In
2005, the Beauceron Finnish club organized its
first meeting and invited Jeannine ANJORAN to judge morphology.
Much information was given then as regards the presentation of
the dogs and about running manner and rythm to show their movements
as well as possible.
In
2006, inspired by our “Journées Beauceronnes”,
the Finnish club crossed an additional step by adding
tests of character to the morphological exam.
On that occasion, Jean KERFRIDEN gave general
explanations concerning our T.A.N ( Natural Aptitudes Test).
In
2007 by subjecting the livestock to exams of measurement, T.A.N
and morphology, the Finnish club has shown its great interest
for the beauceron by allowing the members to participate in an
attractive and informative demonstration.
The main purpose of the Club was to get information from French
experts from our Club in order to improve the quality of beaucerons
which are bred in Finland.
On
Saturday 1st, September, 36 dogs were presented on the rings of
Jean BAZIN, François MALETRAS
and Katerine COUTEAU.
Our new President enclosed exams before establishing a classification
(2 categories: dogs under one year old / and dogs over one year
old).
As every year, the Club organized a very congenial meeting and
a dinner with beauceron breeders and owners coming from Finland,
Estonia and Russia.
Each of our French representative gave a synthesis as regards
the dogs they had seen and they gave a lot of explanation, answering
the various questions raised by their comments.
Our
President, Katerine COUTEAU lavished numerous
hints on the breeders about reproduction in order to palliate
problems about height (dogs too high or too small), nonexistent
or too light tans, angulations and light-coloured eyes.
On
the other hand, she underlined the very good quality of
arlequin dresses (often prettier than in France) and
she answered a lot of questions concerning the famous double dewclaws,
the selection of puppies, the choice for genitors etc…
59
dogs ( +/- 10% of the finnish livestock) and 3
kennels groups were inscribed on Sunday 2nd, September
for a « special of breed » exhibition, with
attribution of C.A.C.S.
This very successful weekend was
appreciated a lot, both by the participants and by our representatives
from the Club des Amis du Beauceron !...
Beauceronniers appreciated the
experience of these unusual days which gave them the opportunity
to meet people in more friendly conditions than those of exhibitions
in which competition does not favour human relationships (sic
Finnish breeders).
After such a success, it is quite sure that the Finnish club will
arrange a second event for this type of meeting.
Our
thanks go to Pia OILINKI (President), Kimmo
TEERIKOSKI (Vice-President) and to the whole team of
the Finnish Club for their cordial welcome, as well as to Nathalie,
translator « Finnish / French » who did not spare
herself during these two days.
The
Finnish Club and the Beauceron, in Finland
The
Club was created in 1992. In 2006, it counted
about 200 members.
The President and the Vice-president are elected annually by all
the members (6 presidents up to now).
The Committee is composed of 7 members (including
commissions for herd, breeding and dog sports) and is renewed
every 2 years, elected by all the members too.
Finland
counts about 500 beaucerons on its territory with 18
registered affixes and about 15 active breeders.
In 2006, 9 litters were registered ( 69 births for the
whole year).
Some breeders have all their dogs at home but the practice of
the « breeding contract » is widespread.
As
regards reproduction, a male can produce no more than
30 puppies in 5 years. Females produce the same
number in their life as reproducers. To avoid problems
of consanguinity, the descendants of every subject must not exceed
5 % of the population of the breed present and bred on the territory
Finland
imports about a dozen beaucerons each year. In most cases
they come from France, Belgium, Switzerland or Russia.
Further to figures given hereabove as for the number of descendants
which the dogs can produce, it is important to import dogs which
are the results of a serious selection both for morphology and
for character. It is better to inform a Finnish customer
that a litter does not correspond to the result the breeder was
waiting for, rather than introduce defects in a livestock which
is not very big .
Finnish people have the culture of sports with their dogs
(all breeds are concerned).
It is not rare to meet groups of people with poodles, setters,
golden retrievers, huskies beaucerons, Shetlands training the
dogs to obedience, cani-cross,
agility, pistage, water-rescue,
R.C.I / I.P.O etc …
The rigorous winters (-30 ° to – 35 °) do not prevent
trainings and special buildings are dedicated to this purpose,
such as the hall of agility in which the 1st demonstration of
the Finnish Club took place, in KIRKKONUMMI, in September, 2005.
In
the finnish dogs “hit parade”, our beauceron is only
on 130th position.Some
figures concerning births
Year |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
Number
of births |
46 |
52 |
26 |
32 |
69 |
The
most fashionable dogs are:
Finnish foxhound (gundog) ............................2139
births in 2006
German shepherd ........................................2009
Labrador ...................................................1576
Golden Delicious retriever .............................1260
Norwegian grey elkhound (elk hunt) ...............1215
Our
beauceron is not known very well, often confused with
the dobermann or the rottweiller and its qualities of
shepherd dog still remain to be shown in Finland. Work
on herd and its popularization are ones of the next objectives
of the Finnish Club.
Let’s
finish with a wink. Establishments specialized in the wellbeing
of our friend-dogs develop in Finland... SPAS, institutes of massages,
swimming pools heated to look after osteoarthritis are in full
rise. It is good being dog in Finland!
Thank you again to the Finnish Club whose passion for our beauceron
can only inspire the respect... and see you next year !
« Kiitos...Hyvä ja onnittelut ! »…
translate by … « Thank you..Cheer and congratulations!
»
Claudine
PUJO
