Hi, as a new club with all members new to the sport, we are interested in some recommendations on who to invite to put on a seminar for our club. We are looking at a time frame of next May/June. We are a NON food training club, preferring compulsion and prey. My husband and I have lots of tracking experience for Canadian Kennel Club and SAR style, but none of us have done Schutzhund tracking. A couple of our members are headed off to Helper seminars in Nov. so we kind of have that aspect covered as well. Any suggestions of who would be a great first time experience for our DVG club? We are mainly Giant Schnauzers and Dobes, (by chance, not design! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> ) most of our dogs are young with the club achieving 6 of 7 BH's and 2 of 2 AD's last weekend! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
You can see more about our club at http://www.leidenschaftkennels.com/swdahome.htm
We look forward to your comments and suggestions.
Sincerely, Tammy Dempsey
Secretary for The Sirius Working Dog Association.

I can't think of anyone who does Schutzhund training seminars (that's worth paying) that doesn't use food...at least for tracking!

I think if you are interested in bringing the most out of your dogs, especially in Schutzhund style tracking and you won't use food then it's a harder road to go...

Hi, sorry, need to clarify, we do start with food for tracking, just not used for Obed.
Thanks, Tammy.

Compulsion and Prey are not the way to train schutzhund - maybe this is not what you meant and it came out wrong.

If you want to seminar that will open you eyes and be one of the best seminars you can have - get Michael Ellis.

I have his web page linked on my links page.

You send up some real danger signs by the statement "we are not a food club".
It says you have decided there is a right and awrong way to train all the dogs in your club. It says that you already are not open minded and that will cause problems in simply learning. My expereince with groups that make such statements is that they are poor learners, spend more time evaluating the things shown and discussed by the presenters, than actually learning anything let alone making any real accomplishments.
Before you invite someone with the credentials of Mr. ellis, I would do a bit of soul searching to see if you are prepared to be taught.

Tammy, I'd like to invite you and your club to our (Fox Valley Police and Schutzhund Club-www.FoxTal.com - follow the Schutzhund link for info registration and fees)Michael Ellis Seminar, October 22nd, 23rd, and 24th in Black Creek, Wisconsin. Ed already listed Michael's website.

You can register to bring dogs for training or just watch. We try to keep the size small, but could make some open spots yet for additional handlers/dogs. No quantity limit on those just coming to watch. Bring a notebook, an open mind, and a willing/learning attitude. I can promise you a weekend full of great training, comaraderie, and fun.

Michael is a great teacher/communicator and is very dedicated to producing a joyful and effective/productive relationship in the human/canine partnership through clear communication, understanding, and respect/fairness. The dog and handler BOTH have responsibility to each other. You need to see the picture & partnership it produces. . .or any other respectable and successful Clinician's results with their students and their dogs for that matter.

What is the vision you have in your mind when you see a *true* working partnership between human and canine? Is that dog working his butt off with confidence,joy,and committment to it's handler and task, or walking down the field with it's head ducked or tail between it's legs, unsure of what unpleasant thing is going to happen to them next? How did they achieve those pictures should be the next question.

You are a new club, explore the training styles that have consistently produced successful results to acheive your goals as a club. Ask alot of questions, be a sponge. There is just tons of great training information on this Leerburg site also, in addition to training videos. Hope to hear from you. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />