Schutzhund
is a German word meaning “protection dog.”It
refers to a sport that focuses on developing
and evaluating those
traits in dogs that make them more useful and
happier companions to their owners.
Schutzhund
work concentrates on three parts. Many familiar with
the obedience work of the American Kennel Club’s affiliates
will recognize the first two parts, tracking and obedience. The
Schutzhund standards for the third part, protection
work, are similar to those for dogs in police work.
While
dogs of other breeds are also admitted to Schutzhund trials,
this breed evaluation test was developed specifically for
the German Shepherd Dog. Schutzhund is intended to
demonstrate the dog’s intelligence and utility. As
a working trial, Schutzhund measures the dog’s
mental stability, endurance, structural efficiencies,
ability to
scent, willingness to work, courage and trainability.
This
working dog sport offers an opportunity for dog owners
to train their dog and compete with each other for
recognition
of both the handler’s ability to train and the dog’s
ability to perform as required. It is a sport enjoyed
by persons of varied professions, who join together in a
camaraderie born of their common interest in working with
their dogs. Persons of all ages and conditions of life
--- even those with significant disabilities --- enjoy Schutzhund
as a sport. Often, it is a family sport.
In
addition to the Schutzhund titles, the GSDCA-WDA offers three
additional training degrees. Two of these, the FH1 and FH2, are
advanced tracking degrees that require the dog to follow
tracks over changing terrain, discriminate between cross-tracks
and is at least 3 hours old.
The
third is the BH.
The BH is a degree for traffic-safe companion dogs
that tests
the dogs temperament in and around people. It includes
basic formal obedience - heeling on and off leash,
sits, downs
and recalls - as well as practical tests of the dog’s
character in everyday situations. These include
reaction to normal situations involving crowds of
people, strange
noises, joggers, cars and other dogs. Before being
allowed to enter for a Schutzhund I title, the dog
must first have
successsfully completed the BH.
There
are three levels of the Schutzhund test for which titles
can be earned.
For Schutzhund
I the dog must be at least 18 months
old and pass an initial temperament test by the
judge. The dog must
heel on the leash and off, demonstrate the walking sit, the walking
down, and the stay tests, as well as, the send-out. It
must retrieve on the flat and over a hurdle. In tracking,
it must be able to follow a track laid by its handler at least
20 minutes earlier. There are also protection
tests.
For Schutzhund
II the dog must be at least 19 months
old and must already have earned its Schutzhund
I degree. It
must again pass all of the obedience and protection tests
required for the Schutzhund I degree, but those tests,
for Schutzhund II, are made more difficult and require
greater endurance, agility, and above all, control. There
is an additional retrieve required over the six foot
slanted wall. In tracking, the Schutzhund
II candidate must be able to follow a track laid
by a stranger at
least 30 minutes earlier.
For Schutzhund III the
master’s degree, the dog must be at least 20 months
old and must have earned both the Schutzhund I and the Schutzhund
II titles. Again, the tests now are made far more difficult. All
exercises in obedience and protection are demonstrated off
leash. There is the additional of a walking and running
stand. In tracking, the dog must follow a track that
was laid by a stranger at least 60 minutes earlier. The
track has four turns, compared with two turns for Schutzhund
I and II, and there are three objects, rather than two, that
must be found by the dog. The picture of obedience,
strength, eagerness and confidence presented by an
excellent Schutzhund III team is a beautifully illustration
of the
partnership of human and dog.
The
Three Parts of a Schutzhund Trial
The tracking
phase includes a temperament
test by the overseeing judge to assure
the dog’s mental soundness. When
approached closely on a loose leash, the dog should not
act shyly or aggressively. The track is laid earlier
by a person walking normally on a natural surface such
as dirt or grass. The track includes a number of
turns and a number of small, man-made objects left by
this person on the track itself. At the end of
a 33 foot leash, the handler follows the dog, which is
expected to scent the track and indicate the location
of the objects, usually by lying down with it between
its front paws. The tracking phase is intended
to test the dog’s trainability and
ability to scent, as well as, its mental
and physical
endurance.The obedience
phase includes a series of heeling
exercises, some of which are closely in
and around a group
of people. During
the heeling, there is a gun shot test to assure that
the dog does not openly react to such sharp noises. There
is also a series of field exercises in which the dog
is commanded to sit, lie down and stand while the handler
continues to move. From these various positions,
the dog is recalled to the handler. With dumbbells of
various weights, the dog is required to retrieve on a
flat surface, over a one-meter hurdle and over a six-foot
slanted wall. The dog is also asked
to run in a straight direction from its
handler on command
and lie
down on a second command. Finally,
each dog is expected to stay in a lying down
position away from its handler, despite
distractions, at the other end
of the obedience field, while another dog
completes the above exercises.
All
of the obedience exercises are tests of the dog’s temperament, structural
efficiencies and very importantly, its willingness
to serve man
or woman.The protection
phase tests the dog’s courage, physical
strength and agility. The handler’s control
for the dog is absolutely essential. The exercises
include a search of hiding places, finding a hidden person
(acting as a human decoy), and guarding that decoy while
the handler approaches. The dog is expected to
pursue the decoy when an escape is attempted and to hold
the grip firmly. The decoy is searched and transported
to the judge with the handler and dog walking behind
and later at the decoy’s right side. When
the decoy attempts to attack the handler,
the dog is expected to stop the attack with
a firm
grip
and no hesitation.The
final test of courage occurs when the decoy
is asked to come out of
a hiding place by the judge from the opposite
end of the trial field. The dog is sent after the decoy when he
refuses to listen to the handler’s command to stop. The
decoy then runs directly at the dog threatening the dog with
a stick. All grips during the protection phase are
expected to be firmly placed on the padded sleeve and stopped
on command and or when the decoy discontinues the fight. The
protection tests are intended to assure that
the dog is neither a coward nor a criminal
menace.
What
is the Judge looking for in the Dog?
At
all three stages --- Schutzhund I, II and III ---
each of the three phases: obedience, tracking and protection,
is worth 100 points, for a total of 300 points. If
a dog does not receive a minimum of 70% of the points in
tracking, 70% of the points in obedience and 70% of the points
in protection --- or if the dog fails the pretrial temperament
test ---- it is not awarded a degree that day and must repeat
the entire test, passing all phases of the test at a later
trial. In every event, the Judge is looking for an
eager, concentrating and accurate working dog. High
ratings and scores are given to the animal that displays
a strong willingness and ability to work for it human
handler.
The
Schutzhund Trained Dog in the Home
Since
Schutzhund is the demonstration of the German Shepherd
dog’s
most desirable characteristics, dogs well trained in Schutzhund
are usually excellent companions in the home. The
German Shepherd Dog --- like any other working dog
that possesses
mental stability --- has trust and confidence in
itself, allowing it to be at peace with its surroundings.
In
addition to sound structural efficiencies for long,
arduous work, the standard for the German Shepherd
Dog calls for
mental stability and a willingness to work. The dog
should be approachable, quietly standing its ground, showing
confidence and a willingness to meet overtures without itself
necessarily making them. It should be generally calm,
but eager and alert when the situation warrants. It
should be fearless, but also good with children.
The
German Shepherd Dog should not be timid or react
nervously to unusual sounds or sights. A dog that is overly aggressive
because of its overall fears of people and events can be
extremely dangerous. The Schutzhund sport is designed
to identify and eliminate such dogs from breeding stock. Because
Schutzhund training gives the owner a great deal of control
over the dog the owner is able to let the dog have more fun. Not
only is Schutzhund training itself enjoyable for
the dog, but the Schutzhund trained dog knows how
to please its owners,
creating a stronger bond between dog and owners.
The Schutzhund Trained Dog for Police Work.
A
dog that performs well in Schutzhund work is obviously
a very good candidate for police work. Police dogs, like
other service dogs, must have temperaments with a good foundation
of intelligence and utility. A minimal amount of additional
training makes many well-trained Schutzhund dogs ready for
active police duty. Such fearless police dogs
can also work around children and in crowds without
worry on
the part of their handlers.
Choosing a Puppy for Schutzhund.
In
every breed, the pedigree is the key to knowing the
potential of the puppy. Schutzhund revolves around working lines
--- generations of dogs that have proven themselves and produced
similar characteristics in their offspring. These
characteristics include not only the physical structure
of the dog, which
is very important, but also its temperament.
Selecting
the bloodlines from which you want your puppy may
require advice. Information from breed surveys can help. Of
course, it makes sense to discuss your objectives
with reputable and experienced Schutzhund handlers
or enthusiasts.
Once
you have determined that the bloodlines of the potential
dam and sire are of high quality, you should observe
the parents, especially the Mother, if that is at all
possible. The
dam will be the main influence on the young pup for the first
six weeks of its life. If the dam is nervous
or unsure, chances are this uncertainty will be transferred
to the offspring.
If
you are able to see the litter, watch the puppies
together and also separately, to try to determine which
is the best
puppy. Obvious structural defects or health
problems should be watched for.
It
is important that the puppy have intense instinct
to stalk the prey --- a ball, a toy, etc. --- and also
be the leader
in the sense of bullying the other puppies. The puppy
should not show fear when away from its littermates. It
should not need to stay with the mother. The
puppy should be adventurous and active, playing with
objects shown
to it by someone in the enclosure, but it should
be independent enough to take that object and go
off on its own as well.
It
is independence and confidence, combined with the positive
contact with the pack leader (the dam, at this time) that
will develop into the traits of trainability that you need.
Raising a Puppy for Schutzhund Work.
Puppyhood
is the most critical period for the development of
the characteristics you want to encourage. Your
local Schutzhund club can advise you about nurturing
and socializing your growing puppy.
A
puppy learns from it experiences, so you want to
provide only positive ones. It should be provided with opportunity
to explore and investigate new situations and new people,
but always in a non-threatening way. Remember that
your goal is to build confidence in the young animal. Your
aim is NOT to dominate or oppress the young pup.
Exposure
to different environments is crucial to the general
education of the dog and also to assure it that the
world is a safe
pace. If something appears to make the dog
unsure, give it the opportunity to investigate it
slowly, but do
not force the issue.
It
is imperative to avoid situations where your dog
would be dominated by another older or stronger dog,
or by another
puppy. You also want to avoid having to discipline
or correct your puppy and thus dampen its spirit or damage
its self-confidence. You can do this by never
leaving the pup in a situation where it can cause
damage to your
valuables or find itself in a dangerous predicament.
The
final area of development is that of drive
encouragement. The
natural behaviors that you want to encourage are playing with
the ball, tug of war, hide and seek, pulling toys on a string,
pursuing you rapidly when you run away, and finally defending
itself, its family and its home. The latter
really only shows
itself between the ages of nine and eighteen
months as the pup begins
to mature by barking at strangers or intruders.
It
is better to leave for later formal obedience training
with a young dog. The
character of the puppy is not sufficiently strong to withstand the
corrections involved in obedience training. Acceptable manners
at home and in the car and “play“ training, like learning
to sit for a food reward, with NO corrections involved, is advisable. Real
obedience work should begin only after the dog is well on
its way in the protection training.
Schutzhund
Around the World
The
first Schutzhund trial was held in Germany in 1901 to emphasize
the correct working temperament and ability
in the German Shepherd breed. Originally,
these dogs were herding dogs, but the industrialization of
Germany encouraged breeders to promote
the use of their dogs as police and
military dogs. The Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV),
the parent club, became concerned that
this would lead to careless breeding
and
undesirable traits such as mental instability, so it developed
the Schutzhund test.
Since
then, many other countries and working dog organizations have also
adopted Schutzhund as a sport and a test of working performance in
dogs. International rules have been established, and they are administered
by the Verein fur Deutsche Hundesport (VDH).
In
1970 the first Schutzhund trial in the U.S. was held
in California. Today,
the GSDCA-WDA sponsors trial in all parts of the country and chooses
a team in open competition to represent the GSDCA at the WUSV World
Championship. More than 25 countries send teams of competitors
to the World Championship for Schutzhund dogs from the World
Union of German Shepherd clubs.
The
Value to the Breed
Any
registered German Shepherd that has earned a Schutzhund
degree has demonstrated sufficient
ability as a working dog to qualify for breed evaluation. The
breed evaluation is a very detailed examination of the dog’s structure,
temperament and pedigree and requires both a certification of good
hip joints and sufficient performance on an endurance test (the AD). Dogs
that do well in the breed evaluation receive a Koerklasse I or Koerklasse
II. This is a recommendation and evaluation by a trained and
recognized expert Judge as the worthiness of the dog for breeding. Dogs
rated Koerklasse II are “suitable for breeding” and dogs
rated Koerklasse I are “recommended for breeding”. By
thus screening dogs in order to select the suitable specimens for breeding,
Schutzhund helps to maintain the quality of the breed at a very high
level. Thus, there is a very high level of
assurance that puppies born to Schutzhund dams and
sired by Schutzhund
dogs are more likely
to be of reliable temperament, high intelligence,
steady nerves, extreme endurance, great strength,
and sound
structures.
Do
Dogs Enjoy Schutzhund Training?
If
trained in the right manner, dogs enjoy working, as
anyone who attends a Schutzhund
competition can see. The joy of the dogs in working
with their handlers is evident.
For
thousands of years, dogs have adapted to serve humans in
a mutually beneficial relationship. While dogs could move quickly, hunt
prey, and protect flocks and their owner, the humans could provide
food, shelter from the most severe elements, and protection from larger
predators, besides tending to the dog’s injuries. A dog’s
reason for being is to serve humans.
Schutzhund
training helps develop the dog’s natural instincts to a high level. Self-confident
dogs, doing work for which they are well trained, are happy dogs. Wagging
tails, sounds of excitement, and strong pulling on
a leash all show an observer at a Schutzhund trial
how
much fulfillment
dogs find in
this work.
For
More Information About Schutzhund
The
GSDCA-WDA (German Shepherd Dog Club of America- Working Dog
Association, Inc.) is a national organization which
was formed in 1982 and which
offers both Schutzhund trials, Breed Shows and Breed Surveys
using SV and SV trained judges. We also choose the team to represent
the GSDCA at the World (WUSV) Championship. We welcome
all German Shepherd enthusiasts who are interested in improving
the working and
structural qualities of the German Shepherd Dog.
The
GSDCA-WDA publishes a bi-monthly newsletter (which includes information
about training, a breeders directory, etc.) and offers several booklets
and videos on raising German Shepherd puppies as well as several aspects
of training. In addition to local club trials and shows, the
national organization sponsors an annual Schutzhund Championship, an
annual Conformation "Championship" (The North American Sieger
Show), and an annual Universal Championship which combines a Schutzhund
Trial and a Breed Show on the same weekend. WDA
individual membership is $50 per year; the family
membership is $75 per year (two people same address).
WDA
clubs are organized by regions through the U.S., and there
are numerous clubs in most areas of nearly all states. They
are an excellent source of information. To contact
a club or the Regional Director for your area, visit
our
Member Club page on this site.
For
more information regarding membership or to request a membership
application contact the
GSDCA-WDA
Office, Joy Schultz,
732 Lindley Blvd. DeLand FL 32724
Phone: 386-736-2486 Fax: 386-738-4741
Email:
wdaoffice@cfl.rr.com
Applications
forms can also be obtained from this website.
