Schutzhund German Shepherd Training

Schutzhund--the German word for protection dog--is a dog sport in which the animals compete in trials with three segments--tracking, obedience and protection. Regarded as a comprehensive temperament test often used to test the suitability of dogs for police or other civil work, advancing through the three levels of Schutzhund requires that participating dogs--including German shepherds--display near-flawless attention to the instructions of their handlers.

  1. History

    • As shepherding in Germany was on the decline, Max von Stephanitz and other supporters of the German shepherd, such as the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (aka SV), strove to develop comprehensive standards to protect the quality of the breed from undesirable traits that could result from careless breeding. The Schutzhund test was developed in 1901 to determine the working ability of dogs, and has since spread to many other countries and breeds.

    Tracking

    • The tracking portion of a Schutzhund trial measures a dog's ability to follow a trail, indicate objects of interest along the trail and respond to handler direction. Dogs are kept on a long line for the duration of the trial, and it can involve varied terrain.

    Obedience

    • The obedience portion of a Schutzhund trial involves forms of traditional obedience performed under high distraction, such as the firing of guns, proximity of other dogs or loud crowds. Heeling and field exercised are both employed, with dogs commanded to sit, lie down, move away or toward the handler, retrieve weighted objects and jump over hurdles.

    Protection

    • In the protection phase of a Schutzhund trial, exercises include finding a hidden person (often called a decoy), guarding the decoy while their handler approaches, and protecting their handler from attempted attack by the decoy. The decoy is usually protected from the bites of dogs by a special suit or sleeve, and may carry any number of tools with which to threaten or intimidate the dog. At all times, the dog is supposed to respond without hesitation to commands given by his handler.

    Schutzhund Trials

    • Schutzhund trials are administered by Schutzhund clubs, which usually group by region. Schutzhund trials are held for cities, states, regions, countries and even internationally. After successfully completing a Shutzhund trial with an acceptable score, a dog is said to be titled in Schutzhund.