Hey guys,

So I brought home a Blue Heeler Belgian Malinois mix pup to my home. He is currently at 10 weeks old. I've had him for 2 weeks now. The people who I got him from clearly didn't socialize him very well, and it saddens me.

His brothers were very rowdy and jumpy and excitable but Axel was shy, quiet, and hesitant to meet me. I of course fell in love with him rather than the ones jumping all over me. Once Axel sniffed me it's like we immediately bonded.

I took him to the vet the next day to find out he has worms (he had two doses, the last one was a few days ago) and he also got his first set of shots. I called the people I got him from to let them know Axel had worms and the mom and the other pups should be checked out-- not surprisingly I got some rude retort and got hung up on.

In the last two weeks he has come out of his shell just a little bit. He's met other dogs (that their shots have been up to date) and he's doing a lot better. He used to be very fearful of people and now sometimes he'll even bark at passerby's. He's still not 100% sometimes he runs back onto the porch with his tail between his legs, not all the time but the odd few times.

Here are other things I'm working on:

-Nipping: I found that (gently) placing my hand over his snout and saying no biting does not work he just snaps back and gets really upset. I found that clapping my hands together (if he's biting the cat or trying to get at my 5 year old's shirt/hair/etc) or shouting out OUCH and ignoring him for a few seconds works better-- he'll start licking me profusely as if saying "sorry momma". However that was one instance where a woman actually picked him up (a no no in my opinion) and he bit her in the face (tail was between the legs and everything at the time). I told her that Axel has fear issues and picking him up wasn't a good idea. I pick Axel up and he lays his little head on my shoulder-- of course because he trusts me.

-Housebreaking: Only pooped in my house less than 5 times, he now whines when he needs to go out or sits by the door! Hurrah. If I don't pay attention to his cues, however, he will urinate in my home. I don't know how to get him to warn me about peeing outside. Whining catches my attention when I'm cooking, doing laundry-- y'know fun house stuff.

-Separation Anxiety: With his daily alone times (2 hours-- two one hour intervals) he's made a lot of progress. However, if he sees me leave he will whine and it's like as if I completely abandoned him-- this has only happened 2 times (not during the alone times but when I'm off to the store and he sees me from the window leaving).

-Leash Walking: Since he is only 10 weeks old right now he's doing pretty good. He stays at my side although he will stop and do what dogs do-- stop to sniff around.

Axel is still a big momma's boy and I believe in the 2 weeks I've had him he's been making great progress.

However if you can offer any sort of tips about well anything that I've mentioned or more that would be great.

Thanks!

Hello! CUTE puppy! How sweet. I have three dog babies myself, and all three are trained on bells to go outside. I just hang a jingle bell on the back door and they ring it when they need out (just in case I don't hear them whine or don't see them sit by the door)

Are you crating him when he leaves or do you let him roam? I crate all three of mine, and it helped a lot with their separation anxiety. They each have their own crate with a bath rug on the bottom (easy cleanup for the occasional accident) although when they were pups they had puppy pads. Each of them has a white tshirt that I slept with so my scent is on it. They appreciate it, and never soil it or tear it up. I also give them each a kong that has peanut butter stuffed with kibble and then frozen. This keeps them busy for the time I am gone. And they each have water bottles. After a few weeks as pups, the whining went away, and now they love going to their "safe place" when mom has to run out.

With the nipping/biting I used a firm No and took away whatever show, kid, couch they were chewing and replaced it with a dog toy they liked and then rewarded them with praise when they chose the toy over something else.

Hope it helps, and good luck with your sweet baby

Thanks for the response :)

I am not crating him, to be honest I don't want to.

He has his space in my room (much like a corner between furniture) with his bed and favorite toys. He chooses to go there for his quiet time and I gate the room closed.

He'll happily stay there for an hour (sleep more like it) or chew on his stuffed hippo-- his favorite.

I was never a crate fan. I don't know why, but I know personally I couldn't do it. I prefer baby gates.

I did purchase a kong toy which he loves to ignore-- haha! I've filled it with things but I think right now he's too young to really appreciate it. He loves stuffed animals at this point in time.

I will however start replacing whatever he was nipping at with his hippo and praise-- thanks for the tip!

Of course! Crates aren't for everyone. The key, really is providing him with his safe 'Eden's are, which you have. The separation anxiety will improve. All pups go through it.

Lol. 'Den' area... my phone likes to autocorrect fail a lot.

Lol. 'Den' area....my phone likes to autocorrect fail a lot.

Hahaha I thought you meant like a little Eden... like Garden of Eden.. place of peace..

Made sense to me!

Haha whatever works!

My big concern with your situation would be the breeds of this dog.

Belgiun Malinois are very aggressive dogs. They have been bred to be military dogs, and they do their job very well. This breed is not for the faint of heart. They need to be worked, and they need to be worked hard... And "sit" and "stay" is not going to cut it.

Him already biting someone in the face, snapping at you and so on are major concerns that I would be very worried about. If he was any other type of breed/mix, it wouldn't be a huge issue.. but because he is what he is, this is a concern for your safety, your child's safety and anyone who wants to touch your dog or enter your home.

You need to introduce a crate. He needs that kind of discipline. He's fine now because he is still a baby, but entering the "terrible twos", you're going to regret not doing it. Crates keep good dogs good. Its not evil, its not a cage... it's a very valuable training tool. I understand that a lot of people look at crating their dogs as some horrible thing, but in reality, it's the same concept as putting a baby in a crib. It keeps them in one spot, safe and out of trouble.

Blue heelers are very aggressive dogs as well.. They've been bred to round up cattle and not back down. Another breed that needs to be worked and excercised beyond "Sit" and "stay".

So.. the result is.. you have a mixed breed that is mixed with two very aggressive and assertive breeds...

I don't want to scare you away from your dog.. but you need to understand what you are dealing with and treat him properly. Snapping at you, biting another person, acting fearful in new situations are all big no-no's. You need to get him socialized immediately. Start now! Take him with you wherever you go... I know a lot of people are concerned on how their dog is going to act with other dogs, but in reality, your concern needs to be focused on how your dog reacts around other people.

Please read up on the utility of both breeds that make up your dog. Not only will it help you understand how they are to be trained, but you might get a better handle on some of his naughty antics.

Enroll in obedience class. Avoid Petsmart/Petco training. It won't benefit you any. Start planning out now what you plan on doing with your dog for the rest of his life. Unforunatley the Belgian Malinois part of your dog is not going to be a content house pet. And being he is a mix, you can't rule that out.

Thanks for the response Lucky.

I don't want to sound defensive or like some sort of know-it-all b#tch. But I have done my research with both breeds.

The city I live in is quite versatile, this is a place where I can take him on a hike one day, to the beach, to a trail, to downtown, to a walk in the park by the Detroit bridge.

The dogs Axel has socialized with have had their shots, I don't allow him to socialize with strange dogs solely because he only has his first set of shots and the vet advised me not to do so.

As for sit and stay-- he's 10 weeks old, I started with the basics.. clearly I'm not ending it there.

I am the type of person that does stay active, if I wasn't I would've gotten a pug.

As for obedience class he isn't allowed to be enrolled until he has his second set of shots- so until then!

As for his working dog instincts I do plan on redirecting that sort of behavior with agility training.

I do believe you are generalizing Blue Heelers and Malinois, only because my father-in law has a purebred bluey who is honestly the most loving and gentlest dog I have ever known. Yes he has a protective instinct but he hasn't once tried to herd my daughter or I. With great training and keeping him busy with agility games Roger is honestly the dog I hope Axel grows to become.

As for Malinois I've only met one, where the owner stupidly would leave it tied up to a tree for days on end. That dog was a sweetheart but had severe fear aggression when it came to others. Unfortunately he had to be put to sleep since one day he got loose and chased a few grown men down the road-- I believe that's what they deserved for mocking the dog.. but anyway.

I know what I got myself into with Axel, he's no Golden Retriever and I'm glad.

I'm glad you're aware... It just scares me with that breed when people fall in love with the puppy and don't know what they've gotten themselves into.

I'm aware that in generalized him and I apologize, not all dogs grow up to be exactally Breed standard as far as behavior.

I wish you luck with him :-) sounds like you got things covered!

I'm glad you're aware... It just scares me with that breed when people fall in love with the puppy and don't know what they've gotten themselves into.

I'm aware that in generalized him and I apologize, not all dogs grow up to be exactally Breed standard as far as behavior.

I wish you luck with him :-) sounds like you got things covered!

No I get that, there are people that are lazy as heck and get a husky just because of looks-- and then they end up with a very destructive dog and bam there goes the furniture. There are active people that end up getting little Pomeranians because "like omg I can like fit him into my like purse" and then they want to go out for a jog with the little thing dragging behind and it has this poor little look as if it's saying "someone please tell her I'm not a lab!".