# Question about Bite Work/Protection SchH Training



## brenthughes07 (Jan 3, 2010)

Hey,

I am thinking about buying a pre-trained GSD who is at least one year old. The dog will have had on and off leash obedience training, as well as personal protection bite work. I plan to buy the dog soon, but because I am still finishing up school (I only work two days a week, so I have a lot of free time) and am not in a location with any Schutzhund Clubs, then I'm afraid it will be hard to continue his protection training until I graduate and move somewhere where there is a good SchH Club. My question is this: Will my dog lose his protection/courage ability without continued training for a few years until I move somewhere with a SchH Club and start back with the bite work? Or, will he be just fine, being able to remember everything for a few years.

Thank you


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

IMO, it is more of genetics, either he has it or not. 
The foundation that was laid, though can be influential in the abilities. Some dogs don't even start SchH til they are mature, and that is without foundation training(again, genetics)


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

There is a BIG difference between 'personal protection' bitework and Schutzhund bitework.

If the dog is truly trained in PP you need to find a PP trainer to continue the work.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

At a year old, the dog cannot possibly be very advanced in training, nor will it have the mental maturity to be a true protection dog. Hopefully, what it does have is a solid foundation upon which you can build.

No, the dog will not lose it if it takes you a year or two to get back into training. Not if the dog had it genetically to begin with, and the foundation training is solid. In fact, if your goal is personal protection, waiting 1-2 years for the dog to be fully mentally mature is a good idea. Though you should also get some guidance and training in what the dog does and does not know, so you don't do anything to inadvertently create problems during that time.

As Lauri mentioned, SchH protection and personal protection are two different things. Sometimes SchH protection is done utilizing the skills and mental outlook of true protection, but within the confines of the rules of SchH. But often it is not. Good, correct SchH protection is a good place to start with a dog, and it can be a very good stepping stone to progress into personal protection later. If the dog has the genetics and a solid foundation, that progression can be done pretty easily, with the right trainer. 

But if your goal is personal protection, there are many SchH clubs and SchH trainers who are not going to be able to get you there. And some who can. But just any ol' local club probably isn't going to do. So you need to carefully research the club and trainer to see if they have the skills to do what you want. And be aware that there are probably more crooks and con-artists out there providing poor, abusive, and dangerous "protection training" and "protection dogs" than there are legitimate trainers producing good dogs. So take your time and research and shop wisely.


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## brenthughes07 (Jan 3, 2010)

Hey, Can yall check out this company and let me know what you think. I might be purchasing a gsd from them. The head trainer is the current k9 trainer for the key west police dept. and is a member of the D.E.L.T.A. Society and FDLE. He has sold numerous dogs to local police departments and executive businesses. Their dog's pedigrees are amazing and their training videos look positive with good knowledge of building drive in there dogs. Here is the company: http://www.canineextreme.com/index.html

Thanks.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

> Quote: But if your goal is personal protection, there are many SchH clubs and SchH trainers who are not going to be able to get you there. And some who can. But just any ol' local club probably isn't going to do. So you need to carefully research the club and trainer to see if they have the skills to do what you want. And be aware that there are probably more crooks and con-artists out there providing poor, abusive, and dangerous "protection training" and "protection dogs" than there are legitimate trainers producing good dogs. So take your time and research and shop wisely.


So true. So many dogs are not what are represented and the unsuspecting buyer has no idea. If you have no idea what you are looking at, all you see is a barking/biting dog that activates when commanded. But if you don't really understand what you see and where it's coming from you are open to swindling.


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## JKlatsky (Apr 21, 2007)

Also wanted to add-
The protection would actually be the least of my concerns. Anyone who has taken an older dog out from not working knows that it's usually not the protection that takes the most work to brush up. It's the Obedience and Control, which I would think is arguably more important in a Personal Protection Dog.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

The Personal Protection training industry is without standards or regulation. If I didn't have extensive dog and training knowledge, I would want someone who did and who wasn't involved in the sale, to assist me.


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