# What is IPO and what does a dog need to start IPO?



## Giuliano_Rocco (Oct 18, 2020)

What is IPO? How can a dog start IPO and what do they look for ina. dog? I have a 5 month old German showline who has a high food, tug and prey drive.


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

Google:

Schutzhund (/'ʃʊtshʊnt/, German for "protection *dog*"), currently known competitively as IGP and previously as *IPO*, is a *dog* sport that tests a *dog's* tracking, obedience, and protection skills, and evaluates if a *dog* has the appropriate traits and characteristics of a good working *dog*. 

What is the difference between IPO and Schutzhund?
In today's modern format, there is virtually no *difference between Schutzhund* and *IPO*. Both were developed for the same purpose. *IPO* is the International standard, and at one time had a different set of rules as determined by the governing body of FCI.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Giuliano_Rocco said:


> What is IPO? How can a dog start IPO and what do they look for ina. dog? I have a 5 month old German showline who has a high food, tug and prey drive.


It is a breed test with 3 phases. Protection, obedience and tracking. Look up the Canadian schutzhund club and look for local clubs.


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## Giuliano_Rocco (Oct 18, 2020)

Jax08 said:


> It is a breed test with 3 phases. Protection, obedience and tracking. Look up the Canadian schutzhund club and look for local clubs.


what does a dog need to start ipo?


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## Giuliano_Rocco (Oct 18, 2020)

WNGD said:


> Google:
> 
> Schutzhund (/'ʃʊtshʊnt/, German for "protection *dog*"), currently known competitively as IGP and previously as *IPO*, is a *dog* sport that tests a *dog's* tracking, obedience, and protection skills, and evaluates if a *dog* has the appropriate traits and characteristics of a good working *dog*.
> 
> ...


what does a dog need to start ipo?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Giuliano_Rocco said:


> what does a dog need to start ipo?


Well, first, find a club. Your dog should be evaluated by the club training director. Look up the Canadian schutzhund club and look for local clubs. 

Your dog will be eval'd. there are three phases so expect to spend a lot of time training. And it's an expensive sport to start out. Once you know a little and have accumulated equipment, it gets easier. At 5 months, you should start foundation in obedience and tracking. I wouldn't get to concerned about protection yet. 

Your dog needs drive and solid nerves. Hunt drive for tracking. IGP tracking is very obedience based but they still need the desire to hunt and find. Obedience - your dog should want to work. Dogs that are higher prey are easier to train in obedience than dogs higher in defense. Protection - prey drive and a full grip will take you far. I have one higher in prey and the other higher in aggression. It is a journey figuring out the one after 6 years with the other. 

this sport puts stress on dogs. Your dog needs to be able to work thru that stress. I'm not talking about beating your dog. But the precision and duration that is required can put a lot of stress on some dogs. 

So go find a club and see where it takes you


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## Giuliano_Rocco (Oct 18, 2020)

Jax08 said:


> Well, first, find a club. Your dog should be evaluated by the club training director. Look up the Canadian schutzhund club and look for local clubs.
> 
> Your dog will be eval'd. there are three phases so expect to spend a lot of time training. And it's an expensive sport to start out. Once you know a little and have accumulated equipment, it gets easier. At 5 months, you should start foundation in obedience and tracking. I wouldn't get to concerned about protection yet.
> 
> ...


how do you know if a dog is weak or strong nerved? and do they need to have very high prey drives or somewhat of a prey drive? And how do you know if a dog wants to work?


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

Giuliano_Rocco said:


> how do you know if a dog is weak or strong nerved? and do they need to have very high prey drives or somewhat of a prey drive? And how do you know if a dog wants to work?


The dogs don’t need to have high prey drive. Some of the best digs aren’t actually prey monsters. High prey drive makes them easier to train in certain situations, and allows you to start working them earlier. All shepherds want to work in my opinion. Bear started out paying zero attention to tugs, sleeves, decoys, or anything else. He now whines and drags me to the field to work. If you use mostly positive methods, your dog should enjoy working. Once most dogs learn what is expected and what they are allowed to do, they absolutely love protection work. As for nerves, I guess I would ask how stable your dog is? How does he handle new experiences? How easy is it to rattle him?


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## Giuliano_Rocco (Oct 18, 2020)

Bearshandler said:


> The dogs don’t need to have high prey drive. Some of the best digs aren’t actually prey monsters. High prey drive makes them easier to train in certain situations, and allows you to start working them earlier. All shepherds want to work in my opinion. Bear started out paying zero attention to tugs, sleeves, decoys, or anything else. He now whines and drags me to the field to work. If you use mostly positive methods, your dog should enjoy working. Once most dogs learn what is expected and what they are allowed to do, they absolutely love protection work. As for nerves, I guess I would ask how stable your dog is? How does he handle new experiences? How easy is it to rattle him?


he wants to play with every human he sees, he also walks on a than ledge that is a foot long before falling into the pool. i have another dog who is afraid of the vacuum but my gsd loves to chase and bite it. he is reactive to dogs though. What do you mean by rattle him? He also loves loves loves loves his flirt pole.


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## Giuliano_Rocco (Oct 18, 2020)

Bearshandler said:


> The dogs don’t need to have high prey drive. Some of the best digs aren’t actually prey monsters. High prey drive makes them easier to train in certain situations, and allows you to start working them earlier. All shepherds want to work in my opinion. Bear started out paying zero attention to tugs, sleeves, decoys, or anything else. He now whines and drags me to the field to work. If you use mostly positive methods, your dog should enjoy working. Once most dogs learn what is expected and what they are allowed to do, they absolutely love protection work. As for nerves, I guess I would ask how stable your dog is? How does he handle new experiences? How easy is it to rattle him?


he was afraid of certain staircases but only to go down them, he would cry cuz he wanted to go down but was able to sprint up. he's pretty calm in the house. he is a little barky but I blast music and he doesn't care. he sometimes barks at himself in the mirror. he likes to explore and eat everything off the floor.


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## Elisabeth Ann Parent (Dec 1, 2016)

Where in Canada are you located? I can suggest a club. I am in SW Ontario just outside of Toronto.


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## Nscullin (Sep 29, 2019)

Giuliano_Rocco said:


> how do you know if a dog is weak or strong nerved? and do they need to have very high prey drives or somewhat of a prey drive? And how do you know if a dog wants to work?


If you have to ask this question, you’re safer just going to the club and letting them see your dog. They’ll know.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Giuliano_Rocco (Oct 18, 2020)

Elisabeth Ann Parent said:


> Where in Canada are you located? I can suggest a club. I am in SW Ontario just outside of Toronto.


Montreal, Montreal north


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

Giuliano_Rocco said:


> he was afraid of certain staircases but only to go down them, he would cry cuz he wanted to go down but was able to sprint up. he's pretty calm in the house. he is a little barky but I blast music and he doesn't care. he sometimes barks at himself in the mirror. he likes to explore and eat everything off the floor.











Share examples of good nerve!


To help people understand what we mean when we talk about "good nerve", I thought I could start a thread where we can share examples about our dogs. This thread would be specifically to showcase behaviour that exemplifies strong, solid nerve. For example: I took Gryffon when he was about 9...




www.germanshepherds.com


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

Ultimately if IPO is something you want to do, you need to talk to a trainer or club.


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