Why are your pups more expensive than other breeders?
Every breeder has the right to decide the price of their pups and many have reasons as to why they feel that their price is fair. Below are the reasons why my pups are often, but not always, higher than that of other breeders.
1) Let it be said once again, that I do not make a living off the sale of my pups. The cost of my pups (and it varies per litter) stems from the breakdown of expenses needed to create, rasie and home that litter. This includes selecting the best possible mate for each individual female, based on her structure, temperament, drive, phenotype and genotype. More often than not these males are not local - and not cheap. Shipping chilled or frozen semen, collection, testing, transporting and implanting costs a lot of money - but the pups produced are by far worth the effort and expense. Keep in mind that once all of this is done - there is still NO guarantee that the female will get pregnant. That is the gamble that the breeder takes - and its often a big one - $2000-$5000 BEFORE any pups are sold!
2) None of our dogs are kennel dogs - they live in my home or in the home of another individual that has agreed to work with us in our breeding efforts to improve the Malinois breed. We feed higher quality food, supplements, and provide top quality care for our dogs - both necessary and elective.
3) All of our dogs are health tested; this includes genetic testing, Xrays, cultures on semen for quality and harmful bacteria, yearly eye exams and other procedures that warrant better breeding and reproduction.
4) We always take back, re-train, re-home and care for any/every dog that we have produced. In 10 years of breeding we have never had one of our dogs in Rescue! This takes dedication, money, time and patience. When space does not permit here at home with me, I have paid other trainers to do this. While I have rigorous screening procedures, and do routine follow up, provide training and breeder support, it has become necessary on occassion to remove a dog from someone's care (or lack of care), to assist in rehabilitating or rehoming it. This takes funds in order to do this.
5) All of our dogs, or those that we choose to breed to - are all extensivley trained and titled. Fees for training, trialing, showing, seminars and other organizing bodies takes money. It is important to us to both train and title our dogs in a variety of disciplines. This shows that the dogs we are choosing to reproduce have merit. That they are a benefit to their breed and its improvement.
Are your Malinois' good with kids?
Yes - our dogs are exposed to young children from an early age and as long as the owner continues to maintain early socialization are dogs are excellent with kids. However, we think it is important to ask - "are your kids good with dogs?" If your child teases, harms, harrasses and other wise treats an animal poorly (any animal) - there is a higher likelihood of that animal putting a stop to it - if you don't!!
Are your Malinois' good with other animals?
Yes - our dogs are exposed to other domestic animals while they are still with their litter, and owners are encouraged to continue socializing their pup to all sorts of animals.
Are your Malinois' Registered?
Yes - Our Breeding Dogs are both American Kennel Club Registered and Canadian Kennel Club Registered. Pups are sold with non-breeding CKC papers, unless by strict adherence to contract conditions.
Why do you have so many dogs listed for breeding?
We keep pick male and pick female from every (or just about every) litter that we produce. These pick pups are entered into our breeding program (As shown on the website) where we grow them out, and begin their training in many disciplines. All of the dogs that we use for breeding will be titled in at least one discipline. Their hips/elbows and eyes will be certified clear by the OFA and CERF. We continue to evaluate them for future use in the program as they mature and then strive to pair them with a partner that is best suited for them. That 'best match' may or may not be within our breeding program - or within this country. That depends on each individual dog. We spare no expense in finding and pairing the best possible match when producing pups. This ensures the best quality pups in all areas; temperament, drive level, stability, structure, bone density, health, pigment, and coat. The Total Package!
Are you a commercial kennel?
NO! - I do not make a living from the sale of my pups. I breed for the betterment of the breed. None of the decisions made in our breeding program are done solely on a financial basis. Probably not very smart - as it is not uncommon for us to lose money on a litter - but I beleive it is more important that the animals' best interests and care are kept in mind first - and always!! None of the dogs that are in our breeding program are kept in a kennel. We maintain a high quality of life for them, by homing them with responisble individuals as co-owners who, by contract, allow us to use them limitedly in our breeding program.
SEE CO-OWNING PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION
Do you Microchip or Tattoo?
Actually - both. Our dogs/pups are Canadian Kennel Club registered with their microchip numbers, but we maintain additional independant records with our own tattoo series. We also DNA test and record all of the pups that we produce. Our pups are sold on non-breeding contracts, which we expect to be upheld. Due to some unscrupulous individuals this has become necessary to ensure the integrity of our bloodlines, and more importantly the quality of the dogs produced from it.
Do your dogs have "Drive"?
YES! our dogs have lots of drive. In fact some of our breeding females probably have too much. LOL Many people who come out to see our dogs perform are absolutely shocked at their intensity and committment to work. I think that people have established their own erroneous assumptions based on the photos and titles that our dogs have obtained, and are posted, on this site. While our dogs show in conformation - they also excel at performance and protection sports - guaranteed! Are dogs have genetic full mouth grips - are calm and confident in all social situations but can quickly escalate their intenisty when needed.
Why aren't your dogs titled in more Protection Sports?
I have trained for, and titled dogs in, French Ring and Schutzhund before. However, committment to training and titling for these sports takes an enourmous amount of time and dedication - that quite frankly I cannot afford right now. I have work and family obligations, not to mention the care of numerous breeding females and subsequent litters. Because I invest so much time in the careful and diligent rearing of pups (for one or two litters per year) where I am bound to the house and therefore cannot commit to club training. Producing quality pups consumes at least 6 months of every year for me. Furthermore, such sports require the help and assistance of others - decoys/helpers, and often a training ground (as I live in the heart of the city and bite work would not be tolerated at the local parks). It can take up an entire day just to travel and train, which would be needed multiple days per week to be any good at it. Aswell, there are no longer any local French Ring clubs within driving distance of Toronto. All of my dogs have solid foundation in bite work and will protect for real - if needed. Therefore, I have decided to concentrate on Competetive Obedience for now as I can train at home and in my local nieghbourhood, without the required assistance of many others or a specific location in which to practice.
Why do your females have more titles than most of your males?
This is beacuse all of our dogs are Co-owned with different individuals. I do not keep any of our dogs in kennel situations - that is not in their best interest. It is far easier to find Co-owners for un-altered male dogs than it is to find good working homes, with Co-own aggreements for intact females that will have heat cycles. Therefore, I tend to keep back the pick females when I can, and work on titling them myself. Since I will only keep three dogs at any one time, I am limited as to the numbers of dogs that I can work. I have been fortunate to find the odd individual that accepts a Co-own aggreement AND has interest in working and titling their dog. For that reason, anyone interested in such an arrangement will get the pick pup from the litter, and financial compensation will be paid for use of breeding on titled dogs.
Are your dogs health tested?
Yes - all of our breeding dogs are OFA certified for Hips and Elbows with passing grades. And all breeding dogs have had their eyes examined by an optamlogist prior to breeding, and determined to be clear of hereditary diseases. Documentation of the parents exams are provided with the purchase of a pup from our kennel.
Why don't you post pedigree's on your site?
This is, apparently, a controversial question. I have decided not to post pedigree's as I believe "proof is in the pudding" - you can ascertain far more information from looking at, and meeting, the dogs from whom you are purchasing a pup directly - not in generations past. Our bloodlines are some of the top working lines, and most desirable, from Europe, with a few past champions in there as well. I focus on breeding to the written breed standard, which emcompases Temperament, Structure, and Workability - in that order. Without the first two elements, a dog wouldn't be able to perform any task - so it's of the utmost importance. I am happy to forward pedigrees to prospective buyers when requested, but it should not be the basis upon which someone buys a pup. Look at the pup itself - not just its pedigree!
Do you have Show Dogs or Work Dogs?
Our dogs are from working lines, with the exception of one or two show dogs that were bred in to maintain correct structure. We consider our dogs, as does the show community, to be of working descent with correct structure, but they are not considered 'typey' - or of the over exaggeration of 'preferred traits' i.e. Narrow skulls, ears that are so high set as to touch one another, narrow body frames, lack of stop or flat skull, taller than its length - which is not square either. Our dogs have exceptional movement, which is directly related to correct front and rear (structure) assembly. We encourage all prospective buyers to read the written breed standard, as we strive to meet all requirements and definitions.
Canadian Kennel Written Breed Standard - please note that in Canada all 4 coat varities are shown together.
http://www.ckc.ca/en/Portals/0/pdf/breeds/BLS.pdf
American Kennel Club Written Breed Standard
http://www.akc.org/breeds/belgian_malinois/
Do you ship puppies by air?
Yes - at present we are shipping throughout North America. If requested, arrangements to ship over seas can be done.
At what age are the pups ready for pick up?
We allow our pups to leave us between their 7th and 8th week minimum. Staying with us for additional training is possible, but must be pre-arranged. Some additional costs for training and care may ensue.
Do you have a Kennel? Can I come and meet the dogs?
We are a registered kennel with the Canadian Kennel Club, but do not own or operate a kennel in true defintion. All of our dogs are companions first, breeding dogs second. All of the dogs live in the house and are part of our lives. Having litters adds to their life, but shall never define it! All of our breeding dogs have titles at both ends of their name. These titles have been obtained by consistent training (time spent with them) and from attending numerous shows and trials (places we take them).
We encourage everyone that can to come and meet us and the dogs. We are frequently out at trials and shows and are always happy to meet and chat with you. I always recommend that people come out to meet us in unfamiliar places so that they can see our dogs' impeccable temperaments; something we are very proud of. Seeing is believing - a dog's temperament and genetic character can only truely be witnessed at times of stress or heavy distraction/noise - like shows/trials or at a local shopping mall.
Do you have References?
Yes - I have lots of references from past puppy buyers and owners and we are always happy to pass them along to you.
What is 'Blue' or Dilution? Does it have associated health problems?
'Blue' or Dilution is a genetic mutation that occurs in many breeds, whereby the colour of the hair, eyes and skin are lightened. Chocolate Labs is an example of a dilution gene. In Malinois this can make Black hair, Blue (or sometimes (Liver, which we do not have in our line), the eyes usually become yellow or green and the associated skin and nails become dark grey. While we do not specifically breed to obtain this dilution it is present in our bloodline and an off coloured pup appears from time to time. From the pups that we have produced, or that have been produced from our bloodline, no associated health problems have been experienced. Blue dilution in Doberman's has had some reported illnesses, but there have been none in Wiemaraners - it appears that there are several genes that are responsible for this phenomenom, but only some of them carry health concerns, namely poor hair coat, with them.
What health problems do Malinois' have?
Malinois' in general are a very healthy breed, so far. They have a low incidence of Hip Dysplasia, and genetic eye disorders. While all varieties (Groendael, Tervuren, Malinois and Lakenois) of Belgian Shepherd are affected with epilepsy, it seems to be more prevalent in the long coated varieties. There is effective testing available for most genetic eye related issues, however to date there is no test that can determine the status of epilepsy in dogs. Genetic epilepsy will present in an affected dog by age 4 - so any dog that is age 4 or greater and does not have epilepsy should be free of it, but it is possible that they may be a carrier for it and when mated with another dog who is also a carry, could in theory produce a pup with it. There are numerous genes that can cause genetically inherited epilepsy and it is thought that they all must be inherited to produce an animal affected with the disorder; making its mode of inheritance polygenic.
What health problems have your dog's had?
I keep extremely detailed records on all the dogs that I produce, and I am honest about what has been produced - both deisrable and non-desirable. In ten years of breeding, I have had one pup that later develpoed localized demodex, appearing after heavy loads of puppy vaccinations, and resolved without treatment. One pup was born with a square femoral head, and subsequently did not pass Hip evaluations. Three pups, all from different litters, have presented with an allergy to wheat and wheat products (or as we now know better from the pet food recall - what they put in the wheat products!); symptoms included mild itchy skin, and upset stomach - all resolved without treatment. Reports from owners have also included fast metabolisms, requiring frequent meals to prevent regurgatation of stomach bile. From what I can ascertain these issues are more related to individual lifestyle choices rather than inheritable concern.
Are your Malinois' food motivated?
95% of our Malinois' are very food motivated and do well with treat training. We have had the odd pup (2 in ten years) that are not motivated by food and choose to eat infrequent meals as well. Behaviour modification exercises have been helpful in correcting this.
Can your dogs settle in the house? Do they have an "off" switch?
Our dogs do well in the home environment and will absolutely lay down and relax, as long as their needs have been met. We start this type of conditioning when the pups are still with us in the litter. All pups are raised in a commual area of the house. We sit and play with them from a young age and then place them back in their pen with a bone or toy and they learn to settle themselves from an early age. We encourage owners to maintain this conditioning when they take their pup home.
What's invloved in a Co-own agreement?
The pick male and pick female from every litter is retained by the kennel for our breeding program. This is to ensure that we can continue breeding only quality dogs in the desire to produce better quality offspring with each generation. We do, from time to time, allow these pick pups to be co-owned with specific people. We are looking for owners that wish to work/title their dogs and allow us access for use of stud or a contracted number of litters. Compensation for use is often part of the agreement. For more information on potential co-owns please contact me directly.
Please visit our Photos page and are Past Puppies page for lots of photos depicting much of what has been discussed on this page. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions or would like additional information.
Jennifer
