# Belgium Shepard



## Ace1313 (Feb 7, 2013)

What can people tell me about this breed. I have read a great deal about them and am considering getting one. I want a good buddy who I can train to track deer(not important but I know they have great noses) and possibly do some service work with. 

Give me some of the good and bad info on them from people who have owned and handled these dogs.


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## dtala (Feb 13, 2013)

There are four "types" of Belgian Shepherd dogs.

 I've had two Belgian Malinois dogs, a short haired, fawn colored variety.

here's Taz with a deer she tracked, bayed, and held till I could kill it.






  troy


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## feathersnantlers (Feb 13, 2013)

Just watch "Persons of Interest", there's one on there.


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## Ace1313 (Feb 13, 2013)

Dtala,

The Malinois is the one I am looking at. Are there any negatives to this breed? Are they easier to train than a Rottie? Mine wasn't too difficult but had his moments when younger.


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## dtala (Feb 14, 2013)

Ace, they are very high energy dogs, esp as pups. They are also very, very smart. Not a dog for a house pet, or a person with no dog training experience. 

I'm biased but I think they are the best dogs going. Very smart, very loyal. did I say smart? Very athletic, I saw mine go over a 12 foot fence when she was six months old. Mine was trained in drug detection, dead game detection, tracking men, tracking deer, evidence finding, handler protection, apprehending criminals. She had a prolly 70 word human vocabulary. She was very friendly, esp with children, never aggressive towards strangers unless told to do so. Then she bit like a chainsaw on steroids. She was my police K-9 dog for seven years.

She was very easy to train. On anything. They are a little sensitive on over correction, come down too hard on em and they will just quit whatever yer trying to get them to do.

watching TV with her buddy TK...


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## hcrane (Feb 15, 2013)

*Belgian*

do any of you know a good place to get a pup from? Also I see plenty for sale but how do you tell if you are getting good blood. Everyone advertises the mom and/ or dad is a police dog. And do you think a female or male would be a better pet/ watch dog. I already have a male weim- but he is not a watch dog. Thanks


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## John F Hughes (Feb 16, 2013)

I got Dutch Shepherd. 4 females


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## dtala (Feb 16, 2013)

Me personally, I'd get a female. I've had a female and now have a male. You really need these dogs to be focused on you and trying to please you. IMO male dogs of all breeds seem harder headed than same breed females. As you don't have much experience with these dogs I'd say get a female.

little tip..when the dog is young take it for walks in a park with lots of people, get it used to strangers talking to it, petting it, interacting. Gets rid of all fear of strangers. I did this with my female Mal K-9 dog. She NEVER once showed any fear/aggression towards strangers...well, unless I told her to bite them


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## Ace1313 (Feb 16, 2013)

Great info. I did the same with my Rottie. He is a service dog that I take into schools so kids can read to him. I take him everywhere. I have noticed females are much smarter. With all the training for your dog did you send it off or work them yourself? My Rottie trailed deer on his own its actually pretty funny story. My buddies killed a couple deer on opening day and had drug them off before we got there. I got to talking and noticed he was gone. Well I went to calling and he came out from the dragging area with a leg. The next day another guy shot one in tall grass and could not find blood after the hit. We took Big A out there and he went straight to the deer. He has found all but one the last several years. That one didn't bleed much but he trailed 150 yards with no sign and found one drop of blood and that was it.


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## dtala (Feb 16, 2013)

Ace, I got my female Taz when she was seven weeks old. I trained her myself for the most part. I carried her to La and to NC for police K-9 training after she was 18 months old. A LOT of places make the mistake of trying to start bite work/protection work on too young a dog. The dog needs to be around 18-24 months for real bite work training. Just work on obedience, short tracking, play stuff that leads to better things when they are older.

BTW, some folks will say a bite trained dog is more of a liability than one not trained. This is 180 degrees wrong with a properly acclimated and socialized dog. There are no "surprise" bites...

Taz was trained in drug detection and certified before she was one year old!! Her father won the National Detector Dog Championships , competing against the best the Border Patrol and US Customs had.

 She was not protective of my vehicle unless I was in it. You could steal my car anytime she was in it!! I HATE a police dog the hits the glass everytime someone walks by. Complete lack of brain use in training that dog.


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