Stuttgart, Fanto and Akira !

A visit to Stuttgart  just on the heels of the Stuttgart 21 demonstrations. Then off to neighbouring Kursterdingen to sit with Olliver and Claudi Menzel at their kennel to set up the mating with their wonderful stud dog Fanto von der Lobdeburg. Fanto offers a real alternative to the Fero and Mink bloodlines, so it is very intersting gentically. Also he was SG ( very good ) twice at the LGA. Check out the video here!

He is a nice large and strong male with really nice full, hard grips. Excellent hips and elbow ratings and very promising progeny.He also has a very nice temperament with a good amount of aggression.

So I will keep my fingers crossed that Akira has nice puppies from this pairing.

Claudia and Olliver are very focused on their breeding program to make sure they use some of the alternative bloodlines, and produce healthy dogs with the ability and drive for work and sport. It has been a great experience so far seeing first hand how they train and interact with their dogs.

I will be here in this city for a couple days and then back to Heide, via Frankfurt and Hamburg. Then back to training and preparations for next week !

Czech out the latest addition to the Project- Pohranicni Straze Kennel insight

Firstly, I would like to say that to get to this particular Interview was an adventure in and of itself. It took almost 24 hours by train from Heide, where I am staying in Germany to the town of Mělník, in the Czech Republic.  I got to visit Berlin first and then Prague on my way back to Germany.


At first, when I decided to do this project, I thought that to understand the German Shepherd and its breeding over the years you must first understand the people and the cultures that created and influenced the breed. I must thank Zdenek "Hans" Blabla from Alpine K-9 for helping me to set up this interview. Hans himself is very knowledgeable about the dogs from the Czech origin, as he was the original importer into America of them since 1965.


There in Mělník I was fortunate to sit with Jiri Novotny from Z Jirkova Dvora kennels. Jiri was for 21 years a Director at the Czech Border Patrol Kennels known as z Pohranicni Straze. His current breeding program is severely influenced by the system he practiced in those times as the kennel director. He also works closely with other breeders like Jiri from Jipo Me Kennels and together they preserve the style of dog that was used for Border Patrol, personal protection and Police and Military services.


Here you can see a little taste of my experience in the city and with Jiri, Czech it out!!

Combat Strategies for the K9 Handler- in post production

The second Promo is out for the "Combat Strategies for the K9 Handler" DVD. Already we have received rave reviews and will be finishing post production elements in time to launch the DVD by mid November 2010.
The Program was designed for Law Enforcement, Military and Private Security K9 Handlers to better educate them on working with their dogs in a hostile environment. For Patrol, SWAT and Security dog handlers to have a better grasp on integrating their work with a support team and also being able to apply safe and reliable Control and Restraint techniques in a chaotic situation.



We made a good team-Bernhard Flinks and I

The Program was designed as a collaborated effort between myself and fellow Combatives Instructor Rondell Benjamin, and long time K9 Instructor Bernhard Flinks. It represents a merge of Combat Science as espoused by the critically acclaimed S.P.E.A.R. SYSTEM™ and cutting edge Police K9 Instruction.

The S.P.E.A.R. SYSTEM™ is a 'behaviorally' researched, close quarter personal defense method that utilizes the body's natural flinches and reactions to fear or violence and then converts these reactions into efficient tactical choices.

We are happy to have the support from our long time coach and Inventor of the S.P.E.A.R. SYSTEM™ - Tony Blauer.

Already we have received interest for DVD's and seminars in Trinidad, Venezuela, Texas, and Hamburg. In fact I should have some promo copies when I meet my colleague Tobias Brodala later in October as he hosts me in Kiel, Germany for a Combatives seminar there.....

We'll keep you posted on this DVD when it becomes available.  

Check out the latest Promo Here:

Germany - Here we come

I will be in Germany with Akira in the month of October. We have decided to train some more with Bernhard Flinks and compete at one the trials in the city of Hamburg. Whilst there we will get a chance to do a mating with Fanto von der Lobdeburg. Fanto's owners Claudia and Olliver Menzel have been very gracious to invite us there again. We hope Akira produces nice puppies with Fanto.

Fanto v.d. Lobdeburg

After the trial in Trinidad with GSDCA-WDA judge Wendell Nope we realised that we need to work more on tracking as this was the major short fall in her otherwise great performance, scoring 91 in Obedience and 94 in Protection. So we are going back to the drawing board and calling on our coaches to get us ready for competition early next year.

Thanks to all our friends for the support and encouragement in our competition career so far! We hope to represent Trinidad soon at the FCI-IPO for the Americas, early next year.

A September to remember- For Schutzhund Sport!

We will have our final Qualification trial before the WUSV2010 on September 18-19, 2010 in Trinidad under GSDCA-WDA Judge Wendell Nope. Mr. Nope is highly recognised in both the Dog Sport and Law Enforcement K9 World and we look forward to having him judge our last trial to see which dogs are eligible to go to the WUSV 2010 to represent Trinidad and Tobago.
Already you can see the Trial Helpers for the WUSV 2010 in Spain HERE. So there is alot of excitement and preparation going on. We are working tirelessly to make sure we can be in Spain in October for the competition.
The possible competitors for Sch 3 include last year's WUSV participant Xito von Conneforde and I will be trying with Akira vom Försterhaus. The Trial will again be a collaborated effort between the local WUSV affiliate club - The German Shepherd Breed Club of T&T and The United Schutzhund Clubs of T&T and mark the third trial for the year that has occurred in Trinidad and Tobago which in itself is quite an achievement. In addition this trial is the first such one where dogs that wish to be considered for the WUSV Team, can participate and be judged locally. We hope this trend continues to grow so in a couple years we will have a combined total, of scores from multiple trials throughout the year so the sport of Schutzhund becomes alot more active and competitive locally.

AKIRA featured on Trini Dog Stars website!!

What makes a Trini Dog Star? It's Beauty, its Strength, its Uniqueness, its Wins, its Offsprings. Each one of our dogs has the potential to be a Trini Dog Star!!

Akira Vom Foesterhaus, oh what a beautiful dog, owned, trained and handled by Vithala Singh. She is the first locally trained and titled Schutzhund 2 dog in Trinidad and Tobago.

To achieve a title of Schutzhund 2 is a large undertaking but what Vit, as he is commonly called, is trying to do is get her titled as a Schutzhund 3 dog with a score to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the WUSV (the World Union of German Shepherd Clubs) in Spain October 2010.

We, the dog community is giving Akira and by extension Vithala our undying support in this huge venture, and we look foward to seeing the success of this fine specimen which is Akira Vom Foesterhaus.

Read the Full article here

World's within our reach!

To have put a Schutzhund 1 title on a dog in Trinidad is hard enough. To make the Schutzhund 2 was large undertaking. Now we must do again what no one has and even duplicating our efforts seems to be an ellusive goal. We intend on doing the Schutzhund 3 in Trinidad and making in that trial, a score for qualification to represent Trinidad at the WUSV in Spain October 2010.  We need to clean up a couple areas like smoother corners in the tracking, and faster retrieves with the dumbbell, and of course Akira could be a bit cleaner in the Hold and Bark. But that's just the training! We would need a coaching decoy to help us for the qualifications, a Judge to agree to our trial with short notice and then that's only the Quali trial! Then if we stretch our ambitions further, we need to get to Europe in time to prepare and acclimate in the weather and conditions in order to just make it as one of the 140+ competitors in the World Cup for German Shepherd Schutzhund Sport....

Alot must come together. I have asked my coaches' advice and we are working daily on the finer points... But at the end of it we may still need a little bit of luck. So send me your comments and feedback and keep logging in to see more updates.

Schutzhund Trial in Trinidad under US Judge

Thanks to Judge Joe Tackett we were able to have a schutzhund Trial in Trinidad for the second time this year. And it was one that set the stage for a couple historic occurrences. It was the first time a Rottweiler got a BH Title locally. He is owned by Michael Walcott from the Universal Schutzhund Club of T&T.

Also, I was joined by Allan Mitchell as being the first Decoys from Trinidad to work in a local trial under an international judge.

And as if I did not wear enough hats on the day, I was able to title Akira to her Schutzhund 2 with 91-90-88 and a High in Obedience and Tracking. All the work with Bernhard Flinks on my tracking, and using techniques from Ivan Balabanov on my obedience really paid off! The Trial was held under the auspices of the German Shepherd Breed Club of T&T and now we are one step closer to the qualification trial in September for the WUSV Trinidad Team.
We will take a rest for a couple days and then back to training pretty soon so we can improve on those scores for the Schutzhund 3.

U.K. Pit Stop - surprise encounter with Manus van Tiekerhook

When I had to visit the U.K. recently on business, I had the chance to visit a kennel that does a fair amount of work with Police Departments and Military. Little did I know that I would add to my research with an encounter with Max van Tiekerhook. I visited Pro-K9 and got a chance to see the work they do with detection and multi purpose and even sport dog training. But the highlight was the visit to see Manus, brother of Koos Hassing's Max van Tiekerhook.

I could go on an on about the Nick vom Heiligenbösch and Yoschy von der Döllenwiese line. As you may have seen in my previous accounts, I did the Helper work for Max at 8 yrs old, when I Interviewed Koos, and he told me, 'I can't describe to you a serious hold and bark, you feel it when you are in the blind!' Well this is exactly what I would say about the brother Manus. I can't even capture on video the intensity and aggression you can only feel when standing face to face with this dog. With body language more akin to a wolf or bear, Manus tends to use his paws alot to add to his arsenal and this seems to pass on to the many progeny I saw. Also, his size, masculinity and temperament passes to the offspring.

An incredibly strong and dominant dog, with alot of progeny in active service life for Law Enforcement and Private Security. I really felt that he should be part of my "Unsung Heroes" section, where we seldom hear of certain dogs, who are not in the popular shows and competitions, but make their mark on the breed and deserve legendary status.
Check out a little clip of him here:

Akira 2nd at the Dog Day Demo T&T 2010

Akira placed 2nd at the Dog Day Demo in Trinidad yesterday as the only German Shepherd Dog to compete in the category for combined Obedience and Protection. It was a well attended event with many Dog Food Sponsors and spectators all coming together to see the events which included :
Fastest Dog, Beauty Contests, and even most spectacular hit on the decoy. More like a collection of Demos, we decided that the event would be a good practice session for Akira's upcoming Schutzhund 2 Trial in July. So we did a combined 8min routine of some free-heeling and then the hurdle, followed by a 1 blind Protection Routine. The Decoy Allan Mitchell is a local decoy and member of the Universal Schutzhund Club of T&T, having been trained by some of German and Belgian helpers and K9 Instructors.

All in all we had fun, but the display of the Schutzhund routine was not enough to steal the hearts of the audience as did the pitbull, who did a made up skit combining personal protection, ringsport and obedience as well. Congrats to him, we will be looking out for this kind of competition next time.

Tiekerhook- Solid as a Rock

Interviews with GSD Legends continues with Koos Hassing - Breeder from Nederlands - Tiekerhook Kennel. Over the years Koos has been very vocal about saving certain working bloodlines and sometimes criticized for his breeding plans. I had the opportunity to sit with him at his home, then visit his training club and really get a glimpse into the laboratory of this so-called 'mad scientist.' Koos actually had Fero vom Zeuterner Himmelreich in his kennel for some time when his original owner was ill. He also had Nick vom Heiligenbösch for some time in his kennel. So it is safe to say he has seen and worked his fair share of working legends! With an extensive background in Law Enforcement his desire has been to produce a German Shepherd with the hardness and temperament for working alongside officers on the street. I have included a small clip of the hours of footage collected during our time together and I hope you enjoy it.

Dogmania Mania

The combination of youth. experience and talent is embodied by this team whose members seem to have it all. With almost as many years in the dog game as they have been able to walk, these guys and gals, have achieved great heights. They are helpers : Sven Viebahn, Björn Reckmann and Handlers : Daniela and Carina Wagner. Just last year Carina was Deutsche Juniorenmeisterin for the second time, and also in the BSP with Isy Del Lupo Nero who was Vice-Universal Siegerin. Björn Reckmann just got selected as a helper for the WUSV qualification in Ungarn. The list of the teams achievements goes on and on with sister Daniela Wagner active in Dogsport since age 9 ! Check out this clip from the upcoming DVD, as Sven introduces the team.

Hasenborn History

Panos Hasenborn

Werner and son Frank Maxein and I sat down with a briefcase full of pictures and papers as they explained to me the beginning of the Hasenborn Kennel. Back in the days of Sieger Shows with Martin Göbl of Wildsteiger Land Kennels and to this day Werner still goes to the shows and supports his breed. "I know my line" Frank says, as he and his father stood out in the kennel area behind their business place, assessing their new male- Panos Hasenborn son. Stacking him and looking at the side-gait and going over the points of temperament and structure. "This is what we do often. We bounce ideas back and forth and come up with our breeding plans forward, right out here." Frank and Werner were very generous with their time and expertise and I hope you enjoy this little clip of our time together.

New Clip - Birgit & Fax

During my research into speaking with as many notable GSD Legends, I found of course those dogs and persons, that are not always in the spot-light. here is one of them, Fax Adelmannsfelder land. He is very good in anatomy, excellent working bloodlines, healthy, absolute medium size and was very successful in the Deutsch Meisterschaft competitions under the guidance of his handler Birgit Gottlieb!
He is a dog that did a lot of competitions in his life starting late at age 3! So I had alot of questions for Birgit as to how she did this- even placing 5th in the HSVRM Landesmeisterschaft with 100 points in protection. A great adversary to the many Malinois in that competition, he is a true credit to his race.
And at 11 years old, I got to do a little Decoy work for him and it was awesome. I hope you enjoy this little clip and preview of the Interviews to come.

Clips from the DVD

Every week or so I will be sharing some clips from the DVD that will accompany my book. This will give you an idea on how I am putting things together. This first clip is of Nancy Denecke, as she leads the herd down a dirt road with her German Shepherd's help to control them. Nancy is the first woman to ever win the Bundesleistungshüten ( German National Herding Trial ) and was gracious enough to give me an Interview right there at the venue.

I should let you know a little secret at the event, but I will let Marion Fueller tell it in her own words as she did in her report " Ein junger Mann aus Trindad kam mit dem Zug bis nach Schweinfurt und lief dann zu Fuss

nach Werneck. Dort fuhr ihn dann die Wirtin eines Hotels in Werneck nach Stettbach zu unserer Veranstaltung." Basically it translates to the fact that I took the train to the wrong town and walked 7 miles to the correct town where the owner of a hotel helped me to call her and get me to Stetbach. At the time it was not as funny as it is now, when I look back on it.

So check out the clip of Nancy and I will be adding more soon, even some of the actual interviews I have.

A Tribute to Zamp

You may have heard that the Legend Zamp Thermodos passed away earlier this month. I had the pleasure of spending time with Zamp and the Dieterich Family in Germany and I will soon release my own footage of this Legend in the garden with his family and other members of the pack. But I found this tribute to him done by his family and wanted to share it with you guys. Enjoy!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Combat Strategies for the K9 Handler

The latest update on my Project entitled Combat Strategies for the K9 Handler featuring a Synergy between my local partners in Combatives at EMCTTS, S.P.E.A.R. SYSTEM™ and Bernhard Flinks years of Tactical Law Enforcement K9 Experience.

The idea behind the project is a DVD that teaches proper procedures for handling a High Stress scenario with the K9 Handler assisting his dog and still staying in the Safe Zone.

The project was shot and produced right here in Trinidad and utilises the S.P.E.A.R. SYSTEM™ (Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response) a scientifically researched, medically reviewed personal defense measure that exploits the body’s natural responses to violence and danger. In Close quarters and confined spaces the K9 Handler also needs to acclimate his partner to similar Visual, Auditory and Tactile stimuli that would be found in the field of work- basically anywhere.

Bernhard Flinks had set aside his time and training expertise to prep my two dogs- Akira (My Sports/Schutzhund Dog) and Axel ( The family Pet and personal security dog) to do the first draft. We intend to include some footage of his Police Dog Fels when I visit Germany next month.

Send in your comments and feedback, the DVD will be available within the next couple months, but I am hoping it can be a series that would feature other luminaries in the K9 World and my combatives coach Tony Blauer -founder of the S.P.E.A.R. SYSTEM™

Ivan Balabanov speaks his mind

I just got back from visiting my friend Ivan Balabanov in Florida yesterday and sharing with him some of the new info we came up with for the Combat Drills for the K9 Handler. While there, Ivan decided to open up and share with me his thoughts on competing with Apache his GSD for WUSV 2008 and all the trials and politics leading up to the event. He also had some interesting advice as a GSD admirerer from a 'different perspective.' An accomplished competitor - the 2 x World Champion is also an avid breeder of Belgian Malinois under the kennel Ot Vitosha. Ivan had some insights into breeding and selection and the Schutzhund sport on the whole that was honest and refreshing to hear. I will post a short interview clip soon. Thanks for staying connected to me on the blog, I know I haven't posted in a couple weeks. But shortly I will have some of the exciting stuff I have been putting together over the last couple weeks for you!

Countdown to Flinks

1 week left before Bernhard Flinks' visit and Seminar in Trinidad and Tobago. Since the advertising of his methodical and effective Puppy Test, and also his 1999 recorded DVD with Leerburg® Dog Training - Building Drive and Focus the name Flinks has become more popular outside of Europe. However, when I visited Germany last October, for the WUSV Championships and did my Interviews, I realized what a far reaching influence he has had in the Law Enforcement community there, as well.
One comment that I keep getting from persons who have attended his seminars is that Flinks is a thinking Instructor and shows the handler almost how to get inside the dog's head! I think they appreciate his unique approach to each dog and each circumstance.
Well, here in Trinidad, we are all excited and ready to receive his knowledge. Not to mention the unique collaboration between local Tactical Trainers EMCTTS and Bernhard Flinks to design a program customized for the safety of the K9 Handler and Officer Team.

I need your Help- Send me the story of your favorite Unsung Hero

After finishing my first draft of the book, I came across this statment made by Margit van Dorssen

'50% of our Breed at least, will be sold to private persons, normal people. So when you look at the pictures of the Seiger Show, not only are you not getting the whole story behind this dog, but also you don't get the story of the many other dogs that did not make it. '

So I want to know from my readers, breeders and followers about stories of German Shepherds that did not make it to the very top in the Seiger Show, or the Bundesseiger, or any competition. Maybe a Police or Utility Dog, that you believe was important and did not get the recognition. Chek out the pic and link about GSD's in the Middle East and if you or anyone in the Military has a cool GSD Story let me know.

Send me a name and little story of what you think on the dog. Maybe a link to the dog's owner or breeder.

Remember, my book is about the German Shepherd Dog 110 years later- Conversations with people who have shaped the breed! So I would like to put in a section about the dogs we don't hear about, or even popular dogs, that you think should have gotten more recognition.
Send me a comment or an email and maybe I could write your story!

Looking ahead to What's Next !

Success comes to the well prepared and well positioned. The trial is over and the fan-fare dust has settled. Now Akira and I look toward the coming months.

I am still working feverishly on finishing some chapters and will visit Europe for some more Interviews of kennels and Breeders in the next couple months.

But the big news is the collaboration between Bernhard Flinks and myself for a Law Enforcement Program that would not only sharpen K9 skills, but also make k9 handlers safer in the times of ambush and life threatening danger. The seminar is carded for early March and I know many people locally will appreciate this information. For me, it would be a chance to help Akira sharpen up on her skills necessary for Schutzhund 2. I will try to put some videos of our training with Bernhard Flinks up for your viewing.

Akira 1st at the Schutzhund Trial in Trinidad

The 1st Schutzhund 1 Dog to achieve the title, locally in Trinidad and Tobago. Akira vom Försterhaus got the High in Obedience and Protection and although I made most of the mistakes as a handler, she managed to forgive my inexperience and we made a great team. Judge Mike West from the German Shepherd Dog Clubs of America commended us on our excellent free-heeling, retrieves over the hurdle and A-Frame and sit and down in motion. Akira's energy and drive caused her to bump me a bit on the recall and a slow send away costed us some points. In protection she missed the blind and had some control issues, but still scored 90 points- with a nice hold in the blind, escape attack and long attack!
We look forward to our next trial locally when we can look towards her Schutzhund 2 Title.
We will soon be featured on the cover of K9 Sport Club Magazine for this historic achievement.
Check out our Youtube videos of the trial :



Obedience Pt 2


And the Protection- (Sorry - the video was a bit dark)

Schutzhund Trial brings 'em together in T&T- US Judge and Belgium Decoys

The First Schutzhund Trial for the year in Trinidad and Tobago has brought Decoys from all over the country to do the Certification Program under Mike West - Teaching Helper (GSDCA-WDA) from the U.S.A. accompanied by his lovely wife Lucy. A total of 6 Decoys were certified as at the Club Trial Level and I was fortunate to take part.





From Belgium we had two A- class level Helpers Patrick Vandewaetere & Dirk Dendas. And also Pascal Verstappen a certified Track Layer- All part of .Team Van Arne's Hoeve
The trial is organised by the Marc Chin Aleong with support from the German Shepherd Breed Club of T&T.




In the competition line up will have Marc with his dog Quenny, Frederick Garbo with .Xito vom Conneforde - Our competitor from WUSV 2009, and I will be going for Sch 1 with .Akira vom Försterhaus

DAS Schäferhunde Magazine -Kommentar von Vithala Singh (TRI)

Interviews with Vit - Das Schäferhunde Magazine focus on 1st time Competitors at the WUSV 2009.

I would like to Thank Astrid Labuch for her help in getting this out as she did and for all her assistance in Germany !


Please introduce yourself to our readers!
My Name is Vithala ‘Vit’ Singh. I was born in Trinidad and Tobago. I started with German Shepherds from my father who had them for family guardians and personal protection. I am 29 years old and work as a Law Enforcement Trainer in the US and in Trinidad. I am currently writing a Book and producing a DVD on the German Shepherd Dog 110 year later. A compilation of Interviews with persons in the Show, Working, herding Police and Utility world. www.interviewswithvit.blogspot.com
Since when are you involved into schutzhund sport?
I have been involved in Schutzhund training since 2003 and have been one of the persons in Trinidad trying to regularise the sport nationally.
How did you come by doing schutzhund sport?
I have always been interested in the working dog for family guardians and for law enforcement. I thought schutzhund sport was a great hobby to meet the talented trainers and also to assess dogs for the characteristics I find to be breedworthy.
How successful have you been with your dogs, so far?
For me the success we have experienced is in bringing a greater awareness to the local people about the sport in general and what is required to make schutzhund into a recognised national sport. The culture we are learning about competing with the dogs and training toward a specific goal, is the success I have had.
What are the rules for the qualification for the WUSV world championship in your country?
Right now, the rules are the top 5 dogs with the highest qualification. Meaning, for now, we may have 1 or 2 trials per year. So we have many imported dogs that have been successful in the nationals or LGA or provincial competitions in countries like Germany, Belgium and the USA. So we look at the total picture on an individual basis, because we need to encourage more
participation now, rather than put a limit on the number of dogs making a team. Our goal is to have 10 dogs locally that are competing for the top 5 spots. Then we would be more strict in our qualification process, with a minimum score and best average over 3 trials per year and so on.
How old was your dog when you got it and how old is it today? Do you prefer to train a dog from a puppy or an already trained dog? Why?
I have had many dogs over the years. I have purchased adults and raised puppies. I think for most people locally it is easier to have a dog that is already trained. But I am really starting to like working with a young dog and imprinting him and producing the routines in the method I was trained.
Please describe the character, temperament and the drive of your current dog?
I currently have two dogs of my own. The first is my male Axel vom Ajaxturm. He is a hard, temperament full , drivey male. Easy to handle and very quick to respond to direction. I was lucky with him as he was able to work as a security dog and be stable in the family. When I got him, there was no schutzhund locally and it is a pity ‚cause i think he could have done well.
My other most recent dog is Akira vom Foesterhaus, and I will make the Sch 1 & 2 with her in January. She is a really nice sport dog, linebred on Troll v.d. Boesen Nachbarshaft, and actually will have puppies soon from Fanto v.d. Lobdeburg, LGA 09. I like that she is a breeding female that I am working with and titling from scratch and really getting to see her hard character,
while still remaining feminine.
In which environment do you work with your dog? Do you have any help i.e. in a club?
We have a club, the German Shepherd Breed Club of Trinidad and Tobago and we work in a small collective group to help one another. But we also have help from renowned Belgium and German judges and Helpers. I even get a lot of help from my friend and coach Ivan Balabanov from the USA.
Do you breed? If yes, please tell us about your breeding goals. What are you doing to reach them, since you don’t have access to many stud dogs?
Yes, I do breed under vom Wolfstal kennels. I have just started really over the last couple years. I think the best dogs are in the bigger societies like Europe and North America. So I will breed once per year and carry my female to Europe and come back. For me this is enough for now. There is a lot of imported blood locally and for me it is sufficient to breed one or maybe two litters per year. I am writing a book on the German Shepherd Dog 110 years later, and in it I have researched many methods, and compiled interviews with over 35 persons in the breed. I think there will be a return to this type of smaller breeding to keep quality. I want to look at health and temperament as an overall measure. Also, the ability to handle stress and changes in environment and stimuli. There are some strong working bloodlines that I would like to keep present and close to my program. But I want to pay attention to not over using the popular lines and ending up with health issues. I think also in Trinidad, we have a strong national need for protection, civil but controllable animals, maybe more so than in Germany and I am always looking for individuals and bloodlines that can safely produce these traits...
How is the dog sport organized in your country?
it is not. We are working toward this goal. The goal is to have 3-4 National trials every year, to be able to take a local dog from BH to Sch3 in a reasonable time frame and to allow the owners time to understand the intricacies of the sport an training while so doing.
Was it difficult for you to participate at the WUSV world championship? If yes, how did you solve your problems?
It was the first time anyone from the West Indies/ Caribbean was ever there. It was a huge honour and responsibility. But we did not know about all the little details necessary to
compete at this level. It was wonderful, cause we were able to learn this in a fun and inclusive environment. I have many German friends, and also from all around the world, that were understanding of our effort to travel 7000km to just get to the competition. With quarantine restrictions locally, financial constraints and skill development at a basic level, we managed to still pull it off . This year I handled a friend’s dog, as he was very handler strong and I only had 10 days to really prepare. So I think it was quite an achievement. Unfortunately, the dog became ill, the weather for me was a great change for me. But this is high level competition. Basically all problems can be solved with determination, confidence and concentration. A little bit of luck helps too.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Ich wünsche allen Freunden, Bekannten und Hundesportkollegen ein frohes und besinnliches Weihnachtsfest und einen guten Start ins Neue Jahr.
Veselé Vánoce a šťastný Nový rok!
Joyeux Noël et une Bonne Nouvelle Année!
Счастливого Рождества и Нового Года!
Vrolijk kerstfeest en een Gelukkig nieuwjaar!
Buon Natale e un Felice Anno Nuovo!
Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku!
Καλά Χριστούγεννα και Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος!
Kellemes Karácsonyi Ünnepeket és Boldog Új Évet!
Linksmų Kalėdų ir Laimingų Naujųjų Metų!
חג שמח ו שנה טובה
الزواج في عيد الميلاد ورأس السنة الميلادية
結婚聖誕節和新年快樂

Mr. GSD- Fred Lanting shares his knowledge

Time flies when you're writing books about the German Shepherd Dog. And no one person knows this better than Mr. GSD- Fred Lanting. Check out his books and his articles

Fred once raced me up a flight of stairs in the tower of one of our local wildlife atttractions, when he judged our Sieger show in Trinidad. Hopefully we can have him back here, for a re-match, I think he caught me off guard! But he did offer to help me with my book and also at the Seiger show in Nuernburg in September 2010.

He also offers a great tour for visitors to the Sieger Show every year. If you're looking for a great dog-related experience combined with seeing a different part of the world, the annual Lanting guided show-and-sightseeingcould be the experience of a lifetime

A different point of view - Dr. Helmut Raiser Speeks!

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last 20 years, you would probably have heard the name Dr. Helmut Raiser. A legendary Trainer and analyst of the Schutzhund Sport, author of Der Schutzhund and founder of the RSV 2000
Dr. Raiser hasbeen in the German Nationals 18 times with the following dogs:
Mara vom Busecker Schloss - 1978
Vargo vom Seebachtal - 1979 Sieger
Sagus vom Busecker Schloss - 1980
Drechsler vom Warnautal - 1981, 1982 Sieger, 1983, 84, 85, 86
Anker von Ursania - 1990 and 93
Asso vom Zypressenhain - 1995
Raiser von Ankeruett - 1999 and 2000
Falco vom Gueldenen Winkel - 2001and 2002

Dr.Raiser has also been the source of much controversy with his radical thinking and concepts and has garnered huge support from all over the world. His outstanding career and visionary ideals made his interview a must have. I am glad he joined my project.

T&T News Article

Although it is an older article, many of my international friends were asking about more information on the sport in Trinidad. So I thought I would post this for them. Here is a little more insight as to the local scene before we went to the competition. Click Here to read more.

Oh, news travels fast, and a couple persons have asked me to add them or their choices to the list of Interviewees, and I am forced to do another research trip to Germany, early next year to finish these interviews. So let me know if you or someone you know can be added to my next list of Interviews for the final collection of GSD Personalities.

Presidential Advice

Until Dr. Henke, President of the S.V., gave me the idea, I was not really sure how and where and when I should launch this project. But his advice was clear, to come back to the Sieger show in Nürnberg and have it done. So I am working on this as I write to you. Here we are at the Herding Trials in Stettbach, where I also met Karl Fueller, legendary Shepherd and breeder. Well, if I start writing about all the things at the Herding Trial like: the first Interview with female Shepherd and Siegerin Nancy, or the owner of Von Noriswand Kennels, or the dinner at which Rheinhard Dieterich and family introduced me to their family schnapps, I would not be able to finish my project. Thanks to all those wonderful persons including Dr. Henke for spending so much time with me in the Interview and for his Presidential Advice!

The German Shepherd Dog - 110yrs Later

From Poland to Peru, I have had a pouring in of inquiries as to when we will launch. And the answer seems to be Next Year's Seiger Show. Everyone is really excited about all the individual stories from the Old Breeders and keepers of the tradition. But equally interesting are the stories of the normal persons who achieved extraordinary things with their dogs.


Like Fax Adelmannsfelder Land pictured here with his owner Birgit Gotlieb who achieved with him: 4x Teilnehmer DM DHV, 4x Quali LGA, 3x Kreismeister, 4x unter den ersten 10 der Landesmeisterschaft HSVRM, 2x LG-FH, 2x Landesmeisterschaft der Fährtenhunde.

Check out Fax doing his Schutzdienst routine with me in their club, just 4 weeks ago. Fax is now 11 years old. And he is still STRONG !

Many more stories like these I have included of some really wonderful dogs and the people who took me into their homes and hearts to show me their pride and passion- their German Shepherd Dog!