New Mal, some questions Questions

Hello, new to this forum, and the breed, but not new to working dogs. I’ve spent the last 25 years working with all large breeds, and have been in rescue/rehab for 20 years. By rescue, I don’t mean adopting from a shelter. I get recommendations from my vet, shelters, breed rescues, AC, and general word of mouth. If they get an aggressive dog surrender that is not adoptable, I get the call and generally end up working with the dog to rehabilitate it and get it into a foster home for potential adoption, or rehome myself based on how I acquired the dog. If a drug bust happens, and dogs are on property, I get the call for these as well. Same with gang busts, dog rings, etc. So there is a brief summary of me.

I currently own 2 GSD’s, one a senior I got from a crap BYB at the estimated age of 2-4. She was a hot mess, but she stole my heart and I couldn’t bear to rehome her. I have a 5 month old black GSD that has been my only breeder purchase, and the only puppy I’ve had since I was 19. 39 now, so it’s been a long while (generally work with older dogs).

I have a 2yr old GSD/Husky mix, turner over to me at 9 months for excessive mouthing, and incredibly high drive. His mother was a papered GSD, father was her son from previous litter. The father was half husky, half GSD. So more GSD dna, but ALL husky personality and looks.

I recently got a call from my shelter about a fighting ring shut down in Mexico, with 82 dogs seized. The majority were PTS because they were deemed too dangerous for public. Among the various breeds, they were able to keep 3 pups from being PTS. These were Belgian Malinois. I was asked to be an emergency temp foster because they were obviously way over capacity. I picked Floki up and brought him home.

He’s been a real gem, and blended in well with the family. I did have him tested for distemper, as it’s prevalent in my area, and he was displaying some symptoms. Got negative results back yesterday, it’s just a viral infection that will pass on it’s own. Clean bill of health otherwise. His temperament is well balanced, doesn’t startle easily, isn’t phased by loud noises, other strange dogs, very biddable and quick to take to training (no commands trained prior to me training him), really he is just a great stable guy. Medium drive at this point, fully expect that to increase exponentially when his health is 100%. Prey drive seems low, which is new for me!

The two questions I have relating to him are:

1) He seems rather small. My 5 month old GSD is both longer and taller than him, and outweighs him by almost 15lbs. Are Mal’s slower to mature physically? He’s at a great weight for his size, it’s just odd having him the smallest of my brood when I have a similar breed half his age tower over him. Also, my 5 months old is on the smaller side of the GSD spectrum.

2) He is constantly licking my older dogs teeth. Common enough for a young pup being weaned, but he’s 10 months. My senior puts up with it well, lays down to let him get closer, and opens her mouth for him, and returns the favor by licking his teeth too. My Husky however, does not tolerate the teeth licking well, so I do verbal corrections with Floki when he’s around the husky. I crate and rotate, so not all 4 dogs are out together. Floki is altered, my Husky is not. He will be altered at 3 when he’s physically mature.

Anyway, I’ve rambled enough. Anyone have any thoughts on the size, and the weird teeth licking?

Licking teeth, I’ve had dogs do that, and with ears for some reason, usually the other dog would move away or give a telling off, but if I thought it was getting to much I would step in.

Are you sure the Mal is not a cross?

Nope, not sure at all. There were Pits, Rottweilers, mastiffs, and what they call Mexican street dogs all seized from the same property. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if they mixed some Pit into the litter for added muscle, grip, and aggression.

He did get altered before the shelter released him to me, they did the same with all they were able to foster out (many were PTS due to excessive aggression, many that attached staff members). He is also recovering from a viral infection, suspected distemper, but tests all came back negative for the distemper footprint.