If you are a dog owner, you know that there is nothing more important than knowing whether your dog is in good health or not. Making sure that you are taking care of your pet at all times is the only way to make sure he or she stays in good shape. Malinois social life is normally limited so it makes sense for them to live with a human companion. But if your puppy constantly needs to see you, this may indicate he suffers from separation anxiety and will become depressed.
This article will cover what you should do to make sure your dog follows you around the house. This guide will also cover how best to get an older dog who off leash trained and what feeding habits to instil into your Belgian Malinois. This can help prevent issues with behavior and health problems later on in life but also helps you become a better trainer of the breed so that they are easier to train.
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How To Identify Excessive Panting in Belgian Malinois?
The excessive panting is one of the most common problems you will come across when raising a Belgian Malinois and you may even find your puppy doing this while they sleep. To identify panting issues the owners will usually have to watch their dogs in action.
There are two different types of panting, one that occurs on short tires (this is normal) and another type that is much more excessive. This second type of panting is a sign there may be something wrong with your dog’s health and it could be an indication there are genetic problems you need to look into as well.
This excessive panting should not go unnoticed, but if your dog does it consistently then something needs to be done about it as soon as possible. There are basically three things you can do to make sure this does not happen again. The first thing you need to do is visit the vet for some advice about what could be going on with your dog’s health or behavior. Second, keep your dog on a proper diet and make sure he or she gets enough exercise every day. Finally, make sure they have regular walks around at least twice in every day so they get plenty of exercise too!
How To Identify Normal Panting in Belgian Malinois?
Even though excessive panting is not a good thing, frequent and overly excited panting is normal for Belgian Malinois so do not worry about it! It is a natural instinct for dogs to pant in heat and that is how the breed was originally bred. After all, this dog was bred for hunting large prey in the forest so the best way to make sure they can perform at their best is to make sure they have a healthy body during these periods.
So unless your Belgian Malinois constantly has shallow and excessive panting (which you should also take note of), then you do not need to worry about it as much since you will know if something else needs to be done. The fact that they are healthy dogs with a strong working DNA means that they will find respite in their natural habitat during these periods and it is pretty much normal to see your Malinois panting while they sleep.
How To Determine Panting Issues In Belgian Malinois?
The flush reflex happens when your dog’s nostrils get filled with air from sniffing or breathing. When this happens, there are two main outcomes of a flush reflex in Belgian Malinois: there will be deep rapid breathing or shallow rapid breathing. Deep rapid breathing means that there might be an issue with your dog’s respiratory system, such as an infection or some kind of obstruction on their trachea. Shallow rapid breathing means that they just like to pant a lot and this is normal too!
The second possible outcome of the flush reflex is known as tachypnea and this is when the dog’s heart rate goes up. When this happens, your dog may also get excited due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. This usually happens when your dog is panting excessively and it will usually start with them quickly breathing at a high rate of speed followed by snuffling a number of times before taking deep breaths again.
How To Measure Excessive Panting In Belgian Malinois?
Following are the two things you need to look at when measuring excessive panting in Belgian Malinois:
Exaggerated Breathing Rate: Measure how many times your dog takes a deep breath in a minute. The normal breathing rate for a dog is around 10-20 breaths a minute but if your dog is panting excessively, their breathing rate will be lower than this. When you notice your dog is panting this quickly, it is likely that they have some kind of sickness or illness that will cause them to pant in excessive amounts. A condition known as hyperventilation can make your dog pant excessively especially if the panting does not stop after the first few minutes of physical activity where they are normally able to breathe well.
Coolness of Your Dog’s Nose: You can also tell if there is something wrong with your Belgian Malinois by checking their nose secretions. If they have thick and sticky secretions coming from their nose then there might be an issue with something they are eating or drinking as well as an infection or other illness going on inside their body too. If you detect thick stuff coming out of their nose, bacterial infections may also cause dogs to twitch and shudder for short periods of time too!
How To Reduce Panting In Belgian Malinois?
The below tips are some of the best ways you can reduce excessive panting from happening in your Belgian Malinois:
Get To Know What Is Causing Your Dog To Pant
You need to understand what is causing your dog to pant excessively so you know how to deal with it effectively. If they are panting more than they usually do, you need to make sure that they are getting enough nutrients and water. If you pet them more than usual, this might help too although it is important that you don’t overdo the petting so try not to do it too quickly. It’s also important that your dog doesn’t experience any kind of distress while making sure that they have plenty of water and a balanced diet rich in protein, calcium and other vitamins.
Keep You Dog’s Environment Clean
Belgian Malinois have a strong sense of smell so if you notice that their breath has a bad odor or smells like something is not right about their coat, you need to look for the source. Giving your dogs a bath every week will help them to stay clean and prevent them from licking themselves excessively. You can also do this once in a while throughout the year as some Malinois love to take mud baths and get into all sorts of crazy things to play with as well.
Feed Them Plenty Of Green Vegetables
If they eat plenty of green vegetables, they should be able to keep dry and healthy hair by staying hydrated. This will also help them not sweat so much when they are working out because the vegetables are full of potassium which helps muscles contract and relax more effectively along with other vitamins and minerals.
Include Green Vegetables In Their Daily Diet
Try adding more green vegetables to their everyday diet which will help them to use their muscles more efficiently as well as preventing them from shivering too much in the winter. They should be able to stay hydrated with all of the green vegetables and vitamins and minerals these foods contain.
Clean Them With Plenty Of Laundry Soap
Giving them a daily bath using some laundry soap is also a great way to keep their coat smooth and clean. It will also help them not to sweat or pant as much if they have excess stress. They can be bathed once or twice a week if they are kenneled. You can then let them dry off without worrying about their coat too much because the soap will help strip away their natural oils so they won’t produce so much of it.
Feed Them Plenty Of Calcium
There are a lot of different sources of calcium so don’t worry about what you feed them, just get them plenty of it. Calcium helps to prevent hip dysplasia (MD) and should be fed daily to help keep their joints and muscles strong and healthy. The more calcium they have in their body, the less they will be able to feel pain or discomfort in the joints.
The ideal amount of calcium that your Malinois needs everyday is 1,000 mg which is equal to 2 glasses of milk. This amount can be found in many different kinds of food. If your Malinois seems to be uncomfortable or its hips are aching, there could very well be a problem with their diet so you need to take a closer look at what they are eating and increasing the amount while looking out for supplements if they need more calcium than usual.
Final words on Malinois Panting
Sometimes panting can be a sign of something like a recent injury or an underlying medical condition. Some dogs have bad breath and this is very common, especially in older dogs. Tooth problems also cause them to pant so they need to go see the vet and do x-rays to look at their teeth. If they are not painful at all, then you need to take them to the vet to rule out hip dysplasia or dental problems.
You will never want your Malinois to be in pain and that’s why it’s very important for you as their owner and trainer/handler to work with them since most of the times their panting can be attributed to one of the above mentioned medical conditions which are harmful for them.
