workinghprs.myfastforum.org

Alkemist · Joined: 11 Apr 2006 Posts: 135 **Breed:**

Just to add a little more to what Claire has said about imports, we own an imported Weim, brought in for new blood for us, and she is rarely shown in the UK. We have, however, imported from dual purpose stock, as we feel it's important to do that. From her litter, I believe 4 have their young dogs hunting tests (minimum score 83%, most 90% plus), all great results. Possibly 2 will be field trialled. There are also 6 champions in that litter, and her siblings and sire won BIS Progeny in the world show in Poznan.

I think with GSP's their regional training set up really helps peeps who want to work their dogs, (and any other breed too) and I think if you have more dogs in a breed coming through the training you will naturally get more results in that area. Just my humble opinion. I'm basing that on the other areas we have been involved in where the main participants are collies and the main winners are collies. The weims can beat the collies, sometimes not all times, but the training available seems to be focused on the collies abilities, maybe this is something that happens in gundog training with GSP's? Nothing is ever cut and dry Laughing

Nina

tashap · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 688 **Breed:**

I'd like to see more weimaraners out there but the majority are as others have already put sold to pet owners or to show homes, their grey coat and blue eyes are just too big a draw in the pretty stakes.

There are though some excellent breeders who are maintaining their versatility and working their dogs.

I think the hardest thing to do is to encourage new people into shooting that have already brought a dog, the weimaraner is definitely a breed that benefits from working and being given a job but the efforts I know I have had to go to just to get opportunities and training have not been exactly easy.

There are some good websites helping though like the NOBs forum and some of the breed specific forums that have an encouraging voice on them, giving people not only an incentive and interest to get involved but also information on where to get training and work placements once the dog is trained - a very valuable resource for all the breeds.

Most of the shooting people that I know looking for a dog and an HPR on first glance would go for a GSP then a GWP dependant upon their job (birds or deer) both being better suited to the job (or at least the impression of being better suited) and not quite such a difficult breed to maintain as a shooting companion.

BritAnnie · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 9:33 am Post subject:

I don 't shoot, but would love to go picking up/beating. I have never done it so can someone tell me what stage my dog has to be at to go on a shoot. He is used to gunfire, but I haven't yet mastered directional control off lead. Obviously I'd keep him on lead as required. What else should I be able to do with him?
_________________
Aberdon HPR's. Good-looking AND Intelligent.

www.aberdon.org.uk
Develop sloping shoulders, you'll enjoy life more

langhaar · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 10:46 am Post subject:

Mansharp, if that is how to spell it, is not wanted in this country. If I am correctly informed it is still valued and bred for in Germany.
Thanks for your input WB, thought you might enjoy it!

German bred dogs for the breeding programme do need a toughness certificate.JGHV regs state" the legal removal of predator's, feral cats and raccoons ( US translation) within the framework of game protection is first and foremost the obligation for a hunter with a gun. However it is considered ethical hunting if the hunting dog has seized and immeditely dispatched a predator before it was possible to shoot the predator with a fireman". We must remember the continent is not rabies free.
Shulthund or man work has never been a requirement for hunting dogs.
( If you get the opportunity to watch training for this do go!)

We decided on GLP's having had difficulty finding a stud dog in GSP's which would compliment Inchmarlo lines and keep both looks and ability.
As for instinctivness other breeds seem more pleasing to the eye than one which appears to me to be quite " robotic ". Those with added German blood are more my cup of tea! But then I live on the edge with the GLP but love every breath taking minute of it.

windem bang · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 11:36 am Post subject:

Hi Langhaar, I did enjoy your post but I still don't hear screams of outrage from any G.S.P. fanciers - maybe you were right about them being a bit "past it Exclamation

" Not your exact words I know but I still don't know how to do all that computer stuff - papering and plastering.
It would appear I'm the only g.s.p. trainer on this forum, either that or I am the owner of a specimen of a minority breed Shocked

You moved on a little to talk about a dogs hunting style, I myself tend to like a "goer" and used to encourage my dogs to hunt in such a way I made sure I got one. Up here in haggis land I once famously remarked to the competitors in a test I was about to judge, "If when your dog's hunting , I've got time to yawn and scratch my backside, you won't get many marks!!!" It is the way I feel a dog should look when it is hunting, keeping handler and any other people present right on the edge of their seats , making them think something is going to happen any second now.
If this is why you like the German bred dogs , I can understand that.
I am still more than a little doubtful about the mouth of a dog expected to kill vermin. A struggling creature must feel very similar to a struggling pricked pheasant to a thoroughly wound up dog ? Why should it not kill it ?
I don't think you can switch a dogs instincts on and off that easily, either it is allowed to kill or it is not ? So either soft mouth is bred for or it is not ??

Bill T.

langhaar · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 12:40 pm Post subject:

I can understand your concerns on the mouth issue.
Some JGHV dogs tested in the States have been taken to the extremes with coyotes. My GLP friend over there tells me you can always tell a handler from this breed which tests this way when he shakes their hand!

I can only write from experience with GLP's where I have never had a problem.
If a dog retrieves a bird the bird is usually still, even if wounded. With a feral cat this will fight back which encourages the dog to bite harder. Wounded birds which resist would encourage dogs to bite harder whether they were bred in Germany or the UK. I often see this with young dogs of all breeds but with experience they never do it again.How often have you seen in a trial a dog being put out for bringing back a pricked bird which had been killed on the way back to the handler.
As for the popularity of GSP's I don't have an answer.
No hard mouth with our German bred GLP!

Click to see full size image

Mike · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:18 pm Post subject:

Ghilliegumdrop · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject:

tashap · Joined: 29 Jun 2006 Posts: 688 **Breed:**

good recall, stop whistle and sit... pretty much the same basics you'd need for anything else if you want to go on a shoot.

I started of in the beating line because i have a dog with a poor hunting drive and it suits her to a tee it has certainly encouraged her having the competition and she has improved significantly.

My biggest problem is that when we are out alone she potters, it has its benefit in that on deer and other game I can call her off without problem but she doesn't have that drive that I really want to see in a dog. We've done the best with what we've got though and she's worked which for me is the main thing... she is certainly a dog to learn on but I have to say I am looking forward to the challenge of a dog that really wants to hunt.

We've been practising her hunting but she matches my pace, she covers her ground well as soon I run but as soon as I'm knackered she stops... and won't budge any further. The transfer from me covering the ground to encourage her to get out and her carrying on with me only doing a smaller pattern is still a long way off...

Unlike my cocker who has a wonderful hunting drive the difference in the two dogs is not just breed but in ability. I'm looking forward to it in a weimaraner.