What is Schutzhund
Schutzhund is a German word meaning “protection dog” but the sport of Schutzhund is much more. Our stud dog – Untox – and two of our three females are Schutzhund trained dogs. It is an international competitive sport in three phases of dog training:
- Tracking which consists of precisely following an aged track of a human and the indication of articles dropped by that individual. The dog is followed at the end of a 30-foot leash by its handler on a track which includes a number of turns on a natural surface such as dirt or grass. The tracking phase is intended to test the dog’s trainability and ability to scent, as well as its mental and physical endurance
- Obedience is the basis of the working relationship between a good dog and his handler. The trained dog must precisely execute various commands including heeling off leash, change of pace, automatic sit, sit in motion, retrieve on the flat, retrieve over a hurdle, retrieve over a wall, stand in motion, down in motion, long down under distraction, recall, and send out
- Protection consists of a directed search for the “bad guy,” guarding, escort, defense of the handler, and apprehension. As you can readily appreciate, Schutzhund can be a proving ground for those traits and training techniques that make certain dogs stable, useful members of your family.
Where Can Schutzhund Be Used?
Trained dogs can be used for a number of specialized applications such as:
- Search and Rescue Work
- Active Police Duty
- Military Work
- Personal Protection
Do Dogs Enjoy 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. Schutzhund training helps develop a dog’s natural instincts to a high level as well as create a strong bond between the dog and his handler.