Membership questions A1. Whats the difference between USA and LV/DVG America?
This is a complicated one. Essentially, and with a bare minimum explanation, USA (the United Schutzhund Clubs of America) is a German Shepherd Breed Club and Registry that has ties to, but is not a member of, the SV (Schaeferhund Verein, the German Shepherd Breed Club of Germany). Membership in USA clubs is not limited to those owning German Shepherds, and the organization follows closely, but not exactly, the trial rules of the VDH (The German Kennel Club). They have their own certified judges and hold both Schutzhund trials and German style conformation shows, where dogs receive a suitability for breeding rating. USA also has a breed registry, registering members’ German Shepherds and litters bred by those members and issues pink papers recognized by the SV, once the pedigrees have been approved. LV/DVG America, on the other hand, is a full voting member of a German organization, Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine (DVG), or the German Association of Working Dog Sport Clu
