Schutzhund (SchH) was originally developed for the German Shepherd Dog as a means of testing breeding suitability. There are three phases of work consisting of tracking, obedience, and protection work. There are also three levels of complexity - SchH1 (beginning level), SchH 2 (intermediate level), and SchH3 (Mastery Level).

Each level, phase, and exercise of Schutzhund has a purpose and tests aspects of the dog's character, strength, courage, and genetic makeup. Tracking tests the prey and pack instincts (more commonly referred to as "drives." Obedience tests the pack drive and protection tests the prey, aggression, defense, and pack drives. When performed correctly, a judge should be able to see a snap shot of what the dog genetically "is" and rate the levels of his drives accordingly.

When it comes to Schutzhund training, we believe that both the handler and the dog should have FUN while they're learning and working together. We believe in teaching both the dog and handler to be confident team mates when trial day comes. The most common comments when we train are, "I can't believe we got it so quickly!" and "I've learned more in one day here than I have in the whole time I've been training!"

Now, not all dogs and handlers are the same nor do they want the same results. Some handlers want to compete while other simply want to enhance their relationship with their dogs. No matter what the goal, our training approach is fundamentally the same - we work with the dogs drives and the control comes naturally and willingly.

At Canine Training Concepts, we believe that, by training tracking, obedience, and protection by working with the dog and not against him, we can clarify his instincts and support him as a whole. By using this approach, our clients (both human and canine) achieve consistent results, sweat a little, and they have a great time too. After all, if it's not fun for you and your dog ...why do it?