Gabi Hoffmann is the President of Brisbane Sporting Dog Club
Gabi has lectured and tutored in K9 behavior & training at the Uni. of Queensland’s School of Veterinary Science, worked with the Royal Australian Air Force’s Military Working Dog Program and is currently involved in a project with the Queensland Police Dog Squad. She owns Von Forell Vilco, SchH III, IPO III, A Z.
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Von Forell Vilco, SchH III, IPO III |
Hi Kris,
OK, I will get together a video for you, but actually we didn’t take any when Gottfried was here. Don’t rush me for this video though, I don’t have a camera so I have to rely on others and I don’t have two videos to transfer the footage either. I can tell you overall he has always from day one been a full-on dog. He has excellent high drives, and also very strong nerves and power and aggression too, although we tend more toward prey in our training than you do I think.
But as I said when we have done things a couple of times like doing bitework in a hall that echoes with slippery floors and have Reg throwing bins at him and pushing desks at him etc etc he just doesn’t blink an eye. In fact all things make him stronger. It would be so easy to turn him really serious (although probably not, since he’s been raised for 3 years to be really friendly). I clearly remember when we gave him his first bite session (we didn’t do puppy work, I just played with him as a puppy) he was about 1 5 months old, and we did as per Dildei serious approach behind the fence. Reg was the helper, and he had always loved Reg. I had Axel behind the fence, Reg just stared at him and approached him a little funny, and Axel was full-on at the fence at him, – really everything – prey, aggression, really powerful. I actually found it a little scary considering that two minutes earlier he had never done anything and I had raised him to be friendly with everyone.
He bit the sleeve immediately without hesitation in a full mouth bite over the fence and when I ran him off he carried it forever. When I was about to put him in the car Reg came up to say something and Axel immediately stared at him, and Reg stopped and stood still out of reach. I am sure (& so was Reg) that if he had made a funny move Axel would have bitten him. And as I said, this was his first session and he had always been raised to be friendly to everyone , and he loved Reg. As a puppy Axel always showed high energy and drive, and absolutely nothing scared him. I did lots of weird stuff just testing him out at 7- 8 weeks etc. He was like a rock, it was amazing. Anyway I think he is an awesome dog. And absolutely everyone who has seen him is very impressed with him (as you have heard) and both Gottfried and Armin thought he was excellent. Gottfried said he was an excellent dog, but difficult to handle. He said to everyone at the seminar that a dog like this is difficult to train for experienced handlers let alone someone inexperienced, so I am very pleased with what I have achieved.
I can tell you a lot more stuff over the phone if you like. I am sick of typing. There are lots of other things that he did and descriptions of what he was like growing up and how he is in all situations. Axel is an excellent dog. There is no doubt of that. And everyone is in agreement with that. His one failing is that he lacks a bit of size and substance. If you were to find a large substantial bitch I think Axel would be well worth breeding, and I think it is important that his genes do not go to waste. I really do. Thanks for having us. Everyone had a good time. Your whelping set up impressed all of us. Ann Marie is talking about those Dobermanns all the time. I was really dead the next day, but it didn’t matter.
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