December 1998
The Rottweiler - Ragnar van het Falconsnest
It was an great honour for us when we heard that Ragnar was
selected as Molosser of the month December 1998 ! However, this became a problem when we
heard that we would have to write a text about him. Why ? Well for us, Ragnar is not just
a dog, he became a way of life !
Before I went to study at the Brussels university, I owned different dogs : German Shepherd,
Malinois and Doberman but my experience in showing dogs and working them was limited to the
three dobermann I owned. So naturally, when my wife Kathleen and I decided to take a dog I
wanted a Doberman again. She didn't, she wanted a Rottweiler, which was a breed that I did
not know and certainly did not want, no way !!!
To discourage her, the freezing evening of the 22th november 1993, I took her to the
trainingfield of the Belgian Rottweiler Club to show her those "brute growling monsters"
that I thought they were. By doing this, I hoped to change her mind but boy, was I wrong:
they turned out to be warm and friendly lovable dogs and what's more (which is important for me):
it seemed they could work too !
Kathleen was now definitely in love with the breed and did not even want to hear the word
"Doberman" again. As the man is the head of the family, the woman is the neck that bends
the head: "alea acta est" or in English the dice was thrown and the choice made.
A Rottweiler it would be.
On the 23th we started a search for a pup and visited several breeders.
I saw one puppy that I liked but not Kathleen, she wanted to go see a breeder we met the
night before and who had told us that he was expecting a litter. When we visited him (Julien
Vuylsteke), he confirmed the birth of the litter and just as if it were the only possible
choice, strictly based on trusting the man because at the time we had no knowledge of
Rottweilerbloodlines, we decided to buy a pup out of that litter or better said not just
a pup but THE pup ! Little did we know at the time how right out choise would turn out to be.
Ragnar - a name that we picked out of a book and that is supposed to mean "great strong patron"
- came into our lives and filled it. At first as a cute intelligent but also extremely lively
pup, later as a stubborn but always affectionate young dog and now as our best and everpresent
friend.
It soon became clear that he would be more than a handfull on the training field. He has a mind
of his own and a very strong character. Luckily this was compensated by a strong will to
please and willingness to work but at the same time it was emphasized by his - for a Rottweiler
extreme - liveliness: never at rest, always on the look-out for new adventures, never missing
anything, always curious and always where the action is to be expected, afraid of nothing (exept
for the vet who is definitely not his friend), and a seemingly unlimited preydrive....
He was never an easy boy to work, especially not in the schutz-work. The sleeve is something
that he has always seen as his' and his' alone. For him, the helper is an annoying somebody
that has to be fought and overwon but never to be respected !
It took me more than two years and all sorts of tricks to get him where he is now: under
absolute control during manwork. All the time, whenever he had to let loose the sleeve,
it better not took more than a few seconds before he was allowed the sleeve again or he bit
in and would then refuse to let go again. Sure, I hear all you experienced trainers now saying
'I can handle that'. Well, let me tell you that some of the best and very reknown Belgian
trainers and judges (Roger Vandereyken and Roger Coppin) helped me during several
trainingsessions a week and that it still took us that long and that even now we have to stay
watchfull because whenever he feels that the helper is not very strong or allows him some room
to experiment, you can be sure that he'll take his chance !
Don't take this story wrong: Ragnar is a real Rottweiler in every way and although he has
a very high preydrive, he is NOT aggressive at all !! On the contrary, he is strong but at the
same time very social and above all other things he loves to be with people and children. You
should see his pleasure whenever he gets attention: he just loves it ! Whenever you come to
visit us (you're always welcome) you'll just have one problem: he'll be all over you and will
insist on sitting on your lap !
It seems that this typical "Ragnar-character" is usually passed on to his pups which makes
them bodily and psychological strong dogs with a great heart but that are not always suited
for all people, especially not for people who want calm eversleeping dogs.
He competed several times in the IPO III and Schutz-hund III program and was even a member
of the Belgian team that won the the third place on the worldchampionship Sch.H. III 1997
for Rottweilers that was organised by the International Federation for Rottweilerfriends in
Chicago !
Is this so remarquable ? It is and especially if you know that Ragnar is not only a working
dog but also a very succesfull show dog. It is very rare that Rottweiler show-dogs are also
suited for work.
He is the first Rottweiler ever to succeed in winning two times the title of FCI-worldchampion
(worldwinner) ! The first time in Budapest (1996) and a year later in San Juan (Puerto Rico).
Together with his other official FCI-titles (International, Belgian, Dutch, German and Luxemburg
Champion) and all his other "smaller titles" (Amsterdam Winner, 3 times King of the Belgian
Rottweiler Club, Luxemburg Youth Champion, etc.) he might very well be the most titled
Rottweiler in the world at the moment !!!
His character also helps him in the ring: he just storms into it, head and tail held as high
as possible and a look in his eyes that proves that he owns the whole world ! His personality
together with his very strong bones, perfect straight backline, deep and broad chest, his
powerfull drive and obvious temperament, usually makes him stand out in the ring so you just
can't miss him.
Several of his pups are following his footsteps and are winning shows all over our planet and
are very promissing on the workfield. Some are allready multi-titled at the age of only 2.5
years !
But you know what is more important than all those titles? Our mutual love, respect and trust.
He is a great dog to live with, especially as he lives in our home and is very intelligent.
For us, he is more than a dog, he is a friend that fills our lives, changed our lives and in
some sort became a way of living.
All our free time is now devoted to our dogs (Ragnar, his daughter Utah van het Falconsnest who
is also winning a lot of shows and Eike vom Sittard) and as we got to know more and more people
and dogs from all over the world, we actively engaged ourselves for the breed.
Personally I'm now the advisor of the Belgian Rottweiler Club, I hope to become a judge of both
beauty and work, I'm editor and chief-writer of the Belgian Rottweilermagazine, responsible for
litter-controls, photographing Rottweilers became a hobby, I'm active in the "battle" against our
recent anti-dog legislation, etc.
All this would never have happened without Ragnar (and could never be possible without the
everlasting support of my wife Kathleen). We love him and are very proud of him.
You can visit Ragnar at his own page at This address
and you can e-mail us HERE
Molosserworld want to congratulate the
breeder and the owners of Ragnar van het Falconsnest for such an outstanding speciment in the breed.
Do YOU want to nominate a Molosser for Dog of the Month? It
does not have to be a dog who have achieved alot at shows, other reasons count as much to be Dog
of the Month.
Send me suggestions!
Mail me
or
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