I'm taking my pup to a schutzhund club for the first time tomorrow. I did visit the club last week and I liked what I saw; it's small, trainers on every level and I liked the way the head trainer handled the dogs. My question is in your experience do your club members pet each other dogs? This may seem like a thick question, but no one has ever pet Cyrus but me. I do not want him to get use to going to other people for praise, yet since I am new at the sport I don't know if it would be out of place for me to tell the head trainer and other club members not to pet him. Sorry for the seemingly neurotic Q.

depends on what you want with your dog, im sure something can be arranged where he doesnt pet your dog

Im not in a Schutzhund club of any kind, but I do some personal protection with my dogs.

This is just my opinion, Im not saying it is the right or wrong way, but this is how I worked/have worked my dogs.

I do not know how old your dogs are, but as far as I go, I start socializing my dogs at about 8 weeks. This means I let every one pet him, family, friends and strangers, even young kids. I socialize with other house pets(dogs or cats).

I take the dog to petsmart, strange new places, the park, car rides and friends houses. I do this because young socializing to me is very important. I do not want my dog to bite some one just because he is a stranger, or some one I walk up to in a parking lot, I only want my dog to take a bite if told. The rest of the time I want him to be a gentel house puppy in peoples eyes. I try and continue this type socializing though out my dogs life.

I might be wrong, but isnt there a certin amount of socializing you have to do with your dog befor it can be a full Schutzhund dog? Is that were the BH comes in?

Anyhow, I know people are not going to argee, but I think befor you start any kind of bite work, it will be best to get you dog socialized with people.

What is every one elses input?

David.

I don't want my dog to be friendly with everyone. My goal is for him not to care where or not people are around, or as Ed says.. be neutral. He goes to lots of parks, playgrounds and buildings so he is use to seeing people. I would be looking at this differently if he was a shy dog, but he's not (at all). Most of the theory I'm going by is coming from Eds training (never let a stranger or a strange dog to "smooze" with your dog because of your dog's inherent pack instinct). To me this makes perfect sense, but many people disagree.

Do other people train this way or am I misunderstanding Eds methods????

Being social doesn't mean the dog has to be friendly and playful with everyone. All it has to mean is a dog that will accept the presence of people, and keep a neutral attitude. It's all what you want from the dog.

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Being social doesn't mean the dog has to be friendly and playful with everyone. All it has to mean is a dog that will accept the presence of people, and keep a neutral attitude. It's all what you want from the dog.

Bingo! Thank you Scott. You said it perfectly in two senteces.

David.

So even thou you let your dogs be, for lack of a better term, pet by strangers as puppies they are nuetral to strangers as adults? (nuetral meaning exactly what Bob said "dog that will accept the presence of people, and keep a neutral attitude")?

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So even thou you let your dogs be, for lack of a better term, pet by strangers as puppies they are nuetral to strangers as adults? (nuetral meaning exactly what Bob said "dog that will accept the presence of people, and keep a neutral attitude")?

This is addressed here http://www.leerburg.com/ubbthreads/showf...rue#Post4145590

.........and in MANY places under "search." Try Puppy Training, put in a term (like petting) and indicate a time frame. That's it. Dozens (or hundreds) of results. I had trouble with "search" at first.....it's a little different from some other sites. But the results are better, IMO.

Thanks Connie, I'll look those up

This conversation got a little off my original question. Everyone has a different and equally valid opinoin on this subject. I guess everyone should just do the training that feels the most comfortable to them and that is what I will tell my club.