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Schutzhund is a dog sport that was developed in Germany in the early 1900s to test the breed-worthiness of German Shepherd Dogs (GSD). An experienced person can look at a dog and determine whether it looks and moves like a GSD. Schutzhund is designed to look into the heart and mind of a dog and see whether it acts like a GSD. Schutzhund is a demanding test of the dog and few dogs that have not been bred for it can pass a schutzhund test.
Traits of Schutzhund dogs
Schutzhund tests dogs of all breeds for the traits necessary for police-type work. Dogs that pass Schutzhund tests should be suitable for a wide variety of tasks: police work, specific odor detection, search and rescue, and many others. The purpose of Schutzhund is to identify dogs that have or do not have the character traits required for these demanding jobs. Some of those traits are
- Strong desire to work
- Courage
- Intelligence
- Trainability
- Strong bond to the handler
- Perseverance
History
The German Shepherd Dog was developed from working herding dogs around 1900 as an all-around working dog. Within a few years it was clear that the dogs were losing their working ability. Schutzhund was developed at this time as a test of working ability for GSDs. Only GSDs that had passed a Schutzhund test or a herding test were allowed to breed. This is true in Germany to this day. It is only by testing the working ability of every generation that the strong working characteristics of the GSD have been maintained. Dogs of any breed, even mixes, can compete in Schutzhund today, but the most common breeds are GSDs, Belgian Malinois, Rottweilers, Doberman Pinschers, Giant Schnauzers, Bouvier des Flandres, Dutch Shepherd Dogs, and the like.
In response to political forces in Germany, in 2004 the SV and VDH made substantial changes to Schutzhund. The VDH adopted the FCI rules that govern IPO titles, so that at least on paper the SV and VDH gave up control of the sport to the FCI. The VDH changed the name of the titles from "SchH" (Schutzhund) to "VPG" (Vielseitigkeitsprüfung für Gebrauchshunde which roughly translates Versatility examination for working dogs). The SV has retained the "SchH" title names, but otherwise conforms to the VDH/FCI rules.
Description
There are three schutzhund titles: Schutzhund 1 (SchH1), Schutzhund 2 (SchH2), and Schutzhund 3 (SchH3). SchH1 is the first title and SchH3 is the most advanced. Additionally, before a dog can compete for a SchH1, he must pass a temperament test called a B or BH (Begleithund Pruefung which translates as "traffic-sure companion dog test"). The B tests basic obedience, sureness around strange people, strange dogs, traffic, and loud noises. A dog that exhibits excessive fear or aggression cannot pass the B and so cannot go on to schutzhund.
The Schutzhund test has changed over the years. Modern Schutzhund consists of three phases: tracking, obedience, and protection. A dog must pass all three phases in one trial to be awarded a schutzhund title. Each phase is judged on a 100-point scale. The minimum passing score is 70. At any time the judge may dismiss a dog for showing poor temperament, including fear or aggression.
In the tracking phase, a track layer walks across a field, dropping several small articles along the way. After a period of time, the dog is directed to follow the track. When the dog finds each article he indicates it, usually by lying down with the article between his front paws. The dog is scored on how intently and carefully he follows the track and indicates the articles. The length, complexity, and age of the track varies for each title.
The obedience phase is done in a large field, with the dogs working in pairs. One dog is placed in a down position on the side of the field and his handler leaves him while the other dog works in the field. Then the dogs switch places. In the field, there are several heeling exercises, including heeling through a group of people. There are two or three gunshots during the heeling to test the dog's reaction to loud noises. There are one or two recalls, two or three retrieves, and a send out where the dog is directed to run away from the handler straight and fast and then lie down on command. Obedience is judged on the dog's accuracy and attitude. The dog must show enthusiasm. A dog that is uninterested or cowering scores poorly.
In the protection phase, the judge has an assistant, called the "helper", who helps him test the dog's courage to protect himself and his handler and his ability to be controlled while doing so. The helper wears a heavily padded sleeve on one arm. There are several blinds, placed where the helper can hide, on the field. The dog is directed to search the blinds for the helper. When he finds the helper, he indicates this by barking. The dog must guard the helper to prevent him from moving until recalled by his handler. There follows a series of exercises similar to police work where the handler searches the helper and transports him to the judge. At specified points, the helper either attacks the dog or the handler or attempts to escape. The dog must stop the attack or escape by biting the padded sleeve. When the attack or escape stops, the dog is commanded to "out", or release the sleeve. The dog must out or he is dismissed. At all times the dog must show the courage to engage the helper and the temperament to obey his handler while in this high state of drive. Again, the dog must show enthusiasm. A dog that shows fear, lack of control, or inappropriate aggression is dismissed.
Training
Schutzhund training, like the sport itself, has evolved over the years. The definitive description of Schutzhund training in the first 50 years of the sport is Col. Conrad Most's Dog Training: A Manual, 1910 (English trans. 1954, ISBN 192924200X). By modern standards, Most's training is harsh or even abusive. It is also structured, consistent, and in many ways conforms to more recent ideas on learning theory. Over time, the more abusive techniques fell out of use and many trainers still follow Most's program. In 1981, Helmut Raiser published Der Schutzhund (English trans. by Armin Winkler, 1999 (no ISBN)), which radically changed Schutzhund protection training. In the US, the next great change in Schutzhund training is marked by the 1991 publication of Schutzhund Theory & Training Methods (ISBN 0876057318) by Susan Barwig and Stewart Hilliard. In recent years, a number of English-language books have been published on Schutzhund training. Some of the more influential books are
- Training the Competitive Working Dog by Tom Rose and Gary Patterson, 1985 (no ISBN). This book is out of print and has been updated in 2006 with Training the Behavior by Gary Patterson.
- Schutzhund Obedience: Training in Drive by Gottfreid Dildei and Sheila Booth, 1992 (no ISBN)
- Advanced Schutzhund by Karen Duet and Ivan Balabanov, 1999 (ISBN 087605730X)
A recent innovation in providing information on Schutzhund training is the development of video tapes and DVDs. As with books, all videos and DVDs are not created equal. Viewers must exercise discretion when considering the techniques shown in videos. Just because a technique appears in a video (or book) does not mean that it is a good idea or that many Schutzhund trainers use it. There is a diversity of opinion on how to train Schutzhund dogs. This is reflected in the many conflicting opinions presented in the various videos. Two sources of videos are
The best source of training information is a good Schutzhund club. The overwhelming majority of Schutzhund training is done by owner/handlers at local clubs. Unfortunately, there are very few clubs in the US, making books and videos a vital source of information in this country. In the US, most clubs are affiliated with USA, DVG, or WDA. Schutzhund clubs tend to be small, 20 or so members, because there is a limit to the number of dogs that can be trained in one session. Clubs often provide only limited formal assistance with tracking and obedience. To a certain extent, the clubs exist to provide the specialized resources needed to train the protection phase. However, a legitimate club will not permit a member to train only protection. Usually the more experienced members are willing to help the novice with tracking and obedience, though this is typically somewhat informal in the US.
Another function of Schutzhund clubs is to identify dogs that should not be trained in Schutzhund. Schutzhund is a challenging test of a dog's character, and not every dog, or even every GSD, is up to the challenge. The training director of the club has a responsibility to the dog, handler, club, and society to constantly evaluate every dog and to decline to train any dog with questionable character or working ability. Training a dog who doesn't really want to work is stressful and frustrating for all parties involved.
Schutzhund clubs regularly hold public trials, providing the opportunity for dogs to earn titles and for handlers to assess their training progress. A tiny number of dedicated handlers have trained their dogs to title readiness strictly from books and videos. This is unlikely to succeed in most cases, because it is almost impossible to train the protection phase without a helper. A good club should be considered a necessity for Schutzhund training.
Organizations
Schutzhund is governed by a confusing number of organizations. The FCI, the international umbrella organization for all things dog related, sets the rules for IPO titles. (IPO is the FCI name for sport Schutzhund titles.) The AZG sets the rules for Schutzhund for all breeds. The AZG is one of the component organizations of the VDH, the all breed kennel club of Germany. The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany, the SV, is a member of the VDH and arguably the most powerful influence on the sport. Although the AZG formally sets the rules, the AZG does nothing with respect to Schutzhund without the approval of the SV. In 2004, the SV decided that the AZG would follow the IPO rules, giving the FCI greater influence over Schutzhund. Still, the SV has great influence in the FCI and is probably still the most powerful influence on the sport. The DVG is an all-breed dog sport organization in Germany that organizes clubs and trials and has branches in Canada and The United States.
The largest Schutzhund organization in the US is the United Schutzhund Clubs of America, called USA. In spite of its name, USA is a German Shepherd Dog breed club, but sponsors all-breed Schutzhund clubs and trials. The Working Dog Association is a branch of another GSD breed club, the German Shepherd Dog Club of America, which also sponsors clubs and trials. There are a small number of DVG clubs in the United States, various other breed organizations that are involved in Schutzhund, and the American Working Dog Federation, which is an umbrella organization. This barely scratches the surface.
Schutzhund and society
Most police departments do not allow their working dogs to breed. This is also true of many other organizations that use working dogs. The breeding stock for these working dogs is Schutzhund dogs. Without Schutzhund, the working ability of GSDs and other working breeds would quickly deteriorate and it would be difficult to find suitable dogs for police work, bomb detection, or search and rescue. People do Schutzhund for fun, but they also know that they are giving back to society by developing the next generation of working dogs.
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