The Schutzhund challenges accept many different dog breeds but since it was originally created for German Shepherds, it is recommended for strong and powerful dogs that also share some other physical and temperamental features with the German Shepherd breed. However, if you have decided to start training your dog for such competitions, there are plenty of things that if known could really help you get through a good training and, besides, could also become of great interest for you. To help you get in contact with the Schutzhund spirit, we would like to give you some interesting information regarding its history because we believe that this is highly related to the type of training that this competition requires. The Schutzhund was originated in Germany in the beginnings of the twentieth century and it was directed especially towards German Shepherd dogs. The idea was to prove this dog’s abilities and skills to follow the master and also to protect him and to behave in the proper guardian way. Nowadays, this competition and test is mostly used to train police, rescue and narcotic detection dogs. As you can imagine, this dog training requires the dog to have certain temperament and physical features that will provide him with the strength and power he needs in the end to become a truly protective dog. The Schutzhund competition evaluates stamina, strength, endurance, courage, intelligence, decision and the respect of authority as well as obedience, and many other skills that are determinant in any of the jobs in which these dogs are used. The Schutzhund dog training has traditionally been related to abusive and violent methods that were supposed to arouse the dog’s skills and stamina. Over the years, those aggressive methods have disappeared but this type of training is sometimes questioned by some people. The Schutzhund practice has developed so much with the years, that you will find lots of individuals who offer training, but in this case, the best thing to do is to recur to a Schutzhund training club or association because they offer wider possibilities and they do not focus on the protection, but specifically on the obedience tracks of the training. It is important for you to consult professionals on this matter because acting on your own might have unexpected results since this training is quite hard to control and it requires experienced people that knows how to deal with dogs. However, achieving a reasonable level of Schutzhund dog training will surely offer you lots of satisfaction and joy, so please don’t doubt it anymore and look for professional help as soon as possible. |
