I am working with a black and red male Schutzhund I from Germany. I am new to the forum and normally try to figure out this stuff myself but I am at a loss. This male he is almost 3 years old and obedience is coming along-sometimes he loses focus-but we are working thru it. His protection is good and he will release the bite on and off leash on command. Here is the problem, he will occasionally grab objects and hold them in his mouth. He releases for me but other people-no way. When I say objects it could be the remote control, a book, mop,broom, the other day he went to the park and grabbed a swing and just sat there for 30 minutes with the swing in his mouth. No amount on pulling, tugging, reverse correcting, or e-collar will work. He has to be choked off the object. Now the kicker here is if I walk up I saw "Aus" and he spits it right out. He will pick up 15-20 objects a day and makes other people crazy-at a boarding facilty he grabbed a bottle of cleaner and gave himself chemical burns. Is this a security issue in his mind? Does it have to do with the forced retrieve and he is thinking back to the pressure from that? I thought about having a ball or tug brought in when he does it to see if i can switch the drive from grip to prey but he only does it when I am not around. Is this one of those one owner dogs?

Can you clarify, is this your dog?

No amount of pulling and tugging, thats good for Schutzhund. Reverse Correcting? I think with the ecollar and choking him off, you may be making it worse. Are you going to continue Sch. with him? Is he a nervous, unsure dog?

So it's only a problem with other people? So then why try for 30 minutes to get the swing out of his mouth if you can simply say "Aus"...or was someone else trying to get him off?

Will he trade for another object with other people?

Like maye trade dangerous things (like chemicals) for a ball or food?

Hi welcome to the forum, I usually let these go, but so many questions? What you mean You are working with this dog? Does he have a problem? This is your dog? How many people give command to the dog? How do you figure out these things as far as training a dog? He is a SCHI dog, he had to go thru Basic obedience test, then the test for SCHI. And three years old still holding things hostage, I never been thru a working line at three years old, so I don't have that experience. When you say his protection is good, Can there be good protection without obedience? or do you mean the bite work? Was he in the park with out a leash? Who is working the E-collar or trying to pull him off by chock. Is he loose at the boarding facility to were he can endanger himself. IMHO every SCH dog should be a one owner dog. Other things I did not mention is because I have no experience with. Others might chime in. Dan

Good dog!

My dogs start listening to some one else I'm disappointed.

I agree......Good boy.

And I second all the questions.

You don't want him to listen to other people.

Kennel shouldn't have had chemicals where he could have gotten them.

What is the problem again?

Ahhhhhhhh.......Possibly you weren't aware that your lifestyle needed to change so only you handle the dog?

Could you have another family member come to the field to help train, and thus gain another handler in his mind?


Welcome to the board!!!!!!!!!!
I hope you stick around...we would love to have another person with a working dog here.

Not my personal dog, the family who owns him bought him from a kennel in Germany and he was shipped to them. I have been trying to help them with this grabbing issue. They were hoping for a good family dog and chose a titled dog sight unseen.

I would not call him nervous but a bit unsure of the surroundings at times. too much pressure in obedience and he starts lip licking and head turning. Usually a toy or much praise keeps the unsure down. I think he was pushed thru SchH I in Germany and he is showline pedigree.

Not my personal dog, the family called me about the swing issue and had to go down and get him for them. He is a angel when I am there but as soon as I leave-he reverts to gripping things. On and off leash, just walking by a object he will grab it and hold. I know about three people right now he does not do this with but they all train and they take him home, hes a angel, at the family home he does not appear to listen.