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What
is Schutzhund
The Germans call
it "hundesport", dog sport. For generations, people from Europe and
North America have been drawn into this unique idea of participating in
an active sport with a dog. Schutzhund offers this in a way that no
other sport can. It is outdoors. It is physical. It is mental. The
demands are great, but the sport also offers competition and new
friendships. In short, it is what all recreational sports should first
be: good exercise, fun and full of rewards.
Schutzhund
started at the beginning of this century as a test for working dogs. Its
initial purpose was to determine which dogs could be used for breeding
and which had true working ability. The growing demand for working dogs
made more sophisticated tests and training necessary. These dogs were
needed for police training, border patrol, customs, military and
herding. As these tests evolved, more people participated just for the
sheer enjoyment of seeing if their personal dogs could be trained as
effectively as these "professional dogs". Now, over sixty years after
the first formal Schutzhund rules were introduced, tens of thousands of
people participate in the sport each year.
Schutzhund tests
three specific areas of a dog's training and behavior. The first,
tracking, requires the dog to track footsteps over mixed terrain, change
direction and show absolute accuracy and commitment to finding the
track. It must also find dropped articles and indicate their locations
to the handler. Often this is done under less than ideal circumstances
with difficult cover, bad weather conditions and an aged track. Many
find tracking to be the most satisfying experience in training, when
only the handler and dog are working together. It is certainly the most
peaceful part of Schutzhund.
The second phase
is obedience. Those who are familiar with AKC obedience will feel more
comfortable in this area, as many of the exercises are similar to those
in Open and Utility. There is heeling, both on and off lead. The sit,
down and stand are also done, except when the dog is moving. But
Schutzhund applies its own style to this work. Instead of a forty foot
ring, the handler and dog work on a soccer sized trial field. Some
exercises require the dog to work under the noise of a firing gun. In
addition to the normal dumbbell retrieval, the dog must retrieve over a
one meter jump and a six foot wall. Down stays and a long send away
conclude the test.
The final test is
the most misunderstood by the general public. This is protection. The
most important point to understand when watching a protection routine,
is the relationship between dog and handler. The dog must never bite the
trial helper, unless either the dog or the handler is attacked. Then it
must attack fully and without hesitation. But here the real difference
becomes apparent. The dog must stop biting on the command of the handler
and guard the trial helper without further aggression. Often people
confuse Schutzhund protection training with police dog or personal
protection work. The Schutzhund dog is capable of the feats of never
being aggressive except under those specific situations it is trained to
face, and even then it must always be under the absolute control of the
handler.
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