| This article assumes that
you have either heard about the sport of Schutzhund or have
a puppy and noticed SchH titles in his pedigree, and want
to know what Schutzhund is all about.
DFW Working Dogs is a club focused on training and competing
in the sport of Schutzhund. Schutzhund is a challenging sport
comprising of tracking, obedience and protection. This multi-disciplinary
approach requires a high level of commitment from the handlers
and particular talents from dogs.
On your first visit, we encourage you to watch the other
handlers closely and ask questions. You can learn a great
deal from watching each of the handlers who take to the field
and work their dogs. If you have a dog and he is less than
a year old and has had no prior training, we will probably
ask you to bring him out at the end of the training session
when we are working the other young dogs. For this, you will
need a flat collar or a harness (if you do not have one, please
feel free to ask one of the members if they have one you can
borrow.) We will probably recommend that a club member hold
your leash so you can encourage your dog. The training director
will give you an honest opinion of your dog, and explain what
comes next for his training as far as the protection phase
is concerned.
Keep in mind that less than 10% of the puppies we see will
be able to obtain Schutzhund titles, regardless of breeding
and origins. It takes a special dog and handler to be able
to do Schutzhund. The handler must be dedicated to the sport
to succeed. You cannot get your dog ready for trials in one
session per week; the time commitment makes it almost impossible
to have other hobbies. Schutzhund is a difficult sport; there
is a lot to learn, we expect you to watch other members closely,
decide whose training methods you feel comfortable with, and
ask them plenty of questions. We will help you, regardless
of how much work your dog needs but we will also let you know
if the sport is not a good fit for you and your dog. It does
not mean that your dog could not do well in other sports.
We try to be honest in our assessment, but remember it is
not easy for us to tell you what you may not want to hear,
we do not take any pleasure in explaining your dogs nature
and faults, so please leave your ego at home. It is very important
for your future training that you know and understand what
your dog is capable of and what he is not.
Our club is not like an obedience club where you pay someone
to teach you and your dog. We will support you but you are
ultimately responsible for your training. We ask non-members
for a payment of $25 per month to help pay for equipment,
seminars and trials. You can come to any of the Tuesday or
Saturday training sessions. After a few months, we may invite
you to become a full club member. At this point you are expected
to work towards titles and help out with the club wherever
needed.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What do I need to do before I come out to meet the
club?
• Socialize your puppy! Take him to lots of places
and meet lots of people, if your puppy is a little timid,
do this gradually, don’t overwhelm him at a dog park.
Let him meet a friendly neighbor’s dog first. Don’t
encourage or reward him if he is showing fear, growling
barking or backing up, in any new situations, but give him
plenty of praise and/or food when he steps forward.
• Join a puppy class and teach your puppy basic obedience.
The more positively based classes are often best for a first
time Schutzhund handler. They help build confidence in the
dog - avoiding harsh corrections helps build a good relationship
between the pup and his owner. You will also learn basic
dog ownership skills and theories of training which will
help you understand us. While we are not able to teach everyone
the basics of dog training, we can help you move forward
once you have taken a class or two.
• Encourage your puppy to play with toys, but do not
leave the toys with him all day. You can leave him with
bones or kongs to keep him occupied when you are at work,
but reserve balls for playtime with you and your puppy.
We want the dog to view the ball as a reward to help us
with our training.
- What should I bring on my first visit?
• It’s up to you if you want to bring your puppy
with you. If you do, you will need the following:
• Crate, to keep your puppy safe while you
are watching the training and to stop him tearing up your
car when he gets excited watching.
• Flat collar, for prey/rag work. The thicker
the better so it does not dig into his neck. Don’t
buy special equipment yet though, we can lend you something
for your first visit.
- What can I be doing with my puppy at home afterwards?
• Continue working on socialization, obedience and
playing with a ball.
• Once your dog is old enough, we will help you move
on to the Schutzhund obedience, which is a little different
to traditional, or AKC obedience.
• You will probably want to track a few times with
an experienced member before trying it at home yourself,
but you can always do scent pads. Step a circle of grass
about 3 feet diameter, and step all over the inside of the
circle. Place a small, orange construction flag by the side,
and scatter your dog’s food within the circle. It
works well to do this at feed times. This helps him to learn
that your scent and the scent of crushed vegetation are
good. Ask a club member to demonstrate this for you.
• The training director will advise you regarding
protection training. We highly recommend sticking with the
same trainer until your dog is at least Schutzhund 1 titled
so that his training is consistent while he is young.
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