explain the tests for me

[smileyrott]

Could someone explain what goes on when they test to see if a dog has Schutzhund potential?

------------------
~Halle~

[Orville Story]

To better answer you question I will discuss the different traits sought after and the traits undesired in a good Schutzhund dog. Dogs will vary in degree in each of these traits.

Desired: confident, bold, high prey drive ( will chase anything that moves), strong willed (not willing to submit to other dogs or people), Friendly, outgoing, alert, high food drive, and high fight drive.

Undesired: Timid, shy, submissive, lazy, agressive, nervious, lacking in prey, food and fight drives.

A fair test would determine the dog's temperament, but the only real test is time and training.

[ChuckCavin]

You may want to read some of my posts under "Diesel's Test." This is one trainer's way of checking aptitude.

[Sammie]

Orville:

Thanks for the explanation...some of the desired traits I knew about, some I didn't.

[German Vanegas]

Fight drive is not a common drive. I dare to say that, based on my own experience, out of 100 well-bred dogs you may find about 10 of them with that drive. Defense drive you could find in say 25 out of 100 dogs... that tells you, right there, that about 75% of dogs do not have the necessary drive to qualify for real personal protection or guard work. Even though many dogs high in prey drive may easily qualify in schutzhund by being trained and worked in such one drive

[K9-man]

What exactly is “high fight drive”?

[German Vanegas]

K9 Man,
It is an unmatched courage with a strong-will from a dog to engage a human threat, with a commitment and determination to prevail in the fight, where the dog will do or die in such engagement. Not many dogs have it.

[K9-man]

The reason I asked German is because my girl possesses all of the traits Orville described earlier. AS far as “high fight drive” is there testing that can be done to determine if she has this or is it something that will or will not show up as a dog progresses through Schutzhund training?

[This message has been edited by K9-man (edited July 31, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by K9-man (edited July 31, 2000).]

[German Vanegas]

K9 Man, How old is your dog?...

[czechrott]

There are many drives associated with the protection work. The German Breed Warden's feel that the following drives are present, and can be evaluated [ on a ZTPr].

Courage
Hardness
Fighting Drive
Protection Drive
Tractibility

Of course, these evaluations are subjective. Describing the differences is not so easy, as they all blend in together.

[K9-man]

Belle will be 2 years old August 21st.

[German Vanegas]

K-9 man,
Does it have an ancestry with protection titles? and, have you conducted any bite training with your dog?...

[K9-man]

German,
Her heritage is unknown. Her training consists of obedience, basic and advanced. No bite work.

[German Vanegas]

K-9 Man,
Then I can only advise you to find a reputable personal protection dog trainer, with verifiable credentials, to have him conduct a test on your dog. This way, it could be determined the level and intensity of your dog's drives.

[K9-man]

German,
Should I expect to pay a fee for these preliminary tests?