Schutzhund: Theory and Training Methods

SCHUTZHUND I PROTECTION

Before the dog-handler team walks onto the field, the helper hides behind one of the blinds. On the judge’s command, the team heels to the midline between two blinds. On the judge’s signal, the handler removes the leash from the dog’s collar and then sends it to the blind. When the dog reaches the helper, it must harass him by staying close and barking powerfully and aggressively. The helper does not move or show aggression toward the dog in any way, and therefore it must not bite him. The dog will lose points for bumping or biting, not barking forcefully enough or being less than completely vigilant.

At the conclusion of the hold-and-bark exercise, the judge instructs the handler to go to his dog and, taking the animal’s collar, pull it away from the helper. The helper leaves the blind and, once he has vacated it, the handler and dog step into it. Meanwhile, with the dog’s vision of him obscured by the blind, the helper moves to a new blind. At the judge’s signal, the team heels on leash in the direction of the new hiding place. Still in motion, the handler removes the leash and continues heeling toward the blind. Suddenly the helper charges out of the blind, simulating an attack on the handler. Without command, the dog should immediately attack the helper and bite hard and full on the sleeve. During the fight the helper drives the dog and strikes the animal twice with a flexible reed stick. At the judge’s command the helper stops fighting and “freezes.” The handler commands his dog to “Out!” and the animal must release its bite. The dog will not be granted a Schutzhund degree if it does not out properly at least once during the routine. After the “Out!” command the dog should remain near the helper and guard him closely. The dog may bark or not, and it may sit, stand or lie down but must remain vigilant and concentrated upon the helper. At the judge’s signal, the handler advances and again takes his dog by the collar so that the helper can step away.

The helper runs away down the field, making threatening gestures at the dog-handler team as he goes. On the judge’s command, the handler sends his dog to pursue the helper, who is now approximately fifty paces downfield. When the dog is about thirty paces away from him the helper turns around and runs directly toward the dog while at the same time making threatening motions (yelling and waving the stick menacingly). The dog should not hesitate: it should charge straight into the helper and bite. The helper fights the dog for five or six seconds, but without striking it with the stick, and he then freezes. The handler, who has remained in the spot from which he sent the dog, then commands the dog to “Out!” The handler should wait for the judge’s signal before going to his dog (approximately thirty seconds). At this point, he approaches the dog, searches the helper and confiscates the stick. The handler and dog then escort the helper to the judge. The handler walks on the helper’s right with the dog, on leash, walking between them. The dog should remain vigilant during the escort, but nicely at heel and under control. This exercise is called the side transport.

The judge evaluates the fighting instincts of the dog throughout the entire performance. The animal must show strong spirit and an intense desire to fight, and display a firm, full grip on the sleeve in order to receive maximum points. If, during any of the guarding phases (during the hold and bark or after the outs), the dog returns to its handler or is inattentive to the helper it may receive no more than a sufficient fighting drive evaluation from the judge (rather than pronounced). A dog that is not under the control of its handler, that does not release its grip when commanded to “Out!” or that refuses to bite during the courage test or the attack on handler will not pass the protection phase.

SCHUTZHUND II PROTECTION

Before the dog-handler team arrives on the field, the helper hides behind one of the blinds. On the judge’s command, the team walks to the midline between the first two blinds. The dog is off leash. The handler sends the animal to search either the first blind on the right or on the left, according to the judge’s instructions. He then walks up the midline of the field, using hand and voice signals to call his dog back and forth across the field in a zigzag pattern, making the animal search all six blinds in order. The overall appearance of the exercise should be one of fluidity and intensity of desire on the part of the dog. In order to control the animal and direct its search, the handler can use the command “Come!” as well as the dog’s name.

The helper is hiding in the sixth blind, and when the dog finds him he remains still. The dog must harass the helper by barking aggressively at him but without touching or biting him. On the judge’s signal, the handler proceeds to the designated spot, usually about four paces behind the dog, and upon another signal from the judge he recalls his dog to heel. The handler then orders the helper out of the blind, tells him “Hands up!” and commands the dog to lie down in front of him. The handler searches the helper and then moves back into the blind. Meanwhile, the dog should guard the helper vigilantly.

At the judge’s instruction, the helper attempts to escape by running from the dog. The dog should stop him immediately by biting hard on the sleeve. When the helper stops fighting, the dog should out from the sleeve on command and guard him vigilantly. Upon a signal from the judge, the helper reattacks the dog, threatening it with the stick and driving it. Once the dog is firmly on the sleeve, the helper strikes it twice on the back or withers with the stick. The helper freezes and the handler commands the dog to “Out!” He then commands the helper with “Hands up!” and downs his dog. He then searches the helper. Because the helper will need the stick in the following exercises, the handler does not take it from him during the search. The handler then instructs the helper to move forward and the team transports him, following at a distance of five paces.

Handler and dog transport the helper approximately fifty paces through a series of turns specified by the judge. During the transport, the dog should remain responsive to its handler and also alert to the helper.

While the helper is being transported, he turns on the judge’s command and simulates an attack on the handler. The dog should attack him immediately and bite hard and full. The dog may cease its attack either when the helper stops fighting and freezes or when it is commanded to “Out!” The helper now moves off approximately 100 paces and begins making threatening motions. The handler, holding his dog by the collar, verbally challenges the helper, who runs away. The handler sends his dog. When the dog is within forty paces of him, the helper turns and runs directly at the animal. The dog should not hesitate and should bite him hard and full. When agitation ceases, the dog should again release the sleeve and then stay in close to the helper and harass him. The handler picks up his dog, searches the helper, removes his weapon and then escorts him in a side transport to the judge.

SCHUTZHUND III PROTECTION

Before the dog-handler team arrives on the field, the helper hides behind one of the blinds. On the judge’s command, the team walks to the midline between the first two blinds. The dog is off leash. The handler sends the animal to search either the first blind on the right or on the left, according to the judge’s instruction. He then walks up the midline of the field, using hand and voice signals to call the dog back and forth across the field in a zigzag pattern, making the animal search all six blinds in order. The overall appearance of the exercise should be one of fluidity and intensity of desire on the part of the dog. In order to control the animal and direct its search, the handler may use the command “Come!” as well as the dog’s name.

The helper is hiding in the sixth blind, and when the dog finds him he remains still. The dog must harass the helper by barking aggressively at him but without touching him. The dog will lose points both for biting and also for being inattentive or not barking. On the judge’s signal, the handler proceeds to the designated spot, usually about four paces behind the dog, and upon another signal from the judge he recalls his dog to heel. The handler then orders the helper out of the blind, tells him “Hands up!” and commands his dog to lie down in front of him. The handler searches the helper and then moves back into the blind. Meanwhile, the dog should guard the helper vigilantly.

At the judge’s instruction, the helper attempts to escape by running from the dog. The dog should stop him immediately by biting hard on the sleeve. When the helper stops fighting, the dog should out from the sleeve (on command or automatically) and guard the man vigilantly. Upon a signal from the judge, the helper reattacks the dog, threatening it with the stick and driving it. Once the dog is firmly on the sleeve, the helper strikes it twice on the back or withers with the stick. The helper freezes and the handler commands his dog to “Out!” He then commands the helper with “Hands up!” and downs the dog. He then searches the helper. Because the helper will need the stick in the following exercises, the handler does not take it from him during the search. The handler then instructs the helper to move forward and the team transports him, following at a distance of five paces.

The handler and dog transport the helper approximately fifty paces through a series of turns specified by the judge. During the transport, the dog should remain responsive to its handler and also alert to the helper.

While the helper is being transported, he turns on the judge’s command and simulates an attack on the handler. The dog should attack him immediately and bite hard and full. The dog may cease its attack either when the helper stops fighting and freezes or when it is commanded to “Out!” The handler picks his dog up, searches the helper and disarms him and then side-transports him to the judge. The judge sends the first helper off the field and out of sight. The dog-handler team heels to the opposite end of the field and steps behind a blind momentarily. Meanwhile a second helper hides in a blind at the far end of the field. At the judge’s signal the handler and dog move out of the blind to a point midway between the last two blinds, and the handler takes hold of his dog’s collar. On the judge’s signal the helper emerges from his blind at the opposite end of the field and challenges the handler and dog, yelling and brandishing the stick. The handler yells at him to stop. The helper ignores the handler’s command to stop and instead flees. At the judge’s signal the handler releases his dog to pursue the fleeing helper. When the dog is within approximately forty paces of him, the helper turns and runs straight toward the dog, yelling and threatening with the stick. The dog should not hesitate. It should charge straight into the helper and bite hard and full on the sleeve. The helper fights it for five or six seconds, and then freezes. The dog should again out from the sleeve, remain near the helper and guard him vigilantly. After just a moment, the helper again attacks the dog. He drives the animal before him and strikes it sharply twice on the back or withers with the stick and then freezes. The dog yet again outs from the sleeve and guards the helper. Upon a signal from the judge the handler walks all the way down the field to his dog. He tells the helper to “Step back!” and then “Hands up!” He downs his dog and searches the helper, takes the stick from him and then side-transports him back to the judge, who waits approximately fifty paces away. He presents the stick to the judge, announces his name and the dog’s and informs the judge that he has just completed the Schutzhund III protection routine.

SCORING

To pass the protection phase of a trial, the dog must earn a minimum of eighty points out of 100. The dog’s numerical score is based on its total performance throughout the protection phase and assigned a rating on the following scale:

The judge also evaluates the dog’s courage and fighting instincts and marks them down in the animal’s scorebook as one of the following:

Only a dog that displays pronounced courage and fighting instincts, a hard and full-mouthed bite on the sleeve and “clean” outs can receive full points in the protection phase. Dogs that are not under their handler’s control, that do not out or that refuse to bite at any point during the protection exercises cannot pass the trial.

After the judge has critiqued the dog’s performance in protection and announced its score, he will also add the dog’s tracking and obedience scores to the protection score in order to obtain the animal’s point total for the day. This point total is assigned a rating on the following scale: