# Our first actual Schutzhund training :)



## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

Stark (Mako vom Haus Rentz - German Shepherd Dog) and I went down to Charlotte, NC (about a 3 hour drive) for our first official club meeting. We learned how to start training in tracking, which today is our second day doing it alone and he seems to be doing well! 

I am completely new to this world, so I don't come with a lot of knowledge. The only thing I do know how to do is the Obedience portion! And in the two weeks I've been working with him, that's probably our best asset  He's learning to perfect his long down, his heel work is taking off in leaps and bounds, eventually we'll start work on sit, down, stand in motion. I need to get video of his heel work  I was hoping for him to be showy and I think he just may be. I've also ordered Michael Ellis' "Focused Heeling" and I'll hopefully be getting it in the mail any day now!

So when we did the obedience part at the club on Saturday, I thought he did fairly well  I'm learning what is expected for competition and hopefully I'll be able to work him correctly!

Lastly was protection. He's only done bite work a handful of times. I was told he was much more confident today  so I figured I'd post the video that we took and see what you guys thought of him... he's 15 months old, I'd say this is probably his 3rd time really doing bite work. (of course, during the two weeks I've had him I've played and worked on increasing his toy drive, worked on his recall back to me when he has a toy (which he use to be horrible at!), and really worked on tugging with him!)

Anyway, here are a couple videos! 

MVI 7911 - YouTube

MVI 7917 - YouTube

He's not a barker  any advice on how to get a bark or two out of him other than frustrating him (which we're working on currently... it seems he will bark when I'm playing with the flirt pole and he can't play... so we're capitalizing on that and trying to mark the behavior and release him to the toy)


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## gmcwife1 (Apr 5, 2012)

Sounds like things went really well 

I can't watch the videos at work, but look forward to watching them tonight!


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

For not knowing what to expect, I think we did very well  It's beginner stuff, compared to everyone else... but everyone else was very nice and accommodating


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## gagsd (Apr 24, 2003)

Looked nice!
As to barking.... maybe more experienced people will pipe up... but my $.02....

Mostly it is between the helper and the dog, imo. 
If the club allows it, a harness can free the dog up to bark, or at least a wider agitation collar. 
For dogs that are really "prey" driven, so much that they "can't" bark, some people use a prong. The dog can't pull, that energy has to come out somehow, and often you get a bark that way. Just from this video, I would say a prong would not be right at this point for this dog.
Behind a fence often works.
Or just tie the dog out and ignore until he says he is ready.... by barking.
I did teach "speak" at home. I don't think that really transitioned to the field as it is a very different scenario, and a very different bark. But it can't hurt.


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## szariksdad (Jun 25, 2010)

From what I saw in the video the helper could be more patient and wait for the dog to animate him instead of going active so quick. i.e no movement until the dog barks out of frustration that can help build a bark. Also I can't tell is he on the leather collar and not the prong. If so it might be to wide of a collar and choking him a bit when he works, I had that problem with my dog recently and moved him to using both rings on the prong so he doesn't get choked and he works great.


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## Packen (Sep 14, 2008)

Nice work and pretty good pup you have there. Do not worry about the barking, it will come later.


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## e.rigby (May 28, 2011)

I did think about the collar (as an afterthought), he does tend to pull on it rather hard and if it's choking him it is probably also hindering his barking (especially since he's not big on barking in the first place!) I have a harness for him, and hopefully will have a leather agitation harness soon. But at least the harness I do have will take the pressure off his throat! 

 I have high hopes for him  Thanks to everyone who commented


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## KJenkins (Aug 29, 2005)

Don't worry about the barking just yet, as said it will come. Glad to see I'm not the only person that travels this far to train.


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## abakerrr (Aug 8, 2008)

Fun! Looked like he had a good time.

For dogs that don't naturally come out barking, i've seen people successfully build on it by back-tying their dog to a nearby tree or posting with a harness while other young dogs work their own barking, grips, etc.


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