As an "all-round warrior" who once transmitted intelligence in the world war and now has made great achievements in the police and military circles, the Belgian Malinois is by no means an ordinary family pet. Their vigorous energy, strong desire to work and keen insight determine that if they are not systematically trained, this "sharp blade" may hurt their owners and people around them, and will also put the dogs themselves in a painful dilemma.
From the origin of the dog breed, the Belgian Malinois was born in Belgium in the 19th century and was bred to meet the needs of farm animal husbandry and home protection. Their genes are full of "work instructions" and require at least 2-3 hours of high-intensity physical and mental activities every day. If such a vibrant dog is locked up in a small apartment for a long time without any training and venting channels, it is like forcing a high-speed engine to press the pause button. Because they have nowhere to release their energy, they will chew furniture, bark constantly, and even have separation anxiety, and relieve their inner anxiety through destructive behavior. Some owners, not understanding their characteristics, raised Malinois dogs as ordinary pet dogs. As a result, the sofas and wooden doors at home became "victims", and the dogs became sensitive and irritable.
Behavioral studies have shown that untrained Belgian Malinois dogs are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior. They are born with a strong sense of territory and protective instincts. If they lack proper guidance, they may regard the knocking of couriers and the approach of passers-by as threats. Among the cases received by pet hospitals, the proportion of aggressive Malinois dogs due to lack of socialization training is as high as 40%. These dogs are not fierce by nature, but when faced with unfamiliar environments and stimuli, they cannot correctly judge and respond, so they can only use barking and biting to protect themselves. On the contrary, professionally trained Malinois dogs can accurately distinguish between danger and safety signals, be brave and fearless when guarding their owners, and remain calm when facing friendly strangers.
Training is essential for the mental health of Belgian Malinois dogs. This breed of dog ranks high in intelligence among dogs, and they need to gain a sense of accomplishment by learning new skills and completing commands. Just as humans need to work and learn to realize their self-worth, Malinois dogs are also eager to prove their abilities in training. When they successfully complete complex fetching tasks or smoothly cross obstacles in the agility competition, the light flashing in their eyes is the joy and satisfaction after being recognized. Long-term lack of mental stimulation will make them fall into a state of depression, and their originally smart eyes will become dull and lose interest in the things around them.
In a family breeding environment, training is a bridge to build a harmonious relationship between people and dogs. Belgian Malinois dogs are extremely loyal to their owners, but this loyalty needs to be based on clear rules and trust. Through training, owners can teach them basic obedience commands, such as "sit", "wait", and "follow". These seemingly simple actions are actually conveying the signal of "I am a leader". When dogs learn to respond quickly after their owners issue commands, they will feel more at ease because clear rules can free them from the pressure of decision-making. Through three months of systematic training, an owner turned the originally naughty Malinois into a docile "little follower". When going out for a walk, it can quietly follow the owner and no longer run around.
The choice of training method is also very particular. Belgian Malinois are extremely sensitive to positive reinforcement training methods, and they are eager to get praise and rewards from their owners. Using their favorite items such as chicken jerky and tennis balls as rewards, combined with enthusiastic verbal encouragement, can make training more effective. On the contrary, punitive training such as beating and scolding will not only destroy the trust between people and dogs, but may also stimulate their rebellious psychology. In professional kennels, dog trainers will use "gamification training" to integrate skill learning into tug-of-war and fetching games, which not only satisfies the hunting nature of Malinois dogs, but also achieves the purpose of training.
Some people may ask, can Belgian Malinois grow freely without training? The answer is no. Not training seems to give them freedom, but in fact it pushes them into trouble. Just like a thousand-mile horse, if it is not domesticated, it cannot play the advantage of running, and may also be injured due to lack of control. For Belgian Malinois, training is not a constraint, but the key to releasing potential and achieving a happy life. When the owner trains with heart and sees the once energetic fur child grow into a sensible and reliable partner, the sweat and effort during training have turned into precious memories and a full sense of accomplishment.
The article explains the necessity of Belgian Malinois training from multiple dimensions. If you want to know the specific training methods or common problems in Malinois training, please feel free to communicate with me.
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