The bottom line for me when advising people about choosing a dog is at the MINIMUM what is the amount of time you honestly have to devote the your dog for exercise and training on a long term basis, 365 days a year.

I have found that there are a number of people aren't really honest with themselves or with the breeder about their level of commitment and I feel that THESE are the Malinois we hear people labeling as "crazy" and "can't be house dogs" , etc....

Once the novelty wears off, I think many new Malinois owners realize they have bitten off more than they can chew. Actually, judging by the numerous emails Ed and I get daily many new DOG owners have this same realization.

I can honestly say my dogs are great in the house, but maybe it also has something to do with the expectations I have of them. I expect them to be good house dogs and set it up so they are successful starting as puppies. We have a Corgi, GSD and multiple Malinois in the house. All of them behave politely and all of them have lots of drive and energy. It's all about setting a foundation and management.

 Quote: cindy easton rhodes

The bottom line for me when advising people about choosing a dog is at the MINIMUM what is the amount of time you honestly have to devote the your dog for exercise and training on a long term basis, 365 days a year. ... I have found that there are a number of people aren't really honest with themselves or with the breeder about their level of commitment and I feel that THESE are the Malinois we hear people labeling as "crazy" and "can't be house dogs" , etc....

Yup, and this also goes along with Cesar Millan's first rule of matching a dog to a would-be owner: Never get a dog whose energy level is higher than your own.

I don't have particularly high-energy dogs, but I know full well that if I did, I could not have three of them. I no longer have the energy or the stamina, despite my high level of commitment and the amount of time I spend with my own and other people's.

After years living with terriers I don't have a problem with crazy. I LOVE crazy in a dog. The little bassids hit the ground with "No fear" tattooed on their heads.
I've heard a lot of people refer to JRTs as Mini-Mals. In the crazy dept, absolutely. How they handle everyday stress is different.
The experience with the one Mal I had was environmental. In drive, the dog could overlook anything. When not in drive she was overly "cautious" about life in general.
I realize she was an extreme example and this could be any dog/breed but I've seen to much of that same characteristics in to many other Mals.

 Quote: bob scott

After years living with terriers I don't have a problem with crazy. I LOVE crazy in a dog. The little bassids hit the ground with "No fear" tattooed on their heads.
I've heard a lot of people refer to JRTs as Mini-Mals. In the crazy dept, absolutely. ....

My daughter's Border Terriers alerted me to the fact that I no longer have the stamina for crazy-bassid dogs on a full-time basis.

 Quote: connie sutherland

 Quote: bob scott

After years living with terriers I don't have a problem with crazy. I LOVE crazy in a dog. The little bassids hit the ground with "No fear" tattooed on their heads.
I've heard a lot of people refer to JRTs as Mini-Mals. In the crazy dept, absolutely. ....

My daughter's Border Terriers alerted me to the fact that I no longer have the stamina for crazy-bassid dogs on a full-time basis.

I hope to always have a terrier. ............That is unless my wife has anything to say about it.
I think she's reached that "no longer have the stamina" with the little bassids.

As I try and decide what direction to go with my next dog the one thing that makes me hesitant about a Mal and lean towards a GSD is the part about sensitive. I'm not sure I'm right for a dog that is a very fast learner and not forgiving of mistakes.

Steve, knowing your own limitations is the key here. Sounds like you do.
As I commented, I love the crazy, over the top dogs. I also realize that, even though I train totally motivational now, I can't/don't want to handle sensitive dogs. They don't bring out the best in me. LOL

After a quick love affair with the pics of Dante, I simply inquired about him. Cindy here at Leerberg set me straight, and although I respect Ed and Cindy, I really didn't get the suggestion that I was simply too booked with other dogs and also "not ready". Well lucky me, this March a customer sent me his working Mel to be kenneled here for 12 days. I rotate which dogs get to be the home at night here and other dogs remain created elsewhere our of the house. Well I'm here to tell Cindy thanks and that I will never doubt her again. With many Rotties, Pits, Mastiffs, Canes and Presas in my experience box now, I think my pace is set and its a heavy muscular dogs pace. Not one of this wiry highly driven breed. This Boy wore me out! He won. Ben gay was needed for everyplace I could reach when his day was over.
First thing in the morning, the dogs here usually go on a 2 mi pack run through the local deer park. They come home and eat some and then take a morning rest before being individually worked. Mel wanted to part of nap time. Snacks and more running please... He bothered every dog in here to play and engage in banter to the point of making some tense through their exhaustion. I had to constantly call him back so the others could catch a moment of rest and maybe some water. He would Initiate high level Play,drive exercises, swimming, run right through obedience which he was excellent at, but as soon as you stopped and let him go at ease, there was literally no down time or rest from my view. This went on ALL DAY. By day two he pissed off all the dogs enough that I fig I would bring him in with me to be the house dog of the night since he had lost most of his friends to sleep. In the house he turned into a constant pace machine. I actually felt like he was happier in the back yard then he was in the living room being petted. Finally sleep time for grownups came and I crated him. As with most dogs, they usually settle in and crash for a while once they realize there is no stimulation in the room and that mat in the crate seems mighty comfy in all that quiet. Not Zeus the Mel. I woke to find him in the very same sit position fixated on the door and my movements. My water bucket was chewed and used as a toy and Zeus looking fresh as a daisy. I figured with such little rest he would gas our much easier on day two. I was wrong. I gassed out on day two!
I think I like the IDEA of owning a Mel, a breed I feel is the ultimate working dog, but Cindy was correct, I was not prepared for the task, and I would have done the dog an injustice making him live my pace. Add being in a suburban area where the dog's primary exercise is all on leash walks around the neighborhood and you have yourself one pent up pooch IMO. At least the one in my possession for the longest 12 days of my life.

Georgeio Great post. Very eye openning.

That was a good chance for Georgio to spend a little time with a mal but being boarded takes him away from his routine, the whole structure of his life and training and all the things his owner would be doing to live with him. I'm not meaning this to contradict anyone at all but I would bet you wouldnt see the best qualities of my Rott either if he was boarded any place.