Thursday, September 30, 2010

Excitement For Schutzhund Competitions Around The Planet

By Jean Luc Schober

Dog owners who are looking for a great way to spend time with their pet may want to consider their breed's unique characteristics. To encourage their unique talents and obedience, some owners may enjoy entering the world of championship sport. There is a growing passion for Schutzhund training around the world, a sport which grooms dogs with protective dispositions into professional defenders.

The aim of Schutzhund training is to develop loyalty between dog an human while building a strong protective team that work together to stop intruders and track down missing objects and people. Dogs learn to follow the every word of their person, while the human builds the ability to work with their dog's instincts and strengths. Invented as a sport over a hundred years ago, this form of professional training has also carried over to help train government security dogs responsible for public safety. See actual dogs in action with our free Schutzhund training video.

Important requirements for a dog in this sport include physical strength, size, intelligence, and a strong working instinct. Although the list of accepted breeds encompasses quite a few rarer breeds, the most popular continues to be the German Shepherd. Dobermans, Rottweilers, and Boxers qualify as well, so there is a good chance that many people's pets would be able to participate.

Schutzhund as a sport encompasses three competitive categories for dogs and trainers to master. Tracking, obedience, and protection each have their own challenges and rules that are crucial for the dogs to perform what they learn in real life situations. Competitions test the most qualified dogs against each other to see which one possesses the most consistency and fortitude in their region.

Obedience covers a wide range of commands, but more importantly teaches the dog to listen to the master at all times. While many dogs have a hard time paying attention to anything else while following their noses, Schutzhund dogs show attentiveness at all times during Tracking. In competitions, the master presents a smell for the dog to follow, and they must usually uncover at least three more objects in the nearby area belonging to that smell, pointing them out for the master to retrieve.

In the Protection part of the training, the dogs are taught what to do when a suspicious human threatens their territory and people. To make sure the suspect is still in one piece when authorities arrive to arrest them, the proper guard dog will leap onto the person's arm and hold tight. They are also taught to recognize when the attacker has surrendered, and how to back them into a corner while barking to attract attention.

The working dog breeds accepted in this elite form of training need a good form of exercise for both their minds and bodies to fulfill their purpose. This sport gives dogs the potential to learn how to protect the home while building an even stronger bond with their closest human friend. Members' passion for Schutzhund training around the world is expanding this hobby to every corner of the world, making it simpler to join and enjoy.

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