Belgian Malinois

I met a Belgian Malinois the other day. Belgian Malinois isn't a very common breed in America. Buffy just recently started coming to the PetsHotel Day Camp. She's super sweet and super smart. Her mom was saying when they used to live in a war zone, Buffy would actually warn them of danger even before the missile sirens even went off. She was also saying how this particular breed is very intelligent and can learn all sorts of things, (ie. how Buffy can recognize her name when it's written out), but she had to be very strict because Buffy could have become too protective or too mischievous given the type of personality they are known to have.

Here's an excerpt from dogbreedinfo.com:
"The Belgian Malinois is one of four Belgian sheepdogs. A very bright and obedient dog, it is determined and observant with strong protective and territorial instincts. Socialize well to prevent it from becoming shy or sensitive. The Belgian Malinois needs an experienced master who is firm, but not heavy handed. If you are harsh or overbearing it will become uncooperative. Owners need to display a confident, natural authorityover the dog. Consistant rules must be set and made clear. This breed is instinctively protective so it should be trained and socialized very well from an early age. Puppies should be socialized right from birth. Good for working and competition obedience, these dogs make excellent police and guard dogs...They do however, make excellent pets if they have owners who can challenge their minds with an air of leadership. They are ever watchful, alert and loyal. The Belgian Malinois is good with children if socialized well with them. This breed needs to be part of the family and not locked up in a kennel. They need leadership, daily exercise along with training and companionship, for without it they may become destructive and hard to handle. The Belgian Malinois is high energy, with a high mental capacity, and is quick to comprehend. It needs a job to do, especially if you are dealing with working lines...

Height: Males 24 - 26 inches (61 - 66 cm) Females 22 - 24 inches (56 - 61 cm)
Weight: 55 - 65 pounds (24 - 29 kg)"
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/belgianmalinois.htm

Not a pet for the average family, the Belgian Malinois is a very smart dog who needs an experienced parent. Because they are so intelligent and were originally bred to be guard dogs, it's very important to properly socialize them. Buffy is one of the sweetest dogs I know, but her mom made it a point to get her very socialized when she was young.

Product Review #6 - Doggie Mouthwash Part 3

Update on the Nylabone Liquid Tartar Remover: Again, I did not see any obvious difference in the tartar build up.

Here's another attempt at using a water additive. This time I got the Nutri-Vet Bresh Fresh Dental Rinse for Dogs.

Again, like the Nylabone version, I didn't like it as much as the Arm & Hammer version. It wasn't as effective at getting rid of bad breath, and there weren't any obvious decrease or increase in the plaque and tartar. There wasn't a weird minty after smell though, which was nice. For this one, I had to mix 3/4 capfuls of the rinse for every 8 oz. One thing odd that I noticed was the presence of more dead bugs in my dogs' water the next day. It was normal to find a dead bug every once in a while, but I've noticed at least 2 or more dead bugs everyday lately. Now, I don't know if this was caused by the rinse or maybe it's because it's just bug season, but ever since I changed to this brand, I have found more bugs. Strange coincidence? Maybe. Petsmart sells the 8 oz online for $5.27, and Amazon has the 32 oz for $13.75.

Product Review #5 - Toys R Us Critter

Squeakers aren't the only noise making device for dog toys. There are so many toys that make different sounds now. There's the plastic crinkling, like the Petstages Easy Toss Ring that I mentioned in a past post. Covers for water bottles are really popular too. There are toys that oink and moo and ribbit and quack. And then there's this. It GIGGLES!

This is the Toys R Us Pets Small Giggle Critter. When you press the hand the whole thing jiggles and giggles. When I first heard the giggling, I was thinking to myself,  "What in the world is that sound?" That's when I saw a kid walk by repeatedly pressing the hand, and the toy wouldn't stop giggling. I like it because of its unique sound. Unfortunately, the material used to make the toy isn't very durable. Petsmart is selling it for $8.97 in stores, or you can get it online for $2.97 plus shipping.

Happy New Year!

HAPPY BELATED WINTER HOLIDAYS AND WISHING YOU AN AWESOME NEW YEAR!!!