How Do You Train The Protection Phase Of Schutzhund?
The protection phase of Schutzhund trials is often the most watched portion of the day. The control, stability and responsiveness of a well-trained protection dog are hard to find in any other sport. Protection seems like a daunting task to train a dog in, but with frequent and proper training nearly any dog can be taught proper protection exercises. Start working with your puppy for the protection phase of Schutzhund. Protection and bitework are vital skills that your puppy must learn in order to compete in Schutzhund, and the foundation skills can be started on puppies as young as eight weeks old. Play with your puppy with the burlap sack. Burlap has nearly the same texture as bite sleeves used in training and competition and allow you to familiarize your puppy with the idea of a bite and reward system. Wave the sack near your puppy and encourage her to bite it. Release the sack as soon as your puppy bites on it. Allowing her to “win” and take control of the sack. Biting the sack is
