G'Day from anothe ex-pat! She's a lovely looking dog! Loved the cheeky look in the last photo!

I'd ask for expert opinion on the bitework. No need to rule out the ob & tracking, but nerves & temperament need to be there otherwise you're looking for an accident waiting to happen...

Wow, the Shepherd in her is really shining through...except for the white dot on her chest. She's a pretty dog.

I understand your worries about doing bite work, although not so much because you have a mixed breed dog, but because you have no experience or mentor in Shutzhund. Me too!!

I would love to learn Shutzhund, as I already do obedience training, but there are no clubs even remotely close to my house. I've decided that it's not a good idea for me to start practicing something that could backfire on me without proper guidance. Books and videos are wonderful, but not enough for me to feel confident that I'm doing the right things. I don't want to inadvertantly cause my dog to be a danger as a result of my own ignorance.

I have thought that maybe I should speak to the local K9 police units and find out where they get their dogs, and if they do any Shutzhund work, or have a Shutzund trainer. The training would be for me! I let you know if that avenue works out for me.

Then again, I don't even have the pup until December 9th. He comes from excellent working lines and highly titled Shutzhund dogs, but I still don't know if this pup will have what it takes in any event. Wait and see for me.

Anyway, as for the crate...every dog should have one! Seriously, it's an invaluable tool and every dog I have seen loves them.

Good luck!

One more thing...you might get better responses about your questions if you post them in the Shutzhund forums.

 Quote: amber morgan

One more thing...you might get better responses about your questions if you post them in the Shutzhund forums.

yeah, i really just suggested it as a passing thought while making the introduction post. continued below, because this post is also relevant:

 Quote: amber morgan

I understand your worries about doing bite work, although not so much because you have a mixed breed dog, but because you have no experience or mentor in Shutzhund. Me too!!

lacking advise otherwise, i'm thinking that probably the best thing for me to do would be to find a club that i can get to regularly "sans dog", and hang around, ask questions, and maybe even volunteer as a helper when i/they feel i know enough.

you're very much correct if i understand you correctly - it's me that needs training before the dog.