Two weeks with an Ex-Police Malinois

[brembo]

It's difficult to integrate a new dog into a home. Difficult in any sort of situation, especially so when the resident dog is the dog of your dreams.

Banjo is a rescue, does not conform to the breed physically and lacks some of the hard aspect that GSDs are renown for. He's slowly going blind (pannus) and can be a bit nervy at times. However, his worldview (for lack of a better term) is wonderful. All is wondrous and full of joy to him. He wakes up wagging his tail and is just a gentle soul. Not a clingy, needy type of happy but a genuinely content vibe. People rub on him because he puts people at ease....that kind of rock steady "I'm calm and collected so scratch my ears" wavelength.

Now toss in a hard, driven Malinois into that home and who can predict what's going to happen. When I say this dog is hard I mean carbon-tipped, she (Peppy) does things because that's what she is supposed to do. Give her a command and a sucking chest wound MIGHT make her flinch. Not quite a polar opposite of Banjo, but getting very close.

Take a 90 pound softie GSD, add 60 pounds of Malinois buzzsaw and I guarantee that even a lifelong cynic will crack a smile. Watching these two play makes me giggle. Pappy can run under Banjo, she has to stand on her back legs to nip at his neck. Slow her down? Yeah, not so much. They go at it hard with much jawing and general vocalizations. Power(Banjo) versus speed (Peppy) and it's a draw, neither seem to dominate. Peppy's neck is usually the wettest after a session. Banjo is often the one running away tho, with Peppy going after his haunches. I watched Peppy slide across the whole living room, propelling herself with just her front legs while hanging onto Banjo's butt. Banjo has a particular prance when he's having too much fun, I see that stance and I know all is well in doggie-land (maybe not for the house, but okay for him). When the walls shake and it sounds like a WCW match is going on in the kitchen I'll pop in and both dogs will stop and look at me, ears back with a look of "What?! we are just messin around". I see lots of wide open mouths and doggie smiles now. They mesh very nicely.

I was concerned that a new dog would somehow change the relationship that Banjo and I have forged over the years. If Peppy had decided to go all dominant and jealous it would have been a real bummer. I lucked out I guess and Banjo kept his top dog slot, and since he's such a softie Peppy gets all the attention she needs/wants from me with minimal jealousy from Banjo. He is content, that makes me very happy.

Now Peppy....a white-hot ball of energy. Her musculature is daunting, currently hidden by a bit of fat. We are learning to live with each other, and it's going well. I do not think that her previous life was one of great affection, mutual respect for sure, but I don't think massage sessions and meticulous brushing and grooming were the norm. She gets sooooo excited when I isolate a muscle group and massage the snot out of it. If I rub her ears for more than a few moments her jaws go ballistic and chatter, she's about to explode from excitement. She snuggles with the same verve and ferocity that she completes her commands with, I have the bloody lips to prove it. Peppy has one setting right now, that's redline. She goes to eleven.

My approach to dogs has always been laid back. Dogs are dogs and will do things that vex humans. They get dirty and chew on bizarre things and get underfoot, but hey they ARE dogs eh? I have had many people say NILIF is the way to deal with the furry little demons. I agree to an extent, but I have my own reservations about some aspects. I do NOT, EVER withhold food or affection. The dogs get food and loving even if I am so mad that I could spit, dogs don't do stuff to "get even" or do things simply to be naughty. I shoot for a stress free living environment. If the dogs are getting food and pack stimulus they are less stressed and more prone to learning what is proper and what is not. If the dogs do something "bad" it's my fault as an owner for allowing that to happen.

All that being said, Peppy does not get this yet. Her life prior to me was a strict NILIF existence. I have kept that up around dinner time and training her for life indoors and boy-howdy does it work in terms of getting the desired outcome. I housebroke her in all of 4 or 5 days, it was painless. Yet, the onus of having to "perform" to get food and attention is evident. She obsesses over her training Kong and vents frustration by chewing with everything she's got. Last few days I have seen it laying about, dry, meaning that she is less stressed. I can toss it to her now for awhile and when I am done she'll drop it and laze about with Banjo. I like to think she's seeing Banjo be worry free and riding that wavelength with him. She no longer paces and whines looking for a job to do. It helps that I will just give her a piece of beef for no reason while she is relaxing. She is learning to relax, but is still ready to go at the drop of a hat.

Like I mentioned before Banjo is calm and content. He does things that are at seeming odds. He will come up to me, lean against me and look away from me. If I rub him or speak he'll walk off. All he wants at that point is to lean on me, I can say "hey Bud" but go beyond that and he'll break contact. I think of it as a dog's version of holding hands and being quiet, extreme doggie-intimate friendly. This behavior drives Peppy insane, she must be picking up on the dichotomy of his actions and posture. She barks and whines. I can instantly stop the barking with a command, but I am trying to avoid that. A quiet "shhhhh" is beginning to make inroads thankfully.

Peppy is going to be an amazing dog. She listens in the heat of battle, has a depth of personality that has to be seen to appreciate and from all evidence thus far is dying to be a companion as well as a working animal. My job as I see it is to make it clear that all is not work in this house. I want to make it so that she is free to be what she needs to be. We are working on exactly what that is going to be. I look forward to the personality that develops, I know it's going to be forceful.

Good lord, this is a long post. Sorry.

[JanaeUlva]

Love your entertaining and visual stories, your logic and your doggy intuitiveness Lucky dogs be Banjo and Peppy Keep writing!

[Zisso]

I truly enjoy reading your stories about Banjo and Peppy. They are indeed lucky to have you! I agree, you Must keep writing. Your insights and thoughtfulness is a breath of fresh air and personally, I find them enlightening

[brembo]

One real head scratcher here tho. Peppy will NOT eat raw chicken. Lightly sauteed, she tears it up. Not a real issue, but it seems weird that a carnivore would spit out chicken tenderloins. I just cook an extra portion for her, Banjo gets his chicken while I'm cutting mine up for my dinner. I hand it to him and he ever so gently nibbles it from my hand, I say "out" and he goes and waits in the living room for the remainder of his meal.

[Snickelfritz]

I just love reading this story. Thank you for sharing. Please keep going!

[bianca]

Agree with the above, please keep writing!

[Fast]

I'm glad you are enjoy Peppy. And It's great that she has found a home that recognizes her differences from a GSD and respects that. And thanks for giving her such a great home a retired service dog.

Another Malinois disproving the myth that Malinois can't live in a normal household.