Belgian Malinois puppies

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Belgian Malinois puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and it will need a job to do long before it needs long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip and elbow dysplasia, screened by hip and elbow evaluation of breeding stock
• Progressive retinal atrophy, a gradual degeneration of the retina, picked up by an ophthalmologist evaluation
• Cataracts, a clouding of the lens, found on a veterinary eye exam
• Pannus and other chronic eye conditions, monitored by regular eye examinations
• Joint injury from repetitive high impact work, so growth plates should be respected before heavy jumping

From Belgian Malinois breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/belgian-malinois/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Belgian Malinois puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Belgian Malinois.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 18.1 to 36.3 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other large breeds

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