Schutzhund
Fartenhund 1 (Advanced Tracking): An article by Allyson Tohme
I had read about the FH Test in the BSA (British Schutzhund Association) magazine when a member qualified their GSD
a couple of years ago and had been interested in participating if and when the chance arose.
As it is very rare for FH Tests to be put on in the UK I was therefore thrilled to see that the Bolton Schutzhund Club
were planning on scheduling the test over the Easter Weekend in Warrington.
Twiggy was already qualified to compete in the event having become the first Weimaraner in the UK to pass the
BH (Begleithunde) test several years ago and so I sent off my entry form and read up on the criteria.
The length of the track is 1200m long and consists of 7 legs, the last of which must cross a well-travelled footpath
and is three hours old. There are four articles on the track each worth 5 points. Two hours after the original track has
been laid, another tracklayer lays a cross track over two of the legs.
In Schutzhund there is a strict etiquette surrounding the exercises. Unlike Working Trials dogs must report in to the judge
with the harness and line (if used) already attached and be wearing a check chain on the dead link. The judge checks that
the tattoo on the dog’s ear matches that on the paperwork and ascertains from the competitor whether the dog will stand,
sit, lie down to indicate articles or retrieve them; points are lost if the dog does both. Dogs must also be worked at the
end of a 10-metre line.
When I arrived at Warrington I discovered that we were the only team entered in the FH and that we would have quite a number
of spectators, most of whom were Rottweiler enthusiasts (no pressure)!
The tracklayer was Don Harrison, an experienced competitor and judge in Schutzhund competitions and it was comforting to see
a familiar face wishing us luck. Whilst waiting for the track to age several walkers used the footpath over which my track
was laid however I was confident that this would not faze Twiggy who had been trained in her youth over very difficult
terrain.
As I let the line out the full 10 metres Twiggy took this as a signal to go into “Ferrari” mode which meant I actually had
to break into a trot! She powered her way around the track with a deep nose and was careless only on one corner partly due
to the wind direction and never lifting a whisker on the cross tracks. As we approached the footpath she had already found 3
of the 4 articles and, with a short check as the ground rose from winter wheat and changed to dry, baked earth, Twiggy
tracked surely over the footpath down into the rape field and retrieved the final article!
The judge, Hartmut Teschke, a Rottweiler specialist and one of only three judges in Germany qualified to judge Schutzhund,
Conformation and Breeding Suitability awarded us 90/100 which meant that she was graded SG (Sehr Gut), Very Good.
We had done it and in fine style! Twiggy had once again made breed history by becoming the first Weimaraner in the UK to
achieve the FH1! She is one of only a handful of dogs of any breed to have attained this title in the UK.
Article first published in Grey Matters Summer 06
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