Schutzhund, abbreviated SchH, is a German word which literally means “protection dog.” Used to describe a type of dog-sport which originated in Germany, schutzhund refers to the series of exercises that focus on developing the traits, drives and characters of working dogs to make them more useful and happier companions to their owners.
In schutzhund, the dog/handler team’s mastery of a series of challenging events is evaluated in competitive trials presided over by internationally licensed judges. Equal weighting is given to the team's performance in tracking, obedience, and stylized protection exercises. The results of the trials allow the strength of character and traits of the dog to be assessed. This information is used in breeding programs to ensure the dog’s true nature is not lost, as breeders strive for perfection in appearance.
Schutzhund sport is perhaps best viewed as a sort of "canine karate," in which the dog/handler teams learn, and eventually master, structured exercises related to sociability, tracking, retrieving, obedience, and defense. In the same way that knowledge of karate does not make a person a gangster or a bully, a correctly trained schutzhund dog does not have a vicious nature and is not an "attack" dog.
In response to a concerted campaign waged against the sport by certain unscrupulous politicians and the tabloid press in Germany, schutzhund has been modified in the recent past. Rechristened Vielseitigkeitsprüfung für Gebrauchshunde (abbreviated VPG) which roughly translates into "versatility test for working dogs." For ease of discussion, participants still refer to the sport by its traditional name.
The schutzhund dog and his/her handler compete in three separate disciplines -- tracking, obedience, and protection. Furthermore, there are three levels of competition: the novice class (VPG 1), the amateur class (VPG 2), and the expert class (VPG 3). As the dog/handler team masters a lower level, the challenging tasks included in each discipline get progressively more difficult. In tracking, for example, the age and number of turns in the track, the number of articles to be found, and even the presence of a foreign cross track are all used to increase the challenge as the dog progresses to the expert level. In the obedience portion of the trial, the challenges increase to include a variety of obedience commands executed during movement, retreiving while jumping hurdles or scaling an inclined wall, and others.
The key component to schutzhund training is to produce a dog that is both obedient to the handler, and competent to take independent actions. A common misperception of schutzhund sport is that the goal is to create attack dogs. This is definately not the case! The schutzhund dog will defend if the need arises, even in the face of a determined, combative aggressor. However, the Schutzhund dog is not attack-trained.
Prior to schutzhund training all dog/handler teams are required to pass a rigorous companion dog test (abbreviated BH, because of its German name, Begleithundprüfung). The BH test evaluates a dog’s: ability to be controlled; tendency toward fear; propensity to unprovoked aggressiveness; and other undesirable behavioral characteristics. During the BH test, the initial level of obedience is also assessed. The dog’s spirit is also tested in simulated real world situations, such as those encountered while walking the dog through a shopping district or in the park. After passing the BH test, the dog becomes eligible to participate in trials leading to the award of VPG titles!
Schutzhund training is a fun way to train your dog to be the best companion possible. Training at the CWDC is based on reinforcing the dog’s natural drives using motivational training techniques. As the dog’s skills are polished, corrections are gradually introduced to support the motivaitonal techniques to ensure that the dog’s spirit remains as it should. During VPG trials, judges (licensed after a rigorous training regimen) also assess, and factor into the results, the dog's apparent "enjoyment"!
In the Commonwealth Working Dog Club, you -- the dog’s owner, master, and best friend -- determine what your dog should do. The training techniques you employ under the instructions of the training director should at the core remain fun for you and your dog!
Titles conferred in VPG/SchH events remain true to their roots as a test for the suitability of German Shepherd Dogs to become police service dogs. That being said, Airedale Terriers, APBTs, American Staffordshire Terriers, Australian Shepherd Dogs, Belgian Malinois and Shepherd, Bouvier des Flandres, Boxers, the Bull breeds, Dobermann Pinscher, Giant Schnauzer, Rottweiler, Tervuren and other dogs join the German Shepherd breed in the sport of Schutzhund. The working abilities of purebreed dogs (i.e., the results of competitive trials) can be an important aspect of a serious breeding program. But mixed-breed dogs with the appropriate aptitude can also participate in, and benefit from, schutzhund training.
