# Opinions on Bite Sports?



## DogParentofOne (10 mo ago)

It seems like almost everyone on here is either a big fan of Protection sports like Shutzhund or they hate them! Out of curiosity, what are your opinions on these types of sports and why?


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## DogParentofOne (10 mo ago)

personally, I don’t know enough about These sports to really give an opinion on them, but to me they seem good. Just from what I’ve read & watched, it seems like they only allow dogs with stable temperaments to participate as well as owners who know what they’re doing. I may be completely wrong though LOL


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

You are wrong. If only those that knew what they were doing were allowed to do it then the sport would die out. Anyone can participate. Most don't stick because of the commitment it takes.

Yes, this is supposed to be a test....to determine what dogs are breed worthy. A dog without a stable temperament and good nerve is not capable of doing this sport and tbh, it's cruel to make a dog with poor nerves try to fit that mold.

If you want to do sport - buy an appropriate dog.


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## Squidwardp (Oct 15, 2019)

My wife and I are newbies to Schutzhund. We started late with my female, then she got a male puppy a few months younger. We got active in it right as COVID hit, which meant there was a little more time at home for her, not so much the case with me. But at the same time, the club shut down for a while and there were fewer trials when COVID restrictions were in full swing. 

We enjoy our club, both from a social standpoint, and because we have learned a lot about the working line dog, its motivations, drives, and how to shape their behavior. 

I've come to see that the protection aspect, bitework, is very rooted in obedience. The obedience comes first, then the bite. 
It's not a sport aimed at creating a hair trigger, loaded weapon type dog that can go off unexpectedly. 

At our club, a dog that shows serious handler aggression is in the first place, quite rare, and in the second place, tends to be not invited back.


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## NadDog24 (May 14, 2020)

I do schutzhund/IGP with my dog and really enjoy it! We both have a good time training together. It also gives her an outlet for her drive and energy.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Squidwardp said:


> At our club, a dog that shows serious handler aggression is in the first place, quite rare, and in the second place, tends to be not invited back.


I've only seen a couple of dogs that were actually handler aggressive. More dogs that will bite in reactivity. It's truly hard to watch a dog with poor nerves on the field. It's obvious the dog is stressed to the max. IMO, it's just cruel.


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## Bearshandler (Aug 29, 2019)

I enjoy working my dogs in bite sports for several reasons. I enjoy working with my dogs in general and it gives us an outlet with focused goals. I can train something to where I like it on my own. Sports wise, I can train towards a specific set of criteria. I will say it gets hard to watch dogs that aren’t cut out for the work try to. While I have seen some of them work through it, it tends to be a hard process on the owner and dog. I’m not saying that it’s not worth trying, just that anyone who wants to shouldn’t start off expecting some rockstar performance.


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## car2ner (Apr 9, 2014)

My big-boy loved bite work. He was big and confident and the decoy was a bit tug toy as far as he was concerned. Before any dog in Schutzhund / IGP, can compete for titles they need to go through the temperament test, the BH. We learned so much training toward the BH that I recommend it to anyone who can take advantage of it. 
My gal-dog started onto the training field and looked at the trainers as if they had lost their minds. She had no interest in working with strangers. So we left that sport and started work in man-trailing. Both dogs LOVED man-trailing. Looking for "lost people" in the woods or a small city was less adversarial, I guess. Now my gal-dog has a desire to herd. We never tried that since I didn't have a club neaerby.


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## DogParentofOne (10 mo ago)

Interesting to hear y’all’s opinions! I’ve been really looking into Shutzhund recently as I’ve genuinely been curious about what the standards for a dog to be able to participate are as well as what the sport itself consists of. When I went into the research, I really thought I was going to hate the sport, but I’m really impressed by it and want to give it a try at some point! I have a training club for It really close by too, so it’s something I’m interested in trying!
I absolutely adore dog sports & training, so it’s totally worth a shot once I have a GSD and she’s old enough. I’ve worked in freestyle and agility (done them at home with past dogs for fun) before… in fact my current Golden was supposed to be my first competition dog for both sports, but he ended up have absolutely 0 desire to do either 😂 He instead has turned out to be a phenomal therapy dog prospect! He’s beginning that training in May so hopefully in the fall he can started visiting places


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## Squidwardp (Oct 15, 2019)

It is a sport of three disciplines, tracking (which really seems separate and distinct from the other two), and obedience and protection, which feed off each other. Or I'd say (I'm newish, so take it with a grain of salt), the obedience forms a necessary foundation for the bitework, helping you control the dog when they are in high state of drive.


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## Sonny1984 (Oct 25, 2021)

A lot of shepherd dogs are specifically bred to have traits that allow them to do well in the bite sports. Why get a Ferrari to go grocery shopping with at Costco? Check out the ring sports, GSDs can do well in them too.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

I have a love hate with bite sports. I think of you want to learn about training, then get into sports. Some of the best trainers you’ll ever meet are in bite sports. At the surface level I love them. I love the challenge, the goal to keep you motivated to train. For a years I was at club 4+ days a week. I was always training and decoying. Now days I don’t like sports as much. I don’t have much motivation to participate in them. I got burned out with them. To the point I disbanded my own club and just don’t train for it anymore. I still train with a couple close friends, and may step on a field again, but it’s not overly important to me anymore. I was in a judges program for one sport, then was removed because I also participated in a different venue. I was told I couldn’t be a judge because I wasn’t dedicated to the sport. Besides that I’ve had to deal with some other politics, and things I didn’t like. So for me it was time to step away. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think sports are fantastic. I think they serve a much needed purpose. I encourage all to participate in them. Learn about training, learn about their dogs and truly experience the bond that can develop between you and your dog by challenging yourselves. It is something special.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

@mycobraracr ah yes..the politics


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

I enjoy watching videos of dogs competing in bite sports and I appreciate the amount of training that goes into it, but it's not something I'm interested in pursuing. All 3 of my girl Cava's littermates train and compete in bite sports but my chosen sport is flyball.


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## MyWifeIsBoss (Apr 27, 2020)

I think the sports are great as they are specifically get you out there, doing something with your dog and working towards a goal with a few skills that will have good carry over into life.

It will give you confidence as a handler and you will be around other people that probably know what they're doing! 

I also think it's a big part of the breed history and I think it's fair to try and help provide for that, so your dog might be happier and have drive satisfaction.

I can agree with the politics being lame, though.


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## DogParentofOne (10 mo ago)

Do people really involve politics into dog sports ??


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## MyWifeIsBoss (Apr 27, 2020)

Haha. Well, yes.. actually, my first experience with anti vax, Trumpism and that sort of thing was in our dog club.

But I meant the politics of different sports against each other and then the politics within a club. Some here will have had much more experience with this!


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## DogParentofOne (10 mo ago)

Ohhh LOL i thought you meant American politics 😂😂😂


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## MyWifeIsBoss (Apr 27, 2020)

DogParentofOne said:


> Ohhh LOL i thought you meant American politics 😂😂😂


That snuck in over here with COVID but no, I meant mostly internal "politics."


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

DogParentofOne said:


> Do people really involve politics into dog sports ??


Dog politics. Organizations don’t play nice with each other. Everyone thinks their sport is the best, hardest or whatever. Clubs don’t get along with other clubs. Dogs don’t come from the right place or have the right pedigree and so on. It’s a lot of “my dad can beat up your dad” lol


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## MyWifeIsBoss (Apr 27, 2020)

mycobraracr said:


> Dog politics. Organizations don’t play nice with each other. Everyone thinks their sport is the best, hardest or whatever. Clubs don’t get along with other clubs. Dogs don’t come from the right place or have the right pedigree and so on. It’s a lot of “my dad can beat up your dad” lol


If you don't have a mal in our ex club, I mean, do you even own a working dog? You wouldn't "know."


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