On June 21th -24th 2001, a "Wolf Days" were held in a beautiful surroundings of kids camp in Nadejkov, Czech Republic. The program was focused mostly on meeting of the owners and friends of Czechoslovakian wolfdogs. Of course, an important part of this meeting were also contests and most importantly the first opened championship for CsW's in training.

The Championship on June 23th was organised as an official contest under CKS (czech cynological organisation) according to rules of ZVV1 (czech national rules). The contest joined total number of 11 dogs, while the only foreigner member (Casanova Zlata zila) was after the decision of the management valuated out of contest. The weather was fine, except a strong wind during tracking. However, even there was very difficult terrain choosed for tracking (high grass changing with places with more than 1m high thistles), dogs worked very well. Worse it was with the obedience, where the usual weaknesses of our dogs showed up - mostly the late reactions for povely and no will for aport. However, dogs wich took the front places, showed very good work. Defense is, how you can see from the results, probably the most problematic point of the training. Hard to say, where to seek for a reason. Maybe in the inborn foresight of the dogs, maybe in absence of quality trainers, which would be able to accept mostly very specific way of training of our dogs. To find the reasons for problems in defense is not easy at all and every owner should try to analyse them himself.

However, despite to some problems, the whole Championship made a good impression. Who could see so much CsW's working together? The goal of the event was reached, it showed the possibilites but also problems of training and it motivates the owners to more systematic training. Our breed is working breed and so the training should be a part of its life. Let's hope, that on the next Championship we will see much more dogs, no matter if they show excellent or average work. Important is to give the owners the chance to present their dogs and try to compete with the others.

On June 24th, as a part of "Wolf Days", was organisated a dog show "Dog of the Year". Target of this show was to unify a opinion of valuation of our dogs. So it was not held according to FCI, but it had its specific rules. Dogs and bitches were valuated independetly by three referees and the rank was counted simply with total sum of points. However, altough it was unexpected, there was no real surprise in the results. The objectivity of valuation of 3 referees doesn't give a chance to critic of the results, as we often hear at dog shows. I think, that this objectivity will bring this sort of the dog show among the regular club events.

In the end of "Wolf Days" owners and their dogs could join the contest for the best guard dog. Dogs had to catch a figurant for 100 m of distance. The results showed, that the defense of our dogs is not so tragical.

On the last day the most "Best universal dog of the year" were claimed. The rank was counted like total sum of points from the Championship and from the show. The title "Best universal dog of the year" should became the most prestige title, which can be reached. Because dogs with this title show not only exterier qualities, but also working qualities. And this sort of dogs is what we all want.

Not on the last place it is neccessary to thank to the organisators of the event for their work, and we hope, that next year we will meet again, hopefully in bigger number and that the work of our dogs will be even better.

Pavel Hanuska