# My family seems to think I am crazy for doing Schutzhund Training :(



## Rogue's Mama (Aug 8, 2013)

I have been doing a lot of research and Schutzhund training seems to be a good fit for my GSD puppy. She is 12 weeks old and I have contacted the local club and will be going out there tonight to check it out. However, now I am facing the challenge of the ridicule from my family such as my father and mother. Their argument to me is that I should not have my dog trained in protection when I have 3 small children. My kids are ages 2,4, and 6. They think it will create a more aggressive dog and that I would higher my chances of my dog turning on someone in the family. I have tried to tell them that this is not true but they are still trying to convince me not to do it. My husband and I are on board for the training but we just want to ask some questions from people who have done the sport so we can try to tell our parents We Got This! 

1. Have you ever seen Schutzhund training make a dog more aggressive?
2. Is it something you would recommend for a family dog?
3. In my opinion I would trust my dog more when we have been doing Schutzhund training because she would be better obedience wise or am I just being naive?


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Rogue's Mama said:


> I have been doing a lot of research and Schutzhund training seems to be a good fit for my GSD puppy. She is 12 weeks old and I have contacted the local club and will be going out there tonight to check it out. However, now I am facing the challenge of the ridicule from my family such as my father and mother. Their argument to me is that I should not have my dog trained in protection when I have 3 small children. My kids are ages 2,4, and 6. They think it will create a more aggressive dog and that I would higher my chances of my dog turning on someone in the family. I have tried to tell them that this is not true but they are still trying to convince me not to do it. My husband and I are on board for the training but we just want to ask some questions from people who have done the sport so we can try to tell our parents We Got This!
> 
> 1. Have you ever seen Schutzhund training make a dog more aggressive?
> 2. Is it something you would recommend for a family dog?
> 3. In my opinion I would trust my dog more when we have been doing Schutzhund training because she would be better obedience wise or am I just being naive?


1. Nope. If the dog is aggressive after SchH, then dog was aggressive before training.
2. Sure. The better OB alone would be good to have
3. Nope, true statement


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## MilesNY (Aug 12, 2010)

If the dog is stable, and the training is done correctly, there is no increase in aggression. Both of my dogs do schutzhund and are wonderful family dogs. They are both great with children. I think it is a great activity to do because not only is your dog trained but he is also engaged mentally which makes them much easier to live with. 

Good luck with your new little fuzz ball!


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

If your dog does bite someone that he shouldn't have and causes damage and you get sued, a lawyer will have his way with you in court by saying that you trained your dog to bite people. Anytime you train a dog to bite people you take on a certain amount of liability. Having said that, your dog's temperament is largely predetermined by genetics. Schutzhund primarily trains a dog in prey drive and dogs don't tend to see people as prey objects, although that is only partially accurate. Schutzhund dogs are usually equipment oriented and tend to only bite a sleeve. Schutzhund is also about having a lot of control and obedience on your dog, so you are also teaching your dog not to bite at times and if your obedience is really good, you should be able to tell your dog to sit or down with an immediate response if he starts showing unwanted aggression. A lot depends on the dog and if he is trained beyond being purely a schutzhund dog. Besides, it is your dog and not your parent's.


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## hunterisgreat (Jan 30, 2011)

Chip Blasiole said:


> Besides, it is your dog and not your parent's.


+1 And you have kids of your own... are your parents the controlling type that won't let you run your own show even when you're obviously an adult?


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## DaniFani (Jan 24, 2013)

hunterisgreat said:


> 1. Nope. If the dog is aggressive after SchH, then dog was aggressive before training.
> 2. Sure. The better OB alone would be good to have
> 3. Nope, true statement


Agree with Hunter's answers! 

I actually had a woman that trains seeing-eye dogs give me a huge lecture on why I shouldn't do SchH with our shepherd. Something about my dog being way more likely to bite my son, channeling un-necessary aggression...yadda yadda. I just smiled and nodded....my life, my dog, my family, my kids....As long as my husband is on board with me, not much else matters. ;-)


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## Rogue's Mama (Aug 8, 2013)

It is definitely mine and my husbands choice but I would just like my parents not to give me grief about it. We are military so we do not even live close to them but we do go down and visit and stay at their house with our dogs. But they would never tell me not to do anything, I just want them to understand more about the sport and not listen to crazy speculations. I have never done it before so I was hoping to just ease their concern and the concern they are giving me by having some people that have done the sport and their experiences.


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## crackem (Mar 29, 2006)

People who don't know, just won't know until they have experience. My family thought the same thing. My mom in particular, now she loves the dogs more than anybody. There are still extended family members that don't understand, and friends, but anybody that spends time with us and our dogs knows better. They didn't always though. 

Well they still think I'm crazy, but now they aren't afraid of the dogs.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

You could tell them that police dogs are usually more aggressive than most schutzhund dogs and are trained to bite with a mindset that the biting is no so much a game as schutzhund and that a lot of these police dogs go home with their handlers and live as part of the family with small children. Again, it really depends on the dog.
What can you tell us about your dog's genetics, such as workingline vs. something else, etc.


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## FoxyMom (Feb 9, 2013)

Rogue's Mama said:


> It is definitely mine and my husbands choice but I would just like my parents not to give me grief about it. We are military so we do not even live close to them but we do go down and visit and stay at their house with our dogs. But they would never tell me not to do anything, I just want them to understand more about the sport and not listen to crazy speculations. I have never done it before so I was hoping to just ease their concern and the concern they are giving me by having some people that have done the sport and their experiences.


I always seem to make choices that are contrary to the general populations choices. My mom usually has the most concerns and questions. I have found that she doesn't feel comfortable until she sees whatever it is in action. No matter how much great info I give her. 


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

crackem said:


> People who don't know, just won't know until they have experience. My family thought the same thing. My mom in particular, now she loves the dogs more than anybody. There are still extended family members that don't understand, and friends, but anybody that spends time with us and our dogs knows better. They didn't always though.
> 
> Well they still think I'm crazy, but now they aren't afraid of the dogs.


Yep this is my experience. First family was not thrilled with the idea of a GSD then top that off with Schutzhund training - OMG! 

Now they like the breed and love my dog and see that the GSD is not a monster nor did Schutzhund training make her a dangerous monster.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My family doesn't care that we do bitework, they are more concerned that I'm gone alot and spend so much $ on training(if they only knew!)


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## holland (Jan 11, 2009)

whatever you do don't tell them...


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## JanaeUlva (Feb 5, 2011)

holland said:


> whatever you do don't tell them...


LOL!!! Yeah I've always kept that a lie 


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## Rogue's Mama (Aug 8, 2013)

Thank you all for the information. My husband and I are so happy to get involved with the sport and since Rogue comes from a working line and she seems to have the high prey drive I think she will excel! My father is actually coming around and is talking about doing something like Schutzhund training with his Bouvier. I sent them a load of information and stuff that y'all have wrote and they no longer think my puppy is going to eat my children! lol


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

Schutzhund has three phases. Down play the protection aspect of it with your family. Around them focus your conversations on competitive obedience and tracking. After about 6 months of obedience training, do a couple of demonstrations for them. 

As far as how Schutzhund training affects your dog, I actually became more comfortable with my dog around kids and strangers after we started because I got to know my dog better. I have a much better understanding of my dog's thresholds for defense and aggression. Prior to doing schutzhund I might have always lived in fear of him biting someone. Now that I know him better, I never really even think about it. My wife takes him to work. My kids have teenage friends that come and go. There is constant activity in his life and I have complete confidence in his stability. 

Schutzhund did not make him stable though. That is a product of his genetics. Schutzhund just exposed a deeper aspect of his character that might not have been revealed to me otherwise.


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## Catu (Sep 6, 2007)

onyx'girl said:


> My family doesn't care that we do bitework, they are more concerned that I'm gone alot and spend so much $ on training(if they only knew!)


Absolutely true! Specially the part in betweens :wild:


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## rgrey (Jul 30, 2013)

Nothing helpful to add-just that I'm in the same boat. You are not alone!


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## marbury (Apr 3, 2012)

Y'know, MOST of the folks that I know personally who do schutzund with their dogs have young kids, most under 3. And their Facebook pages are stuffed to the gills with adorable pictures of their toddlers laying on their dogs. Go figure!


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

it's your dog and your family's opinion doesn't matter. does your
family know anything about a Schutzhund trained dog?


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