I finally have the little maligator! He is quite a live wire, he bounced off of me nearly the whole time I talked to his former owner ... bounced, mouthed, and nip licked, lol. He's beautiful. I will have to wait until tomorrow to post pics, but I will get some and get links posted.

I think I am in for an interesting few weeks though. Supposedly he knows sitz (which they pronounced seetz ... never heard it that way), platz, and a few others that I didn't recognize. She said he was trained in German, and I am familiar with German commands and use them myself, but didn't recognize anything but sitz and platz. At any rate, I'll probably retrain him in Dutch ... will probably be easier to just start from the beginning than to retrain what he already "knows," which apparently isn't much.

While I was there, he was all over the place. Counter surfing, jumping on me (which is fine), jumping on her, climbing up behind her on the chair she was sitting on (she let him ... she's scared to remove him from the furniture because he snaps at her), trying to hump me (which is NOT fine), and generally just making a pest of himself (being a malinois, lol). She was telling me about how he won't go in a crate ... wanna bet? He rode home in one. I just didn't give him the option. He was in the crate before he had time to resist. I just picked him up, said "box," and tossed him in. She couldn't believe that I got him in there.

Here is the kicker ... at least it was what got to me the most. This dog, at 5 months old, has NEVER BEEN ON A LEASH!! He has not been walked and was not on a leash to potty. They just let him out the door. They don't live on a particularly busy road, but it was busy enough that I about died when she let him out after I got there. That was when I decided to risk a new facial arrangement and grabbed his collar and scooped him up.

I am so glad I finally have him! Once he settles in, I am sure he'll be glad too. I can't wait to get started working with him and see what I have. We'll spend a few days bonding and loading the clicker and then get down to business

awesome. :-D sounds like it's win win.

 Quote: elisabeth barber

but they didn't do any sort of training with him and thus decided that since he was becoming a bossy, dominant (according to them), jerk and was not safe with their young child they needed to give him away or take him to a shelter if they don't find a home by the time they leave town next week. She also seems to believe that the dog is useless for sport or K-9 work because he didn't get the essential, early training that is "necessary for this breed." She also told me he was too "aggressive" for K-9 work. Unless the dog just totally has a screw loose, I find that hard to believe ... especially at 5 months.........Keep in mind this is a 5 month old puppy and, while I am sure dominant jerkiness is very possible in a dog this young, I'm kind of thinking that she is mistaking some of the dog's drive and natural malinois mouthiness for aggression. She also said they had done nothing with the dog, so I am assuming it had no structure what-so-ever in the current home, so pack rank confusion may have triggered any existing aggression.

 Quote: elisabeth barber

While I was there, he was all over the place. Counter surfing, jumping on me (which is fine), jumping on her, climbing up behind her on the chair she was sitting on (she let him ... she's scared to remove him from the furniture because he snaps at her), trying to hump me (which is NOT fine), and generally just making a pest of himself (being a malinois, lol). She was telling me about how he won't go in a crate ... wanna bet? He rode home in one. I just didn't give him the option. He was in the crate before he had time to resist. I just picked him up, said "box," and tossed him in. She couldn't believe that I got him in there.

Here is the kicker ... at least it was what got to me the most. This dog, at 5 months old, has NEVER BEEN ON A LEASH!! He has not been walked and was not on a leash to potty. They just let him out the door. They don't live on a particularly busy road, but it was busy enough that I about died when she let him out after I got there. That was when I decided to risk a new facial arrangement and grabbed his collar and scooped him up.

Makes you wonder why he wasn't making it in their home. I just can't put my finger on it.

Congrats on the pup. Your description of him makes me a little jealous.:smile:

Elisabeth...I am still sure you should call him Prozac if only from a humor standpoint....from your description I will never EVER buy anything other than a GSD!...Many well wishes for your night ahead...and when they call to take him back before the week is out...pretend you have NEVER heard of a Mal named Sarg...Lisha....In fact talk in correctly pronounced German which I speak ...I have never heard of Seetz eiter

Fantastic news!! Im so glad you got the little "monster"(only cause he has never been given any guidance on behaviour!), he will be the most rewarding puppy to work with, Im really quite jealous!(Knowing Im not young or energetic enough to take on Young MAL like him!)
Look forward to seeing pics of him!

Lots of luck, Riitta

Thats great news Elizabeth.
oh, and you could always call him Zack instead of Prozack.

PRO-ZACK.....translted "for-Zack" and you were always "for him" and thats why you got him!! Delighted for you both...Lisha

Glad he's arrived at his new home, but I'm with Lisha, I'll leave the Mals to the experts on this board. Love to watch them and love to hear about their antics...with someone else.

Good luck, I am sure you will both do gteat !!!

Elisabeth, you done a good thing! Post pix when you have time (and if he stays still long enough!)

I had a litter with a puppy like this! He is a mix breed, but I always thought that if I had to compare his personality to any purebred dog it would be a Malinois. He was a firecracker, always moving and doing, jumping and biting, chasing and digging. Even before he could walk he was trying to destroy items in the whelping room. In fact, he never did learn to walk. He went from crawling to running.

I am SO HAPPY for this dog. He is now in an appropriate home. I am anxiously awaiting pics and stories of his progress over time.

Oh.. did you get his papers btw? not that it matters, I was just curious. It would be cool if you could find out what kind of parents he had.

Wishing you the best with your new party animal.