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What is Schutzhund?Throughout Europe and other parts of the world the training of dogs is required as a popular sport. Enthusiasts are interested in much more than teaching their pet a few tricks; they wish to develop their dogs intelligence and instincts to create a courageous, obedient and dependable friend. This sport is Schutzhund Training. The origin of the sport was in Europe and the reason for its popularity there are clear. People are crowded much closer together in the cities and towns than here. Under these conditions untrained dogs (especially larger breeds) make very poor neighbors. In addition, because of the heavy taxes and expenses involved in animal care, animal ownership is considered a serious responsibility. Most people feel obliged to train their dogs. Since most "working" breeds have in fact been bred for service, such as sheepherding, army work, protection, etc. , it is not surprising that they can be readily trained. Although many owners are first interested in teaching their dog some "manners", they often find the training so intriguing they go on to earn as Schutzhund (SchH) degree. Three different SchH degrees of varying difficulty may be earned, and all are recognized throughout the world. Each degree consists of separate tests in tracking, obedience, and protection. In order to earn a SchH degree the dog must pass all three phases within a single composite trial. In Germany, for example, a German Shephard cannot even be entered into the adult classes in the show ring without at least one SchH degree. In addition, puppies may not be registered if the parents do not have SchH degrees. This control in breeding has contributed immeasurably to the overall temperament and intelligence of the German-bred dog. In the USA, Schutzhund training is somewhat a novelty and many people misunderstand what it really entails. Schultzhund Clubs are now beginning to spring up all over the country as more and more people learn what the sport is all about. In the tracking tests a dog must follow the trail left by the owner over a distance of at least one quarter of a mile, including several turns, to find two articles (such as a glove) that have been dropped along the way. The track is allowed to "age" for at least 20 minutes, so that most of the human scent has disappeared and the dog must to a large extent follow the track from the scent released by bent blades of grass and micro-organisms in the soil of the footprints. (In the more advanced degrees the tracks are longer in length and "aged" more, as well as being laid by a stranger to the dog. It could, for example, be the track left by a lost child as far as the dog is concerned.) The next portion of the test is obedience. The dog must first heel by the owners side, both on lead and off lead out in the open and through a group of people. Then while heeling, the dog is told to lie down while the owner continues walking without breaking stride. Additional obedience exercises include sitting, retrieving, and jumping over an obstacle (over which he cannot see). The dog is then told to lie down and stay down while the owner turns his back and walks away. The dog must not move even though the next dog begins the obedience test in the adjacent portion of the field. During the obedience test a starter's pistol is fired. Any dog that becomes fearful upon hearing the gunshot fails the exam, but so does any dog which becomes overly aggressive. The protection work is the last phase of the Schultzhund exam. A mock ambush is carried out in which a "criminal" (or "agitator") wearing a padded sleeve jumps out from behind a blind to attack the dog and it's owner. The dog must respond and defend it's master, biting the padded arm and holding on until the agitator ceases the aggression. The dog should then release the padded arm but remain alert for signs of renewed attack. In another phase of the test, the dog must search behind another blind for the "attacker" and bark to alert the owner if the attacker is there. Last year over 25,000 German Shepherds earned Schultzhund awards. The sport is open to any dog that can physically perform the exercises, and other commonly used breeds include Boxers, Dobermans, Giant Schnauzers, Rottweilers, Bouvier des Flanders, and the Belgian Sheepdog, Tervurin, and Malinois. Their "trainers" are men and women ranging in age from their teens to their sixties. About the Breed
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