For those of you who compete, how many hours per day or week do you spend training (per dog):

Tracking
OB
Protection

If you don’t have a helper readily available… do you do the bite work yourself or with a friend/spouse?

Is there any danger to doing bit work with your own dog or having a friend or spouse be the helper provided they are properly trained before hand?

My husband is actually interested in joining our local club as a helper but would want proper training. There definitely seems too been a shortage of helpers in our area.

If he did become a certified helper would it be a bad idea to have him do bite work with our own dog?

As always, I appreciate and look forward to any feedback.

It might be just me, but I wouldn't do defensive work with a member of the household, your dog will never fully trust the person agitating her. For prey work I don't think it'd a huge issue to even teach the dog to bite on a sleeve on your own arm, I even asked Ed about this a while ago, if I remember correctly, he told me that was no problem if you don't have a helper available - but prey is play, defense is serious - if a dog thinks your husband is unstable and could go off on her any minute, maybe she'll get a little edgy with him after a while. I know Patrick's dog is fine with me when I'm not out training, I've even pet the dog once to make sure he's not gonna take my hand off when we're hanging out after a training session and there was no problem, but I also wouldnt be stupid enough to make any sudden moves around a dog that just "kicked my ass".

I don't compete or do tracking work with my dog, but to answer your question from my own perspective as an enthusiastic handler:

Obedience: "Official" training sessions about 30-60 minutes a day, broken up into segments throughout the day to keep it fun for him. Sometimes I break out the tug or a hotdog just to maintain the positive association with obedience (I probably don't have to, but I don't give him treats all day long like those petsmart trainers so I figure when I do give him a hotdog, he might as well do something for it). But I'm doing basic obedience with him all day long at random times. I don't consider it formal training since he's not wearing a prong collar so he just gets a verbal correction for disobedience.

Agitation/Bitework: He's a young dog, I don't want to overdo it and I want to try and end on a positive note after each session, I like getting with my helper about twice a week when he's available and we probably total about 10-20 minutes at most of actual training, but spend a good 45-60+ minutes out with both our dogs planning, discussing and executing.

As for your husband joining a Sch club as a helper - go for it! I love decoying, I'm a total newbie and I'm working with a pretty much finished dog, so I don't even really have to do much, but I like dealing with creative situations, look at my blog and check out the recent photos of me playing decoy <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Just gotta get used to sore wrist n fingers when the dogs bite is low on my arm haha, no biggie, my legs hurt more for a longer period of time after cycling 20 miles.

I normally train on the field twice a week. Luckily, I'm only 25 mins from our club field. At home, I try to work a few mins every day on obedience. My tracking...well...I should be doing more of it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />. The bite work can be done by your husband ONLY if it's done in prey. Your husband should never put the dog in defence if he lives with the dog. It will destroy your dogs trust in him. There are seminars that can help teach your husband how to do helper work. Our club is giving one in March.
With our trial comming up in Dec, I'm now training at the field as often as I can convince my wife to let the honeydos slide. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My pup is 4 months old and this is my day.

Morning tracking or ob work mid day drive training evening more tracking or ob.

That is pretty much daily.
he gets to go to the field 2-3 times a week and thats his life.

Also you do not ever want to put a dog into defence than expect to live peacably with it at home.

The only way that could work is if he is a kennel dog and your husband does very little in the way of daily chores.

Well I am glad I asked that question... that's good information to know. So play is okay but defense is NO-WAY.

Still so many miles and sleepless nights of learning to go.

Thank you so much!

For my dog Fetz the weekly training time breakdown is about:

Tracking - 4 hours weekly ( 4 sessions )
Obedience - 4 to 5 hours weekly ( 6 sessions )
Protection - 3 hours weekly ( 2 sessions )

David, how long are your sessions. My pups are the same age. So far I've been doing perhaps 1hr tops, broken down into short 10 minute sessions thru out the day with each. Then perhaps an hour in the morning and evening of socializing (going to different locations each time and walking pup). Other then that just play time and bonding. My breeder also suggested that until the pup is 6 months I shouldn't be going to the club with him! Have you trained other schutzhund dogs? I'd also appreciate any other opinions!
Thanks Petra

Lets see here.

mmmm maybe 2 hours tops total for the day. divided up throughout the day.

trackin is probly the longest session maybe lasting 20-25 min from laying the track to completion.

other wise i keep it real short like under 2min a session but i do like 10 a day of everthing from ob to drive building.

Okay, then I'm pretty well on track.

Thanks

Holly cap…from what I have read about Fetz... you must be exhausted. Hell I'm exhausted just thinking about it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />