Can Schutzhund be family pet???? - Page 3

Hi Molly

I think that first heeling pic is fabulous, please can I share it with a one of my other lists?

Margaret N-J

sure, share the pictures, and if you want more (I have a bunch more) contact me privately.  Please include with any forwarded pictures the name and titles of the dog (Hellequin v Eichenluft Schh3,KKl-2,OFA Good,CDX) 7 years old - and the child Samantha Jimenez, 5 years old.  I've known this little girl since she was just a thought and a hope - she is a real "ham" for the camera and I got some wonderful pictures of her "working her dog Quin" !

molly

I can tell that she's a ham Molly!  Very cute!

At my club, half are family/house pets, half are kennel dogs. Both work just as well in terms of scoring points. Usually the ones with 1-2 dogs raise their dogs at home and integrate them with the family. The people who own many dogs just don't have the space and time to allow the to be house dogs nor socialize their dogs to a high level. As it is schutzhund is such a demanding sport that those who have 5-6 dogs just cannot cope with lengthy daily walks,  exposing the dogs to different environments, people etc.

Personally i think the ones kept in the house exhibit more stable social behaviour and have a deeper relationship overall with their handler. However, if the house dogs can sometimes be willful and disobedient on the field if spoilt by the owner or allowed to get away with misdemeanors at home. Conversely, if the owner is too harsh, this can dampen down the working drive. This tends to happen with new inexperienced owners.  However, with the right balance, keeping the dog close to you at home can enhance schutzhund performance compared to kenneling IMHO. Training at home becomes an extension of field training and the dog learn to read you better and learn to trust and respect your rules. My dogs live in the house with no problems on the field. Get a crate or an indoor kennel for those puppy years.

Absolutley briliant pictures /

Molly - I adore that first picture!

And on the the subject I think that most SchH dogs should also be good family dogs.  That was The Captains idea I believe.

~Cate

Max is dead. 

Noooooo, really?

Him being dead or not does not change the original purpose of the breed however.

~Cate

Cate

don't get hostile.

Things have changed since Max was vertical.  You would have to go back 70+ years to what  was Max's idea of a GSD.

Do things have to remain the way of the inventor?  I think Fords have come a long way.

I wasn't around during Max's tenure, but I can tell you that the GSD has changed over the short period of my watch.

Darlin', that wasnt hostility; it was sarcasm about the mildly silly/obvious comment.  Sorry about that O.o

I understand that the GSD has changed...but there are some people who do try to keep his vision alive...at least in terms of temperment and nerve.  I would never get a SchH dog that couldnt live with me or my family...so if I were to get a GSD...one of those breeders who trials those dogs that live in their home with them or work with their children are the breeders I would go to.

I guess I'm one of those people who feel that the breed would be alot better off if the GSD had remained a little closer to the creators vision.  And there are dogs and breeders who meet that in terms of temperment...as a breed they have changed alot but there are still individuals who try to keep that alive.

I dont think (and of coarse this is just me) that breeders should sacrifice the ability to live with the family (because really...what good is a guard dog who is locked in a kennel/crate all night/day) for higher drives and better scores.

~Cate

lol - I tend to think the late 60's were the golden age of cars myself :)