Are Belgian Malinois Good Family Dogs? (2024)

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Today we are going to talk about are Belgian Malinois good family dogs? Belgian Malinois are working dogs by nature, and they are dedicated to being helpful to their owners.

You and your family will be protected by them at all costs because they regard themselves as part of your “pack”. Exercise is a favorite activity for these energetic dogs. Family pets can be made from them with proper training.

Having a protection dog as a companion will make your family enjoy walks, hikes, bike rides, and trips outdoors. Despite their child-friendly nature and ability to protect the whole family, Belgian Malinois are great for family adventures.

The Belgian Malinois breed has a tendency to nip, so it is important to keep that in mind if you intend to get a puppy for your protection dog. Fortunately, this is just a temporary stage and can be easily corrected.

As a result of their intelligence and training skills, these dogs would make an excellent family pet. A Belgian Malinois protection dog is a living, breathing alarm system that goes beyond simply alerting you to intruders.

You can depend on these dogs to protect your family at all times because they are family-friendly dogs. It doesn’t matter what the cost is to them, as long as you, your spouse, and your children are safe.

You are always vigilant against threats when you are with your family. Belgian Malinois guard dogs alert you and intruders if someone appears suspicious or threatening.

Their initial response will be to appear threatening and demand they back off. It is important to ask what type of family Malinois can thrive in, rather than just if they are good family dogs. Protection dogs serve a variety of purposes, depending on the family’s lifestyle.

While it might be difficult, it’s essential to be truthful about how much time you will be spending with your dog, how much room you will be able to provide, and how easy it will be to keep the dog safe and well-trained.

Dogs that guard or provide protection love their owners, but they will not behave like typical “lap dogs.”

They do not thrive on boredom, and they overachieve in their jobs and play. Runners, players, trainers, and owners who have a lot of energy will be able to devote a lot of time to them and make sure they stay active.

Other articles you would like: Are Labradoodles Good Family Dogs? and Are Lhasa Apsos Good Family Dogs?

How Is A Belgian Malinois Temperament?

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A Belgian Malinois is described by the American Kennel Club as being energetic, athletic, and intelligent, as well as loyal to their family.

Belgian Malinois dogs are incredibly eager to please, so long as they are trained correctly, they are wonderful to work with. They learn best from the person they have bonded with the most and require lots of one-on-one time with their owners.

It goes without saying that they are affectionate dogs who require exercise and training, just like their owners do.

It will be detrimental to their health if they are left home alone for prolonged periods of time, and if they are left to their own devices in a backyard or inside a home that isn’t properly dog-proofed, they will become depressed and destructive.

It is essential that Belgian Malinois dogs are allowed plenty of time to play, learn, exercise, and snuggle as they strive to be active members of their family.

It’s known that Mal has a high prey drive due to his herding background, so it’s important to train him to harness this instinct into something positive at an early age. It is also important to give them a solid recall.

Other household pets and family members may also be herded by the Mal. The herding instincts of this dog are most frequently directed toward children and smaller dogs and cats.

Many families may have difficulties getting their children to eat at meal time or take baths when they are nudged or nipped at the heels.

Belgian Malinois have, however, a reputation for being problematic because of untrained and unsocialized owners. When selecting a Belgian Malinois to own, potential owners should be aware of the commitment they will be making.

How Are Belgian Malinois With Children?

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The Belgian Malinois gets along with everyone when trained and socialized properly. Training and socialization are essential to the Belgian Malinois, as they are a large, work-oriented breed.

In some cases, it is better to get a Belgian Malinois puppy while it is still a puppy if you intend to place it in a home with children and other animals.

As long as he has been raised around children and other pets, a Belgian Malinois will do well with them.

You should also make sure your children are old enough to understand how to interact with a dog properly and respectfully if you opt to get an older Belgian Malinois.

Although the Belgian Malinois is not generally aggressive when properly trained and socialized, the breed can be territorial, aggressive towards resources, and jealous if they are not properly trained around animals and kids.

If you have any small children and pets, it is always wise to supervise them both, especially if the animal is larger, such as a Belgian Malinois, which has a higher prey drive or guarding instinct.

Educating children about how to handle Belgian Malinois dogs is also recommended by experts.

It’s important to emphasize that the Belgian Malinois is a wonderful dog, but he is not recommended for average families looking for a good, laid-back family pet.

In order for this dog to be a happy and active member of the family, he requires lots of training and socialization.

Are Belgian Malinois Easy To Train?

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Let’s take a step back for a moment and focus on an incredibly important point that should answer your question faster than your dog can figure out which pocket he’s kept his treats in.

Navy SEALS captured and killed the world’s most wanted terrorist with the assistance of a Belgian Malinois on a covert, incredibly secret mission.

Having learned how easily gunfire, explosions, and other unexpected and violent surprises could startle a dog and cause it to react in an unexpected manner.

Revealing its location and ruining the mission, a team of highly trained special forces soldiers carried a dog into openly hostile territory with them.

Due to his high level of training and his Malinois heritage, they took Cairo with them. The Malinois was straightforward to train, as are all Malinois.

As Belgian Malinois shares many of the same characteristics as German Shepherds, anyone with experience training working dogs will find it easy to train one also.

A dog’s intrinsic motivation for learning and constant desire to please their owner or handler make them highly intelligent and highly motivated animals.

It is also one of the most intelligent breeds and is rated as the twenty-eighth most intelligent dog in the world, which means that it is relatively easy for them to learn anything.

Besides agility training and physical exercise, they also benefit from obedience training, which they excel at almost every time because they are smart, energetic dogs.

Are Belgian Malinois Healthy?

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Its average lifespan of twelve to fourteen years reflects the fact that the American Kennel Club considers the Malinois a robust, healthy dog.

Hip dysplasia, skin conditions, and eye problems are some of the inherent health problems that malinois are prone to. The likelihood of them developing epilepsy is higher than that of other breeds of dogs, such as German Shepherds.

You will be prepared to deal with any potential ailments that your dog may encounter as long as you’re aware of them and make sure your dog is insured.

Are Belgian Malinois Good With Other Dogs?

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There is no limit to what Belgian Malinois can do. They are extremely intelligent and capable of learning nearly anything.

Playing and socializing with other well-trained dogs is natural for protection dogs like the Belgian Malinois, as long as they have been socialized and trained from an early age.

If you have more than one dog or already own one, they’re likely to become best friends if they work with or live with them.

As one of the most talented dogs in the world, your Belgian Malinois protection dog has been specially trained to protect you. Knowing who they socialize with is important. Playmates should be calm, nonaggressive, and smart dogs for your Belgian Malinois.

The Belgian Malinois can exhibit dominant behavior in a pack context due to their high intelligence. Behavior that is not acceptable to them is not tolerated by them, and they will not hesitate to punish unruly dogs.

The dogs are not aggressive, but if necessary, they will make themselves known as the top dog. It is essential that socialization between Belgian Malinois and other animals should be done with this in mind.

Family dogs should be trained Belgian Malinois. Law enforcement and family guarding are two of the best uses for this breed.

Many people misinterpret protection dogs, including this breed, as being overly rough or even mean, making them not suitable for families at all.

The opposite is true, however. The loyalty and love you receive from a skilled and trained dog will leave a lasting impression, as they are willing to put their lives on the line for you.

Before you choose the right dog for your family, make sure you do your research about the breed and how well it does with children and other pets. It will be best for everyone if you choose a dog that is calm and easy to train.

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For more information about the Belgian Malinois Breed, check out the video below: