A team sport
Originally developed as a means of testing potential breeding stock, it has evolved into a sport that can be enjoyed on a variety of levels, from hobby to international competition. As dog sports go, Schutzhund is without a doubt one of the most exciting and challenging. It is also one of the most rewarding. Above all, it is a team sport; the team of dog and handler. The two must work together, and perform in harmony. When done well, it is beautiful to watch and the bond between dog and handler is clear for all to see and many to envy.

Schutzhund facts
•    Schutzhund is a world-wide sport for the German Shepherd Dog.
•    It is a three-discipline event with tracking, obedience and protection work.
•    The world championships take place in a different country every year and SA sends a team each year.

Stringent tests
Schutzhund training involves three phases: tracking, obedience and protection. When put together, the great effort involved in obtaining a Schutzhund title, and the challenges which accompany this training, make for an obedient, stable, useful and well rounded companion and create an incredible bond between dog and handler. Schutzhund by necessity involves stringent tests of the dog's temperament, nerve and overall willingness to work, and by any definition a Schutzhund trained dog is a well trained dog. These are the traits which make the German Shepherd Dog one of the most versatile breeds in existence, and which are still highly valued by professional trainers, law enforcement officers and families wanting an outstanding companion.

To maintain the GSD’s working ability
Schutzhund has its beginnings with the very origin of the German Shepherd Dog as a breed, and the two cannot be separated. However, there was huge interest in dogs for military and law enforcement work. The German Shepherd was ideal for this type of endeavour but, wisely so, the founders of the breed saw potential trouble on the horizon. They felt that breeding of dogs specifically for police and military work by less knowledgeable individuals and without a set of standards for quality control, could take the dogs to the extreme, and create unstable, dangerous animals. Likewise, there was the potential to go the other way. Purebred dog ownership and dog shows were already popular, and many people had much ego, money and reputation staked on the ability of their kennels to produce show-winning purebred dogs. Many breeds had already suffered from over-breeding and breeding strictly for fancy looks, and the founders did not want to see the heritage of the great German dogs destroyed in favour of trophies. So they designed the Schutzhund test to maintain the working ability of the breed, and keep balance between form and function.

The German Shepherd Dog club of Germany, the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV), was founded by the breed's creator, and adopted the Schutzhund test as an evaluation for breeding stock. Even today in Germany, only puppies from breedings in which both the sire and the dam have passed the tests and achieved a Schutzhund or herding title, in addition to passing an endurance test and receiving a conformation rating and breed survey, can be registered with the SV. Only such dogs can truly be considered German Shepherd Dogs. Over the years, much of Europe adopted these same standards, which are still in place today and are probably the single greatest contributor to the high quality of the German Shepherd Dogs from Europe. Many breeders outside of Europe have chosen to follow the example of the SV, and still utilise Schutzhund for its original purpose: to preserve the German Shepherd as a working dog.

From professionals to hobbyists
Today it is enjoyed by tens of thousands of people from all walks of life across the world. While Schutzhund has evolved into a highly competitive international sport with local, regional, national and international level competitions held every year throughout the world, most people involved participate on a hobby level. They enjoy working with their dogs in a manner that highlights their natural working abilities. Today, dogs of various breeds compete in IPO (same as Schutzhund) and many other breed clubs have since adopted standards similar to the SV for evaluating breed worthiness in their dogs. It is not uncommon to see Dobermanns, Rottweilers, Giant Schnauzers, Boxers, Belgian Malinios, Bouviers, Dutch Shepherds and many other working and herding breeds at such competitions. However, German Shepherd Dogs remain by far the most common breed involved in Schutzhund and the sport remains an important part of the breed's heritage and future.

The Schutzhund titles
Schutzhund involves three phases: tracking, obedience and protection. Each phase has specific tasks or exercises that the dog and handler must perform, and each phase is graded on a point system with a maximum score of 100 points in each phase. A dog and handler team must score a minimum number of points in each phase (70 in obedience and tracking, 80 in protection) in order to pass and earn a title. And all this must be done at the same trial on the same day. There are three levels of Schutzhund titles: SchH1, SchH2 and SchH3. Each title is progressively more difficult to accomplish as the individual exercises become harder and the overall level of performance required increases. The SchH3 is the highest level. Prior to trailing for a Schutzhund title, all dogs must pass the BH, or companion dog test. The BH is graded pass/fail and includes an obedience test as well as a temperament test. All of these tests are designed to ensure that the dog is safe and reliable and has the proper basic temperament for work, prior to continuing training and trialling for Schutzhund titles. The next article will focus on the three phases of the sport.

SA Nationals
The 2011 Schutzhund National Protection Dog Championship will be held from 16 to 19 June at the Boksburg City Stadium.

Text: Britt Stanton

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