The Malinois Mafia

05/01/2026

K9 Taiz and K9 Tenshi — both Belgian Malinois bred by The Malinois Mafia — have officially graduated from the Penn Vet Working Dog Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

K9 Taiz (Winter 2024) — Sponsored by The Molnar Family. Served as a control dog in the PVWDC 9/11 research study. Now deployed with CAN-TF3 / Toronto Police Service as a Level 2 Canadian USAR-certified search and rescue K9 under handler Igor Palic. From Michigan to Canada. From a Malinois Mafia litter to certified USAR.

K9 Tenshi (Summer 2024) — Donated in honor of Frank Tundo and Dr. Karen Wroblewski. Also served as a control dog in the PVWDC 9/11 research study. Now deployed as a dual-purpose narcotics detection and patrol K9 with the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, PA, under handler Tori Kidd.

Two dogs. Two agencies. Two countries. One program.

Thank you to the Penn Vet Working Dog Center for everything you do for working dogs and the people who depend on them. It means everything to see these dogs land where they belong.

Full profiles and gallery: bennyclinical.com

04/21/2026

A brief update on what I’ve been building — and why.

Last semester I started the MSU Combat Veterans Certificate — the first and only program of its kind in the country, through Michigan State University’s School of Social Work. Two courses: Embracing the Stories of War (completed December 2025) and Sharing the Burden & Healing the Wounds of War (finishing May 2026). The capstone is a project that demonstrates applied clinical thinking. Mine is bennyclinical.com.

At the same time, I’m in my first cohort at Spring Arbor University’s MSW program. A 400-hour generalist field placement starts May 13. The clinical trajectory is trauma-informed practice with veteran populations — which is exactly where the CVC work and the MSW work are supposed to meet.

bennyclinical.com documents an Animal-Assisted Intervention framework built on 16 years of working dog experience. It’s where the K9 background, the MSU clinical education, and the SAU path converge. It also introduces Benny — a blue Cane Corso I’m developing as a prospective service dog and AAI clinical tool.

It’s not a credentialed program. It’s a framework in progress, documented publicly because that’s what the work deserves.

🔗 bennyclinical.com

04/09/2026

It looks like the Stone x Cisco litter has a 4th dog on the street in River Rogue,MI. Someone else seems to be taking credit for the breeding, BUT this is a The Malinois Mafia breeding. It will be repeated this week.

Stone now has 4 of 10 dogs in that litter deployed to Indiana, Ontario and in River Rogue, not to mention an excellent sport/working dog, Hooper with Andrea Leon.

Mike Dean

Veteran Owned breeder of Malinois. Health tested, sociable, biddable and environmentally sound.

01/26/2026

Hmmm…wonder if the parents are health tested, proven working dogs? Do you think the parents are OFA checked?

SCREW THE BACK YARD BREEDERS!

Mike Dean

01/18/2026

The "official" notification made it here...SQUIBB and Elite Nosework are finally on the same piece of paper!

01/06/2026

Another puppy on the street. Be safe and good hunting K9 Taiz!

01/05/2026

Still out there doin' stuff!!!

SQUIBB finished her EN, but the folks in KZO are just a bit slow!

STONE is close (just needs 1 more run next season '26)

CISCO finished up his Advanced Nosework Grand Champion title

Thank you Deb Kramer for all of your training, coaching and mentoring over the past several years. We could not have come this far (2, almost 3 dogs securing the EN (or higher) title). Thank you.

Teddi Baird-Ocwieja for trusting me with SQUIBB and Jackie Stephenson for trusting me with CISCO

11/10/2025

Ms SQUIBB did a thing this weekend…Elite Nosework!!!

Thank you Deb Kramer for all of your help and training and friendship. I could not ask for a better trainer. See you next year, same time and place.

Teddi Baird-Ocwieja & Bob Ocwieja for trusting me with this wonderful girl.

11/05/2025

STONE finished a few titles this summer as well...

Elite Interiors
Elite Vehicles (pending UKC confirmation)

Mike Dean

11/05/2025

SQUIBB finished up a few new titles this summer as well...

Grand Novice Jumper Champion
Elite Containers (pending UKC confirmation)
Elite Interior (pending UKC confirmation)

Mike Dean