initial training for a "working" weim

[sian]

Another "is there a class in my area?" question....

Izzy is now 6 months old. We'd love to start to train her to do what she's bred for, but I know for sure that I can't do it on my own. Despite having Cassie whose instincts are so strong, I failed to find a class, that would accept Weims, where we lived in the UK.....

So, how do we start? Are there classes on the Leuven side of Brussels (again, willing to travel!), where we can get experienced advice and guidance?

[cummel]

you can find many addresses on the calendar from the hunting tests.
Check this out:

KALENDER VAN DE AFRICHTINGSPROEVEN VOOR JACHTHONDEN
CALENDRIER DES EPREUVES DE DRESSAGE DE CHIENS DE CHASSE
2007
___________________________________________________________________
30/06/07 : J.A.C. ORION regio Vlaamse Ardennen – OUDENAARDE
Secr.: Ingrid Mestdagh, Warandestraat 26, 9820 Melsen
tel. : [phone] [e-mail] www.jacorion.be

08/07/07 : NIMROD’S VRIENDEN – LANAKEN
Secr.: Hugo Gilissen, Maasdijk 68, 3620 Lanaken
tel : [phone] fax : [phone]

15/07/07: NIMROD’S VRIENDEN - WAANRODE
Secr. : Felix Lambert, Reynrode 68, 3460 Bekkevoort, tel./fax: [phone].

21/07/07: SPORTHONDENVERENIGING HASSELT – HASSELT
Secr.: E. Dieu, Kreelovenstraat 30, 3840 Borgloon Email: [e-mail]

22/07/06: BVDS-CBBA (sectie Draadhaar) – BEKKEVOORT
Secr. : Felix Lambert, Reynrode 68, 3460 Bekkevoort, tel./fax: [phone].

28/07/07: KLEINE MUNSTERLANDERVERENIGING – WATERSCHEI/GENK
Secr.: Nanda Adriaansen, Heysterstraat 19A, NL-6031 RA Nederweert
[e-mail] www.kleinemunsterlander.be

29/07/07: J.A.C. ORION regio Kempen – ARENDONK
Secr.: Ingrid Mestdagh, Warandestraat 26, 9820 Melsen
tel.: [phone] [e-mail] www.jacorion.be

05/08/07: BVDS-CBBA (sectie Langhaar) – VLIERMAALROOT
Secr. : Lydia Vermeylen, Mechelbaan 20, 2681 O.L.V. Waver
tel.: [phone] / fax: [phone].

12/08/07/: NIMROD’S VRIENDEN – BOCHOLT
Secr.: Paul Driesen, Kreyelerstraat 1, 3950 Bocholt Tel.: [phone].

19/08/07: BVDS-CBBA (sectie Korthaar) - MAASEIK
Secr.: Eef Hermans, Opperveldstraat 46, 3630 Maasmechelen
tel./fax: [phone], [e-mail]

25/08/07: HASSELTSE HONDENSCHOOL terrein: Hasseltse Hondenschool
Secr: Indeherberge Ingrid, St-Janslaan 46, 3590 Diepenbeek
Tel: [phone] fax: [phone] gsm: 0495/274251 [e-mail]

26/08/07: WILL TO PLEASE – ARDOOIE
Secr.: Lieljan Bossuyt, Bazelarestraat 3, 8433 St-Pieters-Kapelle
tel.: [phone] gsm: 0486/885998 [e-mail] www.willtoplease.be

02/09/07: NIMROD’S VRIENDEN – TONGEREN te VLIERMAALROOT
Secr.: J.M.Poismans Hasseltsesteenweg 545 3700 Hasselt
tel : [phone]

09/09/07: JACHTGEBRUIKSHONDENVERENIGING ANTWERPEN – te BEERSE
Secr.: Rony Michiels, Kerkhofstraat 474, 2850 Boom
tel.+ fax: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]

23/09/06: SINT-HUBERTUSBREVET - BREVET SAINT-HUBERT
georganiseerd door NIMROD’S VRIENDEN – LANAKEN
Secr.: Hugo Gilissen, Maasdijk 68, 3620 Lanaken
tel : [phone] fax : [phone]

[cummel]

also here you can find all kind of clubs for hunting dogs:

www.kkush.be/Home/Secties/Sectie2/tabid/2593/Default.aspx

Hope it can be of use for your search.

Regards, Dorit

[sian]

Thanks for the info Dorit.

I have to admit that I did find it a little confusing. I know it probably seems pathetic to you, but remember that I'm not familiar with the geography of Belgium, and am struggling with both languages. I can cope with doing dog-training in Dutch, as we've been there, got that T-shirt. But written, formal Dutch where I can't second-guess what they might be trying to say... .

Looking at the list, I feel as bewildered as you would if I were to put up a page of info about Welsh dog-training, in Welsh. It would make perfect sense to me, and by looking at the post-code, I could work out exactly where they were. The names would tell me whether they were a breed club, an obedience training club, a gun-dog training club, etc.... But it wouldn't be of much help to you!

For example, on the KKUSH list, I don't see mentioned the club that I have recently joined, in order to do some showring training, and also where I hope to do some fieldwork training (once I've reached the entry-requirement in obedience).

Sorry - I'm probably being very pathetic. It's the end of a very stressful week, and I have lots of problems other than training my puppy, which are competing for my emotions and energy. Meanwhile, I feel that I could be wasting valuable training time for my dog, yet again!

[marjolein]

Sian, all these dates are official field trials, not training opportunities. Stefan or Pascal might be able to guide you in the right direction, although they're not really into fieldwork.

[sian]

Thanks Mar - that's what I thought when I investigated those that I could easily.

I know some tests are "natural ability" rather than training, but I'm having trouble tracking them down too (get page-loads of "black and tan" web-links, when I googled "tan" and "belgie"!)
And reading your other thread, not many dogs are thrown in "blind" to those tests either. They at least have some idea of what they're to do...

The double irony of it - back in the UK, I'd probably be able to find a way of training her now, unlike with Cassie 10 years ago ... and the next few months here the weekends are going to echo to the distant sound of gun-shot (no - not me firing at the planes from Zaventum - honest!!). But you can't go striding out across farmland, where people are shooting, to find out if they know where to train a gundog!

[marjolein]

Why not ask Kobie or Dorit if they know a place "close" to where you live.

We just had our annual natural ability test. Most dogs where thrown in blind, honestly. If you train once or twice it's not enough to teach a dog stuff, it's more seeing how big a chance you'd make if you'd enter.....

Although I think fieldwork is the best thing that happened to Weims, I also know it's difficult to train. A lot of ground owners or hunters won't allow you on their fields with an inexperienced dog. The only way in is to go to some kind of fieldwork training and make friends. You can also go to fieldtrials and ask people how it works. Maybe one day there is someone who wants to help you. That's how I got in....

[sian]

sian said:

Another "is there a class in my area?" question....

So, how do we start? Are there classes on the Leuven side of Brussels (again, willing to travel!), where we can get experienced advice and guidance?

I thought that's what I did, Mar?!! ;D

[Kobie]

We have also problems for finding fields. It's like Mar said, you have to get premission of the hunters who own the fields. It's not easy ! You can also train for example on a meadow.

Don't know if there is any TAN this year in Belgium. Didn't hear of it yet. But we also did the TAN in France with our first dog. Maybe Béné of Harper knows the dates. I'm sure she can help !

You don't have classes for field trial training. You only have classes for huntingtests in Belgium. We train at www.jacorion.be
located in Oudenaarde (East-Flanders)

[marjolein]

Shame, we do have classes for fieldwork....

[cressy]

Hi Sian, I know it can never be the same as having help but we have managed to do a couple of 'workshop style' training days rather than regular classes. I then do what I can (and probably mess up loads) on my own and today I managed a 4th in a Special Beginners Class in a Gundog Working Test. Don't think you can't do stuff alone. I like the clicker gundog book because it breaks down things and you can read the ideas without necessarily doing the clicker stuff. I have also read quite a few spaniel books etc as the retrieve is the same regardless of breed.

[sian]

Thanks for your encouragement, Sue!
You can be sure that I will try to do as much as I can on my own, but with the only "open" land being a public park, or woods (which Izzy loves zig-zagging through - is this "quartering"?!) things are limited. Could you give me details of the clicker gundog training book? I'll see if I can order it to be delivered to my parents, for the next time I go and visit my sick father...

Kobie - you say that there is no fieldwork training in Belgium.... have I mis-translated this then? www.hrvtienen.be/disciplines/index.htm "Belgisch veldwork" - I assumed that was fieldwork training for the Belgian tests? I had hoped so, which is why we are working on getting to the appropriate obedience level, so that we may start... I hadn't realised that it could be so different in another country! What is encouraged in the UK (2 hands on lead) is frowned upon - even the "about-turns" are different!!

[sledgehammer]

About the fieldwork training in the (our) club in Tienen (hrv - Tienen)
Apparently the guy who give (or gave) that training left the club.
But I managed to get his phone number for you, so I will send you an email with his cellular phone number. ;D
He's organising training classes for about 10 people and he has (apparently, cause I'm a newbie in that area to ) a good reputation as a "hunting trainer"...
I hope it works out so Izzy can enjoy some field work!!

And about field work...Question to the Belgian forum members;
Where do you go with your Weimy so he/she can "freak out"

[Kobie]

sian said:

Kobie - you say that there is no fieldwork training in Belgium.... have I mis-translated this then? www.hrvtienen.be/disciplines/index.htm "Belgisch veldwork" - I assumed that was fieldwork training for the Belgian tests? I had hoped so, which is why we are working on getting to the appropriate obedience level, so that we may start... I hadn't realised that it could be so different in another country! What is encouraged in the UK (2 hands on lead) is frowned upon - even the "about-turns" are different!!

I checked the link, and it says that the field work is for defending dogs, not for hunting. The link to "jacht" or translated Hunting isn't for FT training, but for the huntingtests or work after shot. The pages about hunting don't mention "where" or "if" these training will start... Maybe you can send a email to ask if there is a training...

[Kobie]

sledgehammer said:

Where do you go with your Weimy so he/she can "freak out"

Hi Gilbert,
You can try the wood.. We go with our grey gang to the "Schelde", where the nature is still nature, and the place is not a hunting aria. There can the dogs loose their energy ...

[marie]

Hi Sian,

If you're interested, I can give you the dates of TAN, here in France.
There's also a training but they won't take the time to explain you what to do... They 'll only put a pheasant to Izzy...

I organize week-end of training for my Silberweiss babies. I buy 3 partridge/pheasant to each dog.

Last time, there was 7 weimies ! It was a fantastic journey ! I have the possibility to use 110 ha of fields ! Lucky I am !

It would be a pleasure to welcome you but I know it's so far for you...

Some pics of this wonderful journey : Happy owners & young weimies (9months) !

Marie & Silberweiss.

Balzac & his owners / Bosco Von Silberweiss Jäger & his owner


Alfiero pointing a partridge


Baccarat Di Garda Von SJ, runing

[weimaranermama]

Always wonderful to see these trainigspics. And the place where you are looks very good for the fieldwork.

Gr. Ina