AKC Home Defense title?

[gsdpal2]

Has anyone heard fo the new AKC Home Defense title? I saw it on Pedigree Database, and as it is not updated as it should be, no new members can join. I can not respond or email the lady who posted the information.

[Nicole]

Are you talking about the new AKC Working Dog Sport title? You can find out more information on the WDA site at www.gsdca-wda.org

Here's a direct link to a story about the first event for the sport that was held at the GSDCA National Specialty:
www.gsdca-wda.org/WDSMaster03.htm

[gsdpal2]

Nicole, is this just like ScH titles? If not, what is the difference other than one is AKC and the other SV? On pedigreedatabase, the author wrote that it was new...she specifically called it the AKC Home Defense title. I do not know if these are one in the same or not. Thanks for your help!

[Smithie86]

My understanding is that it has not been approved and will be up for review in the spring.

Why not just do the IPO title?

[gsdpal2]

I am new to dog sport, and I have not decided which avenue I want to pursue yet. Could you tell me more about the differences in training for IPO versues ScH? I do not want an equipment oriented dog. Which one would better for that type of request?

[Currmudgeon]

SchH and IPO have identical requirements, now. I believe the SV has or is about to drop SchH in favor of IPO, so there is only one title. The new AKC Masters titles will be accepted as SchH/IPO titles also, if the program goesahead as planned.

SchH may be a good place to start for any protective work. I think that, after qualification, a bit of training with a full suit should be able to correct any excessive equipment focus.

Our daughter in law had an incident with her retired SchH III bitch, and the dog performed admirably, mixing a classic hold & bark with some hendler covering moves that no-one teaches in sport. So SchH is certainly not a kiss of death.

If you can find a tactical trainer, that will help. One of our objectives this Spring, if some family health issues allow, will be to team up with a local police trainer who is also working in SchH.

[US2004]

gsdpal2 said:

I am new to dog sport, and I have not decided which avenue I want to pursue yet. Could you tell me more about the differences in training for IPO versues ScH? I do not want an equipment oriented dog. Which one would better for that type of request?

Hey Gsdpal,

I'm like you, I don't want an equipment oriented dog. Therefore, I do personal protection rather than sport. The focus is now on the threat itself, not the prey item. And with pp, there are no limits as to how far you go with your dog. You go according to what he can handle. Not to knock Schutzhund, but I like a more realistic approach when it comes to bite training.

The thing I dislike most of all about Schutzhund bitework is when I see a dog come on to the field and start barking just because he sees the sleeve. The dog is saying "Give me, give me, give me!" becuase he wants the prey item. I'm the helper and I haven't done anything yet; this dog should be calm until I give him a reason to bark. Besides, I don't like that hectic prey bark; I want a serious bark. So I put the sleeve down on the ground and work this dog civil, to get him focused on me. Now he's making eye contact with me, and that's what I want. He feels the pressure and knows this isn't just a game of tug.

That's the way I'm working my dog vs. just giving him a bite in sheer prey drive. And surprisingly, his grips have even improved. A lot of people will tell you that when a dog is pressured, his grips are often not as full, and not as calm, and that's true in a lot of cases if it's done incorrectly. The idea is to build the dog's confidence and make him feel like he won after every session. That means being able to read the dog so that you know the correct level of pressure to put on him before he shows avoidance.