Question for GSD breeders:

[Castlemaid]

Even if Harley has issues with some parts of the training because of his timid nature, having hands on experience in working a dog and seeing many other dogs in training will be a huge help in getting you started in your journey to learn and educate yourself about the breed.

It would be a great experience for Harley too - it helped my pound rescue enormously. I got her into training because she was too much for me to handle, and it really turned her around, and the experience has been quite an education for me in many different aspects, all for good.

[bocron]

Originally Posted by HarleyTheGSD

Thanks!
Also, my dog is an American GSD, not show line though. Will it still be ok for me to go for a BH?

Doesn't matter. We have a girl in our club who has a GSD she got at a pet shop! She never got papers on him, so applied for his scorebook with a PAL number (the AKC way to compete but not get breeding papers). He will be getting his BH this fall.
I am also planning on getting a BH on my Lancashire Heeler. Definitely not a Schutzhund type dog, but I don't care, the experience and the training is valuable no matter what.

You will learn way more training and working with a less than stellar sport dog. It teaches you ways to solve more complicated training conundrums. My daughter started out with an Australian Cattle dog. By the time we got her her own GSD she had great skills and has done very well. Also, I hate to say it but most people's first training dog is kind of a guinea pig. You are just learning and will make mistakes (we all did and still do) so it is better to not make those mistakes with a dog that you hope to compete with. I cringe when I think about my first competition dog. I was totally learning and did so many things that hindered him. We got the CDX but not because of me! If I had that same dog today it would be so different. Same thing with my first Schutzhund dog, she was fabulous, me, not so much .
Training your current dog is a great way to start, it can only help you both. You need to find a club that will understand your goals and is willing to support those goals.

[HarleyTheGSD]

Originally Posted by Castlemaid

Even if Harley has issues with some parts of the training because of his timid nature, having hands on experience in working a dog and seeing many other dogs in training will be a huge help in getting you started in your journey to learn and educate yourself about the breed.

That is why I'm going to do it. Even though he might not pass, he will still be well trained and I will have more knowledge. So either way, both of us are going to get something out of it.

[HarleyTheGSD]

Originally Posted by bocron

Doesn't matter. We have a girl in our club who has a GSD she got at a pet shop! She never got papers on him, so applied for his scorebook with a PAL number (the AKC way to compete but not get breeding papers). He will be getting his BH this fall.
I am also planning on getting a BH on my Lancashire Heeler. Definitely not a Schutzhund type dog, but I don't care, the experience and the training is valuable no matter what.

You will learn way more training and working with a less than stellar sport dog. It teaches you ways to solve more complicated training conundrums. My daughter started out with an Australian Cattle dog. By the time we got her her own GSD she had great skills and has done very well. Also, I hate to say it but most people's first training dog is kind of a guinea pig. You are just learning and will make mistakes (we all did and still do) so it is better to not make those mistakes with a dog that you hope to compete with. I cringe when I think about my first competition dog. I was totally learning and did so many things that hindered him. We got the CDX but not because of me! If I had that same dog today it would be so different. Same thing with my first Schutzhund dog, she was fabulous, me, not so much .
Training your current dog is a great way to start, it can only help you both. You need to find a club that will understand your goals and is willing to support those goals.

Well, it's true, sadly. Harley is going to be my guinea pig. But this is going to be something we both enjoy (hopefully). And I will have more knowledge and will probably do better in the future. I am so excited now that I know that Harley can try for a BH!

[HarleyTheGSD]

One more thing:
Does anybody know how old you have to be to handle a dog going for a BH? Does it matter?

[Catu]

No, it doesn't matter. Do a Google search and you will see 7 years old kids handling in Schutzhund.

[HarleyTheGSD]

Originally Posted by Catu

No, it doesn't matter. Do a Google search and you will see 7 years old kids handling in Schutzhund.

I just did a Google search and couldn't exactly find what I was looking for, except this one website where a young girl was on the field doing Schutzhund training. Well thanks, it probably would have taken me a while to find that out.