Belgian Malinois??? - Page 1

My daughter rescued this puppy when she got off work one night.  She's about 3 months old and had been abused but after being with us for the past 2 weeks she is warming up to us nicely. I thought she was a German Shepard but a friend said she looked like a Belgian Malinois. What do y'all think?

 

 

 

 

I'm not seeing a picture.

Sorry I am still learning - not sure how to post a picture of her. But that is her on my profile pic.

Hey, where you post messages on this thread...... Look  at that picture......right to the left of that red circle with the white f in it. Click the picture, a small thing pops up with options on it. Click upload.....Then click choose file, that will let you choose the picture from your computer. then click send it to server.... After that click ok  ........ Then it should post it in your comment.

Belgian Malinois???

Her name is Sophie and she's about 3 months old. My daughter rescued her and she's been abused. She is afraid of your hands but after 2 weeks with us that is changing. I thought she was a German Shepard but a friend said she looks like a Belgian Malinois. Please tell me what you think.

Here is another picture of Sophie.

Looks like a mal to me. She has what we call an open mask. She is very pretty and will be a good looking adult. She will be a sable - either fawn or red.

If she is 3 months and has not been socialized, then she could act like she has been abused.  You need to get her out and about asap or you are going to have a nervy adult dog that is going to be difficult to live with.

Take her everywhere you can think of because malinois are more sensitive and reactive than other breeds. Expose her to different people (especially men), places, noises, floors, weather, objects, appliances, equipment, etc. She will act like she is afraid of everything, but don't try to comfort her. You will need to act confident and happy for her. This breed is very sensitive to its handler and reacts accordingly. So feeling sorry for her would be the worst thing you could do.

Take her places on a leash. Get a wire crate so she can see and move it around the house and outside while you do things. Take the crate with you to the park or soccer field, etc. The crate will give her a safe place and she can watch and get comfortable. After a while you can take her out for a walk around that environment.

If you can get her to play and chase a ball or play tug that would help her confidence. If you could find a place to let her run off the leash outside, say a walk in the country thru a horse pasture would be great. Allowing her to explore onher own but still have her owner to go back to will also build her confidence. Play with her outside the fence of a dog park to get her use to dogs.

Use food to lure her - in her crate, in the car, to go outside, etc. Food is very comforting for dogs too. If she is afraid of people, you can have them give her treats. Treats can be hotdogs, boiled or roasted chicken, ham, bacon, cheese, apples, carrots, etc. Most of the commerical pet stuff is made with non human food grade ingredients. 

You will need to continue this socialization for a good year, and then periodically keep it up. After a year, don't think that you're finished and keep her in the house or backyard. Expect her to get more sensitive when she is in heat.

Start looking for an obedience or agility class or trainer. Check with dog sport folks in your area and who they recommend. Veterinarians and shelters are not always the best for recommendations. (one of the worst clicker classes I went to was at the Houston SPCA) If you could find a trainer familiar with malinois would be even better. Trainers methods and quality at Petsmart and Petco vary from store to store. But the most important thing right now is getting your pup socialized and desensitized to where she is not afraid of everything.

I assume you will be taking her to the vet. Check for intestinal worms. Keep her on heartworm preventative since you're in LA. Feed her a good diet, like a 4 or 5 star food on www.dogfoodadvisor.com. Her ears will come up if she has a good diet in the next 3 to 4 months. She is teething right now, so have things for her to chew on - empty water bottles are cheap, bully sticks for the back molars.

Don't spay her too young. She will come into heat anywhere from 6 to 9 months, and then around 7 months after that. If you could wait until she has finished growing to spay her, that would be the best. Research shows that the hormones make the bones stop growing. If you spay or neuter too young, then the dog gets abnormally long legs. But then again, the research shows that spaying before the first heat reduces the chances of breast cancer. But I have not heard of breast cancer in this breed. It is a very healthy breed.

Good luck.

I would like to strongly second asomich's advice. I rescued an 8mo puppy last May- the, very are very sensitive, and being possitive and building confidence is key. Start near home, give her lots of good experiences with people and other dogs, and then expand from there to less familiar territory.