Just came home with our Belgian Malinois Fanny on October 19. We spent 5 days training with Jay and Ty which taught us how to control Fanny in protection mode as well as obedience. Taught voice control with our girl as well. Irene fit us with the perfect dog for our family. We are so glad we chose Ruidoso Malinois.

Our experience with Ruidoso Malinois Kennel has been nothing short of phenomenal. Irene, the owner, is exceptionally knowledgeable about the Malinois breed and approaches dog placement with a meticulous standard of care. From our initial conversation, it was clear that Irene was committed to finding the perfect match for our family. She took the time to understand our family dynamics, specific needs, and lifestyle, ensuring that her recommendations were tailored to us. Irene identified several potential dogs and patiently discussed the unique traits of each, explaining why they might be a perfect fit. However, her integrity truly shone when she expressed concerns about the bite behavior of our initial choice. Although we were initially disappointed, her commitment to providing only the best was evident, and we deeply respected her decision. We were thrilled to receive Cortos, a dog beyond our wildest expectations. Irene's dedication to excellence led her to gift us her very own dog, Cortos, who is not only stunning and obedient but also fiercely protective of our family. His well-balanced temperament is a testament to Irene's expertise. Before Cortos arrived, I flew from Atlanta to New Mexico and drove two hours to see Irene's kennel. It was worth every mile. The operation is impressive, with a pristine environment and beautiful, well-cared-for dogs. The two trainers who guided us through the handlers course were phenomenal, making the experience enjoyable and informative. I waited five months before writing this review, ensuring Cortos was a stable, reliable companion. He has exceeded all expectations and it’s hard not to show him off around town. When we decide to expand our family further, Ruidoso Malinois Kennel will be our only choice. Thank you, Irene and your amazing staff, for this five-star experience. We couldn't be happier!

I got my Malinois from them six years ago, best dog I have ever had and I have had some awesome dogs over my life, have two fifty gal. plastic bags full of ribbons to prove it. When you spend time around a well bred dog you can see and tell the difference from the rest of the pack. One of the things I truly appreciated was being questioned about my dog experience, if I was just a pet owner looking for a pet this dog and his breed would have most likely ended in disaster for me and the dog. The “interview” to see if I would be an appropriate owner was more than needed. As I said he is the best dog I have owned and I highly recommend this breeder/trainer

From the first phone conversation with Irene, she listen to what I was looking for in a dog. Irene contacted me saying she had a dog for me and he would be ready in a couple of months. Upon arrival in May Irene had selected the most awesome dog Rama. My trainer Chris was also awesome to work with. I have been home a week with Rama and could not ask for a better and well mannered dog. Irene and her staff are very professional and very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend Ruidoso Malinois to anyone considering a Malinois. I know I look forward to acquiring a another one in the future to add to my family!!! Thank you Irene you chose a super awesome Rama to be apart of my family!!!!

I am a retired Army SGM and disabled combat veteran; I have long admired the Belgian Malinois breed but became slightly obsessed with the breed after seeing them in action during my combat tour in Afghanistan. Unfortunately, post combat, I was diagnosed with PTSD that left me constantly in a state of hyper vigilance; a feeling that there was an endless threat of unknown harm to myself or my Family. This affected my quality of life severely; as a single woman of a certain age, I no longer felt safe taking walks alone, traveling alone. Even attending church was problematic; that strong sense of being vulnerable to a threat I couldn’t name but my brain held me hostage over. I avoided crowded events like the plague. I couldn’t sleep soundly and felt that I constantly needed to be alert and watching for danger. I was wintering in Mexico when I happened upon Ruidoso Malinois during a Google search and I called the owner, Irene Howcroft the next day. From our first phone interview, Irene understood my plight and actually identified one of her Mals, Larry, that she said would be perfect for me. Larry would be ready in a few months; however, I explained I needed to get my knee replaced and heal before I could pick him up and attend the 5-day handler training. Irene, without hesitation, kept Larry for me, until I was healed and able to come for him; she felt that strongly that Larry was my dog. She was right! I traveled to NM to meet and train with Larry; the handler training was amazing. Chris, a Marine veteran, provided excellent training and upon our departure I felt equipped with all the knowledge and tools to bring Larry back to MT. I am so grateful I found Irene and Ruidoso Malinois! I cannot speak more highly of her business, expertise; I’m beyond grateful for Larry. He’s become my best friend; what a sweet disposition he has. I love him and trust him and I’m pretty sure the feeling is mutual! We spend time taking long walks and he couldn’t be happier chasing after balls. He’s energetic and eager to please, loves car rides and is extra alert for any danger. I haven’t slept this well in years. I now feel confident to go anywhere as long as Larry is with me. I have no doubt he will protect me. I have the best companion, service dog and protector! Thank you, Irene!

It has taken me a bit to write this review as we wanted to make sure the transition into daily life went well. Now that everyone is settled in we can say without a doubt that the experience and service we received from Ruidoso Malinois was top notch. We began our search after our GSD of 12 years passed unexpectedly, and we already knew we wanted another working dog. From the beginning Irene was crystal clear as to the expectations she had for her establishment as well as those for potential buyers. The depth for which she cares about these animals during their upbringing and after placement is self evident. For about 3-4 weeks my wife and I asked about every question under the sun, and Irene thoroughly answered every single one. Irene selected a protection male and companion female for us. The most important factor being our family dynamic. We have three children (13, 3, & 1 yo) and their safety and comfort are paramount to us. Rey and Leighla were the perfect selection for our family. Rey is very level headed and knows when to turn on and I can now say, after a couple of months transitioning him into our home, that he is very patient around our young ones. It goes without saying, animals are animals, and we always have eyes on the kids and our dogs when they are intermingled. Leighla is an absolute love bug, and is very playful with both the kids and Rey, which was also very important for us. While we live an active life style, we cannot always have both pups with us, so the fact that they love being around one another and keep each other active is a huge must. The 1-week introduction and handler school provided by Irene and her team was amazing, and I am very glad that they offer this service. From what I have read and heard of from other establishments, you could span from a 1-2 day school to a similar week. We certainly wanted a full week to fully introduce our family, see how the dogs paired as well as learn proper handling for both dogs, but especially Rey. We left with absolute confidence after this process. We want to give a huge shout out to Brian for his years upon years of experience and patience with our 13 yo during handler training. To end a lengthy blurb: Professional experience through and through, from inquiry to leaving with two new family additions. 10/10 would recommend Ruidoso Malinois for your personal protection, family protection, and companion dog needs. Thank you again Irene! Sincerely, The Hilton Family

I highly recommend Ruidoso Malinois, Irene and her team. She is direct and honest, which I appreciate. She matched me with Zimba and what a perfect match it is. Zimba responds best when I do what the trainers instructed me to do during our 5 day training sessions. It's pretty simple. The animals are educated and we have to get on their level. This particular dog is amazing. He's loving, he communicates and he really just wants to please me and work. Trust the high ratings as you'll notice that the lower ones have less to do with the animals and more to do with being told "no"

If you want an amazing trained dog, go to Ruidoso Malinois. Irene and her team of trainers are hands down amazing. I was in the market to get a service dog for my ptsd. I did my research and found Ruidoso Malinois. On the first call, I felt like I made the right choice. I understand the whole working dog world as I was a dog musher before moving to warmer weather. I understand the demand for running a large kennel. Irene does an outstanding job. the kennel was very clean and laid out nicely. it was not overly loud and it did not smell of dog waste. If you choose this kennel please understand that it is a true working dog kennel and Irene can not always talk to you. She will do her best to keep you in the loop but there will be times you don't hear from her as she is running a business. Best have some thick skin. Irene is an amazing dog person and is very passionate about her dogs most will say she is not very personable but that is not true. this woman will place you with a dog that fits you perfectly and is just ensuring the dogs are getting the best care at their new homes. My Malinois Izana was a perfect dog for me and what I was looking for and she is the first Ruidoso Malinois in Hawaii. just make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before getting a Mal. I will definitely be back if I need another mal in my life. one of the best investments of my life

My wife and I purchased a family protection dog from Ruidoso Malinois and could not have been happier with the experience. Irine was great to work with and her trainers are amazing. We spent 4 days in handler school at her facility and learned invaluable skills that will make us better owners and will help our dog perform properly with all of his training. We are completely satisfied and highly recommend Irine and Ruidoso Malinois.

We are so happy we got our dog Adad through Ruidoso Malinois! Before Adad, we had a once in a lifetime dog who passed. We knew we wanted to fill that hole, but we were a little nervous about looking for a new dog after having her. We told Irene about our family and what we were looking for and she immediately said, "you want Adad." Amazingly, Adad is another once in a lifetime, special dog. He is incredibly well mannered, calm, confident, intelligent and affectionate, just like they said. He's also the softest most handsome boy. Irene really picked the perfect dog for our family. He has been great with our son. We've had a great experience with Irene. Yes she is protective, but she is actually a very warm person, she just wants to make sure her dogs are going to good responsible people. These dogs are athletic, intense, sensitive, and capable. They could do a lot of damage with an irresponsible pet owner. It would be irresponsible and unfair to not vet someone first. I found her criteria very reasonable as she understands dogs, especially after the nonsense we went through when we considered adopting from a shelter. If you're an inpatient person, you should know the process of them training your dog until receiving them takes a while. Irene seems pretty busy with her business and sometimes takes a little to get back to you too, but she will get back to you. We understood and it was totally worth it. I also really appreciated the handler's course! I've taken some Michael Ellis courses online, but nothing beats learning how to teach your dog, in person, with a dog trainer watching and correcting you. I learned a lot in about our dog and training in general in a few short sessions. I could not give this kennel a stronger recommendation. We're over the moon about our new buddy.

We are very pleased with Ruidoso Malinois. Irene was patient, thorough and professional. We are so blessed to have been matched with Lery. He is affectionate, crazy, obedient and can be on task in a second. What a great addition to our family. Also, we would like to highly recommend his trainers and Ruidoso Malinois, Darrin and Brian and Jack. They were fun, professional and highly skilled. Please give them a call for the best cared for and trained Malinois in the world. We highly, highly recommend Ruidoso Malinois. Kindly, The V Family of CA

I'm a disabled Vet. DEALING AFTER/SIDE EFFECTS OF 6 years at Marine base Camp Lejeune and have twice requested a quote on a obedience trained puppy to replace my current (PTS) SERVICE ANIMAL a LOYAL/LOVING MALE 11 year old, White English Southern Bulldog ORIGINAL BLOODLINE OF THE AMERICAN BULLDOG they only replied after, I threatened to post this review ! SPEAK ENGLISH, AGAIN, I DID NOT UNDERSTAND ,,eWe,, NOR COULD, I HEAR ,,eWe,, ON THE PHONE THAT IS WHY, I HUNG UP ON ,,eWe,, AND LAST WEEK THE E-MAIL, I SENT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AS BEING RECEIVED AS IT WAS THIS MORNING ,,eWe,, contacted me AFTER POSTING A BAD REVIEW AND STILL NO PRICE FOR A TRAINED PUPPY GO AWAY ! After reading the reviews about people whom have had dealing with ,,eWe,, NO THANK ,,eWe,, AGAIN I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND OR HEAR ,,EWE,, ON THE PHONE SO, I HUNG UP ! I HAVE ALREADY FOUND A PUPPY FROM REPARABLE TRAINER THAT DOESN'T FEEL ENTITLED AND AGAIN A COULD NOT UNDERSTAND ,,EWE,, ON THE PHONE SO, I HUNG UP !

I cant say enough about the process or training that my daughter and I received while purchaing our new dog from Irene at Ruidioso Malinios! From the moment you arrive you can tell that serious thought is taken to ensure the health and safety of the animals and that its a quality facility. Our trainer, Ernie, was wonderful and so paitent with my 11 year old daughter who tends to be very shy. If your considering buying a great dog, look no further. On the flight home we got more than a dozen compliments through the airport and flights on how well behaved and impressive Sam was! Thank you Irene! Dennis Malin

Had the pleasure of getting my Malinois from Irene and had been thoroughly satisfied with her care for her dogs and the kind of home each dog goes to. I messaged her to ask how to get my other dogs to be more accepting to my new Malinois and she call right away and explained what I should do and boom, they are best friends now. Her care for her dogs is unwavering and she is very quick to answer my questions either by phone or text. I have recommended my family members to her to go through the process to getting one of her beautiful dogs. If you are looking for a well tempered, well loved Malinois then Ruidoso Malinois is the perfect place to acquire one. You won’t be disappointed with Irene’s care, compassion and customer service.

My wife and I are great fans of the Belgian Malinois breed, and recently acquired a "Mal" from Ruidoso Malinois. I am happy to report that we were very pleased with the experience! I had several conversations with Irene Howcroft, owner of the business, prior to making the decision to purchase a dog from her. Irene helped us select a wonderful dog who is perfect for us. Irene provided marvelous counsel to us and answered all our questions in detail as we worked through the decision process to acquire our "Ema." Irene also provided regular updates while the dog was being trained to meet our needs and was very supportive during our on-site training experience. She continues to make herself available to us when we need information and/or guidance. Prior to contacting Irene, I read many positive reviews describing the work and approach of Irene and her Ruidoso Malinois staff. Their service and support for us during our acquisition of our dog, Ema, was consistent with the best of those reviews. If you are considering the acquisition of a Belgian Malinois for any purpose, I urge you to consider Irene Howcroft and the staff at Ruidoso Malinois.

I am in love. There is no other explanation for it and it’s all Ruidoso Malinois’ fault. They trained the most amazing and loving dog I have ever met. Tyson, a male Belgian Malinois, was heaven sent for me. Tyson is dual use- he is trained as a service dog for me as well as personal protection. He’s equal parts chill partner at my feet monitoring my health and wellbeing for my affliction while I write inside and strong protector of me and my family outside. Let me tell you how this love affair started. I began speaking to Irene, the owner of Ruidoso Malinois, five years ago because my girlfriend at the time had a stalker. I also told her that my doctor had recommended that I consider a service dog as my affliction was getting worse as I got older. I wasn’t ready for the dog at the time but we began communicating and I explained that I lived an unusual life— I am a filmmaker and I travel a lot, mostly overseas. Irene explained that this was not a problem. Last year, I told her I was ready for a dog and she explained that she had the perfect dog for me. After some fits and starts, I was finally ready to meet my dog this fall. Irene sent extensive material on diet and dog products to read. I went to New Mexico to meet and work with Tyson. It takes about a week to work with your dog before you understand the entire gamut of its training. Ruidoso Malinois is one of the world’s leaders in training Mals. They are spectacular and have deep, granular knowledge of what makes a successful dog for people from years of working with and the training of Malinois dogs and thoroughly understanding the specific needs of the clients. Its tough for a woman to be the leader in a traditionally male run community but Irene is strong and yet leads her team with intelligence and elan. She has a psychology background which I am sure she leveraged to fully understand me which, in turn, ensured that the dog she trained for me was exactly the one I needed. Day one, I met Tyson and his skills were demonstrated for me. It was impressive. I returned in the afternoon and had my first session working my dog. Tyson looked directly into my eyes and l knew he would be perfect. He is amazingly affectionate and we were a pair immediately. I took him back to my airbnb that night and he slept like a log on his dog bed. The team recommends you bring his crate with you but Tyson was happy and comfortable to sleep on the dog bed that I brought with me. For the next four days, I had two sessions a day learning to work with Tyson. Tyson is highly trained and it was important to spend as much time with the team so I could learn and be comfortable handling Tyson with confidence and ease. Tuesday was advanced obedience, working step by step on sit, stay, lay down, come, break, etc. Then to understand the service dog cues. The team builds your confidence step by step so by Tuesday, I felt comfortable with Tyson in all sorts of obedience requirements. Tyson is amazingly obedient and wants to perform for me. He loves to play and be affectionate and yet is capable of handling serious situations. A protection dog is particularly complex and the rest of the week was working with the team and Tyson so I became at ease with the protection elements. There are two sessions a day. Wednesday I worked both sessions on the protection skills. Thursday was really a day to learn how to evade confrontations. This is important because not every threat is going to come for you. Sometimes a warning is enough to keep bad people at bay or maybe they were actually not a threat to begin with. Friday was redoing the protection techniques as well as learning about how to use the dog when there are two suspects or a carjacking. Tyson is completely at ease with my living situation and the rest of the people in my household. I return to Paris this year to shoot a film and Tyson will be joining me the entire way. (Tyson came fully prepared with all his shots, proof of vet visits, and chipped— ready for a year or two of international travel at my side.) Thank you Ruidoso Malinois for the friend I never thought I needed and for the one I now cannot live without.

If your looking for a superior malinois Irene Howcroft is top tier. I drove 1500 miles both ways to get my pup and it was worth every mile. I had an extensive phone interview with her and you will know right away she lives and breaths this dog breed. Her kennel is superior and you'll know (and feel it) when you see it 1st hand.

I was referred to Ruidoso Malinois through a network of marine vets and police departments. As anyone who researches Malinois knows, they have a reputation preceding them of being high energy, agility, aggressive, working dogs. My opinion has been both solidified and changed. As logic would tell it,  dogs have a wide a range of purposes and personalities as humans and to say a single breed is a single type is just wrong. They may have similarities, but they are as unique within those traits as you could imagine. I went into the situation, beginning with a phone call and speaking with Irene. After a LONG call she asked a million questions and said Uto would be the dog I needed based on my energy, lifestyle, and goals for a working dog. All of my friends told me how much of a bad idea it was,  and how crazy these dogs "are" the entire 4 months he was being trained for me. And I'll admit the nerves got to me a bit. Upon arrival in New Mexico, I met Irene, the facility,  Tony (the trainer), and finally Uto. He was standoffish at first,  circled the apartment, wasn't very interested in me, even tried marking my suitcase (we fought). But by day 2, we were friends,  exploring commands along with the mountains and deserts in the area (he loves rock climbing we discovered). By day 3 even Tony was noticing the difference in the bond and we began teaching new tricks at home and becoming more fluid. By the time we started bite work on Wednesday we were comfortable and confident enough with each other and now (2 months later) the bond is still growing daily. (He drops his kong/ball if he thinks I'll give him any affection,  and he'd be willing to destroy you for a ball,  so...) We are fully mobile,  public access, live alerting for type one diabetes (45 minutes ahead of any blood sugar swings) and about 30 minutes ahead of seizures. We work on Thursdays with the Raleigh Police department for bite work,  and I will say,  he isn't bite happy,  he breaks down situations very very well and goes off my vibes and tones to tell him if he should be worked up in live situations. However,  bite suit out,  and there is no greater joy than biting someone. He is energetic,  but behaved. Willing to please with no off switch. Food motivated but not aggressive.  Defensive and alert but not jumpy or insecure. Dog neutral as hell, will look at another dog barking at him and never break a heel or stay. Not the most kids neutral,  loves my daughter (6yo) because he has learned she delivers snuggles without requiring an executed command prior to.  But other kids he is NOT good with. They run, point,  talk loud,  move alot, have balls,  scream,  cry,  he doesn't know what to do with them and requires intense leash control. But its not aggression,  it's uncertainty, curiosity,  and we are working through it slowly. I wouldn't consider it a problem,  just HIS problem. Overall,  I'd give the ruidoso Malinois team a rocking 5/5. Wouldn't trade Uto for the world.  Literally.

Where to begin. The purpose of this review is for those considering ordering a dog to be sent to them to please think again. Please reconsider simply trusting the breeder and relying on pictures. Make sure that you spend time observing and interacting with the dog. We ordered our dog and after she arrived, we took her to a trainer that specialized in her breed. His first question for us after interacting with her was what our warranty policy is on our dog. He relayed that her level of fear causes her to be unsafe. My husband called the trainer, and asked her what to do. She recommended that we buy these training videos for $250. We did, and many of the strategies worked. However, our socialization attempts for her were failing. We were afraid to take her on camping trips, or to dog parks because she would get upset, and bit us. She was still young and pretty oral, so we hoped that behavior would subside as she got older. After a year, her behaviors were not getting better. She could do tricks, and follow commands. She was very sweet, loving to us, but when she was around anyone else she would change and become very upset and would stop listening and obeying commands. We realized, living in a subdivision and having children, that although we were told she was a great family dog, we didn't feel that it was a good place for her. We both worked and felt like she needed someone, maybe a trainer, to adopt her and give her the care she deserved because we just didn't know what to do. We called Irene, the breeder, and asked her to please take her back. We let her know that we didn't want our money back, we just wanted a good home for her. She initially said she would take her. My husband planned to drive to New Mexico to return her. Then Irene didn't return our calls. We called and called and left message after message to no avail. I wish I could say things got better. Her behaviors have worsened. We love her but she can't be around anyone. Its been several years now. We have spoken to trainer after trainer only to be told that there is nothing that can be done for her. We keep her inside, we take her on walks but now she chases cars and barks at them. We never allow her near anyone. We are scared to. We don't want to put her down. It is so hard to know what else to do. I hope this helps someone. I am really unimpressed with the way Irene handled our situation. It was pretty heartless. I obviously don't recommend getting a dog from her. The more important takeaway is this: don't ever get a dog sight unseen. Every trainer we have met with say there is something wrong, broken with her. If we had have seen her, we would have noticed. Also, she is significantly small for her breed. I don't know if she is the runt or if that matters, but again, if we had have met her first we would have seen her anxiety and anti social behavior.

Carrie R., Arizona March 28, 2021 I did as much research as possible prior to speaking with the owners of multiple training facilities/breeders of protection dogs in the country. From my first phone call with Irene Howcroft at Ruidoso Malinois, I knew she was more interested in matching me with the right dog for my needs and lifestyle than any other trainer/owner. Irene interviewed me and I continually interviewed her over the next two months. We need a dog that I can take hiking/camping and who is also well-mannered in public. Our son is a highly competitive athlete so our dog would also need to able to sit through sporting events with lots of people. I spoke with previous clients, both civilian and LEOs, to see how their dogs were performing and if they transitioned well into the families they went to. Everyone was honest and felt their dog was a great match for them. In December 2020 we committed to purchasing a trained dog from Irene. We met Hokey on February 22, 2021, a month ago. My first impression was two-fold. After the initial demonstration, I was confident that he was well trained for bite work and that he would not hesitate to protect his handler. On the other hand, the first night we had him, we were unsure of his “domestic” training and possible health issues. The next day we insisted that the trainers and Irene go into extreme detail with us about his training. We explained our observations/concerns then they calmly and professionally addressed every single one of them. Irene even made a vet appointment for us before leaving New Mexico. (Turned out to simply be allergies as it was quite dusty and pollen was starting to drop when we got him. The vet had nothing but good things to say about Hokey’s health and behavior. He even let us muzzle him with no problems.) With every training session Hokey became more confident in us and us in him. The handler’s course was fun and enlightening. Our trainers, Hans, Matt, and Tony, are absolutely amazing! They were very patient with us without sacrificing the intensity needed for proper handling of our new protector. Hans was able to answer all of our questions about situations we may find ourselves in with training tips and real-life scenarios he has dealt with. Due to COVID-19, it was challenging to provide opportunities for the trainers to expose a dog to the scenarios we expect him to be in, i.e. sporting events, but the training we received while at Ruidoso Malinois has proved invaluable in making sure we expose him correctly. Hokey has no issues with public access, is crisp on command, and has already learned a few more commands than he left New Mexico with. He knows his place in our “pack” and is a confident member! I cannot express how happy we are that we stuck with the training after our initial impression. Hokey is a confident, intelligent, loving gentleman! Irene provided me with exactly what I asked for and needed! As a first time owner of a service/protection dog and Maliniois, I can confidently recommend Ruidoso Malinois to potential clients.