Hi
I have a 2 y/o Rott bitch that I co-own with a soon to be ex-friend. The dog is impossibly weak in bitework-unstable, nervy, fearful. I like the dog as a pet and want to keep her as a spayed pet. When I said I wanted to spay her the breeder started asking for the dog back and claimed the dog's poor temperament was a result of my "training her to bite". Although she approved of schutzhund at the time of purchase there is a clause in the contract about the dog not being used as an attack dog or guard dog. Can anyone recommend an article that defines the differences in these two types of training, or explains why schutzhund is NOT attack training? I'd like to have that on file.Thanks for your help.

You mean you know the difference but you want one of the experts on the board to give you something official for your case?

Go to the USA 's website. They have plenty of articles about "what is Schutzhund" up since the Knoellers case came up. Either way co-owning is the pits.

I'm curious as to why the dog was even started in bitework... not a good idea when you've got a dog with real weak nerves... does she seem to be responding okay to situations now?

Pete Felknor

Hi
Exactly-I know the difference but I want something from an expert to support my position.
As far as why she was started in bitework-she really was never trained in bitework-we just did puppy stuff with her to see what she was like and never really started her in bitework because of her temperament. I'm sorry if I was not clear-the opinion that she was "trained to bite" is the opinion of the breeder, who knows nothing about schutzhund, and is looking for something to blame the dog's temperament on.
I'm a novice in schutzhund and lucked out with a great dog and a good club, Then this friend offered me this dog and she just isn't cut out for it! I let the breeder know that her temperament was evaluated as very poor by a USRC breed warden and that I wanted to have her spayed and now she wants the dog back. I don't want to give up the dog because she is a family pet and the only way she can repossess her is if I have breached my contract. The contract states that the dog must not be used as an attack dog or guard dog. which is actually quite amusing as this dog would not do either!

BTW Pete-thanks for asking. She does respond fairly well to most situations-I suspect she would fear bite if pressed but we manage her quite carefully and she is stable around family and friends. we are careful to not put her in situations that might stress her and encourage bad behavior.