A riding school is normally the domain of horses, but yesterday German shepherds took over in Dalerveen. The Drenthe chapter of the Association of Breeders and Enthusiasts of German Shepherd Dogs (VDH) held an international show in the local equestrian center. In terms of entries, the exhibition is one of the largest within the German Shepherd world in the Netherlands.
When you enter the riding school, you immediately notice something besides the barking of the dogs. In addition to a woof or yep, a high-pitched ‘ke ke’ is occasionally heard. Or a slurping sound: ffffrrrtttt. It is the owners and trainers of the dogs who run around the course in front of the four-legged friends and emit the strangest sounds.
It would hardly look out of place in a National Geographic documentary. “They make those sounds for their dogs,” explains Anja Boonemer of the organization. “As a result, they prick up their ears and adopt a beautiful posture.” And that can make all the difference to the jury. It should be clear: the exhibition is taken very seriously by the participants.
No wonder when you consider that this is one of the largest in the Netherlands. “On average, we attract about 500 to 700 people from home and abroad,” says Boonemer. The same goes for the dogs. They also come from all corners of Europe. Such as Belgium, France, Denmark, Spain and Germany. “One participant told me he spent six hours in the car to be there today.”
Check out what such a show looks like below. Text continues after the video: