It's not a secret that most of us here have a set breed. Even a lot of the mixed breed owners prefer a certain type.
When my ex and I got together, about a decade ago, I had originally wanted a Doberman. He wasn't much of a dog person, but didn't like Dobermans because he thought they were "ghetto" and doesn't really care for crops. I had been admiring Malinois for quite a while, because all in all they seemed like a very versatile breed that seemingly could do just about everything, and do it well. But I took the "not for a beginner owner" warnings seriously and we finally decided on an Australian shepherd. While Django, the merle monster, was a good boy, we just never clicked, nor did I click with any Aussies that I met after that. Nice dogs, but just not quite the right fit for me.
Ryan wasn't really interested in most dog sports and since I had always wanted to do a dog sport, I started looking for dog sports that might appeal to him as well. The one sport that interested us both was Schutzhund. Lo and behold, it was also a sport that Malinois do well in.
Fast forwarding a bit, I met a woman who had Malinois and also did Schutzhund. I got to interact a lot with her dog and many other Malinois and finally had the opportunity to adopt Nico after about a year after I met her. I can't even precisely put into words how I just KNOW that it's the right breed, but I can't see myself having anything else (except maybe a Dutch at some point) because they are just such a good fit for me.
When my ex and I got together, about a decade ago, I had originally wanted a Doberman. He wasn't much of a dog person, but didn't like Dobermans because he thought they were "ghetto" and doesn't really care for crops. I had been admiring Malinois for quite a while, because all in all they seemed like a very versatile breed that seemingly could do just about everything, and do it well. But I took the "not for a beginner owner" warnings seriously and we finally decided on an Australian shepherd. While Django, the merle monster, was a good boy, we just never clicked, nor did I click with any Aussies that I met after that. Nice dogs, but just not quite the right fit for me.
Ryan wasn't really interested in most dog sports and since I had always wanted to do a dog sport, I started looking for dog sports that might appeal to him as well. The one sport that interested us both was Schutzhund. Lo and behold, it was also a sport that Malinois do well in.
Fast forwarding a bit, I met a woman who had Malinois and also did Schutzhund. I got to interact a lot with her dog and many other Malinois and finally had the opportunity to adopt Nico after about a year after I met her. I can't even precisely put into words how I just KNOW that it's the right breed, but I can't see myself having anything else (except maybe a Dutch at some point) because they are just such a good fit for me.