Finding reputable breeder for Belgian malinoius

Xios

I'm interested in getting a Belgian malinous puppy, but I'm not sure about the whole dog breeding community and where to begin searching.

I'm willing to pay but I want the dog go come from a respected and fair breeder And go through all the right channels. Anyone able to give me advice?

VonVix

I think an important question to be asked is... why are you interested in a Malinois specifically?
They are a working dog through and through. What can you offer a Malinois?

Know what you're getting when getting a Malinois. Do heaps of research on the breed, I have come across a lot of people regretting getting a Malinois because of the work they require. Nando Brown is an excellent source, he has a Malinois himself and trains her really well using force free methods. Here's his Youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/InTheDoghouseDTC/videos

They are a breed that is starting to boom for a number of reasons. And with a boom, you get backyard breeders galore, people breeding to make a few €€€, but they're producing unhealthy and mentally unstable puppies. With a Malinois, not only is health an important factor, but you want a mentally stable dog.

Things I personally look for when seeking to get a puppy from a breeder.
1. Titled parents. If a dog is born to do something, I want to know that his parents are good at it and are able to perform, especially important if I'm getting a working dog. It is NOT fun getting a dog with 100% drive and 0% focus.
2. Hip and elbow scored parents as well as being screened for any hereditary eye disease.
3. Puppies are raised within the home, are handled and socialised (with other dogs, people and sounds) before being homed and that they are NOT being homed before 8 weeks of age.
4. The breeder should be asking you questions.
5. You should be able to meet the mother at least and it's a bonus to see her in action (working, obedience skills, etc.), you can learn a lot about the dog you're going to get by meeting the mother, you'll want to see her relaxed and not reactive to you (a stranger), there shouldn't be any reason for you to be separated from her. My German Shepherd boy is a LOT like his mother, which was part of the reason why I ended up wanting him. She was stable, didn't mind me in her home, was very friendly but also showed obvious drive. But keep in mind, an hour with his dog is nothing compared to your life with your dog with you 24/7.

Start with the IKC, you should get a few contacts: http://www.ikc.ie/dog-ownership/types-of-dog/breeds/breed-details/113/

Don't go with the first person who happens to have puppies. Don't ever feel pressured to buy (red flag!) Ask questions. Get to know the breeder. Know that a well bred, well raised puppy won't be cheap.

nuckeythompson

Friend of mine got one last year. This lad needs constant attention and work. I'd first of all have a look at how long the dog will be alone every day. The above poster is pointing you in the right direction.
Just think of having a child

Xios

VonVix wrote: »

I think an important question to be asked is... why are you interested in a Malinois specifically?
They are a working dog through and through. What can you offer a Malinois?

Know what you're getting when getting a Malinois. Do heaps of research on the breed, I have come across a lot of people regretting getting a Malinois because of the work they require. Nando Brown is an excellent source, he has a Malinois himself and trains her really well using force free methods. Here's his Youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/user/InTheDoghouseDTC/videos

They are a breed that is starting to boom for a number of reasons. And with a boom, you get backyard breeders galore, people breeding to make a few €€€, but they're producing unhealthy and mentally unstable puppies. With a Malinois, not only is health an important factor, but you want a mentally stable dog.

Things I personally look for when seeking to get a puppy from a breeder.
1. Titled parents. If a dog is born to do something, I want to know that his parents are good at it and are able to perform, especially important if I'm getting a working dog. It is NOT fun getting a dog with 100% drive and 0% focus.
2. Hip and elbow scored parents as well as being screened for any hereditary eye disease.
3. Puppies are raised within the home, are handled and socialised (with other dogs, people and sounds) before being homed and that they are NOT being homed before 8 weeks of age.
4. The breeder should be asking you questions.
5. You should be able to meet the mother at least and it's a bonus to see her in action (working, obedience skills, etc.), you can learn a lot about the dog you're going to get by meeting the mother, you'll want to see her relaxed and not reactive to you (a stranger), there shouldn't be any reason for you to be separated from her. My German Shepherd boy is a LOT like his mother, which was part of the reason why I ended up wanting him. She was stable, didn't mind me in her home, was very friendly but also showed obvious drive. But keep in mind, an hour with his dog is nothing compared to your life with your dog with you 24/7.

Start with the IKC, you should get a few contacts: http://www.ikc.ie/dog-ownership/types-of-dog/breeds/breed-details/113/

Don't go with the first person who happens to have puppies. Don't ever feel pressured to buy (red flag!) Ask questions. Get to know the breeder. Know that a well bred, well raised puppy won't be cheap.

Thanks, best advice i've gotten on this site. I won't be rushing into this, but i've a great head start now, thanks

oppenheimer1

Xios wrote: »

I'm interested in getting a Belgian malinous puppy, but I'm not sure about the whole dog breeding community and where to begin searching.

I'm willing to pay but I want the dog go come from a respected and fair breeder And go through all the right channels. Anyone able to give me advice?

You might be able to find one on Done Deal.

Cherry Blossom

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

You might be able to find one on Done Deal.

Yes, with dodgey hips and questionable heritage and temperament.

oppenheimer1

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Yes, with dodgey hips and questionable heritage and temperament.

Dodgy hips - all pure breeds are prone to that as a consequence of generations of inbreeding.
questionable heritage - I don't see how this matters for a pet.
Temperament - Nothing I'm led to believe a behaviourist couldn't fix

DBB

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Dodgy hips - all pure breeds are prone to that as a consequence of generations of inbreeding.

Hugely minimised by good, knowledgeable breeding. I have two GSDs here, for example, with good hips. Both are rescues, but I know both of their lines and therefore knew their hips would be good. It's good to know.

questionable heritage - I don't see how this matters for a pet.

Parental temperament is hugely influential on that of the pup. For example, nervous, anxious predecessors make for nervous, anxious pups that grow into nervous, anxious adults.
Similarly, ancestral conformation is vital when considering the health of pups (see above).
When you consider these facts, I'd have said that heritage is one of the most important considerations for a pet.

Temperament - Nothing I'm led to believe a behaviourist couldn't fix

Or a "behaviourist"?
Again, temperament is strongly heritable, fearfulness being the most highly heritable behavioural trait. Temperament boils down to genetics and good early exposure to life... Whilst early environment, handling and socialisation are vital, if you've a pup who has, for all intents and purposes been "born nervous", there are serious limitations placed on what anyone can do to help the pup. It's one of the skills a properly trained behaviourists is taught of course... To assess how fixable a dog is, and to consequently give the owner realistic expectations when they've found themselves lumped with a badly bred, poorly socialised, anxious, nervous dog. I only see the self-titled cowboys advertising that they can fix any dog with any problem.
I don't know if you've ever owned, handled, or trained a Malinois, but a nervous Mali is a nightmare.

tk123

oppenheimer1 wrote: »

Dodgy hips - all pure breeds are prone to that as a consequence of generations of inbreeding.
questionable heritage - I don't see how this matters for a pet.
Temperament - Nothing I'm led to believe a behaviourist couldn't fix

My pure bred retriever has perfect hips, her heritage matters to me because I wanted her to be solid and of sound temprement and as for the behaviourist you're currently rubbishing them in one thread yet recommending them here?!!

DamagedTrax

Dodgy hips - all pure breeds are prone to that as a consequence of generations of inbreeding.

Not in the slightest. I see pure bred dogs all the time with perfect scores. Infact, intelligent breeding is the only way to rule out genetic health problems from your line. Pure bred does not mean inbred, that is a fallacy as new blood is often introduced for this very reason...

But then maybe i dont consider TV3 documentaries to be a complete world view when it comes to dog breeding.

questionable heritage - I don't see how this matters for a pet.

It matters a whole lot if you decide your pet will be a dog thats been bred for work (such as a malinois). To ignore their heritage can be a recipe for disaster. You only need to look at the issue the UK has with SBT and APBT to understand that.

Temperament - Nothing I'm led to believe a behaviourist couldn't fix

You've been led to believe wrongly. Temperment is a massive part of what makes a dog from a specific litter 'working' or 'pet'. Good luck to anyone trying to train out strong working genetics. You may succeed in putting manners on them but the instinct will always remain.

boomerang

THIS:

DBB wrote: »

I don't know if you've ever owned, handled, or trained a Malinois, but a nervous Mali is a nightmare.