Raising and training a puppy to be a good Schutzhund partner is very different from what you should do with a family pet. If you plan to compete in IGP with your companion, you have to prepare him for this type of work. It even starts before the puppy is born.
The pedigree is one of the principal elements that make a dog suitable for Schutzhund. But once the puppy is in your hands, it’s your responsibility to guide him in the right direction. So here’s what you should know to raise your pup properly for IGP!
How Do You Raise A Puppy For Schutzhund Training?
When raising a puppy for Schutzhund training, you have to develop and enhance the traits of a good working dog. So you should play with your pup a lot, do proper socialization, and start foundation work. That will help your Schutzhund puppy improve his drive, confidence, and skills for IGP as he grows up.
Although there are some general principles about raising a pup with Schutzhund in mind, every dog is unique. Not all puppies will develop and learn the same way. That’s why you should join a club and talk with experienced handlers to have more personalized advice.
There are also different schools of thought when it comes to raising a puppy for Schutzhund. So hearing multiple training methods and ways to bring up a dog for IGP will help you choose the right one for you and your pup. But at the end of the day, you still have to…
Understand The Difference Between A Pet & Schutzhund Dog!
Schutzhund dogs and family pets are very different, so you shouldn’t raise them the same way. Traits puppies will need to develop for protection work is usually not what most dog owners want. They might mouth, jump, and seem to have no manners at the start.
However, you will eventually channel that drive and confidence they build up as young pups into obedience and work ethic through Schutzhund training. So you must understand that you have to raise your puppy differently than an average family pet to have the results you want.
Start Foundation Work!
You want your puppy to develop an appropriate mindset for training. In other words, you have to make sure your pup always enjoys and wants to engage with you. Otherwise, it might be hard to prepare for IGP if your dog has no desire to work with you.
Bonding with your pup and making your interactions as fun as possible will make a solid work foundation. You should be the most interesting and exciting thing/person to engage with. Raising your puppy to keep his focus on you is one of the best ways to prepare him for Schutzhund training.
Play With Your Pup A Lot!
Playing with your puppy using toys can have multiple benefits if you do it properly. Chasing balls, playing tug, and positively engaging with the handler are good ways to prepare working dogs. It will help them develop drive, build confidence, and stay healthy.
However, you still have to control the games you play and make your puppy understand that the toys are yours. It doesn’t mean you can’t let your dog win at tug-of-war or play freely. Just make sure he still wants to engage and focus on you.
Biting and pulling on a tug will prepare your puppy for the sleeve and protection work. To keep him engaged and interested in the toy, you should let him win, at least from time to time when he tries hard. You can also wrestle and play roughly a bit with your pup as long as it’s controlled and safe.
Do Proper Socialization!
Socialization is another essential part of raising a puppy. When it comes to Schutzhund training, you should approach this process a little bit differently. Your pup has to socialize a lot with people, places, and other dogs while still keeping his focus on you.
So it’s a good idea to expose your future IPO partner to various environments. However, you have to start slowly and gradually socialize your pup. Don’t bring him somewhere that you can’t control, is not safe, or too crowded for him to be comfortable and confident.
Schutzhund puppies don’t need the same type of socialization as other pets. They have to be comfortable and confident around other people, dogs, and distractions without giving them too much attention. Your IGP partner should always keep his focus on you.
A Schutzhund puppy shouldn’t want to play with every pup he sees and be pet by everyone. You have to supervise his interactions while supporting and protecting him when needed. In IGP trials, your dog has to engage with you only and ignore others.
So you can expose him to people and puppies without encouraging him to interact with them. The goal is to make sure your pup is comfortable with distractions and new things while keeping his focus on you. But you can still allow him to engage with other dogs and people when it’s appropriate.
I found a lot of good information about socialization for Schutzhund puppies in this article from the My Scuhtzhund Life blog. You can read it for more details about this part of raising your working dog.
Build Up Confidence & Drive!
There are many ways to nurture and enhance your puppy’s temperament to make him a better Schutzhund partner. Proper socialization, obedience training, and overcoming challenges can help improve self-confidence in dogs.
For the drive, encourage your pup to chase balls, play with you, and have fun together. Make everything in your power to make sure he’s happy, energetic, and enthusiastic when engaging with you.
If you follow my previous advice, confidence and drive should come naturally as long as you have chosen a good Schutzhund prospect. So just let your puppy grow up while helping him develop traits that are favorable for this type of training.
Don’t Put Your Puppy In Certain Situations!
You should also avoid putting your pup in a tricky situation. As the handler, you have to make his decision-making process and development as simple as possible. If you don’t want your Schutzhund partner to develop bad habits, don’t give him the opportunity to do so.
For example, let’s say you’re playing tug with your puppy and want him to let go of the toy. Pulling on it more and giving him a command he doesn’t master is useless. In fact, it will only make the game more fun and challenging for your pup.
Instead, you can offer him something else more interesting. It can be a high-value treat, another toy, or anything else that will make your dog drop the tug. That way, you put him in a situation where the choice is easy, and he learns good behaviors for Schutzhund.
How Do You Train A Schutzhund Puppy?
Every puppy is different and should be trained in a specific way. So you should join a Schutzhund club, and they will help you train your pup according to his temperament and needs. But in general, you should prepare your dog for IGP through basic obedience, imprinting, and crate training using positive methods.
You can start by teaching your pup a few simple commands such as Sit, Down, and Stay. Many Schutzhund trainers use the clicker to train their dogs. So you might consider it. Then, imprinting involves many things, including conditioning your puppy to focus on you.
Apart from that, getting a crate is also essential if you plan to do IGP with your dog. You should train your pup to feel comfortable and safe in it. Finally, it’s also a good idea to let him be a puppy and not always be in training mode.
What Age Should You Start Schutzhund Training With A Puppy?
You can start obedience training and imprinting with your Schutzhund puppy as soon as 8 weeks old. As long as your pup is healthy and ready to learn, age doesn’t matter. For more formal Schutzhund training, it’s better to wait until your dog is 6 months old. The minimum age for dogs to pass the BH test is 15 months.
Last Thoughts About Raising & Training A Schutzhund Puppy!
So raising a puppy for Schutzhund isn’t that complicated. You have to start foundation work, play together a lot, do proper socialization, and prepare him for this dog sport. Then, you can introduce your pup to basic obedience training and improve his focus.
Now that you know how to raise and train a Schutzhund puppy, it’s time to take action. You can visit IGP clubs and learn from the other handlers. After that, join the right one for your needs and start working with your pup.
Have Fun Raising & Training Your Puppy!
