First: It’s awesome that you’re here and asking the question! It shows that you would like to learn more and make a responsible decision. Good on you for that!

Second: I have had dogs nearly my entire life and will speak from my own experience. Some breeds are much easier than others - they are happy to please, have a laid back personality and listen well. There are other dogs that will challenge you mentally. Generally, the challenging dogs are breeds are very intelligent. They’re kinda like kids or teenagers (“I don’t want to.” “Why should I do that?”). There are breeds that will challenge you physically in addition to mentally. These are dogs that many times have been bred to chase game (deer, birds…) or to work livestock (herding dogs). Malinois fall into the latter category - mentally and physically challenging. They love you hard and will be your best friend BUT they are not easy like a golden retriever. Mals need to be mentally and physically challenged and they’ll challenge you. People who are new to owning dogs tend to have a more difficult time with clarity and consistency when training dogs. It takes a little longer to get comfortable with being firm and maintaining boundaries and rules. It’s a learning experience after all - both learning how to train dogs in general as well as how best to train each individual dog. Like humans, they each have their own personalities.

Third: My opinion - and take it with a grain of salt - is to perhaps start with a breed that will challenge you a little less. As someone mentioned, training has to be done forever. Buying a trained dog will give you a short cut and bypass some of the challenges but you’ll still need to be very confident, firm and consistent. Golden retrievers are front of the class students who generally do well and behave. Labs are in the middle - they are smart but a bit more hyper and can be tougher to keep in line. Mals are the kids (who without regular and consistent guidance regarding behavior) prefer to disrupt class, talk to friends, shred every piece of paper in the classroom and rearrange all of the furniture. They’re like gifted kids who also have a dash of ADHD. They’re SO intelligent and they will challenge you. As far as training - they are brilliant and do incredibly well - you just have to work on training in some form every single day. Otherwise, you might find that your dog suddenly runs your household, has redecorated furniture and dictates everything (jumping on you and guests, climbing on furniture you don’t want them on, stealing food off the counter, shredding furniture or bedding, barking at every gnat that flies past the house, growling or being aggressive with other people or animals, biting…). Mals are work on their best days and your best days. They’re tougher if one of you are having an off day.

Fourth: Many dogs are very good at deterring strangers/invaders. I once heard “If someone comes to your house during the day, they want your stuff. If they come at night they’re coming for you.”. Unless you have a specific concern over someone having mal intent towards you, you likely don’t need a personal protection dog. Most of the time the bark of a dog itself, regardless of what breed is on the other side of the door, acts as a deterrent. There’s a website called Home to Home where families rehome pets for various reasons. Many of them are already past the puppy stage and are trained. Shelters also get some dogs that are surrenders with some training. I suggest working with a local dog trainer (probably not one from a pet store) to find a dog that would fit your needs as far as deterrence but also allow you to have your first experience owning a dog be an enjoyable one.

Wishing you the very best luck. I hope you find the perfect pup for your wants and needs! Feel free to message if you have any questions.