If you are looking at purchasing a new Belgian Malinois puppy, congratulations! You are about to embark on a grand adventure and build a relationship with your dog that will last the rest of his life. But before you take that leap to dog ownership, there are some things to know about the temperament of the Belgian Malinois and how those aspects of the dog's personality can affect your life and your home.

The Belgian Malinois is a terrific dog for people who have a lot of experience with dogs. The owner should know how to train a dog using methods other than harsh punishment, and the owner should also be aware of techniques for socializing the Belgian Malinois. This last part is the most important, because if the Belgian Malinois is not properly socialized, he can become shy or even aggressive towards people and animals he doesn't know.

Socializing your Belgian Malinois starts at home. Begin by training the puppy yourself, and by introducing him or her to the members of your family. The Belgian Malinois should be introduced to children very slowly, and one child at a time should be introduced before the puppy will be able to handle more than one child. Once the dog has been introduced to each child individually, he can meet two and then three children. Finally, he can be around all of them, but always supervised. The quick movements and loud noises that children make can scare or intimidate the Belgian Malinois, or he could become overly excited during play and jump up on a child and knock him over. It is never appropriate to allow your children to be alone with a dog until they are older.

Also be sure to follow the appropriate precautions when introducing the Belgian Malinois to your family pets. The puppy should be able to learn to live and cohabitate with other animals, provided that he is very young when he is introduced to them. Of course, if you decide to get another pet later on, the Belgian Malinois can be successfully introduced at an older age, but this process will take more time because of the dog's already set ways.

The Belgian Malinois should be taken to puppy obedience classes from a young age. Also, he should attend puppy kindergarten. Both of these activities will help him become socialized and he will learn how to act around other dogs. Next, take him to places like dog parks or other areas where there are strange people and pets. This will also help him socialize appropriately.

As is true with any dog breed, proper socialization is important to make the Belgian Malinois a well-rounded dog that does not fear other people or animals. He will be a happier, healthier, and better acting dog once he has been socialized.