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.
The above tests are difficult enough, but
to make it even more demanding, they all happen in one day during competitions that are held all over the country. These trials
are held by local clubs or in regional and national championships. Each dog is judged by a complex point system that then
determines the winner of the trial.
When a dog successfully completes the first trial, it is awarded a title of Schutzhund I. It can then progress to
Schutzhund II and, the ultimate, Schutzhund III. Each level makes ever greater demands on the dog and training in all three
areas. Any Schutzhunder will tell you that a high scoring Schutzhund III dog is the ultimate working dog: one in a thousand
of all working dogs.
In addition to the Schutzhund I, II and III titles, other titles in advanced tracking, temperament tests, police
training and agility work are awarded.
Today, Schutzhund is more than the small group that started in Germany
so long ago. Its organizations have several hundred thousand members, scattered across Europe, North
America and several other continents.
*Schutzhund has been changed to VPG (in German- Vielseitigkeitspruefung
für Gebrauchshunde) which roughly translates into 'versatility test for working dogs.'
DVG America
