WHAT WE BREED FOR AT ALYESKA GERMAN SHEPHERDS
TRUE WORKING LINES
Marina vom Alyeska, a typical Alyeska Bred Female from Klicko and finess
IKKA VOM ALYESKA, A TYPICAL ALYESKA-BRED FEMALE FROM OUR COHEN AND VASHON LITTERS
"Show me your dog and I'll tell you what manner of man you are."
- - Captain Max von Stephanitz, founder of the German Shepherd Dog breed.
Alyeska German Shepherds gets its name from the magnificant land in which we are located...Alaska. The state name of Alaska is derived from Aleut word "Alyeska" (ali- ess'- kah), meaning “great land." It seems to us, what better tribute to the greatest of breeds than to name the dogs from our kennel after the"great land" in which we breed and raise them. Alyeska German Shepherds are small-scale, licensed trainers/breeders of the European working line German Shepherd Dog, located in the tiny town of Willow, Alaska, an hour and a half north of Anchorage, Alaska. By breeding only working-line German Shepherd Dogs, we are breeding dogs as closely as possible to the standard envisioned by the breed's founder, Captain Max von Stephanitz.
German Shepherd Dogs require hours of attention, training and care to achieve their full potential and have truly happy, well-rounded lives and fully developed personalities. We believe that it is a thorough, comprehensive and wide-reaching understanding of dogs in general, the German Shepherd breed specifically, and in addition a deep understanding of our own dogs, their bloodlines, traits, how to best combine them, etc., gained from years of breeding these dogs, this is what makes us quality breeders. It is ONLY through experience and true knowledge of one's animals that the breeder is able to make the best possible choices in breeding and in selecting animals for breeding and for homes. It is due to most breeders' significant and sometimes complete lack of intensive knowledge of the breed and their own breeding stock that the German Shepherd Dog has been so damaged by poor breeding practices.
Much of our breeding philosophy is taken from the breed founder, Max vom Stephanitz. Thus, we endeavor to breed according to the intended breed goal, a well-rounded working dog. We stick to the basics and we don't attempt to "fix" what is not broken. We have found that von Stephanitz's understanding and love of his breed, to which he devoted his life, has not become less relevant over time and indeed, perhaps speaks even more strongly to us today when our beloved breed faces so many problems due to improper breeding and a lack of understanding regarding the purpose and needs of this spectacular dog.
ULU VOM ALYESKA, AN EXCELLENT ALYESKA-BRED FEMALE FROM OUR VOLAN AND DENALI LITTERS
"Take this trouble for me: Make sure my shepherd dog remains a working dog, for I have struggled all my life long for that aim.''
Rittmeister Captain Max von Stephanitz [1864 - 1936]
This statement by Max von Stephanitz is our breeding goal at Alyeska for the German Shepherd Dog, in a nutshell. A lot can be said to explain why these "working dogs" generally make far better companions and pets than their "show" bred or Americanized (bred out of standard) counterparts. We breed only European working lines, as we believe, having bred, imported and trained German Shepherd Dogs for over 17 years and having seen just about every bloodline available (including the main 3: European showline, European working-line and the American-style German Shepherd show dog), it is the German working line dogs that are, at this point in the breed history today, still capable of meeting the standard of the ideal German Shepherd Dog as set out by von Stephanitz. We attempt to breed with the original function and standard of the German Shepherd dog always at the forefront of our goals. Thus, we do not breed dogs that are not to the standard set out by von Stephanitz. We will not breed for current bloodline "fashion," for color, or for primary profit. This means we do not breed white dogs, grossly oversized dogs (over 100 pounds) that seem to be so popular with the public these days, including the "American Shepherd" with its hyena back and ski-slope topline, or any other dogs otherwise not meeting the original German standard set out for the German Shepherd Dog. We might occasionally produce puppies with long coats or solid blacks, etc. These genes do sometimes crop up. However, we in no way specifically breed for these superficial, cosmetic traits. We also do not cross European showlines or American show shepherd bloodlines with our European working lines. We regard the mixing of lines as a recipe for disaster, as the lines are too different at this point in the breed history to converge and blend well.
All the reasons we don't breed dogs being said, you might ask why we DO breed the German Shepherd Dog. We breed the German Shepherd Dog because they are the joys of our life. Nothing has brought us more joy in life than having the privilege to own and work with some of the finest working dogs ever bred. It is a life-changing experience, to share a part of your life with one of these animals. Once you do, you will never forget it and never be happy with another breed. We believe that the truly great working German Shepherds are quickly disappearing, and we wish to keep our working lines alive and available for as long as we can. Everyone with the ability and lifestyle to enjoy and appreciate one of these dogs should be able to have that chance...and that chance includes the opportunity to own "the real thing."
Although we believe it is destructive to breed for specific cosmetic traits such as specific colors or coat lengths, we do care about good pigment and structure. A German Shepherd cannot properly fulfill his function is he no longer has the form to enable him to get his tasks done. These concerns are secondary and can be improved upon, as long as the temperament,working abilities and health of the dog are superb. We would not breed two dogs if we personally would not be interested in having one of the offspring of the breeding, litter unseen. We must have that much faith in both dogs involved and their inherent qualities before allowing them to produce puppies. Our goals are always for breed improvement with every litter. However, this improvement is limited to breeding dogs that conform to the breed standard and that are exemplary representatives of the breed as it was intended. We do not have a vision towards changing or "improving " upon the original vision of the German Shepherd as an ideal working dog and guardian. With every litter, using only top European working lines, we strive to both preserve the traditional working character of our dogs and to also produce dogs with both the proper structure, drives and temperament for both work and the requirements needed in a balanced companion dog.
We breed dogs with an eye to maintaining a balance of traditional (correct ) working structure, solid nerves, sociability/good temperament, and high working drives tempered with excellent nerves and stability. A quality German Shepherd should be able to be both pet, working dog and family protector/companion. Puppies from our litters are currently involved in Schutzhund, Search and Rescue, FEMA, Service K9 work, Therapy K9 work, Narcotics Detection, Bomb Detection, Military Patrol and Anti-terror functions, Agility, Obedience and Tracking. However, the vast majority of our dogs are also living as faithful companions and protectors in homes, and we believe that is the way it should be.
However, a German Shepherd dog is not a dog for everyone and those considering adding one to their family should research the breed carefully before the final decision is made. The dedication this dog deserves from his family and handler(s) is captured in this quote from Max von Stephanitz; "The success for all employment as an assistant of man depends in the first place on expert leadership, whereby the dog is always put in just the right place, and where the man is so well-aquainted with the peculiarities of the dog that he always knows how to interpret correctly the meaning of the dog's signs. A leader without expert knowledge of and affection for the dog will achieve only mediocre results with the best trained dog: while an expert dog-loving leader can achieve good results with a dog of only fair capacity. In other words, the whole question is not only a question of the dog, but quite as much, if not more so, a question of the fitness of the leader." Wise words and definitely food for thought if you are considering purchasing a German Shepherd dog.
Far too many dogs today are ruined and even "put down" due to problems caused by the neglect and negligence of unsuitable owners. Even more tragically, it is almost always the dog who is blamed for these undesirable behaviors that lead to the situations in which dogs are judged as disobedient, destructive or dangerous ... and thus expendable or deserving of death. While it is true that poorly-bred German Shepherd Dogs can be unstable and even a menace, this fact places responsibility even more squarely on the owner to reseach the breed and only obtain a dog that has been bred for the right reasons and with the right qualities insured to be genetically present. Rarely is the owner, who often did not research the breed or the purchase of his puppy or, alternately, supply the pup with proper upbringing, training and attention, held to account for his failure to properly care for, train and take appropriate responsibility for his dog. Even a well-bred pup can be ruined by lack of proper care and training. These crucial questions of the owner, fundamental moral questions, if they come at all, always occur after the damage has been done. And it is always the dog who suffers... and the dog who pays. Without fail, the owner will says he loves his dog, but we have found that "love," without appropriate care, attention and responsible training, is meaningless at best.
German Shepherd dogs require the same level of devotion and loyalty that they offer to those fortunate enough to own one. Their protective nature requires that they are properly raised and handled and that they receive direction and training from their owners. We strive to place our dogs in select homes where there is understanding of the responsibility of owning our magnificent animals. A well-bred German Shepherd Dog does not have the temperament of a Golden Retriever, nor should it. The temperament of a properly-bred German Shepherd is like no other dog. Intelligence, willingness to obey, vigilance and a strong protective nature are all traits that we have attempt to preserve in our dogs. Dogs with these characteristics require a proper upbringing with a great deal of attention and socialization in order to make well-balanced and adjusted adult dogs. Proper training is required if they are to develop to their fullest potential. If you have the time and energy to devote to such a dog, once you experience a real German Shepherd, you will never wish to own another breed. A well bred German Shepherd is like no other breed of dog. The original temperament of the breed is something that almost anyone can appreciate and admire.
Unfortunately, not everyone can handle these dogs, which has prompted some breeders to breed away from the original temperament that made the German Shepherd the most versatile working dog in the world. Any person interested in owning a German Shepherd dog owes it to himself to research the breed and the breeder before they purchase. Currently there are people literally coming out of the woodwork calling themselves "breeders" of German Shepherd Dog. Since these people know so little about the breed, they are breeding for nothing more than money and for what their ideal German Shepherd Dog is supposed to be like. They don't have the experience or skill to breed for the betterment of the breed, and they don't, for the most part, know or even care what the standard says a German Shepherd Dog should be in form or function. Thus, it is now, more than ever, vitally important to locate breeders who are attempting to maintain the original temperament of the breed. It can be a very confusing task, but when you do find a quality German Shepherd Dog bred with the original breed traits in mind, it becomes worth every bit of the effort. While many people dream of owning a German Shepherd dog, few understand the responsibility involved. Deciding to purchase a German Shepherd should be a process that involves evaluating your own limitations and your ability to raise and handle a dog with the drives and abilities this breed possesses. Your breeder, besides being extremely well-versed in all aspects of the breed, should also be very experienced in placing the right pup in the right home. This is not always easy to do, but years of experience in learning to match people with pups certainly helps.
The German Shepherd standard follows and should be the aim of all breeders concerned with maintaining the breed's original temperament, working ability and correct working structure:
The German Shepherd Dogs belong to the medium-sized breeds. The ideal withers height amounts with males from 60 to 65 cm ( 23,5 - 25,5 inch ), females 55 to 60 cm ( 22 - 23,5 inch ). The dog should be easily stretched, i.e. the body a little longer than the withers height.
1) Angulations and Movement
The German Shepherd Dog is a trotter. His gait exhibits diagonal movement, i.e., the hind foot and the forefoot on opposite sides move simultaneously. The limbs, therefore, must be so similarly proportioned to one another, i.e. angulated, that the action of the rear as it carries through to the middle of the body and is matched by an equally far-reaching forehand causes no essential change in the top line. Every tendency toward over angulations of the rear quarters diminishes soundless and endurance. The correct proportions of height to length and corresponding length of the leg bones results in a ground-eating gait that is low to the ground and imparts an impression of effortless progression. With his head thrust forward and a slightly raised tail, a balanced and even trotter will have a top line that falls in moderate curves from the tip of the ears over the neck and level back through the tip of the tail.
2) Temperament, Character and Abilities
Sound nerves, alertness, self-confidence, trainability, watchfulness, loyalty and incorruptibility, as well as courage, fighting drive and hardness, are the outstanding characteristics of a purebred German Shepherd Dog. They make his suitable to be a superior working dog in general, and in particular to be a guard, companion, protection and herding dog.
His ample scenting abilities, added to his conformation as a trotter, make it possible for him to quietly and surely work out a track without bodily strain and with his nose close to the ground. This makes him highly useful as a multipurpose track and search dog.
3) Head
The head should be in proportion to the body size (in length approximately 40% of the height at the withers) and not coarse, over refined or overstretched (snippy). In general appearance, it should be dry with moderate breadth between the ears.
The forehead when viewed from the front or side is only slightly arched. It should be without a center furrow or with only a slightly defined furrow.
The cheeks form a gentle curve laterally without protrusion toward the front. When viewed from above, the skull (approximately 50% of the entire head length) tapers gradually and evenly from the ears to the tip of the nose, with a sloping rather than a sharply defined stop and into a long, dry wedge-shaped muzzle (the upper and lower jaws must be strongly developed.)
The width of the skull should correspond approximately to the length of the skull. Also, a slight oversize in the case of males or undersize in the case of females is not objectionable.
The muzzle is strong; the lips are firm and dry and close tightly.
The bridge of the nose is straight and runs nearly parallel with the plane of the forehead.
4) Dentition
Dentition must be healthy, strong and complete (42 teeth, 20 in the upper jaw and 22 in the lower jaw). The German Shepherd Dog has a scissors bite, e.g. the incisors must meet each other in a scissors like fashion, with the outer surface of the incisors of the lower jaw sliding next to the inner surface of the incisors of the upper jaw.
An undershot or overshot bite if faulty, as are large gaps between the teeth. A level bite is faulty, as the incisors close on a straight line.
The jaws must be strongly developed so that the teeth may be deeply rooted.
5) Ears
The ears are of medium size, wide at the base and set high. They taper to a point and are carried facing forward and vertically (the tips not inclined toward each other). Tipped, cropped and hanging ears are rejected. Ears drawn toward each other greatly impair the general appearance. The ears of puppies and young dogs sometimes drop or pull toward each other during the teething period, which can last until six months of age and sometimes longer.
Many dogs draw their ears back during motion or at rest. This is not faulty.
6) Eyes
The eyes are of medium size, almond shaped, somewhat slanting and not protruding.
The color of the eyes should blend with the color of the coat. They should be as dark as possible. They should have a lively, intelligent and self-confident expression.
7) Neck
The neck should be strong with well-developed muscles and without looseness of the throat skin (dewlaps).
The neck is carried at an angle of about 45 degrees to the horizontal. It is carried higher when excited and lower when trotting.
8) Body
The body length should exceed the height at the withers. It should amount to about 110 to 117% of the height at the withers. Dogs with a short, square or tall build are undesirable.
The chest is deep (approximately 45 to 48% of the height at the withers) but not too wide. The under chest should be as long as possible and pronounced.
The ribs should be well formed and long, neither barrel shaped nor too flat. They should reach the sternum, which is at the same level as the elbows. A correctly formed rib cage allows the elbows freedom of movement when the dogs trots. A too round rib cage disrupts the motion of the elbows and causes them to turn out. A too flat rib cage draws the elbows in toward one another. The rib cage extends far back so that the loins are relatively short.
The abdomen is moderately tucked up. The back, including the loins, is straight and strongly developed yet not too long between the withers and the croup. The withers must be long and high, sloping slightly from front to rear, defined against the back into which it gently blends without breaking the top line. The loins must be wide, strong and well muscled.
The croup is long and slightly angled (approximately 23 degrees). The ileum and the sacrum are the foundation bones of the croup. Short, steep or flat croups are undesirable.
9) Tail
The tail is bushy and should reach at least to the hock joint but not beyond the middle of the hocks. Sometimes the tail forms a hook to one side at its end, though this is undesirable. At rest the tail is carried in a gentle downward curve, but when the dog is excited or in motion, it is curved more and carried higher. The tail should never be raised past the vertical. The tail, therefore, should not be carried straight or curled over the back.
Docked tails are inadmissible.
10) Forequarters
The shoulder blade should be long with an oblique placement (the angle at 45 degrees) and lying flat against the body. The upper arm joins the shoulder blade in an approximate right angle. The upper arm as well as the shoulder must be strong and well muscled.
The forearm must be straight when viewed from all sides. The bones of the upper arm and forearm are more oval than round.
The pasterns should be firm but neither too steep nor too down in pastern (Approximately 20 degrees).
The elbows must be neither turned in nor turned out. the length of the leg bones should exceed the depth of the chest (approximately 55%).
11) Hindquarters
The thigh is broad and well muscled. The upper thigh bone when viewed from the side joins the only slightly longer lower thigh bone at an angle of approximately 120 degrees. The angulations corresponds roughly to the forequarter angulations without being over angulated. The hock joint is strong and firm. The hock is strong and forms a firm joint with the lower thigh. The entire hindquarters must be strong and well muscled to be capable of carrying the body effortlessly forward during motion.
12) Feet
The feet are relatively round, short, tightly formed and arched. The pads are very hard, but not chapped. The nails are short, strong and of a dark color. Dewclaws sometime appear on the hind legs and should be removed within the first few days of birth.
14) Color
Color should be black with regular markings in brown, tan to light gray, also with a black saddle, dark sable (black cover on a gray or light brown case with corresponding lighter marks), black, uniform gray or with light or brown markings. Small white markings on the fore chest or a very light color on the insides of the legs are permissible though not desired. The nose must be black with all coat colors. (Dogs with little or no masks, yellow or strikingly light eyes, light markings on the chest and insides of the legs, white nails and a red tip of the tail or washed out weak colors are considered lacking in pigment.) The undercoat or base hair is always light gray, with the exception of that on black dogs. the final color of a puppy is only determined when the outer coat completely develops.
15) Coat
a) The medium smooth coated German Shepherd Dog
The outer coat should be as thick as possible. The individual hairs are straight, coarse and lying flat against the body. The coat is short on the head inclusive of the ears, the front of the legs, the feet and the toes but longer and thicker on the neck. The hair grows longer on the back of the fore- and hind legs as far down as the pastern and the hock joint, forming moderate breeching on the thighs. the length of the hair varies, and due to these differences in length, there are many intermediate forms. A too short or mole like coat is faulty.
b) The long smooth coated German Shepherd Dog
The individual hairs are longer, not always straight and above all not lying close to the body. The coat is considerably longer inside and behind the ears, on the back of the forearm and usually in the loin area. now and then there will be tufts in the ears and feathering from elbow to pastern. The breeching along the thigh is long and thick. The tail is bushy with slight feathering underneath. the long-smooth-coat is not as weatherproof as the medium-smooth-coat and is therefore undesirable; however, provided there is sufficient undercoat, it may be passed for breeding, as long as the breed regulations of the country allow it.
With the long smooth coated German Shepherd Dog, a narrow chest and narrow overstretched muzzle are frequently found.
c) The long coated German Shepherd Dog
The coat is considerably longer than that of the long-smooth-coat. It is generally very soft and forms a parting along the back. The undercoat will be found in the region of the loins or will not be present at all. A long coat is greatly diminished in weatherproofing and utility and therefore is undesirable.
Faults
Faults include anything that impairs working versatility, endurance and working competency, especially lack of sex characteristics and temperament traits contrary to the German Shepherd Dog such as apathy, weak nerves or over excitability, shyness; lack of vitality or willingness to work; monorchids and cryptorchids and testicles too small; a soft or flabby constitution and a lack of substance; fading pigment; blues, albinos (with complete lack of pigmentation, e.g. pink nose, etc.) and whites (near to pure white with black nose); over and under size; stunted growth; high-legged dogs and those with an overloaded fore chest; a disproportionately short, too refined or coarse build; a soft back, too steep a placement of the limbs and anything depreciating the reach and endurance of gait; a muzzle that is too short, blunt, weak , pointed or narrow and lacks strength; an over-or undershot bite or any other faults of dentition, especially weak or worn teeth; a coat that is too soft, too short or too long; a lack of undercoat; hanging ears, a permanently faulty ear carriage or cropped ears; a ringed, curled or generally faulty tail set; a docked tail (stumpy) or a naturally short tail.
The above standard was approved and put into effect for the countries and clubs of the FCI. The name of the breed is the German Shepherd Dog. The country of origin is Germany.
Schutzhund refers to a sport that focuses on developing and evaluating those traits in dogs that make them more useful and happier companions for their owners.
Schutzhund work concentrates on three parts. Many familiar with the obedience work of the American Kennel Club’s affiliates will recognize the first two parts, tracking and obedience. The Schutzhund standards for the third part, protection work, are similar to those for dogs in police work.
While dogs of other breeds are also admitted to Schutzhund trials, this breed evaluation test was developed specifically for the German Shepherd Dog. Schutzhund is intended to demonstrate the dog’s intelligence and utility. As a working trial, Schutzhund measures the dog’s mental stability, endurance, structural efficiencies, ability to scent, willingness to work, courage and trainability.
This working dog sport offers an opportunity for dog owners to train their dog and compete with each other for recognition of both the handler’s ability to train and the dog’s ability to perform as required. It is a sport enjoyed by persons of varied professions, who join together in a camaraderie born of their common interest in working with their dogs. Persons of all ages and conditions of life --- even those with significant disabilities --- enjoy Schutzhund as a sport. Often, it is a family sport.
In addition to the Schutzhund titles, the GSDCA-WDA offers three additional training degrees. Two of these, the FH1 and FH2, are advanced tracking degrees that require the dog to follow tracks over changing terrain, discriminate between cross-tracks and follow tracks at least 3 hours old.
The third degree is the BH. The BH is a degree for traffic-safe companion dogs that tests the dogs temperament in and around people. It includes basic formal obedience - heeling on and off leash, sits, downs and recalls - as well as practical tests of the dog’s character in everyday situations. These include reaction to normal situations involving crowds of people, strange noises, joggers, cars and other dogs. Before being allowed to enter for a Schutzhund I title, the dog must first have successsfully completed the BH.
There are three levels of the Schutzhund test for which titles can be earned.
For Schutzhund I the dog must be at least 18 months old and pass an initial temperament test by the judge. The dog must heel on the leash and off, demonstrate the walking sit, the walking down, and the stay tests, as well as, the send-out. It must retrieve on the flat and over a hurdle. In tracking, it must be able to follow a track laid by its handler at least 20 minutes earlier. There are also protection tests.
For Schutzhund II the dog must be at least 19 months old and must already have earned its Schutzhund I degree. It must again pass all of the obedience and protection tests required for the Schutzhund I degree, but those tests, for Schutzhund II, are made more difficult and require greater endurance, agility, and above all, control. There is an additional retrieve required over the six foot slanted wall. In tracking, the Schutzhund II candidate must be able to follow a track laid by a stranger at least 30 minutes earlier.
For Schutzhund III the master’s degree, the dog must be at least 20 months old and must have earned both the Schutzhund I and the Schutzhund II titles. Again, the tests now are made far more difficult. All exercises in obedience and protection are demonstrated off leash. There is the additional of a walking and running stand. In tracking, the dog must follow a track that was laid by a stranger at least 60 minutes earlier. The track has four turns, compared with two turns for Schutzhund I and II, and there are three objects, rather than two, that must be found by the dog. The picture of obedience, strength, eagerness and confidence presented by an excellent Schutzhund III team is a beautifully illustration of the partnership of human and dog.
The tracking phase includes a temperament test by the overseeing judge to assure the dog’s mental soundness. When approached closely on a loose leash, the dog should not act shyly or aggressively. The track is laid earlier by a person walking normally on a natural surface such as dirt or grass. The track includes a number of turns and a number of small, man-made objects left by this person on the track itself. At the end of a 33 foot leash, the handler follows the dog, which is expected to scent the track and indicate the location of the objects, usually by lying down with it between its front paws. The tracking phase is intended to test the dog’s trainability and ability to scent, as well as, its mental and physical endurance.The obedience phase includes a series of heeling exercises, some of which are closely in and around a group of people. During the heeling, there is a gun shot test to assure that the dog does not openly react to such sharp noises. There is also a series of field exercises in which the dog is commanded to sit, lie down and stand while the handler continues to move. From these various positions, the dog is recalled to the handler. With dumbbells of various weights, the dog is required to retrieve on a flat surface, over a one-meter hurdle and over a six-foot slanted wall. The dog is also asked to run in a straight direction from its handler on command and lie down on a second command. Finally, each dog is expected to stay in a lying down position away from its handler, despite distractions, at the other end of the obedience field, while another dog completes the above exercises.
All of the obedience exercises are tests of the dog’s temperament, structural efficiencies and very importantly, its willingness to serve man or woman.The protection phase tests the dog’s courage, physical strength and agility. The handler’s control for the dog is absolutely essential. The exercises include a search of hiding places, finding a hidden person (acting as a human decoy), and guarding that decoy while the handler approaches. The dog is expected to pursue the decoy when an escape is attempted and to hold the grip firmly. The decoy is searched and transported to the judge with the handler and dog walking behind and later at the decoy’s right side. When the decoy attempts to attack the handler, the dog is expected to stop the attack with a firm grip and no hesitation.The final test of courage occurs when the decoy is asked to come out of a hiding place by the judge from the opposite end of the trial field. The dog is sent after the decoy when he refuses to listen to the handler’s command to stop. The decoy then runs directly at the dog threatening the dog with a stick. All grips during the protection phase are expected to be firmly placed on the padded sleeve and stopped on command and or when the decoy discontinues the fight. The protection tests are intended to assure that the dog is neither a coward nor a criminal menace.
At all three stages --- Schutzhund I, II and III --- each of the three phases: obedience, tracking and protection, is worth 100 points, for a total of 300 points. If a dog does not receive a minimum of 70% of the points in tracking, 70% of the points in obedience and 70% of the points in protection --- or if the dog fails the pretrial temperament test ---- it is not awarded a degree that day and must repeat the entire test, passing all phases of the test at a later trial. In every event, the Judge is looking for an eager, concentrating and accurate working dog. High ratings and scores are given to the animal that displays a strong willingness and ability to work for it human handler.
Since Schutzhund is the demonstration of the German Shepherd dog’s most desirable characteristics, dogs well trained in Schutzhund are usually excellent companions in the home. The German Shepherd Dog --- like any other working dog that possesses mental stability --- has trust in his handler and confidence in himself, allowing the dog to be at ease in familiar and unfamiliar surroundings.
In addition to sound structure for long, arduous work, the standard for the German Shepherd Dog calls for mental stability and a willingness to work. The dog should be approachable, quietly standing its ground, showing confidence and a willingness to meet pepole without being either fawing or ill at ease and overly aggressive. It should be generally calm, but eager and alert and quite vigilant and protective when the situation warrants. It should be fearless and good with children.
The German Shepherd Dog should not be timid or react nervously to unusual sounds or sights. A dog that is overly aggressive is most often NOT BRAVE, but reacts with undue aggression due to fear. A dog that fears people and events can be extremely dangerous. The Schutzhund sport is designed to identify and eliminate such dogs from breeding stock. Because Schutzhund training gives the owner a great deal of control over the dog the owner is able to let the dog have more fun. Not only is Schutzhund training itself enjoyable for the dog, but the Schutzhund trained dog knows how to please its owners, creating a stronger bond between dog and owners.
A dog that performs well in Schutzhund work is obviously a very good candidate for police work. Police dogs, like other service dogs, must have temperaments with a good foundation of intelligence and utility. A minimal amount of additional training makes many well-trained Schutzhund dogs ready for active police duty. Such fearless police dogs can also work around children and in crowds without worry on the part of their handlers.
In every breed, the pedigree is the key to knowing the potential of the puppy. Schutzhund revolves around working lines --- generations of dogs that have proven themselves and produced similar characteristics in their offspring. These characteristics include not only the physical structure of the dog, which is very important, but also its temperament.
Selecting the bloodlines from which you want your puppy may require advice. Information from breed surveys can help. Of course, it makes sense to discuss your objectives with reputable and experienced Schutzhund handlers or enthusiasts.
Once you have determined that the bloodlines of the potential dam and sire are of high quality, you should observe the parents, especially the Mother, if that is at all possible. The dam will be the main influence on the young pup for the first six weeks of its life. If the dam is nervous or unsure, chances are this uncertainty will be transferred to the offspring.
If you are able to see the litter, watch the puppies together and also separately, to try to determine which is the best puppy. Obvious structural defects or health problems should be watched for.
It is important that the puppy have intense instinct to stalk the prey --- a ball, a toy, etc. --- and also be the leader in the sense of bullying the other puppies. The puppy should not show fear when away from its littermates. It should not need to stay with the mother. The puppy should be adventurous and active, playing with objects shown to it by someone in the enclosure, but it should be independent enough to take that object and go off on its own as well.
It is independence and confidence, combined with the positive contact with the pack leader (the dam, at this time) that will develop into the traits of trainability that you need.
Puppyhood is the most critical period for the development of the characteristics you want to encourage. Your local Schutzhund club can advise you about nurturing and socializing your growing puppy.
A puppy learns from it experiences, so you want to provide only positive ones. It should be provided with opportunity to explore and investigate new situations and new people, but always in a non-threatening way. Remember that your goal is to build confidence in the young animal. Your aim is NOT to dominate or oppress the young pup.
Exposure to different environments is crucial to the general education of the dog and also to assure it that the world is a safe pace. If something appears to make the dog unsure, give it the opportunity to investigate it slowly, but do not force the issue.
It is imperative to avoid situations where your dog would be dominated by another older or stronger dog, or by another puppy. You also want to avoid having to discipline or correct your puppy and thus dampen its spirit or damage its self-confidence. You can do this by never leaving the pup in a situation where it can cause damage to your valuables or find itself in a dangerous predicament.
The final area of development is that of drive encouragement. The natural behaviors that you want to encourage are playing with the ball, tug of war, hide and seek, pulling toys on a string, pursuing you rapidly when you run away, and finally defending itself, its family and its home. The latter really only shows itself between the ages of nine and eighteen months as the pup begins to mature by barking at strangers or intruders.
It is better to leave for later formal obedience training with a young dog. The character of the puppy is not sufficiently strong to withstand the corrections involved in obedience training. Acceptable manners at home and in the car and “play“ training, like learning to sit for a food reward, with NO corrections involved, is advisable. Real obedience work should begin only after the dog is well on its way in the protection training.
The first Schutzhund trial was held in Germany in 1901 to emphasize the correct working temperament and ability in the German Shepherd breed. Originally, these dogs were herding dogs, but the industrialization of Germany encouraged breeders to promote the use of their dogs as police and military dogs. The Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde (SV), the parent club, became concerned that this would lead to careless breeding and undesirable traits such as mental instability, so it developed the Schutzhund test.
Since then, many other countries and working dog organizations have also adopted Schutzhund as a sport and a test of working performance in dogs. International rules have been established, and they are administered by the Verein fur Deutsche Hundesport (VDH).
In 1970 the first Schutzhund trial in the U.S. was held in California. Today, the GSDCA-WDA sponsors trial in all parts of the country and chooses a team in open competition to represent the GSDCA at the WUSV World Championship. More than 25 countries send teams of competitors to the World Championship for Schutzhund dogs from the World Union of German Shepherd clubs.
Any registered German Shepherd that has earned a Schutzhund degree has demonstrated sufficient ability as a working dog to qualify for breed evaluation. The breed evaluation is a very detailed examination of the dog’s structure, temperament and pedigree and requires both a certification of good hip joints and sufficient performance on an endurance test (the AD). Dogs that do well in the breed evaluation receive a Koerklasse I or Koerklasse II. This is a recommendation and evaluation by a trained and recognized expert Judge as the worthiness of the dog for breeding. Dogs rated Koerklasse II are “suitable for breeding” and dogs rated Koerklasse I are “recommended for breeding”. By thus screening dogs in order to select the suitable specimens for breeding, Schutzhund helps to maintain the quality of the breed at a very high level. Thus, there is a very high level of assurance that puppies born to Schutzhund dams and sired by Schutzhund dogs are more likely to be of reliable temperament, high intelligence, steady nerves, extreme endurance, great strength, and sound structures.
If trained in the right manner, dogs enjoy working, as anyone who attends a Schutzhund competition can see. The joy of the dogs in working with their handlers is evident.
For thousands of years, dogs have adapted to serve humans in a mutually beneficial relationship. While dogs could move quickly, hunt prey, and protect flocks and their owner, the humans could provide food, shelter from the most severe elements, and protection from larger predators, besides tending to the dog’s injuries. A dog’s reason for being is to serve humans.
Schutzhund training helps develop the dog’s natural instincts to a high level. Self-confident dogs, doing work for which they are well trained, are happy dogs. Wagging tails, sounds of excitement, and strong pulling on a leash all show an observer at a Schutzhund trial how much fulfillment dogs find in this work.