Hello,
I am on an intermediate level for handling dogs.
I am probably asking silly questions that I know the answer to. All of the dogs I have had before
(a sharp german shep-4 years old , and a mal/shep mix ) have both been outside dogs. Well I do not own these dogs anymore. I would like to purchase a mal... for sport and to live in my house. I have a wife who understands what kind of dogs I have had , but I now have a daughter ( 19 months ).Its not the training that I question. I understand because if they live in the house they are more sensitive to the family via... fights , stress etc. Can I have my cake and eat it to with out to much grief. 1. Will my dog be able to perform on the field with living in the house? 2. Will the dog be stable around my daughter ( I know not to put them either into a situation where one could be hurt ).Are there considerations to take in account with living in an apartment.
I can't think of anymore questions? But anyhelp would be nice.
Thanks ,
Jason
P.s. Does anyone have a breeder of mals anywhere near N.E.Ohio.

Yes they can live in the house. It is dependent on you and your family as to in what capacity.

My dogs are crated in the house and one sleeps free. The other would sleep free as well if it weren't for the fact that she will EAT anything she can get her teeth on. I did not buy her as a pup, and she lacks the education on what is and is not a proper food group... we are working on that now though. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Apartment living with dogs can be tense. You can not control the comings and goings of other people. If you are in a dog friendly complex, be prepared to have to share walking areas with people who have ill mannered dogs. Barking can be a problem, and you have to be SURE that your dog isn't making someone else miserable. I had to move from having 22 acres into an apartment with my two GSD's, but luckily I was able to rent above a club member on her land. The biggest downside is to make sure we never let our two bitches meet. It wouldn't be pretty.

Some breeders won't sell you a pup in an apartment without consent from the landlord. Would you consider moving into a rented house? You also can't usually set up an outside kennel in a complex setting, and it is nice to be able to put your dog in a run on a nice day when you are not around. Better on the dog as well IMO.

It is really best to make sure you will be able to keep the dog before you get it, instead of having to find it a home later.

My training partner from Holland has personally raised from Puppy eight Malinois to Police Dogs that are on the streets and working in Ohio. All are from either his own genetics or similar from Dutch lines. I can put you in touch with him if you like, you can arrange to meet the dogs in Ohio and then decide if you want to go further in researching the breed. They all have different personalities and capabilities selected specifically for the handlers chosen. That's what a good breeder and trainer can and should do for you.

Bryan Colletti
President of K-9 CRIME STOPPERS INC.

Dear Bryan,
I would appreciate any help you can through my way. I would love to meet someone experienced with the breed and sort out concerns and help me to find a pup to fit my profile.
Thanks Jason

jason,
Give me call, I know of a few good breeings.
Dan Hourihan

We brought home our first female Mal (Sacha) in Jan 03 (as a pup) and she is primarily an inside companion and is right at 55 pounds. We live in a 4 bedroom house with a small backyard. We crate her at night, spends several hours everyday in the backyard, and when inside, she has her dedicated place (dog bed) outside and away from the crate that is her place to be (even when visitors come knockin' ). Our oldest child is now two years old and our most recent addition is 1 month old and Sacha does really well with both - even with the terrible two's temper tamptrums and the infant yodel'ing :rolleyes: . While we pretty consistently exercise her twice a day (once in the morning and once in the afternoon), she will let us know when we are slacking. Our two year old is still learning that Sacha's bed is her private place to relax and not to be bothered. When we allow play time with the kids, Sacha can play freely with our supervision - she tends to throw her 55 pounds around which is half of what our two year old weighs right now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

your 2 year old weighs 110 pounds??? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

(just kidding, I couldn't resist!) <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

oops, the connection between the brain and the fingers on the keyboard is a little fried these days. Glad to have produced at least a chuckle. Let's see if I can get this straight this morning - daughter weighs 30 pounds and Sacha wieghs in at 55 pounds, whew, that hurt. Thanks, ~Chris