Tom T., Pennsylvania
I have been training an raising Malinois since '97. I was supervisor and trainer of my departments K-9 unit. I raised all my dual purpose street dogs from pup up and started pup up in my unit. Any officer wishing to be on the unit got either a pup or a green young dog to raise with guidance of me. I have currently retired from police department. And I am looking for a nice size drivey female to work in high end sport an also compete in police dog competitions. I will be putting drug work on this pup. I'm not sure yet what sport but I rather have more drive then less and dial it in where I need it. I'm a demanding handler but fair. We are a working dog home. My son is also police k9 handler. We train everyday. If we don't train we are conditioning. I have seen many of your dogs over the years work and they always were bold forward nice pups. You do a great job producing and keeping the working Malinois Alive and true! I'm looking forward to getting a dog and getting to work.
Melba C., Arizona
I want to tell you what a joy Fides is. After being a K9 handler for many years I had a void that she filled in my heart. She is incredibly smart and very loving. I can't imagine not having her now. I knew what I wanted when I was looking for a dog and she is 100% everything I could have asked for. I would definitely recommend you to my friends or anyone who is looking for a quality canine. Thank you so much!
Jeff S., Illinois
I would like to thank you for all your help in obtaining the high drive, intense Malinois puppy I was looking for. After a few phone calls with you in telling you what I was looking for you gave me your word you had the puppy to meet my needs. I have had Loki for a month now and am confident I made the right choice in purchasing a puppy from Ruidoso Malinois. We have bonded well and he is a healthy ,intense, clear-headed malinois eager to learn. I am confident he will make an excellent dual purpose police K9. I would certainly recommend you to anyone looking for a Malinois.
Jay B., Fort Campbell, Kentucky
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation in my recent purchase of a female Mal puppy named Epona from you. She has exceeded every expectation that I could have ever had. Even as a young "green" dog, the breeder had gone the extra mile to lay down some obedience fundamentals. This had made for an easy transitions into our family. Epona has been bred from a highly reputable pedigree, giving her a high ball and bite drive and the willingness to please. Making Epona also extremely alert and very protective, allowing her to be a great candidate for personal protection. Irene also worked with me on added training tips, which enabled Epona and I to build that special bond before I took her home.
I just returned from a deployment in Afghanistan, and much of this transaction was done over emails, and phone calls. Irene always made herself available to answer any and all questions to ensure that Epona was a right fit for my family. All vaccinations were documented, and Epona flew back to Kentucky with me with no problems. Epona's temperament, health, and wonderful personality and beauty. Again, thank you for all you have done, and thank you for blessing my family with our newest member! We are going to build on the training that has already been established, and continue to develop and train on bite work. I truly could not have dreamed for a better puppy.
Jon and Andrea, Tucson, Arizona
My wife and I met Irene in late 2013 through an online search for a Malinois pup we could raise as a family dog. Irene hooked us up with Esus, a 14 week old pup who she thought fit the bill. We drove out to Ruidoso and met Esus and immediately we loved him. You could tell that Irene really cared about the well being of Esus, and she gave us lots of helpful tips on raising him.
Now Esus is 8 moths old, 55 pounds, and a very good looking pup. He lives for playing fetch (he goes absolutely nuts for his ball and soft frisbee), hanging out on the couch, and taking walks in the wash. Esus loves people, and he is starting to warm up to other dogs. We are very happy with our pup, and very grateful to Irene for linking us up with Esus. I would definitely recommend Irene to people looking for a high drive, fun loving dog to be part of their family.
David and Gay Lynn G., Arizona
We have had the good pleasure of getting to know Irene Howcroft and Ruidoso Malinois by internet first and then by phone. We had detailed conversations with Irene who shows a rare depth of commitment to raising the best Belgian Malinois'. She educated us with her knowledge and passion helping us understand the unique and brilliant dogs that she raises. We made the arrangements and had pictures sent and also called many of the other previous customers Irene had done business with. Buying a dog sight unseen with a wire transfer was a bit scary, but Irene followed through on everything she said she would do. The dogs arrived as scheduled and it all unfolded as planned. We have already taught them all the basic commands of sit, lay, stay, come, walk on a leash, and fetch.
The best part of having the two together is they play with each other. They tire each other out with the playful activities. Having two dogs at once would not be for everyone but with a family of four, everyone helps in making their day a happy one with walks, playtime, and lots of love. Amon and Sia are our newest additions. They are a part of us and we are a part of their Malinois pack. Amon and Sia watch over us, sense our moods, and are eager to share their special kind of Malinois love. I highly recommend Irene as she has continued to give us advice and counsel as we are raising Amon and Sia. Irene has been available by phone and answers our calls, emails and texts with questions gladly.
Steven S. & Family, Albuquerque, NM
My wife, my 9 year old, 5 year old and 4 month old baby drove out to Ruidoso Malinois to see our dog Cura before we purchased her. We played and interacted with our dog for a while and then looked at the whole kennel/ grounds for ourselves. We were very impressed with the kennel, it was clean and the dogs were very healthy. She had other dogs for sale however based on our request we were shown Cura. She just had a vet visit for her booster and a check-up. The vet at Petroglyph Veterinary Center said the dog looked and sounded good. Cura has high drive and is very friendly to our family. All in all we are VERY satisfied and happy with the newest member of our family. She is a quick learner and when she gets older I am planning on going back to Irene's for Personal Protection and Guard Dog Training. I definitely recommend Irene and Ruidoso Malinois. You can contact me if you have any questions or want to know anything about my Cura.
Sherry B., PipeCreek, Texas
I meet Irene when i myself was looking to purchase a new malinois puppy. I have own and worked malinois for 7 year. LOVE the breed.I did a lot of research before picking a breeder and Ruidoso Malinois was at the top of my list. Went to see Irene and checked out her dogs and puppy's and man was i impressed, Her dogs are kept in clean and safe kennels and are in very good physical condition. She whelps and raise her puppy's in her personal home where they get hands on care, She supplements theire feeding with helps take the load demand of milk off the mom, it also helps the puppy's to associate humans are good. She also provides toys and play time for her puppy's. I have been a veterinary technician for 25 years and have seen my share of puppy mills and neglected dogs. Irene or Ruidoso Malinois do NOT fit the bill of puppy mill or a neglected breeder. She has the upmost respect for her dogs and puppy's. If you understand and love the Malinois dog and are looking for a new family member than you can not go wrong by working with Irene / Ruidoso Malinois to find you the right dog.
Jody W., Oklahoma
I have been in law enforcement for fourteen years. I have often considered the option of getting a K-9 as a partner, never fully understanding the true benefits of having one. Approximately six years ago I accepted a position as a transport officer in a correctional facility. I deeply regret it taking six years for me to conclude that a K-9 would make cell extractions, searches and confrontations with inmates easier and almost non existent. After weeks of research I reached via phone Ruidoso Malinois, which is where I believe that I HIT THE JACKPOT.
The newest member of my family was purchased on August 30, 2013. Nomsa the son of Sire Cobe and Dam Chila is predicted not only by Ruidoso Malinois but every trainer that has had the privilege of watching him work and raise the bar of what's expected out of a K-9. Nomsa possess the hunt drive to find ANY scent that he is trained on and the bite drive to bite and hang until his new dad (ME) lets him know we have accomplished what we set out to do. What is even more impressive to my family is that before, during and after we work my twenty month old granddaughter can interrupt and mall Nomsa with no worries from me of him hurting her. I am not trying to show favoritism (well, okay I am) there is no K-9 like him on earth, but if you want to try and find one Ruidoso Malinois is where to look fair price, fantastic animals. (He has since purchased a second pup from Ruidoso Malinois)
Michael S., New York
I would like to let you know about Hunter. Prior to speaking with you I spent several months researching breeders and wanted to hear about how they breed and what makes them think they have the Mal everyone seeks. From the moment I spoke with you I could tell that this is what you do. The amount of knowledge you have about the breed along with information you shared with me about the mother and father and the outcome of previous litters and what those dogs are currently doing told me I had at last found the right breeder. I had requested something very specific; a calm house pet good with kids along with a high drive. I felt very confident that I was making the right choice. I got exactly what I asked for except I honestly didn't expect him to excel so fast and impress everyone on the bite field every time.
He is now settled into our family perfectly and we are his humans. Hunter reciprocates his appreciation by not letting strangers come near us and then snuggles with my 8 and 7 year old daughters to sleep every night. Every time we go on to the bite field the trainers and decoys are most impressed at his ability, intelligence and incredible bite drive. We all keep forgetting he is still a puppy. At 7 months old he is on a hard sleeve, pop ups over barrels and trailers along with heavy punching muzzle work. Hunter is indifferent to gunfire and is very clear minded and focused despite the presented challenge of hectic diversions. Thank you so much for giving us the perfect family addition. I'll continue to let you know how Hunter excels as we go through training. (Has purchased a second pup from Ruidoso Malinois)
Judy T.
We took Thalia to the vet yesterday for her last booster. She had gained seven pounds. She is growing leaps and bounds! She is potty trained at this point and adjusting well to her life here. She likes to ride in the truck. She has a hammock and wears a seat belt harness which allows her to lay down. We put toys in for her to play with and she does well with this and she seems to enjoy it. She loves the snow. She takes her bleach bottle and pushes it all over the yard at full speed. She loves to eat the snow. She opens her mouth, puts it to the ground and runs, filling her mouth with snow. It is the funniest thing to watch. Thalia is amazing! I/we her so very much!!! Truly she is our cheer up puppy! She is a wonderful addition to our family! We send our best wishes to you for a blessed Christmas season. May God bless You and yours Irene. I think of you often.
Judy T. responding to a client asking for reference
Hi Robert, my name is Judy, my husband Craig emailed you this morning. I just wanted to add my perspective on Irene and her facility. Our first experience with Irene, was when we went down to purchase our puppy. We were pleased with how clean the kennels were. The puppies were healthy, alert, playing. The other dog pens were clean and the animals looked well cared for. Irene is knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. I liked her right away. I also am impressed with how she interacts with the dogs. She is very patient, loving and gentle with them. We also observed her training techniques, for drug training as well as search and rescue. We were impressed.
We also met a customer of hers, who was from El Segundo California. He shared with us, that he could have purchased a dog (drug dog) several other places closer to home, but he wanted one from Irene; because of how she handles the dogs. So it was worth using his vacation time to purchase a dog specifically from her. All in all our experience was favorable. I would not hesitate to purchase another dog from her in the future. We are planning on having her train Thalia, for protection as well as a service dog. I hope this was helpful with your decision making.