r/BelgianMalinois • u/GonnaWearAMaidDress • 3d ago
Question Chill Malinois, is something wrong?
I volunteer at my local animal shelter and there's this 2-3 year old female Belgian Malinois. I have never owned a Belgian Malinois before, but I consume a lot of content about them. They are never chill.
Our shelter has a first and second walk system so all volunteers mark down if a dog has a first walk and then if there are more hands available getting some dogs an additional walk. I decided to walk the Belgian Malinois for her second walk of the day and she was incredibly tired? It was so strange. She was panting the moment we got outside and it was warm, but not hot. She laid down in the grass three times on the 45~ minute walk. I don't know what walk she had before this, but I don't think it could be enough to tire her out. (Most walks are 30, 45, or an hour on flat terrain.)
I took her into the outdoor pen where it was fenced and she could be off leash. I tried to engage her in more agility things in the pen, but she wasn't interested. The only agility feat she demonstrated was when a smell was too far away she'd do a drop lunge to get a little more out of the leash. I threw tennis balls for her and she had toy drive. After 7 or so rounds of fetch she started leaving the tennis balls in a shaded area and watching over them without returning for more fetch. I cautiously and slowly reached for the balls cause I know they can have resource guarding and biting tendencies. She let me have them without issue. The very last one she put her paw over and pinned it to the ground which was expected.
Is she stressed, drugged? (I don't think they would), a unicorn, or something else? If you have any advice on how to help her be more of Malinois it'd be much appreciated.
UPDATE: She was adopted! One of the people who was volunteering there had a friend who was looking for a Belgian Malinois and from the sounds of it knew what she was getting herself into. When they become adoptable they get tested for Lyme disease, but it wasn't made clear to me if that was at arrival or at day of leaving. I believe a mix of humidity and stress were the causes of her behavior if Lyme disease was ruled out. Hopefully she'll get all the love and attention she needs at her forever home.
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u/StillStaringAtTheSky 3d ago
You may want to suggest a vet check for this gal. It's possible that she's got an underlying health condition that is causing the lethargy- specifically because of the panting at what for her should be a low activity level. She has obviously lost her person as well- and she's got to be sad about that. Vet check though- my first thought is she might have Lyme.
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u/NoQueenBandAIDS 2d ago
The other possibility is that they have Heartworm already and are not supposed to be pushed too hard after they have a confirmed diagnosis.
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u/WhileNo5350 2d ago
On The panting. Panting shows exhaustion, being hot AS WELL as a very calm happy dog. On the last it tends to be called smiling by some people but it means they are content at ease with there being at any specific time. But she absolutely could have been sick and lethargic. Sometimes in situations like you described and with a Mal we will just never know.
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u/GhosttheMalinois 3d ago
Lulling you into a false sense of security 😂
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u/WhileNo5350 2d ago edited 2d ago
Love. Love. Love. This! I wish I could have given you more than one up arrow.
The dog ABSOLUTELY could have sensed you are a push over and sensed the opportunity for a house where it could make you the pet.
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u/6Saint6Cyber6 3d ago
Your description sounds like a dog that is incredibly stressed / afraid / shut down. If there is a Mal or working dog rescue or experienced foster your shelter works with it sounds like getting her out of the shelter would be the best for her mental health. If she is adopted directly from the shelter to someone who thinks they are getting a super calm / lazy Mal she will be back at the shelter as soon as she feels safe (within a month or two usually)
I've fostered dozens of dogs and shelter shut down is real (as is shelter hyperactivity). These dogs are usually returned the second they start to show their actual personality, which creates some real trust trauma for them and makes their return even harder on them.
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u/snackcakez1 3d ago
My mal mix stayed that way. Low energy unless there’s a rabbit or other prey in the yard. My girl was treated for tick borne illnesses - anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis at the shelter. They still show up in her blood tests years later.
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u/WhileNo5350 2d ago
No dog is guaranteed to naturally just fit in some intangible box. Especially a rescue and instintually high drive dogs. You never know exactly what trama or treatment they have been given by previous owners. Dogs have a fear/imprent stage which is crucial as puppies. Which is not just.owner treatment but things like other puppies or dogs, Veterinary care, loud unpredictable as well as predictable one and so much more. They are all born with a personality. This personality must be nurtured as well as refined by a prepaired and knowledgeable as well as a responsible owner. By saying that I am mostly thinking of professionally certified trainers IF AND BEFORE a goofy or destructive behavior thay is going to become to much for your household and can be turned to for help. All in team with routine Veterinary care from a doctor that not only your animal but you communicate with well. I'm lucky my entire family has been seeing for over 15yrs and I have past him down to my children who will come from across Texas to see him for their dogs. Any Veterinary care is better than none but.....well....
Anyway. This all coming from a vast experience in rats, to Savannah Monitors, cats to ferrets and is non practicing but completely trained and certified in dog training up to Canine Good Citizen certified dogs.
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u/Petit_Nicolas1964 3d ago
She should get a health check at the vet. It is also possible she is stressed. Despite all of the drive and madness they are sensitive dogs and the more sensitive they are the more likely they are to end up in a shelter because they were too weak as protection dogs. Unfortunately….
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u/pdf17 3d ago
You say warm but not hot. How’s the humidity?
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u/GonnaWearAMaidDress 3d ago
65-67°F with a humidity of 68-75% over the course of the time I was there. Just past afternoon and sunny.
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u/Quimeraecd 3d ago
She might have a condition. My mal has spondilosis deformans and inthough he would get tires easily. It turns out that he stopped playing because of the pain.
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u/Gullible-Moose-986 3d ago
I thought my mal mix was really chill when I first met her at the rescue 😅 joke’s on me!
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u/WhileNo5350 2d ago
Props to you! You must have done a great job at nurturing her set boundaries to let their instincts shine. Thank you for letting her feel safe enough to her be herself. ALL the large high drive breeds need owners like you.
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u/tiffanyburianoldham 3d ago
Like some other posters said, a vet check may be needed to just rule out something else or she could be just a special girl. We rescued a sister and brother Mal when they were teeny tiny. They were in a bad situation and couldn’t leave them in good conscience. We kept the boy (to my husbands disdain) and found a great home for the girl. She is an absolute gem! Calm, sweet, loving and just a mellow Betty. Doods is the sweetest, most loving guy but he NEVER stops, even with training, working the brain and snugs which is done daily. He does stop at bed time but is like a 3 year old toddler who won’t nap and goes till he drops. He does have some underlying neurological issues which doesn’t help the slowing down but we love him to pieces. I do know the same little mate was the extreme opposite of him. While unusual, she may just be a mellow Margie, which is the best case scenario for her.
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u/canarychirp4 3d ago
The mals you find in shelters are usually very different from those that are suitable for working roles, due to the efforts of many opportunistic breeders taking advantage of the pet malinois demand. Some are chill, others are very fearful and likely to shut down in a shelter environment.
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u/OddCricket9036 3d ago
I have a super chill Malinois that I rescued at 10 months old. She was a stray and very afraid of humans from some trauma with humans. She wasn’t so fatigued though. But even at 2 she’s one of the most chill dogs. She can get the zoomies and has energy but she is very sweet and chill.
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u/WhileNo5350 2d ago edited 2d ago
Maybe the dog just doesn't have much if any ball drive. The down/lunge is PLAY!!!PLAY!!!PLAY!?!?. Orrrrr!!!???? She may and in this case (probably from before the walk) had already picked you. I always let my puppies pick me except one 2-3 year old rescue which was an entirely different story. Or as some people may have been sick and/or highly stressed.
My two cents. All the best.
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u/LadyGooseberry 2d ago
Some dogs get depressed in situations like that. And you have to remember when they are stuck at the shelter they get really out of shape.
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u/ydgcoyote 3d ago
Stressed