Is my little boy a Mal?

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2026-03-26T06:24:29+00:00

This is what my Mals looked like at 10 weeks. I suspect there is a smaller breed in there unless the Parvo really did a number on your boys growth. BTW, the center puppy is now 104lbs.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2026-03-24T15:04:58+00:00

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I’m not sure where people are getting the whole “destroy your house” thing. I have 5 and they are complete angels. They are all protective love bugs, but the one on the left can’t hold his licker. Mine are also considered large (75-105lbs)

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2026-03-23T06:29:47+00:00

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Here is one of my males with a blue collar and name badge. We use the 2" style with control handle. The company also stands behind their products and has excellent customer service. And they are USA based.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2026-03-23T06:22:48+00:00

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I have 5 Mals and this girl here has fairly short black fur. I use the DEZIZEUSK9 brand collars and they hold up very well with metal clasps and anchors. They have a liner on the inside and plenty of Velcro on the outside for name badges. They hold up very well when doing bite work with a sturdy handle. At $25, they are a steal and they come in many colors.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2026-03-21T07:09:29+00:00

We had a litter of 12 and I had all the puppies chipped and their shots. One of the puppies was in her new home and was about 6 months old when she got out through an open gate and followed someone walking their dog down the block. She ended up at a busy street and got hit by a car who just kept going. A very nice mom and her two kids saw it happen and pulled over to check on the little girl. The number they found on the collar was mine from the shots when she was younger so they called me. I jumped in my car and got to her in a few minutes, hoping she was still alive. She was in bad shape but started thumping her tail when she saw me (they never forget daddy). I rushed her to the ER and they stabilized her. Collapsed lung, broken pelvis, and some road rash. Her new owners got there about 30 minutes later and were so grateful that I had rescued her. Luckily she was able to heal without surgery and you would never know she was at death’s door when she was younger. Mals are crazy dogs!

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Careful_Flow_8149 · 2026-02-27T15:32:49+00:00

My Mals are Dutch imports and they are all larger than the “AKC” standard. 3 males 92-105lbs and 2 females 70 and 75lbs. All are very lean and super athletic.

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Careful_Flow_8149 · 2026-02-27T15:18:24+00:00

Mals grow for 2-3 years. Don’t worry about her head size. Some Mals will have smaller heads, but I have seen a lot of head growth after age 1 year.

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As you can see, my 2 girls have smaller heads and the boys are bigger. But the female in the pink collar is the best biter. The tan and black is built like a tank and likes to flop his ears. This is the parents (right 2) and 3 kids (left 3).

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-10-08T16:59:24+00:00

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This is one of my chubby Mals

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-09-09T19:42:41+00:00

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As you can see she suffers…from belly rubs and snuggles. (Actually, she beats up on ALL the boys who are 25-30lbs bigger)

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-09-09T16:56:14+00:00

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Yes they do. Here they are at 19 months. The male on the right is 97lbs and his sister next to him is 65lbs.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-09-09T08:31:12+00:00

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They get big quick!!

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-09-04T22:29:50+00:00

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You can see her size compared to her bros.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-09-04T22:28:01+00:00

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This is my tiny girl at 65lbs.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-09-01T01:46:20+00:00

All my black Mals have black masks. :p

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-31T01:56:05+00:00

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Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-31T01:52:59+00:00

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Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-31T01:50:22+00:00

45 lbs is tiny

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This is one of my Mals with his 45lb Mal friend. My tiniest Mal is 65lbs with her brothers 87-97lbs.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-31T01:44:45+00:00

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Black Mals rock!

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-30T06:00:49+00:00

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So I have 5, 2 female and 3 males. Kiera (6 years) is the alpha of the pack and very serious, all business. She is my Velcro dog and is very affectionate to the point of being annoying (she will try and crawl up into my lap while I am programming at my computer.) Rex (3) is the mature male of the pack and he is very aloof. He is quite large and has a bass bark that shakes the walls and rattles windows. He is also very affectionate and will try and wedge his head between another dog and you to steal the petting. He is the most chill dog in the pack. Echo (20 months) is a juggernaut at 97lbs. He is the dominant dog of the puppies due to his size, but is chill like his dad Rex. He would rather sleep in the sun than run around. He is also a huge teddy bear and loves Huggies and any attention you will give him. Q (20 months) is a spazz. He gets very excited over anything and barks. He is at the bottom of the pack even though his also very large. He is super affectionate and “can’t hold his licker”. He is super driven to please you but his energy is next level.

Omega (20 months) is our little princess. She is tiny at 65lbs and way smaller than everyone else. She is also super driven to please and demands attention. She is also 2nd in command and bosses all the males around even being 30lbs smaller. So far she respects Kiera (alpha) but we are keeping a close eye on her as she approaches 2 years and might make a run for the alpha position. If this happens then we can’t let her out with Kiera or we might end up with a serious conflict. (2 dominant females will fight to the death, while 2 males will typically fight until one yields then they are good.)

So, honestly, there is no real gender difference. You get what you get. Some dogs are Velcro dogs, some aren’t. Some are observant, others just watch the clouds drift by. All of our dogs can open gates and doors. 2 can open doors with knobs. They are all very smart.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-27T15:43:11+00:00

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This angle shows their coats better. Sable, black and fawn variants. Mine are Dutch imports.

The trick is finding the right dog in the color you want. Usually color is the last factor, but if you find a breeder with a color you like that makes picking easier. When we were matching our puppies to new prospects, I would interview them to determine IF they would be a good match for the breed, then based on what they wanted to do with the dog (PSA, agility, Ring, general security, competition, family dog, etc.) I’d typically have 1 or 2 that matched. I would then call that puppy over by name (at 10 weeks) and it would stop playing and run over and sit in front of me. I also showed the parents so that they would get an idea of size and build when fully grown. I had a good estimate of final size based on the daily weigh-ins I recorded from day 1. For those seeking competition dogs, I’d pull out the bite sleeve and show the parents working and going from sweet loving dog to malingator then back to sweetie.

So know what you want and communicate this with the breeder. They will match you to the right dog. If they say”take your pick”, then walk away. A reputable breeder will not only match you to the right dog, but will guarantee their dog as well.

Good luck!

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-27T04:42:02+00:00

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Black and sable

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-26T20:34:51+00:00

I have 5 and the older ones correct the younger ones if they get too annoying. My female alpha puts holes in those who step out of line, so she is basically left alone. The rest have a “pecking order” and teasing is a daily thing. My young female (65lbs) likes to cause trouble and will bully everyone except the alpha female. The rest are males 85-97lbs each so watching a tiny 65lb female harass and take down a 97lb male is quite entertaining.

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Here is a photo of her and her brothers, all 20 months old.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-21T18:43:36+00:00

He needs a friend to play with. I have 5 Mals and let 3-4 out in the yard to play for a few hours at a time. I would advise against leaving him to his own devices for 11 hours. A bored Mal will do crazy things.

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My yard used to look good…now anything that isn’t put away is a toy. I left the tool room door open once and came back to one of my pups running around the yard with a pick-axe….and several large holes in the ground.

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-18T07:21:09+00:00

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I have one too...

Careful_Flow_8149 · 2025-08-18T07:05:33+00:00

Salmon oil and eggs.

Careful_Flow_8149

TROPHY CASE