Didn't know where to post this.....
In other threads it's been said that because of extreme emphasis on points, the overall working quality of the dogs in Schutzhund is being/has been bred out. Is the IPO a better test of true working ability than Schutzhund, just on a comparison basis between the two events? Do the winners of the bog IPO competitions get many breedings, like the winners of the WUSV and BSP?

IPO and SCH are basically the same thing with just some very minor differeneces. It´s a problem with all protectionsports that the dogs placing high are not an indicator of a character suited for servicework, which means that points shouldn´t decide the breedingsdecision. The trend in europe is towards pointdogs which only works in prey, aggression is not needed in the sports therefore not trained for, there seems also to be an attitude that aggression-training is unecessary for sportdogs and civilians. I talked to a breeder of dutch sheperds a while ago, he said that many who are involved in IPO in holland are former K9-officers which appreciate a "real" dog instead of only a pointdog. Therefore a dog that won´t out or wants to really fight the decoy are more valued even if he gets low points in a trail, compared to the pointdog who gets the higest point. There is a mal who had won everything in holland, he does his job for the points, but nobody wants to see this dog, he´s not what you look for in a PSD. I takes an understanding for the IPO-programm and understanding of dogs to know which dogs are good or not for service.

KNPV,IPO,RING and so on are often only trained in prey. In sweden we have a dogsport that I think are better suited for the original use for the different protectionsports, to find good dogs for service or breedingdogs suited for service. It has also muzzlework so you also need a dog with agression, it´s not sure that IPO/SCH dogs could be trained in this sport, because the muzzlework demands more than just preydrive and therefore weeds out dogs with weak aggressiondrives.

But as all sports it´s not sure that the dogs getting the higest points in this sports are suited for service or breedingdogs for service, to hard dogs are often not wanted in any sport because it´s hard to get the prescision in obedience and protection needed in sports with a hard dog, but which isn´t so important in servicedogs. Therefore many prefer a dog that aren´t to hard. I guess this is the problem with all protectionsports.