Schutzhund began as a test for working dogs.

Its purpose was to determine which dogs should be used for breeding that had working ability. The growing demand for better working dogs made more sophisticated tests and training necessary. These dogs were needed for police training, border patrol, customs, military ,and herding activities. Schutzhund tests the dog's mental stability, endurance, structural efficiencies, ability to scent, willingness to work, courage, & trainability.

This Schutzhund  site is what the current sport is all about. Competitions, titles, scoring, training articles for different exercises, reading pedigrees etc. 

Schutzhund dog sport is similar to 3-day eventing with horses. You are judged in 3 different areas of training on the same day. Larger events (national and or regional competitions) may divide these phases into 2 or 3 different days. Club trials are normally in one day. It may take up to 2 years to become ready to trial. The most difficult part is to find the correct dog for the work. It takes a very sound animal in both mind and body to compete.

You are judged in the sport of Schutzhund in three areas, tracking obedience and protection You must first pass a temperament test and obtain a BH degree to be able to compete. The BH is an obedience degree only.

There are minimum age requirements to enter your dog for the various titles.

It is one of those extraordinary mornings that tell us fall is coming. The air is crisp; the trees now striped with reds and yellows in an otherwise summer colored world. On the thick grassy mat lies a dog, breathing calmly with eyes expectant. The handler picks up the old, worn leather line and speaks to the animal. It stands, stares and then lowers its dark muzzle to the cover, moving slowly, steadily along a line no human can know. It's warm breath turns to steam and spreads, for only an instant, across the forward path in burst, like an engine. As it moves, the power increases so it is driven by only one desire, the fusion of scent and animal. When it reaches the first corner, it senses the change and shifts to another direction, confident of its skill and purpose. As the dog moves towards the distant hills, the trainer -only walking behind- has a solitary wonder of what voice from nature this child of the wolf is hearing.

The above taken from the book " TRACKING: the beginning" by Gary Patterson

Sirius Publishing 3333 S. Bannock, Suite 950 Englewood, Colorado 80110

Links to other sites of interest below