Dog bared teeth twice and growled

[Roma1219]

OK so need some opinions. I got a puppy mali x german shepherd. She is going to be fairly big. She is now 7 months old, we have trained her to a point that people are astounded. Hand fed from 10 weeks old. Last week, two different occasions She has bared her teeth and growled at my 13 year old daughter giving her a treat. I now have no confidence in dog not being in same room as me with kids. She won't do it with me or when I'm in same room. Dog trainer said this is her temperament. Just how she is. Don't give treats. But who's to say this behaviour wont extend to her toys or if she is tired or hot. I want to rehome with a friend with no kids but my kids don't want her to go and just the mention of it sends them into tears. Feels like a ticking time bomb if I keep her though

She is a 6 and a half month puppy. I don't think you know what your talking about. Of course they play!!
But like a PP said, it shouldn’t be excessive otherwise they can get overstimulated, overtired and generally unpleasant.

Mali is nothing like a gsd. Cant be compared in temperament, build or intelligence
I disagree.
A mal is like a GSD on coke.

Tbh, a lot of the herding breeds are pretty similar.

Take the German shepherd, the Belgian Shepherd (inc the Malinois), the Dutch shepherd, the Border collie and the Kelpie.
They all share quite similar traits.

All five are very high energy dogs, all are extremely motivated by movement and highly prey driven, all are very sensitive, all are very handler focussed and biddable, all are typically high strung with a tendency to be nervous, all tend to be quite aloof towards strangers and other dogs at maturity, all are incredibly easy to amp up and overstimulate, all four are often noise sensitive...

The collie and Kelpie rarely have much guarding instinct but the German, Belgian and Dutch were all bred as dual purpose guarding and herding dogs originally.

When we got our rescue pup the rescue would it let us have the GSD cross we enquired about as novice owners with kids and I now see how very right they were to do that. We can barely cope with the dog we did get despite thinking we were well prepared. The GSD would have finished us off for sure.

Bit late to this . I've got a mali crossed with a whippet of all breeds. She shows mainly malinois behaviour.
Very protective, needs plenty of time off lead as well as on lead walks. 2 hours off lead a day. We then play brain training games and agility.
When I got her , rescue at 18 months I did have to feed her by hand as she didn't know how to eat out of a food bowl.
Yes she's very intense. Continuously noses me for attention. Can be barky which has been handy of late as nearly burgled .
If over stimulated she's mental.
Your pup is only 7 months. I am no way an expert on this but sounds as if you a) need a new behaviouralist/trainer b) she's over stimulated with walks , games etc.
A malinois is hard work. I didn't realise how hard, mixed with a GSD . Ouch.
But plus points mine is loyal, loving and easy to train. They like to please. The neighbours actually don't mind that she jumps and walks along the walls outside their houses,
Bare in mind you will , if you decide to keep the dog, need to go over the top with securing your garden. Mine jumped up at the shed, ricocheted off the shed to jump a 6ft fence into next doors garden. All for a squirrel.
Love her to bits even if she can be a twat.
I remember meeting a chap out on a walk. He had a pure malinois . When chatting and asked what breeds she was . I listed mali, whippet, greyhound and staff. His face was a picture of what a mali wasn't enough.
Good luck with what ever you decide, you've had some good advice

Do you have experience with Malinios as a breed? Have you had any type of shepherd before?
They are not an easy breed they are not for everyone and I say this as an owner of a Malinios
They are favored by the military for a reason they are not meant to be family pets

You need to find a trainer that specialises in this breed there are some about

How much do you excersise her?
Hiding her food in the evening is going to cause you a problem as is hand feeding
she is hungry this breed eat way more than you think at uner 18 months way more than any dog food will say you should feed them as they are such an active breed
She is likely panicking around food just give her her dinner

If she is being trained daily and being walked enough then she shouldn't need the added stimulation of hiding her food

Malinios are not a family dog they are a one person, hearding breed bred in general for aggression in protection training and the military very few are bred as pets

I think getting a dog and expecting it to be a guard dog and gentle family pet at the same time is fraught with danger. Better just to get a well bred black Labrador that can give a decent warning bark.

This cross isn’t suitable for a family home apart from maybe in very experienced hands. I don’t have children and the idea of this dog being around your children makes me nervous. I got a whippet because they’re great companion dogs and get on pretty well with everyone. Even so he still gives a pretty good warning bark for a medium sized dog.

@Roma1219 deep breath time! Come and join us in the Facebook group Belgian Malinois UK. This can be pretty common behaviour in Malis and you MUST nip it in the bud. There is a fantastic wealth of knowledge among the group and people there to help you. Once you join, ask the admin Marcus for help - he’s a behaviourist who specialises in Mali behaviour and has trained the worst of the worst.

Blimey the dog is only 7 months old give it a chance sometimes baring teeth is not always a sign of aggression my Mali does it when i play with her & her rubber bone if you google it it could be a submissive grin you have to look at the body language at the time the dog does it as well

ZOMBIE ALERT!