Protection dog club holding Lobsterfest

“We are excited to welcome competitors from all over the Maritimes. We wish everyone the utmost success in attaining their title this weekend.” Iris Fluegge

The Prince Edward Island Schutzhund Club (PEISC) is hosting its annual “Lobsterfest” trial on Saturday.

Upwards of 13 handlers will be trialing with their dogs — from newbies attempting their basic handling (BH) title, to the veteran handlers going for IPO 3 certification.

Included in the list of handlers is P.E.I.’s Raino Fluegge, who recently represented Canada at the world championships in Austria in June.

Fluegge and his dog, Wencke, placed seventh in the world.

“We are excited to welcome competitors from all over the Maritimes,” said Isis Fluegge, president of the PEISC.

“We wish everyone the utmost success in attaining their title this weekend.”

Fluegge and her dog, Wynne vom Kiebitzende, will also be attempting their IPO 3.

The trial judge, Frank Mensing, a retired police officer from Langley, B.C., will be overseeing the trials with apprentice judge Darin Clarke, of New Brunswick.

Saturday night the participants will enjoy a feed of north-side lobsters donated by local fishermen from North Lake making PEISC’s Lobsterfest a much-anticipated event throughout the region.

Schutzhund, German for “protection dog’’, was developed in Germany in the early 1900s as a breed suitability test for the German shepherd breed.

Originally used to determine if the dog displayed the appropriate traits and characteristics of a proper working German shepherd, but today it is used as a sport where many breeds other than German shepherd dogs can compete.

Worldwide, the sport has 1.5 million followers.

The club welcomes spectators to come see the trials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the fields at 68 Miles Boulter Drive in Winsloe.

Lunch and drinks will be available for purchase on site.

For more information, see the PEISC Facebook page (“Prince Edward Island Schhutzhund Club”).