# Tooley Lou, 20 weeks (Mal)



## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Our most recent training video 

https://vimeo.com/89264593

She's really been testing me as a trainer, but the little victories are starting to pay off.

Plus, who can say no to that face?


My little Mini Mal is 23 and a half pounds!




She sure is a pretty little thing.




And so proud.


Thanks for looking


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## GSDAlphaMom (Jul 20, 2010)

What a pretty girl!!


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Boy, you can just see those wheels turning in her head!!! She's gorgeous!


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## Athena'sMom (Jan 9, 2014)

She is so stunning!


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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

She is so pretty! I love her little body! :wub:


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

She's super photogenic 

"She's really been testing me as a trainer, but the little victories are starting to pay off." How so? Just curious, you don't have to elaborate


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

ayoitzrimz said:


> She's super photogenic
> 
> "She's really been testing me as a trainer, but the little victories are starting to pay off." How so? Just curious, you don't have to elaborate


She's crazy independent. Luring is a no-go for her, for the most part. If it's not her idea, it's not going to happen. I'm much more used to a dog that pushes into me for working and is almost a bit more "needy", but she is much more self motivated. Plus, her drive is through the roof INSANE, so if I don't figure out her source of motivation, she can get frustrated easily. She is a very powerful little thing already, so using a bit of frustration once we get her motivation figured out will probably work in my favor. 

We are working a lot more on bonding and general engagement recently


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

We have a Mal (note the "a" .. apparently East Texas is not big Mal country) at our local AKC training club. Fairly young, but nowhere near the level of gorgeousness of your baby. As in on the far end of the scale from gorgeous. Was doing an agility demonstration (they used several dogs at different stages of expertise). She was a little all over the place, but I think even tho her dad was probably 6'5" tall .. he couldn't get to places fast enough to prompt her what to do next so she just did what she wanted.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Beautiful little girl! Looking at her pictures and those eyes you can tell she always thinking.


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## Jakesworld (Mar 4, 2014)

Great pics GatorDog!! Beautiful poses. I really LOVE the one on the rocks!


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## lorihd (Nov 30, 2011)

pretty girl, love how her body is put together, nice development of muscle. When she is full grown, be careful, she might mow you down, lol


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Try using bits of natural balance (the lamb kind is best). Feed her only during training.


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## zoorun (Feb 5, 2013)

Absolutely gorgeous! I'm considering a Mal for next dog as I want to get into SAR when the time is right. I have met quite a few and boy, it makes me more intrigued/reconsider every time I meet one. Your girl is spectacular.


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## Blitzkrieg1 (Jul 31, 2012)

GatorDog said:


> She's crazy independent. Luring is a no-go for her, for the most part. If it's not her idea, it's not going to happen. I'm much more used to a dog that pushes into me for working and is almost a bit more "needy", but she is much more self motivated. Plus, her drive is through the roof INSANE, so if I don't figure out her source of motivation, she can get frustrated easily. She is a very powerful little thing already, so using a bit of frustration once we get her motivation figured out will probably work in my favor.
> 
> We are working a lot more on bonding and general engagement recently


 
Nice bone on her, big paws. 
I had those same issues with my pup for the first 6 months. Had to go back and do basic engagement stuff. Now that she is almost 11 months its like a switch flipped and she wants to learn. Was a 180 from my last dog who had a much stronger desire to please but was also much weaker. Had to cut meals down and feed mainly during training, to get the motivation up. 

She is looking good though, KNPV lines or NVBK?


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

What a gorgeous dog, she looks so intelligent too.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Thank you everyone!



Baillif said:


> Try using bits of natural balance (the lamb kind is best). Feed her only during training.


Yes, I know and I do. Thanks.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Blitzkrieg1 said:


> Nice bone on her, big paws.
> I had those same issues with my pup for the first 6 months. Had to go back and do basic engagement stuff. Now that she is almost 11 months its like a switch flipped and she wants to learn. Was a 180 from my last dog who had a much stronger desire to please but was also much weaker. Had to cut meals down and feed mainly during training, to get the motivation up.
> 
> She is looking good though, KNPV lines or NVBK?


Thanks. I've raised my last two working puppies for IPO by working for meals exclusively, so it's no new concept for her. She is just a different type of learner. Luckily I know how to train shaping behaviors rather than trying to drag her through luring if she isn't into it, and she learns much better that way. I tweaked some of our training concepts and daily routine quite a bit and its already made a huge difference in her. 

This is her pedigree

http://en.working-dog.eu/dogs-details/2501745/Tulah-vom-Maringaland


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## K9POPPY (Mar 6, 2014)

Beautiful pup, she has that look of intelligence ! I bet she's a pistol!!!! Enjoy!! Bob


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

GatorDog said:


> She's crazy independent. Luring is a no-go for her, for the most part. If it's not her idea, it's not going to happen. I'm much more used to a dog that pushes into me for working and is almost a bit more "needy", but she is much more self motivated. Plus, her drive is through the roof INSANE, so if I don't figure out her source of motivation, she can get frustrated easily. She is a very powerful little thing already, so using a bit of frustration once we get her motivation figured out will probably work in my favor.
> 
> We are working a lot more on bonding and general engagement recently


Thanks for the explanation  You became a great handler, I'm sure you'll find a way to make her shine! Is Ginger still trialing? I haven't seen Mario in a few years


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## Blitzkrieg1 (Jul 31, 2012)

GatorDog said:


> Thanks. I've raised my last two working puppies for IPO by working for meals exclusively, so it's no new concept for her. She is just a different type of learner. Luckily I know how to train shaping behaviors rather than trying to drag her through luring if she isn't into it, and she learns much better that way. I tweaked some of our training concepts and daily routine quite a bit and its already made a huge difference in her.
> 
> This is her pedigree
> 
> Tulah vom Maringaland ? working-dog


Interesting approach, if you ever post a vid of it I would love to see it. Perhaps that is a better approach for a more wilful dog. 
Funny when we were going through some head banging times I was swearing my next dog would be one of those fast maturing eager to learn Mals. . You know the ones that are doing the IPO 3 routine at 7 months..


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

She wont lure even with high rate of reinforcement?


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

Baillif said:


> She wont lure even with high rate of reinforcement?


Not consistently enough for my liking. She is an independent dog and prefers to make decisions on her own thinking, and luring is not going to be the most effective way of learning for her. I can shape almost every exercise the same way I can teach luring, so it's not an issue for me at this point. 

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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

You are an excellent trainer Alexis. If you can't do it, no one can. She'll get there. 

And that face...!!!


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Two questions:

1: Do you have a pic of her head as a side view? I'm interested in the angle of the stop.

2: What is she like in day to day dog/owner relations? GSD psycho puppy like or fairly mellow? It's difficult to not start the search for another Mal when looking at her.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

brembo said:


> Two questions:
> 
> 1: Do you have a pic of her head as a side view? I'm interested in the angle of the stop.
> 
> 2: What is she like in day to day dog/owner relations? GSD psycho puppy like or fairly mellow? It's difficult to not start the search for another Mal when looking at her.


1:





2:

In everyday life, she is very, very sweet. Independent, like I said above, but has crazy food drive and toy drive that is easy to use in my favor. She is very social and likes to cuddle on the couch with me. She really hasn't mouthed me like any of my GSD's puppies have in the past. She is much more agile than they are and much more aware of her own structure at this age. I wouldn't call her mellow at all, but she is easy to keep entertained and is good in the crate now.


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## jessjeric (Oct 22, 2013)

Oh my goodness... What a beauty ??


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

She's very beautiful.


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## brembo (Jun 30, 2009)

Hmmm. So there is a slight stop there, more of a deepening slope. My current female GSD is a small little gal, and is missing the extreme GSD stop. I have been wondering if there might be Mal somewhere in her past(not breeder purchased). Thank you very much for the pics, she is stunning for sure, she looks so so so intelligent. Is she bizarrely sure of herself? Almost dangerously so? My female Mal was, nothing backed her down, granted she could handle almost anything thrown her way. She also had off the charts toy drive, I didn't tap into the food drive, but she ate with gusto. Yer gonna have a ball with her.


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## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

She's such a babe!!!!!


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

In this picture she looks so poised and elegant.

She really has a beautiful feminine face and I love the strength you can see in her body. 

I have only met one Mal in person. I was at a pet supply store for nail clippers. The Mal and owner were ahead of me in line. Owner was paying for their purchase not paying attention, Mal was in a down. I made eye contact with him and smiled and he didn't want to break his down but he stretched out and licked my toes - I had peep toe heels on. I was laughing so hard- he made my day


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## Suka (Apr 9, 2004)

She is a VERY pretty Mal!


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