Getting started - Page 1

Hello everybody! 

Amanda here in W. Texas. I'm hoping within the next two years to get involved with schutzhund firsthand and have a ton of fun doing it. I've had a lot of people tell me that because I'm a working mom I won't have time for schutzhund...I guess they think the sport is dominated by unemployed dads? LOL. 

Anyway, I'm a dog trainer and I have experience with most of the popular breeds for the sport, really all I'm lacking is actual hands-on experience. 

Life has pulled me down some really hard paths recently and my mom is keeping my current dogs for me until we are able to get a house. We've been approved for a loan, just a matter of finding one! =D My husband has a lil' mutt and I have a somewhat bigger mutt. I want to try schutzhund with my somewhat bigger mutt. I think he's half Doberman, but at any rate his obedience is great and he has an excellent sniffer, just a question of taking him to a club and seeing what he can do, once we're reunited... 

At least, I think that's how it works, which gets me to the main point of my post. 

What are y'all's tips on getting started? What can I expect when I go to the club? Will I get laughed at for bringing a mutt? 

Depends on the club. Be prepared for a few snickers from the crowd. The best way to silence them is respect. Show them you and your dog can do it. I think you will find people are willing to help anyone comitted once they show their commitment and have a dog capable of doing the work. Look for someone that has worked multiple breeds. Breeds have different characteristics from time to time and it helps if the helper is familiar with multiple breeds.

Be aware of some of the obstacles facing you as a new person.

• Some trainers will mess up your dog to prove you need one of their dogs.
• New people come to training groups and clubs all the time. They show up a couple times, helper works his butt off in a hot suit doing all sorts of prey movements to energize a dog and get it to do something it's not really cut out to do. Most will give a dog a chance, but don't wear out the club helper if your dog really doesn't have it. Don't expect to be welcomed until after you have spent some time applying yourself. You are number 612 newby schutzhund person that may be there only a time or two and leave from lack of commitment.
• Your first schutzhund title is realistically a two year project. One day a weekend and 15-30 minutes a day a few days a week. Plan on at least a two year commitment.

Start by finding a helper qualified to work your dog. Nothing else matters in the beginning. Nothing is more important in the beginning. No training is better than bad training. Look at the helpers resume. It should have documented success titling dogs.

Distance is a factor. If you have a qualified training opportunity close by. You can make time.

Dog1 - good advice - as always!

I can add to these comments, don't get in too deep, dont end up with half a dozen dogs that cannot do the work. Keeping them is time consuming and expensive and no one else wants them after they're past that cute stage.

Been there done that on the first bullet point.......still mad at myself for letting it happen. Trust your instinct, if it just doesn't feel right, then is most likely isn't. If bad things happen to your dog, like it gets flipped on his back repeatedly, find another club.

Dog1 is right on. I would add that now would be a great time for you to go and visit clubs WITHOUT your dog, to see how things are done. We always recommend that to new people. You can focus your attention on how the club members interact with each other, what methods are used on different dogs and why, and what the helper is doing. It is much less stressful to observe without your dog there.

Sorry for abandonging my post for a few days, lol! 

I am probably joining the club here before I move, and they've said if I join since I don't have a dog they'll teach me the helper work. I really intend to take them up on it- just a matter of getting my ducks in a row, they're an hour and a half from me. 

I was actually figuring on about two years. Maybe a little less on Gir because his obedience is already very, very good, but that's the timeline I've been lead to expect. 

Thanks for the tip on the bad trainers. =[ That's really awful and sad! 

Sounds like you DO have a dog. Give him a try and see what happens. You may be surprised. If the dog has enough drive to do decent obedience, there's a pretty good chance it can do the other phases. What do you have to loose by trying?

Be prepared to mess up your first dog.

Yeah- he's the Dobie? mix. Love him to death, if he doesn't make schutzhund I hope to move to an area where I can compete with him in obedience! My mom has him for me right now till we get moved, but he'll always be my family! <3 (And of course my husband's dog will be, too.)