# New to all of this...



## Danielle609 (Jun 18, 2011)

Hi all, I don't even have a puppy yet, but trying to figure everything out. So I have been trying to do some research on Schutzhund because I am wondering if it is something I would be interested in or not when we do get a puppy. So I have some questions for you all.
1) Will the training make the dog more aggressive? I have a 17 month old, and am going to do everything possible to make sure the dog has a great temperament. I have heard mixed things. I heard from one person that the train actually makes the dog safer, because they will only bite on command. Is that correct?
2) The couple of breeder that I like breed West German showlines. Can you still train them in schutzhund? I am hearing a lot about DDR (I do not know what this means) and working line dogs for this. I would not be competing, if I do it at all it will be mainly so the dog has some extra activity.
3) I tried googling Schutzhund trainers around me (West Michigan) and I came up with K9 Academy international, anyone hear about them? Or can you recommend someone around Grand Rapids? 
Now like I said, I don't even have a puppy, or even sure if Schutzhund is for me. Just trying to figure everything out. Thanks a lot!


Now like I said, I don't even have a puppy, or even sure if Schutzhund is for me. Just trying to figure everything out. Thanks a lot!


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

You can find clubs here www.germanshepherdog.com and the best way to find out if schutzhund is for you is to ask to go visit a club and watch the training


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

oops sorry www.germanshepherddog.com


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

Danielle609 said:


> 1) Will the training make the dog more aggressive? I have a 17 month old, and am going to do everything possible to make sure the dog has a great temperament. I have heard mixed things. I heard from one person that the train actually makes the dog safer, because they will only bite on command. Is that correct?


I'm not an expert, but this is my view:

If the dog has correct temperament and is trained competently, bitework should not increase aggression in the day-to-day world. HOWEVER, be aware that in some regions, such training is a liability. If your dog should bite someone in the real world, and they sue you, they can prove that you "made" your dog aggressive by Schutzhund training, and so are harboring a "vicious" animal that is trained to bite. 

So, the moral of that story is... the dog must have correct temperament, competent training, and an "off" switch.

Some trainers prefer to teach bitework before obedience, so that the dog has full use of its natural drives. Others want the dog to have solid obedience before starting bitework. If you're new to Schutzhund and are concerned about liability, I'd go with a trainer or club that does the latter.


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## szariksdad (Jun 25, 2010)

Along with the link holland provided here is the one for dvg
DVG AMERICA Main Menu
As far a can a showline dog do the sport, yes if it has the drives and is started off right as a puppy. As far as more aggressive if the dog does not have the right temperament and nerve base it can become a problem. I would recommend go to a club and talk to the training director and watch the club work dogs and see if this is something you have interest in.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

K9 Academy is Nino's place in Lowell. I live very close by but have never gone there. As far as I know he just trains privately or maybe offers group training but it is not a Schutzhund club. I haven't seen anyone training there at trials recently. Gustavo Sanchez in Lansing trains with a club and has group training. He's a very good helper. You can do SchH with a show line dog but often they are not suited for it, or they wash out, and it is always more difficult to train a dog that lacks the purposeful breeding that makes a good working dog a good working dog (and this is coming from someone who is currently preparing a show line dog for SchH titles, I'm not trying to start a type war). Good Schutzhund training does not "make" the dog one thing or the other, it simply gives you the opportunity to channel the drives the dog is born with into various phases.


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## Danielle609 (Jun 18, 2011)

Liesje said:


> K9 Academy is Nino's place in Lowell. I live very close by but have never gone there. As far as I know he just trains privately or maybe offers group training but it is not a Schutzhund club. I haven't seen anyone training there at trials recently. Gustavo Sanchez in Lansing trains with a club and has group training. He's a very good helper. You can do SchH with a show line dog but often they are not suited for it, or they wash out, and it is always more difficult to train a dog that lacks the purposeful breeding that makes a good working dog a good working dog (and this is coming from someone who is currently preparing a show line dog for SchH titles, I'm not trying to start a type war). Good Schutzhund training does not "make" the dog one thing or the other, it simply gives you the opportunity to channel the drives the dog is born with into various phases.


Thanks for the info! I see we are "neighbors"  Do you go all the way to Lansing to train your dogs? Would a GSD do fine without any certain activity? Just good obediance classes and family interaction?

Thanks for all the info everyone! I will be checking out those links!


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

No, I currently train in Battle Creek. It really depends on the dogs and their lines. Mine are a little stir crazy without some more intense physical activity and metal activity on a routine basis.

Generally one is considered lucky if traveling an hour or less for good Schutzhund training. Many people cross state borders or even come down from Canada to train.


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## Danielle609 (Jun 18, 2011)

Wow, that is crazy! But it sounds as if this sport is something you need to make sure that you have a good trainer for


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## Hillary_Plog (Apr 3, 2011)

Hey Danielle...you are asking a lot of really great questions!

Asking whether or not a show line GSD can/will do schutzhund, is going to get A LOT of different opinions depending on WHO you ask, or rather on here, WHO answers. In my opinion, any dog from any line can do schutzhund, but you have to pick the right puppy and do the right kind of training respectively. I have seen working line dogs that have washed out of schutzhund and I have seen show line dogs excel, compete and do well in schutzhund. So...there is no "rule", you just need to know what your ultimate goals are and work with WHATEVER breeder (show or working line) you use to pick the right puppy for those goals.

That said, in order to answer your question, based on your previous posts you are looking for a stable, family pet, and since that is your main concern you are going to have a breeder picking out a low drive puppy, non-dominant and pack-driven (not independant). This type of dog will probably not be a dog suited for schutzhund, but would be fantastic for obedience classes, walks in the park, swimming in lakes, playing ball, hiking, jogs, etc...maybe even an agility or rally class for fun!

FYI, Liesje is right...many people, in fact ALL of the people I train with, travel hours in order to train with the RIGHT schutzhund helper (our beloved Carlos). I travel two hours each way every single weekend.


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## Fast (Oct 13, 2004)

Danielle609 said:


> 1) Will the training make the dog more aggressive? I have a 17 month old, and am going to do everything possible to make sure the dog has a great temperament. I have heard mixed things. I heard from one person that the train actually makes the dog safer, because they will only bite on command. Is that correct?


No this is not correct. A schutzhund trained dog might still bite, just like any other dog. And when he does bite he is more likely to do a good job of it. But if the dog is trained WELL in schutzhund the dog should have more control and you should have the handling skills to make the dog safer than it would be without the training.




> 2) The couple of breeder that I like breed West German showlines. Can you still train them in schutzhund?


Sure you can. But you will, most likely, train more and get less than you would with a west German workingline dog. Same thing goes for the DDR line dogs.


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## Danielle609 (Jun 18, 2011)

Thanks Hillary! You have been very helpful! I think that Schutzhund is probably not for me. I just want to make sure that when we do get a GSD that I give it enough physical and mental work that it needs to stay happy


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