# Will continued Schutzhund training "stunt" my boy's personality?



## SoCal Rebell (Jun 3, 2009)

After obedience training my GSDs for over 30 years I finally got a German import GSD with a Schutzhund pedigree. I've got him certified SCH. 1, wow it was much more intense then I ever imagined. I'm wondering if continuing on the Sch. 2 or even Sch. 3 will it change his personality? Right now he has a great personality, great herding and protection instincts but I'm worried continued train might turn him into a "blindly" obedient dog with no personality. Here's a pic of Cutter:


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

Why would you think that continued training would do so?

I have heard that getting the "1" is the hardest part - which I have to believe since I am currently working 2 dogs toward this (one will probably not reach that goal though).

I would of expected this train of though from someone on the other side of the fence, not an experienced schutzhund person.

For me, temperament/personality is more a genetic component than a training one. 

If you continue your course of action in regards to training, I don't see how that will hinder his personality/etc.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

You won't turn him into anything that he is not.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

cliffson1 said:


> You won't turn him into anything that he is not.


Like!


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

elisabeth_00117 said:


> I would of expected this train of though from someone on the other side of the fence, not an experienced schutzhund person.


I believe the OP bought the dog with the SchH1 already on him as has never done the sport.



> Right now he has a great personality, great herding and protection instincts but I'm worried continued train might turn him into a "blindly" obedient dog with no personality.


As said, temperament and instincts are that... genetic.
Now, have you considered that maybe that great personality is because he has been trained in Schutzhund?


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

SoCal Rebell said:


> After obedience training my GSDs for over 30 years I finally got a German import GSD with a Schutzhund pedigree. *I've got him certified SCH. 1, wow it was much more intense then I ever imagined*. I'm wondering if continuing on the Sch. 2 or even Sch. 3 will it change his personality? Right now he has a great personality, great herding and protection instincts but I'm worried continued train might turn him into a "blindly" obedient dog with no personality. Here's a pic of Cutter:


From the OP's post, I took it as HE is the one who did the training... maybe he could clarify this?


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

elisabeth_00117 said:


> From the OP's post, I took it as HE is the one who did the training... maybe he could clarify this?


Reading previous posts you are right, he trained him... :thinking:


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I am confused as well.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I read "I got him certified" like "I bought him certified" or "I had him certified" and not that the dog is HOT, I could be wrong though.

And no, continuing to work with him will not change his personality, in fact it will give you a much better insight into his personality.

Beautiful dog!


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Certified?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Reading his other thread, I wonder if the concern is more for the liability of having a protection trained dog. 


> My wife was in my front gated yard speaking with a neighbor from 4-5 doors down who I didn't know. I was watching from my office window which was facing them. The conversation were bad and my wife started screaming, I went outside to speak with the guy and he was cursing in a drunken rage, I went outside the front gate and confronted him and he threw a punch so I threw down with him, we were duking it out pretty good when all of a sudden Cutter my dog was there (I forgot to close the gate in the heat of the moment) and before I could do anything Cutter "neutralized" him and not in a good way.
> 
> Although he got what I thought he deserved and he wasn't seriously hurt (some punctures) I had to deal with Animal Control which if any of you have been through it you know it's not fun. My GSD is now on 3 years of probation. Here's a pic of him in my front yard so you can see the lay of the land.


 taken from this thread:
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/stories/177513-got-into-fist-fight-neighbor.html#post2411041
Hope he returns to clarify...but from what I gather he didn't title the dog himself. Everyone speculating on both threads and the OP hasn't answered either.


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## SoCal Rebell (Jun 3, 2009)

I got Cutter when he was a 9 week old pup, I obedience trained him and was his handler with the SCH. I posed the question on the General Discussion and was told to come here. My first time at this and alot of people had various opinions so I figured I'd come to the experts :help:


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

If that's cause for his concern, I'd say owning a German Shepherd dog in general comes with certain liabilities. Titled PPD, Schutzhund training, raw instinct....doesn't matter to me. IMO continued SchH training would probably do more good than harm, since it involves control and obedience in all three phases.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I'd much rather have a titled (HOT) IPO dog than one that isn't...the obedience needed for the titles is not easily attained, and training is ongoing, not just stopped due to a title goal. 
The dogs that have no obedience whether protection trained or not are the ones that carry risks. 
It really is all about the obedience, and you won't flatten "stunt" your dog if you do it without rushing and putting huge compulsion on the dog. The dog without a solid foundation will falter.
How did you train your dog?


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

Some of the wording you use describing SchH is odd - I'm not sure if you mean you trained him through the BH, and the three phases of Schutzhund yourself through a club? If you were involved in his Sch training, I think you would be using correct terminology and the training process would have given you deeper insight into his temperament and personality, so you would not have to be asking this question about on-going training. 

It sounds to me that you did some basic OB training, but someone else did the bulk of the three phase Schutzhund training, and you trialed him after that? That is what I get out of your posts, but I could be wrong.


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