# Effects of Schutzhund training



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I am exploring all kinds of activities with WD to see what works best for him.
How does Schutzhund training effect a dog's approach to people in the public?
I am worried that he will get confused and bite somebody who triggers this learned behavior.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

No, most dogs training in IPO are very well trained and obedient. If the training is done right and not rushed. But any dog, regardless of the training can be low threshold and reactive, so it depends on the dog as far as reliability and stable nerve base.

Not to say you can't activate him if needed,but a stable dog trained in the sport will be balanced and look to you for direction.

My dog was at a festival on Saturday and had many dogs bark at him/people close to him, a lady even put her baby in his face! He was just fine as he is of good nerve.
Now if he heard a whip crack, he may turn 'on' but he isn't going to willy nilly try to bite someone .


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

My Schutzhund titled dog was at work with me today (I work for a college). As I was leaving this guy I know came over to us and asked me a question about dog training. Nikon just stood at my side looking off toward the trees (squirrel!). As I was responding, my acquaintance bent over Nikon and pet Nikon's head. Nikon turned his attention to him wagged his tail. Then the man leaned over and kissed Nikon's face. Nikon licked his forehead. I was totally calm the whole time because I know my dog and trust my dog. He knew this man was not a threat because I was standing relaxed and talking to this man. If Nikon bit passersby I would not take him in public, whether he's Schutzhund trained or not.


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## robk (Jun 16, 2011)

If the dog is not stable enough to be trusted in public it probably should not do schutzhund anyway. I believe that only very stable nerved dogs should ever be trained in bite work. Schutzhund is way more than just bite work though. You really learn how to engage with and train your dog in schutzhund. Some parts of the sport are very helpful in the real world. For example, the long down comes in handy on a regular basis for us. 

Today my wife took Ruger to work. She works as a bookkeeper at a church and is alone all day often, so keeping Ruger around gives her company. Over the weekend someone left a freezer door open and all the contents of the freezer thawed and made a big mess. Her being a neat freak, decided to clean it out even though that type of thing is not really in her job description. She had to make multiple trips to the dumpster out side and left the back door to the church open while she was doing this. Ruger wanted to go visit the neighbors dogs but stayed in his long down right in side the door way the entire time she was cleaning up the mess.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Odie had a schutzhund title when I got her. 

I picked her up at the air port, having never met her. I let her out of the car and put a collar and lead on her. No problem. A few days later I had her at the ER and she let everyone handle her. A few days later she had a c-section and was awesome with all the staff. 

She was also trained for the show ring, and _that_ makes her want to pull out, so there is more effects to that than schutzhund training. I had her meet my nieces last weekend. They love her. I would trust her around anyone. 

Would she protect me? Uhg. Ya know, she is so sweet and easy, that I really do not want to see that part of her ever, so I hope she never has to show me if she will.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

I just joined a new group and the helper wanted to see my dogs search skills for himself. Half an hour before he actually worked her on the sleeve and now he went hiding. I put the bell around the neck, her harness on and there was no confusion at all and that is how it should be. A solid dog that is worked correctly should have no confusion between Schutzhund and the public. It ahould be the other way around. It compliments your dog and builds a level of trust and relationship between you and your dog that is hard to explain to somebody that has not experienced it.


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

The overwhelming majority of Sch dogs will not bite indiscriminately. Many won't bite anything but a sleeve to include butter....lol


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## cliffson1 (Sep 2, 2006)

Btw, my post is not meant to denigrate Sch dogs, just to put in context the idea that Sch dogs will bite people in public because they do Sch. If that were the case, then Germany would be a country full of bitten people ....because all breed able GS in Germany are Sch trained.


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## Mrs.K (Jul 14, 2009)

Yep, and the least dog to worry about is an IPO dog, yet we always have to defend the sport...ugh...


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

A stable clear headed dog is not any more likely to bite indiscriminately than a Martial Arts expert is likely to go around attacking harmless strangers walking down the street - if anything, the bite-training makes dogs more discriminating at separating threat and non-threat. 

I've been doing SchH/IPO with Gryff, and just did a protection seminar where he was pushed with real threat from the decoy, worked on the bite suit and the hidden sleeve. A whole weekend of working him hard, trying to push him to his limits, and he is still the exact same easy-going, friendly dog that he always was. 

I can take him anywhere, he sees people and he thinks "Pets and attention, YES!", and don't have any worries about an inappropriate response. 

If (knowlegeable and correct) bite training makes a dog likely to bite innocent people for no reason, then the dog did not have the correct temperament to undertake this training in the first place.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Thanks everybody, that sounds reassuring.


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## ayoitzrimz (Apr 14, 2010)

cliffson1 said:


> The overwhelming majority of Sch dogs will not bite indiscriminately. Many won't bite anything but a sleeve to include butter....lol


Its, well... true  I don't want to start another debate here about whether it's a good or bad thing, it just is


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## meldleistikow (Oct 24, 2011)

My pup is 10 months now and started doing rag work when he was 10 weeks old. I completely trust that he won't bite out in public. He is very social and goes with me to drop off the kids at school. He LOVES attention from all people.


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