IGP - French Ring - PSA - Personal Protection
Bite Sport Training
Things to consider when looking for your next prospect…
Why a Beauceron for Bite Sports?
I often get asked for Beaucerons who have the capability to compete in bite sports. Here is my response “ If you want to get a Beauceron specifically for bite sports you must love the breed first and except that they may or may not be able to do it. I’m always honest about our dogs & I can try to choose a puppy that I believe has the potential but there is no guarantees when choosing an off breed. Training this breed you will need a good sport trainer who understands off breeds, a good handler and a dog that has potential in order to have some success. If you really love the sport you are in whether it is French Ring, IGP or PSA and want to compete in it, stick with the breeds specifically bred for it.
Things you can face while training your Beauceron
Lets be honest… Its hard to find a Beauceron with high enough drive to compete in these type of sports & (typically not all but most) beaucerons that do have the drive for it have a higher defence and lower prey drive which means a couple things:
1) Defense drives come up later in age (a puppy is too young to really have this drive state) another reason they have slower maturity.
2) Pressure should not be applied until the dog is much older. Prey drive & posession should be encouraged while building your puppy. Some examples of pressure are: body pressure (trainer leaning over the dog while playing) whip cracking (if introduced incorrectly) or screaming/yelling at a dog. Keep a close watch on your dogs body language and remember YOU ARE YOUR DOGS ADVOCATE. A dogs body language ears forward, tail up, forward body language while beginning stages of rag work are all good signs of happy play( your dogs having a good time) Unhappy signs could consist of ears back, tail low, a dog backing up from the end of the line- or letting go of the sleeve/avoiding play with the helper because there is too much pressure.
3) Grips will usually take time to train. Beaucerons have not been genetically bred for calm, full grips. Due to the higher defence drives; barking and movement on the sleeve can be normal for the breed.
Beaucerons can be unforgiving when it comes to bad experiences. Put too much pressure on them as a young dog? They may never want to do it again.
Why I Chose the Beauceron to keep for Bite Sports
As a dog trainer, handler & competitor myself I have fallen way too in love with the beauceron breed to ever switch to an easier breed. I Love the challenge it brings and sometimes you have to think outside the box to problem solve; it is an art form.
I love a dog that has a little bit of everything. Something I can show, dabble in many sports with and also compete in a bite sport. That kind of dog isn’t always easy to find but I found it in the dogs that I have. My dogs are great with my family, adventure buddies and also can have a serious side to them. Its why I’ve fallen in love with this breed and also why I haven’t turned to a different one.
Personal Protection Training from a training and breeders perspective…
When future puppy owners inquire for a puppy who has the ability as a personal protection dog there is two different sides of the spectrum when we talk about training. Some are looking for a dog which can have a good bark command as a deterrent around their home, yard or a potentially threat. In my opinion this is all you need especially when you have the look of a beauceron to back up the bark!
There is also real life scenario training and a couple things to keep in mind. 1) You will need a certain type of dog/temperament (especially with a beauceron) and 2) The handler must understand they have more liability due to this type of training. Real life training scenarios can be someone breaking into your home, car jacking & live bites which can consist of a hidden sleeve under a jacket or fake arm. This type of training is typically taken out of the context of sport training and can be a much different state of mind for your dog. Finding the right trainer is essential.
As a future puppy buyer PLEASE DO YOUR RESEARCH on training and trainers before asking a breeder that you are looking for a personal protection dog.
What is IGP?
IGP (IPO/Schutzhund) is a challenging sport consisting of three phases: obedience, tracking, and protection. It was originally developed as a breed test for the German Shepherd but has grown into a popular sport for all working breeds. IGP is still used as a breed tests for working breeds, including the Rottweiler, Doberman, and German Shepherd. Trials are held in various countries at the club, regional, national, and international levels. In Germany, the Bundessiegerprüfung is held each year, and there is also a world championship, WUSV, held each year under FCI international rules.
Some people believe that the protection aspect of IGP will make their dog aggressive to people, but this is largely untrue. IPG does not change the dog’s inherent character: dogs that are not aggressive to people do not suddenly become aggressive after IGP training; a dog’s socialization, training, and genetics determine whether the dog is aggressive.
IGP is not a gentle hobby and requires a great amount of dedication, time, and consistency; it also requires a dog that has the proper genetics and athleticism to work at such a high level. The team should be directed by an experienced trainer who has trialed multiple dogs to different levels. The decoy used in protection should have the experience to help the dog by creating a challenge without causing the dog to shut down or develop bad habits.
Protection Training? For Sports -
Some may think protection training will make their dog aggressive towards people. Generally, dogs which have not been aggressive towards people beforehand do not suddenly become aggressive after Schutzhund training.
A dogs basic character, socialization and training affects whether he will be aggressive towards people. A dogs genetics will define whether he has the protective instincts and courage to protect his family. Schutzhund training will not change this basic nature but will give the owner some idea of how their dog might react, and also enable the dog to remain under the control of his handler.
Traits found in Schutzhund dogs
Agility and power
Temperament and nerves (how well the dog handles stress)
Courage
Intelligence
Handler Loyalty
Proper structure
Desire to Work
Stamina and Endurance
Titles and Trials
What makes Schutzhund so incredibly difficult and unique? There are three separate and very different phases. Simply put we train, title and compete in three separate sports as one!
There are multiple levels of titles that represent progressively harder levels of work. For each title, there are 300 points available (100 points in each of the three components of tracking, obedience and protection work). In order to title, a dog must successfully acquire at least 70 points (70%) in each phase for that trial!
IGP/Schutzhund Titles
BH - basic obedience and temperament test (a pre-requisite test to attain IPO titles or part titles below)
IGP1 (SchI / IPO1) - first level
IGP2 (SchII / IPO2) - second level
IGP3 (SchIII / IPO3) - top level
GPr1-3 (SchA / IPOA) - obedience and protection only
UPr1-3 - separate obedience titles
FPr1-3 - separate tracking titles
IFH1,2, IGP FH - advanced tracking titles
AD - endurance test (for Breed Survey)
Kkl - Breed Survey
