This is the big one, on Sunday I'm going to look at a litter of Malinois, and if I like what I see, I will be taking home my first Mall <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> There are three litters I can choose from, the next two will be ready four weeks after the first one. They are all working lines, females are male type females, all are producing pretty serious dogs. I'm looking to use my dog in Schutzhund and hunting. So my question is does anybody have any good advice on puppy selecting. I have seen the puppy selecting test on bite work for puppies, Leerburg production. I'm looking for a male with very good nerves and is generally calm <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
I'm interested to hear from you Mall owners.
Ian

What type of hunting?

Well, if it's a reputable breeder they will be able to help you select a pup.

Just tell them what the dog is going to be used for, and they will be able to match you up with a pup that has the proper drive and temperament.

Let the breeder select...IOW, the breeder (if good) spends 24/7 with the litters...Who better to know which pup(s)carry the necessary drives/traits for your program? Doing a 'one time' assessment (by a client) on each pup is not conclusive. Many pups on any given day depending on energy, rest periods, etc...could appear to assess well or poorly...

I'll give you an example...I had a client not long ago...come to pick up their pup. They had been waiting for a couple years. The pup had been playing from 6 am until 10 am and then 'flaked out' and slept. The client, driving from a fair distance, arrived just before noon....I told them which pup I would recommend for their program/goals. Well, this pup did nothing but sleep...They told me that their gut instinct was to select another pup...I tried convincing them that this wasn't the pup they wanted...but to no avail...So off they went with this other pup...Today, the pup I had selected (which was my pick of the litter) is doing phenomenal and is the toughest dog in that kennel with extremely high trainability...The pup the client had selected is very good, but from what I have heard is not of the same calibre as my 'pick' for that particular program. The pup they selected, I would have placed in another program.

If the breeder 'does their thing' and spends time with the pups and assesses them, and imprints them...There should be no need for you assessing them...The breeder should be the 'expert' in selecting pups for the individual programs here. Afterall, they 'live with them' and are exposed to them daily for 8 weeks.

Again, JMHO. B

I will use the Mall for lamping and retrieving. Lamping is the main one, which will be mainly rabbits, but the Mall will be capable of taking down Road dear which is against law in this country. The Mall is the only true protection dog, I know of which can do this work, they need a good turn of speed be willing to work all night, and not be put off by brambles cold and wet. Just in case the question comes to mind why not use a lurcher, I'm looking for a serious protection dog with good obedience, I need a friend I can depend on its dark out there.
Thanks for your interest Ian

Im thinking that lamping for rabbits must be spotlighting. So Im thinking you spotlight the rabbits,send the dog, and it catches and retrieves. Is that correct? Im not familiar with the term lamping.

Brigita and Matthew I know what you are saying is right, and at the end of the day I will go with the breeders choice, but I guess it comes down to trust, I know the man knows his stuff, but is he looking out for me. I guess it is one of those situations where I have to take a leap of faith <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />. He doesn't breed his dogs for selling, that is aside product, of his breeding the competition. Which I see is a double-edged sword, he only breeds with which he is will to use, but is only willing to sell what he doesn't want. I guess I'm trying to find guarantees, in a world where there are none. Which I guess is the start and the end of it.

Yes basically you use a high powered spotlight, which shows up where your prey is. And the dog learns to fly down the been with the wind direction In his face. When he has called his prey he kills it and brings it back. It takes place late at night or early hours of the morning. You get to see some spectacular chases and the dog catches his own dinner. The Mall is only just quick enough to catch rabbits, but is perfect for all the other prey. And when you are hugging the forest edge at one o'clock in the morning in the middle of nowhere it will be nice to have a dog who can stand his ground. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Ian, where are you from? I do a lot of hunting in the states and I have not heard of this. A good .22LR will get to the rabbit faster than your Mal can. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I have often thought of training a GSD to track a deer that has been shot. It shouldn't be too hard to get the dog to track a blood trail. I wonder if this would mess up his schutzhund tracking?

I am from the UK, with the right practice and trigger words
the dog will know the difference in tracking. But to diversify is exactly that, it waters down what you have if you want a highly competitive dog, Then its life has to be just that nothing else.
A fair few of the rabbits will be shot as well, but not as much fun as Lamping. I'm sorry to hear you have a GSD there not good for hunting, but apparently they make good lap dogs <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />.
keep train that GSD it needs it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />