A beautiful,temperamentfull, pointing retriver?

[stelei]

I am baffeled.

When I baught my first Weimaraner, eight years ago, I believed I bought a pointing gun dog, PERIOD!

I wanted to use the dog for hunting Ptarmigan and Black Grouse, Kapercelly and other wild living hen-birds, as well as a jogging- and skiing companion and sled dog.

I dismissed the Shorthaired German Pointer because here in Norway, you at that time either got a small, setter-like
hunting dog, or a tall, wide and fast sled dog. I wanted both of those traits in one, and ended up with a short haired Weiamarner from GOOD, documented hunting lines in Sweden. I have not refused my choise one day!

But, as I read this forum, and many others world-wide, I learn that what is in focus for most Weimaraner owners is "Show grooming" and basic, generic dog problems. Agility, obidience and "Free-style dancing" also seem to occupy many Weimaraner owners minds theese days. At best, the contributors write about retriving issues.

My opinion is, that as long as the Weimaraner belongs to FCI Group 7, pointing and retriving feathered game MUST
be our # 1 priority! Besides this, a gentle and friendly mentallity, towards humans and other dogs also MUST be a nonnegotianable demand in breeding.

To succeed in this, we must give priority to the best, friendly hunting dogs when we choose individuals for
breeding, and results from hunting related tests and trials must be acclaimed more!
- A thousand times more than show- or agility results!

With regards,
Stein Leidal
www.garbu.net

[Alkemist]

Stein, I am really glad for you - you obviously have the perfect opportunity to work your dogs exactly as you would like to - I envy that, because here, where we live, we do not have the opportunity to work our dogs - even though we would love to. I applaud any working result as much as any show result - afterall, the show element is there to protect our breed, to make sure that mouths are OK, to make sure that the build is OK etc. The working element is allowing the dog to show its ability to do what it is bred for.
I understand that because we all like different types, there will always be debates, but I feel that no one thing is better than the other. Why should my dog not be applauded for winning at a show? Just as why should your dog not be applauded because it has had a fantastic day working in the field? Or anyone elses dog for doing a clear round in Agility - the list goes on......
At the weekend I had the opportunity to see some lovely footage (not much, but enough) of some longhaireds training to point - those same longhaireds then went to the Winner on Sunday. This breed is truly versatile - and that is why I like it!

Nina

[Lois]

Hi Stein

You are indeed fortunate to be able to hunt with your dog but you must remember that in many countries we do not have the opportunities like you. When I bought my first Weimaraner 30 years ago I was fortunate to live in a rural area and we were able to go shooting with her. Now here in Australia gun laws have made it nearly impossible to own a gun and shooting wild life has become more and more regulated. I now chose to do other things with my dogs... mainly showing! Showing in my opinion, helps preserve the soundness of both body and temperament of our dogs. I also do tracking and some obedience and that to me proves my dogs still meet the VERSATILE criteria our breed standard emphasizes. Even though my current dogs have not been officially hunting, they have their fair share of possums, lizards, birds even cats, that might come onto our property.

Regarding your comments on the temperament of the Weimaraner, the FCI breed standard mentions under 'Temperament' that 'he is a good watch dog, without aggressiveness'. I would say that most Weimaraners would be considered 'protective' over it owners possessions. I think my dogs would bite if someone tried to break into my house or car or threaten me!! My dogs are still friendly with people in normal situations but still very good 'watch dogs'.
I have seen the 'Schutzhund man work' (dogs are tested on their willingness and ability to attack a person on command) tests at the German Weimaraner Klub Centennial show and while it is something I wouldn't train my dogs for it was spectacular to watch.
Obviously the German's consider this type of training important or they would not grade the dogs in these tests.

Enjoy your dogs and consider yourself lucky to be able to do with them the thing that they were bred for but remember there are many of us that don't have those opportunities and are doing the best we can to keep the breed sound in body and mind.

Regards

Lois

[tasha]

I think you make opportunities. I work my dog on fur feather and hoof and am training as a game keeper but you don't need to do that to work your dog. You join a local club train your dog and then put yourself forward for beating and picking up. In the UK now we have no real excuse because an new organisation is giving novice dogs and their owners the opportunity to do exactly that (NOBs = national organisation of beaters and pickers up).

There are several members on here to see hunting as paramount to their dogs besides myself. I know I have the same as many others travelled great distances for opportunities to hunt and some are lucky enough to complete the german hunting trials.



I will say regarding temperment mine is second to none she has a fantastic temperment and has represented her breed at events like the kennel clubs discover dogs where the public is given an opportunity to meet the different breeds and find out more about them prior to purchase. I have no problems with new dogs either she is regularly mixed with up to 10+ different free running dogs on the shoots and is very good with children. I think I have been very lucky but I know that this is often the case with weimaraners who love people.



To prove a point this is bonnie the same dog in the photo above representing her breed at the kennel clubs discover dogs. With so many people if your dog didn't have a good temperment you'd struggle. The two days had several dogs in the pen besides bonnie including two long hairs and a rescue whose behaviour was impeccable.

[Alkemist]

Well Tasha - please point us in the right direction because we are very obviously doing something wrong. We have 1 person who is prepared to help us out - and another couple in Holland were very helpful to us - and would love the opportunity to do more. Regards to travel - we have just travelled 1000 miles at the weekend, so are quite happy to put the miles in (but obviously I am going to choose something closer to home if it is available).

Cheers,
Nina

[tasha]

Your close to Yokshire, so you have Val O'Keiffe and Penny Pickstone near to you. I can highly recommend both of them as trainers and you can get their details through the club magasines or I can pm them. Val runs weekend course occassionally which are fantastic you get taken up onto the moors and have the opportunity to have your dog shot over as well as staying with her (the grubs excellent!!) both run regular classes or you can have one to ones.

Once you've got the basics under your belt you can do the working tests which will prepare you for the shooting field especially the discipline around other dogs and then you can look up or post a wanted ad on the nobs website. They have a county and local reps for each area with lots of willing people that will help you to get onto a local shoot

Alternatively contact the GSP club they run classes all over the place and are always happy to have other breeds join in.

[lizgundog]

Hi Stein,
May be your getting the wrong picture from what some of us comment on. Like Lois, I live in Australia, and I agree entirely with her comments regarding the new guns laws and hunting regulations that have restricted our hunting with our beautiful dogs. We also live in a country where for quite some months of the year it is far to hot and dry to work our dogs, we have several types of venomous snakes and quite a few of us have lost our beautiful gray dogs to these dreadful creatures. You can consider yourself very lucky to able to have such a variety of game to work your dogs on. Basically in Australia duck shooting and quail shooting have been prohibited in at least 3 states, this means anyone who wants to work their dogs now have to participate in our simulated retrieving work - we call them Retrieving Trials where the dogs retrieve ferral pigeons (pre killed) that are thrown from a mechanical device (called a thrower) - similar to trials held in the United States. Dogs are required to retrieve the fallen game over distances of 60metres to 120 metres, on land, in or across water. As the level of difficulty increases the number of birds retrieved in one run can be from 1 to 3. There is a working gundog website/forum that many of the Australian gundog people belong to, so basically they discuss their issues on that forum.
Like Lois I am involved in showing but also do Tracking with my dogs. In our State - Victoria, we are developing a natural working test at present which we are trying to have recognized Australia wide, which will give more people an opportunity to test their dogs in the traditional European hunt test manner. I have been involved with the presentation of this new testing for Continental Pointing dogs and we are pleased to say we now have the backing of the Retrieving Field Trial sub committee from our State Controlling Body. This test should be up and running in the next 12 months - 2 years (things take their time when the paper work has to be approved).
Liz