MARTIN KRUISS
IFR WCH 2024 judge for OBEDIENCE IGP3 

My name is Martin Kruiss, I'm 40 years old and live in the eastern part of Austria, very close to the Hungarian border. Dogs aren't only my hobby but also my profession. I work as head of education and breed at Austrian military dog centre (“Kennel „von Kaisersteinbruch“).

My cynological CV:

• Dog sport since 1993

• Military dog handler and instructor since 2009

• FCI utility dog judge since 2014

• 8 times participant at IGP World Championships with 3 different dogs (FCI, IDC and IFR)

• 2 times qualified as A-helper for Austrian IGP Championships

• Member of Austrian utility dog commission

I got my first Rottweiler as an army service dog in 2009. “Artus vom Haus Forstinger” was a great representative of his breed and he awakened my enthusiasm for the Rottweiler. Afterwards I trained his nephew "Xempl von Kaisersteinbruch" in sport and service and his son "Ter Waele Bartl" is currently well on the way to becoming his successor.

How many times have you already judged at the IFR World Championships? What does judging at this event mean to you in comparison with other competitions and championships?

This year, I'm invited to the IFR World Championship for the first time. It is truly a great honour for me to be able to judge here. Due to the fact that I train and handle Rottweilers myself and also because of my professional background, this competition is something very special to me.

For me, qualifying for the same World Championships as both a competitor and a judge is the greatest possible confirmation of one's own achievements in dog sport. After the IDC & FCI World Championships, I have now also achieved this at the IFR.

How big events or competitions have you already judged? Do you feel more like a judge or a competitor?

I can proudly say that I have already been selected for many high level competitions such as:

IDC WCH 2019, FMBB WCH 2022, IDC WCH 2022 and FCI WCH 2024

National WCH Qualifications in Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Hungary, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Spain & USA.

I definitely feel more like a competitor. Training your own dog from puppyhood to World Championship is the greatest feeling ever. If, like now, I have phases where I don't currently have a dog for competitions, I'm also happy to accept invitations as a judge.

Do you experience adrenaline, nervousness or stress when judging? How do you prepare for judging?

I´m aware of my responsibility in this function and have a “healthy” respect for the task. But it doesn't make any difference to me whether I'm at the World Championship or a small trial. I always try to be up to date with the latest knowledge of the IGP regulations. In addition, I also occasionally do video studies of current championships and trials for targeted preparation. The demand I place on myself is to be as well prepared as possible because that is what every single competitor deserves. They have all invested a lot of time, effort and money to get here – they are all professionals and therefore they are entitled to a professional, correct and as objective evaluation as possible.

What performances do you want to see when judging phase B? Have you ever awarded 100 points and enjoyed a perfect and flawless obedience round?

The IGP regulations describe what we want to see. There should and must be no room for personal interpretations. But what I would like to mention is that to see a dog that wants to work is above all for me. From my point of view, it has become very difficult to achieve an excellent evaluation in obedience at a high level. There are various reasons for this and we will see where development goes in the future. For me the correct relations between every competitor are much more important than the score itself, and it does not make any difference whether you start on Sunday afternoon or Saturday morning.

I have never awarded 100 points in obedience until now, so if that is the case at this event, I will of course be very happy.

Which phase do you like to judge the most? Do you also like it as a handler and why?

As a judge, I don't actually have a preferred phase because each individual discipline has its own charm. As a handler, I am most interested in protection work because there we can find, in my opinion, the biggest interaction between genetic quality and training skills.

How were you satisfied with your result at the WCH in the Czech Republic last year? 6th place is great achievement, congratulations!

I'm really very proud of this placement, especially since I made it into the top ten in the world three times in a row. But overall, I look back at this World Championship with somewhat mixed feelings.

My dog performed to the best of his ability in obedience. In protection it wasn't quite his top level but I could deal with the overall performance. Unfortunately, my dog was a little far away from his actual ability in tracking. We received a correct evaluation based on points, but there were "restrictions" due to various incidents and (at least) questionable decisions made by outsiders before the start and at the beginning of the track. I still think that's a shame because in the end it deprived me of a fair chance at the title.

What does sports cynology mean to you? Do you have any other hobbies?

This answer is simple… Everything! My whole life is focused on dogs. I was practically born at the dog club, know dog sports from every possible perspectives (participant, judge, helper and official) and turned my hobby into a profession. I dedicate the little time I have left to my family and raising chickens.

What makes the Rottweilers special to you, why do you love them? Did you or do you have also other breeds?

My very first dog was a German Pinscher. After that, I soon got my first working dog (Dobermann) and bred these breeds together with my father for years. Until 2009, I trained and handled Dobermans exclusively. I currently don't own any other dogs besides my two Rottweilers.

For me, the Rottweiler is the perfect combination of working and family dog. In my opinion, “nerves” are too often mistaken with “motivation” these days and there are fewer and fewer people who can see the difference. I don't like dogs that only impress in training or competition, but who I don't enjoy in everyday life. What I also love about this breed is that there are still examples with character. Dogs who clearly show what they want/don't want – and are honest about it.

Are you looking forward to Slovakia? Have you ever been there? What do you think of when you hear “Slovakia”?

I live and work not very far from Slovakia. I often use this fact for a visit or excursion.

Through my cynological activities in Vrbove, Lozorno and Abraham, among other things, I have already been able to get to know a lot of the country and its people. In addition, I was already at the stadium here in Jablonec for the IDC World Championship 2023. It was well organized, the conditions were perfect and the Mayor was extremely supportive to the event. So I think we can all look forward to the IFR 2024.

When I hear "Slovakia" I mainly think of the openness and strong hospitality of the people as well as Slivovitz. :-)

Thank you for the interview, Draha Mašková