Distraction question about the AD title - Page 1

Trying to distract myself as I am shaking right now from another thread....

I have a question about the AD title.  I am interested in possibly trying to get a few Schutzhund titles on my puppy someday but without the bite work (as I am not emotionally ready for that)!

With the AD title, do they have to run continuously for 12 whole miles or are there breaks and water stops?

Is it on pavement or a trail? If pavement, is that safe on their joints?

Also, what speed is required? Could I run with my dog or are they kept on a leash behind a vehicle or something?

Sorry for my ignorance.

Just thought I would add, I did contact a local schutzhund club and am hoping to go meet the members and learn.  I also just offered to volunteer at one of their September events  (or trials I think they are called) thinking that might help me learn more as well.....Maybe I can pick up poop or fill water bowls!

I did this with my GSD last year. We are on bikes and the dog runs by your side on lead. We were on half pavement and half grass track and we did 4 miles then a 15min break, another 4 miles and then another 15min break and then the last 4 miles. Straight after the judge assess the dog to check their pads and see how willing to play/work they are (basically to see how fit they are) after that we travelled to the club training pitch to do a quick obedience routine. 

I didn't have any titles with my dog before doing this either. hope this helps :)

Dodger, thank you!  Congrats on accomplishing this title with your dog!!

Wow....on bikes, huh. I am not a coordinated person so I am seeing an ugly situation with me on a bike and holding a leash!! Yikes!!

How fast did you go?

How did you train for the requirements....a couple times a week on bike and mixed in hikes?

Thank you again for your time.

From the age of 18 months i started doing some biking with Dodger. It was a good way to help exercise him and keep his fitness level up. I started slowly with him and got him up to doing a mile a day every morning, that then increased to two and so on. I also used to work at a vet hospital with a private underwater treadmill and pool so once a week i did some hydrotherapy with him.

on the weekend we would do a 6 mile round trip to the beach and back with a few rest bites on the way and back. Once he got into the swing of it it was more me who had the fitness issues! lol 

speed wise it is at your own pace. There was no max or min speed me and Dodge just found our usual steady pace and if we were last i wouldn't have minded.

some people used those springer things you attached to the bike and then to the dog but i just found it easier to train him to run along side the bike, left turn, right turn ect

Oh, thank you..very informative!!

BTW- He looks pretty gorgeous in photo!!

I just wonder if I will be stressing her joints by doing so much exercise before she is 2 as I will probably have to do most on pavement.....I like that you started out with short distances and took your time based on the dog's response to you.

But, maybe my concern is unwarranted as I don't know anything about the training process for these type of things.

However, lucky you...a water treadmill and a location close to the beach that is within biking distance..I am jealous!! hahaha

I bet the running on the beach was good conditioning as well.  I am in New England so we have lots and lots and lots of hills for hiking!  We do have a 2 mile bike path that is near me that would be 4 miles out and back. I could drive to a beach as well for the deep sand conditioning..probably the Cape or Newport would be the closest.

I guess I have time to figure it all out as she is still young yet.

But, I just want to know what I need to do to prepare for in the future. You can never be too educated on these things, right!

Thus, I do appreciate you educating me on the AD test!! It was just the information I was looking for!!

Thank you again.... :-)

I might have read the original post wrong but I thought I would point out that a Schutzhund title can not be obtained without bitework, it is required for the title.  Ad and BH are not technically titles at all.  BH is the prerequisite for a Sch 1 so not really a title.  Still a nice accomplishment .  There is alot of confusion about that BH.

You cannot take a AD test unless your dog has passed the  BH, The 12 miles course is run over three separate distances with a short break after the first and second leg the Judge looks at the dogs pads and the dog to see if it is fit enough to complete the course.
Some are on Pavements some are on other hard surfaces and Grass or Woodland depends where you take it over here, My last one with Izzy was all hard surface but that does not bother the dog at 18 months old plus, Speed around 10 to miles an hour we average If i can find one this year Gina needs to take it after September when she goes for her BH
Steve1

You can do the obdience and tracking portions of Schutzhund and not bitework. You will get titles in only those areas. For Koering, you dont need bitework if you have a hearding title. I think you still need a BH to do the obedience and tracking titles, but not sure if you need the BH as well before an AD.