Malinois walking durations

Lachevremasquer
Lachevremasquer Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone, I’m planning on getting a Malinois puppy. I live in a flat and I’d like to know how many walks he’ll need and for how long each day. For context, I work shifts: one week I’m on earlies (4am to 12pm) and the next week I’m on lates (12pm to 8pm). My partner works standard day hours (8am to 12pm and 2pm to 6.30pm) and comes home at lunch, of course. I’m just asking out of curiosity as I want my dog to be happy, and I’m keen to provide plenty of physical exercise and mental stimulation.

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    • Kainate
    Kainate Icon representing the flag French
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    There isn't really a one-size-fits-all answer to this question.

    Firstly, it depends heavily on the individual dog; some will be perfectly settled with 2 hours of walking a day, while others will still act like ticking time bombs even with 4 hours under their belt...

    Secondly, it depends on what the walk actually involves. An on-lead walk in town isn't the same as an off-lead run in the countryside in terms of burning energy, and a solo walk isn't the same as walking with other dogs, and so on.

    Here’s a link that sums up the various needs that should be met during a walk quite well: https://hund.fr/actualites/les-differents-types-de-balades/141/

    Finally, the amount of walking time needed also depends massively on what the dog does when they aren't out. A dog that spends all day waiting for its owners in a flat with no external stimulation will need more walks (due to all that pent-up energy) than a dog that is with its owners 24/7 (even in a flat) and spends its time watching them, interacting with them, and so on (which counts as mental stimulation!).

    If I had to give a figure, I’d say don't get this type of dog if you aren't able to give them at least 2 hours of walking a day, with a good portion of that being off-lead. Keep in mind that even this won't be enough to tire out the most high-energy ones to the point where they aren't on edge at home. Above all, avoid getting Malinois from hyperactive or hyper-reactive working lines. Try to find one from a more moderate line—if such a thing even exists anymore.

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    Kikaah
    Kikaah Icon representing the flag French
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    It’s hard to say exactly how many. As often as possible – before heading to work, at lunchtime, when you get back, and before bed. For a puppy, the walks should be short, but you’ll need to take them out more than four times a day for house-training and so on. For an adult, an hour in the morning, 30 minutes at lunch, an hour after work, and 30 minutes in the evening seems about right. After that, it’s up to you to see what fits depending on the dog, the quality of the outings, and all that! ^^
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