du Val du Bois Malinois

Belgian Malinois | European Bred & Imported | Proven Belgian Working Bloodlines Aino from Next Level Malinois is a European-bred Belgian Malinois female who was later imported to the United States. She was selected for the du Val du Bois Malinois breeding program because of the qualities we value in a breeding female: strong genetics, sound structure, stable temperament and, most importantly, a pedigree built upon generations of dogs selected for real working ability. Aino is a daughter of Thunder van de Sluize × Utha van het Groentenhof, bringing together established Belgian working families and generations of dogs bred for performance. Thunder van de Sluize Aino's sire, Thunder van de Sluize, comes from a pedigree deeply rooted in the Belgian working-dog tradition. Thunder was himself tested in NVBK Belgian Ring, with official NVBK competition records documenting him competing in Category 3. Recorded performances include 338 points in 2021 and an impressive 361 points in 2022. Behind Thunder are generations of Belgian working dogs, including names such as J'Dick, Enig, A'Tim, Edden, Xanadu, Ramsack van Rokpinsch and Phaedra van de Westhoek. Among those dogs are individuals that weren't simply bred as working dogs — they were actually proven on the field. That includes J'Dick, the 2009 NVBK Category 3 Champion, and A'Tim, who achieved Ring 1. This is important because the value of a working pedigree isn't simply determined by recognizable names. It comes from generations of dogs whose qualities were tested and demonstrated through demanding work. Utha van het Groentenhof Aino's dam, Utha van het Groentenhof, adds another established Belgian working family to the pedigree. Utha is a daughter of Quico van 't Muizenbos × Orna van het Groentenhof, bringing the influential Muizenbos and Groentenhof families into Aino's genetic foundation. Together, Thunder and Utha produced Aino from genetics developed through generations of European working-dog selection — dogs bred with an emphasis on qualities such as nerve, drive, athleticism, environmental stability, engagement and functionality. European Bred & Imported Aino isn't simply an American-bred dog with European names several generations back in her pedigree. She was bred in Europe from European working stock and later imported into the United States, bringing those genetics directly into our program at du Val du Bois Malinois. Her pedigree represents generations of Belgian working-dog selection, including dogs proven through NVBK Belgian Ring competition. Aino has also been health tested, with A-rated hips, clear elbows and clear genetic testing, giving us another important piece of information when evaluating her as a breeding female. Aino × Troy van de Suikerdijk Our decision to breed Aino to Troy van de Suikerdijk wasn't simply about putting two European dogs together. The goal was to combine two families built around generations of proven Belgian working genetics. Troy brings his own accomplishments in NVBK Belgian Ring, including competition at the Category 3 level and a 1st-place Category 3 performance at Berlaar in 2022 with 359 points. Aino brings the genetics of Thunder van de Sluize and Utha van het Groentenhof, along with generations of accomplished Belgian working dogs behind them. The pedigree also brings together influential dogs such as Enig and F'Randy, reinforcing genetics that have appeared repeatedly in established Belgian working lines. But pedigrees only tell part of the story. The real test of a breeding is ultimately what it produces. The Troy × Aino litter has already shown many of the characteristics we hoped to see from the combination: strong food drive, prey drive, confidence, willingness to engage with the handler, natural gripping behavior and puppies showing legitimate potential for sport and working homes. Some of these puppies require the patience and development time often associated with these Belgian lines, but the underlying qualities are there — exactly what we were looking for when the breeding was planned. Preserving Proven Working Genetics Aino represents an important part of the direction of du Val du Bois Malinois. Being European bred or imported by itself doesn't make a dog worthy of being bred. Neither does having famous dogs printed on a pedigree. What matters is what those dogs did, what they produced, what characteristics have survived through generations and what the dogs carrying those genetics are producing today. Aino gives our program a direct connection to generations of European working-dog selection. Combined with a proven NVBK competitor such as Troy, our goal is to preserve and build upon the qualities that made these bloodlines successful in the first place: Drive. Nerve. Athleticism. Confidence. Gripping behavior. Stability. Working ability. European bred. Imported to the United States. Proven working genetics carried forward.