Editing Schutzhund (section)

==Training==
[[File:Schutzhund 0050.JPG|thumb|A decoy training a dog at a club meet]]
Schutzhund training, like the sport itself, has evolved over the years. Schutzhund is very much a hands-on sport. Though there are theory and techniques about training dogs, most of the training is done in clubs among other people and dogs.<ref name=lopez /> In a club environment, handlers and their dogs gather to practice techniques with the club equipment and experienced handlers in bite suits, called "decoys". Decoys have their own training and certification processes, and a good decoy is important in training your dog.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.davekroyer.com/blog/so-you-want-to-become-a-decoyhelper|title=So, you want to become a decoy/helper|first=Dave|last=Kroyer|website=davekroyer.com|date=June 19, 2018|access-date=July 15, 2020|archive-date=July 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715161446/https://www.davekroyer.com/blog/so-you-want-to-become-a-decoyhelper|url-status=live}}</ref>

A reliable source for training information is a good Schutzhund club. The overwhelming majority of Schutzhund training is done by owner/handlers at local clubs. There are very few clubs in the US, making books and videos a vital source of information in that country. In the US, most clubs are affiliated with the American Working Dog Federation (AWDF), United States Boxer Association (USBA), American Working Malinois Association (AWMA), United Schutzhund Clubs of America (USCA), Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine (DVG), or German Shepherd Dog Club of America-Working Dog Association (GSDCA-WDA). Schutzhund clubs tend to be small, 20 or fewer members, because there is a limit to the number of dogs that can be trained in one session. Clubs often provide only limited formal assistance with tracking and [[obedience training|obedience]]. To a certain extent, the clubs exist to provide the specialized resources needed to train the protection phase. However, a legitimate club will not permit a member to train only protection. Usually the more experienced members are willing to help the novice with tracking and obedience, though this is typically somewhat informal in the US.

Another function of Schutzhund clubs is to identify dogs that should not be trained in Schutzhund. Schutzhund is a challenging test of a dog's character, and not every dog, or even every GSD, is up to the challenge. The training director of the club has a responsibility to the dog, handler, club, and society to constantly evaluate every dog and to decline to train any dog with questionable character or working ability. Training a dog that does not really want to work is stressful and frustrating for all parties involved.

Schutzhund clubs regularly hold public trials, providing the opportunity for dogs to earn titles and for handlers to assess their training progress. A tiny number of dedicated handlers have trained their dogs to title readiness strictly from books and videos. This is unlikely to succeed in most cases, because it is almost impossible to train the protection phase without a helper. A good club should be considered a necessity for Schutzhund training.

===Books and materials ===
[[File:110914-A-HE359-118 (6153363552).jpg|thumb|upright|A soldier works on obedience training.]]
The definitive description of Schutzhund training in the first 50 years of the sport is Col. Konrad Most's ''Dog Training: A Manual'', 1910.<ref name=most /> By modern standards, Most's training is very harsh and possibly abusive. Despite this, it is also structured, consistent, and in many ways conforms to more recent ideas on learning theory. Over time, the more brutal techniques fell out of use and few trainers still follow Most's program. In 1981, Helmut Raiser published ''Der Schutzhund'',<ref name=raiser /> which radically changed Schutzhund protection training. In the US, the next great change in Schutzhund training is marked by the 1991 publication of ''Schutzhund Theory & Training Methods'' by Susan Barwig and Stewart Hilliard.<ref name=barwig /> Dr. Dietmar  Schellenberg presents a remarkably comprehensive guide with detailed, step-by-step instructions on Schutzhund training and theory in his 1981 book ''Top Working Dogs, A Schutzhund Training Manual''.<ref name=schellenberg />

A number of other English-language books have been published on Schutzhund training. Some of the more influential books include ''Training the Competitive Working Dog'' by Tom Rose and Gary Patterson in 1985,<ref name=rose /> ''Training the Behavior: Tips, Techniques and Theory for the Working Dog Trainer'' by Gary Patterson in 2006,<ref name=patterson /> and ''Schutzhund Obedience: Training in Drive with Gottfried Dildei'', by Sheila Booth, 1992.<ref name=booth />

A recent innovation in providing information on Schutzhund training is the development of [[video]]s and [[DVD]]s. As with books, all videos and DVDs are not created equal. Viewers must exercise discretion when considering the techniques shown in videos. Just because a technique appears in a video (or book) does not mean that it is a good idea or that many Schutzhund trainers use it. There is a diversity of opinion on how to train Schutzhund dogs. This is reflected in the many conflicting opinions presented in the various videos.