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 Last updated: 02/17/2008

My Schutzhund Training Journal

For a description of Schutzhund Sport and Competition click here

No dogs are ever hurt during this training.  

The dogs love it and that is part of what makes it so much fun.

Ferguson is my first attempt at a self-titled Schutzhund dog (H.O.T).    

I am fortunate to have 

Professional Schutzhund Trainer and WDA Certified Helper, Dave Blank 

to guide me along the way.

Training with Dave has been one of the coolest things I have ever done.  The years that we have trained with Dave have been super educational and fun.

Dave understands dogs and has proved it by competing successfully at the National Level. 

What makes Dave a great instructor is that he can also communicate his understanding to people...if they are willing listen.   I feel privileged to have such a knowledgeable instructor.

February 17, 2008

As usual, it has been a while since I have posted anything here.   

Training conditions have been challenging so far this year.   We have used our alternate field several times.   We started the month with a foot of snow and single digit temperatures.      We cancelled Saturday group training for the first time this year on a day with -40 degree wind chill temperatures.    

Today, our normal training field is a lake.   Hopefully the water will drain away before freezing, but it is doubtful.    Severe storms are still rolling in.   We can expect more rain.  I may need to do a civil engineering project to fix the drainage.   

With this one exception, our training with Dave Blank has continued uninterrupted.    Joliet Schutzhund is the one thing I can count on to happen every week.   As a result, I feel that we have been making steady progress.     

While we continue to work on training for the SchH1,  we are ready to do Fergie's BH.    

This Spring, hopefully in May,  I will get Fergie out on the field to trial for his BH.

As for the SchH1,  my constant nemesis remains building drive for the obedience.    While I can get Fergie high enough into drive to work nicely for me, Dave can quantum jump Fergie's drive during an obedience session.    Once again, the proof of Dave's superior skill with my own dog is demonstrated.   

Although it is somewhat frustrating, it is good to know that there is a reservoir of untapped drive, Fergie's NO₂ button.    Sooner or later, I will get my own moves perfected and tap into it.    The 30 years experience that Dave brings to the party is hard to emulate.   But I am making measurable progress.  

We have made a lot of progress since my last post.    Here is the score card at the moment:   

Obedience

We have fussing, left turns, right turns, about-turns and pace changes. 

We have fussing with distractions and through a group.    

We have the motion exercises well in progress.

We have the beginnings of the send out.

The wall and hurdles exercises  are well under way.

Tracking

I believe that Fergie is very close to a passing a SchH1 track at this point.  

Fergie footstep tracks precisely and downs reliably on articles.    I would like him to down a little faster on the articles, so we are working on that.   I also still need to do more tracks with Fergie farther out on the leash, but that it is just a matter of practice. 

Protection

Fergie's protection work is really nice.   His grips are full and calm.   He has good power.  His hold and bark is usually very clean and properly positioned.    Fergie's bark is very serious sounding and has nice cadence.

 Fergie handles "in-your-face" defense work from the helper very well by coming WAY up in drive.    I have little doubt that Fergie is not equipment oriented.    Fergie likes a good fight with the helper.   

Fergie is in the process of learning blind searches and we are working on the exercises for the bite work.    We just started working on outing the sleeve.    So far, Fergie is fairly clean with the out.

   Fergie's protection work for the SchH1 will probably be ready before the obedience work.

Here are the pictures from our last protection training session.

October 16, 2006

I haven't posted here in a while, but Fergie's training has continued uninterrupted    Training in drive is super-time consuming, especially when you need to bring the dog up first.   It is even more time consuming if you are a beginner like me.   Finding the right combination of exercises that brings Fergie up to right drive level has been a challenge but extremely educational.      What has worked is a modified version of Bernard Flick's drive building method.   

Fortunately, through trial and error and practice, we have found a combination of activities that consistently brings out the right level of drive with Fergie to progress with obedience.   Yippee!!!

I am finally making real progress with the basic fussing.    Here is a video of one of my sloppy practice sessions, complete with mistakes.    I have had better sessions where I didn't accidentally step on Fergie's paw but this is the session when the camera was on...

Ferguson Fussing

I am hoping to start on the obedience exercises soon.     

Fergie is also making progress with his tracking.     Fergie is working with articles and without food in parts of the track.     Tracking training seems to be going without a hitch.   

On the protection field, Fergie continues to excel.    Fergie did his first bark and hold on Saturday.   It was awesome!    Fergie figures out the protection work quickly with Dave's expert guidance.

July 16, 2006

This was a good week.    I feel like we are making progress on obedience and tracking too.    

Training is getting more time consuming.   In addition to weekly training with Dave, Fergie and I are doing some sort of work every day (biking, tracking, drive-building, obedience, etc.)

With the protection work this week, we worked on building more power in the bite.   In other words, Fergie got some big air on the sleeve.     At first Fergie seemed to get mad and gave Dave a little growl as he was swinging through the air hanging on to the sleeve.     By second and third time, it was business as usual and Fergie just hung on for the ride.     Next  week Dave said we will start doing work in the blind.

I have had to do some additional work with drive building to get Fergie's drive high enough to start on obedience.      I am happy to say I have gotten Fergie to heel in drive for at least a few steps.     What a beautiful sight that is.     The dogs look so happy working in drive.    We need more work to keep the drive up.

After a long break, we also had an exceptional  tracking day too.    We did three tracks.    Fergie did great.   The only time he picked up his head is when I accidentally held him back.    

Dave believes Fergie's tracking drive and technique are spot on for straight tracks.  Here is a short Real media clip of Fergie tracking

Next week, we will begin incorporating turns. 

2006 State Line 

AD Test

Hosted by:  vom Dreieck German Shepherds

Harvard, IL, May 27, 2006

Ferguson passed the AD (12 mile endurance test) with ease.

Ber did the full 12 miles and the obedience exercise at the end.

A few hours later,  Dave Blank asked if Fergie and I could help him 

loosen up for his helper work during the breed survey.    

We were fortunate that Tom Trainor was on hand to see Fergie work.

Tom later commented  "I  like Fergie's work.   He has good power".

Here are me and Ber taking a break at the 4 mile mark for the AD test.    

Unfortunately, we could only use Steve House's motorcycle for shade today.  

The judge suggested that we wet the dogs down due to the heat.    I think the dogs appreciated it.

Thank you to Ami Prindiville for taking these great pictures.

Session ??  - 5/14/06 

I have been biking Fergie 2 to 3 times a week for about 2 months.

 I am  maintaining Fergie's condition by running 6 miles per run.     He does this distance at about 7 - 9 mph with ease.

 Two weeks ago, Fergie ran the entire AD distance and then some.     

I think he is ready.    

We have a few weeks to keep him in condition before the trial.

We started on tracking training again this weekend.

Session 31 - 3/11/06

We worked dogs in a public park this weekend.     It was time to work somewhere other than our own back yard.   Fergie did very well.    The new surroundings didn't seem to phase him at all.     Here is a video clip from  this session.     

Fergie gets his first big air.      

I am in the process of biking Fergie to build up his endurance.     So far biking has been a lot of of fun.   We are biking on Mon, Wed and Fridays.    Fergie seems to enjoy pulling me along.    We are only going 1 mile right now, but he needs to be able to do 12 miles to pass his AD.     

I don't foresee any problems.    Fergie can do a mile with ease.    We are taking it slowly so Fergie's paws can build up callous.      

Session  28 - 2/18/06

This was a difficult session.     The ground was slick with ice.

The temperature was minus 3 degrees with a little breeze.

 It is amazing how even minus three degrees can be comfortable when you are running around, doing these exercises.

In this session Dave worked with me on the details of approaching him when I bring Fergie onto the training field.

My task is to wait for Dave to get Fergie barking in a cadence while at a distance.  Once Fergie is barking in a cadence,

I am to reward Fergie by moving toward Dave with small steps in cadence with the barking.    Sounds easy right?    

I am still working on getting the hang of it.

Session 26 -  2/4/06 

This photo was taken by Christian  (Beth's Little Brother)

Fergie's Protection Training Video clips

Session 10 - Protection Training 10-08-2005

Session 9 - Protection Training 10-01-2005

Session 8 - Fergie's first bite on the sleeve! 9-24-2005

Ferguson is 9 months old in these pictures

Ferguson's Conformation Show Results

2006 State Line WDA Conformation Show

SG-2  Ferguson vom Mittelwest

18-24 Month Males

Hosted by:  vom Dreieck German Shepherds

Harvard, IL, May 27-28, 2006

Below are some great pictures that were taken by Ami Prindiville.   Thanks Ami!

Wow!    Look at Ber go.    These were from the conformation class.   Nice picture Ami!

Special thanks to Connie Miller from Vom Haus Miller for handling Fergie.    

How ya doin Ber?

2005 State Line WDA Conformation Show

VP - 1  Ferguson vom Mittelwest

9 - 12 Month Males

Hosted by:  vom Dreieck German Shepherds

Harvard, IL, November 20, 2005

Official Results

Thanks to Kathy Blank for handling Fergie to1st place.

Photo by Ami Prindiville

Ferguson's record of improving with every show held true today.    This was the last show of the 2005 season and Fergie's first trophy. 

I can't think of a better way to end the 2005 conformation show season.

 It looks like I really do have to title Fergie.

2005 North Central Championship

VP - Ferguson vom Mittelwest

6 - 9 Month Males

Hosted by:  Vom Haus Miller

Spring Green Wisconsin, July 16, 2005

Ferguson's performance has improved with every show.   Here is a picture from the most recent show.

Special thanks to Carlos of Huerta Hof for his expert handling

Kentucky-Tennessee Schutzhund Verein

 Great Lakes Regional Conformation Show

 Working Dog Association  (GSDCA-WDA)

June 19th-20th, 2004

VP -  Ferguson vom Mittelwest

6 - 9 Month Males

Ferguson made his show debut in the pouring rain. 

Photo by Ami Prindiville

Photo by Ami Prindiville

Ferguson at 8 weeks.

The cutest puppy in the world!

Ferguson at 4 months.     Working hard as usual.

Here comes Ber looking to slobber on the camera.

Ferguson's Parents

Dam:  Vita vom Mittelwest SchH1, KKL1 "a"

For more information about Vita, contact Mittelwest German Shepherds

Sire:  VA Ham von der Urbecke, SchH 3, KKL 1”a”, ZW 69

For more information about Ham, contact Vollkommen Shepherds