Malinois people.. advice? (/got bit the other day)

stafinois

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#21
A bark collar worked wonders with Harry just as Aleron said. The more he barked the more wound up he got until he exploded.

Maybe I missed it, but how old are the dogs?

I like your description of how his teeth did it before his brain kicked in. Perfect description. They can be dangerous even if they don't mean to be if they get riled up. Harry knocked me out once. Stan pushed me down the stairs the other day.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#22
My dogs are home alone M-Thursday from 7 am to 6 pm. They are fine. We will always own malinois, I would love to spend more time with them but they survive as it is. I would suggest they find an alternative.

Bark collars do stop Backups frenzy of tornado barking while guarding in the car but it would not stop any live bites. That said, while it doesn't sound like these dogs are in defense right now, be careful a collar won't put them there.
 

Fran101

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#23
A bark collar worked wonders with Harry just as Aleron said. The more he barked the more wound up he got until he exploded.

Maybe I missed it, but how old are the dogs?

I like your description of how his teeth did it before his brain kicked in. Perfect description. They can be dangerous even if they don't mean to be if they get riled up. Harry knocked me out once. Stan pushed me down the stairs the other day.
The girl is 5. The boy is just 1..
 

stafinois

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#25
My dogs are home alone M-Thursday from 7 am to 6 pm. They are fine. We will always own malinois, I would love to spend more time with them but they survive as it is. I would suggest they find an alternative.

Both of my Malinois have survived a similar schedule. They will be okay.
 

Fran101

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#28
I didn't mean for it to sound like "oh nobody who works these hours should have these dogs"..but these dogs are not handling it well.

Perhaps if more work was put in in the morning/at night or something..or more training..but as it is, I worry about what these dogs will do all day now.

I know they jog with them at night but maybe some treadmills or like I dunno.. sedatives lol
 

CharlieDog

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#29
My dogs are home alone M-Thursday from 7 am to 6 pm. They are fine. We will always own malinois, I would love to spend more time with them but they survive as it is. I would suggest they find an alternative.

Bark collars do stop Backups frenzy of tornado barking while guarding in the car but it would not stop any live bites. That said, while it doesn't sound like these dogs are in defense right now, be careful a collar won't put them there.
A bark collar stops Indys barking jags. It helps her keep her cool.

It did not stop Knox from getting wound up. It actually made him worse, and upped the risk of a live bite (I really like that term, lol)

Both of them are made to settle in the crate before being released, but I have done a LOT of work to make sure they're handlable (is that word??) by strangers in the crate at home, simply because you never know if something is going to happen and I might need a friend to come take care of them. It's happened in the past.

Knox would LIKE to blow the door off the crate when he's let out, but has been taught a WAIT command, and will wait until the leash is on to blow the door off the crate. Indy is much more polite, but will tell you all about how excited she is she's getting out of the crate unless she's got a bark collar on.
 

Aleron

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#30
My dogs are home alone M-Thursday from 7 am to 6 pm. They are fine. We will always own malinois, I would love to spend more time with them but they survive as it is. I would suggest they find an alternative.

Bark collars do stop Backups frenzy of tornado barking while guarding in the car but it would not stop any live bites. That said, while it doesn't sound like these dogs are in defense right now, be careful a collar won't put them there.
I suggest bark collars specifically for issues where the dog is working themselves into a frenzy that involves barking. I've used them for overly guardy dogs and have seen them really help for situations like this. I wouldn't expect them to work in all cases where dogs might bite of course. But this situation really sounds like an ideal use for them.

If the owners are willing to try them though, I'd have them introduce the dogs to the collars by themselves at home. Basically get them trained to the collars, so they already know collar on means you can't bark before you're back in the picture. Then they'll just have to wear them in their crates during the day. I think it could really help with their behavior while they're being walked too. I think you'd also know pretty quick if it will help enough or not.
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#31
I didn't mean for it to sound like "oh nobody who works these hours should have these dogs"..but these dogs are not handling it well.

Perhaps if more work was put in in the morning/at night or something..or more training..but as it is, I worry about what these dogs will do all day now.

I know they jog with them at night but maybe some treadmills or like I dunno.. sedatives lol
Treadmills, work to eat toys, tracking, training a long down or off switch.
 

Dizzy

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#32
All I think is if they had you cornered... And they were highly aroused, and one accidentally caught you, and the other followed the (mistaken) cue......
 

Aescleah

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#33
Hi fran
for every reason everyone else mentioned and i echo PLEASE stop walking these dogs this screams red flags to me. not only am i worried for children or others but you as well. Ok sorta alarmed anything that happens will be lightning quick. this is no offense to you or the dogs sounds like you are a great handler and learning more every day

Ashley
 

Romy

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#34
Fran, just a thought but it scares me. I don't know if your seizures are controlled now or not, but the way the male responded to you bending over makes me very worried for your safety if you were to unexpectedly lose consciousness when he's out of the crate and all wound up. Don't feel compelled to post any health stuff, but please keep it in mind. Please be safe. If you're not able to walk these two any more I'm sure their owners will figure out some kind of alternative. They sound like smart people who are willing to work to find a solution for their dogs.
 

-bogart-

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#35
Fran, just a thought but it scares me. I don't know if your seizures are controlled now or not, but the way the male responded to you bending over makes me very worried for your safety if you were to unexpectedly lose consciousness when he's out of the crate and all wound up. Don't feel compelled to post any health stuff, but please keep it in mind. Please be safe. If you're not able to walk these two any more I'm sure their owners will figure out some kind of alternative. They sound like smart people who are willing to work to find a solution for their dogs.
Romy said it way better than I. Please be safe.
 

jenv101

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#36
Yeah I wouldn't continue walking them either - I don't even walk my two by myself because they get so wound up together and feed off of each others excitement. Plus, walks don't really do much for them anyways, they just get more energy by the end of the walk.

Sounds like the dogs just need more mental stimulation and control work like others have said. They probably need more biting outlets too, not more walks or runs.

You're a great person for trying to help them!!!
 

Shai

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#37
Fran, just a thought but it scares me. I don't know if your seizures are controlled now or not, but the way the male responded to you bending over makes me very worried for your safety if you were to unexpectedly lose consciousness when he's out of the crate and all wound up. Don't feel compelled to post any health stuff, but please keep it in mind. Please be safe. If you're not able to walk these two any more I'm sure their owners will figure out some kind of alternative. They sound like smart people who are willing to work to find a solution for their dogs.
Now there's a terrifying thought :/

Stay safe, Fran.
 

noludoru

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#38
I don't think you should be walking these dogs. I'm sorry, I know you want to help and get them out, but think of the liability if someone else you're walking by leans down to tie their shoe.

This is a great example of why the Malinois is not for everyone. If they were YOUR dogs, and/or you could do obedience with them, it would be a different story completely. But even if you could take the occasional misdirected nip, you can't tell them NOT to do that to someone else.

I agree with the others, these dogs need more work, with their owners, before being walked by a dog walker
.
This is just one of the many great posts in the thread about the issue, but it sums up my feelings exactly. You or your boss could get sued for millions if these dogs bite someone's kid. Malis could end up as the next "evil" breed on the channel five news. Your boss' business would be over. She is doing the right thing by saying this is too much of a liability.

Fran, just a thought but it scares me. I don't know if your seizures are controlled now or not, but the way the male responded to you bending over makes me very worried for your safety if you were to unexpectedly lose consciousness when he's out of the crate and all wound up. Don't feel compelled to post any health stuff, but please keep it in mind. Please be safe. If you're not able to walk these two any more I'm sure their owners will figure out some kind of alternative. They sound like smart people who are willing to work to find a solution for their dogs.
This was my first thought as well.
 

stafinois

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#39
Treadmills, work to eat toys, tracking, training a long down or off switch.

I've always found that brain work goes a lot further with mine than physical exercise ever did. Actually, I think it got worse with more activity. But using their minds wears them out.

Even if they don't think they need obedience, suggest a trick class or something. It's fun for everybody and will keep the dogs mentally stimulated.
 

SaraB

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#40
We have a mal that we train with who is very much like this. Spin, spin, spin, BARK, BARK, BARK. With the occasional redirect onto pant legs/hands/whatever else he can grab.

Crate games have done wonders for him. I know his handler had the same issue where he just would not stop spinning, she would have to cover up the crate until he would calm down and start over every time. It's worked so far. His spinning is limited and it now only takes 1-2 times of covering up the crate to get him to calm down and THINK. The black and white rules of crate games have helped him because it is so literal. You break the rules, the door gets shut.

However, it is absolutely not your place to train these dogs. You couldn't pay me anything to walk the mal that is like that here. He redirects too often even onto his own handler for me to attempt working with him. The most I'll do is hold his leash while the owner walks a course (even then he is in a down stay commanded by her). The reason being, I'm below his radar. I'm just a walking post to him. He doesn't care what I think, I'm not the bringing of good things or the enforcer of rules. I'm nothing to him.

I wouldn't walk these dogs. Flat out.
 

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