Have I told you I love you lately, Mick?
Go rest your fingers now... LOL Very succintly written, and very spot on.
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My friend told me to get my dogs into schutzhund when they get older... I just want your opinion, should I? If you guys don't know, I have a rottweiler and a pitbull; they are supposed to be good in Schutzhund. But, i'm not sure if i should enroll them in it. I just want your opinions. All replies will be taken into consideration, thank you!!
Dezaree
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It's hard to top what Mick just wrote, but I'll just add a couple of tidbits. If your dogs have what it takes genetically, you could look into this when they're older, but you may have training issues down the line if you don't get them to the field now and start imprinting them properly... along with Nature, Nurture cannot be forgotten.
Working pups tend to be raised differently than your average house companion. Prey drive is focused on, bite imprinting, etc... Getting the pups around the helpers, the Club, and even allowing them to watch the older dogs can do a lot for a youngster. Active socialization continues, and play with the pup in various environments helps immensely.
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The Schutzhund club I called charges $450 for six, hour long classes . It is not cheap; so if your not in it 100%, it may be better to try something a little less expensive .
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You are speaking of private lessons, I'm sure. Club members generally don't pay for training. They often have a "kitty" for the helper, but pay Club dues and contribute for trials, gear and such.
Dezaree, I would suggest you find a club or two in your area, contact them and set up a time when you can go meet them on a training day. Kick back and enjoy. Ask questions, answer questions and get to know them. Sometimes they'll want you to keep your pups at home for the first meeting, and sometimes not. They'll want to evaluate the pups and then you go from there. As well, some clubs are open to new members, and some not so open.
If this is something you have an earnest interest in learning about, then learning about it should be your first priority.
Read books, check out the Club Websites (USA and DVG), meet the people and go from there. You may decide this is not for you. Also be aware that you can get titles in parts of the Sport, Obedience, Tracking or Protection (can't just do protection!)...
Many people do not really understand that Schutzhund is quite simply a sport. It is a sport in which the dog is trained to work in drive, therefore the dog can be controlled in drive.
Good luck with your research!