Skip to Navigation

Life With a Malinut

Athletics

Running
Malinois have one speed—overdrive. A Malinois sitting still is a rare sight indeed.
Leaping
When Malinois are not running, they are leaping. Never content to step gracefully up stairs or onto furniture, they prefer “alternative” methods, including but not limited to: springing over the back of the couch to get to the front, pouncing on unsuspecting sleeping people, effortlessly leaping over backyard fences—sometimes balancing on top just to make sure you’ve noticed, and bouncing into your arms in sheer joie d’vivre.
Clacking & Clomping
Clacking or “air snapping” is defined as a rapid snapping of the teeth producing a distinctive CLACK sound. The hallmark of a successful clack is that the dog does not actually make contact with the person or object that is causing the excitement. Clomping is an attempted clack that goes awry. A clomp is an unintentional collision…usually mid-air…between the dog’s head and/or teeth and your body.
Anything (else) involving the mouth or TEETH!
The Malinut is incredibly hard on toys. Some of the things that they enjoy (and last more than 30 seconds) include: Kongs (esp. water kong), Hucks, Hurleys, & Ziscs, Orbees, Everlasting Treat Balls, and Ruff Dawg Sticks and Rocks. You can find most of these toys at the SitStay Store, Clean Run Store, or Helping Udders (a % goes to Malinois Rescue if you mention it when ordering). Most Malinois also love to play with tennis balls—the fresher the better—and any other “sports” balls, but these and all toys should be supervised with a Malinois. Regular tennis balls have a grit additive in the felt that makes them abrasive to teeth, so consider buying dog tennis balls that do not have this grit. Think very carefully before buying any toy small enough to fit under your couch.

Intellectual

Mind Games
Two favorite mind games include, “I meant to do that!” and “That is absolutely not my fault!” Both of which consist of the Malinois making appropriate facial expressions to indicate that, no, I did not run into the door by accident, it was a carefully crafted test of geometric principles—and, no, I was not the one who distributed kleenex around your living room—perhaps you’d better question the fish!

About

The Malinut Page is the product of Jona Decker and the 'Nuts of south central Wisconsin.

Contact

Email me