Price of a malinois puppy? - Page 1

From $750 to $1000.

I bought a pup for $350 a few years ago that is now a police k-9. (Awsome dog)  Really just depends on what your looking for and how much you are wanting to spend.

I wouldn't pay more than $1000 for a mali puppy out of titled and hip certified parents. 

There are some great pedigree malinois pups that are sitting in breeder's kennels, unbought, getting older, and wasting away without proper socialization, interaction, stimulation and exposure; potential workabiity being ruined and wasted by "breeders" demanding an outrageous price and holding on to the dogs that aren't selling. This scenario has played out over and over again, unfortunately.

Search out a breeder whose heart is for the breed and not his bank account.

 

 

I think what 'Hunter' wrote is a very reasonable price....for an 8 wk old pup.

As someone a long time ago told me....'you pay what the dog worth to YOU??'....Some will pay 2,000 for an 8 wk old pup...and others expect to get everything for nothing....

I've seen 4 mos old Mals selling for $4,000!  I told my friend that they better be 'pooping gold' before I would consider paying that much for a 4 month old! :)--regardless of breed.

I think one has to take into consideration a number of factors: ie., age of the pup (8 wks, 6 mos, 12 mos)...amount of training (if any), up here to register a litter of 8-10 pups ($400), deworming, and feeding daily ($200/8wks), first set of vaccinations for a litter of 8-10 pups $390+ (depending on the vet)...if an older pup:  also socialization, worming, 2nd (390+) and possibly 3rd (390+) set of vaccinations, handling and imprinting/shaping their behaviours daily....If for example...the pup is 6 mos...then you have the time (daily) to train, all the shots, food, worming ($90 for 3 administrations), crate training, house breaking, health guarantee, the risk to the dam (for every pregnancy) and should something go wrong ie., genetic issue...again the replacement of the pup/young dog with another from another litter....Not to mention: quality food is going up 30% in cost this year....not to mention price of gas....and the Vet fees have increased over the last year...If the bitch needs a C-section=$1000 up here...and then she may only produce 3-4 pups....

As well for many breeders there are costs also for stud fees (usually the price of a puppy)....BUT if the stud isn't accessible or 'dead'; then there are AI costs involved which could run into thousands....and litter sizes vary with AI vs Natural--so unlikely to pay for itself.

Then there are the YEARS of genetic research, travel, Breeder's cost for their own education...so that you (generic) can have the pup you're looking for.....This all costs an incredible amount...And if the Breeder is also titling (it cost me $18,000 to title one dog to Ring III in 18 months); then the costs just keep accumulating...if the stud dog has an accident while training (which happens often in the Ringsports)...the vet bills can be horrific....mine were over 5,000 for one dog/one incident---and then months of rehab ($$$$$).

A friend of mine bought an working Aussie 13 yrs ago when he was 8 wks old  for 'show' and paid $1000 for him....The well bred Mali will give you on average 12 years of workability (and perhaps 15 yrs of companionship)....So I guess my question is: what is this worth to you...??

I'm fortunate in the fact that I only breed 1-2 litters/year; and consider it super if a litter 'pays for itself'......If breeders were constantly 'in the red' (their pockets are only so deep)...eventually, you'd be looking for another breed as there wouldn't be any Mali breeders.

Please don't get me wrong...but many times the 'buyer' has NO idea as to the expenses and risks the Breeder takes; long before the Buyer even sees his little 'prodigy'.---Perhaps you do...but there are many who don't.

That being said...the buyer is buying genetics and not titles...and a price of 1000-1200 for a well bred Mali pup is reasonable in the 21st century.

I had a guy call me a couple weeks ago....hadn't had a working dog due to work/travelling for over 20 years....He was aghast when he heard price for a registered WORKING pup with a lifetime genetic guarantee and told me that 'way back when'....A Mal could be bought for $200 in Belgium.---I had to chuckle as my parents also bought a house at that time for 100,000 which you couldn't buy today under 1/2 million.....and they bought a fully loaded new Grand Prix for 8,500---which costs over 35,000 today.---Sometimes one just has to wonder where t

I am selling my AKC pups for $500, the lineage and ad is online on this site.  Regardless of what you pay, try to meet the parents as you will see what type of Mal you are getting.

I would put the drive of my pet Mals up against just about any in the working line and I have the bonus of them being socialized too! 

In fact, I have people that show dogs all the time tell me that my male should be in the shows as he would take the cake. 

I agree to a point...if one can meet both parents...that would be ideal...(but I had to fly to france to meet my dog's parents)!

However, in the WORKING Malinois world...many times this isn't possible as bitches fly to Europe to get bred; semen is shipped from a European or 'deceased' dog, and puppies are bought from European kennels...This has changed over time somewhat....but this still tends to be the case in many Malinois breedings today...

I believe that any conscientious Mali breeder socializes their pups.  This is not an exception.

Also 'shows' are one thing...to be able to actually work...whether in SAR, Ring, Narc/PSD, ScH, Customs, Herding, is another.  Most show dogs never prove (nor do they have to) their workability.

I also have produced conformation ch.....that wasn't my goal...as I look for working structure and priority is given to working homes. And 'type' in the show ring has a way of changing over decades.  I have a 'vision' and strive toward what a 'Malinois package' should consist of.  I look at the whole dog. 

I have trained for 35 yrs as well as in Holland, Belgium, and France and conversed and exchanged breeding/pedigree information with some exceptional breeders...and trained in MR, FR, ScH, & KNPV.  This education helped form my direction.

And when you talk about 'drive'....the type of dogs I own/handle...many people couldn't nor want to.  But as the Europeans say:  'those are the ones which are 'breed worthy'' and the ones which will keep the workability in this Breed'.

I think it's important for 'buyers' to be educated and as the adage goes:  'you get what you pay for'....

Nice looking dog ultramal.
I just got my new pup for $600. I have his pedigree info but no papers, which is fine as long as the drives are there. 

Its nice to see the parents but its not a deal breaker.  You should want the pup that stands out in the litter, the one that looks to be the best. Pups can be hard because one its a crapshoot and two you have to do your job being a good owner.  I have seen so many top working line dogs sitting in  a kennel that wouldnt know what to do with a ball sitting in front of them. You must take that puppy and give it a job.....

Totally agree with you.

B :)