As of January 1, 2012 there will be no more Schutzhund.
The FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) is the international “kennel club” of which all major dog organizations are members.
Currently in the world of schutzhund-like trials and testing you can earn these titles with your dog: IPO (International Prufungorden), SchH (Schutzhund), and VPG (Vielseitigkeitsprüfung für Gebrauchshunde); and I am sure a few others from different countries. As of today the IPO and SchH titles are very similar with only small differences. SchH is the standard of the SV (Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde) and the German Shepherd Dog.
The FCI is standardizing the schuthund-like events to an international standard, in doing so there will be no more SchH and VPG titles only IPO titles.
I have many schutzhund dogs, but in the future my newly titles dogs will be IPO dogs…..???? It just doesn’t sound the same.
And we have to verbally send the dogs for the escape bite! A few minor changes are making things a bit easier but that will be tough, especially for dogs halfway into training/titling.
Under the new rules the way Nikon heels is considered correct.
It is under my rules too, lol. I can’t have a GSD rearing his head up into my armpit, I think it looks a little silly and I’ve seen some top dogs almost miss re-attacks because of their heeling.
I don’t think I’ll have much trouble training him the new escape bite since he’s very obedience and is not a “prey dog”. Some dogs I just can’t see how they will remain down while the helper is sprinting away….
There are also several rule changes which will posted later.
Very good explanation, Julie.
I just learned how to pronounce “Schutzhund,” now I have to learn to say “Prufungorden?”
LOL!
Ha ha ha ha!
But first you must learn to say Begleithund and Ausdauerprüfung!
OK, Irene, where do I sign up for Language Lab?