Hello everyone My name is Kori and I'm hoping to find out if a Malinois is the right choice for me. My husband and I have a working cattle ranch in MT with 250 cows, many bulls, horses, etc. We have around 5000 acres with the nearest neighbor 2 miles away. In the next couple years, I will quit my job in town and be on the ranch 24/7. That' when I'd like to find a mal puppy. Any advice???
A mal could be a really good choice for you from what you described, however you would need to be close enough to a town to be able to socialize the dog also. An unsocialized malinois is a bite case waiting to happen (well that's with most breeds but it's really bad with a mal)
I think you have the perfect setting for a Mal! My 1.5 year old is high energy, loyal, protective and smarter than most people I know! Her weaknesses are cold weather, separation anxiety, requiring a lot of time and exercise, growling/ raised fur at new people and animals, and expensive eating habits, sensitive skin and fur. The time, effort and money I have put into coping with these is nothing compared to the pay out of love and loyalty this dog has given to me. Zeppelin gets excited two streets before we pick my kids up from school, she knows where were going. She knows all her tricks in sign language. She is at my side at all times and is sad when im away, she's happy when im happy and cries when I cry. She remembers everyone she's ever met and when she hasn't seen a friend in a while she throws her self at their feet and cries in happiness begging for belly rubs. I think the time you could spend with your dog is perfect, the exercise, animal exposure, all of it! They are great working dogs and are so darn cute.
I agree with the socialization! I have been taking mine everywhere for a year and a half and she's still skittish with new people and animals
Thank you for taking the time to give me such an informative reply !! Where do I start looking for a goid quality Malinois puppy? Any ideas ?