# Schutzhund dog from a shelter?



## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

David Frost's post about the GAP dogs started me thinking. Clearly dogs who end up in a shelter can go on to be awesome work dogs - even in law enforcement and protection work. Has anyone here had experience with a rescue dog that they have trained or titled in Schutzhund?

I ask because most of my dogs have come from shelters and I like the idea of a rescue. I am not looking for another schutzhund dog yet, but Ronan is not able to do the bite work, so I won't be able to train much longer with him, though I would like to continue in this sport.

What would you look for or test in a shelter dog if you were going to adopt for work or sport?

Leslie


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## Greg Leavitt (Aug 31, 2006)

I know of a few dogs local that are rescues that are training in schutzhund. One who is titled and a couple more who are close.


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## Terry Fisk (Jul 26, 2007)

Our club has two dogs in training that are shelter dogs. One is pretty new to the sport the other has his BH and close to being ready for his SchH1. 

Terry Fisk


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Just recently, Shelley Strohl & Molly Graff were instrumental in rescuing a GSD from the animal shelter that was scheduled to be put down because they thought he was too aggressive. One of the people who works at the shelter recognized the dog was not aggressive outside of the run he was in. Turns out the dog understood German commands and has had some bite work training. Molly has the dog now and is working with him to try to rehome him. Here is the story:
http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/bulletins_read/156227.html#157636


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## Terry Fisk (Jul 26, 2007)

leslie cassian said:


> What would you look for or test in a shelter dog if you were going to adopt for work or sport?
> 
> It might be difficult to test a dog in the shelter for the qualities necessary for the sport. There is too much distraction and I can guess the shelter is not going to let you do much "testing". If the shelter has a separate evaluation area that would be ideal. I would be looking for a dog that has solid nerves and calm in the kennel/shelter situation, not fence fighting and comfortable with the goings on in the kennel and noise does not bother it. I want a dog that will chase a ball and want to bring it back to play more, chase a rag and try to play tug, not be afraid of your sudden movements, quickly raising your hands above your head, or the pooper scooper (transfers over to being stick shy), etc. Also see if the dog has any food drive, will eat readily from your hand or try to find scattered bits on the ground (check with the shelter if this is OK first).
> 
> Terry Fisk


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## susan tuck (Mar 28, 2006)

Here is a link to the news report and video about the dog they rescued:
http://wfmz.com/view/?id=198484&title=Dog%20Adopted%2C%20Will%20Be%20Trained%20to%20Become%20Police%20Dog


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## Kris Finison (Nov 26, 2007)

I know a number of people who have had rescue dogs that are now GREAT sport dogs.
One of which was a neglected chain dog with virtually no human contact for 6 out of 8 months of it's life. The dog has now worked past earning it's SDA Protection 2 title.


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## Julie Ward (Oct 1, 2007)

One of my club's members first titled dog was a rescue. She got a sch 3 on him.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

When I first started in protection work it was with a PP organization called Project Safe Run. All of our dogs were donated by private citizens, and most came via rescues, the pound, or people who gave the dog to use while it was on it's way to the pound (ie the owner heard about us and dropped the dog off instead of taking it to the pound). A few were also turned over to us for rehab because they had bit someone. Many went on to be very nice working dogs. 

Rick Maples FRIII Bouvier Johnny came to him via a rescue organization. I put an FR Brevet on a Malinois that was basically a rescue (unsocialized until I got him at 7 months) and then placed him with some people who put the SchII on him, he was a very nice dog once we worked through his issues from lack of socializing.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

As you probably know, Leslie, I did Schutzhund for about 1.5 years with Zoso. I got him at 4 months of age from the local shelter and I always kicked myself for not doing more foundation work with him to get his prey drive directed onto a toy instead of my old Aussie mix. :roll: So he wasn't real interested in balls or tugs (he'd do it a bit, but it wasn't that fun for him...he had more fun bouncing up and down like a kangaroo during protection). His food motivation isn't super high either, so even high priority treats were kinda eh, okay for him. He enjoyed tracking though and we got his AD on him. Probably also could have done the BH if I would have gotten my butt in gear and worked him a little more smartly.

Lily my rescue Malinois certainly has the drive for it. She loves nothing more than to be lifted off the ground on a tug (she'll try to get you to do it to her by wheeling you around in a circle on the tug), but I have only done it a few times because of the old fibrocartilagenous embolism in her neck. She's a drivey little thing and has nice food drive too. Her nerves are...so-so. I attribute that to lack of early socialization than breeding as she was just a kennel dog until I got her at about 2.5 years of age. If she didn't have the FCE, she'd make a fun sport dog! 

Have you looked at Malinois rescue? They often have dogs that are high drive and that are professionally evaluated that they believe could probably do the work. http://www.malinoisrescue.org


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## leslie cassian (Jun 3, 2007)

Hey Maren

I would consider a rescue Malinois, or any other breed, but the ABMC website says right at the beginning that their dogs are likely not suitable for SAR or police work, or have already been rejected, so I never really thought of that as an option. 

When I'm ready to get another dog, I will contact them. Ya never know!


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

They say that because they don't want to have a SAR or police officer try to get one of their dogs and be disappointed for it not working out. What they say is true. Some were likely purchased originally as sport or working prospects but didn't work out and fell through the cracks. But some of the fosters on there are pretty knowledgeable and have competed in Schutzhund, so fairly regularly (not sure about currently), they will have a dog that they say is particularly high in drive for balls/toys, etc that would be good for an active sport, perhaps even protection sport. Some even take their dog out to the practice field and have them evaluated for sport.


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## Tim Martens (Mar 27, 2006)

my first PSD was a shelter dog. i was his 4th owner. previous owners said he dug and barked too much. sounds like a dog who needs a job! interesting thing was he never dug at my house and only barked if another dog walked by the house...


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## Tammy McDowell (Dec 4, 2006)

I have not personally had a shelter dog do bitework however...
I pulled a Labrador Retriever from my local shelter about 3 years ago and a lady from one of my local SAR groups ended up adopting him. He is now a certified FEMA Disaster Dog. It is awesome to see him training, he is very much like a malinois in a Lab body.


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## Kristina Senter (Apr 4, 2006)

I have had MANY shelter/rescue dogs turned working dogs- sport, police, SAR, etc. 
In fact, for a few years I only sought out and rescued dogs with working potential from shelters/rescues. Some failed and just became pets, others were donated to various departments or are in private sport or protection homes. 
The largest thing to keep in mind is to go in evaluating the dog's abilities, leaving heartstrings in your car. Every foster or AC officer will give you the guilt trip in hopes that you'll rescue a dog and you just have to ignore it. For a while, half of the shelters in the state would call me about every horribly bred washed-out colored Shepherd claiming they had a Malinois. Their goal is to move dogs so just focus and don't be surprised if you test 25 dogs with ..."tireless ball drive, ooh you've just got to come see him"...before you actually find a dog with decent ball drive and another 25 before you find a dog that has actual working potential.


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