Leicestershire Schutzhund Club Members Training Seminar 31st October and 1st November 2009.

Last October I spent a week in Germany training at Tholey German Shepherd Club under the tutiledge of Axel Lang. Axel has over 25 years experience in training dogs in Schutzhund and has successfully handled dogs on almost all performance events, LGJM, South-German Youth Championships, LGA, BSP, FCI-EM-5th place team and individual ranking Vice-European Champion so he has competed at a very highlevel. As a protection helper, he is in demand both at home and abroad. I had a very good time learning and working the dogs at the club and have kept in touch with him since my visit.

Because we are a new club made up of members who are new to the sport and I have only been in Schutzhund for a short time,I was delighted when he agreed to come to our club to help improve our protection training and we had an excellent weekend. Axel brings knowledge and experience gained the hard way, by working hundreds of dogs and achieving consistent results, something most of us can only dream of. Our club helpers worked very hard, we had 14 members' dogs to work with varying in age and experience and we managed to work each dog twice each day. The atmosphere was great, Axel speaks excellent English and has a cracking sense of humour and we made sure the dogs had fun too. A full cooked lunch was provided each day by our Club Manager and her team so we all sat down in our club function room to a superb lunch and tea and cakes when the day was over.

Our first club trial is in May next year and we are hoping to enter seven dogs for BH and at least one for SchH1. May I extend an invitation to anyone who wishes to visit to please do so, you will be very welcome.

By: Steven Havers
Leicestershire Schutzhund Club
http://www.leicestershireschutzhundclub.co.uk