Interview with Claudia Wolf-Meixner of Vom Schwaiger Wappen Kennel

Interview with Vom Schwaiger Wappen Kennel
Source:  The Rottweiler Chronicle (TRC)

Claudia Wolf-Meisner (daughter of the founder, Xaver Meixner) with Onex vom Schwaiger Wappen

The Rottweiler Chronicle (TRC): Thank you for taking time out to do this interview. I am sure that the Rottweiler world has a lot of questions that they would want to ask of Vom Schwaiger Rottweilers. I am glad that we have this opportunity to ask at least some of those questions. Where do we even start? Perhaps you can start by telling us about the beginnings of Vom Schwaiger Wappen Rottweilers?

Claudia Wolf-Meixner (CWM): Before my father (Xaver Meixner) hadOnex vom Schwaiger Wappen Rottweilers he owned a Doberman Pinscher. This dog was very nervous, so he decided to get a dog with a better temperament. He purchased his first Rottweiler in 1972. Her name was Anka vom Lohauserholz. When he bought her as a puppy he did not know that she would end up being one of the best females of that time. She was a very good dog in Schutzhund work and in show. She was HD-, SchH 3, Gekort Bis Eza, FH, Klubsiegerin 1974, Europasiegerin 1974, Bundessiegerin 1975, German Champion and International Champion. I know at least one of her offspring, Eiko vom Schwaiger Wappen, went to the United States. (Editors note: The dog mentioned is American Champion Eiko vom Schwaiger Wappen CDX, SchH 3, sired by Igor vom Kastanienbaum SchH 3, FH. Eiko, owned by Bruce and Karen Billings, was an ARC Gold Sire.)

TRC: So, she was his foundation bitch?
CWM: Yes, he decided to breed her because of her show and working qualities. She is the female that all of our dogs come from.

TRC: When did you develop your passion for Rottweilers?
CWM: Well, I was born in 1972, the year my parents purchased their first Rottweiler, Anka. I grew up with them. Since I was a baby I “had to” go to the shows and trials. So, I was involved with them from a very early age. When I was somewhere between six and eight years I began taking care of the puppies, feeding them, playing with them in the garden. I learned just about everything I know about Rottweilers from my father.

TRC: When did you get your first Rottweiler that you could call your own?
CWM: Well, when I was 12 years old I participated in my first Schutzhund trial with Aki von der Hembachbrucke SchH 3. After that I got my own dog, Vicky vom Schwaiger Wappen. Vicky was Schutzhund 3, FH, AD, Ztp. She is the mother of Danjo vom Schwaiger Wappen, Ken vom Schwaiger Wappen and Rena vom Schwaiger Wappen.

TRC: And now you are the owner of vom Schwaiger Wappen Rottweilers. How did you come to be the owner and continue your father’s breeding program?
CWM: I became the co-owner of the Schwaiger Wappen kennel in 1984, the same year I got Vicky. We trained the dogs together and went to the shows together along with my mother. In 1996 my father had his first litter under the kennel name vom Schwaiger Rathaus. He said that I should continue the Schwaiger Wappen kennel name alone. Since then I have been continuing my father’s life passion with the support of my husband, Peter Wolf.

TRC: Why did he want you to “take over” vom Schwaiger Wappen if he is still breeding anyway?
CWM: He was getting older and wanted to reduce his work with the dogs. Also the ADRK (German Rottweiler Club) made a rule that a kennel should have no more than three breeding females. So I took over vom Schwaiger Wappen in 1995 and he started anew, on a smaller scale with my mother, Leni, under the vom Schwaiger Rathaus kennel name. But he is 66 years old now and he does the same work with the dogs just like he did 10 to 15 years ago (laughs). He can’t reduce his work with the dogs. Rottweilers are his life.

TRC: So, now you and your father’s breeding programs are totally separate?
CWM: Well, we could never be totally separate since we our family. We give each other advice, tell each other when we see a good dog. We are both breed wardens so we tell each other about good litters that we have seen. For certain things, like when people call me about breeding to King (vom Schwaiger Wappen) I tell then they have to talk directly to my father. And many times we have different opinions about training. Schutzhund is different than it was 15 years ago.

TRC: In what ways is it different?
CWM: Today we are seeing more precision, dogs are more perfect in obedience. Back then “outing” fast was not as important. Now the dog must be very good in bite work but alert in obedience and fast “outs”.

TRC: Wow! So your life has been Rottweilers since between 6 and 8 years old! I am sure that you have seen some incredible dogs. Is there a dog that you would you consider to be the most beautiful you have seen?
CWM: It is hard to say which dog is the most beautiful because over the years I have seen so many dogs and every dog makes his own impression. Santo vom Schwaiger Wappen comes to mind as a dog that I think was very, very beautiful and I dog that we won’t forget.

TRC: Okay, how about if I narrow it down? What about the best dog that vom Schwaiger Wappen has bred or owned?
CWM: It is still hard to say. It depends on how you define “the best”. For example, Ken vom Schwaiger Wappen was the only one who won the four biggest titles: Klubsieger, Bundessieger, Europasieger and Weltsieger, but he did not produce many outstanding dogs. In my opinion, not only the dog and the titles are important, but also his sons and daughters. Dingo vom Schwaiger Wappen was a very important Rottweiler in the history the breed in Germany. He was a very nice show dog but he made his contribution more as a producer. He is the father of Santo vom Schwaiger Wappen, who is the father of Benno von der Schwarzen Heide. And so many other great dogs in the world trace themselves to Dingo.

TRC: Are there any dogs outside of Germany that you especially like?
CWM: Too be honest, I have not had the chance to see many dogs outside of Germany. I met Eckhart Salquist when we were in Richmond, California for a show. I remember him having some nice dogs.

TRC: The Vom Schwaiger Wappen dogs are in high demand around the world. We have seen some very nice ones that have come here to the United States, like Santo, Danjo. Do you ever regret selling any of the dogs that you have sold?
CWM: It is never easy to sell a dog that we have won titles with. Dogs like Santo, Danjo, Ken, Onex. The reason why we sold them was never a fault of the dog. I would not say we regret selling them but all were very good dogs and for our breeding program it would have been better if they stayed here. We really missed Santo but we had litters by him when he left.

TRC: What is it that makes vom Schwaiger Wappen Rottweilers unique?
CWM: Are our dogs really that unique (laughs)?

TRC: Well I would say so. Vom Schwaiger Wappen is one of the best known and one of the most respected kennels in the world.
CWM: I guess some kennels have one or two quality dogs and then many others not so good. We, like every breeder, have some bad dogs, but we are very consistent in producing quality dogs.

TRC: What do you strive for in your breeding program?
CWM: We strive for an overall quality dog, well-structured with strong bones and a nice, typey head. I don’t like to see light markings. I like to see rust brown markings with dark eyes.

TRC: What effect do you think the ban on docking tails will have on the Rottweiler in Germany and on an international level?
CWM: It is still too early to tell. A good thing is that non-Rottweiler people like the dog with a tail. Rottweilers with tails look friendlier. They don’t look as aggressive. In Germany it will not have that big of an effect on the dogs overall conformation or temperament There is no change in the standard as far as structure, topline, etc. Some dogs are having tails that roll up over the back, which judges don’t like. We will begin to see more consistency with the tail and how it is carried.

TRC: As we bring this to a close, what advice would you give to the novice breeder?
CWM: First, start with the very best female you can. You can’t build a good foundation with a poor quality dog. Second, totally honest with yourself. You have to know what faults your female has and what you want to improve. Some people think their female is perfect. Then, when looking for a stud dog, don’t look to a male just because he has a lot of titles or because he is not far from your home. You have to look at your female and what she needs, what your lines need to be improved. Then you look for the male that best matches her. Breeding Rottweilers though is not easy.

TRC: What about advice for Schutzhund trainers?
CWM: Make sure you start with a good dog. Once you have a good dog much of it is what the person does with the dog. I see a lot of dogs that are poorly trained and out of shape, too fat. In Schutzhund you can’t train alone. You must have knowledgeable people to help. Maybe tracking you can do alone. But you have people who will watch you and give advice on your obedience and you also must have a very good helper for protection. I don’t know what opportunities are in United States for clubs, but it is very important to find a very good trainer and a very good helper if you want a good Schutzhund dog. I also understand that there are many people in the US who will train and title the dog for you.

TRC: Well, it has been a pleasure. I know that we have only been able to touch on some very basic questions. But I do appreciate your time and I believe there is a lot here that the reader can benefit from knowing. I look forward to speaking with you again sometime in the future.
CWM: Yes, thank you for interviewing me. It is an honor.

Interview by Karim Camara

The Rottweiler Today by Oliver Neubrand

Interviewed & Written by Tina Finn, Finland

Whenever you meet with Rottweiler enthusiasts no matter where they are from the conversation is soon directed to the state of our breed today. Is Rottweiler still a working dog?

How has the breed changed in recent years and what does the future hold for the Rottweiler in today’s world. I asked Oliver Neubrand of the prestigious German vom Hause Neubrand - kennel to share with us his thoughts on today’s Rottweiler. Oliver is a trainer, helper, competitor and a handler renowned worldwide. In the last few years he has held numerous training seminars around the globe and can therefore offer a sweeping perspective on the subject. But let’s allow Oliver to tell the story…

It has been 30 years since my family began breeding Rottweilers under the prefix ‘vom Hause Neubrand’ in 1976. Finding information on breeding of dogs was not as easy in the mid-70’s as it is today. There was no Internet and not many books to learn from so the learning was done by doing. That was also the case with my parents. Our first litter was born in a building that was actually used to raise pigs! Back then there were no animal protection laws or restrictions on how to handle and care for pets nor was there much general knowledge on the subject for that matter. The mentality in breeding litters was pretty much based on natural selection of “eat or die”, as brutal as it sounds today. Puppies were not socialized the way that we now know they need to be socialized and in fact, many breeders thought that the more aggressive the dog was the better it was. Most of the people wanting to buy a Rottweiler wanted a guard dog, not a dog for show or working or even for a family pet. Breeders in those days did not need to be licensed and the selection of a stud dog was more often than not based on the driving distance rather than the dog’s suitability for the breed bitch. Bitches of even HD+ hips were used for breeding as no HD ratings were required. Weren’t those the days…

Things have really changed since then. Today, national breed associations and local breed clubs set the standard for breeding through various restrictions and requirements for breeder licenses, litter checks, breed tests, working results etc. There are laws to protect dogs, to define kennel sizes and boarding conditions. There are limits as to the use of stud dogs and the number of litters a bitch can produce in a lifetime and so forth. To be successful today, a breeder really has to take care of his dogs! Puppy buyers of today know their pedigrees and what they want placing demands on breeders to provide guarantees on health, HD/ED results, eyes and teeth; some even want guarantees that the puppy they are buying is going to be a top show dog or next to unbeatable in working. People do not want just any Rottweiler anymore - they want a big dog, black mouth, dark eyes, strong bones, big head, a social character, high drives, lots of energy and drive consistency.

In Germany, there are also problematic issues concerning the breeding of Rottweiler these days. With a limited number of approved stud dogs available and the growing demand for German Rottweilers overseas our gene pool continues to get smaller and smaller. For us the use of a stud dog after it has been sold overseas is not an option. As the quality of a producer can only be viewed through his products we’re left with a lot of guessing work with most of the males being sold before we ever get to see the actual product! Modern techniques such as DNA or shipping of semen is currently prohibited in Germany as is using bloodlines worldwide.

In today’s world of breeding dogs, the breed dogs are very valuable animals who breeders take very good care of to ensure their well-being. This includes the use of premium pet foods, the best veterinary services available and overall care of the dogs. In the “old days”, people would have put away a dog with a broken ligament for example. Now it is natural that it be fixed!

Conformation and Shows

As far as conformation goes, I think that shows have truly gone through evolution from the very first Klubsieger show held in 1971 to the Klubsieger held in 2006! Whereas in 1971 we only had approximately 10 foreign exhibitors, in 2006 the German exhibitors were a minority at 30% of total entries. The total number of entries had also grown 4 times the amount of the first show with the Klubsieger becoming the most important and prestigious Rottweiler event of any given year.

The requirements of the show Rottweiler have somewhat changed along the way also; whereas eye color and pigmentation used to play an important role in the past and it was unthinkable to present a dog with pink spots in the corners of the mouth in a show, judges today will consider it pure cosmetics. There was more weight on the correct structure (rather than freaky looks), a good topline and movement. Interestingly enough, temperament used to not really be an issue and an aggressiveness was not a reason to disqualify a dog as it is today.

Today, the emphasis is on stylish, powerful looks, big size, top condition and excellent presentation. No dog can win in the ring unless it is presented well. The importance of a good head and good color and coat too often shadow other really important factors such as powerful free movement. As a breeder and trainer, I would extend a wish to any judge judging a Rottweiler in a show ring that there must be a difference made between a strong and powerful looking Rottweiler and a Rottweiler resembling rather a Mastiff or a Saint Bernard! We have a very precise breed standard from which we should try not to stretch too far from to any extreme directions. A Rottweiler should not be too heavy and big, but also not too thin or without substance.

When considering the entire Rottweiler world, I think that German breeders have a hard time keeping ahead of many of their international counterparts on the conformation front as the rules imposed on them by the ADRK are possibly the strictest in the world. Those rules are made not only to ensure the breeding of a nice looking Rottweiler, but to secure the preservation of the complete Rottweiler – one that has the looks for show AND capability for work. In some countries there are no requirements even for hip dysplasia X-rays let alone working results. All these requirements ensure the specialty of the German Rottweiler. It is my opinion German Rottweilers will dominate the show rings in the future as they are being presented as complete working dogs with breeders aiming for the balance of temperament and looks. Achieving this balance should be the cornerstone of Rottweiler breeding anywhere.

Prohibition of tail docking has also changed the look of our Rottweiler quite a bit as the tail naturally affects the topline. In fact, it is the croup of the dogs that are a bit different from what they used to be. The reason being that if the dogs still would have a very straight croup the tail would be setting incorrectly and the carriage of tail would not be the way we want it to be. The trend in backline is leaning towards a slightly falling croup that allows the tail to set correctly without rolling over the back of the dog. I personally prefer a dog with a tail. In fact I love a Rottweiler with a tail and would not like to have it changed back to the docking days. I also think that there are so many positive things that come with the tail; people are able to read their dogs better, even those of us that are not dog people and the dog gets a more friendly look overall. Beside all that the dogs move much better in balance with a tail; they are more flexible, faster in corners and hence better for the work.

The competition in shows is a lot harder now than it was may be 30 years ago. It is a challenge for the judges to be able to pass judgement on dogs without letting their own personal feelings play a part in judging. It is essential however that any such feelings and sentiments be put aside when passing a judgement for a dog in the ring.

Health and character

Perhaps the most talked about health issue with the Rottweiler as with any other large breed is the HD/ED issue. I find it unbelievable that there still are countries that do not require HD/ED X-raying of their breeding material! Problems with the hip dysplasia can quite often be tracked back to improper care, insufficient nutrition and incorrect (either too little or too much) level of exercise of puppies. While I cannot speak for the results of any other country than Germany I can say that our statistics on HD are quite good. This is largely due to the work that ADRK has done in promoting this matter over the years.

A few years ago we also started X-raying the elbows of our dogs. This is still a learning process as we try to specify potential risks as to certain lines. I think however, that the elbows do not present such a big problem within our breed as long as there is no actual dysplasia occuring. In my opinion the dogs should be X-rayed prior to the start of serious training as the strain of training e.g. protection work, playing with the ball, jumping and such does take it’s toll on the physics of the dog.

For health requirements on breeding material I find it sufficient that both dogs have acceptable HD/ED results. One of the other main health problems of the Rottweiler that has raised it’s ugly head in recent years is the ligament problem. However, there is no real solution to fix this problem with breeding selections alone. The only way we can correct and hopefully eliminate this problem is to be honest and open about it when making selections for breeding.

Sometimes you hear old Rottweiler owners claiming the Rottweiler is not what it used to be. I think that this claim actually has not much substance as what has actually changed instead is the way that we care for and train our dogs. Puppies are being socialized and familiarized with handling at a very early age and training methods have developed a great deal. Along with training methods and the information that we now have available also handlers, trainers and helpers have improved in their work. We have come to realize that the old “kick-ass” method simply does not work and does not bring about the desired results. Public focus on certain “dangerous” breeds and the problem dogs that have led to headlines has emphasized the need for socialization and proper training. Personally I find that the Rottweiler today has an improved temperament; when you think about it, it can’t be too bad when our dogs can work in high levels of IPO and at the same time be social and friendly.

In the past, there were many dogs who bit immediately if a person got close to them or they came too close to someone no matter whether it was a grown up person, a child or another dog. Our own product Brando was like that. Owners used to be proud of their strong and dangerous dogs, an attitude that is not at all acceptable or even possible in today’s world. There is a story of one the first breed tests where a handler got so badly bitten by his own dog that he had to be taken to the hospital. No reason to disqualify the dog, however, as a friend came to the rescue and handled the dog (now wearing a muzzle) for the measurements. A dumbbell was placed in his mouth so that someone could check his teeth and bite. The protection in those days was perhaps harder than it is now due to the use of the stick and untrained helpers, but as it was, no “out” was required.

I like to tell a story of my own SchH 3 trial dog that has travelled with me several times to seminars and competitions to different corners of the world. He has walked through airports with me and stayed at hotels. There was an incident last year when I had just finished doing protection with him at the IFR WC in Florida and a young family walked by asking whether they could pet the dog. I said it was okay and these little kids came to this big Rottweiler and pet him – and this was right after he had earned the highest protection points of that particular trial!

The Rottweiler is changing in character with the times as we the people do. Modern society sets it’s standards and requirements as it brings along new challenges and opportunities. It is an evolution that the Rottweiler lives through along with us. And that’s how is should be.

THE WORKING ROTTWEILER

The demands on today’s working Rottweiler are far and many. It should be faster, it should be more correct and it should appear more upbeat when working, it could also have better sense of courage; in too many cases judging works against our breed as the qualities that Rottweiler has to offer in dog sports go unappreciated. So then what are the qualities that a Rottweiler can compete in dog sports against his lighter and faster counterparts with? I’d say first and foremost it is his nerves. Rottweiler by nature is a very steady and self-confident dog with a strong mind, calm appearance and generally a good food drive. Once a handler finds the key to turning those qualities into his advantage the Rottweiler will rock! He will have exact exercises in obedience and strong guarding, full hard grips and dominating work in protection and an intense calm tracking.

Our problem on the other hand is the obvious; speed and not least his plain old physical size. When you think about it, a 50kg Rottweiler has to be in an excellent physical condition to stand the heat and physical strain of trialling in a mid summer heat in black fur. No matter how good a Rottweiler is, it will never be as fast as the Malinois or the GSD. In today’s trials where speed seems to be just about the most desired quality, the Rottweiler does not stand a chance even when he gives all that he’s got. For the sake of the Schutzhund sport and, of course, the Rottweiler, judging should take into consideration differences in breeds. In many all-breed trials helper work has been changing from what it should be (in accordance with the rules) to a style more suitable for the modern working breeds such as the Malinois. With differences in breeds as opposite to each other as the Rottweiler and Malinois it is obvious that the Rottweiler will suffer in the hands of this new way of helper work.

Rottweiler is a serious dog that needs serious, clear helper work in order to function at full capacity; the threat and pressure has to be “real” for a Rottweiler to respond. When a helper moves to the side instead of directly towards and over the dog in re-attack, the Rottweiler may not take him seriously and as a result he will lose points in trial. Or in driving the dog the way that Rottweiler uses his whole body to fight against pressure does not earn him the points the way that another breed may earn just for holding on to the sleeve with a full bite while running alongside the helper. Many other such examples can be seen taking place at all-breed trials. We will either have to start training our Rotties in a new way to keep up with these changes or as in too many cases switch to another breed to gain success in dog sports. We have already lost many talented handlers to other breeds and that is a shame as I am convinced that the working qualities of the Rottweiler still do exist!

Meanwhile, there have been a couple of great working Rottweilers that deserve to be mentioned here: Ken vom Sternbogen and Torro vom Zimmerplatz were both very impressive at work and have passed on super temperaments to their offspring. This temperament is still being seen in this stable line of working dogs that now have Ken or Torro in the 4th or 5th generation. It is actually funny that these dogs should be considered the foundation for some “working lines” as they’re both also famous for their conformation. Nevertheless these dogs were great because of their special quality mixed with good handlers, helpers and successful training. This is the required package for a success in dog sports. A good dog alone will not win trophies, neither will a good handler. Schutzhund has always been and still is very much a team sport where all the pieces must fall into place.

Personally speaking and based on my experience as a trainer and helper I must stress the fact that the material for good working Rottweilers is still there. From Finland to the USA, from France to South America, there’s plenty of good working material there. The thing is, how to get it all out in the open? In many locations the problem lays with the helpers, trainers and handlers who either have no experience in working the Rottweiler or by choice prefer to work other breeds. A Rottweiler is a dog that matures slowly and hence must be trained with patience, with consistency and by taking him forward step-by-step. He needs to be trained with a strong yet fair hand and understanding of how to keep up his drive and motivation while demanding him to be exact, correct and precise. In obedience the dilemma seems be that either the dog is trained only to play where it will never develop the endurance for serious trialling or then he is trained with such harsh hand that he stops working altogether! In training, the motivation should be kept up to certain degree with an element of surprise as the Rottweiler in his big mind will soon figure out the routine and yawn at the thought of doing the same thing over and over again. In competitions and trials it is sad to see a Rottweiler often misrepresented so as if he was a lazy, weak dog with no drive as that is definitely not the case!

It is important for our working breed that his working qualities are cherished and maintained in breeding. We should not try to breed Rottweilers with a Malinois temperament nor should they be allowed to turn into black & tan Labradors Retrievers. The qualities that we need to look for to ensure that the Rottweiler remains a working breed are;

> high prey drive together with stable nerves;
> self- confidence sans too much dominance;
> hardness without being impossible to handle;
> balanced drive areas (between prey and defense);
> health and strength;
> a will to work!

Having emphasized the need for maintaining the working qualities, we must naturally also ensure that the Rottweiler will look like a Rottweiler also in the future. When you see a dog on the street that you have to wonder whether it is a Rottweiler or Doberman you’ll know something has gone wrong. A Rottweiler can and it should look like a Rottweiler even when used for work.

Owning a big dog comes with a responsibility – we must remember that a Rottweiler is still not a dog for everyone and can cause trouble when placed in wrong hands. One negative headline is a headline too many for our breed that is already in the list of potentially dangerous breeds in some countries.

Socialization and training of dogs and education of puppy buyers and owners is a key to dispersing prejudices held towards the Rottweiler and to preventing the negative image laid on him in some places. Local and national organizations should try to work hard to cut down wild uncontrolled breeding as well as the use of dogs not meeting the standards of breeding requirements. It could be concluded that the Rottweiler should be bred, handled and trained with the demands of the modern society in mind. That is the only way for us to be able to continue enjoying this wonderful breed.

The Rottweiler can have a great future as the breed is popular all over the world but what we the owners, trainers, helpers, handlers and breeders must ensure is that the popularity is of the right kind.

It would be in everyone’s interest if we could have more cooperation in the world of Rottweilers – cooperation between different national clubs and organizations as well as the trainers, helpers and handlers that work their Rottweilers on the training fields every day. International seminars and training camps are a great way to promote this kind of cooperation. I would also gladly see the IFR (International Friends of the Rottweiler) play a bigger and more important role in the enhancing of the breed in all aspects including shows, working trials, breeding and education. The more people we have pulling together for our breed the stronger we would be and the bigger the benefit for our breed.

As I look into the future of the Rottweiler, I see ever-growing interest in conformation as the breeding in many countries is concentrated solely in show material. At the same time there are upcoming breeders in countries that one could not just awhile ago have imagined to have many Rottweilers let alone have them being bred there. The market for the top quality dogs is growing and people are willing to invest in a dog that has the capability for work and the looks for show. With some big shows being held annually around the globe the competition keeps getting tighter. In almost every country one can find a Rottweiler that could win at any show any day with very little nuances making the difference. That’s what we have achieved with globalization.

It is a shame, however that the working Rottweiler people still remain very much a minority in the Rottweiler world and within their respective countries. I am very much aware that there is a lot of interest in some countries for working the Rottweiler for Schutzhund sport. It is unfortunate that this interest is too often dampened by the sheer impossibility as there may not be enough qualified helpers and trainers around that understand and appreciate the qualities of our breed. Nevertheless, those handlers that take the training seriously are willing to drive long distances to train, learn and educate themselves.

Organizing of both national and international seminars held by accomplished trainers is also a great way to spread the awareness and to exchange thoughts on the state of the Rottweiler and getting some good training done on the side!

There are only a few countries that have the rules and regulations set by their national breed associations to help achieve and maintain the complete Rottweiler. To preserve the complete Rottweiler should be the common goal for the Rottie-people worldwide.

Guy Verschatse - Vom Schloss Hexental (Belgium)

INTERVIEW FOR THE FINNISH ROTTWEILER CLUB (Taken by Mrs. Tina Finn on 30.03.2005)

T.F. Your parents owned Dobermann’s and even bred a litter. How did You come to choose the Rottweiler as your breed ?

G.V. The Dobermann was not the type of character that I wanted. They were sharp and not much self assured, and above all very nervous. I did like the look (I still am of the docked ones) of a Dobe and that’s why my choice felt on the Rottweiler as they had several things in common: also guard-utility dogs, same color of coat, docked tail, German origines. They were much more confident and self assured, were not nervous at all and were more powerful which I really respect in a Rottie. After some research I’ve found two Rottweiler owners in my town, one had a Benno v Allgauer Tor daughter and the other one had a rare Austrian bloodline male. This male impressed me so much that I was into the breed forever. If d’Havilland (callname Igor) was a medium sized, very dry but athletic, super tough guard dog from a local wood supplier. The next thing was to find a Rottweiler as soon as possible. This made me make the wrong decision and I’ve bought the first available female puppy in a “puppy-factory”…

T.F. The vom Schloss Hexental-kennel was established in 1991, what led to you becoming a breeder ?

G.V. Because end of the 80s there were almost no Rottweilers competing in Belgium in the SCHH program. We had to train and compete in GSD- and All breed-clubs (who were only existing out of GSD’s). This concurrence was very tough towards our Rottweiler and the genepool in those days in Belgium was very poor on working quality. This was the main reason to start our own kennel and to breed the Rottweiler who would be able to compete against the GSD. We imported two bitches, one from Holland but from full German parents :Anka v Boyapark, HD/A (BS.Chris v Obergrombacher Schloss x D.CH.Boya vd Rheinwiesen) and shortly after her: Froni vd Siegbrucke, HD/B, BH, ZTP, GEK (KS.Danjo v Schwaiger Wappen x Dixi vd Siegbrucke). Those two bitches were our foundation, they produced many important dogs for the future to come. Anka was at the base of the Polderbos-Kennel as she was the dam of CH.Raika v Schloss Hexental, IPO1. Raika produced IFR.W.CH.Tron, IFR.W.CH.SCHH3 Tyson and CH.Umbro vh Polderbos. Froni was at the base of our own kennel true CK’99.Queeny and Saaike v Schloss Hexental. Queeny produced USRC.N.CH.SCHH3 Varrak v Schloss Hexental. Froni was also the dam of Quinta v Schloss Hexental of the Heyverhaus-Kennel. Quinta is the grand-dam of IFR.W.CH.SCHH3 Yanos v Heimat Dior, to name a few…

T.F. Tell us a little bit about your history in dog sports prior to establishing “vom Schloss Hexental”.

G.V. Back in 1986 we bought our first Rottweiler: Sheba van Rialfo, she was a bitch without FCI-pedigree (born in a puppy-factory) and turned out dysplastic. However with her my interest in dogsport has been waken up. A good friend of mine did Obedience with his Dobermann in a small local club and invited me to go and watch them training. Because Sheba had severe HD, I was unable to do serious training with her and this made me look out better the next time. In 1987 we bought Nero vd Markenrichter after a long search. Nero (callname Conan) was born in Holland but out of full German working line parents. His sire was the great Ambassador v Freienfels, double Landessieger Rheinland-Pfalz SCHH3. With Conan I started in Belgian Obedience because my girlfriend Katrien (who is now my wife) was afraid when I would do SCHH our dog would become aggressive. This is a fairytale that most people who are unaware of dogsport think. I passed his exam Obedience GP/Brevet and when Conan’s age was 2 years I could convince Katrien to train SCHH. My dog and myself get bored in the Obedience. After 5 months of training we achieved the SCHH1, 5 months later the SCHH2 and then it became more difficult as Conan was not a hard dog. Because of being afraid of the stick-hits we had to train and use all our imagination to make him succeed for the SCHH3. We went several long weekends to Germany to train with Solveig Doderer (owner/breeder from Ambassador v Freienfels, the sire of our dog) and her Helper Andreas Oberst, who was a “Lehrhelfer” (Helper teacher) of the SV. We learned a complete other vision of training as what we’ve seen in Belgium by that time. These other methods were useful for Conan and he did his SCHH3 a few weeks later. However he was not hard enough to compete at a serious level. We learned a lot by training this type of dog and our next dog: Magnus vom Glucksstern (CH.Ilco v Fusse der Eifel x CH.Fem v Luxemburger Landchen) was able to compete at a higher level as he was hard as nails. Maybe too hard, he was a real dominant male and also became a successfull studdog. We had a lot of fun with this boy…

T.F. How would you define a good breeding stock and what are the qualities you like to look for when breeding?

G.V. The bloodline is very important for me, I prefer a good pedigree and average dog above a good dog with average pedigree. For me it’s important that my breeding stock is different as my concurrence, it is important that I bring something NEW to the genepool and not duplicate what so many other breeders did before me. The art is to find different lines who are as good and are maybe better as what is popular at the moment. Sometimes we did a combination who was great on paper but turned out wrong, however we have always taken full responsibility of our “mistakes”. We did not march the easy road, we have taken well known risks and sometimes it turned out great, sometimes not so good… For me good breeding stock are bitches with good and unique pedigrees who are tall and healthy and have above all, a stable character with lots of prey/balldrive.
The male character is not so important as the female character because I’m convinced that the mother is responsible for 70-80% of the puppies behavior.

T.F. What do you feel are the highlights of your work as a breeder?

G.V. This is hard to answer as we are very proud on our kennel and all our dogs. It makes us also proud to see the offspring doing good and also the offspring from our offspring. Some Hexental dogs are an important base of several populations in Belgium, Holland, France, Norway and USA to name a few countries. A highlight is also the respect that we received from a few people who thank me to keep “the Working Rottweiler” alive. In the beginning our aim was to have Hexental dogs in all continents from the world which we made come true several years ago. At this moment we have dogs all over the world, from Finland till Australia…

T.F. What are your thoughts on the Rottweiler today noting his…
Working qualities:

G.V. I see the increasing interest for “extreme showline Rottweilers”. This is like a disease for the working qualities. The “Yugo dogs” (Eastern European) who are in my opinion “over typical” and have a very soft character, are the dead of the working Rottweiler. The Rottweiler has already a handicap with his size and weight, but these dogs are a nightmare for the working enthusiast. Till about 5-8 years ago I had a sparkling hope for the working capacities of our breed. We saw several very good scoring Rottweilers on “all breed competitions” and the overall grip on the sleeve became better because of selection on this. Belgium had several Rottweilers who could compete against any breed, however 90% from dogs from our bloodlines (but not necessary with our kennel name). Than the interest of “big heads & big bones” came and they became fashion in Belgium and all over the world…

Character:

G.V. The old Rottweiler was a stubborn, tough and brutal dog. At this moment the Rottweiler is much more obedient and trainable, but unfortunately by these traits not so hard anymore. The showlines are even very unsure and weak, they have no nerves anymore.

Appearance:

G.V. The fashion created a type who is “over typical”, the head look like a Bullmastiff and the bone strength is too much Mollosoide. This will result in dentition faults and respiration problems and slow down the working drives. We should strive more to maintain the standard, and keep the working ability as much as possible.

Health:

G.V. Working dogs are healthy dogs, otherwise they cannot train 2-3-4 times a week the routine for SCHH or another sport. The more show influence, the less healthy and the slower the dogs will be. Some bloodlines have real ligament problems, at this moment there is no examination on this and I see it as a real weak point of our breed. I’m proud on the fact that none of our breeding stock had or produced ligament problems.

T.F. If you could pick just one Rottweiler that represents the ideal Rottweiler to you, who would it be and why ? (If there isn´t one, what are the qualities that you would use to build the ultimate Rottweiler ?)

G.V. Our upcoming stud “Conan vom Schloss Hexental, HD/Frei, ED/2, RST, TSG (Social Behavior Test)”, he’s very tall, athletic, tons of prey/balldrive, bites always full and hard, looks very good, is very friendly towards people and other dogs and above all he has an awesome and unique pedigree ! His sire is one of the best working Austrian Army Service-dogs “Eliott von Kaisersteinbruch” and his dam is a sister to the famous D.CH.Ambassador von Shambala “Askija von Shambala”. The sire of Askija is also one of my favorites: D.CH.Balou vom Silberblick, also Balou’s grandfather Carlo von Hamburger Michel was one of the most impressive dogs ever. We are planning to use Conan on most of our bitches.

T.F. Are there any legislative restrictions on keeping a Rottweiler in Belgium ? If yes, kindly specify.

G.V. No, we have a lot of freedom concerning the law on keeping dogs. A few years ago after a deadly incident the Belgian Government voted a law to create a “potential Dangerous Breeds-list” of 13 breeds. Our Rottweiler was part of this list but with the efforts of the Belgian Kennel Club and the Belgian Rottweiler Club this list was destroyed shortly after. At this moment it’s calm around the hype of “dangerous dogs” but we are sure not much should happen to have the trash all over again. We cross our fingers…

T.F. Your thoughts on the future of the breed?

G.V. I think the biggest racist accusements are over, the Kennel Clubs and the Breed Clubs do all what’s in their power to put our breed in the positive light. This by doing all kind of Sociability Tests, Breedstandard Tests, motivates the people to promote Rescue Dog program, and so on. With these positive image tests the society will become more dog-friendly and forget the previous problems (we hope…).
However the future of the Rottweiler as Service- or Sport dog is in big danger ! The influence of the showlines becomes bigger and bigger, the Eastern European bloodlines are spreading very fast because of their fashionable looks. People should be aware that those countries have no Breed Tests or no control at all on the character or health of those lines. Most of them are even having no tattoo or microchip! I suggest if people still want to deal with those dogs to ask a DNA proof.

T.F. Any additional comments or thoughts ?

G.V. I hope the breeders follow their heart and not only their eyes and see the importance not to use “extremes” who have no reliable backgrounds. The German/Austrian genepool is still the best and most safe (read “correct”) genepool in the world. The ADRK is the most severe and most documented breedclub in the world, the only bad thing about the ADRK is that they have a closed genepool. They are not allowed to use Belgian- or other foreign dogs in their breeding. Many of the recent popular studdogs are build up all over the same studs such as Hassan, Doc, Noris, Chris, Rick. The only alternatives are the pure working lines such as Arri, Aki, Ken Sternbogen, etc. So for the breeders among you, please continue to breed the “total Rottweiler”. Our breed is a working- and utility breed and it should stay like this. I always hope that the good people (breeders) will be rewarded in the end…

Don’t give up !