My guest in this episode is Clemente Grosso, well respected IGP and FCI Obedience judge, has officiated at numerous World Championships. Clemente is also a member of the FCI Working Dog Commission and plays a key role in shaping the rules, decisions, and long-term vision for the future of IGP. As competitor Clemente’s breed of choice is the Giant Schnauzer.

We discuss how and why the rules evolve, the direction of the sport, and the often misunderstood relationship between what judges look for and what trainers think judges want to see. Clemente also shares his thoughts on the removal of stick hits in IGP and how this change is affecting performance, training methods, and even breeding and selection.

We didn’t always agree, which made it even more interesting to both of us.

Clemente and I go way back to my years living in Belgium, when we were both first introduced to the sport.

There will be a Part 2, because we both felt there are topics we wanted go deeper into.

Share your thoughts in the comments, we might include some of your ideas in our next conversation.