Q&A for How to Train a Belgian Malinois

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  • Question
    What can I do about an 8 week old puppy that poops and pees everywhere?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    At 8 weeks old the pup is a true baby and only just old enough to learn about potty training. Previous accidents were inevitable due to the pup's young age. Start again now. Have a good clean round to remove the pee and poop marker smells. Consider crate training the pup for when you can't be in the room. Give the pup toilet breaks outside every 20 to 30 minutes and make a huge fuss with lots of praise when they do their business outdoors.
  • Question
    How can I train my dog to stop mouthing on people?
    Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
    Veterinarian
    Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and companion animal practice. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She has worked at the same animal clinic in her hometown for over 20 years.
    Veterinarian
    Expert Answer
    When the puppy mouths, have the person squeal and have their hand go limp. Then, ignore the puppy and refuse to play. If this doesn't work, then get up and leave the room. Some pups get so over-excited that even this doesn't work, in which case, play in 15 second bursts, stop, wait for puppy to calm down, then play for another 15 seconds.
  • Question
    Can I still train my dog if it's 7 months old?
    Community Answer
    Of course! If you need extra help, you can take him/her to training classes.
  • Question
    How do I stop my dog from pulling on the leash?
    Community Answer
    Make sure the leash is not too long or too short. Make sure there is plenty of slack, if the dog feels like the leash is pulling, it will start to pull in the other direction. When you walk and the dog begins to pull, stop and say "no." The moment you begin to walk and the dog follows you without pulling the leash, reward it with a treat and praise it by saying "good boy" or "very good." Keep this process up, rewarding for proper behavior and saying "no" for improper behavior, and your dog will get it.
  • Question
    My malinois is too friendly; I want her to be unfriendly and wild. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    If your dog unfriendly and wild, she could hurt someone. You may have to pay fines or even have to put down your dog. If you want your dog to do protection work, find a class with a professional.
  • Question
    Will he stop mouthing when he reaches three months old?
    Community Answer
    He will stop teething, but may still lightly bite people and their arms. Just have to pretend-yip and say no in a firm voice to teach him.
  • Question
    My dog is still teething even though he's 3 months old. What should I do to stop his teething?
    Community Answer
    You don't stop teething. In Malinois, teething will end around 8 months. You can give your dog toys and bones to chew on.
  • Question
    Why is my dog's poop not solid?
    CockerSpanielsAndKingCharlesSpaniels
    Community Answer
    Most likely diarrhea. Take him/her to the vet, so they could check him out.
  • Question
    My dog doesn't want to take a bath, it struggles when I pour water onto it's body! What should I do and how many times a week should I bathe my dog?
    Community Answer
    If your dog doesn't want to take a bath, then pour warm water slowly onto its back. Don't go onto the dog's neck at all, it will get into the ears and will hurt the dog's eardrums. After you pour water onto the back, repeat pouring warm water slowly. Bathing once a month is better for your dog, if you did it once a week it is more likely to catch a cold.
  • Question
    What happens if someone beats a dog?
    Community Answer
    The dog will become skittish and frightened of people. It will have poor social skills and it will be impossible to train properly because it will be terrified of being beaten again. Also, you can get in trouble with the law. It's illegal in most places to physically harm a dog.
  • Question
    I give my Belgian Malinois the best food in the market, but it still doesn't want to eat. What should I do?
    Elliott
    Community Answer
    Make sure that your Belgian Malinois is not eating treats all day long. Treats are missing the essential nutrients that dog food would give him. Only put down food twice a day, during breakfast and dinner, and monitor just how much he is actually eating. If you are worried about it being a health-related issue, contact your vet.
  • Question
    How do I brush its teeth?
    Community Answer
    Either have someone hold the dog or attach his leash to the door. Press him gently against the door frame and lift his lips to scrub his teeth.
  • Question
    How do I train my puppy to stop mouthing on people?
    Community Answer
    You may want to redirect him/her with a high value toy or treat. That typically works very well for my guys.
  • Question
    How difficult is it to train a Belgian Malinois?
    Linnie
    Top Answerer
    The Belgian Malinois is an intelligent, obedient breed. If you start training one from an early age, it should be able to learn quickly.
  • Question
    My dog is one and a half years old. Is it too late to start with the basics?
    Linnie
    Top Answerer
    It's never too late to start training a dog! The Belgian Malinois is an intelligent breed, so with the right amount of dedication and time, you can surely train them.
  • Question
    Is it good to have more than one name for the puppy so that it can connect the names to when it is a good dog, its normal name, and when it's in trouble?
    Linnie
    Top Answerer
    It is best to stick to one name for a dog. Though Belgian malinois are intelligent, using multiple names could become confusing. You may give your dog a nickname or two, but use its normal name whether it behaves well or does something wrong and instead change your tone of voice so they can tell whether what they did was good or bad.
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