Hips

The Swedish Kennel Club has a breeding program to decrease the incidence of hip dysplasia. Hips are categorized as A, B, C, D or E in Sweden. A are excellent, B deviate from the excellent, but are still clear, while C is given if there is a fault. Dogs with A and B are approved for breeding. If this is not fulfilled the litter can not be registered. Sweden used to hip score on a scale with the following categories: ‘clear’, 1, 2 and 3, and there are still many dogs alive that where categorized in that system.

Shows

At shows under the Swedish Kennel Club regulations each dog is first judged to the standard (1st, 2nd, 3rd etc) and then placed among each other. To get a show championship a Weimaraner needs 3 ‘certificates’ and also a 1st in Open at a Field Trial. Only one certificate will be awarded to bitches and one to dogs at each show. If there are more than those that meet the quilty required for a certificate, these can receive an award showing they have ‘certificate quiality’.

Retrieving and Field Trials

The Swedish Weimaraners are field trialed under regulations of the Club for Continental HPR breeds, which is a member of the Swedish Kennel Club. Other breeds that are trialled under these regulations are Brittanys, Italian Spinones and Braccos, while German Pointers (GSP and GWP) have their own system.
  The field trials comprise two parts; a retrieving test and a field trial part. These are usually held separately, referred to as split trials but the dogs need results from both parts to get a Field Trial Award. The classes are ‘Junior’, ‘Open’ and ‘Elite’. The dogs are judged on a scale 1-10 and they have to pass the retrieving test before entering the field trial part (only applies to split trials). The water retrieving is usually done in early spring, while the field part is held during the shooting season. The retrieving test involves cold game retrieves, one on water (usually seagull) and one blind land retrieve on rabbit or bird that is dragged into woodlands/forest. The field work is held either on open grounds, in woods or in the mountain areas. Dogs are run in pairs on field- and mountaingrounds and one at a time in woodlands. They are given one grade for their hunting (quartering, finding game, game handling and steadiness on point, to flush and gun) and one grade for the retrieve. If game is pointed and flushed but for some reason not shot, the judge can offer a thrown retrieve on cold game. In all, the dogs get 2 grades on the retrieving part and 2 grades on the hunting part (hunting and retrieving) if they complete the entire trial. These are weighted and combined to calculate a final score that grants the dog a 1st, 2nd or 3rd award. If the dog does not produce game no award will be given. Dogs that are awarded a 1st in Open can enter Elite where they can achive awards for a Field Trial Championship. In Elite a third part is added to the retrieving test, a combination of blind and semi-blind split retrieves in woodlands. Also, the dragged land retrieve is a fox, badger or mink instead of a rabbit or bird. The dogs are judged to the standard at field trials, and not primarily against each other. Consequently, more than one 1st can be awarded at the same day. However, the judge often acknowledges the best dog of the day and there is also a club championship competition held every year.

Blood tracking

Weimaraners are often trained for blood-tracking work, which applies to game that is damaged after a gunshot or in a traffic accident. At the first level the dogs’ natural ability is tested. We have called this class ‘Novice’on our website, the Swedish name is ‘anlagsklass’. The dogs are graded ‘approved’, with or without honours or ‘failed’ in this class. The next level is Open, where they are awarded 1st, 2nd or 3rd prices (to a standard) and three 1st‘s make up a Swedish Blood Tracking Championship. The only occasion when the dogs actually compete with each other in blood tracking is at the yearly club championship in blood tracking; Purdeys Trophy.

Other activities

There is a wide range of canine activities in Sweden that Weimaraners can enter. These include traditional working dog trials (for example man tracking, search and rescue and police dog work) obedience, agility and it is also popular to use the winter season for dog-pulled skiing.

Temperament tests

There is a tradition in Sweden to test dogs’ temperament. The purpose is to evaluate their inborn temperament/personality, which gives valuable information for breeding and for the training of individual dogs. There are several testing systems in use. The test we are most interested in was designed by the German Pointer Club and aims at testing traits of importance for the HPR work.