Man-trailing Seminar 24./25. March 2012

A group of Otterhound owners were excitedly looking forward to this weekend for months.

Participants included a total of 10 2-leggers and 5 Otterhounds, 2 Grand Basset Griffon Vendeens and one Briquet Griffon Vendeen.

The Weekend was a complete success!!!!


 

Everyone had fun watching how their hounds worked, and how much progress was made between the first tentative beginnings in the morning and the more targeted experiments that were seen in the afternoon of the first day.

The amazing increase both in terms of length, as well as confidence in the search on the second day, let Hounds and owners "shine".

Where one or the other on the first day might have thought his Hound may not be so interested had a surprise coming on day two.

Also, the fatigue which the Hounds showed on the evening of the first day was a surprise to many. The nose job can not be compared to a long walk, the head work is far more demanding and tiring to the Hounds, with the result that all evening and through the night the owners encountered a snoring Hound at their side.

Conclusion: search work  = Tired but happy & balanced Hounds!

A huge big "Thank you" goes to Albert Küng and his companion and assistant Theresa for making the long journey from Switzerland to make this weekend possible for us.

Those of us who have already been involved in Man-trailing longer (the two Grand Basset Griffon Vendeens) did not come up short in this beginner seminar, because there were  still a lot of search options that they had not previously thought possible. 

However, their Hounds proved to them that the impossible is possible. Us brand new students had the opportunity to see what our beloved Otterhounds are capable of and we now look at them in a different light!

On the first day, after training was done, the press turned up on site.

We would also like to thank the photographer Thomas Schmidt for providing us with this great group picture for the HP.

If anyone would like a copy of this photo please contact me, I will send you the contact details of Mr. Schmidt.

All copyrights to this photo are with Mr. Schmidt, so we would ask you to please respect this.

My E-Mail: otterhound4@googlemail.com

„Foto: Thomas Schmidt“

More pictures will follow!!!!

In conclusion here is a message from Albert that he has sent to us by e-mail:
 

Hello Sabine
I also want to thank you that we, Theresa and I, were invited to teach you. And we would also like for another seminar to take place.
I personally find it a pity that the Ottis are no longer used in rescue work, from my own experience I know that the Otterhound can bring the same nose performance as a Bloodhound, most Otti owners do not even know what they hold on their leash. I hope that this great breed of dog is given more attention in man trailing.
Thanks to Lance (Otterhound), I came about to my Mantrailing training.  Lance made my way to the U.S much easier. After my first Mantrailing seminar in Maryland, the American sheriffs and police officers also had to admit that an Otti can do just as well as a Bloodhound can. Lance received the nick name “Curly Bloodhound”.
 
With kind regards
Albert & Theresa