Training a dog for Schutzhund can be challenging. Every dog is different, and every handler will approach each exercise a little differently. While newcomers are encouraged to educate themselves on the different phases of the sport, we would like to stress that nothing can take the place of working with experienced handlers and trainers who have successfully trained and competed with their dogs in the sport.  Watching them work their dogs and asking them questions can provide much more valuable information than reading information posted on various Schutzhund-related forums (where you never quite know the credentials or experiences of the people posting their training advice).

Training a dog successfully for Schutzhund is a collaborative effort involving many different people who can help bring the best out of you and your dog. This sport is not just about training the dog--it is equally (if not more) about training the handler in how to best train and handle their dog! To help with this, we have listed some Recommended Resources (both books and online resources) that visitors and people new to the sport may find useful. These are in no way a 'be all, end all' list of resources. There are many, many other resources out there. However, the first resource for any new handler should be a USCA rule book, which carefully outlines the rules and expectations for each phase of the sport, each title, etc. The next resource should be other people who have trained and titled dogs successfully in the sport!

Club members and guests are expected to be committed to training in all three phases of the sport: obedience, tracking, and protection. We do not accept guests and membership requests from those who only wish to train one particular phase.