# Will Schutzhund affect Herding?



## sirius (Dec 15, 2010)

So my plan's to either do both Schutzhund and Herding with either my current or my next dog who won't be coming until fall 2012. I have interest in both sports except several people have told me that those two sports might not be such a good combination

That the Stick they use in Schutzhund and Herding might confuse the dog. Several of them made sense that I hadn't thought a lot about.
So, what are your opinions on the combination? Do you think it's a good idea or a "one or the other option"?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I don't see that either one will confuse the dog. Two totally different venues/training techniques. I would like to have a strong obedience foundation on my dog before doing any herding, so SchH training (OB) would be a benefit, not a detriment. 
I know of a few people who do both, shows the total breed and what they are bred to do, obey, protect and work!


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

If it correctly bred, it should be able to do either.


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

There are some advantages and disadvantages of doing both.
Keep in mind I do HGH-style herding which may be different from what you'd be doing. 

Kessy was Schh titled when we started herding. Overall, it is helpful. She can control herself and listen while in drive. She will work at a distance. She can take a correction and pressure and will bounce right back. This is genetics just as much as training but I do think the training has helped.

It has hurt us in a few areas as well. When we first started herding, she was always on a long line to keep her under control. Unfortunately, in her mind, long line meant tracking. And we did some force tracking with her too, so she'd had a lot of pressure put on her. It took a long time for her to be willing to get out of tracking mode with a long line on. It definitely took longer to lay the foundation for herding because of this. 

Also when we first started moving the sheep, when going back along the left side of the flock (while facing them), she wanted to zip around behind them vs. coming back up along the same side. Although this isn't uncommon in dogs, she didn't even think about doing it on the other side. I finally figured out WHY she was doing it...in Schh, she would go around a blind in that direction, and it carried over to the sheep. It was fixed fairly easily - I set up a blind in the backyard, sent her to it and then called her back before she got there. I think I did two sessions of that - and she never tried it again with the sheep. She knows the difference now.

Individual dogs may have different conflicts between the two, but with good training and patience (and the right genetics) a good GSD can definitely do both.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

I haven't done herding but I know some people who have done both. I know that in AKC herding there is some resistance to dogs participating that have learned to bite. But the people who competed always said "At least my dog has a solid out!" I knew a Mal that was a Herding Champion and also competed in SchH and Flyball. I don't think there way any trouble in transitioning between events. I agree that learning to work in drive is probably helpful and the dogs are generally smart enough to know the differences between the two venues.


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