Recent content by Malakai The Great

That reaction would give me pause too, not because they protected client privacy, but because of how the conversation shut down. Transparency doesn’t mean handing out names, but it does mean being able to talk through concerns without getting defensive. You handled it professionally and offered...

That’s a hell of a journey, and it shows. Dogs like the ones you’ve described don’t just pass through your life, they leave grooves. You’ve clearly lived with the full spectrum: broken dogs, hard dogs, once-in-a-lifetime dogs, and the kind that choose you whether you’re ready or not. Anyone...

I wouldn’t call it an automatic red flag, but it is something to pause on and think about. Some breeders are genuinely protective of their past clients’ privacy and don’t want people feeling pressured to act as references. That’s reasonable. At the same time, transparency matters especially when...

Welcome Yondu sounds like an absolute character, and a really special one at that. Managing epilepsy on top of everything else is no small task, and it’s clear you know exactly where training ends and real-life management begins. The way you describe your bond honestly says more than any...

That off-switch is gold. You can’t fake it or train it fast, and when a dog has it naturally and you reinforce it, life gets easy. Matching energy both ways is the real win,l drive when it’s time, peace when it’s not. Sounds like a great partnership.

That moment you’re describing is normal. It’s the point where the fantasy gives way to responsibility, and that can feel heavy before it feels exciting. Wanting a companion over a protector is a healthy place to start, and it already tells me you’re thinking about the relationship, not the...

This is exactly it. At some point the videos stop teaching and the dog starts teaching. Once you shift from “how should this look?” to “what is my dog telling me right now?” everything gets clearer.

Appreciate the shoutout. The guides and posts only matter because people here are actually thinking, questioning, and putting the work in with their dogs. This place works because it’s honest, curious, and grounded, that’s rare. Glad to be a small part of it, and excited to keep learning...

That’s a good-looking off-switch right there. Shade, grass, tongue out, brain finally quiet. Not every moment has to be work, knowing how to settle is a skill too.

This actually reads like someone thinking clearly, not someone giving up. You’re right about a lot of this. Handling experience and living with a shepherd are two very different things, and genetics do matter more with this breed than most. They’re not fragile, but they are demanding, and they...

This is solid advice overall. The biggest mistake people make is falling in love with “the breed” and not doing the unsexy homework on the individual dog and the source. I’d only tweak one line: “a happy dog is a tired dog” is sometimes true, but with shepherds you can accidentally build a...

Breaker was just behind the shoulders, slow firm pressure, not fast scratches.

This made me laugh. Shepherds have a real talent for taking themselves way too seriously.

Happy New Years fellas! That face says “ready for another year of work, chaos, and very serious business." Here’s to more reps, more learning, and a lot of good days with good dogs.

That’s a great example of self-awareness, honestly. Not every great trainer or system is a great fit, and realizing that early saves a lot of frustration on both ends. You read your dog, read yourself, adjusted course, and it worked, that’s good handling. The “right” approach is the one that...