Schutzhund will die, and GSD people won’t stop it…… - Page 6

Flipfinish, thank you for starting this thread.

I was a member of a club in Germany and visited several other clubs.  They were like big families that embraced you.  You can train at different clubs there too.  You go through a membership process and then are formally voted in.  I still am invited to come and visit when I am over there, get Christmas cards, run into members at the Siegershow and chat over a cold beer.  One of the clubmembers, having bred a VA male, was so proud and could not wait to show me the dog.  It is a nice feeling to be a part of something greater and take joy in the success of other people. Someone from one of these clubs even went so far as driving half a day to a show site, to handle my American dog for me and refused to accept even money for gas.

In this country it has been a battle.  I joined AKC clubs, GSDCA local clubs, was a board member on one and am now travelling every weekend to a small club without a helper.  This little club however embraces everyone that comes.  The people that only came because something was in it for them (free helper/protection) work, have left.  I find these people do not know what a club really is.  It is not so much what can I get out of such a membership, but what can I do to contribute to the welfare of the whole.  It was slow going.  Sometimes I was the only one that showed up with dogs every week.  LOL.  But now, I see the first sprinkiling of hope as the trucks and dogs start heading for the training field.  

As far as the future of SchH goes, I am very concerned about the future of the sport.  But the sport is not all about the protection portion.  It is also about obedience and tracking and conditioning a dog.  Why on earth would one feel like running someone off of the field just because that individual does not want to do protection with their dog, or their dog is not predestined to do this kind of work?  With my first dog that I trained, I did not want her to do protection.  But I still had a wonderful time training her in the other phases and watching other people do protection while learning alot at the same time.   

Every individual has the capability of contributing something to the welfare of the whole. I am an eternal optimist. 

harddawq,

Thank you, but I do stand by my first post. I clarified the points I was questioned on and felt people were twisting my words. I am not a hater of schutzhund, rather someone who loves this sport and cannot compete due to lack of good clubs/people. There are certainly some gems out there, Gene England is a guy I have met and attended trials at his place, he is a "gem" like you mentioned. But that is the exception and not the rule. As is the case with everything, there are always exceptions. I would hope the people reading this would understand that. But I am serious when I say schutzhund will die in america, and that is due maybe in part to what someone said earlier to people not having the time anymore. But I say, if you change now and get some people skills (maybe hold a Zig Ziglar seminar rather than a training one) we can still save the sport and maybe even grow it. I for one would watch a Sch trial on ESPN. I mean, if they show national spelling bees and we cannot get them to show schutzhund, yikes. Where are the people with influence in the national organizations? Shouldnt those with a voice be calling for it, not some schlep like me on a message board when I should be working!

Keep the faith sunshine. It is people like you and small clubs that start a "revival", and if the clubs ever unite then no telling what will happen. If you are an eternal optimist then you know the power of one....

I f I was in a golf tournament with Tiger woods, that would mean that I am a professional myself and I have nothing to worry about. Harrington can tell you that after this weekend.  

 If you have been in a club for a small period of time, you will realize that many people come and go.  Some realize they don't have the time, don't like the sport, don't like the people, don't have the right dog, or whatever.  The point is, people come and go all the time.  There are constantly new people at our club.  Some last a week, while others will last a whole month.  I don't know if you can understand why after being a part of this over 5 to 20 yrs, you don't jump all over a newbie as soon as they get out of their car.   Sometimes you have to earn someone's respect.  Do you think it would be sane to continuously help and coddle these newbies every time a new one arrives at your club? 

Some people need to realize that not all things in life are free.  They are earned.  In order to get respect, you must give respect.  Too many newbies go to a club with a big mouth and an attitude that they know everything.  If they would simply shut their mouth and listen, they may learn a thing or two and might even be invited back..

The best thing about Sch to me, is the time spent with club members after training.  Yes, the beer does help, but I like to sit around with the members and talk dogs and training.  The only argument you will ever hear, is who will take the empties.

Sunshine

In Germany, Schutzhund clubs are a source of neighborhood interaction and socializing.  Most of the members in German clubs don't even own a dog.  They pay dues, drink the beers, and hang out with the people around them.  In America, they are called Country Clubs.  The only difference, is that dogs are replaced with golf clubs.

Don,  It is true that the club to many, is an integral part of their lives.  Most of them do own dogs and title them.  The Augsburg Model has brought alot of people in training their dogs.  The German Dangerous Dog Law has brought even more in for training for their BH and more.  It is an interesting phenomenon.  Most of the people that comprise the membership are not wealthy and it is for them almost like their weekly vacation, where there is a plot of land and a place they can take their dogs.  It is a family affair and some youngsters actually grow up in the club. 

Germany has the most clubs of all types in the world.  From pigeon raising and racing, sky diving, race biking, sail flying, whatever, there is a club for everything.  It is in the mentality and this is perhaps lacking in the USA which is much more independent. 

don

You didnt respond to my specific responses to you, so I will take that as a concession on your part.

I apologize my friend but my original post was intended for people like you....I am sorry to be the one to say it. Sounds like you are exactly the type I ran into as a "newbie" and almost drove me out of the sport. It isnt a question of sanity when you "coddle" someone. It is about respect for THEM, not for you. You know the sport, you know what goes on, you know what it takes to title (I am going on a little faith here) and you know the members of your club. But it is not about YOU! They do not, and many feel intimidated and put down beause people like you think you have EARNED the right to be rude. You are no better than any other human being on this planet, nor am I. You may know more about a particular area than I do, but were you born a great trainer? My point is, be nice. The way you earn my respect (and most others) is by leading by example. its not "listen to me because I am dog trainer god and I must be respected". That attitude only says that you are insecure about who you are, otherwise you would not NEED the respect you speak of so badly. In my opinion your method of "greeting" new people is archaic and the exact reason sch will die. What if you drove off 2 potential helpers? What if you drove off someone you could have gotten a real nice puppy from? You will never know and you probably don't care, but that is where we are different. If you want COMMAND people respect you when they dont even know you then fine, but you will never earn true repsect. Havent you ever heard "nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care?" Anybody can say "respect me!" it takes a real man to earn that respect without asking for it........

Sunshine

I believe we have one hell of a Complaining Club right here!

Flipfinish

I want to apologize on behalf of all SchH clubs.  We are sorry that someone kicked you to the curb and told you that your dog was  insufficient for the sport.  Sometimes people can be blunt and are really trying to help you.  It is a possibility that this club was trying to save your time. 

If you read my post, I never command, nor demand respect.  Respect is earned! 

Let me give you an analogy.  Maybe this will be easier to understand.  If you were a 10 yr member of a math club and every week someone new came to check out the club.  They came with only simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  You take it upon yourself to teach this person algebra. The next week they don't return.  Not to worry, there is a new person that needs to be taught.  So you go through this cycle over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over.

You do know what the definition of insanity is, right?  Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

The people that went to the math club were in the wrong place.  They didn't need a club.  They needed a tutor.