Midwest Malinois

Tess


Update!


Hi, Kevin and Joyce,

Contessa's story, (aka) Tessa

Tess started working search and rescue at the age of 6 months and now she is NASAR AREA 1 wilderness certified, working on HRD, to be tested in June 2009. I have been told that Tess and I are the first team to pass the AREA 1 test in Missouri.

NASAR evaluators have told me Tess is a ONCE in a LIFE TIME dog!!!! She is brilliant and learns so quick that it is hard to trick her. Tess works her heart out and loves her mama. Tess pretty much goes where ever I go and people always come up to her and ask me what kind of dog she is. Tess is sweet and gives great kisses like her Aunt Molly. I could not ask for a better partner. Tess is devoted to me and her work. She has been a joy to have.

Tess loves my twin two-year-old grandsons, even when they are running through my house. One of my trainers had me do an exercise with Tess and never told me why. Then I “got it” when the boys were running through the house. She is awesome with the boys and my cat. My Sheltie . . . Tess thinks his tail is a fuzzy duster. Still a problem. Lol

Thank you, Kevin and Joyce

Patty P., Sartech 1
Tess, K9 Sartech1 area search dog















Tess is a 21-month-old female Belgian Malinois from Midwest Malinois. She comes from a litter of good stock, Bridget and Bullet. She is a wilderness Search and Rescue (SAR) dog being crossed-trained in cadaver search.

Our story starts with my friend and trainer, Mike, who owns five Malis . He said, “If you want the epitome of a working dog, get a Mal.” I connected with Midwest Malinois and found Tess. I brought her home on Labor Day weekend in 2006 and we started to bond, build trust, and play tug.

At six months of age, I took Tess to Arizona to start her formal training in search and rescue with Mike and she learned her alert (bump) and the foundation blocks for SAR work. Mike was so impressed with Tess that he came from Arizona to Missouri to get Tess’s sister, Sarah. My trainer, Stacy, states that Tess will be her claim to fame in SAR. Stacy has a male Malinois she is also training for SAR work.

I have taken Tess all over for training and she has been imprinted for cadaver work through Paws of Life (POL) and also had training in water cadaver work. She received her Canine Good Companion (CGC) obedience classes with North County Obedience Training Club and has also been “snake proofed.”



Tess has a large pack. At home, she has a brother that is a Sheltie and a sister that is a Rottie. She is very sociable and is good with my twin 20-month-old grandsons. Tess is a lover but take the tug out, and she is ready to work. Local police come to my house to visit her and play.

John, the commander of our search team, St. Charles County Search and Rescue (SCCSAR), is also learning to work her. Stacy and John set up “problems” for us to work through and Tess accomplishes the tasks that are asked of her. Due to her speed, Tess at times will be the first dog out to search for a missing child or elderly person where time is of the essence. If cliff work is involved, she will be third dog out for safety reasons due to her speed and inexperience on cliffs.

Tess wants to please and loves the game. She is loved and spoiled, a pet first and working dog second.

This breed is awesome!!! But the breed is NOT for everyone. My breeder, Kevin, told me the secret to a Mal is love. I look in her eyes and I see the love and trust.

My girl.

Thank you for letting me share Tess's story.

-Patty P. and K9 Tess



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