I have a 4 years old female japanese spitz, 2 years old male japanese spitz, and a 2.5 months shih-tzu. Is it ok if i buy a Belgian Malinois? Of course a young 2 months old Belgian Malinois.
2007-11-27 20:06:20 · 5 answers · asked by manuel 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Forest Basenji gave you a good, thorough answer on the breed. It is not a breed for everyone. Their drive and intensity can be overwhelming for most people and malinois need a job, they must have one or they will create one and it may not be to your liking.
For now I would stay with what you have and when you have less dogs and more experience, you can consider getting a malinois puppy.
2007-11-27 22:34:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Don't do it.
The J.Spitz are noted for their dominant natures. At present you are okay because yours are of opposite sexes (and so status within the pack is not a concern). At present the Shih Tzu is okay because it is a puppy but, unless it is a real gamma, once it stops smelling & behaving like a puppy there will be trouble from whichever Spitz is of the same sex.
Adding a fast-moving Malinois to the mix is just asking for disaster when it too stops smelling & acting like a puppy. Although the typical GSD and the typical Malinois are very owner-centred, both were developed to have LOTS of initiative, and they do not tend to quietly submit when some other dog starts trying to be dominant. And the average Malinois has a reputation for being more agile and feistier than the average GSD.
See how things are in 2½-3 years time when the Shih Tzu is adult before adding petrol to the bonfire!
Les P, owner of GSD_Friendly: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/GSD_Friendly
2007-11-27 21:35:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'll preface this by saying to look for an answer from a user named Greekman. He really knows his stuff about Malinois.
From what I know about the breed, they are not typically a good choice for the average pet owner. They are a working breed that needs a JOB. You usually don't see them as pets, because they are so ideally suited to the rigors of police work and similar duties. They are energetic, highly driven, and very intelligent. A common nickname for the breed among fanciers is the "Malligator"....due to the intensity with which they approach life. Without a job to do EVERY DAY, they can be neurotic, destructive, anxious, problem dogs.
Unless you are, or plan to become, SERIOUSLY involved in some form of activity such as Schutzhund, Ring Sport, Flyball, Agility....and by serious, I mean, a daily commitment to working with your dog for an extended period of time.....a Malinois may not be the best choice.
From the other dogs in your household, it appears as though you may not have extensive experience with a large working breed. If this is indeed the case, there are a number of other breeds that would be more suited to your lifestyle than the Malinois.
2007-11-27 20:35:12 · answer #3 · answered by YODEL 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Forest Basenji pretty much hit the nail on the head. I will however add another point. My whippets HATE my sisters Mals because they want to play constently even when the whippets have tuckered out. When we dogsit for them there has to be declaired "mal free zones" to give the whippets a chance to rest. Unless your current dogs are VERY high energy you too may have that problem.
2007-11-28 01:32:19 · answer #4 · answered by ragapple 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is usually a VERY high energy dog that requires tons of training and is not for the average pet owner.
2007-11-28 07:00:39 · answer #5 · answered by Freckles... 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋