Normal people + Malinois =

[Fran101]

Here Mals are becoming popular because they are popular enough that people know they are good guard dogs but are one of the few protective breeds that aren't popular enough for apartment building to list them as breeds you can't own

Which really sucks for the dogs.. because in many of these situations. The people would've been much happier with another protective but lower energy breed.. but chose the mal simply because they could and ended up with a dog that is too much for them.

[stafinois]

Originally Posted by Fran101

Here Mals are becoming popular because they are popular enough that people know they are good guard dogs but are one of the few protective breeds that aren't popular enough for apartment building to list them as breeds you can't own

...yet

[Fran101]

Originally Posted by stafinois

...yet

Oh yea it's only a matter of time.
As with the fila, the dogo argentino etc.. it only takes a little while for apartment buildings to catch on when the breeds start popping up and to ban them for future renters.

We had a dogo argentino in my building who attacked someone because the guy ran into the elevator and I guess the dog felt he was a threat.

..which resulted in the dog interview before being even allowed to rent. Now most bully looking breeds aren't allowed at all except boxers and english bulldogs :/

[AdrianneIsabel]

Add another "yet" to not coming in fancy colors. Shudder...

[stafinois]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

Add another "yet" to not coming in fancy colors. Shudder...

Define fancy. The gene pool also contains dilution, liver, recessive black, tanpoint, and white markings. Plus two different coat lengths! There's a good amount of room to start making flashy ones.

[StillandSilent]

I once saw them being advertised in the local paper as "Belton Malamars- German Breed" I wanted to cry.

I live with Gambit the crazy coy, and the thought of owning one makes my skin shiver. Poor dog and poor owner.

[AdrianneIsabel]

Originally Posted by stafinois

Define fancy. The gene pool also contains dilution, liver, recessive black, tanpoint, and white markings. Plus two different coat lengths! There's a good amount of room to start making flashy ones.

That was my point, or what I was trying to say, it's already there, they're just not bred for flash (yet).

[stafinois]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

That was my point, or what I was trying to say, it's already there, they're just not bred for flash (yet).

How many years before we see longhaired, lilac tricolor Malinois?

[AdrianneIsabel]

Well now I have that to join the creepy clowns in my nightmares...

[Aleron]

The reason Mals are gaining popularity with the public is because of the type of breeders that Adrianne mentioned. If breeders were being more careful about their dogs, you wouldn't be seeing things like what has been posted about here. I'm afraid that gaining popularity in sports and work has not done them any favors unfortunately. Instead, it has attracted a lot of breeders who don't really know much about the breed or care to, they just want to sell working/sport/protection/police bred puppies to whoever wants to buy them. There certainly are some great Mal breeders out there, so I don't mean to sound as though there is not. However, there are also a lot of..."for profit" breeders of them too. And when breeding gets to be more business oriented, sometimes there isn't the focus on ethics and what is or isn't good for the breed or buyers as there should be.