Does anybody have any experience of the above breed? Would they recommend them? Do they make good family pets?

Replies by breeders / owners most welcome. Without being rude......Iv researched the net and dont want to hear what others have read. First hand experience only.

That's my breed and yes I do breed them. I currently have 5 Malinois. In short, the answer is NO -this breed do NOT make family pets as such. They have to have something to do. There are two lines, as in so many breeds -show dogs and working dogs. Even the show dogs (like mine) cannot be kept as pure pets, you have to want to do something (and the working bred dogs are ten times more energetic). Most of my pups go to serious agility competitors, obedience, some have gone for security work, one for search & rescue etc. They can be wonderful to live with but you must be prepared to do a lot more than with other breeds -just walks isn't enough. They also need a HUGE amount of socialisation when young, much more so than most breeds. So it's not a breed for the novice, and you have to be active and dedicated. If you are, then there is no better breed on earth. Very loyal, very healthy, very loving to their own family, will defend you with their lives, never grow old really, never tire, can be taught virtually anything.

Agree with Marianne.  Nothing like the German Shepherd you were after the other week!  As an owner of both Malinois and Groenendael, they are not for the faint-hearted!  They are very fast, both mentally and physically and would not be suitable for a novice owner.  Socialising is very important right from the start, otherwise you can end up with a very neurotic dog!  But, if you are experienced and train with sympathetic methods, they are the most wonderful breed to own.

Hi Marianne

Had been looking at yr site.....thanks for the reply. Gorgeous looking dogs. Ive been brought up with GSD's but since seeing pics of the mals been totally addicted!

Heard from a girl who took one on from surrey police as they had too many in a litter.....she obviously thinks its great and fits in well with her way of life.

Just researching belgian bonkers.....nothing wrong with that....we are not all experts!

Never said I was an expert Jeremy!  I've owned both Germans and Belgians for quite a few years now (including problem ones).  You wanted people with "hands on" experience to reply, which I have had.  Just thought it was a German you were after that's all.

You are still correct.....GSD was and probably still is what I will end up with. As I said.....I think the Mal is a super interesting dog and just wondered how they differed.

Jeremy: i know you have been getting some stick especially on the other thread. Wont go into that but just wanted to commend you on doing some research and exploring avenues before rushing in and buying a dog only to find later that it is not suitable for your family or lifestyle

Fred's mum, I  wasn't having a go at Jeremy.  Many people think that the German and Belgian Shepherds are very similar, that is until they own one, as I found out, they are like chalk and cheese.  As I know that Jeremy was looking at getting another German, I thought it wise to point out that they are very different.

Belgian, i didnt say, nor was i implying you were having a go   As i put in my post i was refering to the other thread that got quite heated. Hopefully with the info you and others have provided he will be able to make a more informed decision

i own a working bred malinois bitch and there is no way i would sell one to a pet home,

As a newcomer to this site I happened on jeremys thread with interest.I rehomed an 11 month old gsd last april and he is a wonderful companion and a very large long coat as well.If jeremy is looking for a companion animal then why not contact one of the several rescue organisations?If you are near London then Vigil gsd rescue have several lovely looking dogs and other areas have their own centres as well.I think its better to rehome a young adult(or even an older dog)as rearing a puppy needs careful thought and planning.My jack had been bought by a young student and left in a cage in her flat all day,then taken out at night when she went out with her friends.Not a good start but no cruelty as such.He has found me now and to his obvious delight is out on the fells or the downs or the beach every day,twice a day,in all weathers.I keep him on the lead as he's not used to other dogs or much else really but steady walking and a good diet(minced fish,beef mince,chicken wings and an excellent kibble)is turning him into a truly handsome lad.So whether its gsd or malinois,a companion dog from a rescue centre can be more rewarding than worrying about finding the perfect dog,the best breeder,the finest configuration and so on.Its all a bit of a lottery healthwise and the german shepherd has a number of breed specific diseases-see the Videx website for instance and read the health section.My last gsd died of hemangiosarcoma,a very common aggressive cancer in many large breeds.There are no certainties and many highly trained gsds in the police service and forces are sometimes from rescue centres and not from good breeders at all.Please note that I think that we have many dedicated small breeders and the best thing to do is phone them and go see them,lots of them, if a puppy is whats required.

So whether its gsd or malinois,a companion dog from a rescue centre can be more rewarding than worrying about finding the perfect dog,the best breeder,the finest configuration and so on.

Malinois in rescue are almost always working bred ones (there are currently only 3 or 4 active show breeders in the UK and we know where all our pups are and if one needs rehoming they come back to us hence these dogs don't end up in rescue as a general rule) that are only suitable for very experienced dog owners wanting to do some serious work with their dogs (such as competitive agility, working trials or similar or even as police dogs) so as far as they go, not really a good idea to get from a rescue unless the new owner has a lot of dog experience, and ideally Malinois experience. Malinois have hardly any health problems at all, but are very difficult dogs to deal with so anyone NOT extremely experienced could end up with a total nightmare of a dog if they took on a rescue. Early socialisation counts for everything and it can take years to settle a Malinois that hasn't had that. So whereas I think you have a point in general, when it comes to Malinois, I'd say rescue is a no no for most people. Too specialist. BREED RESCUE is the best place if somebody is determined to get a rescue Malinois as the dog will then have been assessed by people in the breed. http://www.corsini.co.uk/belgian-rescue/

I know we have at least one CD member who got a Malinois from rescue and that rescue was clued up enough to realise the dogs could not be homed to a pet home and were only available to working homes, but sadly some rescues don't even know what they are and I once heard of an old lady wanting a quiet companion dog being handed a Malinois.......... with disastrous results needless to say.

looking to rehome a malinois bitch, looking around a year old, if you know of any please let me know, anything returned to you possibly. experienced and keen trainer of security dogs, for myself