If you have a dog from proven schutzhund lines, and you train the dog in protection, can it still be an affectionate family dog? Can it still cuddle up to you in bed and not bite your face off? If you have guests over, does it have to be locked up? If I want a dog that will be family and friend friendly, would it be a better idea to train only in obedience and tracking? If I do acquire a dog from proven and well known schutzhund lines, is it possible for it to be trained to be a family dog?
From what I understand good schutzhund dogs are bred for intelligence, tempermant, health, and drive. Is the drive of a good schutzhund too big an obstacle to tame?

Yes, a SchH dog can be a family dog.

Originally posted by Matthew Fleury:

From what I understand good schutzhund dogs are bred for intelligence, tempermant, health, and drive. Is the drive of a good schutzhund too big an obstacle to tame? A well bred dog with a solid temerment and highly intellegent(that`s what schutzhund is testing for in part)will make a great family dog. Understand he will need exercise and activities to challenge his mind. I don`t know a whole lot about PPD so somebody else can answer that. I have a bunch of police friends that keep their dogs at home and they seem to be good with their families. They seem to turn it on when they see their handler putting on their uniform.

Schutzhund dogs can be amazing family dogs. It's like everything else with choosing the lines though, if you like the temperment of the parent dogs, and know that's what you are looking for in your next dog, you are increasing the chance that a pup from their lines will fit right in your family.

Some 'working' dogs can be VERY sharp and intense, not necessarily agressive. Can be a bit on the hyper and intense side, almost all the time, and you may want to work the breeder to maybe avoid having the 'sharpest' pup in the litter. These can be a bit overwhelming for kids in the family.

i've always said, "we don't teach dogs a damn thing...." meaning that we don't add anything to the list of things that a dog will do naturally either on a regular basis or even daily basis. we all know that dogs track, sit, lay, stand, run, jump, bark and bite as a natural part of being a dog. the big difference is that a trained dog will do these things on command. how can that be bad? the keyword here is control.

i think the question to ask is not "can a sch dog be a family dog"...the question to ask is "can i as a dog owner keep a sch dog in the family"...you ask about "proven schutzhund lines" being able to live in a family environment safely: what you are talking about then is a highly driven animal whose idea of affection is learning something new, working on something, etc., not necessarily hanging out on the couch begging for a belly rub. therefore, you as an owner/trainer/handler have to always be thinking... you have to always think of every situation you put the dog in and control it. you do not ever set your dog up for failure; rather, set the dog up for success. with the type of dog from "proven schutzhund lines" you already know what type of animal you have...therefore you plan for every eventuality. you as an owner/handler/trainer are responsible to mold the dog to fit your family in every situation...that being said, a schutzhund dog can make the most amazing family member precisely because of the qualities that make it good for schutzhund in the first place: the intense focus waiting for commands and to learn something; the protectiveness which comes from knowing its place and being part of a family/pack; the sense of security and belonging you give to the dog as its leader/master/family member. these are all qualities which are inherent in a dog from "proven schutzhund lines" but it is your place as a leader/owner/handler/trainer to bring them out.

I have 4 Schh3 dogs and 1 Narc detection dog, right here beside my chair - well they are spread out around the room a bit I guess. They are ages 13,10,8,6 and 3 years. 4 females and 1 male. All are (some were) very hard-working dogs in Schh sport - serious aggression, hard-biting, come-off-the-field and be wonderful, outgoing, love-children, no dog-aggression pet/companion dogs. All of these dogs except the narc dog is certified for therapy work, the 13 and 10 year olds used to make regular visits to nursing homes and children's hospitals, all have done school demonstrations for small children. So the answer - absolutely good-working Schh (or other discipline) dogs can be wonderful family companions, I wouldn't have any other kind.

I started my boy in Schutzhund when he was younger & eventually slipped into PP, and in my experience, this kind of training actually makes family life much easier. He's more predictable, more reliable, and I like the fact that he thinks he's on an invisble leash (well most of the time <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> ). Proper protection training = a better family dog. That's what it's all about.

A lot of good answers here, but I think Scott really nailed it: it's not the nature of the dog but the dedication of the owner that answers your question.

I admit that I had no idea what I was getting into when I got my curent GSD at 8 weeks--Oka is my first Schutzhund-bred dog (out of the 2000 Weltsieger), and I didn't understand what kind of intensity that implied and how important it is to keep him busy and not bored, which is when you see real problems--because if you don't give such a dog mind-stretching tasks to do, he'll make up his own, and I can pretty much guarantee you won't like them.

But Oka's a wonderful family dog, and I can't see ever going back to an "ordinary" dog until I'm too old and frail to deal with that intensity--which I hope won't be for a long time to come.

I have one in the house with my 7 mos old daughter. But one thing she is learning/will learn is respect for the dog.