9 M/O Belgian Malinois Lunged at and bit arm while training

[markinro]

I have a 9 month old Belgian Malinois. We are training in I.P.O/ schutzhund. We haven't even come close to decoy work or sleeve. We have only worked on out commands when it comes to toys.
I was just working his "Sit stay" and right when I was about to release him he lunged at my arm and bit it with a loud bark. He thankfully didn't break skin.
I hold his reward toy in my left hand, use my right for signal. After he went into a sit and stayed I waited maybe 5 seconds about to release him when this happened.
I am very concerned. His great grandfather was put to sleep for mauling his owner.
I am training with two awesome trainers in my area who I have contacted.
I just want to know if anyone has had a situation like this with their working dog, and how they moved passed it, or if they just ended up putting theirs down? Or gave it back to their breeder?
Thanks!

 

[glorifiedmission17]

@markinro Honestly I don't think anyone online is going to be able to give you any good advice for your situation. 1) most people on here have zero experience with the intensity or training methods of IPO dogs. 2) you are already working with trainers that know your dog that will be more equipped to help you. 3) no one here saw this happen, and it could be that the dog was aiming for the toy, you moved or the dog miss aimed and hit your arm by accident. A dog missing the toy and biting you instead isn't anything to worry about--it only means that you had a wrong placement for the toy, not that the dog is aggressive.

A single incidence isn't a reason to give up a dog. More likely, I think there is probably something wrong with how you were executing the exercise or how you trained it to begin with, but you need someone in person to watch you and see what the problem might be.

 

[alexandru]

@glorifiedmission17 Seconded this. There's so many things this could have been. Was your dog over threshold? Frustrated from holding the sit stay? Is he getting enough outlet for the ol' maligator biting instinct? Was he aiming for the toy? Was he just excited and showing that through the most excited way he could? Was it in response to something else that happened? Was it something you did (without knowing)? There's about a million things that we over the internet cannot hope to guess.

Those two real world trainers can help you more. Are either of them experienced with IPO and mals? They will be able to tell you WAY better. My instinct from just what you've said is this is just a Mal being a Mal, but there's so many things we don't know, that these trainers will. If you haven't already, explain your concerns with this behavior and that of his lineage and see what they have to say.

 

[markinro]

@alexandru After discussing with my trainer, we came to the conclusion he was just being a playful A-hole. (haha in a Maligator way) Which I took care of right then. After training today he was a doll! Very careful not to get mom so I think he is going to be fine. Thank you for your response and your support.
I am training with two amazing trainers who both specialize in Mals and both have competed extensively in IPO and Schutzhund.

 

[markinro]

@glorifiedmission17 As I replied below we came to the decision he was being a jerk, in a playful way.
I'm not ever going to give my boy up, I just wanted to see what/if other people have done those things in situations like that.
He knew and saw that I had his toy in the other hand, and bit at the one that clearly didn't have the toy. (A** hole haha)
Thank you for the support!

 

[tippymoondawg]

@markinro Well they are nicknamed Malagators for a reason. A protection type of Mal is an intense beast and I can easily imagine a 9 month pup doing what you described. They are incredibly challenging because they are so intense and sensitive. It's all about channeling that drive and correcting poor behavior carefully. Be sure that the trainers you have contacted understand the Malinois personality because the wrong one could easily mess up your dog.

 

[markinro]

@tippymoondawg Haha yes they are! It just really took me off guard that he would do that. Thankfully I believe I took the right course of discipline with him, not enough to ruin him.
Both my trainers have raised mals and one breeds them.
He was a dream today in training (thank goodness) and was so careful and more intensely driven to make sure he did the right thing and not F-up.

 

[boodskapper]

@markinro 9 months seems late for bite work, but I suppose that depends on how much training is going on. No one on this sub will be able to help much, you'll really have to setup a plan with the other IPO guys you work with.

 

[jmh]

@markinro Dude you are training your dog in a protection sport and if you have a dog with protection history it's going to happen. Nipping at you while you have a toy isn't a surprise. I have cuts, scrapes and scratches all over my body from working IPO, ring and KNPV dogs. Not really possible to give you advice based on what you posted but if you have a high drive Mal it's to be expected. If you're working with a dog that he solid nerves, can turn on/off and listens you'll be fine as long as the trainers know what they are doing.

 

[joseph124]

@markinro I would proceed VERY cautiously with a dog known to lash out like that out of frustration/irritation. That sounds like a behavior that stems from his genetics and temperament, if it's not something that he's learned. It could get worse as he matures and goes through hormonal changes. Is he fixed? That would be my first step, if he isn't.

 

[saintslass]

@markinro First imo off you should not be training a dog with that kind of history in it's line for schuthund/IPO that's just a bad idea? No matter how far back it was? Secondly IPO is serious shit, you can't teach it correctly and safely without a club/mentor or serious experience behind you. Since you're asking this here I can assume you don't have either. Please go find some professionals and join and learn from them instead of trying to ask strangers on the internet. Please

Advice on the subject: The issue you described was frustration, the dog wanted the toy but you/your command was holding him back. If this was a pet I could give you advice but since this dog is for working I cannot give you advice that would aid your dog in keeping his drive.