Belgian Malinois at Selected Stud
Sadly, there are far too many poorly bred, non-pedigree, non-KC registered, non-health tested so-called Belgian Malinois (BSD) being bred from by irresponsible dealers in the UK. Countless individuals are attempting to cash in on the recent media infamy this breed has attracted on YouTube and from the film industry – These ‘dealers’ do not have the interests of the breed at heart – their sole interest is to make quick cash at the detriment of the breed and most of these people have only owned the breed for a short time and will no doubt go onto another, once the popularity craze subsides, but regrettably the damage caused will decimate the breed for years to come.
These dealers often profess to be experts, despite having little knowledge, love, care or experience with the breed. Then there are the countless individuals who cross Malinois with anything and everything to make a few quid, that so often creating genetic monsters in their wake for unsuspecting and ill informed people to buy which so often can only look forward to a life in a rescue centre or being put to sleep. Far too often, these dogs are bred by bad people and for the wrong reasons, and this is no doubt why it is being muted that the Government should start carefully looking at BSD ownership in the UK. The Belgian Malinois was never developed to be a ‘pet or status breed’ – these are titles that don’t suit him well – He was developed to be an honest and beautiful working animal – and this should never be forgotten.
The ‘God Father’ of the Breed ‘Louis Huyghebaert’ (1894) was passionate and promoted that only dogs that were both beautiful with real working ability should be bred from. What we’re seeing today and especially in the UK is the total opposite – dogs that are not beautiful and are devoid of any real working ability are being bred from at a colossal rate that will damage the breed forever. Especially concerning and something that can only be described of as cruel – is the fact that many of the animals being pumped by unscrupulous “breeders” are riddled with health problems and temperament issues – since they don’t come from health tested or character tested parents. They are virtually guaranteed to drain their owners emotionally and financially. For some guidance, please read our article ‘Guide to buying a dog’ and just to reiterate – True Belgian Malinois were selectively bred and developed to be working dogs – not pets or yard dogs!
You don’t have to be Einstein to realise that ‘a Poorly bred dog crossed with a Poorly bred dog’ will very rarely produce a good dog – the genes aren’t there!
If you are someone who dearly loves and cares for the breed and has its future improvement at heart – we have available at selected stud, a dog that ticks so many boxes. There is a caveat – if you are thinking about breeding your bitch – your dog must be worthy of our dog’s services and you need to be an upstanding individual – not a puppy farmer…
We are proud to introduce our beloved boy, ‘the dog the bitches are talking about’:
Jotunheim Butch Cassidy Von Zoltanika BH AD IGP1 KC stud book qualified, fully health tested.
Not only is Butch one the largest, fittest, strongest, healthiest and most handsome pure bred Belgian Malinois you are likely to see – he has won classes at Championship shows winning his way into the KC stud book. He’s also a qualified, and very powerful working dog. Bred by one of the very finest breeders from a very long line of health tested and proven working dogs – from the very best European working lines. He is most certainly NOT a mixed breed Malinois from dubious BRN heritage.
His father besides being a stunning looking dog was one of the very top French Mondioring competitors. A very large and powerful male with a reputation for knocking over even the most experienced helpers. His brother and nephew are likewise successfully competing in Mondioring with his niece in IGP.
We are enthusiasts not breeders, and have purposely turned down many stud enquires from people who have wanted to use him for three main reasons: (1) At the time we considered him too young (2) their bitches where of insufficient quality and (3) their owners wanted to breed dogs for all the wrong reasons.
We can afford to be fussy as (i) We don’t breed dogs for money. Our dog is our passion, not our source of income and (ii) We are firm believers of waiting for a dog to mature until he is at least 6 years old to allow sufficient time to pass to reveal any potential defects in Character, Temperament or Health Issues. Being responsible, we are more than conscious that any defects are so easily be passed onto future generations and should be avoided at all costs if the breed is to be improved. We are pleased to report that as far as humanely possible, and within the realms of current science there are no such defects with our boy.
Our boy has proven himself in the following key areas: Beauty; Brains (working ability); Temperament, Health and Genetics.
Beauty
Butch is quite unlike the other Belgian Malinois you will see on the UK show circuit, and while he has been shown only 4 times (all at Championship Shows) – he has won Post grad; placed 3rd Post Grad Crufts 2022; won Open class at two Belgian Shepherd Championship shows under European BSD breed specialists – being rated ‘very good’ winning him recognition and a place in the KC stud book. At all the shows entered – he was the largest and most powerful male by far. Sometime in the future we will enter further occasional shows (Crufts 2023 was entered but we didn’t attend owing to poor weather) – but sadly our boy, being a true working dog simply finds the show scene just a tad boring.
Temperament and working ability
Butch has a temperament that is second to none – social in every environment and with no hint of nerves or nervous aggression. A very confident and powerful male, who like his father has bowled over many helpers during protection training. When carrying out this type of work, we have to be very selective and careful in both how, and with whom we train to avoid potential helper injury, and importantly injury to our boy should the helper not be fit, strong, fast or co-ordinated enough to work him safely. In training, people have been accidently injured and carted off to A & E – so we have to be very careful, as he is a big, fit, fast and powerful boy.
He has fast powerful grips with powerhouse stature that helpers find very difficult to manage. He enjoys throwing people around using his awesome strength and attitude. But once the combat is over, he quickly turns off and becomes social again – a very balanced dog indeed.
His basic stats, he’s an easy 28 inches at the shoulder, weighs in at a lean 38/40 Kg. He can easily carry more weight, but we take pride in keeping him fit and trim.
Back in 2007 with my previous dog Jotunheim Unit Von Zoltanika BH Sch I Sch II Sch III – we were the first ever team to represent the UK in the World BSD Schutzhund /IPO /IGP championships and first ever non-GSD team to represent the UK at the World FCI Schutzhund / IPO/ IGP Championships besides being the first BSD team to enter the NASDU security trials which we should have easily won, except for a small technical issue (the security guards even moaned that I wasn’t a ‘security guard’, and had the rules changed as they didn’t appreciate the competition – so much for sports eh…!). So back then we were something of a trail blazer when it came to working BSDs. This is something I am both proud of and ashamed of at the same time. Proud for the reasons given, but ashamed since I believe it encouraged many people to buy and breed BSDs; especially in the security industry and alike, that so often have little love and dedication for the breed, but just see them as an easy meal ticket which has attracted many of the wrong types to the breed. Individuals who think they are macho or have little respect for the breed – those who simply breed poor quality animals in an effort to make easy money.
Having been the first BSD owner / handler to represent the UK at the World Championships in this particular sport – I guess I’m not so hungry for competition these day, as I simply do it for fun and to give my training some focus – but to be entirely honest, throughout my 47 years of owing, training, working and showing working dogs – I have never sought fame, otherwise I would be constantly pushing out videos on YouTube, facebook, Tikok or similar – my passion has always been the love, companionship, friendship and fun I get from my dogs. I would rather do the things quietly out of the limelight; rather than constantly seeking media attention. My EGO doesn’t need it – It’s just that everyone now and then ‘to prove to myself, that choose to walk the talk’. For me, the fun is getting out there and training my dog which I find rewarding. Not necessarily competing regularly.
Which brings me back to my boy – to date he has competed in two IGP (Internationale Gebrauchshund Prufung) surveys and at his first outing in 2022 achieved his Beglithund (BH) qualification (companion test) and the AD (endurance test) and in 2023 gained his IGP 1 qualification (tracking, obedience and protection). We will do other trials in the future, but like I said, I don’t particularly enjoy trials and find it so difficult to fit in with all of my other commitments.
Health Statistics and Genetics
Our boy is from a long line of registered, pedigree and health tested dogs, and we are pleased to report:
- HD score 4:4
- Elbows 0:0
- Eye tested: Clear of any issues
DNA and Health Tested under what is internationally regarded to be the best scheme available – ‘The Wisdom Panel’. His excellent results as follows:
100% Belgian Malinois (not a mixed breed)
Short coat
Fawn with mask
Prick ears
Within his genetic weight range
Butch has been tested for 263 genetic disorders and thankfully no disorder was found. Of special note to BSD fanciers is that Butch is clear of Cardiomyopathy and Juvenile Mortality; CNS Atrophy with Cerebellar Ataxia; Hereditary Ataxia; Spongy Degeneration with Cerebellar Ataxia; Haemophilia all of which are regularly being regularly in BSDs.
The Package
I have been a BSD fancier for over 43 years, and owner for well over 20 years. Over this time, I have seen a great number of BSDs at home and overseas and very few come even close to this wonderful boy I have the pleasure of owning. All in all, Butch is arguably one the most beautiful Malinois you are ever likely to see. A superbly powerful working dog with temperament and personality to die for (he is a little cheeky, but it’s a personality trait I wouldn’t want to change as it make me smile. Clockwork automatons that are constantly trained with e-collars is not our game). He ticks all the boxes from a health, beauty, working perspective – a very large and powerful working dog with excellent bone, substance, dentition, pigment etc that can more than hold his own in the show ring or on the working field. We firmly believe ‘Butch’ is what Louis Huyghebaert was after in his vision of what the Belgian Malinois should be – beauty with brains!
For further details give us a call or drop me an email.