Ok, what is a Chesky Fousek? I though that that was a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon that was bred in Eastern Europe somewhere. Nice dogs, I hunted over one a few years back, seemed smart as a whip. But better than a Drahthaar? That borders on being blasphemous, shame on you for even contemplating such a wild claim. Ha-ha-ha! I was looking back up through the thread and caught that one. My Drahts had almost too much drive for their own good and would come back off of some retrieves that were nothing but straight icewater, and still be rearing to go. I'd have ducks flying by that I just did not have the heart to shoot because I knew that the dogs would have to go back into the water/ice. They would get absolutely crazy at the mere sight of a shotgun case. Deer hunters would call me at the house to come track their wounded deer down for them, and we never lost but 2 out of 5 years. One drawback though, I could never break them from killing cats, anything with fur that moved was something to be ran down and done away with, and they would bring it directly back to you and drop it at your feet. Not a good thing when your dog brings the neighbors cat to your wife and drops it at her feet. That went over like a lead balloon. (What wonderful memories! Ha-ha-ha!) All in all, I would reccomend the breed to anyone that hunts everything. They are not the flashiest pointers, but they are smart about working pheasants, and will do ANYTHING that you want such as tracking blood trails, and working bunnies. My old male even used to go predator calling with me, and would finish a coyote or a fox with no qualms about it, no hesitation whatsoever.

I'm 26, I got my first dog (GSD mix) when I was 9 and obedience trained her myself with books. In fact I think I read every book in the library pertaining to dogs before I got her. I got my second dog (a malamute) when I was 13 obedience trained her myself also and she was my backpacking dog as well. I still have her she's getting to be an old lady now. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

I got my current GSD about 3 1/2 years ago who I took to a trainer and worked with. I learned about Schutzhund at that time, but Dakota wasn't/isn't necessarily Schutzhund material.

I'm getting a male GSD next month to learn Schutzhund with. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> This board has been/is a great resource. I read it all the time even though I don't post that often.

I'm 39, and have had dogs(mutts from the pound or right off of the streets) for most of my life.

I can remember saving my kindergarten snacks to bring home and feed to the stray dogs that would pass through my neighborhood!

I went to the NY School of Dog Grooming in NYC when I was 17 and became a professional dog groomer for many years. I was also very into animal rescue,mostly involving trying to rescue and place any stray animal I could find! ( I also owned and rode horses since I'm 10)More recently I was the adoption counselor for all of the puppies and kittens available through a local rescue group.

I have always loved GSD's and especially admired them as a working companion. I got my first one 4 years ago, and we trained in AKC OB for a year and a half with a Master trainer who had over 45 years of success as an AKC Utility trainer and breeder( He was also a military man), until his very sad passing.

I then networked around and met a trainer from Holland who I continued to train with,but this time in PP. I was so thrilled to be learning so much more than I had ever dreamed about training and understanding dogs, and eventually my 1st GSD became a police K9.

I now have a 3 year old male house pet fron WG show lines, and 1 year old working line female that I am contining to learn with. We are hoping to try and get out there and compete in SCH. Not easy to do, as I am also a mom of 4 who works part time as a radiologic technologist! But....I am really doing the best I can! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

No, a Fousek is not a Griffon.

It's a German Wirehair Pointer. They come from the same stock.

Similar to the history of the German Shepherd Dog, as the Germans moved into Czechoslovakia they took their working dogs with them and had a profound influence on the already existing working dogs of similar breed type in the countries they worked in.

The Fousek is a mixture of early native wirehair hunting dogs found in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Austria. Same type of stock that the Drahthaar comes from. And up till WWII the two breeds, the Fousek and Drahthaar, were nearly identical because the Czechs used the Drahthaar blood for their own hunting dogs and maintained a similar breed registry and breed suitibility test.

After WWII, the breed was seperated. The Fousek was raised by a few dedicated breeders without further influence from the Drahthaar. The Czechs are very hard on their dogs, and the Fousek didn't have a show rating required for breeding, so I'd argue that the pure working bloodlines were maintained a bit better in Czechoslovakia. LOL

But the breed really dwindled over the years. After 1991 when Europe was opening up, Fousek breeders found that their dogs had better working skills for the type of game they hunt than the West German dogs who have had a profound showline influence since after WWII. They closed the registry and won't allow crosses of the Drahthaar back into the Fousek registry.

Anyway, I'm an upland bird guy and I've never hunted over a better dog than the Drathaar, even though I've seen Fousek that were INSANE working dogs in Zlin, Czech Republic who put them to shame.

The main difference is that the Fousek isn't a good family dog, the energy level of the dog is through the roof. They are annoying as hell. The DD is a better all-round dog and you can actually live with one.


Anyway. . .they're the same dog, just seperated by some politics. Same severe breeding requirements and working tests.

It's something new for Americans to understand, the German/European breed clubs and their strict rules and regulation. (quality controls)

But, it isn't new to GSD people. The SV was the first breed club to institute those type of policies. The other working breed clubs and working registries for other breeds, like the VDD, took their ideas from the SV. Similar to the Schutzhund trial, show rating, and Kor many other working breeds in Europe have a working trial, show trial, and kor system to ensure the animals can do what they're bred to do.


A Fousek is NOT a Griffon. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />


<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

LOL...Robert, perhaps you could post a picture in the "members" and their pets section.

I suspect we owe Cindy a debt of gratitude for her editing skills. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

OK, guess I'll give it a go...
I'll be 32 next month, have been working with dogs since I was a kid. Father and Grandfather bred Beagles for hunting (though Dad did have one Field Trial Grandchampion, however back then it wouldn't have been much different than a good hunting dog as compared to the trials vs hunters today). Grew up playing with the dogs, if you couldn't find me, you'd have to look out in the kennels and look in the dog houses. As I grew and became a hunter, I helped teach the dogs how to hunt rabbits. Fast forward a bit, I got my first GSD from the pound when I was about 7. Taught her to flush rabbits (mostly for her amusement, she was so fast that you could NOT take a shot for fear that you might hit her instead) and flush pheasant and quail. Fast forward to about 2000, seriously got into GSDs and tried forming a club ever since then. Got broken in on decoy work by a Rottie with attitude and loved it ever since. Finally, we got a real club formed in the "area of Labs and duck hunting" (where nothing else is really done with dogs) last year (will be our 1yr anniversary of saying "we are now a club" in another month or two). Have bred 2 litters, all in working/sport homes (one certified narc at 7mos old; another certifies this month at 17mos old and goes to work searching ships, cars, and buildings) except one pup from our first litter (and he's slowly convincing his new owner to start formal OB and tracking).

I hunt just about anything, I love upland to death, rarely hunt deer, and love to run bunnies. One of my Drahthaars was definately not a family dog, but if you saw him in the field you'd have been begging to breed to him. Just way too much drive for having around the house, he came unglued over the sight of a cat and dragged my 10 year old son face first across 2 front yards, and gravel driveways. Lesson learned? Yep, when a parent tells you not to lock your arm in the leash, there is a reason. Ha-ha-ha!
I kept Zeus in a kennel out back, when my younger male reached maturity Zeus tried to kill him outright. 30+ stitches later I made sure that they were never anywhere at the same time.
They were both good dogs, tough as nails, and absolutely fearless to the point of almost insanity. We had a Bullmastiff down the street that the owners never did right by, anyway, he entered the backyard one day while I was working Zeus, Zeus hit that dog like a brick. I came out of that being scared for the Bullmastiff as Zeus took chunks out of that poor dog before I could get him tied off. My younger male (Bobby) was pretty laid back, outstanding family dog. Quiet and protective, arthritis took him at 8 years old, too many long icewater retieves duck hunting.
I sold Zeus at 5 years old to a guy in Wyoming in 1989, he simply wanted his drives in what he was producing. Lots of wonderful memories though, you only own one Mazeratti in your life. Maybe after I retire I will get me another Drahthaar to hunt with. As for now I'll see if this Doberman pup has any versatility in him, ever seen a Doberman point pheasants? If this works out I'll let you hunt over him. Ha-ha-ha!

I'm 27 and have dogs all my life. Currently I have a chocolate lab that I am working with. I came to this site for advice on training, and I'm also taking a dog trainer course, which I just started the first of this month.

I'm hoping to foster shelter dogs to train them and make them more adoptable to begin with. Later, I plan on training dogs one on one with their owners. I wanted to do class training, but after coming to this site and reading about the group classes at Petsmart, I think I'd rather do one on one training instead.

Monique