João Paulino is a dog trainer at Iron Dog Algarve
Algarve dog trainer João Paulino from the Iron Dog Algarve dog training school, based in Loulé, became the national IFH3 tracking champion on January 25.
The achievement is particularly remarkable because he did so with a Kelpie, a breed rarely used in the sport, which typically favours German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois.
The sport of IGP-IFH (Internationale Gebrauchshunde Prüfung) is managed in Portugal by the Portuguese Kennel Club (CPC) under the guidance of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Dogs are challenged to follow a trail of 1,800 steps left three hours before, navigating through long straightaways, sharp angles and even false trails, all while trying to locate objects placed on the path and being guided on a leash by their trainer, who is 10 metres away. To be successful, dogs must possess “extraordinary olfactory skills, concentration and stamina”, Iron Dog Algarve says in a statement.
Although the sport has been practiced in Portugal for about 25 years and in European countries for many decades, it remains relatively unknown to the public, the school states. “As such, there is a growing need for its promotion to attract more dog owners interested in stimulating their dogs’ sense of smell and developing their tracking skills,” it adds.
João Paulino had already achieved a major milestone in November when he won the world championship for Boxers (ATIBOX – Association Technique Internationale du Boxer), taking home the title of IGP1 Winner with his dog, Babilónia of Iron Kingdom, a dog he bred, trained, and led in competition. IGP tests dogs in three areas: tracking, obedience, and protection, making it a comprehensive sport for working dogs.
Competing with less conventional breeds is a challenge that Paulino welcomes, although he is a lover of breeds such as German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, with which he has competed before. “All dogs are interesting and have their unique traits. The key is understanding how to bring out and maximise their innate abilities and stimulate them correctly, whether for sports or companionship,” he says.
Paulino is the president and a founding member of Iron Dog Algarve, established in 2016, and is the school’s most experienced trainer. He is one of the first officially certified trainers for potentially dangerous or dangerous breeds in Portugal and is continues his education to stay at the forefront of animal training. His multidisciplinary team includes biologists, zookeepers, veterinarians and animal welfare specialists.
