Schutzhund Dog Clubs
28 Sep 2009
Schutzhund Dog Training is the top of the ladder as far as dog training goes. It takes a very special dog to start with if you would like to get involved with Schutzhund dog training. Schutzhund training started out in Germany over a 100 years ago, in order to test a dog’s ability to serve as a police dog. Schutzhund is actually the German word for protection dog. Nowadays the Schutzhund dog training has changed, and the competitions include tracking and obedience as well as protection as the focal points of the training.
Most of the Schutzhund dogs historically have been German shepherd dogs, but now there are clubs that allow the entry of other breeds. To be able to compete with this training, the dog must be intelligent, very athletic and courageous to meet the demanding standards of Schutzhund training. A dog should have the following qualities in order to qualify as a prospect for Schutzhund training
- Your dog must have a strong work ethic.
- Your dog must be courageous.
- Your dog should be very easy to train
- There must be a very strong bond between the dog and the handler.
- Your dog must have a very strong protective instinct.
- Your dog must be able to persevere.
The Schutzhund dog trials are based on three different tests: tracking, obedience and protection. There are 3 levels of Schutzhund training, Levels Schutzhund I, Schutzhund II, and Schutzhund III, and each level is more challenging. There are no better trained dogs in any field than the Schutzhund III dogs.
Tracking: A decoy lay out a trail of dropped items-and your dog’s tracking ability, his stamina and his mental sharpness will all be tested in this trial. While performing the tracking trial the handler puts his his dog on a 33 foot leash and follows him around the course. Your dog must find the dropped items and mark where they are, usually by lying down and putting his front legs around the item. The dogs are graded on a 100 point system based on how well the performed the course.
Obedience: The obedience trials are held in a large open field. Two dogs are paired together for the trial-one dog works while the other waits at the side of the field. After the first dog performs his obedience trial, he switches places with the other dog. The obedience exercise are many and require your dog to really concentrate on your commands. Among the exercises are heeling amidst crowds of people, and even while shots are fired from a gun, and male dogs must stay focused within the scent of a female dog in heat. Other exercises include a variety of retrieves over jumps, recalls and more. The judges will score your dog depending on his enthusiasm on his abilities to perform the trial’s exercises.
Protection: During the protection trial there will be a real challenge to your dog’s courage and as to whether he can protect himself and you from danger. A decoy will be hiding somewhere on the course behind a blind. The handler commands the dog to search among the blinds until he finds the decoy, and barks to announce his discovery. Your dog should be trained to guard the decoy until you have a chance to arrive. This is the dog’s chance to show he is qualified for the police work side of Schutzhund dog training. The handler must approach the decoy and attempt to search and escort him. At times while the handler interacts with the decoy-searching or escorting him to the judge- the decoy will attempt to escape.Your dog will be required to stop the attempted escape by biting and holding the decoy’s padded sleeve. When the decoy stops his struggling, your dog must know to release the sleeve as soon as you command him to stop. The dogs are judged according to his enthusiasm, courage and also ability to control his aggression at your command.
There may be a Schutzhund dog training club in your area where you can watch a competition or join up. You may have a little difficulty finding a Schutzhund club near you, as they are not that common in the U.S. as of yet. Clubs are the best way to enter the field of Schutzhund training, because the sport requires the help of another person to really train your dog. Having someone to help you train your dog and teach you some tips about Schutzhund training is the main reason it is great to join a Schutzhund club if you are interested in this type of training for your dog. If there are no clubs near you, check out a Schutzhund training video or DVD to learn more and also get an idea of just how incredibly well trained Schutzhund dogs really are.
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