Schutzhund
(German for "protection dog") is a dog sport that was developed in
Germany in the early 1900s as a breed suitability test for the German
Shepherd Dog. The test would determine if the dog displayed the
appropriate traits and characteristics of a proper working German
Shepherd Dog. Today, it is used as a sport where many breeds other than
German Shepherd Dogs can compete, but it is a demanding test for any dog
that few can pass.
Traits of Schutzhund dogs
Schutzhund
tests dogs of all breeds for the traits necessary for police-type work.
Dogs that pass Schutzhund tests should be suitable for a wide variety
of tasks: police work, specific odor detection, search and rescue, and
many others. The purpose of Schutzhund is to identify dogs that have or
do not have the character traits required for these demanding jobs. Some
of those traits are:
- Strong desire to work
- Courage
- Intelligence
- Trainability
- Strong bond to the handler
- Perseverance
- Protective Instinct
- Sense of Smell
Schutzhund
tests for these traits. It also tests for physical traits such as
strength, endurance, agility, and scenting ability. The goal of
Schutzhund is to illuminate the character and ability of a dog through
training. Breeders can use this insight to determine how and whether to
use the dog in producing the next generation of working dogs.
History
In
response to political forces in Germany, in 2004 the Verein für
Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) and the Deutscher Hundesportverein (DHV) made
substantial changes to Schutzhund. The DHV adopted the Fédération
Cynologique Internationale (FCI) rules that govern IPO titles, so that
at least on paper the SV and DHV gave up control of the sport to the
FCI. The DHV changed the name of the titles from "SchH" (Schutzhund) to
"VPG" (Vielseitigkeitsprüfung für Gebrauchshunde which roughly translates Versatility examination for working dogs). The SV has retained the "SchH" title names, but otherwise conforms to the DHV/FCI rules.
Description
There
are three schutzhund titles: Schutzhund 1 (SchH1), Schutzhund 2
(SchH2), and Schutzhund 3 (SchH3). SchH1 is the first title and SchH3 is
the most advanced. Additionally, before a dog can compete for an SchH1,
he must pass a temperament test called a B or BH (Begleithundprüfung,
which translates as "traffic-sure companion dog test"). The B tests
basic obedience and sureness around strange people, strange dogs,
traffic, and loud noises. A dog that exhibits excessive fear,
distractibility, or aggression cannot pass the B and so cannot go on to
schutzhund.
The Schutzhund test has changed over the years. Modern
Schutzhund consists of three phases: tracking, obedience, and
protection. A dog must pass all three phases in one trial to be awarded a
schutzhund title. Each phase is judged on a 100-point scale. The
minimum passing score is 70 for the tracking and obedience phases and 80
for the protection phase. At any time the judge may dismiss a dog for
showing poor temperament, including fear or aggression.
Phase
|
Description
|
| Tracking | The
tracking phase tests not only the dog's scenting ability, but also its
mental soundness and physical endurance. In the tracking phase, a track
layer walks across a field, dropping several small articles along the
way. After a period of time, the dog is directed to follow the track
while being followed by the handler on a 33 foot leash. When the dog
finds each article, he indicates it, usually by lying down with the
article between his front paws. The dog is scored on how intently and
carefully it follows the track and indicates the articles. The length,
complexity, number of articles, and age of the track varies for each
title. |
| Obedience | The obedience
phase is done in a large field, with the dogs working in pairs. One dog
is placed in a down position on the side of the field and its handler
leaves it while the other dog works in the field. Then the dogs switch
places. In the field, there are several heeling exercises, including
heeling through a group of people. There are two or three gunshots
during the heeling to test the dog's reaction to loud noises. There are
one or two recalls, three retrieves (flat, jump and A-frame), and a send
out, in which the dog is directed to run away from the handler straight
and fast and then lie down on command. Obedience is judged on the dog's
accuracy and attitude. The dog must show enthusiasm. A dog that is
uninterested or cowering scores poorly. |
| Protection | In
the protection phase, the judge has an assistant, called the "helper",
who helps him or her test the dog's courage to protect himself and his
handler and its ability to be controlled while doing so. The helper
wears a heavily padded sleeve on one arm. There are several blinds,
placed where the helper can hide, on the field. The dog is directed to
search the blinds for the helper. When it finds the helper, it indicates
this by barking. The dog must guard the helper to prevent him from
moving until recalled by the handler. There follows a series of
exercises similar to police work where the handler searches the helper
and transports him to the judge. At specified points, the helper either
attacks the dog or the handler or attempts to escape. The dog must stop
the attack or the escape by biting the padded sleeve. When the attack or
escape stops, the dog is commanded to "out," or release the sleeve. The
dog must out or it is dismissed. At all times the dog must show the
courage to engage the helper and the temperament to obey the handler
while in this high state of drive. Again, the dog must show enthusiasm. A
dog that shows fear, lack of control, or inappropriate aggression is
dismissed. |
Training
Schutzhund
training, like the sport itself, has evolved over the years. The
definitive description of Schutzhund training in the first 50 years of
the sport is Col. Konrad Most's Dog Training: A Manual, 1910 By
modern standards, Most's training is very harsh and possibly abusive.
Despite this, it is also structured, consistent, and in many ways
conforms to more recent ideas on learning theory. Over time, the more
brutal techniques fell out of use and few trainers still follow Most's
program. In 1981, Helmut Raiser published Der Schutzhund
(English trans. by Armin Winkler, 1999 (no ISBN)), which radically
changed Schutzhund protection training. In the US, the next great change
in Schutzhund training is marked by the 1991 publication of Schutzhund Theory & Training Methods by Susan Barwig and Stewart Hilliard. Also see TOP WORKING DOGS, A Schutzhund Training Manual by Dr. Dietmar Schellenberg, first published in 1982. With the fifth edition in
A
reliable source for training information is a good Schutzhund club. The
overwhelming majority of Schutzhund training is done by owner/handlers
at local clubs. There are very few clubs in the US, making books and
videos a vital source of information in that country. In the US, most
clubs are affiliated with the American Working Dog Federation (AWDF),
United States Boxer Association (USBA), American Working Malinois
Association (AWMA), United Schutzhund Clubs of America (USA), Deutscher
Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine (DVG), or German Shepherd Dog Club
of America-Working Dog Association (GSDCA-WDA). Schutzhund clubs tend
to be small, 20 or less members, because there is a limit to the number
of dogs that can be trained in one session. Clubs often provide only
limited formal assistance with tracking and obedience. To a certain
extent, the clubs exist to provide the specialized resources needed to
train the protection phase. However, a legitimate club will not permit a
member to train only protection. Usually the more experienced members
are willing to help the novice with tracking and obedience, though this
is typically somewhat informal in the US.
Another function of
Schutzhund clubs is to identify dogs that should not be trained in
Schutzhund. Schutzhund is a challenging test of a dog's character, and
not every dog, or even every GSD, is up to the challenge. The training
director of the club has a responsibility to the dog, handler, club, and
society to constantly evaluate every dog and to decline to train any
dog with questionable character or working ability. Training a dog that
does not really want to work is stressful and frustrating for all
parties involved.
Schutzhund clubs regularly hold public trials,
providing the opportunity for dogs to earn titles and for handlers to
assess their training progress. A tiny number of dedicated handlers have
trained their dogs to title readiness strictly from books and videos.
This is unlikely to succeed in most cases, because it is almost
impossible to train the protection phase without a helper. A good club
should be considered a necessity for Schutzhund training.
Organizations
Schutzhund
is governed by a number of organizations. The FCI, the international
umbrella organization for all things dog related, sets the rules for IPO
titles. (IPO is the FCI name for sport Schutzhund titles.) The
AZG sets the rules for Schutzhund for all breeds. The AZG is one of the
component organizations of the VDH, the all breed kennel club of
Germany. The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany, the SV, is a member of
the VDH and arguably the most powerful influence on the sport. Although
the AZG formally sets the rules, the AZG does nothing with respect to
Schutzhund without the approval of the SV. Still, the SV has great
influence in the FCI and is probably still the most powerful influence
on the sport. The DVG is an all-breed dog sport organization in Germany
that organizes clubs and trials and has branches in Canada and The
United States.
The largest Schutzhund organization in the US is
the United Schutzhund Clubs of America, called USCA. In spite of its
name, USCA is a German Shepherd Dog breed club. The Working Dog
Association is a branch of another GSD breed club, the German Shepherd
Dog Club of America, which also sponsors clubs and trials. There are a
small number of DVG clubs in the United States, various other breed
organizations that are involved in Schutzhund, and the American Working
Dog Federation (AWDF), which is an umbrella organization. There are
other breed specific Schutzhund clubs such as the United Doberman Club.
In the case of the Doberman the AKC will not allow you to add Schutzhund
titles to your dog's pedigree unless they are earned with the United
Doberman Club. This barely scratches the surface. |
