How to get 6mo old mal to stop "attacking" us? - Page 1

Hello All,

We have a 6 month old male Malinois whos training is going wonderfully except for one nagging obedience issue. We can't get him to stop charging us at full speed and play fighting, pouncing, scratching, biting, etc. We have tried redirection onto other toys/food, distraction, time-outs, muzzling, bite sprays, etc. Anytime we sit down on a couch, floor, or bed it seems to trigger this annoying behavior and nothing seems to curb it. Occaisonally, standing up and over him while firmly telling him "NO" will temporarily stop him but the moment you turn your back he jumps at you and continues or he'll wait for you to sit again.

Does anyone have any suggestions/techniques that may help some?

sounds like the perfect pup, either step up and provide the dog the physical and mental stimulation you must have knew it would require when you bought a mal eg scent work, agility (low jumps), motivational retrieves, swimming, any akc performance sport, bite sports, hiking, herding.......

or find a good working home that will appreciate the pup for what it is.

VK4GSD,

Thanks for taking the time to write. We already have him involved in wonderfully stimulating physical and mental activities. As I said above, other than this one issue, everything else is going good. I'm looking for suggestions, techniques, or tips to help curb this ONE issue. If you have something of value to add, please do.

Are you doing ANY bitework with him at all, be it on a tug, rag, bite pillow, flirt pole, etc? 

You've got a Malinois, and they're hard-wired for bitework [especially if he's of Euro lineage] so it's up to you guys to channel that instinct in the appropriate direction, to teach him under what conditions biting is not just permissible, but required of him...and it sounds as if he may not be getting enough work in that venue. This is not really an obedience issue, it's a combination of him still being immature and not yet skilled in self-control in the face of stimuli. Consider adding this exercise to your training repertoire, as it's easier to teach a dog self-control when there's a structure to the process for him to work within.

An off-switch is usually an after-market modification in the Malinois model, especially in the import lines which are bred specifically for working in law enforcement, personal protection and sport venues such as IPO, Ringsport, KNPV and similar activities.

Assuming that you got him as a puppy, then it is obvious that something went wrong with his early basic training. You failed to teach him to respect your space and impuls controle. Very important when raising a high energy breed.

You will have to go back to basics. Without actually seeing the dog i wood suggest you train these basics intensively like in a bootcamp. Imo the dog filled the gap you left in his early training.

Try a Micheal Ellis vid on raising pups you might find exercises that will help you solve the problem.

We posted at the same time, good post Hexe.

I've got the popcorn in.

FWIW, OP, the thing about standing up from the couch CAN help - notwithstanding everything

excellent that the other 3 have said about engaging this pup in the type of work he was bred for - 

doing it properly,  i.e. it has to be that you have to be patient, repetative, and consistent.  No good

just standing sometimes when he starts mouthing, then quickly sitting back down.  You have to stand

up immediately,  every time he starts treating you or your family as a chew toy (they all have to do this

too), say No or Stop or Out, whatever word you want to use to mark an end to the behaviour  LIKE YOU

REALLY MEAN IT;  every time.   Give it long enough before you sit down again to ensure he really has

switched his attention to his real chew toy(s); and long enough to use your Praise marker to indicate he

is now doing what you want.   Do not reward if he still carries on after you stood up;  leave the room. 

Return and sit when he has settled.  Always reward a positive result.

1  How much  xperience do you have with malinois or other working dogs ?

2  Better  you take some profesional and  personal help from people who have more  experience with this  kind  of dogs

because for a good honest view better  gonna see the dog and handler in real life 

Important is  making  clear  the behavior  correction, rewarding  and timing  ,you don,t find this on a forum. because nobody have seen  the situation, handler and dog in real life.

( Some dogs need harder    corrections than other to make it clear its not always only cookies)

Hexe and Allan have  some good points

"We already have him involved in wonderfully stimulating physical and mental activities."

Like what? Obviously not enough. Some dogs are good with an hour of out time and a few reps of fetch, a Malinois, not so much.

All of my young dogs are kept on a leash in the house. They are rewarded for quiet behavior. Not saying you are doing this, but I don't rough house with them while they are inside. House time is quiet time.

From your description, you have inadvertently reinforced this behavior by your reaction to it, and he has made quite a "game" out of it.

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