Sports for the German Shepherd Dog

Sports for the German Shepherd

The German Shepherd Dog ...  is confident, loyal, steady and courageous.

 Learn the Different Bloodlines of German Shepherd Dogs HERE

Read about the History of the German Shepherd Dog HERE

German Shepherd's thrive for a 'job' whether it's Herding, Tracking, or Search and Rescue (SAR), etc. The German Shepherd is classified as the herding breed. There are many dog sports available that will help fill your German Shepherds needs to work.

herding

http://www.akc.org/events/herding/

Amethyst Annie von Wunderhaus - Herding / courtesy Eli's Mom

Titles for Herding -
American Kennel Club (AKC)

HIT - Herding Instinct Test
HT - Herding Tested
PT - Pre-trial Tested
HS - Herding Started
HI - Herding Intermediate
HX - Herding Excellent
HCh - Herding Champion

Herding The purpose of non-competitive herding tests is to offer owners of herding breeds a standardized gauge by which a dog’s basic instinct and trainability are measured. The judge is looking for the dog’s ability to move and control livestock by fetching or driving. The purpose of the competitive herding trial program is to preserve and develop the herding skills inherent in the herding breeds, and to demonstrate that they can perform the useful functions for which they were originally bred.

Schutzhund/IPO/PSA

Schutzhund was created specifically for the German Shepherd Dog. This sport test the breeds mental toughness, courage, and physical ability. Schutzhund is intended to demonstrate the dog's intelligence and utility. It also measures the dogs mental stability, endurance, structural integrity and efficiencies, ability to scent, willingness to work, courage and trainability. Schutzhund work is broken up on three parts. The first being tracking, the second obedience and the third protection work. The Schutzhund standards for protection work, are similar to those for dogs in police work. Scutzhund/IPO - http://www.dvg-america.com/

Rally/obedience

DebonaIr Ezekiel vom Wunderhaus - Rally

AKC Titles
-Rally Novice: RN
-Rally Advanced: RA
-Rally Excellent: RE
-Rally Advanced Excellent: RAE
http://www.akc.org/events/rally/
World Cynosport Rally Titles
-RL1 (Level 1)
-RL2 (level 2)
-RL3 (level 3)
-Veteran Puppy Junior
-ARCH X added to titles + 10 each
https://www.rallydogs.com/index.cfm

search and rescue

Search and Rescue covers Urban, Rural , Wilderness, Light Disaster searches. The German Shepherds are used in Human Remain Detection, among other inds of searches. It requires physical stamina and strength, confidence, obedience, agility, trainability, temperament and socialization (with both people and different dogs) are just a few of the many factors that make a dog a good search and rescue dog. Finding human scent is the main objective of SAR. - http://www.sardogsus.org/

dock diving

aka Dock Jumping

DebonaIr Ezekiel vom Wunderhaus - Dock Diving

lure coursing

Annie -Lure Coursing / Courtesy Gretchen J.

The Coursing Ability Test (CAT) is an introductory event fashioned after the sport lure coursing. It tests a dog's basic coursing instinct or hunting-by-sight ability. The dog chases an artificial lure, and the test is a non-competitive pass/fail event with dogs run one at a time. To pass the test, a dog running alone must pursue a lure, completing the course with enthusiasm and without interruption within a given time. Most dogs will happily go after the lure! The CAT provides a fun and healthy activity attractive to many dog owners.
CAT - http://www.akc.org/events/coursing-ability-test/

Fast CAT – which stands for Coursing Ability Test, is a timed 100-yard dash where dogs run and chase a lure. Although it is a relatively new sport, it has become quite popular. http://www.akc.org/sports/coursing/fast-cat/

other sports:

Obedience
Schutzhund/IPO/PSA
AKC Scent Work / Nosework
Conformation
Agility
Tracking
Mondio Ring
Barnhunt

Diamond Diva - Lure Coursing

Wolf - FAST CAT

Annie - Barnhunt