schutzhund

[davidson]

I've got a mixed-breed German Shepherd who I've taken through basic obedience so far. She's one and a half years old and pretty reliable in obedience; I'm starting to get a bit tired of thinking of new ways to occupy her mind (she's pretty smart) and was wondering about Schutzhund.
Has anyone out there tried it? Can you enter mixed-breeds? What's the entry-level stuff like? How tough is it for dogs - do they have to be INCREDIBLY obedient, or can basic-level obedience (reliable at all the basic stuff like sit, stay, roll over, jump etc) pass muster?
Would appreciate any information at all. Thanks.

[Angie]

Hi Davidson,
Schutzhund was originally developed for German Shepherds alone, as a means of testing their temperaments, drive to work, courage, stamina, mental stability, trainability, agility, and strength.
Essentially, it was designed to be a way of testing German Shepherds for the qualities most desirable in the breed; dogs that passed the Schutzhund test would then be used as studs or dams, thus keeping the breed strong.
Nowadays, all dogs are permitted to join in the Schutzhund tests.
There are three levels to Schutzhund: level one is tracking, level two is obedience, and level three is protection work. To qualify for entry level (level one) your dog must be at least 18 months old - this is because the temperament of a puppy younger than that isn't fully formed and is probably not up to withstanding the demands placed on it by Schutzhund.
For your dog to do well in Schutzhund, she'll need to be well-versed in obedience work.
To even try out for level one, she'll need to pass a basic temperament test by the judges; level one itself consists of heel work (on and off lead), walking 'sit' and 'down', stay, and retrieving on the flat and over hurdles. Your dog will also be required to track a scent that's at least twenty minutes old, by following the scent and marking the positions of various dropped articles on the track.
Your best bet is probably to get in touch with your local Schutzhund club and go watch one of the trials or training taking place. A good place to start is United Schutzhund Clubs of America - For the German Shepherd Dog, which is the home page of Schutzhund information in America. You can get in touch with any of the staff there who will assist you in locating a schutzhund club.