Schutzhund
and the German
Shepherd Dog
What is Schutzhund
Schutzhund is a German
word meaning "protection dog". It refers to a sport that focuses on
developing and evaluating those traits in dogs that make them more useful
and happier companions to their owners. Schutzhund work concentrates on
three parts. Many are familiar with the obedience work of the American
Kennel Club's affiliates and will recognize the first two parts, tracking
and obedience. The Schutzhund standards for the third part, protection
work, are similar to those for dogs in police work.
While dogs of other
breeds are also actively involved in the sport of Schutzhund and often
follow similar criteria for breeding purposes, this breed evaluation test
was developed specifically for the German Shepherd Dog. Schutzhund is
intended to demonstrate the dog's intelligence and utility. As a working
trial, Schutzhund measures the dog's mental stability, endurance,
structural efficiencies, ability to scent, willingness to work, courage,
and trainability.
This working dog sport
offers an opportunity for dog owners to train their dog and compete with
each other for recognition of both the handler's ability to train and the
dog's ability to perform as required. It is a sport enjoyed by persons of
varied professions, who join together in a camaraderie born of their
common interest in working with their dogs. Persons of all ages and
conditions of life even those with significant disabilities enjoy
Schutzhund as a sport. Often, it is a family sport.
The Three Parts of a
Schutzhund Trial
The tracking phase
includes a temperament test by the overseeing judge to  assure the
dog's mental soundness. When approached closely on a loose leash, the dog
should not act shyly or aggressively. The track is laid earlier by a
person walking normally on a natural surface such as dirt or grass. The
track includes a number of turns and a number of small, man made objects
left by this person on the track itself. At the end of a 33 foot leash,
the handler follows the dog, which is expected to scent the track and
indicate the location of the objects, usually by lying down with it
between its front paws. The tracking phase is intended to test the dog's
trainability and ability to scent, as well as its mental and physical
endurance.
The obedience phase includes a series of
heeling exercises, some of which are closely in and around a group of
people. During the heeling, there is a gun shot test to assure that the
dog does not openly react to such sharp noises. There is also a series of
field exercises in which the dog is commanded to sit, lie down, and stand
while the handler continues to move. From  these various positions, the
dog is recalled to the handler. With dumbbells of various weights, the dog
is required to retrieve on a flat surface, over a one-meter hurdle, and
over a six-foot slanted wall. The dog is also asked to run in a straight
direction from its handler on command and lie down on a second command.
Finally, each dog is expected to stay in a lying down position away from
its handler, despite distractions, at the other end of the obedience
field, while another dog completes the above exercises. All of the
obedience exercises are tests of the dog's temperament, structural
efficiencies, and, very importantly, its willingness to serve its
owner.
The protection phase tests the dog's courage,
physical strength, and agility. The handler's control of the dog is
absolutely essential.
The exercises
include a search of hiding places, finding a hidden person
(acting as a decoy), and guarding that decoy while the handler approaches.
The dog is expected to pursue the decoy when an escape is attempted and to
hold the grip firmly. The decoy is searched and transported to the judge
with the handler and dog walking behind and later at the decoy's right
side. When the decoy attempts to attack the handler, the dog is expected
to stop the attack with a firm grip and no hesitation. The final test of
courage occurs when the decoy is asked to come out of a hiding place by
the dog's handler from the opposite end of the trial field. The dog is
sent after the decoy who is threatening the dog with a stick and charging
at the handler. All grips during the protection phase are expected to be
firmly placed on the padded sleeve and stopped on command and/or when the
decoy discontinues the fight. The protection tests are intended to assure
that the dog possesses the proper temperament for breeding.
Schutzhund Around the
World
The first Schutzhund
trial was held in Germany in 1901 to emphasize the correct working
temperament and ability in the German Shepherd breed. Originally, these
dogs were herding dogs, but the industrialization of Germany encouraged
 breeders to promote the use of their dogs as police
and military dogs. The Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV), the parent
club, became concerned that this would lead to careless breeding and
undesirable traits such as mental instability, so it developed the
Schutzhund test. Since then, many other countries and working dog
organizations have also adopted Schutzhund as a sport and a test of
working performance in dogs. International rules have been established,
and they are administered by the Verein fur Deutsche Hundesport (VDH).
The Schutzhund Titles
The BH
or companion dog title is a pre-requirement for Schutzhund titles. All
breeds and sizes are eligible with the minimum age requirements of 15
months.
There are three levels of
the Schutzhund test.
For Schutzhund
1 the dog must be at least 18 months old and pass an initial
temperament test by the judge. The dog must heel on the leash and off,
demonstrate the walking sit, the walking down, and the stay tests, as well
as the send-out. It must retrieve on the flat and over a hurdle. In
tracking, it must be able to follow a track laid by its handler at least
20 minutes earlier. There are also protection tests.
For Schutzhund 2 the dog must be at least 19
months old and must already have earned its Schutzhund 1 degree. It must
again pass all of the obedience and protection tests required for the
Schutzhund 1 degree, but those tests, for Schutzhund 2, are made more
difficult and require greater endurance, agility, and, above all, control.
There is an additional retrieve required over the six foot slanted wall.
In tracking, the Schutzhund II candidate must be able to follow a track
laid by a stranger at least 30 minutes earlier.
For Schutzhund 3, the master's degree, the dog
must be at least 20 months old and must have earned both the Schutzhund 1
and the Schutzhund 2 titles. Again, the tests now are made far more
difficult. All exercises in obedience and protection are demonstrated off
leash. There is the addition of a walking and running stand. In tracking,
the dog must follow a track that was laid by a stranger at least 60
minutes earlier. The track has four turns, compared with two turns for
Schutzhund 1 and 2, and there are three objects, rather than two, that
must be found by the dog. The picture of obedience, strength, eagerness,
and confidence presented by an excellent Schutzhund 3 team is a beautiful
illustration of the partnership of human and dog.
In addition to the
Schutzhund temperament tests, the United Schutzhund Clubs of America offer
three training degrees: the FH 1 and FH 2, advanced tracking
degrees; WH, or basic protection degree which includes basic obedience,
and the AD which is an 12.5 mile endurance test and includes obedience.
USA also offers six seperate obedience and tracking titles that reflect
the routines for SchH 1, 2, & 3 levels.
The Value to the Breed
Any registered German
Shepherd that has earned a Schutzhund degree has demonstrated sufficient
ability as a working dog to qualify for breed evaluation. The breed
evaluation is a very detailed examination of the dog's structure,
temperament, and pedigree and requires both a certification of good hip
joints and sufficient performance on an endurance test (the
AD). Dogs that do well in the breed evaluation receive a Koerklasse I or
Koerklasse II. This is a recommendation and evaluation by a trained and
recognized expert judge as to the worthiness of the dog for breeding. Dogs
rated Koerkiass II are "suitable for breeding" and dogs rated Koerklasse I
are "recommended for breeding." By thus screening dogs in order to select
the suitable specimens for breeding, Schutzhund helps to maintain the
quality of the breed at a very high level. Thus, there is a very high
level of assurance that puppies born to Schutzhund dams and sired by
Schutzhund dogs are more likely to be of reliable temperament, high
intelligence, steady nerves, extreme endurance, great strength, and sound
structure.
What Is the Judge Looking
for in the-Dog?
At all three stages -
Schutzhund 1,2, and 3 - each of the three phases: obedience, tracking, and
protection, is worth 100 points, for a total of 300 points. If a dog does
not receive a minimum of 70% - or if the dog fails the pretrial
temperament test- it is not awarded a degree that day and must repeat the
entire test, passing all phases of the test at a later trial. In every
event, the judge is looking for an eager, concentrating, accurate working
dog. High ratings and scores are given to the animal that displays a
strong willingness and ability to work for its human handler.
The Schutzhund-Trained Dog
in the Home
Since Schutzhund is the
demonstration of the German Shepherd dog's most desirable characteristics,
dogs well trained in Schutzhund are usually excellent  companions in the home. The German Shepherd Dog - like any; other
working dog that possesses mental stability-has trust and confidence in
itself, allowing it to be at peace with its surroundings.
In addition
to sound structural efficiencies for long, arduous work, the standard for
the German Shepherd Dog calls for mental stability and a willingness to
work. The dog should be approachable, quietly standing its ground,
showing confidence and a willingness
to meet overtures without itself necessarily making them. It should be
generally calm, but eager and alert when the situation warrants. It should
be fearless, but also good with children.
The German Shepherd Dog
should not be timid or react nervously to unusual sounds or sights. A dog
that is overly aggressive because of its overall fears of people and
events can be extremely dangerous. The Schutzhund sport is designed to
identify and eliminate such dogs from breeding stock. Because Schutzhund
training gives the owner a great deal of control over the dog, the owner
is able to let the dog have more fun. Not only is Schutzhund training
itself enjoyable for the dog, but the Schutzhund trained dog knows how to
please its owners, creating a stronger bond between dog and
owners.
The Schutzhund-Trained
Dog for Police Work
A dog that performs well
in Schutzhund work is obviously a very good candidate for
police work. Police dogs, like other service dogs, must have temperaments
with a good foundation of intelligence and utility. A minimal amount of
additional training makes many well-trained Schutzhund dogs ready for
active police duty. Such fearless police dogs can also work around
children and in crowds without worry on the part of their
handlers.
Choosing a Puppy for
Schutzhund
In every breed, the
pedigree is the key to knowing the potential of the puppy. Schutzhund
revolves around working lines with generations of dogs that have
proven themselves and produced similar characteristics in their offspring.
These characteristics include not only the physical structure of the dog,
which is very important, but also its temperament. Selecting the
bloodlines from which you want your puppy may require advice. Information
from breed surveys can help. Of course, it makes sense to discuss your
objectives with reputable and experienced Schutzhund handlers or
enthusiasts.
Once you have determined
that the bloodlines of the potential dam and sire are of high
quality, you should observe the parents, especially the mother, if that is
at all possible. The dam will be the main influence on the young pup for
the first six weeks of its life. If the dam is nervous or unsure, chances
are this uncertainty will be transferred to the offspring.
If you are able to see
the litter, watch the puppies together and also separately, to try to
determine which is the best puppy. Obvious structural defects or health
problems should be watched for. It is important that the puppy have
intense instinct to chase prey- a ball, a toy, etc- and also be the leader
in the sense of be confident of the other puppies. The puppy should not
show fear when away from its litter mates. It should not need to stay with
the mother. The puppy should be adventurous and active, playing with
objects shown to it by someone in the enclosure, but it should be
independent enough to take that object and go off on its own as
well.
It is independence and
confidence, combined with the positive contact with the pack leader (the
dam, at this time) that will develop into the traits of trainability that
you need.
Raising a Puppy for Schutzhund
Work
Puppy hood is the most
critical period for the development of the characteristics you want to
encourage. Your local Schutzhund club can advise you about nurturing
and socializing your growing puppy. A puppy learns from
its experiences, so you want to provide only positive ones. It should be
provided with opportunity to explore and investigate new situations and
new people, but always in a non-threatening way. Remember that your goal
is to build confidence in the young animal. Your aim is not to
dominate or oppress the young pup. Exposure to different environments is
crucial to the general education of the dog and also to assure it that the
world is a safe place. If something appears to make the dog unsure, give
it the opportunity to investigate it slowly, but do not force the
issue.
It is imperative to avoid
situations where your dog would be dominated by another, older or stronger
dog, or by another puppy. You also want to avoid having to discipline or
correct your puppy and thus dampen its spirit or damage its
self-confidence. You can do this by never leaving the pup in a situation
where it can cause damage to your valuables or find itself in a dangerous
predicament.
The final area of
development is that of drive encouragement. The natural behaviors that you
want to encourage are playing with the ball, tug of war, hide and seek,
pulling toys on a string, pursuing you rapidly when you run away, and
finally defending itself, its family, and its home. The latter really only
shows itself between the ages of nine and 18 months, as the pup begins to
mature, by barking at strangers or intruders. Acceptable manners at
home and in the car and "play" training, like learning to sit for a food
reward, with no corrections involved, is advisable. Real  obedience work can begin once the puppy is more mature. It is
better to leave for later formal obedience training with a young dog. The
character of the puppy is not sufficiently strong to withstand the stress
that may be involved in obedience training.
Do Dogs enjoy Schutzhund
Training?
If trained in the right
manner, dogs enjoy working, as anyone who attends a Schutzhund competition
can see. The joy of the dogs in working with their handlers is evident.
For thousands of years, dogs have adapted to serve humans in a mutually
beneficial relationship. While dogs could move quickly, hunt prey, and
protect flocks and their owner, the humans could provide food, shelter
from the most severe elements, and protection from larger predators,
besides tending to the dog's injuries. A dog's reason for being is to
serve humans. Schutzhund training helps develop the dog's natural
instincts to a high level. Self-confident dogs, doing work for which they
are well trained, are happy dogs. Wagging tails, sounds of excitement, and
strong pulling on a leash all show an observer at a Schutzhund trial
how much fulfillment dogs find in this work.
About
USA
The United Schutzhund
Clubs of America (USA) provides training instruction and licensing for its
member clubs which work under VDH rules, and whose awarded Schutzhund
titles and German Shepherd Dog breed surveys and conformation rankings are
internationally recognized through the Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde
(SV) of Germany and the World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs (WUSV).
USA is a founding member of the American Working Dog Federation (AWDF).
USA is a member of the
World Union of German Shepherd Dog Clubs and sends a team to the World
Championship each year. USA sanctions club trials, police dog
trials, herding trials, endurance tests, conformation shows, breed
surveys, regional championships and five national championship
trials each year.
In 1970 the first
Schutzhund trial in the U.S. was held in California, currently USA
supports over 200 full member clubs, with 14 affiliated clubs in 11
regions across the United States. During the 2001 trial season USA member
clubs conducted 260 trials, 45 conformation shows and 190 individual Breed
Surveys.
USA is responsible for
scheduling visits from foreign judges and administers its own judges
program. The USA Judges program currently has licensed 18 Performance
Judges, 2 Conformation Judges and one Breed Survey Judge with 8
apprenticeships in process.
USA maintains a Breed
Registry and programs, such as litter, individual and kennel
registrations, breed wardens and tattooers, Breeders cup and Universal
Sieger awards for German Shepherd Dogs that are monitored by the Breed
Advisory Committee and consists of the National Breed Warden and 11
Regional Breed Wardens.
For More Information
About Schutzhund
Contacts for the
United Schutzhund Clubs of America can be located on this web site. For
more information go to the contacts page and find your local Regional
Director or Club, or you may contact the USA Office at:
3810 Paule
Ave.
St Louis Mo. 63125
(314) 638-9686
This article was reprinted from the
1988 version of Schutzhund and the German Shepherd dog, United Schutzhund
Clubs of America Brochure |
