# Preparing for the BH



## Dave Immure (Oct 15, 2008)

Can anyone recommend a good book or web site that deals with preparing a dog for the Schutzund BH? I don't belong to a club and I am trying to title BH on my own. Eventually I will have to suck it up and join one but for now I will try to avoid the bs that comes along with clubs. 

Thanks.


----------



## Kristen Cabe (Mar 27, 2006)

I think _this_ is a pretty good website, Dave! :wink: :lol:

You're going to have to train around people. Period. For one, you need to practice heeling through the group, and secondly, your dog needs to be non-reactive and obedient to you even when strangers are up close and personal with him, for the temperament test/traffic portion of the BH. He also will need to be non-reactive to other dogs walking past him when he's left alone on a tie-out with you out of sight, and be able to hold a down while another dog/handler team is doing their obedience.

Other than that, though, you can work on his attention heeling and motion exercises (sit out of motion & down out of motion) on your own.


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

If you don't have a club to work with, pick up the Leerburg DVD "Handler training for the BH" You'll learn the detail of the exercises.

As far as training the dog, stick around here and be sure to put your training goals in your posts because the little details are different depending on your goals. and the little details will make or break you when you trial.

You will need to train around people, dogs and traffic. Try parking lots, university campus, school yards, pet stores, bike trails, etc.


----------



## Dave Immure (Oct 15, 2008)

Does Leerburg still carry that DVD? I'm not able to find it on his web site.


----------



## Julie Ann Alvarez (Aug 4, 2007)

Kristen Cabe said:


> I think _this_ is a pretty good website, Dave! :wink: :lol:
> 
> You're going to have to train around people. Period. For one, you need to practice heeling through the group, and secondly, your dog needs to be non-reactive and obedient to you even when strangers are up close and personal with him, for the temperament test/traffic portion of the BH. He also will need to be non-reactive to other dogs walking past him when he's left alone on a tie-out with you out of sight, and be able to hold a down while another dog/handler team is doing their obedience.
> 
> Other than that, though, you can work on his attention heeling and motion exercises (sit out of motion & down out of motion) on your own.


Definately will need the support of a group to practice with like Kristan said. Just because your dog will do the exercises alone doesn't mean he will do so well with a big crowd of people, barking dogs, crying kids, and such.

I love my club. We don't have any drama. Maybe you haven't found the right group yet? 

Here is a link. Also one of members bought a DVD from some other club. I would just watch youtube videos of ScHH OB.

http://www.bigskyschutzhund.bizland.com/bh.htm


----------



## Anne Vaini (Mar 15, 2007)

Want my copy? I've lost interest in SchH and probably won't ever go for a BH.


----------



## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

What would you like to know? the routine?

On leash:

Check-in.

Heel command 50 paces out 
about turn

10 paces normal
heel command10 paces running
heel command10 paces slow
heel command10 paces normal

right turn

10 paces right turn

15 paces 

about turn

halfway back (7-8 paces) stop, dog must sit without command.

wait for group to come out, wait or judges signal. 

heel command 7-8 paces in the same direction you were traveling. 

left turn 

enter group

1 turn around a person to left and 1 turn around a person to right

heel next to someone and stop dog must sit without command.

look at judge for signal to exit group.

exit group. look at judge for signal to remove leash. remove leash. leash can be put in your pocket. over your left shoulder or around your waist. clasp must be away from the dog.

look at judge for direction to re- enter group

off leash. 

Do the group again in the same manner

then repeat the heeling portion.

now motion exercise. 

heel command 10-15 paces, sit command, 30 paces. stop turn around. wait 3 seconds or judges signal. (judge should tell you what he wants in the handlers meeting)

pick up the dog. 

you may heel back to the start position or continue from the point you pick up the dog.

heel command, 10-15 paces, down command, 30 paces, turn around, wait 3 seconds or judges signal

Recall command. wait 3 seconds or judges signal, finish command....that concludes heeling.

if you have to go to your down from here. 

heel the dog to the marked long down area. wait for the judge to give you a signal to down the dog. down command. wait 3 sec, or judges signal to leave the dog. walk 30 paces to handlers mark for the long down. turn around facing away from dog. when you go to pick up your dog. next to dog, wait 3 seconds or judges signal. sit the dog, wait for judges signal, leash the dog. 


If you do your down first. check in. heel the dog to the down mark, wait for judge. unleash dog. wait the 3 or JS. down dog. 30 paces to handlers mark. turn around. when you go to pick up your dog. stand next to dog, wait 3 or JS. sit dog, wait 3 or JS, leash dog. go to start point.


some tips

-relax..

-I like to clean out my truck. I do not know why, but it gets me ready to trial. things are organized. One less thing to irritate me.

-bring poop bags, in case you need them.

- Bring some power bars---Just in case

--bring a roll of TP---Just in case

-Get there a little early and scope out a potty area for the dog.

- know when you go. 

-get your dog, during the critiques

-have your equipment prepared the night before. The night before put your score book in the car.

- practise checking the tattoo before the trial. it's in the right ear...remember that. if you have a microchip, practise finding it with the reader bedore the trial. if you do not have one, call long before and insure that the club has one. or someone does. call again right before the trial and make sure it's still available.

-know the routine, practise it, so you can go on auto pilot. This will allow you to not focus on what comes next, but on being the best handler you can be.

-wear nice clothes if possible, like sports warm ups. Your a showman, showing your dog. A good example of this is Mark Socchio...The guy looks sharp at trials. It makes a difference. people by nature are judgemental. A judge may appreciate your effort to look professional. If you look like a rag, that will defintly get noticed.

-During the routine, do not be afraid to use mild handler help if you need it. It's just a BH. The judge might mention it, but it won't cost you the BH. I know it's nice to not have too. But really if your dog is leaving you, break the rules. you might get dinge. but if the dog does leave you....you will surley fail.

-Practise the traffic portion.

-Down your dog in some friends and walk 10 paces away. call your do to you from the group. make sure he is cool around a jogger, a bike and a car.

-heel though a normal gathering of friends. It does not have to be pretty OB heeling., the dog can not be -overly cautious.

- When checking in, stay to the judges 45, to keep away from the other dog.

-if you ever get confused, look at the judge, ask for help. Judges will generally be nice to first time handlers in thier BH.

- no when practise is on the trial field, walk the BH, pick out landmarks so you do not have to count paces.

-Make sure your dog is okay around a neutral dog.

- on trial day, I do not worry about the dog anymore. I try to be the best handler I can be. I try to stand erect, and move with purpose. Walking like a slouch, it takes away from the picture. there is a lot of little things you can do yourself to improve the picture of a dog handler team.

-#1 tip...Do not kill yourself or your dog in traiing to get the prettiest BH the world has ever seen. It's just a BH. I would rather have a dog just on the edge of going out of control in thier BH, than to have to pump the dog back up for it's 3.


----------



## James Downey (Oct 27, 2008)

Julie Ann Alvarez said:


> Definately will need the support of a group to practice with like Kristan said. Just because your dog will do the exercises alone doesn't mean he will do so well with a big crowd of people, barking dogs, crying kids, and such.
> 
> I love my club. We don't have any drama. Maybe you haven't found the right group yet?
> 
> ...


 
Julie....I have been to anchorage courtesy of the USCG....Love the Alaska Bush Company....Fine Establishment.


----------



## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

All good advice previous to mine.
If you obedience is good, the dog isn't over reactive towards people, cars, runners, bicycles or other dogs and you KNOW the routine, the BH is a piece of cake! 
The LB video is pretty good but has a few things that are no longer done in the BH. 
The BH is also subjective to whoever is judging it. Most judges look at is as simply having obedience control with a dog that has good temperment.


----------



## Chris Michalek (Feb 13, 2008)

Dave Immure said:


> Can anyone recommend a good book or web site that deals with preparing a dog for the Schutzund BH? I don't belong to a club and I am trying to title BH on my own. Eventually I will have to suck it up and join one but for now I will try to avoid the bs that comes along with clubs.
> 
> Thanks.


get the rule book. that will tell you everything you need to do with your dog.

all your dog needs to know is

Sit
Down
Stay
Front
Watch you.

Only work on two things at once.

I teach watch first. Teach your dog to look at your eyes for a few minutes.
I think of heeling as a sitting exercise. We start with a sit and watch and then he does what he needs to do to get to the next sit. Practice heeling in a corner of your house. I did it in the kitchen using the cabinets to block him from being too wide. 

Train all of the exercises in motion. I often walk about the house and if the dog is following, I'll tell him to sit or platz or whatever. Get him to get used to you moving all the time.

With the long down, make sure you NEVER call the dog up from the down, always go to him and release him. That way he will only anticipate that you will come to him despite what ever distraction is going on.

I like to train off lead first. The leash is really just a distraction.


----------

