Belgian Malinois are great family dogs for a family who has a pretty active lifestyle and loves to join dogs in their activities. However, these dogs need lots of physical and mental stimulation to keep going through the day as they are jam-packed with energy.
If you have children in the house, you must be in confusion about buying a Belgian Malinois because of the safety concerns.
The first question that comes to your mind is:
Are Belgian Malinois good with babies and kids? The answer is yes! Belgian Malinois are pretty good with children when appropriately introduced. These dogs have high protection instincts and prey drive; therefore, it is necessary to properly train malinois dogs from puppyhood to make them tolerant and patient towards children.
Typical Belgian Malinois Personality and Temperament
Belgian Malinois possesses a very bright and active personality. They are always eager to please their masters. Because of this adaptable nature, malinois dogs are pretty easy to train as they are highly responsive dogs. They are full of energy; hence they need some daily activities to use up their energy reserves.
Don’t be surprised when you wake up in the morning, and your dog is ready for an intense exercise session.
Malinois dogs have a friendly nature but only for owners and families. They are pretty sensitive towards strangers or other animals and can display aggression because they might feel the need to protect their family and property.
Are Belgian Malinois Good With Kids and Babies?
Yes, the Malinois could be a good socializer with children and babies, but you need to start educating and socializing him from puppyhood. Belgian Malinois dogs have very strong protective and territorial instincts, but they can be very good with children if properly trained and gradually introduced to each other.
Children usually tease or scare dogs which can make malinois dogs alert. Therefore children should be kept under careful supervision when they are in the company of malinois dogs.
More About The Temperament of The Belgian Malinois
Belgian Malinois have a significant adaptability factor which helps while training them to live with a family and children. Besides, they are fond of intense exercises, due to which they need a lot of physical stimulation. They cannot sit idly for a long time; hence you have to give them some ‘job’ to keep them busy.
They need a wide and open space to spend their energy. They will show aggression if their basic needs are not being fulfilled in a home. To learn more about the temperament of the Belgian Malinois dog, give a read to this article.
Training a Belgian Malinois to Be Around Children
Belgian Malinois are very agile dogs who have been bred to work with humans. They will quickly learn how to behave around children if appropriately trained. Let the kids stay around dogs while keeping them in check.
Taking your kids and dog on a walk together will also help in the tolerance building. Make sure to keep the leash on when you are exposing the dog to children at the start because the malinois dog is not yet used to them.
How to Introduce a Belgian Malinois to Kids for The First Time
The first encounter needs to go well because malinois dogs are known to hold grudges if something wrong happens.
- Teach your children the right way to approach the dog without scaring or stimulating them.
- Teach your children to let the dog sniff their hands first.
- Tell the kids not to pull the dog’s hair or tail.
- Don’t pressurize the dog to socialize with the kid; otherwise, it can become anxious.
- Take the dog and kids out together so that the dog can get used to the children’s company.
How to Socialize Belgian Malinois to Be Good With Kids and Babies
If you are worrying that your Belgian Malinois won’t behave well around kids, then don’t worry because here are some ways to socialize Belgian Malinois to be good with kids.
- The easiest way to get Belgian Malinois comfortable around kids is to let him socialize as a puppy . The earlier the socialization starts, the better the results are. This is because puppies are easy to train, and also they are less aggressive as compared to adult dogs.
- Enroll your dog in obedience classes. Professional trainers devise customized training programs for every dog. The training will help them to socialize better around other dogs and kids as well.
- Get the dog familiar with the kid’s behavior by acting like a child. Yes! Acting like a child in front of a dog can help them prepare for the real encounter.
- Introduce the Malinois with the toys of your children. Toys make different noises that can stimulate dogs and make them aggressive at once. If they are already familiar with the noises, they won’t get bothered by them.
4 Things Kids Should Never Do to a Belgian Malinois
Teach your children to avoid following things while interacting with a malinois.
- Kids should avoid grabbing a dog’s hair while patting him.
- Never tease a Belgian Malinois.
- Never grab a Belgian Malinois tail or ears.
- Never run away from a Belgian Malinois.
- Children should avoid any wild movements; otherwise, the dog will want to chase and nip them.
- Never poke a Belgian Malinois in the eye.
- Never bother a Belgian Malinois when he is sleeping.
Conclusion
Belgian Malinois are beautiful dogs and make great family pets if trained and socialized correctly. They can be highly protective of family members, particularly children, because of their natural protective instinct. However, not only do the dogs need to be trained but also children need to learn the proper interaction with the Malinois.
If you are about to buy or adopt a Malinois, make sure you know all the important information regarding this breed.
For further information about Belgian Malinois, click here.
