


Well said, Ana, IMHO (which I admit up front is based on only fostering one and knowing the ones at our club).

Ah, I was hoping I could find this:

Cindy Rhodes answers a person who says "I like the way your dog works and I think I would like a Malinois for my next dog. What do you think?"

QUOTE:
.... I would say that I talk most people out of getting a Malinois. They see my dogs work and think they want one, but they don’t see the road it takes to get there! It can be challenging, to say the least. .... Malinois are more reactive and energetic than most German Shepherds. They have a higher exercise requirement (as a general rule) my dogs are wonderful in the house but they are a full time job… I typically don’t recommend them to people who want a dog that works around their schedule. They can be a dream but if not handled correctly they can be your worst nightmare. ...



For the full answer (and the full question), click on question # 38 where the questions are listed at the top of the page here:

http://leerburg.com/qaworkingpup.htm

My favorite synopsis is this one:
http://bayareadogtrainer.wordpress.com/2011/05/16/note-to-the-american-public-belgian-malinois-look-dont-touch/

"Who should get a Malinois?:

1.Do you dream day and night of improving your performance as a dog trainer?
2.Do you have reflexes like a Chimpanzee? Can you take a punch without feeling the need to retaliate?
3.Are you calm in the face of embarrassment, danger,and even chaos? Can you remain calm around a very hyper dog?
4.Do you want a dog that can’t and won’t be a couch potato? A DOG JUST FOR TRAINING?
5.Do you have at least 2-hours per day to devote to training and exercise?
6.Do you have access to a Ringsport or Schutzhund club where you can find a mentor?
7.Are you versed in positive and negative training modalities?
8.Are you willing to put canine performance before your own physical and psychological comfort?
If you answer these questions with a round clear YES, you have what it takes to become a Malinois Handler." - Francis Metcalf