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Dutch Shepherd from Michigan

21K views 30 replies 18 participants last post by  boeselager 
#1 ·
Hello! I've been lurking on this site for a little while now. Gaining some good information and applying it to my pup. Well, not so much pup anymore. Madix is a Dutch Shepherd and is 16 months old. I started flatwork for agility with him at about 5 months old and have continued training in that sport. He's gone to basic and intermediate obedience, passed his CGC and we also dabble in dock jumping when we can. I have become interested in Schutzhund and the other protection sports - and have been trying to gain some info for clubs around my area. Thought this would be a terrific place to gain those contacts :)



 
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#2 ·
i have no info for you on the subject. I just wanted to say he's a very handsome dog! I see the MP dogs all the time but usually see them in the dark at the gate. You're boy is simply gorgeous!
 
#3 ·
welcome and he's gorgeous !! I think Chris Wild here on the board is from mi and dabbles in schutzund:)) you might want to contact her for more info.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Welcom to you!
As far as I know GR has no clubs, closest to you would be Lansing.
Did you get your dutchie from Cheryl Carlson?
If you aren't familiar with her/ she has a group that trains in PP, etc. in St. Johns

Oct 2 & 3, 2010 there is a trial in Lansing at the
Capital Area Schutzhund Club (MI) They have no website.
I'm sure you could make some contacts there!

contact person:

Amy Morris
Leslie, MI
517-589-5919

Trial: AD, BH, RH1-2, OB1-3, TR1-3, STP1-3, Sch/IP/AWD/VPG1-3, FH1-2
USA, USA/SV Judge Mike Hamilton
 
#6 ·
Hi! Welcome!

I also have a Dutch Shepherd. Mine is 8 months old and an import. Did you get your dog from Cheryl Carson? I know somebody already asked that. LOL! I finally met Cheryl at the UKC Premier, but she tends to not answer emails.

You are in Schutzhund/IPO heaven up there. You should have no probems finding a place to train. I know a woman with a Laekenois in the Lansing area who does Schutzhund with her dog.
 
#12 ·
I heard there some Dutch Shepherd people in CT who show in conformation. I took my puppy to the UKC Premier and there wasn't a single other Dutch Shepherd to compete with. So, 3 BOB, but no competition. My guy is the most athletic dog I've ever seen, and I have a Malinois. I can't wait to start agility training with him.
 
#13 ·
He's extremely agile, and so athletic a lot of times I still find myself surprised at what he can do. However, he also likes to bark, and once his mouth opens in agility, his brain shuts off. So, I do a lot of exercises with him to focus on being quiet and staying focused. I have it nailed pretty much everywhere but at agility lol. We took the summer off (my trainer did) and start back up again tonight so we'll see if he's matured some lol. Another plus at looking at Schutzhund was the control and focus it would teach him - hoping that will leak over into his other areas. And I can practically feel our bond strengthening when I work with him on things that work his mind and body.

Carole - where is your Dutch Shepherd from? How old? Oops just looked at your website - what a handsome boy!! I believe that the kennels that were mentioned in this thread, are from MI and she shows her dogs in conformation.
 
#17 ·
Wow oh wow! I have never heard of the breed but boy he is a real looker! Welcome.
 
#20 ·
He is beautiful!!

Sorry minor thread hiack:I have a question for you Dutchie owners: Are Dutchies harder to handle than a GSD? Or does it depend on what kind of dog you get?
I don't know how many Dutchie owners will reply on this thread since it's just a "welcome" thread. But, I think it depends on what kind of dog you get. I don't know any working line GSD's but judging from the threads on here on those lines, they sound pretty similar. The conformation bred dogs I know (there have been several in my agility classes over the years) are much softer than my Madix. I have met a very sweet Dutch from Cheryl Carlson (sp?) though. My dog's lines tend to be more dominant and drivey than the show GSDs I've had exposure to. He is line bred from French Ring lines though so I was expecting that :)
 
#21 ·
There are a lot of working line DS bred in the US that are very drivey, like FG said. Those are dogs that need an experienced handler, just like the working Malinois. My guy is conformation and is very sweet, but pretty much ignores strangers.

I thought my Malinois was super smart when I started training her, but now that I'm training my DS, wow, it's a breeze!

But I agree, it sounds like they are pretty much like GSDs (and Malinois).
 
#22 ·
I'm sitting with my first cup of coffee and taken aback when I see a picture of my dog on the GSD forum. I have a littermate to Madix. I have had the pleasure to see 4 generations of this line train and title in French Ring.

My female is "Caelan". She is a pistol. Incredible drive and very verbal when in drive. She screams. She is training in the ringsports. She is super focused in obedience, great hunt and retrieve drive, full bites and will bite any decoy with no reservations. Caelan is a water dog. She dives into any water. Caelan loves other dogs which is a first for me. I'm used to all mine being dog aggressive.

Our dogs mom Balen had done some flyball. These guys are super fast and could certainly do agility.

I'm going to put my male DS and Caelan into conformation in November. My male is very correct to the standard. Caelan's feet are not "catfeet" but more splayed and her tail is carried a bit high so we'll see how it goes. There are so few UKC shows around here I can't hit many.

Good luck with Madix.
 
#24 ·
Incredible drive and very verbal when in drive. She screams. She is training in the ringsports. She is super focused in obedience, great hunt and retrieve drive, full bites and will bite any decoy with no reservations. Caelan is a water dog. She dives into any water. Caelan loves other dogs which is a first for me. I'm used to all mine being dog aggressive.
Very verbal is right! I am having a challenge getting him to shut his mouth enough to hear what's going on in agility. I've switched to almost 100% hand signals and body language only because of this. Work on the "quiet" command daily lol. He is incredibly drivey, ditto on the hunt and retrieve too. I don't have the knowledge to say about his bites. LOVES water, we've been practicing dock jumping this last week. He also is fairly dog friendly. He tends to try to be intimidating if he meets a SUPER submissive dog but otherwise, is a gem. He's also VERY affectionate with the people he's decided are "family" and it's clear who they are too. Very cuddly and sweet but the rest, he could take them or leave them lol. And if we're "working" (be it playing fetch or just wearing a pack) he completely ignores all other people and dogs, even if they come up to him.

Our dogs mom Balen had done some flyball. These guys are super fast and could certainly do agility.
Started him in flyball as well. The team I was training with train the same night as agility so I am doing agility for now but if I join a Schutzhund group, I will probably pick flyball back up and drop agility (hoping for more control on the shrieking as he gets older/more practice).

Good luck with Madix.
Thank you! You with Caelan as well (which, by the way, was one of my "maybe" names just spelled differently :) ). Does she have a curly tail? Madix's isn't as curly as photos I've seen of Arson but when he's really excited/happy it is quite high.

I'm liking the mix of the sport/police lines. All the dogs I have seen out of Titan are point dogs. The are very clean in the bitework and obedience, love to work, follow the rules. Titan was the French Ring III champion last year and his son Sniper was French Ring II last year.

My male is all Dutch KNPV. He is a super dog, bites like no other but would rather mangle a decoy and take any repercussions over being a 100% clean in bitework. He's a crowd pleaser, but looses points on rebites and slow to out.
Madix has an impressive out, with what I've tested him on so far - he listens extremely well and is very eager to please me. But, who knows if that might change when/if we begin bitework. I contacted the French Ring club closest to me and they were very encouraging to have me come out - recognized Madix's lines right off. Not sure if I want to head that direction or stick with Schutzhund...the obedience and tracking appeal to me in a big way. Depends on what I find for groups around here and their methods, when they train, how much it is etc.
 
#23 ·
I just read the other posts and wanted to add some other info before I finish off the pot of coffee.

Cheryl Carlson has a stud dog related to Madix/Caelan 3rd generation which is Dana Von Kelterhoff Sch III. The Kelterhoff line is from CT, all KNPV lines.

The sire of our pups is Titan who is French Sport lines. The mother Balen is Dutch KNPV.

I'm liking the mix of the sport/police lines. All the dogs I have seen out of Titan are point dogs. The are very clean in the bitework and obedience, love to work, follow the rules. Titan was the French Ring III champion last year and his son Sniper was French Ring II last year.

My male is all Dutch KNPV. He is a super dog, bites like no other but would rather mangle a decoy and take any repercussions over being a 100% clean in bitework. He's a crowd pleaser, but looses points on rebites and slow to out.
 
#25 ·
Madix and Caelan sound similar. Titan throws very consistant pups.

I belong to an obedience club that also has a flyball group and dock diving. My husband tried the dock diving with his Mal's and loved it. My DS have been asked to join the flyball team. My husband and I would love to do these but we are over extended with dog sports now.

We each do the ringsports, my husband is a decoy. My husband does nose work and and helps our friend Scott Williams with his ring club. I do UKC OB. We are in training classes up to 20 hrs a week, hubby works a lot of OT, I work part time, 7 dogs, and our 4 month old daughter...just like so many hobby dog people.

I've tried to divert Caelan's screaming by focus training. It has helped a lot. She has to look at me before she is sent from the line to bite, same with OB. I have always focus trained but never out of necessity to stop screaming. I have always insisted my ringsport dogs be quiet... no barking on the line of departure... as I feel it can clutters their minds while working. Whether this is a viable point, maybe yes, maybe no.

I started in Schutzhund very, very briefly years ago. I fell into Ringsport in 88 and like the variety of the bite and OB exercises. I am not much for tracking, mostly because of lack of exposure to it. It would sure be easier to get to Schutzhund trials around here vs traveling far and wide for Ring trials.

I will always be a GSD person, but DS are a great dog.
 
#26 ·
I would LOVE LOVE to find a club that did all the things I want to do around here!! I want to title Madix in as many venues as I enjoy doing with him lol, which is a lot already!

I have also been working to calm the shrieking by focus work. Since day one really. However, once he's "loose" and supposed to run for longer on the agility course, his mouth opens and his brain shuts off. I think that is valid - what you said - he can keep focus for a couple of obstacles, quiet, then a couple more when he starts to shriek and then I can FEEL him lose it. However, put a flex-lead on him and he runs the course perfectly and quietly. We're working on it. My agility instructor hates it when dogs bark on course (as do I really) so it's a huge goal for us to overcome lol. He's getting better - only 50% the barks he used to do. I don't think he'll EVER be able to go through a tunnel without telling me where he is the entire time though...
 
#28 · (Edited by Moderator)
Re: Cheryl Carlson

So I also have a Dutch Shepherd, here in MI that I've done her foundation in schutzhund and protection sport of America. ***Removed by Admin***

However, there's a schutzhund club here in Lansing that is run by a man named Gustavo. His club is very successful. Also, Amy Morris in Lesile MI is supposed to be great as well. I could list countless of trainers who do things in personal protection and everything from French Ring to PSA to actual Police K9 narcotics etc. Feel free to get a hold of me for more info.
I know it seems as though I'm just horribly trying to bad mouth someone, but in the best interest of your dog, I just want to caution you about who will be doing his training.

And for those of you that know Dutchy's, you'll notice my girl has a white patch one her, yes that comes from the Mal's and yes she's got crossbreeding in her pedigree.
 

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