In conversation with Jan Lábee: the past and present

In conversation with Jan L'Abee, 92 Years.

As Bouvier in the KNPV we have in immediately asked permission  to the editor of "The Police Dog"  to be allowed to put this interview on our website www.bouvierindeknpv.nl

Immediately after our request, we have obtained written permissions from the editor.

Promotion for the KNPV and Bouvier in KNPV.

From this place again we thank you for the permission. 

This unique document provides a clear example of how, THEN, the Bouvier was fully present in the training and especially in the KNPV.

In this interview Jan Lábee speaks, as one of the last living witness his great love and respect for, especially historian KNPV certified Bouvier BART.

What strikes us, is that this type bouvier at that time, inside and outside a very powerful dog. Social and safe at other animals and young children.

Our aim as a group "Bouvier's KNPV" is to keep now this type of Bouvier in the KNPV, and to keep them as a work-dog of recognized breeds.

By common practice days,  preclude commingling and cooperation.

We hope that we succeed and will be worthy followers of the old guard.

A greeting from this place and honorary Salute to Mr Jan L'Abee.

On behalf of the group KNPV Bouvier,

The editors of the KNPV were approached by province       N. Brabant. Perhaps it would be interesting to see the striking figure on age, Jan L'abee for a interview. Jan L'Abee a dog lover of the first order. For years he worked at the police  as dogs-guide. Many years he ran a dog boarding and he practiced the programs from the KNPV. In the hunting world, he earned his reputation. Jan trained dachshunds and other types of hunting-dogs and here he won his titles. In January 1949 took part in the Dutch Championship Police, then in Driebergen.

All this gave us a reason tho have a visit with this man.           

 

We had agreed for elven hour clock. Taking account into traffic jams we drove just for 11 hours into the picturesque village within Molenschot, very rural. Jan lives in an isolated house with lots of space around it. We got out the car and two large Malinois were waiting and yelling at us. A gray-bearded Malinois had clear notice that he did not appreciate our presence. Fortunately that was different from his boss who greeted us warmly and given his age looked extremely fit and healthy. Soon there was coffee, biscuits, sausage and cheese on the table. In his house hung various pictures and frames, and one jumped out. The story about his dog Bart. We read this first and Jan said:, "You may read it, but this years (1940-1945) have impressed me much and this was a difficult time, I would prefer not to talk much about this time". What this list fed was a piece of paper with the following:

 

Credit where credit is due BART, I had an absolute friend, he really deserves a statue. He was my best choice, because I wanted a silent companion, they were indeed times of betrayal. Speaking he was not given ti him, so everything was suppressed by him, he understood my body and I understood his body languages, he had a soft growl, a deep sigh, a little pressure, a finger against the line was for him, or sometimes the command he knew the smell of gray / green army dust and growled softly "note" there is or was a sleeve. Many times as he has avoided contact with them for me, without him I heard long into the past. When he heard the thumping of tension in my heart I felt the violent shaking of his coat. He guided me through dark nights, through fog. He was my very best guide my size. It was THE BART, a Bouvier, jet black.

 

In 1937 I joined the police. And in 1940 I started training the KNPV program. My first dog was a Belgian shepherd named Tom that I could buy fornot too much money.A year later, I brought this dog for the inspection and got a certificate with distinction, which was around in 1942.

After then I have brought many dogs for the license transferred. I can still remember, and that was in Oosterbeek, that after the game the apparent up was demonstrated for the first, it made much impression on the audience.

Our dogs we took from the farmers.

 

                       

Jan L'abee with his dog Bart                   Certificate from Bart september 1949

 

The race which was used many for training/ exercise was the Bouvier. The German Shepherd and Malinois you saw do it in a slightly lesser extent. I have used my Bart (Bouvier) commonly for breeding. The character of the Bouvier fit very well with me. I bought the service and training older dogs. These dogs we fetched by farmers . Formerly each farmer had  a dog lying in the yard.

For the real detective work, I must say it was suited to the German Shepherd that better suited. German Shepherd's neck is longer and is thus closer to the ground. I have been guiding dogs for 27 years. A direct your beagle in a few months not finished, this is a lot of time in it. To keep a dog motivated during the tracking well, I talk a lot with my dog and obviously as the object on the track is found, this is his reward.

During my last service as guide dogs it was very busy. I was called up to ten times or more each night. In those years there were many poachers operate. I went into a ditch waiting for the poachers were checking their traps. I could not see a hand over my eyes, so dark it was. I was entirely dependent on the eyes of my dog. So I just watched my dog. As the head of my dog moved, I knew the got there. I could follow them to the head of my dog watching. At the moment I stepped I told the men that they had to lie down and generally there were no problems encountered during these arrests.

There was a lot of training with our dogs on dogs detective school. At that time there was also man-sorting in the program. There were five people in a row, and then gave you the dog the command to "find the man." The dog had to pick the man and link to that man. I did not agree with the part-man sort. If you would stand in line and you have nothing to do with a murder that will feel very uncomfortable and anxious. If you have fear you radiate much "fear air" out, because of the dog you can easily refer. I then called to The Hague and have done my story by saying there is no man that I do have more. Later, they con-cured me and it was abolished.

I have made many beautiful scenes along during my service as guide dogs. I got a message that the two kids had disappeared in the Drunen dunes. The were two children  approximately 3 years. There were already a lot of people who have been searching to the children, so when I arrived there were made already so many tracks it very difficult to track suits.                                                                                                          By looking I found a footprint in the sand, this way I could put my dog on the trail. I have not done is to watch my dog's tail. It was already dark. The dog pulled me on top of a dune and on the dune was a lone old Den. Under these Den I found those two little kids. These kids were terrified. I had to reassuring them. At this time there were no mobile phones or other equipment call, so I had to find the way back. Those kids were home for a long time and had done all their needs and that there were completely covered. I've arrested them under my big coat and done now i had to see how I could come back. I totally did not now where I was. I had my dog on my own track to come back, but that was not easy. A tracking dog should ignore your own air. I had no choice to the dog by him to praise and motivate my own tracks to pick. The dog sniffed constantly with a high back but finally it went well and we arrived at the place where parents could take the children receive. As one might consider the party was when we arrived.