Schutzhund Puppy Training

Considerations

• Not all puppies have the mental resilience to be Schutzhund-trained. Your puppy should be confident and bold with a strong prey drive, meaning it enthusiastically chases toys or anything that moves. Any breed of dog can do Schutzhund, although common breeds include malinois, German shepherds, rottweilers, giant schnauzers and Dobermans. Most people choose their Schutzhund puppy from someone who breeds their dogs from working, instead of show, lines, and who selects for traits such as strong nerves, sound conformation and high drive.

Misconceptions

• Many people forget that Schutzhund involves tracking, obedience and protection in equal parts. The protection is what gets the most attention--this is when the dog is trained to bite a handler's sleeve (a special padded sleeve worn by the decoy or handler) on command and finds and holds the decoy. Because control and the ability to obey the "out" command and let go is critical to the protection phase, obedience is a crucial component. From the day your puppy comes home, teach it basic obedience in short, daily sessions. Use a tug-toy instead of treats for rewards--a typical Schutzhund puppy will be more motivated by play than by food. A well-trained Schutzhund dog is not "made mean" by doing protection work. Schutzhund dogs are very highly trained and obedient, and are often wonderful family dogs and companions away from the field.

Socializing

• Your Schutzhund puppy's early months are a crucial time for socializing--without this, it will never grow to be a confident, mentally sound dog. The United Schutzhund Clubs of America suggests using positive training at this stage and not dominating or forcing your puppy. Expose it to a wide variety of different situations and encourage it to explore and investigate it its own pace.

Play and Training

• Early Schutzhund training involves a lot of play to build your pup's confidence and increase drive and enthusiasm, according to the USCA. Encourage it to play tug-of-war, fetch, chase and hide-and-seek. Start teaching an "out" command so your pup understands that if it releases the toy to you, it's rewarded by getting it back and continuing the game. Don't do any serious obedience training until your puppy is older--enforce manners such as sitting for treats and meals, waiting for permission before going through doors and crate training, but do so without punishing or correcting.

Warning

• Join a Schutzhund club if this is your first Schutzhund puppy. This is a rigorous form of training, and when done incorrectly, can ruin a dog. Schutzhund training applied to an unsuitable puppy can also ruin it, making it fearful and less confident. Look for a club or mentors who actively work and show their dogs and who realise that the obedience and tracking components of the sport are just as important as the protection and bite work.