Schutzhund Dogs And Training

Sport and working dog evaluation, Schutzhund ("protection dog" in German)

, has been around since the early 1900s. It began as a way to measure the working ability of German Shepherd Dogs. These dogs had begun as herders but were also being used as working dogs. Schutzhund training and testing helped breeders test for the necessary characteristics to keep working ability in the breed. No German Shepherd Dog can be bred in Germany even today without a Schutzhund title, making dogs from these lines highly desirable around the world because they have preserved their original working abilities.

The testing today, both in Germany and in the U.S., measures traits required for all kinds of police-related work, such as bomb sniffing dogs, search and rescue, and other activities. It is not easy training but it is open to all breeds in addition to the German Shepherd Dog. Mixed breeds can also compete. Breeds which often excel at Schutzhund include the Belgian Malinois, Dobermans, Rottweilers, Bouviers des Flandres, Giant Schnauzers and others.

There are three basic phases of the training and testing: tracking, obedience and protection. In the tracking phase the dog uses his abilities to track a person and objects which have been dropped along a trail. Tracking tests not only scenting ability but physical endurance and mental soundness.

The obedience phase includes typical obedience exercises, with the addition of a gunfire test. The pattern is done from the handler's memory rather than having the exercises called out for the handler as in some other obedience tests. The test is usually performed outdoors and in combination with another handler and dog, increasing the difficulty of the test.

The protection phase of Schutzhund training is different from guard dog or police protection training. Dogs must prove that they have reliable temperaments. Dogs must release the bite upon command. Dogs will fail the test if they do not release the bite upon command.

The judge performing the testing uses an assistant who acts as a "decoy" for the dog. This decoy wears a heavily padded sleeve on one arm during the testing. The decoy hides in one of several "blinds" on the course and the dog is commanded to search. The dog alerts to finding the decoy by barking. The dog must guard the decoy as part of the test. At some point during the testing the decoy will attack the dog or handler or try to escape. The dog is tested on his ability to stop the attack or escape by biting the padded sleeve. Very importantly, the dog must release the bite when told to do so. At all times the dog must show both courage and control.

A dog must pass all three phases to receive the highest Schutzhund title, as well as passing novice through advanced titles. Fear and aggression are never rewarded.

Those involved with Schutzhund training view it as a way to develop the total dog. They are training and testing dogs so police and other organizations requiring specialized working dogs will continue to have dogs of great ability at their disposal generation after generation. For people devoted to these breeds they are developing and preserving the strong working characteristics that have made these dogs in high demand for all kinds of police work for over 100 years.

Many police organizations in the United States still import Schutzhund dogs from Germany at great expense. There are relatively few breeders in the U.S. who are able to provide dogs from the kind of working background as some of the dogs in Europe, however many police departments and the military have shown an increased interest in breeding their own dogs with Schutzhund abilities.

by: Tristan Andrews

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