| The sport of Schutzhund originated with the | | | | use of a decoy. Unlike other dog sports, where the |
| introduction of the German Shepherd into the | | | | decoy outfit covers the entire body, the decoy in |
| German police forces during the early 1900s. Prior to | | | | Schutzhund only wears heavy padding on one arm, |
| this, the only working role for a dog was to guard or | | | | with the rest of the body being protected only by |
| herd livestock in rural areas. In urban areas, dogs | | | | loose and durable clothing. While this ensures that the |
| were treated as pests, and regarded as being both | | | | mobility of the decoy is not impaired, it creates an |
| unclean, and unwelcome. | | | | unrealistic scenario in that the dogs can only be |
| As the role of the shepherd dog became obsolete in | | | | trained to bite one arm. |
| an increasingly industrialized society, and bigger urban | | | | Although I have great respect for the sport |
| centers saw an increase in violent crime and attacks | | | | Schutzhund, it is only a sport. There are too many |
| against police officers, German Shepherd breeders | | | | companies that are selling Schutzhund title dogs, and |
| saw an opportunity to introduce the German | | | | selling them as protection dogs. A Schutzhund title |
| Shepherd as an aid to police officers. Unfortunately, | | | | dog, working on a groomed field, biting on a sleeve, |
| due to the social stigma of being accompanied by | | | | is not a true protection dog. If one wants a true |
| what was then seen as a "filthy" and "vicious" animal, | | | | protection dog, then one must purchase a dog that |
| even police officers themselves were reluctant to | | | | has been working in the real world. True protection |
| bring working dogs into urban society. The sport of | | | | dogs are trained in the real world. They not only do |
| Schutzhund was arranged as a way to prove a dog's | | | | bite work on a bite suit, but should be trained to do |
| worth, loyalty and obedience. It also provided a | | | | building searches, vehicle hijacking, targeting the |
| means through which they could uphold breeding | | | | weapon hand, food refusal, guarding surrounding |
| standards. Only dogs who performed admirably in | | | | premises, man scent tracking, bite on elevation and |
| Schutzhund were permitted to breed. | | | | muzzle work. |
| The term Schutzhund itself means "Protection Dog" in | | | | The bottom line is a sporting dog will not protect you |
| German. While many of the activities are no longer | | | | and your family, whether it is Schutzhund title dog, |
| relevant to protection work today, all of the activities | | | | French Ring title dog, or K.N.P.V title dog, even if one |
| can be divided into either tracking, obedience, or | | | | were to cross train. |
| protection-related. Protection exercises involve the | | | | |