M (Mangelhaft, Faulty) Show or performance rating.
Motivation The system of inducements given to promote desired behavior. Intangible rewards are praise and affection; these are the most effective ways to increase motivation. A tangible reward is food.
NASA (North American Schutzhund Association) A relatively small group promoting the Americanized version of Schutzhund. It uses a modification of the VDH Schutzhund rules.
OF A (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) The rating from this medical group certifies that a dog’s hips are of a certain quality. If the dog receives an OFA number, it is certified free of hip dysplasia. Temporary numbers may be issued by the OFA if HD-clear radiographs (X-rays) were taken when the dog was under twenty-four months of age. Permanent numbers are issued to dogs with HD-clear radiographs taken at twenty-four months or older.
PH (Polizeihund) Police dog.
Platz Down.
PSP (Polizeischutzhundprüfung) Police protection dog degree.
Quartering A dog’s habit of crossing back and forth over the track, an undesirable characteristic in Schutzhund. The dog will lose points during the trial if it quarters over the track.
Revier The exercise in the protection phase of Schutzhund in which the dog is sent to a blind where the agitator is hiding. The dog is to harass and detain the agitator by aggressively barking at him from a close position. The agitator is to remain still.
Schutzhund A sport originated in Germany to evaluate a dog’s ability in tracking, obedience and protection. There are three levels: A Schutzhund I degree is the most elementary and Schutzhund III is the most advanced.
SG (Sehr gut, Very Good) Show or performance rating.
Sharpness The sharp dog has a low threshold for sensation and has a tendency to overreact to stimuli. It often has a strong desire to bite and is sometimes a fear biter. It is not desirable in Schutzhund work if the dog’s sharpness is not balanced with prey drive and good character.
Shyness Generalized avoidance behavior that shows itself as fear or desire to escape from a situation.
Sieger Grand Victor (VA-1) title at the German Sieger show.
Sitz Sit.
Sleeve The protective covering over the arm of the agitator used during protection training.
Spirit The zest and enthusiasm the dog shows for its work. This is a very desirable quality in Schutzhund.
Stake A dowel or other object which can be secured in the ground and is helpful in letting the tracking dog’s handler know the location of the track during training. A stake is always used to indicate the start of the track during a trial.
Stick A flexible, lightweight weapon used to evaluate the dog’s ability to withstand a threat. It is not meant to inflict injury.
SV (Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde) The German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany, founded by Max von Stephanitz.
TD (Tracking Degree) Awarded by the AKC or CKC for dogs completing a track that is laid by a stranger and is approximately 600 paces long. A dog completes the test by locating the article dropped by the track layer at the end of the track. The track usually has three or four turns on it.
TDX (Tracking Degree Excellent) The most challenging degree awarded by the AKC and CKC in tracking, roughly equivalent to the FH.
Temperament The dog’s attitude toward people. If a dog has a poor temperament, it could be shy, vicious, distrustful or nervous. Temperament can also refer to the dog’s steadiness and stability.
Track Scent The scent, left by a person, animal or object, that is produced by the change in the ground.
Training Collar Sometimes referred to as a choke chain, this collar becomes tighter or looser on the dog’s neck as pressure on the leash is applied or released. Use of this collar serves as a correction to the dog.
U (Ungenügend, Insufficient) Show or performance rating.
USA (United Schutzhund Club of America) The largest Schutzhund organization in America. It follows the SV rules and regulations.
UD (Utility Degree) The most challenging obedience degree granted by the AKC or CKC: The dog responds to hand signals, performs scent discrimination work, and stands for examination by the judge.
V (Vorzuglich, Excellent) Show or performance rating.
VA (Vorzuglich-Auslese, Select) Show rating given at the Sieger show.
VH (Vorhanden, Sufficient) Show or performance rating.
Viciousness Unjustified aggression; biting without provocation.
Wall The scaling or climbing jump which is part of the Schutzhund II and III obedience routine.
WDA (Working Dog Association) Schutzhund organization that is a branch of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America. It follows SV rules and regulations.
Weltsieger World Champion title at the show of the Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
Willingness The dog’s positive reaction to its handler’s commands. The dog is enthusiastic and cheerful, even without a reward.
ZB (Zuchtbewertung) Conformation show rating.
ZH I, II (Zollhund I, II) Customs dog.
Suggested Viewing and Reading
Overview is designed to excite the public, the novice and the experienced Schutzhunder about the joys of the sport. It includes animated and exciting performances in all aspects of the competition, describes trial procedures and includes a basic how-to section for each phase of training.
Thorough enough to teach the beginner and advanced enough to appeal to the expert, these tapes are the first video series to explain, thoroughly and in depth, from beginning to end, how to train your dog for the protection phase of Schutzhund. Tapes I to III cover drive work. The tapes cover canine aggression and the art of agitation and show a step-by-step progression from the first day of training through the point at which the dog performs a hard-hitting courage test.
Protection I covers the different types of canine aggression, and explains how to mold them through agitation and how to start the puppy in bite work.
Protection II covers how to introduce puppies and young dogs to the sleeve, how to character-test the adult dog and how to teach the defense-oriented dog to make prey.
Protection III covers teaching the prey-oriented dog to bite defensively, and training the dog to bite under the stick and to do hard-hitting runaways and courage tests.
Tapes may be purchased from:
Canine Training Systems, Ltd.
7550 W. Radcliff Avenue
Littleton, Colorado 80123
(303) 973-2107
Barwig, Susan, and Brenda Abbott. The German Shepherd Book. Wheatridge, Colo.: Hoflin Publications, 1987. (Available from Canine Training Systems.)