Training weekend in the Swiss Mountains

[Susan Stone]

Normally our dog training group (search & rescue training) spends their sunday morning in 'lowland' forests. Last weekend was special as we had a two day training session in the mountains of the Berner Oberland .
In Switzerland there is a competitive form of 'search and rescue' training where the dogs are trained to search an area for 'missing' people or articles with human scent. Our setters love this form of dogtraining as they can run, use their nose, find nice people and be given treats!

Enjoy the pictures and the scenery - we could not have picked a better day:-))

Glen's brother Chiron recently joined our group...

Chiron in action

Glen in action

Glen coming back with his reward at the end of his training session

This is near Zweisimmen, Berner Oberland

1640m altitude

[Henk ten Klooster]

Enjoying holidays in the French Alps recently, we saw how important search&rescue is. Great pics&great training! Sounds super: rescue reds:-) Better than Barry.

[ursula wilby]

Great countryside...we normally train in woods (I suppose having more of those it makes it easier than trying to find mountains in the south of Sweden). I am certain that all this type of training goes on in for instance England as well. :-)
Fantastic pictures, Susan!

[Susan Stone]

Wow, I'm overwhelmed by this response:-)) You are all welcome! But please be patient... I am building the extension on our house to accomodate all my world-wide setter friends and then we can have a red invasion of the alps and proove that all those swiss Barries would not stand a chance when challenged by our rescue reds;-)

Ursula - most training is done in the woods but a dog must also learn to search open areas with streams and ravines where it is difficult to spot an injured walker. Som dogs only used to forests refuse to search this kind of area. It is very rough ground and not easy for dog or handler (and I must do some 'get fit' for next time!!!)

[Marta Galuszka]

What a beautiful landscapes Susan!
We would like to join to the all team:)

[Katariina Roiha]

Aaawww! That scenery beats ours 10-0!! How strange that no woodland birds excists or do they?Or grouse like those living in Scottish landscape. Looks like great nesting areas...

[Susan Stone]

Of course our setters had a great time running around as well! Here are some pictures of the 'after work party'.

Katariina, normally during the summer months cows and sheep are grazing on these alp meadows so wildlife gets disturbed. In the more secluded areas you may find the Alpenschneehuhn (latin lagopus mutus) and the Haselhuhn (bonasa bonasia) but they are protected.

[Petra Kasznár]

Hi Susan,
Fabulous landscape, exciting activity!!!!!! Your dogs must be real multi-function individuals: hunting, rescue, pets at the same time. Congrats!