The Working Weimaraner
The Weimaraner is primarily a gundog. He belongs to the Hunt Point and Retrieve group and as such makes a good roughshooters dog. However he can also be worked on driven shoots either in the line or as a picking up dog. He also excels as a stalkers dog, readily able to track wounded and dead deer.
The Weimaraner has run in Field Trials since the early days. The first dogs to compete had to run in Pointer & Setters Trials and it was not until later that they could enter trials organised by the German Short haired Club. Colonel Tucker's bitch Lotti Go Lightly was the first Weimar to win a GSP Novice trial in 1967. Three years later in 1970 The Weimaraner Club was granted permission to hold Field Trials and in 1972 Colonel Tucker was to make breed history by winning the Club Novice trial with his homebred bitch Katie Go Lightly.
From these early beginnings there have been a number of Weimaraners who have proved their worth in trials but the most successful until January 2005, was Wobrooke of Fleetapple (Ch Wotan of Ragstone x Flimmoric Solevel) bred by Mr Mrs A.L. Fox owned and handled by Mrs. D Arrowsmith. Dave Pilkington and Quadet Caterin (Brakabreeze Goshawk x Quadet Asta) bred by Mr & Mrs S. Chant has become the first Weimaraner bitch to be awarded the title of Field Trial Champion.
Pictured above: Dave Pilkington and Field Trial Champion Quadet Caterin
Training a Weimaraner to work to the gun takes time, dedication, & patience, a sense of humour & lots of praise. He is a sensitive creature and will not respond to harsh handling. He needs to be taken to training classes both indoor and if possible outdoor classes run by the various HPR breeds, where he will learn to mix socially with other dogs. This is very important especially as he grows into an adult dog. The shooting field is not the place for a badly mannered dog.
If you are lucky enough to live near gamey ground then take him out running him into the wind & encourage him to hunt out. Learn to read your dog, watch his body language you will soon recognise when he is coming up on game. However once the dogs natural instincts have been stimulated it is necessary to put the basic training in. It is important that he does not learn to become a self hunter, but learns to work for you.
A list of gundog classes run by the various HPR breeds can be found below.
During the closed season there are Gundog Tests of Work organised by the HPR breeds. Apart from being social occasions they are also an excellent way of gauging your dog's training. There are usually three stakes run on the day Puppy (6 months – 18 months) Novice & Open & the dogs are tested on their ability to hunt & retrieve from land & water.
REGION/CLUB |
CONTACT |
TEL NO. |
Hampshire GSP |
Janice Russell de Clifford |
01452 477528 |
Hampshire Alton |
Gina Lewis |
02380 894290 |
Weimaraner Association: |
Penny Pickstone |
01482 657337 |
Hoar Cross, Staffs |
Di Arrowsmith |
01283 575448 |
Tincleton, Dorset |
Steve Chant |
01305 848257 |
Norwich, Herts |
Liza Brown |
01953 483460 |
Sussex/Surrey |
Margarita Booker |
01293 871373 or 07836 789464 |
East Sussex/Kent |
Suzi Burton |
01892 861922 |
Sussex |
Beate von Dwingelo-Lutten |
01435 882969 |
North West GSPC |
Eddie Kania |
01663 743066 |
West Yorkshire |
Tracy Hayes |
01977 679384 |
Field Trial Secretaries:
REGION/CLUB |
FT SECRETARY |
TEL NO. |
Brittany Club |
John Anderson |
01600 890667 / email |
Bristol & West |
Mrs C Carpenter |
01373 462963 / email |
Bracco Society |
Lori Dempster |
01273 401428 / email |
Dukeries |
Mrs C Gretton |
01724 710265 / email |
GSPA |
Mrs M Nixon |
01530 260581 / email |
GSPC |
Mr D Winser |
01487 822366 / email |
GWPC |
Alan Hender |
01189 712876 / email |
Hampshire |
Sue Lamb |
01202 249154 / email |
HVC |
Mrs P Simpson |
02476 502450 / email |
HVS |
Nigel Dear |
01691 680869 / email |
HWVA |
Mark Lovell |
01254 727329 / email |
HPR Scotland |
Mrs M Wadell |
01505 685539 |
Italian Spinone |
Alex Johnston |
01264 781913 / email |
Large Munsterlander |
Helen Evans |
01223 845255 / email |
Norfolk & Suffolk |
Chris Snelling |
01449 781850 / email |
Northern Ireland |
Mr T Connoly |
01232 611019 |
Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer Club |
Mick Heap |
07746 819297 / email |
Small Munsterlander |
C&B Maffia |
07903 045147 / email |
WCGB |
Suzi Burton |
01892 861922 / email |
Weimaraner Assocation |
Penny Pickstone |
01482 657337 / email |