What is your opinion on a Malinois cross GSD as a pet? Discussions

Hi

I was thinking of taking on a Malinois x GSD puppy 8 wks old from Woodgreen as a family dog. We are an all adult household with many years pet dog experience. But never GSD or Mali. We have no other family pets but two dogs that visit often. Plus two young grandchildren. Obviously we would never leave the children alone with the dog. We are happy to walk for hours and attend training classes as well as training at home. Plus would like to do agility although probably not to compete just for fun. The last puppy I trained was a collie. She is now three years old and is one of the dogs that visits as she now lives with my son.

I would love to hear your opinions as it seems that there is so much conflicting information on the web.

The shelter are homing them as pets though only after a discussion about the breed etc. But say they should be ok with a family. The parents are both I think used as guard dogs and I assume the litter an accident.

Look forward to your responses.

GSDs are brilliant dogs for the household. Mali's are very driven.

I now own a GSD and have owned Lab and Collie X's in the past. I would say, IMO, GSDs and Malis are more suited to experienced owners and I never fully understood that until I got my GSD. I often muse that if I made the mistakes I made with other dogs when I was less experienced, I would not have done well with a GSD.

Regardless of the breeds involved, I think I would want to know more about the "guard dogs" (parents, before I took on one of their pups.

I would want to know what type of guard dogs they are, have they been bred with sound temperament and used responsibly by experienced owners/handlers, OR are they dogs that have been given the label "guard dogs" that have been left in yards to guard property on their own .

The two are hugely different, and I would need to know, before I brought an offspring into my family.

Thank you for your replies so far..
The problem with rehoming any dog from a shelter is the limited history available. We were going to rehome an older dog initially but decided it was better to go with a pup so that it could be introduced to the grandchildren at a young age. When I fist saw them I was drawn to them as I have always liked GSD but didn't know much about malinois. I am home all day so will be able to offer continuos training. However not having been around a mali before it has lead me to asking for opinions. My dogs have always been well trained in my opinion.
Am I wrong in thinking that if properly socialised and trained they could make a good family dog.

I don't see why they wouldn't make a good family dog, however the right training and socialisation is needed, which is why I spoke of experience - the more experienced i become the more I see things coming / pick up the signs earlier

But, as has been said, temprament / genetics are very important

I have seen the pic and bio of the pups ..Seems Wood green are aware of what the pups need from an owner ,if you tick all their boxes and have the back up of the rescue if you ever needed help why not...

Thanks Murf
I just wanted to hear some opinions from real people and not sites training guard dogs. I was happy to go ahead until my daughter in law seemed reluctant when I spoke to her a couple of days ago. I think she is worried about it around my grand daughter. They have a very pushy 3 year old collie and she is not bothered about her. I think it is just because all the pictures you see on the web when you type in Malinois are of dogs bearing teeth and attached to someones arm or leg. We have been through the initial vetting process and I have spent the last 3 weeks reading up on the differences and training needs of the breed. I am due to go and meet them tomorrow and bring one home if all goes ok. Everything is ready for the arrival. I have the time and patience required for the training as I work from home so can train throughout the day and take time out for walks and just carry on working later. I know woodgreen will be there to offer advise and support when needed. I just wanted to guage opion on there suitablity in a family environment to put her mind at rest. I have looked at several other posts on here and it seems most owners describe then as hyperactive but highly trainable. That is fine by me I have never gone for the calmer breed of dog nearly all have been from the pastoral range and all hyperactive in their time. Although it does seem to common to here that malinois never calm down. And are probably the most hyper out of them all.

Their are a few folks involved in dog sports on here who will have come across this cross often i am sure ...They may have more ideas of what to expect....

The only ones of this cross I have seen have been purposely bred with a very high work drive

I am actually quite keen on the cross, but as many have mentioned it would depend on the parents.

Personally I would go and visit the pup - only then would I know if the pup is the one for me. The good thing about this pup is it hasn't really had time to pick up any bad habits - definitely a plus. I saw the photo too - she looks very cute

Hi Azz

Its not just one there are 9 to rehome. I think they have a few homes lines up not sure how many people there are before us so how many will be there to choose from.

looked at the website, and would agree with all the requirements - do you know how much time they have had with the Bitch? Have you been able to meet the Sire and Dam?

PS hope the huskies on the website get re-homed together

Not been able to meet the parents or the puppies yet as I think they have stayed with the owners until now. I have got a picture of the parents mum is a shepherd cross mal, Dad is a pure mal. In the picture of the puppies together the bitch was not in with them although that may have just been to make it easier for the person taking the pictures to get near them.

The huskies are even better in real life the are stunning. I don't think they will let them be seperated. I do hope that won't mean they are there to long though. Kennels are no place for dogs like that or any dog really.

If the Sire and Dam anre available I would ask to meet them - you will get a good feel for the temprament of the pups

Can you post the pics you have please? Just curious

Looked at the website and wish i lived closer cos i want one!

I have always had GSDs but the only Malinois I knew reasonably well was one bred for police work and was very high drive.

I currently own a working line GSD - who is higher energy and higher drive than my show bred dogs and he is a brilliant family dog.

Personally I agree with Murf - if you have passed their vetting process, have plenty of time for socialisation, training etc and are interested in doing one of the dog sports or are just very active, then I would say go for it

If you do decide to get one of the pups, please don't forget to come back and give us updates and photos

Hi Azz

I don't really know how, I am new to the forum today. Although I am sure I will be spending a lot of time here in the future now I have found it. The puppies are all so different the pictures I have they were aprox 4 weeks old. They are now over 7wks, so I am sure they have changed a lot. There are some that look a lot like the standard Malinois but most have a lot of dark to the colouring. One of them looks like it is almost all black except for its feet. There was at the time of the pictures a massive difference in size too with the two who look more malinois looking much bigger than most of the others. Also there is quite a wide variety in the coats some look like they will be fluffy. Mum and dad both look like full Malinois although mum a GSD cross her coat is slightly lighter.

Do you know why the litter have come into rescue? Has mum also come in to rescue?

What do Wood Green know about the temperaments of both parents?

No I think mum is staying with the owners not realy sure as I said I think the litter was probably an accident. I think they probably contacted the centre because of the size of the litter. I will ask what they know about the parents when we visit the centre.