Any Malinois owners out there?

[chickenmomma16]

I have my heart set on getting a female Belgian Malinois to fill our second dog slot. Growing up we had a couple different breeds of dogs and I loved them all but now that I'm married and my husband has his dog, I have been on the search (since childhood and into my years as a vet assistant) for a dog breed that fits what I'm looking for. The Mal has proved to be it.

I have done my homework and know their challenges and their strengths but has anyone had experiences raising them around chickens? I originally wanted to get an adult from a resue but was warned not to if i have small animals. I was told to get a pup so you know they are well socialized with people and the animals you already have.

I would love to hear about peoples experience with Mals that they have owned. It has proved to be difficult to find owners that I can talk to.

 

[dainerra]

actually, I would consider an adult that is proven to be good with small animals. Any good rescue is going to know if the animal is good with cats, etc. Maybe not chickens but knowing that they are good with cats or rabbits is a good start. They will also likely be glad to let you take the dog on a trial basis so you can see for yourself if it is something that you can work with. If you go with a breeder, I would tell them that you want a lower prey drive dog. Go with a good responsible breeder who works their dogs and carefully evaluates all of their puppies.

Simply raising a pup with the chickens is no guarantee that it will be good with them. Some dogs just have so much prey drive that they can't resist the temptation. Even then, it will be 2+ years before the dog is no longer a puppy and you can even think about trusting them around the birds.

 

[dainerra]

wanted to add, even a puppy that is raised around them can become a problem once it reaches adulthood. That is why most people will advise an adult that is already good with animals vs a puppy in situations like this.

NOTE: even a dog that is good with animals will need some time of being introduced to your flock before being around them off-leash. Don't be surprised if the dog shows too much interest in them at first. Just keep on leash and at a distance and get the dog to focus on you. If the dog can't focus even when far away from the birds, it isn't the dog for this situation.

 

[chickenmomma16]

I agree, it took me a year of patients to get our adult heeler to not bother our birds and it will be a continuous training matter for life. Going through the ABMC rescue site got very tiring as 99% of the dogs had cat/small animal issues or people aggression issues.
I went through a similar thought process as the above postings when I started on my research/search of the breed. In addition to having no guarantees with getting a pup I also liked the idea of not having to potty train and with getting an adult dog you know what your getting. My husdand asked me once how many puppies did you potty train? I counted 10... and my family bred goldens (with all AKC recommended health clearences) So I'm safe to say I have been cured of the "OMG! OMG! OMG!!! I want a cute PUPPY!!!" Disease. Thank goodness too, that's a tough one to get over.
So, what I was getting at is the reason my husband and I are leaning towards a pup is because I really want to do conformation shows, try my hand at agility and a couple other akc recognized sports that peak my intrest. So papers are needed along with knowing the family history. My biggest road block with this breed is the availability of responsible owners to talk with and get a feel for the general type.

I have found only backyard breeders or breeders for the protection sports in my state so I probably will be looking out of state for a reputable breeder. I'm in no hurry to get another dog, that's why I would like to hear experiences of those who raised Malinois with their other animals.

Sorry for the long winded post...

 

[Jubilee1111]

This kennel is IMO, the very best for Malinois here in the US. They produce very clear headed dogs. They do breed for working ability but if you contact Lisa, you might be able to get on a waiting list for a lower drive dog.

I have watched several dogs from this line compete in Mondioring nationals. All very clear and stable with strong bonds with their handlers.

http://loupsdusoleil.com/

 

[dainerra]

yes, this is the kind of breeder you need one who is well-versed in the dogs and can select the pup that will be the best fit for you

 

[chickenmomma16]

I have my eyes on a breeder in Montana. I bookmarked that breeder also. Thanks for the recommendation!

 

[dainerra]

this is geared toward German Shepherds but the steps to evaluating a breeder are the same:

http://gsdrcolorado.com/good_breeder.html

 

[Deb B]

We got our adult Mal 4 years ago from a rescue organization. She had never been around small animals and we had 3 cats. The first command we taught her was "Leave it" because she watched the cats a little obsessively at first. In the end, she turned out to be great with the cats. But she loves to chase wildlife in the yard. So I was apprehensive when I got some chicks that she might do something to them. So when the chicks arrived I made sure she was with me when I unpacked them, and when I took care of them, and the next thing you know she's watching over them because they were now part of our pack. She's never tried to hurt any and chases the hawks away. However, recently she has become afraid of the rooster, which is rather funny to me.

Mals are really smart and love to please. If you can find a way to make part of the dogs "job" to take care of the chickens, they may very well get along quite well.

 

[badkittyamy]

Michael Ellis IS an excellent breeder but he's also a very prey drive heavy breeder as he breeds them to excel in sports like french ring. He miiight have some pups that don't make the cut per litter but i'd still consider those to be not the exact choice of looking for pups that AREN'T going to chase chickens