Schutzhund

Although many individuals within a particular breed may be suitable for the rigors of Schutzhund, generally dogs from the following breeds are most consistently able to perform the work.

Airedales were used extensively for police work in England and Europe before World War II.

Belgian shepherds were used extensively as messenger dogs, ambulance dogs and security dogs during World War I. Today the Malinois especially is favored by many working dog trainers of France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and the breed is rapidly becoming more common in Schutzhund trials both in Germany and America.

The Bouvier was often used for police work in Europe. Today, the greatest number of working-quality Bouviers are bred in the Netherlands, and at least one police department on the Eastern seaboard of the United States has imported several of these animals.

At one time the Boxer was second in popularity only to the German Shepherd Dog in German Schutzhund clubs. They are used as guide dogs and also in the West German police and military.

Dobermans have seen much service with both the police and military worldwide. They are quite popular in Schutzhund in the United States, and the Doberman Pinscher Club of America was one of the early supporters of American Schutzhund.

German Shepherds are used extensively by the military and police and as guide dogs for the blind. They are the most popular breed worldwide for Schutzhund as well as most kinds of service work.

Although comparatively rare, the Giant has been used a great deal in Europe by police departments and Schutzhund enthusiasts as well.

Probably the oldest of the working breeds, the Rottweiler dates back to the Dark Ages. They are used in both police and military work and in the last few years have become exceedingly popular in the United States.

Other dogs that should not be overlooked for use in Schutzhund work are the Australian Shepherd, Chesapeake Bay and Labrador Retrievers, Bull Terrier and Staffordshire Terrier, as well as some of the giant breeds.

It is not the breed of the dog that is important, it is its character. Von Stephanitz summarized the qualities of the ideal working dog and noted the following requirements: “Joy in work, devotion to duty and to master, mistrust and sharpness against strangers and unusual things, docility and obedience, teachableness and quickness to understand.”

SELECTING THE RIGHT SEX

Deciding on a female or male is a personal decision. Each sex has its own merits. Von Stephanitz preferred bitches. He felt that the female had a greater sensitivity to her handler and was more amenable to training. He felt she was “more independent, more reliable and more careful in nature and work.” He continued, “It is easier to train her, she grasps more quickly, her memory is more retentive, and she will, at least with an understanding leader, work more willingly and more carefully than a dog. A good bitch can be keen and sharp like a dog.” He stresses that both sexes work sheep equally well, a job that demands hardness and sharpness.

Others consider the male to have greater independence and self-reliance. The United States Air Force dog program uses only males. William Koehler, a noted former army dog trainer and author, emphasizes concentrating on obtaining the best prospect for protection work whether it be male or female.

We have observed that, in general, it is more common to find males with the strength of character for Schutzhund than it is to find females of equal quality. This is one reason that a truly good bitch is so seldom for sale. However, a powerful male can sometimes be a difficult animal to live with and train, whereas even an extremely good bitch is normally a little sensitive to her handler and therefore relatively easily controlled.

In Germany the SV demands that all German Shepherd Dogs used for breeding, regardless of sex, pass at least a Schutzhund I or a herding test.

GETTING THE BEST PUPPY PROSPECT

When selecting a puppy for use in Schutzhund we must evaluate it both on its own merits and on those of its bloodlines. Perhaps the best indicator of what kind of dog it will grow into is what kind of adults its parents and grandparents are. In the United States it is not easy to obtain this type of information, but it is strongly recommended that the prospective puppy buyer evaluate the puppy’s parents for stability, responsiveness and courage. In Germany this information is easier to obtain since every German Shepherd Dog must have a Schutzhund degree or herding title in order to be used for breeding, and both Schutzhund trial scores and breed survey results are readily available.

In addition to inspecting pedigrees for working quality bloodlines one should also look carefully at the individual puppy before agreeing to buy it. The pup must be bold, alert and willing if it is to grow into a responsive and courageous adult.

Preliminary research conducted by Dr. Michael Fox, a veterinarian and expert on animal behavior, indicates that basic temperament characteristics of young pups remain with them throughout life. Although not fully developed in the dog until around eighteen months of age, the animal’s general character can be clearly assessed by six to eight weeks of age. With this in mind it is evident that the prospective Schutzhund puppy can be selected with more confidence by using some simple temperament tests.

One American who did a great deal of work on puppy temperament tests was Clarence Pfaffenberger. Combining years of work training dogs with an appreciation for scientific research, he was able to translate technical data obtained from research into very useful information on the working dog. Today he is considered a pioneer because of his work with Guide Dogs for the Blind. At the beginning of his search for the ideal working dog for the blind only 9 percent of the dogs who started training could be trained as responsible guides. By implementing the results of his studies, 90 percent of the dogs starting the program were later graduated. Pfaffenberger’s program stressed two main factors: using only dogs with proven working abilities for breeding, and early socialization of all prospective guide dog puppies. As a result of his research, he eventually came to the conclusion that future brood bitches and stud dogs could be selected with confidence by the age of twelve weeks.

Pfaffenberger’s data on his attempts to produce the ideal guide dog puppy are relevant to the topic of selecting and raising the Schutzhund prospect. It is especially interesting to note that Pfaffenberger recorded a high correlation between natural retrieving behavior and success in guiding the blind. As a result of our experience with working dogs, we believe that natural retrieving behavior is absolutely essential in the Schutzhund for two reasons: because it provides a ready source of motivation and energy and because retrieving normally goes hand in hand with willingness and responsiveness. In short, natural retrievers are most often willing to please.

In order to develop his successful breeding and training program, Pfaffenberger conducted years of research, much of it in association with Drs. John Paul Scott and John L. Fuller of the Jackson Memorial Laboratory in Maine. Scott and Fuller performed a number of landmark studies on behavioral genetics and the development of behavior in five different breeds of dog. They concluded that growing puppies undergo critical developmental periods.

Because of poorly developed sense organs, the puppy shows little learning before the twenty-first day of life, although the ability is doubtless there. However, the period between the twenty-first and twenty-eighth days is critical. During this time the “puppy can become emotionally upset and it will have a lasting effect upon its social ability.” Others have called this the fear-imprint period. The period between the fourth and sixteenth weeks is the time when social attachments are formed. This has been called the socialization period. According to Scott and Fuller, by the end of the sixteenth week the dog’s character is essentially formed.

We must note that most authorities on Schutzhund training do not believe that the die is cast at four months. Rather, Schutzhund theory emphasizes the importance of all the dog’s experiences up to and past a year of age for the development of its ultimate character. Furthermore, most working dog trainers will testify to the capacity dogs show for radical changes in overall behavior (for the better and the worse) anytime during their first twelve and even eighteen months of life.

The findings of Pfaffenberger, Scott and Fuller have many implications for the rearing of a puppy intended for work. A summary of them includes:

1. Character traits are inherited and can be effectively evaluated in a puppy at an early age.

2. A puppy should stay with its litter until the seventh week. If it is removed too soon, it will develop abnormal relationships with other dogs. If it remains too long, it will not form appropriate attachments to people. For the best human-dog relationships, the period between the seventh and twelfth week is the best time to remove a puppy from its litter and bring it home. However, this time can be somewhat delayed if appropriate individual socialization is given regularly to the dog while in the kennel.

3. A puppy needs much individual attention to establish its self-importance as an individual.

Pfaffenberger’s puppy evaluations are fascinating. He first listed the behaviors undesirable in puppies being trained as guide dogs. His list included dogs who were lacking spirit, too sensitive to noise or correction, fearful, stubborn, unaware of the environment and lacking in stability. He utilized a number of tests to evaluate these behaviors in the dogs. He exposed the puppies to new stimuli, such as a flashlight or an object waved in front of them. He felt curiosity was a sign of intelligence. He blew a whistle and observed the pup’s reaction to it. A puppy that was frightened by the approach of a two-wheeled cart or moving vehicle was not further considered for guide work. Pfaffenberger thought that one of the best overall tests for character is simply observing the puppy’s natural attitude toward people. He believed that a pup should pay attention and show friendliness at the approach of a stranger. Other training tests involved teaching the dog to heel, sit and fetch, and he evaluated willingness and trainability during these exercises.

Pfaffenberger conducted his tests over a five-week period in order to get a good sample of each pup’s behavior. Young puppies are extremely dynamic, and they will seldom test out the same way on two different occasions. It is therefore advisable for the prospective Schutzhund puppy buyer to observe and examine the litter on many different occasions, spread out over as long a period of time as possible. In this way, a buyer may be able to take note of developmental trends.

Of course, some of the qualities Pfaffenberger sought in his guide dogs are not those we desire in a Schutzhund prospect. For example, aggression is discouraged in the guide dog. However, in both types of training the animal must possess a high level of responsiveness and intelligence, and we can gain much by reading Pfaffenberger’s work.

For the breeder of a litter, early record keeping can provide valuable clues to the potential of each puppy. For example, vigor and competitiveness in nursing can indicate a more dominant, aggressive character.

Konrad Most in his writings stressed the value of instinct in selecting at birth the puppy best suited for the rigors of Schutzhund work. He preferred the puppy that actively seeks out its mother and sucks vigorously. This type of puppy continues, Most said, to be active and competitive as it grows.

To assess the character of a six- to eight-week-old pup a wider variety of tests can be administered. Confidence, alertness, intelligence, sociability, competitiveness, aggressiveness and stability are all highly desirable qualities in a Schutzhund dog. Dr. Michael Fox suggests a variety of situations to evaluate some of these qualities in a puppy:

1. Response to a Unique Stimulus. The puppy should be placed alone in its pen. A new toy (visual stimulus) can be placed in with it. The puppy’s confidence and interest in the new object are recorded. A similar record of the dog’s response to a loud sound (auditory stimulus) can be recorded as well. Ideally, the puppy expresses interest in the novel stimulus and shows a desire to investigate it.

2. Response to Isolation. The puppy is left alone in its pen and its responses are noted. The most desirable pup will show a great deal of exploratory behavior.

3. Response to People. Again the puppy is evaluated while left alone in its pen. A stranger enters the pen and then squats near the puppy but remains silent. The degree of anxiety or caution that the pup shows in approaching the person is noted. Is the puppy indifferent to the person or does it seek attention? After remaining still for a short time, the handler should stand up and walk around the pen. Does the puppy respond by following or is it instead very timid or retiring? The ideal puppy is friendly and gregarious.

4. Competitive Spirit. An aggressive play situation can be set up easily. The handler wiggles a strong piece of cloth or a rag in front of the puppy and initiates a tug-of-war game with it. A strong biting and pulling response is extremely desirable in a Schutzhund prospect. It is interesting to note the reaction of the pup when the handler shouts or beats the ground during the tug-of-war. Does the puppy fight more strongly for the possession of the rag, or does it begin to nervously chew and shift its grip on it? Does it let go altogether and retreat from the handler? The ideal puppy is so caught up in the fun of biting and struggling for the rag that it is virtually oblivious of anything that the person does. At the end of the game it is important to surrender the rag to the puppy so that it feels as though it has won.

5. Intelligence and Problem Solving. The puppy can be placed behind a barrier of chicken wire, sixteen feet long and four feet high. The handler then calls the pup from the opposite side. The degree of desire to get to the handler as well as the dog’s persistence in finding a way around the obstacle is noted.

While the selection of a puppy can be made with some reliability based on puppy tests administered during the six- to eight-week-old age level, according to Dr. Fox it is important to understand the problems involved in the selection of the adolescent dog. Many dogs experience a period of vacillation and instability during the adolescent phase (roughly from four through eighteen months of age). For this reason character tests can be administered again with a higher degree of confidence after the puppy’s adolescent stage.

Another important person in the field of working dog character evaluation is Dr. Bodingbauer, an Austrian Doberman enthusiast. He was a professor of veterinary medicine in Vienna and wrote extensively discussing character and temperament in the working dog. He utilized the research of many notables, including Scott and Drs. Rudolf and Rudolfine Menzel, animal psychologists at the University of Haifa. Bodingbauer employed a number of tests in order to look closely at the temperament of the potential working dog. His tests served as the core of the Doberman Pinscher Temperament Evaluation Program under the leadership of Vic Montelion and the American Temperament Testing Society. The German Shepherd Dog Club also adopted some of Dr. Bodingbauer’s tests.

Courage is a quality that is highly desirable in the Schutzhund dog. Dr. Bodingbauer spent considerable effort in his book discussing what courage is and is not, and how it can be evaluated. First he differentiates between courage and fearlessness. He stresses that the fearless dog is not afraid. Therefore this animal will react indifferently or impassively in the face of danger because it does not recognize the danger. This can be because the dog has a poorly developed self-preservation instinct or because of insufficient reaction preparedness (in Schutzhund we call this dullness). Bodingbauer taught that the courageous dog is fully aware that it is in danger, and that the essential quality of courage lies in the dog’s willingness to confront a threat to its handler with disregard for its own safety. The courageous dog faces a threat even though retreat from the situation is possible.

In contrast to this somewhat romantic view of canine courage, we observe that Helmut Raiser, an important modem working dog theorist and trainer, defines courage simply as “a high threshold for avoidance behavior.”

Dr. Bodingbauer describes the most common canine responses to stress by picturing the reactions of three different dogs to gunfire (see illustration opposite). The dog at the bottom has an extremely high level of awareness for its environment and a very low threshold for auditory stimuli. It will react either by behaving aggressively or by fleeing. In contrast, when the same stimulus is applied to the dog with an extremely high threshold, no reaction takes place. The animal has a very low level of awareness and potential danger is often ignored.

Each of these extremes—very low nervous thresholds as well as very high nervous thresholds—are undesirable in nearly any sort of working or companion dog.

By contrast, the middle dog is alert and aware of all events taking place around it. It takes note of the gunfire, but is neither frightened nor made hostile by it. This sort of stability is one of the most important characteristics of a Schutzhund or protection dog, and therefore the nervous threshold level is an important consideration in selecting a dog for work.

Inherited, inborn characteristics, Bodingbauer believed, can be evaluated with the help of several tests administered to the young dog. During the testing, however, there are several important considerations. First, the age of the dog must be taken into account. A response that is developmentally normal in a dog of one age can be either extraordinarily advantageous or even extraordinarily disadvantageous in a dog of another age (for instance, very defensive or aggressive behavior may be acceptable or even desirable in a dog of eighteen months, but it is a very bad sign in a puppy of four months). In addition, the test should be performed on territory that is unknown to the dog. Some animals will respond confidently or favorably when on their own territory but will not have adequate character to react equally well elsewhere. At the conclusion of the evaluation the dog receives a ranking of its potential for work of “very promising,” “promising,” “less promising” or “unpromising.” The following are some of the tests that Bodingbauer employed.

The first test that he used involves five-week-old pups. A motorized toy is set off in front of them. The more courageous ones go resolutely forward to investigate, while the less bold ones wait. A noisy chain can be tossed loudly in front of the pups and their reactions noted to this stimulus as well. By inviting puppies of this age to bite a leather strap or piece of cloth, he received clues to their fighting spirit. He noted that particularly talented dogs are so enthusiastic in their zeal that they often can be lifted off the ground while still holding fast to their bite.

Scenting potential for tracking work can be ascertained early as well. The tracking test is conducted by having the dog’s owner engage in light play with the pup. Then he runs abruptly to a hiding place (a hedgerow or large tree, perhaps). When he is hidden from the dog’s view, he prepares a scent pad. He lays down a strong scent by treading down a surface about a yard square. After a minute or two on the scent pad the tracklayer sights on a second hiding place and walks in a straight line to it. The wind should be at his back. He then returns on exactly the same path back to the scent pad, and then once again retraces his steps to the hiding place. Thus the track has been walked on three times. When the dog’s handler has reached his hiding place, the dog is led to the beginning of the scent pad and encouraged to find its master. The evaluator observes whether the dog uses its nose or its eyes during the search. Did it pick out the scent at the pad and attempt to follow the scent? Did it complete the track quickly and with concentration or slowly and with disinterest? When it finds its master the dog should be praised enthusiastically and rewarded with a piece of food.

Other characteristics regarding the dog’s trainability and temperament can also be assessed. Willingness can be observed by watching the rapport between dog and owner. However, it is important to recognize possible incompatibility between the temperaments of the handler and dog. A mismatch can prevent a good dog from realizing its potential.

The dog’s confidence and nerves can be evaluated under a number of situations. Its reaction to sounds can be evaluated by rattling pot lids while the source of the sound is not visible. The following reactions are possible:

1. The dog shows interest and moves toward the sound.

2. It ignores the noise.

3. It pricks up its ears but remains stationary.

4. It is frightened.

Another sound test involves firing a blank pistol at a distance of about ten paces. The following reactions are possible:

1. The dog is not frightened.

2. It is very sensitive and reacts aggressively.

3. It is timid and backs away.

The dog’s reaction to visual stimuli can be noted as well. An umbrella is opened abruptly at a distance of approximately five feet from the dog. Possible reactions are the same as those for noise, above.

In all the auditory and visual tests, it is extremely important to evaluate how the dog recovers from stress. If it reacts strongly and adversely to a stimulus but then adjusts quickly to the situation, this is a very positive indication. It is unrealistic to expect either a puppy or an adult to be completely brave. At one point or another in their lives, all dogs will experience fear. Our main concern is how they deal with it.

The final test of confidence involves the approach of two strangers. The first is friendly to the handler and the dog. From this encounter we can draw certain conclusions. If the dog is friendly to the stranger, it indicates self-confidence. On the other hand, if it retreats from a harmless stranger, we can conclude that it lacks boldness. Next, the second stranger approaches the dog in a threatening manner, appearing as suspicious and ominous as possible. If the dog becomes alert and threatens the stranger, the stranger retreats. This test is only performed on older puppies of at least twelve months. It is important to note that a hysterically aggressive reaction is as undesirable as dullness or outright fear. We prefer the dog that surges forward into the leash, possibly barking, and shows a strong desire to make physical contact with the hostile stranger.

One of the most commonly used tests of a dog’s fighting spirit is the Henze courage test, modified by the Menzels, which proceeds as follows: “The agitator runs away quickly. As soon as he has run some fifty paces the dog is set loose and encouraged to ‘get’ the fleeing man. Right before the dog reaches him, the agitator turns and threatens the dog with a stick and by yelling at it.” Fighting spirit is seen in the dog that flies into the agitator without slowing down and bites as hard and as full as it can (the agitator wears a sleeve).

This test is one of the integral parts of the Schutzhund examination. Although very revealing in many cases, the Henze courage test must be interpreted in light of the dog’s past experience. A dog that performs a creditable courage test without any previous experience in bite-work training would rate as extraordinarily powerful in nearly anyone’s book, an example of an exceptionally good genetic endowment. However, we must look differently at another dog that has its Schutzhund III and that has already received a great deal of training in bite work. When this animal bites well during the courage test, its performance is not so much a demonstration of good character as of good training. To put it another way, its character is masked by its training and will only be more fully revealed in a situation that is more unusual for it.

The final part of the courage test, which is called the “double stimulus” test, serves to unmask those dogs that bite because they have been trained to bite the sleeve rather than because they desire to protect their handler. After the dog is engaged in a fight with an agitator wearing a sleeve, the agitator then stands motionless. An unprotected assailant (no sleeve and no protective clothing to “key” the dog) then attacks the dog’s handler. It is fascinating to observe whether the dog will continue to guard the agitator with the sleeve, or if it will defend its handler from attack. (The dog is on leash and wears a leather muzzle during this test.) Interestingly enough, normally the more formal bite-work training the animal has undergone, the more preoccupied it will be with the sleeve and thus the less likely it will be to defend its handler. On the other hand, few untrained dogs will have the nerve to try to bite either person when muzzled like this.

Many of these evaluative tools have now become part of police dog tests in Germany and elsewhere.

To summarize, the very promising Schutzhund dog will:

1. show both interest in searching for its handler and also a tendency to immediately use its nose in order to do so

2. be very interested in playing with and retrieving objects thrown for it

3. be either undisturbed by the approach of a friendly stranger or overtly friendly toward him

4. show both an eagerness to follow its handler and stay near him as well as a tendency to go off exploring on its own

5. be frightened by very little, and when it is frightened by something it will soon lose its fear and forget the incident

6. immediately and vigorously bite any object like a burlap sack that is moved rapidly past it and be oblivious of any attempt to frighten it

7. move very strongly toward a menacing stranger (when the dog is at least one year old), trying to make physical contact with him, but not exhibiting any signs of hysterical or fear-motivated aggressiveness.