Tracking and Schutzhund - Page 1

So I took Chaos today to Berrien Springs MI, to meet some people from the Northern Indiana SchH Club and to find out about tracking and schutzhund.  We got there at 9 am and started on learning how to do your tracks for a novice tracker.  Then we went over to the club field and worked on some BH obedience to see what he would have to do if we decided to do the protection work etc.  Then we watched some of the more experienced dogs do some protection work.  The day went really well and we had a lot of fun.  Chaos seemed to get into all of it.  Now all I would have to do is find out from TDI if it's against their rules for him to get into protection work or not.  If it is, we will just stick with tracking and try to get somewhere on that.  When I got home, I took him inside and took the rest of my hot dogs outside and laid a track with 2 turns on it total about 50 feet or so and he found every hot dog.  He even wanted to do that entire track again to make sure he didn't miss any, lol.  I humored him and let him.  I'll work with him at home a lot and other places like the local park to see how far we can get him before we go back to the training center and work with them again.  All in all, it was a good day and we learned a lot.

Glad you decided to track him   My girls love to track and they do so well at it....it is what our dogs need to do..it is their natural being done in a right way....it is amazing how they learn the track and what you expect...just follow what they tell you and do not jump the gun....do it like they tell you.....only.....

One of my customers got ahead of A. Ledda and he had to firmly tell him...let me tell you when to advance to the next level...if you dont do it as your trainer at club tells you   they get confused when you start the article.s...

glad your letting Chaos do this...he is a nice dog....he deserves all the kudos.

I have several friends that compete in schutzhund and their dogs are certified therapy dogs thru TDI.  I don't think there is an issue.  Molly is also certified via tdi and is training for her schutzhund I, so if you and Chaos enjoy it - go for it!

Cheryl

I don't think that it's a problem with TDI also.  Sure hope not cuz I sent in my boy's paperwork with his Schutzhund titles on it!

That's great to hear, because I wanted to make sure before we go any further with it.  Chaos will always be a therapy dog first then the rest will come.  He is so laid back, I'm not even sure yet if he will be right for the protection work or not.  Won't know until they do it with him the first time.  But he was definitly into the tracking part of it.

And he received his TDI certification after he was titled to Schutzhund 3.

That's awesome.  Something to look forward too.  So it didn't change his temperament much?  That's one thing that I've been worried about.

Training in Schutzhund has not changed Molly's temp at all.  She loves training but still competes in ack obedience and rally and is great with other dogs, people, kids, etc.  No change - just loves all of it.

Cheryl

If you handle  your Chaos in the proper way on field and in route to home after training, as a sport , and dont let people tease him and do just like your trained...no problem...he will learn  this is a sport for me,,fun and when you change his collars and the color of his leash,,,he will know  ,,oh now its work time...when you take them off...he knows oh,,its go home time...and never look back......

You can do Schutzhund in parts now, as when I was in it, we had to do B first and then the whole kit and cabootle...no obedience first and get certificate for it and then tracking title seperate...you can stop there if you choose...but see no reason to go ,,,My Zu had all the bitework Hundsport in Dallas could give her and she was one of the best female gsd in the area in bitework...and she would lay down with a baby two hours later...

She did split the finger of a Texas certified trainer down the middle on one training session in Houston and he was 11 stitches less of getting his finger taken off...not her fault...His

Has nothing to do with Chaos temperament...He will know....smart dogs. That is the beauty of this breed.

He's a good tempered dog anyway, but if anything once all the training was complete, etc. he's probably even more steady.