Last fall, I went to my first Schutzhund trial, and I saw something that I have a question about. During the traffic portion of the test, the judge had the crowd, about 15 people, form a tight circle around the dog and its handler. The people were very close, 6 inches away, and just standing there, maybe 2 minutes, and there was some non threatening eye contact (so it was not a 'heeling through a group' exercise). The dog was expected to not react.

Is this typical at a trial? I believe I overheard someone say the judge was testing for inappropriate aggression.

Yep.

It is a seperate part of the test, not to be cofused with the "group" portion of the on and off leash heeling.

Some judges will have you platz the dog, and leave it in the circle of strangers, some will have you recall, etc.

So are they testing for aggression, and fear responses? What behaviours would cause the dog to fail?

Both, anything that would show the dogs temperment as unstable. Instability will lead to failure as it should.

Yeah, that's what I figured.

That's the only part of the test that I think my dog will have a problem with. So I guess it is back to the conditioning drawing board! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If she can't do it, well, we'll stick to the 'backyard BH'. We're just doing this for fun, anyway.

Thanks for the replies guys.

Melissa,
From what I saw of your girl at the last seminar, I think that she'd pass the temperment portion of the BH ( and with your handling, you'd blast through the OB portion of it, for sure ) You got her pretty deep into the crowd in the tent, and she wasn't spazzing out to any great degree.
Make sure you train her for the portion in which you're walking with the dog on leash, and a jogger and bike go by from behind, that spooks more than a few dogs.

Thanks for the encouragment, Will! It is always nice to hear, esp. with a dog like her, and a newbie like me! Sometimes I want to through in the towel, when I see others breeze through the routines, and I have to lay so much groundwork just for temperment testing.

But then again, how else am I going to learn so much (and so well) about threshholds, drives, and such? She has taught me so much, that little ball crazy, weak nerved dog! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I have started to lay down the foundation for the bike and jogger exercises, along with the gunfire (I know it's not in BH), the appearance of the biker, jogger cues in the appearance of the ball.

I wish this snow would go away! So we could go to hard core training again! We both are going BONKERS from lack of hours of work! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Melissa,
With your natural handling ability, you'll go far. Many of us were kidding you about seeing you in the Nationals someday, where you'd promptly beat us. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
I hope that you'll eventually end up with a high level dog for you to go kick butt on various SchH fields.
I've got a dog that "loads himself" for you to handle sometime, if you want! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />


"Loads himself"....now that was the weirdest but true statement I heard at the last Flinks seminar. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I have 1 of 2 guesses on that one. Thinking dog behind door number 1, lol. Not only does he load himself up, he can unload on you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Are we talking about good ole Fetzy-wetzy? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />
Or the nice Pike son with uh...handler issues? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Either way, methinks I will watch YOU handle them...I learn a LOT by watching... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> lol

Now, if we are talking about Buttercup...weelll, gosh <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> ...he's just SO studly... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />