Training
What is Schutzhund?
Schutzhund is a German working dog sport originating in the early 1900s. It was designed to test
dogs in certain areas through three phases: tracking, obedience, and protection. Handlers and their dogs train with the hopes of earning titles in these three events, and some even compete against each other at the more advanced levels for awards and trophies.
TRACKING: In the tracking phase, the advanced dog will follow tracks that may be several hours old, laid by strangers, be crossed by other people or animals, have articles laid on it that the dog must alert to, and can be very long with many corners and turns.
OBEDIENCE: Advanced dogs trained in obedience are able to heel off leash in and out of groups and nearby other dogs, respond to numerous commands from their handler, run various obedience routines, and participate in minor agility components of training. An advanced dog trained in obedience is easy to control and behaved around people and dogs.
PROTECTION: An advanced dog trained in protection is confident and smart. They are not aggressive as some may think. In the protection phase of training, the dog is expected to search for a decoy, and guard him until the handler arrives. An advanced dog does not bite unless the decoy attempts to escape, threatens the handler, or the handler gives a command for the dog to do so. Protection is the most difficult part of Schutzhund training for the public and media to understand. With that being said it is important to know that the dogs are trained for sport, and not to be aggressive or personal protection dogs.
Schutzhund is a German working dog sport originating in the early 1900s. It was designed to test
dogs in certain areas through three phases: tracking, obedience, and protection. Handlers and their dogs train with the hopes of earning titles in these three events, and some even compete against each other at the more advanced levels for awards and trophies.
TRACKING: In the tracking phase, the advanced dog will follow tracks that may be several hours old, laid by strangers, be crossed by other people or animals, have articles laid on it that the dog must alert to, and can be very long with many corners and turns.
OBEDIENCE: Advanced dogs trained in obedience are able to heel off leash in and out of groups and nearby other dogs, respond to numerous commands from their handler, run various obedience routines, and participate in minor agility components of training. An advanced dog trained in obedience is easy to control and behaved around people and dogs.
PROTECTION: An advanced dog trained in protection is confident and smart. They are not aggressive as some may think. In the protection phase of training, the dog is expected to search for a decoy, and guard him until the handler arrives. An advanced dog does not bite unless the decoy attempts to escape, threatens the handler, or the handler gives a command for the dog to do so. Protection is the most difficult part of Schutzhund training for the public and media to understand. With that being said it is important to know that the dogs are trained for sport, and not to be aggressive or personal protection dogs.