Malinois

[AdrianneIsabel]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I always get confused when people say their dog 'has no off' switch. I think it get thrown around a lot and people mean different things by it. If going by the above criteria then Mia 'has no off switch', even though I think she does. If she's lying still and I so much as move, squeak a toy, or make like I'm going to say something, she's up in a flash, tearing around the room screaming. It takes about a split second to get her from completely at rest to mach10 screaming papillon. But I don't think that means she doesn't have an off switch. She just 'turns on' (for lack of a better word) easily.

When I think of 'no off switch' I think of the dog that paces or spins or is doing something all the time. Am I just using that word totally wrong?

Honestly even my pit bulls get up if I stand up, that imo has nothing to do with an off switch. They also get up if I touch a food bag or squeak a toy, etc.

IMO after owning Backup a lack of off-switch is really the inability to truly just chill until further notice.

[AdrianneIsabel]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I love the video of Backup jumping over Shamoo on the couch. Moo is a saint.

lol She really is. Arnold has laid into Backup twice losing his temper with him but Shamoo, she's such a doll.

[Panzerotti]

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

IMO after owning Backup a lack of off-switch is really the inability to truly just chill until further notice.

Yeah, I definitely think of Backup when I think about Mals and off-switches (or lack thereof), lol.

The vid of him slowly pacing around the sleeping bulls is absolutely hilarious.

[AdrianneIsabel]

LOL yeah, they have paint on them there because we'd just moved.

I really, really love him but he's not an easy dog to tolerate when it comes to just hanging out at home.

[monkeys23]

Originally Posted by Aleron

Foster pup has a great off switch too and is a pretty easy puppy. To me anyway. He's wild and never quits when playing, paces the fences line when he's excited but happily lays around the house and grooming shop when nothing is going on. And he sleeps in

He is so cute. Want to meet him so badly!

Originally Posted by AdrianneIsabel

If these excite you and don't annoy you then think about it, but if these make you at all uncomfortable then I'd walk away.

Your dogs make me laugh really hard with their insanity. Especially the put upon looks the pit bulls give Sloan and the Lemur when they are being well Mals.

Love the video of Pan killing the hose!!! Hilarious!

My little mini Aussie foster had no off switch, he would circle and pace for hours if left to his own devices. I essentially had to make him down to stop it, except instead of his regular down command I termed it "settle in" and he would lay next to or behind my chair. And omg I wish I had a video of me cleaning my mom's office with his help. He was so in love with the shiny reflective Electrolux vacuum from the 70's. He would try and pull it out of the closet if the door was open... even though its a LOT bigger than him. And he would follow me with his little tink tink tink of his collar to and fro from every room while I empty trash and stuff. I kinda miss the obnoxiously following boy dog! Even though small dogs are very much not my thing, I definitely got attatched to the little crackhead. He was a lot more level headed and focused on me than Scout is when high in drive too, despite being barely started in foundational training stuff. Scout can be kind of an airhead though.

[CrystalGSD]

After watching many of those videos... I think I'll never be getting a Malinois. ever. Unless someone can come up with one with an off switch. The pacing seems like a major pain to deal with. I know I never would be able to deal with a dog like that. Like I always say, I'll stick to my German Shepherds.

[stardogs]

Pacing def seems to be a breed trait to some extent. Aeri is no where near BackUp but she will pace if left out in the yard alone (and has done it for hours on end when I was trying to see if it would extinguish - it takes between 4 and 6 hours to do so) and when she wants something (go outside, water, etc.).

[AdrianneIsabel]

Once in a blue moon he lays down on his own, only in the bedroom but if I flinch (not talking get up or get a toy, etc) he's in my face.



Literally the movement of silently lifting my phone and he's up. After the second photo he's standing here staring, panting, assuming I have something awesome to offer.



I love this dog, I just have to remind myself of that a lot. lol

[jenv101]

The bathtub video is the best

We've always enforced mats/beds in the house and there are no toys allowed so my two are pretty good in the house. They will pace and wrestle with each other, but must go lay down if we tell them to. Aura needs a lot of reminders, she gets up at the very slightest movement or even if I talk or breathe the wrong way, or like you said, pick up my phone. Riley prefers to sing in a high pitched whine if he doesn't know what to do with himself. If anything moves outside the window, Riley goes nuts.

Outside is a different story, Aura acts very much like Sloan with the ball and is very obsessive and persistent. Neither of them lay down or stop moving outside unless its really hot.

[SaraB]

As much as I say I love Backup and want my very own crazy lemur, in reality he would drive me absolutely batty. I HATE with an extreme passion any sort of pacing, non-stop panting or repetitive motion. Hence why I will never have a mal. So I will continue to love Backup from a far and laugh at his silly antics.