German Shepherd dog

in schutzhund why can't the helper give the dog real stick hits?

not hard,  but what is the sense in just waving a stick over their head?

be easy on me, it's just a question :)

when my dogs are playing on the tug i hit them with a bamboo stick on there sides (not hard)

and it just seems to make them madder.

It is my understanding that there is alot more waving done in training to desensitize the dog to the motion of the stick and pressure it brings.  If a young dog is hit with the stick every time it is waived they could become sensitive to it and go into avoidance.  The point to the stick hits is to show the dog is indifferent to it.  And yes in trial there ARE stick hits during the drive, only two in the SchH1, I believe there are 4 in the SchH3.

Also most helpers feel balanced with a stick in the other hand, waiving it in that motion helps the fluidity of the drive if the helper has good mechanics.