Schutzhund....Late start? Is it still possible? - Page 1

Just wondering what the cons are of starting a dog in Schutzhund, who is a little older?  When I got my female I had intended on starting her right away but life got in the way and it just simply ended up not being I time commitment I could make.  Janna will be two in June and I still really want to work her and get her titled but question the possibility of doing it this late.

She is completely green still, she is socialized, we have three kids, she comes camping with us and really accompanies us whenever it is possible.  She has had no formal obediance training, and no training period outside of manners. 

She is not fearful AT ALL.  She is the youngest of my three shepherds, but very clearly the Alpha of the three of them, she was approached by another dog who had wandered on our property not too long ago and she stood up to him and made it clear to the other dog that he was not welcome. 

Family manners are top notch but she has had no formal obedience classes.  Leash time has been limited to when out in public and walking the kids to the bus in the morning.  She is a piece of cake to walk on leash.  We live on property so there is very minimal need to have her on leash very often. 

She very instinctively "herds" my children "LOL" and their friends when outside and in fact can't bear to be inside when they are all outside....she needs to be working and is happiest when given a job.  She is fiercly loyal to her people but is clearly bonded to me above all others.  She is never more than a few feet from me until she is herding her charges (aka: my children)

Drive, she has a very good prey drive, likes to hunt, she brings prizes back for us on occasion, and she slinks around behind our cat, though she knows she can't touch that one, however she isn't really interested in chasing a ball.....any ideas on how to develop that drive?

Overall she is keen, eager to learn and a piece of cake to train (in terms of what little training she has had)

The way it looks right now, it will be about June when I will have the time to finally commit to working with her.

Are there any pros to not starting a dog until it is two years old?  I can't imagine their are, but wanted to ask just in case.

Thanks in advance

Oops, hit the wrong button. But I'm sure you will get interesting answers. Too bad about the ball drive, though, that is really prey drive and a good one to have for the sport, but only from what I've read. Just hate to leave a blank spot when I can't take back a click. lol

She definitely has drive......she brings me mice, squirrils and rabbits.  We live on acerage and I can literally watch her track mice under the snow, it is so cool.  My other two have no interest.....I just don't know how to get her interested in a ball.  Dip it in something stinky?  LOL. 

I just started my 2.5 year old female. She's taken to it like a duck to water. She absolutely loves it. We didn't have a club within a reasonable distance until now. She does however have huge ball drive and I was told she has really good civil aggression.

Definitely not too late. I'm actually just starting a female who turned 3 last month and who is also probably even greener
then your girl. In some aspects it will be more difficult (Ie.. young adult dogs can be hard headed, the whole "coming into
their own" deal, just past teenagerdom. LOL) and in some ways easier (ie, you already have the bond with your dog, older
dogs can work a tad longer and we can ask more precision)

The dificulty I am having with this female is she has the attention span of a gnat, had very little socialization which she is
easily overcoming but training has been slowed, she has been allowed to do what she wants. On the upside, her first day
out at training ( After she had only been her a week) was much better then I had expected. She was a little standoffish BUT
recovered quickly and played a game of tug with the decoy. Bite was full, not chewey and drive overcame the slight reservation
she had about the whole thing.

If she doesn't care for a ball, does she like food? You can sometimes up their interest in a ball (I use one on a rope) by attaching
it to a lunge whip and tapping into their prey drive by flipping it around.... The object of that is to tease tease tease and when
they are really into it and chasing then let them catch it. Leave the line slack and let her carry it until she drops it then start the
game over. I would let her run hard after it (If she does) for a few minutes, let her chase and put it away without catching it. I have
had EXCELLENT results with upping their want of the ball.

Hope that helps

Melissa

Thanks everyone

Any tips on developing drive?  If I throw the ball she just looks at me.  LOL.  Would a flirt pole help?  With a rag of an old fur coat on the end?  The drive is there, I just need to figure out how to nurture and build it, but have no clue where to start.

Lunge whip = flirt pole
Attach ball, don't throw ball. Build the drive... allow her to chase. See my post above, last paragraph. That
is a drive building exercise.

What about a tug or other toy she is crazy about? Or does she just not like ANY toys?

You don't need to throw the ball when you are using it in focus excercises, just drop into the dogs' waiting mouth.

Melissa

She isn't really in to any toys. None of my current three are. It could be partly because there is Kid toys everywhere and they don't want to accidentally grab the wrong thing My boy will chase a ball occasionally. My older female is really chill and playfully but not at all driven. Janna has drive I just need to find a trigger. Thanks. I will start introducing her to some things and see if I can find something she likes.

Double post

What about food?

Melissa