Sheba

Sheba, a Belgian Malinois, was seven years old when I agreed to foster her for the American Belgian Malinois Club rescue. They warned me that since she was so old I might find her difficult to place. Well, I found her difficult to place, but not because she was so old, but becuse I fell in love with her! She was a working dog, and really needed a job to do, so I started training her in agility. She loved it, and was very eager to work with me in the sport. Since I, also a senior, wasn't able to walk around an agility course, I had to use my electric scooter to train and show her. She learned to do all of the obstacles correctly, and to go on ahead of me when I couldn't keep up. We earned several titles in AKC and UKC agility, and she was still happily competing at the age of nine, as shown in the picture.
Carol Stein
Johnstown, OH

Malinois Rescue Jussie is HOME!

ABMC Rescue
© 2000

We are extremely pleased with Jussie. In regards to your question regarding why an older dog? I have worked with a couple of rescue groups over the years, greyhounds and my local Humane Society. Too often you see the older guys overlooked especially when you have the energetic little puppies or kittens running around. I truly beleive people will always get a better pet with an older animal ( for all the reasons in your article). It would not suprise me if you told me you receive dozens of calls a year looking for that perfect hot 1 yr old agility or flyball prospect. I can now say from experience having met a couple of those hot prospects when I picked Jussie up that I would not have been happy. There is no way I would have been able to handle all that puppy/adolesent energy and channel it into productive training with the limited knowledge I have now. I would have been miserable and I'm sure the dog would be too.

I am quite sure Jussie will never be jumping 24" rails but I am confident that she will teach me the right and wrong way of getting a belgian through an agility course and have fun while doing it. Jussie surely carries a strong working drive and confidence in her and to tell you the truth I think it flows up the lead.

One of the hardest parts of the decision was when we were told Jussie had a cancerous tumor removed. Even though her prognosis is optimistic you never know, we may have her 6yrs. or 6mo. This is where the heart and mind split. Your heart says this is a great girl who will probably never have that forever home while the mind is saying what are you? crazy? your going to get attached to this dog and as soon as you do she'll be gone. Call it a weakness of mine but I tend to ignore what my mind says and follow my heart. Any doubts disappeared the minute Anna handed me the lead, there was no question Jussie was MY dog. Jussie has an important job to do. To be a loving companion and teach me how to live and work with a Belgian. In return I will return that love, keep her safe, and hopefully make these the best months or years of her life.

Sorry for the long winded and in hindsight somewhat sappy answer to your question but I've spent the past 24 hrs with my new mal strapped to my hip (she's asleep across my feet now)and I'm pretty darn happy about it. I hope it answers the question.

I look forward to seeing Jussie's name removed from the list and I'll try to send you some photos of the 9 yr old galloping granny bounding through the yard.(By the way she doesn't look a day over 7)

Thanks and please keep in touch
Stephen Pisani

See Jussie's Original listing on the Rescue website here