Grooming
Bathing: Don’t bathe your Mal too often unless they’re visibly dirty (every couple of months is fine).
Brushing: A Belgian Malinois has a short coat and doesn’t require lots of trips to the beauty shop. Instead, weekly brushing sessions keep their coat healthy and distribute skin oils, giving the coat a subtle sheen. Pet parents have their pick of tools, including a bristle brush or nifty rubber mitts. Heavy shedding happens twice a year (in the spring and fall), so during these extra floofy times, your pup will need daily brushing.
Dental care: Daily teeth brushing fights plaque buildup on your dog’s teeth and also prevents periodontal disease. Once a year, get a professional cleaning.
Nail care: Nail clipping is needed every three weeks or so (you can also ask a groomer for help).
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Training
Whether you sign up for dog obedience classes or take a DIY approach, training your Belgian Malinois will harness this pup’s bright mind and teach them good manners.
Use positive reinforcement to train your pup; these dogs are surprisingly sensitive, so it’s important to let them know they’ve done a job well done. Praise, treats, and special toys are all fun rewards.
Because Mals are a herding breed, their instinct is to chase and corral anything that moves, whether around the house or out in public. With proper training, you can curb your dog’s determined (though unfortunately misguided) tendency to dash after moving objects.
Early socialization is also part of the game, and it’ll help your Malinois get used to new people and situations. Teach them how to walk on a leash and how to perform cues like come and sit, while always keeping tabs on other people nearby.
Children tend to see a Belgian Malinois as a big pony because of their size, so they’ll need to learn how to behave around them and be respectful of their food, toys, and space.
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Diet
Food should be high quality, complete, and balanced. Choose a diet that’s AAFCO-compliant for your dog’s stage of life (puppy, adult, or senior).
Mals are prone to weight gain, so watch it with the food scoop. You should count your dog’s calories to keep track and prevent obesity. If you notice your pup has put on a few pounds, talk with your vet about a nutrition and exercise plan designed to shed the extra weight.
Treats, of course, are perfectly acceptable, especially when you’re in training mode (and that adorable puppy face definitely deserves some jerky). But don’t dole out too much of a good thing—treats should never be more than 10% of a dog’s daily calorie intake.
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Exercise
If your idea of a perfect workout involves hiking for several miles or a long run on the beach, a Belgian Malinois is your soul pup. This dog’s energy level might seem boundless, and a slow stroll on a leash once a day is not enough exercise to keep them happy.
Mal pet parents should give their dogs at least two 30-minute sessions of rigorous exercise per day. Mals who don’t get enough exercise will find other ways to entertain themselves, so for the sake of your shoes (and your pup’s happiness!), keep them busy.
Walking on a leash is nice for taking in the world and smelling flowers, but Belgian Malinois also need access to a large, fenced yard or an area where they can safely run around. Your dog would also love to be your biking or running partner. Agility, tracking, flyball, or dock diving (Mals have incredible jumping skills) should also thrill your pup.
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Environment
A city apartment without outdoor space for racing and romping won’t suit a Belgian Malinois’ temperament or physicality. This breed isn’t prone to barking, but they do tend to let their parents know when they hear someone is nearby—which isn’t ideal for a compact space with close neighbors.
A Belgian Malinois’ dream home has good-sized yard or regular access to public acreage, such as a park, dog beach, wooded trails, or bike paths.
With solid training, a Belgian Malinois makes a great family pet, as long as both your pup and kids know to respect each other’s spaces and their time together is supervised.
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