I've been working on an official update of the USA Rulebook... unfortunately it's been stuck in the bureaucratic void for some time. In the meanwhile, these rules are offered temporarily in the spirit of sharing information on the web while I work on "The Annotated Updated Ammended Appended Unofficial Rulebook for All Working Dog Evaluations". The BH is completed; for the Annotated Rules, see: The Annotated BH. For an overview of what to expect and do on Trial Day, see: Trial Day: The BH

 
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Preface Variances General Rules & Regulations
Degree Levels Requirements Point Score & Ratings
Conduct of Participants Duties of the Trial Secretary Entry Requirements
Trial Participants Temperament Test Sportsmanship
Special Notes Collar & Lead




VDH RULES FOR

SCHUTZHUND TRIALS

Revised June 1999

PREFACE

This document is a translation of various rules for the conduct of working dog examinations as used in Germany. These rules have been adopted for use by the United Schutzhund Clubs of America with certain amendments and variances. This document and any approved amendments and shall be the official rule book for the conduct of all working dog evaluation events sanctioned by the United Schutzhund Clubs of America. Unauthorized duplication is strictly forbidden. Copies of this publication can be obtained by contacting the USA business office at United Schutzhund Clubs of America, 3810 Paule Ave., St. Louis, MO 63125-1718. (314) 638-9686.

USA VARIANCES FROM THE FOLLOWING RULES

The United Schutzhund Clubs of America has requested and received variances form from certain of the following rules. in some instances . The Board of Directors of USA has also adopted variances of its own accord. The following variances to the preceding rules are in effect for all USA trials.

  1. The waiting period between trials has been reduced from four to two weeks.
  2. The limit on the number of dogs to be judge[s]d by one judge in one day in a Schutzhund trial has been increased form from 10 to 12 dogs.
  3. All dogs entered in a USA sanctioned trial must pass a test of impartiality.
  4. Restrictions limiting participation by physically impaired handlers do not apply to USA trials and shows.

GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS

PART A — DEGREE LEVELS

Schutzhund Examination A SchH A
Begleithunde Examination B
Schutzhund Examination I SchH I
Schutzhund Examination II SchH II
Schutzhund Examination III SchH III

PART B — REQUIREMENTS

The minimum age requirements for entry into the various degree levels are:
SchH A 18 months
SchH I 18 months
SchH II 19 months
SchH III 20 months
FH 16 months
B 12 months

Evidence of prior achievement of the B title must be presented before entry into SchH I is permitted.

On any given day when one judge is officiating, a maximum of 10 (12 in USA) dogs may be entered in a trial. If the entries exceed this figure, the trial must be extended to another day or other judges must be secured to officiate.

Dogs are only allowed to be exhibited in one Schutzhund degree per scheduled trial. If a dog has been awarded a degree, a four week (two week in USA) waiting period must elapse before the dog can be exhibited for the next higher degree. Once a dog has earned a SchH III degree, it is up to the discretion of the handler when he/she wishes to exhibit the dog again. Dogs exhibited in a lower degree examination than actually earned by the dog shall be awarded rankings behind those who earned their degree at the scheduled trial. (This is for awards, trophies, placings, etc.)

It is up to the discretion of the handler to repeat a Schutzhund degree without being bound by the waiting period, but not at the same scheduled trial date. It is also not permissible for a handler to participate in two trials on the same day.

Only dogs that appear healthy can be exhibited in a trial. Before being permitted to participate in a trial, each dog must pass a test of impartiality and sureness. The testing of the self confidence or impartiality ate to be excused form the trial proceedings. will take place during the entire trial. A dog is to be dismissed from the trial if it demonstrates faulty temperament during the trial even though the initial test for impartiality was positive.

PART C — POINT SCORE AND RATINGS

The highest maximum score in each phase shall be 100 points and therefore the highest point score in all three phases shall be 300 points. A degree can only be awarded if a dog achieves at least 70 points in phases A (tracking) and B (obedience) and at least 80 points in phase C (protection).

The following ratings shall be awarded with the corresponding point totals:
Unsatisfactory (Ungenügend) 0 - 109 points
Insufficient (Mangelhaft) 110 - 219 points
Satisfactory (Befriedigend) 220 - 239 points
Good (Gut) 240 - 269 points
Very Good (Sehr gut) 270 - 285 points
Excellent (Vorzüglich) 286 - 300 points

Should there be awards presented and in the case of a tie, the dog with the highest point score in phase C should receive the award. Should there still be a tie, the point score in phase B shall prevail.

For a SchH A, the highest possible point score is 200 points. The passing score in this degree is a minimum of 70 points in phase B and a minimum of 80 points in phase C. The following ratings shall be awarded with the corresponding point totals:
Unsatisfactory 0 - 72 points
Insufficient 73 - 149 points
Satisfactory 150 - 159 points
Good 160 - 179 points
Very Good 180 - 190 points
Excellent 191 - 200 points

Awards for combativeness including courage and hardness are:
P — Pronounced (a = ausgeprägt)
S — Satisfactory Sufficient or present (vh = vorhanden)
I — Insufficient (ng = nicht genügend).

PART D — THE CONDUCT OF THE PARTICIPANTS

At the beginning of each trial after being summoned by name, each handler and dog shall report to the judge repeating the handler's as well as the dog's name. The dog must be leashed (unleashed in SchH III) and is to sit in the basic heel position. The pedigree and registration certificate as well as the scorebook is to be presented to the trial secretary prior to the trial (scorebook only in USA). Should the hosting organization demand a membership or affiliation requirement, then a valid membership card must be presented.

Evidence of the prior achievement of a SchH I must be presented before entry into the FH is permitted. Dogs who do not possess the SchH I title can be permitted to enter for the FH provided they have attained the degree B (Companion Dog). In this case, the awarded title shall have no bearing in regards to breed show or breed survey rules and regulations.

Each participant must follow the instructions of the judge as well as those of the trial committee without any disagreement. The handler must exhibit the dog in a sporty and faultless manner. Ill-natured actions or poor sportsmanship will lead to expulsion from the trial. The final decision in all cases rests with the presiding judge and the decision of the judge may not be challenged. is unchallengeable. A protest is not permitted. In the event any one is expelled from a trial by the judge or trial secretary, the USA Board of Inquiry will review the situation for further possible disciplinary action.

During the trial the dog must be exhibited with a choke collar in the neutral position (dead ring). Leather and spike, pinch or prong collars are not permitted. The handler may praise the dog only once after each exercise. Body help from the handler is not permitted and, if used, will be penalized by point deductions.

Handlers that possess physical handicaps that hinder movement of the dog on the left side of the handler can show dogs on the right side. In such cases, the dog and handler will be judged without prejudice as long as the performance is analogous to a left heeling dog.

PART E — DUTIES OF THE TRIAL SECRETARY

Before the start of the trial, the trial secretary must inform and show proof to the judge that the necessary permission was attained by the club for the examination. The judge will be presented with properly filled out judge's books.

The trial secretary is responsible for securing suitable tracking fields and that sufficient experienced track layers are available. A sport field sufficiently large for both obedience and protection phases must be available. The secretary is also responsible for providing the necessary one or two experienced helpers with proper protective equipment is provided , and must ensure that a group of at least four people is available when needed.

The trial secretary must ensure that a proper, orderly completion of the trial is attained. the trial is completed in a proper, orderly fashion. The trial secretary must be at the disposal of the judge at all times. The trial secretary must provide a sufficient number of score sheets and judge's books and make certain they are all properly prepared and completed.

Entry Requirements

Events are open to all entrants having correct score books or to all persons who are members of recognized foreign organizations and who do not reside in the United States.

Before entering its first Schutzhund trial, every dog must show proof of having passed a BH-test conducted by an AZG (read VDH) member-organization.

German-owned dogs which have earned a title in a foreign country must furnish proof of having passed a BH-test under AZG jurisdiction before they are allowed to enter any further SchH or IPO trials in Germany.

Dogs which come from foreign ownership into German ownership must show proof of having passed a BH-test under an AZG trial judge before they are allowed to enter any further trials.

Dogs of permanent foreign (non-German) ownership, which enter a trial in Germany, do not have to show a BH-test under AZG jurisdiction when they present their foreign score books, but they may only be shown in IPO classes.

Public authority service dogs or dogs with proof of HGH (herding title) do not have to show proof of having passed a BH-test.

For entry in FH trials, presentation of the scorebook must include proof of having earned a BH and/or a SchH1 and/or IPO1 title under an AZG trial judge.

Only in combination with a SchH or IPO title can the FH title be recognized as meeting the title requirement of the breeding, breed-showing and Körung (breed-survey) regulations set by the breed-clubs.

Titles will be recognized only when they have been earned under a working-dog organization belonging to the AZG or recognized by the FCI, or earned in an FCI-recognized breed-club for working dogs under an FCI-recognized trial judge. Dogs which are not registered with a VDH-recognized breed-club are to be listed in the trial paperwork only by their call-names.

Bitches in season may participate in all of the trials and events. They must be placed at the end of the starting order for the trial. If there are several in-season bitches entered, they are to draw for positions among themselves, starting at the end of the trial.

Trial Participants

Participants in an officially scheduled event held by any AZG member-club (read "VDH member club/organization") may be any dog-handler who can show, for himself and for the dog's owner (if the handler is not the owner), proof of current valid membership in a VDH- or FCI-recognized club/organization.

A handler must show his dog in all of the trial sections phases, regardless of the outcome in any one section phase, provided that no grounds are given for the judge to terminate the performance. If the dog is injured during the trial or if its performance capacity is diminished, the trial judge has the right to terminate the dog's trial performance, even against the wishes of the handler.

If a dog is pulled from the trial on grounds of illness, after having already completed one or more sections phases, the handler must consult a veterinarian and have the dog's illness verified. The trial paperwork will be marked "Terminated because of illness."

Impartiality (Temperament) Test

Before the entered dogs are allowed to start in a BH, SchH or FH trial, they must undergo a temperament test.

An integral part of the temperament test is the identity-inspection (examination and verification of the tattoo-number). The temperament evaluation continues throughout the entire trial. Dogs which fail the temperament test are excluded from further participation in the trial.

A dog that has passed the pre-trial portion of the temperament test may still be eliminated from the trial, by the judge, if that dog shows faulty temperament during the course of the trial.

When a dog is excluded for faulty temperament, the following entry must be made in its scorebook: "Failed Temperament Test!"

Conduct of Trial Participants

At the start of the trial each participant must, when called, report in to the officiating trial judge in a sportsman-like manner, with his dog on lead or sitting free at heel (according to the rules for his trial level). He will announce to the judge his name and the name of his dog.

Every participant must obey the instructions of the officiating judge as well as those of the trial management personnel.

Each dog-handler must handle his dog in a sportsman-like and irreproachable manner. Wilful violations can result in exclusion from further participation in the trial. The officiating judge will decide such a matter in all cases; the decision is incontestable. The decision of the trial judge(s) is final; a protest against it is not permitted.

Special Notes on Procedure

A dog must complete the working-out of a SchH track within a maximum of 20 minutes from the start-time; for FH tracks the maximum is 30 minutes from start-time. A tracking harness may be used in the tracking work. It is stipulated (in the rules) that voice commands are to be given clearly and audibly. Foreign handlers may use their own country's language. If a handler mixes up the order of individual obedience exercises (performs one out of order), the judge is obligated to interrupt the "false exercise" with an instruction to the handler to show the correct exercise next. No point-deduction will be made for this error.

Practice-jumps during the trial, as well as rewarding the dog with food, are prohibited. It is also not allowed to place the dumbbell in the dog's mouth prior to the retrieving exercises.

The carrying of play-articles (toys) is not permitted.

The basic position is permitted to be taken only once at the start of an exercise.

The handler may praise his dog, in the basic position, after completing each exercise.

Body-help from the handler is not permitted, and if used will result in a point deduction.

Compulsory Provisions on Collar/Carrying of Lead

On technical insurance grounds, it is mandatory that the dog handler carry with him/her a dog-lead throughout the entire course of the trial. This includes a requirement that the dog must wear a collar at all times.

Only single-row jointed (chain) collars are permitted. The collar may not have spikes (sharp points), prongs or hooks. It must fit loosely. Leather collars or so-called "tick-collars" are not allowed.

At all officially scheduled trials/events, the leather-covered "soft" stick is the only type of stick allowed by the AZG for the protection work. The "stick-hits" required by the trial rules are to be carried out in a manner that complies with the animal protection regulations.

At officially scheduled trials, the officiating judge must ensure that a sufficient number of blinds (natural or man-made) are available on the trial grounds. The blinds are to be placed at least two meters away from natural or man-made boundaries, in such a way that the judge is able to see into the blind from a measured distance.




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