Is it permissible to adopt the Maliki school of thought, which posits the purity of the dog, despite the existence of other schools of thought that prohibit it?

The Madhhabs (schools of thought) of the jurists regarding the impurity of dogs: The Hanbalis and Shafi’is: The dog itself is impure (najis al-ʿayn). The Hanafis: The dog itself is pure, but its saliva and excretions are impure. The Malikis: The dog itself is pure, and its saliva and excretions are pure.

It is permissible for a Muslim to follow the Maliki madhhab (definition), which holds the view that the dog is pure, if he sees its preponderancy, or if someone he trusts in their knowledge and piety gives him a fatwa (definition) (religious edict) to that effect. A layperson is not obligated to follow a specific madhhab in matters of scholarly disagreement. However, this following should not be out of a pursuit of concessions, but rather in accordance with legitimate Sharia (definition) guidelines.