Schutzhund

  Protection | Obedience | Tracking

Schutzhund is a German word meaning "protection dog." It was first developed in Germany at the turn of the century as a comprehensive test of the German Shepherd dog to evaluate its suitability for breeding as a working dog. Schutzhund competitions are strict and force you and your dog to be at your best.

Schutzhund competition is divided into three major parts:

• Protection
• Obedience
• Tracking

PROTECTION

A properly trained Schutzhund dog must obey his handler's commands at all times and will only go for the sleeve on command or signal. The dog is trained to only bite the sleeve...not the decoy! The dog must also release the sleeve on command. In the protection exercise, the dog must be able to search and find the hidden decoy. The dog must then warn his handler of the hidden person, hold the person, prevent an assault on his handler, and prevent the person from fleeing. The dog must show courage but also restraint when the agitator gives up. As with obedience and tracking, the exercises vary depending on the level.

 

OBEDIENCE

Schutzhund obedience exercises show the bond between the handler and the dog. It is a pleasure to watch a team performing the exercises. Although somewhat similar to the CKC and AKC heeling exercises, there are some major differences. Schutzhund obedience is performed on a large field, unlike the smaller area in CKC/AKC. The dog must follow the handlers orders as they follow a prescribed heeling pattern that includes normal, fast and slow paces, heeling through a group of people.

There must be both left and right turns and about turns. The dog must also heel under distractions such as gunshots. Depending on the level of the test, the dog must also perform a moving down, sit or stand as well as a recall and send out. The other parts of the test include a retrieval over a 6 foot wall and on the flat. While one dog is executing these exercises, another is in a down/stay with the handler out of sight for the approximate 10 minutes of the test. The judge looks for a dog and handler that are a true "team". The dog must show a willingness to obey but also exhibit spirit. The obedience exercises vary depending on the Schutzhund level.

 

 

TRACKING

Tracking is a true test of the dog's concentration, perseverance and scenting ability. In the tracking test, the dog must retrace the path of a person for a specified distance. The test includes two to four turns on a track that is from 20-60 minutes old. The dog must also find 2-3 lost articles. Tracking is performed regardless of weather conditions. Tracking tests vary depending on the level of the dog.

 

K-9 Koncepts will train your dog to prepare you for Schutzhund training. We will personalize your training to insure that you and your dog will be ready for Schutzhund competition.