Schutzhund newbie, best tips & tools recommended

[cheburashka95]

Hi Everyone:
I'm new to Schutzhund and I was curious what tips and tools people would recommend. I don't wanna run out and buy a bunch of things I really won't need right away. I need to get a better collar for my dog and several people like the fur-saver collars, but I after looking at them online, I am not sure if I need a short link or a long link. Also, which length of training leash should I invest in? We're going to work on tracking next week and I'd like to have a long training leash. (that's something I would use at training and on my own when I want to work my dog outside of a fenced in area.)

Oh and any thoughts on vari-kennel vs metal crates? Need one for the car to go to training.

Any tips and advice are welcome. Thanks!
Lori & Gitchi

[onyx'girl]

What age is Gitchi? Crate is important, a good vari-kennel is enough for most dogs. In your location a crate fan is a given & a water bucket that latches on the crate.

If you are starting in a week, have a good collar(buckle leather is ok until you get the fursaver/prong) and a thick leather 6' line.
Your TD will recommend what is necessary and where to buy from, hopefully. When you begin tracking, you don't need that long trial size line yet....but I've used mine from day one, and it is an ASAT material which is good for wet conditions, so the $ invested was never wasted. ASAT Lead 33' L-Elite K-9 I use a fursaver from day one as well when tracking, and you can hook double lines if necessary onto a fursaver. Muck boots or waterproof boots for tracking is a good idea, so make sure what you wear is waterproof. I also use a vest, so have access to pockets to load my articles, bait, corner marker washers when laying the track. For a young dog learning a flag, bait is all you need.

For most of my equipment, I've ordered from elite or hallmark.
Fursavers are a given, as well as a prong, tab, obedience line~I have a 3/8" 4' that is nice for ob/hook it over my shoulder easily. I prefer a larger gauge fursaver as my male has a big head and neck. He wears a 27"!
Don't forget the reward toys, synthetic tug, ball on string and tracking bait(articles/flag/washers to mark turns~much later for these!) & the dumbbells.

[qbchottu]

I like vari-kennel better than wire for travel. Best is those nice wt-metall type crates.

For schh, I like:
Fursaver : Dog Equipment, Police Dog, Schutzhund, Service Dog, Dog Agility
2 inch Leather Dog Collar with Handle and Felt - $32.00 : Dog Equipment, Police Dog, Schutzhund, Service Dog, Dog Agility
https://www.rayallen.com/product/lea...ckle/Harnesses
https://www.rayallen.com/product/ram..._Working_Leads
https://www.rayallen.com/category/Tu...s_Toys_Rewards
Tracking & Long Lines : Dog Equipment, Police Dog, Schutzhund, Service Dog, Dog Agility
Herm Sprenger Stainless Steel Prong Collar - $22.99 : Dog Equipment, Police Dog, Schutzhund, Service Dog, Dog Agility
https://www.rayallen.com/product/lat..._Working_Leads

[bocron]

This is what all of our new members get when they first join. It has lists of some of the equipment.

http://www.coppercreekdvg.com/images...mepktforum.pdf

[onyx'girl]

Annette, your file should be a sticky on here!

[qbchottu]

Agree!

[bocron]

Originally Posted by onyx'girl

Annette, your file should be a sticky on here!

, Thanks! I found myself constantly answering the same questions, but never had time to tell newbs all the stuff we thought would be helpful. I finally sat down and wrote everything down and it has been a real timesaver. I noticed that it's now missing the page of commands and is also missing a paragraph from my printed version so I'm thinking I'll be doing an update this week.
Also, the links don't seem to be working and I know they used to (maybe not, I"ll have to check).

[cheburashka95]

Thank you so much for all the great info & web links! Very much appreciated. Gitchi is 8 months old. I want to get her a nice collar, but I hate to spend a lot right now when she's still growing. I've got a prong-collar for her now & will probably order a fur-saver collar this week. Gitchi is on the smaller side for a female, I think. She's weighed about 55# on 10/27 so I'm not sure exactly what she weighs right now, but maybe around #60. So would you think the larger sized links for the fur-saver or smaller? I know the trainers were saying that thicker is better for bite work when they're really pulling & for her sized, I'd say she's already a pretty strong girl. We're a pretty new club, so even the experienced people in our group are learning how we'll proceed each week with training. We don't have our Training Director yet, like I said, it's a very new group that's trying to get going. How long/often do you guys meet to train? The one page I went to looked like about 30 min increments for obedience, then bite work. Do you guys work all 3 elements every week? Do you think the vari-kennels are as strong as the wire ones? I just don't want my dog to become an escape artist, & I've read some online reviews that people's sheperds broke out of the plastic kennels.

Thanks Again!