German Shepherd Club plans ahead

Over 30,000 spectators, breeders of German Shepherd Dogs (GSDs) and lovers of the Schutzhund Sport usually attend this very prestigious international event.

The first Schutzhund trial was held in Germany in 1901 to emphasise the correct working temperament and ability in the German Shepherd breed.

Originally, these dogs were herding dogs, but the industrialisation of Germany encouraged club breeders to promote the use of their dogs as police and military dogs.

The Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV), the parent club, became concerned that this would lead to careless breeding and undesirable traits such as mental instability, so it developed the Schutzhund Test or programme.

Schutzhund is a German word meaning “protection dog.” It refers to a sport that focuses on developing and evaluating those traits in dogs that make them more useful and happier companions to their owners.

Schutzhund is a dog sport that was developed in Germany to test the breed worthiness of the German Shepherd Dogs. It was also used then in many cases as a criterion to gauge the suitability of a dog for breeding.

Today, dogs of any breed can compete in the Schutzhund Sport. But the most common breeds include the German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Belgian Malinois to name just a few.

Modern Schutzhund consists of three phases: tracking, obedience and protection. A dog must pass all three phases in one trial to be awarded the prestigious Schutzhund title, where there are three levels: Schutzhund 1 to 3.

The GSD Breed Club contingent, as part of its SV mandate has been sent to explore, examine and develop policy documentation for the Schutzhund Sport in Trinidad and Tobago.

Sean Clarke, vice-president of the GSD Breed Club, along with Christopher Saayave and Fazal K Rahman will meet with the president of the World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs (WUSV), Wolfgang Henke, in Germany.

There they will engage in discussions geared towards the professional development of the Schutzhund Sport in Trinidad and Tobago.

Plans are already underway by the GSD Breed Club to import qualified Schutzhund trainers from Germany, Belgium and Holland to train and transfer technology to the local young people in the wonderful art of Schutzhund.

As the president of the GSD Breed Club of Trinidad and Tobago, Amery Rauseo aptly stated: “We will only accept excellence in our Schutzhund Sport endeavour.”

The GSD Breed Club will be moving into its new executive offices in Port-of-Spain shortly.

The office will house a fully computerised information centre that will feature a Training CD/DVD Library, a Museum of the German Shepherd Dog History, Official and Certified Breeders’ List, and a Veterinary Referral and Information Service.

In addition, the office will provide information on available and internationally approved pet products, guidance on the care and maintenance of the GSDs, medical testing and medical certification of the German Shepherd Dog.

The GSD Breeders Club would also be a pioneer and an advocate of the mandatory tattoo and microchip identification of all registered GSDs in Trinidad and Tobago.

A prominent law firm in Trinidad is to advise on the introduction of the GSD Breed Wardens system in Trinidad and Tobago as it applies in Germany.

The aim will be to improve the gene pool for breeding and to adhere to the international GSD standard with legitimate propagation of the GSD breed.

One of the club’s ultimate long-term goals is to host an international SV Sieger Show (show-line GSDs), and also the prestigious SV Bundessiegerprufung (BSP) Sieger Show (working-line GSDs), in Trinidad and Tobago.

To this end it aims to send a representative “Show and Working GSD Trinidad and Tobago Team” to the trials in Germany in 2007 and 2008 where our local German Shepherd dogs and certified breeders would be presented to the international community.

The GSD Breed Club foresees that this kind of international presence would work well in our favour for us to bid for the hosting of a SV Sieger Trial event in Trinidad and Tobago.

This achievement, apart from developing the sport, would benefit the local community in the areas of tourism and youth training leading into lucrative employment nationally and regionally.

Trainers will also have the opportunity to present their credentials regionally due to the Caribbean Single Market Economy initiative. The Annual Dogathon, which was held on April 30 around the Queen’s Park Savannah, as well as the GSD Breed Club Annual two-day show held on May 15 and 16, 2004 was a phenomenal success.

The club thanked their sponsors, members and friends and look forward to their continued support. Patrons can also look forward to the upcoming GSD Breed Club all-inclusive fete and Christmas party.