frequently asked Questions

A:   There are advantages and disadvantages to either choice.   The main advantage to purchasing an adult is that you (may) bypass training the dog yourself, or of having a puppy trained by someone else.  Presumably, an adult dog will be (at a minimum) house-trained, have good manners, will know basic obedience, and will be environmentally sound in all situations at home and in public.   You may get lucky with an adult who is being "re-homed" and find a perfectly good dog who is looking for a new home through no fault of his genes, his temperament, his training, his behaviour, or his previous Owner.  

However, Proceed with Caution!   Health, temperament and/or training issues may emerge later!   Ask a great many questions!  Who is the Breeder?  Where is the kennel?  Does the dog have paperwork:  a Pedigree, AKC or FCI registration?   Genetic tests?  What did the tests of the parents show?  OFA/EFL certifications?  Who trained the dog and for what purpose?   Who has been providing veterinarian care?   Are his vaccinations, wormings, etc. up-to-date?  Any underlying health issues?  Who is providing day-to-day care and of what does that consist?  Does the dog have an ID in the form of a tattoo or microchip?  (In other words, can the dog's ownership be legally transferred to you?).  

If the above questions can be satisfactorily answered, LOOK at the dog!  Does s/he appear healthy, strong, full of energy and responsive?  Take him for a "test drive".  Does he shy away from a plastic bag blowing down the sidewalk?  A slippery floor?  A noisy car wash?  Another dog?  People?  Or, is s/he aggressive toward other dogs, animals, and/or people?  Does s/he load willingly and unload from a vehicle without trying to bound into traffic?  Does s/he know (and follow) his/her obedience commands?  

WARNING!!!  There are Dog Brokers out in the big World who search for dogs who are being "re-homed" owing to behavioural issues.  They claim to have rehabilitated the dog with training.  Thus, a dog that might have been sold for a $300 "re-homing fee" in a Rescue, is now being sold by a trainer/broker for $3000-$15,000.00.  If you study the videos closely, you may see that the dog is barely lead-trained, and the broker holds the dog in very closely on a choke collar, or loop.  The dog may "go through the motions"--but only to avoid a harsh correction.  These dogs rarely come with any paperwork, and you cannot expect the Broker to be straight with you about the underlying issues that caused the dog to be sent to a rescue in the first place.  Proceed at your own risk and with extreme caution and know the the price a Broker will charge you is nearly always greatly inflated for an adult dog with no health record, DNA record, Registration, traceable Pedigree, or behavioural information!  Never send money to a Broker.  Insist, at a minimum on examining the dog in person.  "Trained" means the dog performs flawlessly on and OFF-LEAD!  

What is the age of the dog?  The average lifespan of a Belgian Malinois is roughly 13-15 years.  If you are looking at a quality Belgian Malinois, 11 months to 3 years, who can pass your questionnaire, has all of his "paperwork" and testing, expect to pay between $7500-$17,500, for a dog who has either not started, or has not finished advanced training in a discipline, such as Protection Dog training.  

If you are looking at an adult dog, who is chipped and has full paperwork and health clearances, and who has been fully trained in Personal Protection, and/or comes with a Title or two, expect to pay between $25,000 to $85,000.  

*No Breeder (of any working dog line or breed) can absolutely guarantee that your puppy will be suitable for advanced training in any discipline.  However, if you are starting with a genetic predisposition for protection work (for example), your odds, with proper training, are greatly improved.  See section:  how to "test a puppy".  

What are the advantages to starting with a puppy?  First is cost.  A quality puppy should cost between $2500-$3500.  Next is Knowledge!  You will know who bred the puppy and where.  You can look at the puppy's Sire and Dam, and examine all of his or her paperwork.  Finally comes bonding and training.  A puppy raised with you in your household will learn from you (and your family), and will bond with his new person(s).  While house-training requires a bit of effort during the first few weeks, training this highly intelligent and responsive puppy in obedience can be easy and fun!  If you have young children, and/or other animals, your puppy will grow with them and accept them as part of his or her "pack".   (Whereas an older dog may have problems adjusting to children, other dogs and smaller pets).  (*See more under "Training").

A:  In terms of adapting to life with an individual or a family, a Belgian Malinois is not a dog who will be content with being dumped in the backyard.  Who does that to his or her Best Friend, anyway?  No.  A Mali wants to be WITH you, observing you, listening to you, learning from you, playing with you, and experiencing life--as you do!  Plan on giving your Malinois a great deal of Quality Face Time!  

Exercise is A Must.  A walk around the block is great, but doesn't begin to address your Mali's need and desire for exercise.  My Malinois pack run up and down our mountain every morning and evening--to keep them fit and to burn off excess energy.  

Learning.  A Malinois wants to learn new things!  Give your Mali a job to do!  Bring in the mail, find the slippers, help bring in the groceries, bring in wood for the fireplace . . . a bored Malinois will create their own "jobs" when left to their own devices.   But, you may not agree with their choices for the "re-decoration" of your home, or the landscaping "services" they provide!  Get in front of the "learning curve"!  Let them help you in the house, or in the yard wherever possible.  You will be amazed at how quickly they learn to find your gardening tools (even when you don't remember where you put them!), and how proud they will be when they know they have "helped"!   Take your Mali with you!  Expand his or her horizons--and yours!  

A:  Yes!  I will discount $250 for Firefighters, Police Officers, and for Military Personnel--active or retired.  Proof of Service is Required.  

A:  Yes!  REBATES!  Train your dog to earn his or her Canine Good Citizen (CGC Certificate) and receive $50 from Earthaven!   Enter and win in Rally (1st Place any level) and allow us to post a picture of you and your dog in the Winner Circle on our website and earn $100!  $250 for 1st place in an AKC Obedience Trial, Agility Trial, Dock Diving Win (or similar).  

National or International Protection Sport Competition (1st, 2nd or 3rd place (or HIT or equivalent points) in IGP, Mondio Ring, French Ring, Object Guard, etc.) you and your dog will earn $500 from Earthaven!  

The main thing you will "win" through competition is an enduring bond with your canine partner, the respect and admiration of other "dog people" and maybe make some new friends for yourself and your partner in the Dog World!  Plus, these competitions are Great Fun!  

Please note:   Each member of my pack is flat gorgeous!  But, I do not enter Dog (Conformation) Shows!  My goal is to produce Belgian Malinois who have "all the right stuff" to WORK, and/or to participate in SPORT.  But, They are bred primarily as Companions.  Therefore, if you wish to enter a Malinois in a Show, that's up to you, but Earthaven will not rebate money for these types of wins.   Puppies from my Sires and Dams will, more likely than not, exceed the "breed standard" in height and weight--making them ineligible for "breed shows", anyway!  

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