Editing Schutzhund (section)

==Organizations==

Many of the senior organizations for the sport have German names and are usually referred to by their initials in English-speaking countries. This list shows some of the organizations involved with the sport and their relationships to each other.

<!--ORDER OF LIST: The initial order of this list is top down, most senior organization at the top, followed like a chain of command or an organizational chart, least senior at the bottom-->
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Name
! Abbrev.
! Location
! class="unsortable"|Description
|-
| [[Fédération Cynologique Internationale]]
| FCI{{efn|name=fci|FCI—Fédération Cynologique Internationale (translation from French: International Cynological (canine) Federation)}}
| [[Belgium]]
| FCI is the international organization that publishes the rules for IGP titles.
|-
| [[Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen]]
| VDH{{efn|name=vdh|VDH—Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen (translation from German: Association for German Dogs)}}
| [[Germany]]
| VDH is the national-level all-breed [[kennel club]] of Germany; a member-club of FCI.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fci.be/en/members/|title=FCI members and contract partners|website=[[Fédération Cynologique Internationale]]|access-date=2020-07-15|archive-date=2020-04-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422181836/http://www.fci.be/en/members/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| {{ill|Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Zuchtvereine und Gebrauchshundverbände|de|Verband für das Deutsche Hundewesen#Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Zuchtvereine und Gebrauchshundverbände}}
| AZG{{efn|name=azg|AZG—Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Zuchtvereine und Gebrauchshundverbände (translation from German: Working group of breeding clubs and working dog associations)}}
| [[Germany]]
| AZG sets the rules for Schutzhund for all breeds. The AZG is one of the component organizations of the VDH.
|-
| [[Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde]]
| SV{{efn|name=sv|SV—Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (translation from German: Association for German Shepherd Dogs)}}
| [[Germany]]
| SV is a member of VDH and a most powerful influence on the sport. Although the AZG formally sets the rules, the AZG does nothing with respect to Schutzhund without the approval of the SV. The SV has great influence within the FCI and is probably the most powerful influence on the sport.
|-
| {{ill|Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine|de}}
| DVG{{efn|name=dvg|DVG—Deutscher Verband der Gebrauchshundsportvereine (translation from German: German Association of Utility Dog Sports Clubs)}}
| [[Germany]]
| DVG is an all-breed dog sport organization in Germany that organizes clubs and trials and has branches in [[Canada]] and US.
|-
| DVG America
| 
| [[United States|U.S.]]
| DVG-America is an all-breed Schutzhund club; member of DVG.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dvg-america.com/about/about-dvg-america/|title=About DVG America|website=dvg-america.com|date=17 May 2017 |access-date=2020-07-15|archive-date=2020-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715041029/http://dvg-america.com/about/about-dvg-america/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[United Schutzhund Clubs of America]]
| USCA
| [[United States|U.S.]]
| USCA is the largest Schutzhund organization in the US; it is also a German Shepherd Dog [[Breed club (dog)|breed club]].<ref name=usca>{{cite web|url=https://www.germanshepherddog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Bylaw-2018-CLUBB.pdf|title=United Schutzhund Clubs of America, Constitution and Bylaws|date=2018|website=germanshepherddog.com|access-date=2020-07-15|archive-date=2020-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715041029/https://www.germanshepherddog.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Bylaw-2018-CLUBB.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[American Working Dog Association]]
| AWDA
| [[United States|U.S.]]
| AWDA is a Schutzhund club for [[law enforcement]] and associated trades, for training [[police dog]]s and [[search and rescue dog]]s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nebula.wsimg.com/70445edf59823c1b0cab027543a9f89f?AccessKeyId=4DA52325FBE71554A208&disposition=0&alloworigin=1|title=American Working Dog Association Bylaws|date=March 15, 2007|website=americanworkingdog.com|access-date=July 15, 2020|archive-date=March 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316104629/http://nebula.wsimg.com/70445edf59823c1b0cab027543a9f89f?AccessKeyId=4DA52325FBE71554A208&disposition=0&alloworigin=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
| [[American Working Dog Federation]]
| AWDF
| [[United States|U.S.]]
| AWDF is an umbrella organization for USA Schutzhund clubs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.awdf.net/member-clubs/|title=Member Clubs – American Working Dog Federation|website=awdf.net|access-date=2020-07-15|archive-date=2020-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715054532/https://www.awdf.net/member-clubs/|url-status=live}}</ref> Has applied with FCI to be the recognized US organization.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.awdf.net/purpose/|title=Purpose – American Working Dog Federation|website=awdf.net|access-date=2020-07-15|archive-date=2020-07-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200715155924/https://www.awdf.net/purpose/|url-status=live}}</ref> 
|-
| United Doberman Club
| UDC
| [[United States|U.S.]]
| UDC is a Schutzhund club for Dobermans; member club of AWDF.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uniteddobermanclub.com/about-udc/|title=About UDC – United Doberman Club|website=uniteddobermanclub.com|date=8 April 2013 |access-date=2020-07-15|archive-date=2020-07-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200716094120/https://uniteddobermanclub.com/about-udc/|url-status=live}}</ref>

|}

In response to political forces in Germany, in 2004 the Verein für Deutsche Schäferhunde (SV) and the Deutscher Hundesportverein (DHV) made substantial changes to Schutzhund. The DHV adopted the [[Fédération Cynologique Internationale]] (FCI) rules that govern IPO titles, so that at least on paper the SV and DHV gave up control of the sport to the FCI. The DHV changed the name of the titles from "SchH" (Schutzhund) to "VPG" ({{Lang|de|Vielseitigkeitsprüfung für Gebrauchshunde}}, which roughly translates ''Versatility examination for working dogs''). The SV has retained the "SchH" title names, but otherwise conforms to the DHV/FCI rules.