Learning to compete in Schutzhund with a finished dog? - Page 1

I am wondering how difficult it is to learn to compete in a Schutzhund 3 trial with a finished dog that has multiple SchH 3 titles? I know I would need to learn the obedience routine for one thing, but I also would obviously need to learn the tracking too. Not to mention the bitework. With the help of a club once or twice a week, how long do you think it would take to learn it all to be able to compete with the dog. It is a finished dog with previous good scores. Thanks to all for the help in advance.

you would still be looking at months to a year or more to get "in sinc" with the dog and it's training - learning your handling skills and which buttons to push on the dog - fixing any training problems the dog came with - adjusting time for you and the dog, bonding... takes a long time even with a pre-trained dog.  But, good way to learn handling without worrying about the training part, for the most part the dog will already know what's going on.  You will need a good trainer/club to help you, and motivation/dedication to train very regularly.

Good luck!  Have fun!  And make sure the dog has fun with it too.

Get a rule book and read it. It will give you an idea of the routines. Watch other members working their dogs. Don't sit on the side chatting with Sally. Ask other club members if they need help with anything. Buy some videos, not only on training, but go to youtube and watch some trials. Ask for help! If you have no idea what you are doing or why you are doing it, you're going to need someone to explain and lend a hand. In tracking, the dog should be well enough on his own at multiple Sch 3, but you still need to make sure you know what is going on. Make sure you know everything about the track. Age, weather, wind, where the track goes and where the articles are. I see too many people that lay a track and when they run it, have no idea their dog isn't even on it or where the turns are. Wow! Wish my first car was a ferrari! Wonder how long it would have taken to wrap it around a telephone pole! Kinda starting in an odd position. Usually by the time someone has a Sch 3, what they do is second nature. You now have to read the dog and worry about every action you take. I really wouldn't do too much structurally with the dog until you kinda catch up on your homework. The dog won't forget anything and you'd hate to regress the dog. Good luck to you and have fun!