How do I go about joining your club?
We request that potential new members come out and watch club several times, work their dogs, or be actively getting working instruction with David before they are considered for membership.
We don’t have any set amount of time you have to come out before becoming a member but want to be sure you are committed to the sport as well as our training program/philosophy.
It does us no good to get new members if they are going to come out a few times and then drop out.
What do you expect from your members?
We are first and foremost a training club. We expect our members to arrive on time and be present and participate during club. The best way to learn is to observe others during their session on the field that way when it is your turn you will know exactly what is expected of you as a handler. If you are already active in the sport, new and want to learn, have a good sense of humor, and are interested in training your dog using the methods we outline in our training philosophy, then this is the place for you!
What is the benefit to being a club member?
Being a part of a club provides a huge support system as well as a safe environment to work your dog with distractions. At SVWDC we don’t allow non club members to do Obedience on club days so the field is all theirs. We provide the security of having your own “home” field with other members training on the same program.
There are lots of clubs, how do I pick one?
There are many things to keep in mind when choosing the right training club for you and your dog.
First and foremost you have to agree with the training methods and philosophy being used. Don’t expect that any club will change their training methods to suit you.
Picking a club because it is the closest one to where you live is a HUGE mistake. While it may be possible that the best club for you is in your town, chances are it is not. Most folks expect to drive at least an hour each way to train for the sport of Schutzhund.
An experienced and safe helper is crucial. Even with the best training dogs can get hurt in this sport, don’t take chances with your K9 partner, it is not worth it. Make sure the club you choose has an experienced helper and training director so your dog is actually learning and progressing.
Why do private sessions?
Anyone active in this sport knows you will get nowhere training once a week. Most of our members come to club every week and then arrange for private sessions around their schedule during the week/weekend. This is a great way to work on specific exercises and get in the necessary time on the training field required to excel in the sport.
How old should my dog be to start training?
Because we use all positive reinforcement for all learning phases we start puppies the minute they come home, the sooner the better. Foundation training is the most important step to being successful later on so we want to get them started on our training program as soon as possible.
How is Schutzhund obedience different than other obedience?
Schutzhund is a very precise sport, for example we teach our sits and downs in a very specific way. All the methods we teach are building the foundation for fast and precise behaviors that then roll into a clean routine. Schutzhund is a pointed sport so we are always working towards getting the most points possible for the behaviors that are required. Once you teach a dog a behavior it is much more difficult to change it. We prefer to teach our dogs the correct foundation from the start. That being said if you are dedicated to putting in the time retraining is always possible.
My dog is older and I started my training using other methods can I change over to your program?
Yes as long as your dog has the Temperament for the work, is motivated by something, food, toy, tug, ball, you can switch them over. Keep in mind it may take a bit more time to fix the missing parts of your foundation but it is well worth it. We suggest an Evaluation if you are unsure if your dog is suited for the sport.
What is an Evaluation for working temperament?
This sport requires a specific temperament to do the work regardless of the level of competition. We want motivated dogs that push you as if they are saying “What’s next, let’s do something!” While there are certainly exercises that you can do to try and get your dog more energetic for the work, the lack of enthusiasm could be a big part of his genetic makeup, an evaluation can help sort things out. Your dog may be a great dog but just not have what it takes for this particular sport.
We see many dogs that show lack of excitement simply because they have been trained poorly, not reinforced, or reinforced incorrectly. These dogs can do very well once on our program.
When we evaluate a dog it is for the sport of Schutzhund and while we look at the stability of the dog we are looking for specific qualities for the sport. Some of these are gripping behavior, energy and focus, enthusiasm to work with the handler for food, tug, ball etc. Keep in mind that an evaluation is only as good as the evaluator!
My dogs parents are both Schutzhund titled so he should be a natural for Schutzhund right?
WRONG. While a pedigree is a great place to start when picking a puppy, what is on a piece of paper is NO guarantee that YOUR dog has the right working temperament. We test puppies at 7 weeks of age looking for all the qualities it takes to do this sport, the basic qualities as discussed above are either there or not. Genetics are complex and what may look good on a pedigree is no guarantee that your puppy will possess the qualities of his parents or have what it takes to do the sport. You have to look at the puppy or dog that is in front of you and not just the pedigree.
