interview with Simon Baiocco
Wed, 21 Mar 2012
Simon Baiocco is one of the biggest representative of the IPO “new school“ in Italy , if I can express my opinion . Read the interview below.
For him to work alone is an arduous task, but the passion and love for dogs makes him continue and develop his techniques in the best way. To see things from different viewpoints is a very great quality, he and one of those people who takes advantage of this quality.
NOTE: the interview is taken from our digital magazine 2nd issue february2012
Who are some of the people who have been influential in helping you get
to where you are in the sport?
I cannot say a single person, there are many... I'm living in Rome , where there is not a big culture for dog sport, I realised very soon that i need to look somewhere else... So i made some trips to Germany and the Czech Republic . Seeing other trainings/trainers , gives me some new ideas and motivation to improve. Another very important thing for people like me who don’t live in Germany or Belgium is to see lots of stuff on the internet/youtube.
This year for the FMBB you will “play at home“ .The 2012 edition will be held in Rome .You and Rustie are ready? you feel good and fit?
:))) Actually no , I don’t! We still need to go through another 2 selection trials...
But FMBB in Rome is really exiting !!! I hope we are going to be able to stay in the team this year too !
What about the IPO WC 2012, we will see you there?
Well maybe not, right after FMBB my idea is to make litters with Rustie ! I cant wait to see those puppies :D
So , hopefully in autumn 2012 I will need some good IPO lovers and trainers for my cubs :D
How did you become involved in Decoying?
Just starting! Not so many years ago, it's a part of the game! But even though I'm an official decoy for all breeds I was never interested on the “competition work“ . I rather prefer trainings!
Do you decoy in any other sports (French Ring/Mondioring)
No. i think there is so much stuff to understand in ipo that i dont have energy for other dogsports :D
Tell us about your dogs .How many and which dogs you had as a child until today ?
Well i grow up with dogs and puppies all over our house, my parents used to breed and show Irish Setters... but my real love for dogs started right after watching the movie : ANTARTICA, thats when i begged my mother to get me a kind of wolf dog! So she came home few weeks later with my first GSD female which i named KUMA ! We lived always together for 13 years...
But my dog sport story started only in 2000, where i met my second GDS puppy :DELTA .. She helped me to try this demanding sport, at 3 yo we were at the ipo3 nationals.. Sadly a few month ago she passed away at the age of 11 R.I.P.
Your dog Rustie comes from the Haus Mecki Malinois.Why did you choose the Haus Mecki Malinois ?
At that time i did not know much about this breed, I was helping a friend training his amazing Malinois and he introduced me to W.Broumas. We went at his club in Germany... and that day i saw 4 of his breeding Malinois, 3 female and 1 male i think they were only 8 months old or something like that , from 2 different litters... Well i was just really impressed about the quality of those dogs! So i said to him : i want a puppy from your kennel ! One or two months later he called me on the phone and said : think of a name beginning with „R“ I have a female for you !so i met Rustie , she was 2 months old and i fell in love with her :D
How and how much do you train during the week?
Unfortunately (or fortunately i should say) i have an important job at the UN and so i have not that time you need for high level preparation anymore, so i manage to train 3 times a week, a couple of tracking and protection work , obedience . I also try to do something at home in the garden or in the nearest park.
When the competitions come closer I need something more.
What training techniques do you use when training your dogs?
Well, basically motivation and desire to work ! A great relationship and trust it is so important , commitment also from early age.. but this is theory :)
What kind of physical preparation goes into preparing for a high level event?
I think thats a very important thing... I think we all get “emotional“ in competition, dogs have an amazing ability to read body language so they know something is different :) the only thing we can do is to get them as prepared as possible and happy to step into the field! Then behave as close to what we are used to do in normal life, as possible, thats easy to say...
When did you realize that your passion was to become something more?
When i started in 2002... I thought : „there is so much potential in dogs, that this is what i can keep learning for a long time“...
In your career, what were the competitions that have marked the way? The most memorable .
I loved a lot the atmosphere at the FCI 2010 in Finland... So great ! And i enjoyed those landscapes, walking in the woods... such a beautiful time, we gained an amazing team 2nd place result !!!
What advice would you give to someone participating in their first competition?
Have fun and don't get (like we do) too serious about it :D
Do you think that the world of working dogs has changed over the years ? How?
I have the feeling that with internet/youtube ecc.. everything are becoming more famous worldwide and I see many talented trainers coming up.. the average level is definitely getting really high !
What are your strengths and weaknesses? 
My strengh is my passion, training almost alone is not easy so i needed a HUGE passion... and my biggest weakness i think is that i like to try out new and differents things on trainings and sometimes its not good and also the fact that i like jumping/dressage heeling which cost me lots of points :)))
What are your goals and aspirations for the next years?
I have been wondering the same thing these days... I think that i can be very close to quitting this sport... The only way to continue is succeeding in what i have failed until now : raising up a team! Fortunately i have recently met a young enthusiastic guy, who is following me everywhere now, so lets work !!!
Another sure thing is : making some amazing dogs out of RUSTIE !!!
VIDEOS
FMBB 2011 SIMON BAIOCCO and Rustie B91 by simonrustie
FMBB 2011 SIMON BAIOCCO and Rustie B91 by simonrustie
FMBB 2011 SIMON BAIOCCO and RUSTIE C92 by simonrustie
FCI WM 2010 SIMON BAIOCCO and RUSTIE C93 by simonrustie
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