# Best competitions or trials to try???



## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

We have two/1 year old pups. They love going, have been in training since they were 4 months old...nothing serious...just socializing, basic obedience, tricks and tracking food. They moved to more serious training every Saturday since they turned 5 months old. The trainer teaches protection, tracking, real world agility, obedience and bite work. We love the guy. We are considering shows....and wanted to know the best show to start with! Is there a good setting competition? Do all require us to have all of their paperwork? We can get it together we just have not actually registered them yet....we were in no hurry since we never considered shows. Seeing how much they love to work, and train we are now considering it! 
Any suggestions would be great!


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

My AKC experience is old (over 10 years old) but you had to have paper work to do obedience trials. You might want to look for fun matches near you as a place to start. 

For Schutzhund DVG does not require that the dog be registered or purebrerd but you have to have your scorebook to enter a trial. You are required to belong to a club to enter a trial. You are required to have a BH to do anything else and the dog must be 15 months old to try for a BH. Don't know what the requirements are for other organizations.


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## DaniFani (Jan 24, 2013)

What do you mean by "shows?"


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I personally love agility. XD


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

middleofnowhere said:


> My AKC experience is old (over 10 years old) but you had to have paper work to do obedience trials. You might want to look for fun matches near you as a place to start.
> 
> For Schutzhund DVG does not require that the dog be registered or purebrerd but you have to have your scorebook to enter a trial. You are required to belong to a club to enter a trial. You are required to have a BH to do anything else and the dog must be 15 months old to try for a BH. Don't know what the requirements are for other organizations.


Great info, thank you! 


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

DaniFani said:


> What do you mean by "shows?"


Sorry....meant different types of competitions or work that is just fun for the dogs....groups that like to work their dogs...stuff like that...don't care for ring shows...and not sure our working line Czech\DDR shepherds could even participate in ring shows...



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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

Well working line dogs can do AKC...if you mean schutzhund the best start would be a club trial-I think


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## DaniFani (Jan 24, 2013)

I think your trainer that does all these things would be the best place to find information. What has he/she said?


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

What is a ring show? You mean conformation?

For all AKC stuff you need to have your dog's registration. You generally have to be registered/signed up for the show like 3 weeks in advance. There is a show closing date. UKC stuff you can register day of, or earlier and generally get discounts.

The obedience, agility, rally, conformation trials have fairly strict rules that you should know before entering. The actual trial has a very organized order that you should know before you ever enter the ring. You should understand what you are and aren't allowed to do when it comes to your dog. For instance, in the AKC, if your dog leaves the ring without a leash on, you get NQ'd, which means you fail even if you did get a qualifying score. There are also very intricate rules on points and what's allowed which you should have some idea of. For instance, in the AKC, depending on what exercise you're on, you can give your dog "encouragement" and lose points, but if you give a second command, you fail.

In Schutzhund shows, the obedience portion is memorized, so you need to know that before you get in there since the judge will not give you any commands.

You should join a club, or take a class that is pointed towards whatever trial/show you're interested in. I'd be surprised if your trainer didn't know some of this stuff as a sign of a good trainer to me is someone that has titled/shown their own dogs in the area they claim to be an expert in.

What is "real world agility?"


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

holland said:


> Well working line dogs can do AKC...if you mean schutzhund the best start would be a club trial-I think


Thank you...


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

DaniFani said:


> I think your trainer that does all these things would be the best place to find information. What has he/she said?


He does protection competitions. He has an amazing talent with dogs...but all of his dogs work...drug dog, protection...he does not do the "working dog competitions" he works his dogs in real life everyday...their job is tracking, drugs detection and protection. He does not advertise as a competition dog trainer, he does not advertise. We found him by sheer luck (and are thankful everyday)....he said he could put me in touch with people...but he only does protection competitions...which he told us all about. I just wanted to know where to start so I could know who to contact when he gives me the info. It looks like I will have to start the registration process for sure....I have been avoiding the paperwork...guess I will have to make time for that up front. 
We were blessed to find the guy but he teaches us and the pups everything. He is amazing with people and the dogs...our dogs and teen girls get so excited waiting for Saturdays to come around. He is the third trainer we have tried... The first was horrible, we did not finish the class...the second was great but basic stuff, we still visit their kennels for play and swimming since they have a doggie pool with a beach entrance but he is the most basic in his equipment but sore detailed in everything we and the dogs do. The kids are enjoying so much and are the ones interested in competitions or working dog groups to meet and work dogs. 


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

martemchik said:


> What is a ring show? You mean conformation?
> 
> For all AKC stuff you need to have your dog's registration. You generally have to be registered/signed up for the show like 3 weeks in advance. There is a show closing date. UKC stuff you can register day of, or earlier and generally get discounts.
> 
> ...


Sorry for the confusion! This is out first time with shepherds! We are learning so much and I read day and night about the working line breed to know as much as possible! I don't have terms among other things down. I never thought I was a dog person until we got these two shepherds...now I am in love. 
Yes...I was told by the first trainer (total crap-had great reviews online, but got there and she kept referring to our 3 month old puppy's as bully breed dogs...we left)...but she said you only do conformation if you want to breed. We are not interested in having puppy's...so we did not want to do that. 
Great suggestion....I guess I will look into specific areas and start there. Our trainer (3rd one) does not advertise, we found him by luck!!!  The things he does with them is so detailed. He noticed while training that our male... Does not like people walking behind him of he is laying down. He started that quirk around 6 months old...he never barked or growled and would never leave his command...but acted like a owl...so the next few classes...during training he made a point to give directions behind miles, move odd ways behind him, walking other dogs behind him, he is now completely desensitized and stays completely focused on whoever is training with him...it was more of an irritation for us but as much as the dogs go and do...it was important. When we are eating at outdoor restaurants we don't want him jumping and bumping into a waitress or waiter...or another customer trying to get up or sit down. He has a gift with dogs, but all of his dogs are working drug detection, tracking and personal protection....don't see him doing any of the competitions or trials...for fun. 
Real world agility...just a term for the dogs playing in everyday situations. Not being scared to climb boulders, cross trees over rivers or ponds, jumping off boats, swimming in the ocean...just making them thrive in any condition...it all sounded to good to be true from a trainer...and I know I am not giving him the justice he deserves but seeing his dogs...seeing the difference in our friends dog who now goes (completely different dog for the better)...and seeing the confidence, courage, thinking ability of our dogs....and the patience he shows teaching us and our teen girls...he truly has a gift...







Our daughter on a boulder that is about 8-9 feet high...Millie climbed to be with our daughter...







Miles on a smaller one he liked jumping...







A tree etched on top for grip on one of the trails we hike...I will get pics later of the climbing on branches, crossing logs, they have yet to face anything they will not try when in the woods...or parks. Basically using everyday things to teach and play with them. One thing I will have to record is them climbing a root system on a trail like a ladder. I was to scared to take pics, I was under them incase they fell...not that I could catch 70lbs from the air...but they would have had a soft landing. Them durning obedience training Millie is the full body shot and miles is the head shot...my daughter was laying on his legs as a pillow...tried to crop it out.

















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## Cheyanna (Aug 18, 2012)

Mcdanfam, where are u located at? Sometimes local organizations have competitions.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

It sounds like you probably have some good foundation training on your dogs, however if you wish to participate in SchH and trial with your dogs you need to find a SchH club that can help you train specifically for the requirements of SchH. The same goes for any sport. They all have certain requirements and exercises that the dogs must know, and these must be trained for. Some of the training that you've already done will no doubt carry over, but I would expect some additional training to be required before you are ready to trial in anything. 

Of course, you as handler also need to be familiar with the trial exercises and rules of the organization that you intend to participate in. So I would think your first step would be to look up the rules/exercises of the sports you're interested in, and second step would be to find someone to work with who trains specifically for that sport to help you and your dogs get prepared.


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

We are in South Carolina....


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

Thank you for all the tips....I guess the search will be on for a club that most are describing...I guess research will start tonight. I never knew there was so much to learn about dogs. Tons of time...but so rewarding...they are such a huge part of our family. 


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Nice foundation work....keep up your enthusiasm ....we need more people exposing our breed to things like you and your trainer are doing....reminds me of me many many moons ago.....lol


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

cliffson1 said:


> Nice foundation work....keep up your enthusiasm ....we need more people exposing our breed to things like you and your trainer are doing....reminds me of me many many moons ago.....lol


Thank you... I hope to learn everything I can to give the pups everything they need. They have gone everywhere with us, and the girls refuse to take a vacation where the dogs can't go....they did enjoy the keys...and they love riding in the car. 
Some people tell us we are exposing them to many places! They may get sick....but we can't stand to leave them. 
I am willing to learn so any suggestions in any area is welcomed.... 


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