An expert dog trainer has issued a warning about a particular dog breed that he believes "is not a family pet". Highly experienced canine expert Jacob Morgan has suggested that the Belgian Malinois, a variety of the Belgian Shepherd breed popularised in the John Wick action films, could be added to the UK's banned dogs list. Currently, the list includes breeds such as the Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, and the Fila Brasileiro.
Jacob, founder of YorkshireCanineAcademy.co.uk, has trained over 2,500 dogs and himself owns a Malinois called Stark, says the breed can be problematic to own, especially for individuals with full-time jobs and without the time to commit to training. He told Wales Online that he had seen five different Belgian Malinois dogs looking to be re-homed in a single week on Facebook, which he found "frightening" as it indicates that people are buying this breed without being able to properly care for them.
The Belgian Malinois is often mistaken for a short-haired German Shepherd and is traditionally a herding dog. Known for being highly intelligent, athletic, and energetic, they have gained popularity through their appearances in films like John Wick and Channing Tatum road comedy Dog. They are also commonly seen leaping over high walls in online videos and working for the SAS and police forces worldwide. The breed can grow to around 30kg and has a life expectancy of 14-16 years.
Jacob emphasised that the Belgian Malinois has a high prey drive and, without adequate socialisation and training, may chase small animals, vehicles, or children. He stated, "I can confidently say the Belgian Malinois is not a family pet, especially if you have a full-time job. It takes thousands of hours of training to make a Belgian Malinois a 'regular dog'."
He further explained that the breed has strong herding and guarding instincts, and genetics make them prone to chasing and biting. If owners do not provide appropriate outlets for their energy, such as the training shown in his videos, the dogs can become anxious and potentially lash out at their owners.
Jacob expressed concern about the current situation surrounding the breed and predicted that it wouldn't be long before the Belgian Malinois is banned altogether. He attributed this potential ban to thoughtless breeders and owners who have not done proper research before acquiring the breed, adding: "“This breed has strong herding and guarding instincts, and genetics make it need to chase and bite things. If an owner is not providing an outlet like the training shown in our video, the dogs can become anxious and lash out at their owners.”
“It’s a perfect storm happening right now and I’m sure it won’t be long until the breed is banned altogether. Through no fault of their own, it will be the fault of the thoughtless breeders and those owners who haven’t done their research properly.”
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