How To Build Self Esteem and Confidence in Your Belgian Malinois
Building self-esteem and confidence in your Malinois should begin in puppyhood. Puppies who haven’t been socialized with people or unfamiliar environments may become apprehensive later in their life. Getting the puppy into as many unfamiliar places as possible early on helps build self-esteem and confidence. The Malinois’ first year of learning is very important as situations both good and bad will be imprinted in their memories. It’s up to humans to make the good far outweigh the bad. This is what builds self-esteem and confidence in your Malinois.
“Letting It Go” Builds Self-Esteem and Confidence in Malinois
Some Malinois owners overdo do the need for correction. This can inhibit the Malinois’ ability to feel good about itself. Correction should be firm and let go quickly. Putting too much attention on the unwanted behavior can lead to the Malinois doing “bad” things just to get your attention. Negative attention is still attention and not an easy or fast fixed habit. If you let go of the bad things and put more emphasis on the good things the Malinois learns this pleases you. It will then seek to please you each time.
Praise and Reward Builds Self-Esteem and Confidence
The more praise you give your Malinois when it successfully complies with a command the more happiness the K9 will feel. Malinois dogs are naturally eager to please their owners. Sometimes we take them for granted and don’t praise them enough. You are your Malinois’ only best friend. Letting your K9 know you love and care for it is as simple as saying “good”. The tone you hold when speaking also matters. If you have a deep or monotone voice sweetening your tone to a loving level cues the Malinois in that it’s a good gesture. It’s like saying please and thank you to other humans. Malinois dogs become even more eager to please when they know there’s something in it for them, like a special treat or toy they enjoy playing with.
Bonding and Attention Builds Self Esteem and Confidence in Malinois Dogs
Malinois dogs require not only attention but affection too. They like to made to feel part of the family unit. This helps them understand their role and their purpose in your life. Without bonding and attention, they wouldn’t understand their role. Malinois thrive on working in cooperation with you. That can be as easy as letting it be your best cuddle buddy. Properly caring for your K9 lets your Malinois know it matters to you. When the Malinois feels loved and welcomed it will grow in self-esteem and confidence. Malinois who don’t get enough attention can become bored from a lack of stimuli and may become destructive. Malinois can also become sad and depressed if left unattended or under-engaged in their environment.
Once you’ve worked to help build self-esteem and confidence in your Malinois- you can slowly introduce new people and new environments successfully with no issues. Apprehension comes when theMalinois doesn’t trust your instincts over their own. Never force a Malinois into a place or toward a person it is adamant to avoid.
