Chicago Dog Sport Festival Commentary

Jim Engel, September 2013

Over the past few years Waine Singleton has been running an annual Chicago Dog Sport Festival near Kankakee, Illinois, and this year I went down to have a look for myself. This venue provides a unique opportunity to observe Schutzhund or IPO, PSA, less formal personal protection and French Ring over a four day period, all with reasonably good and representative competitors and first rate judges. It was hot, damn hot, and very difficult on dogs, handlers and spectators alike. But in general performances were good, the organization was first rate and a sportsman like spirit prevailed. As an extra added attraction, Waine really knows where to go for exceptional Mexican food. As I am in the advanced stages of preparing a police dog book, checking out what the PSA folks are up to was one of my primary motivations, as this is one of the few venues I have not seen for myself.

Friday was the IPO trial, Schutzhund rebranded, and the performances were decent on one of the hottest days I can recall for a dog sport event; Labor Day in the American middle west is always a gamble weather wise. I have commented extensively on the Schutzhund scene elsewhere and thus will be brief here. In general IPO is being crushed under the weight of show breeder greed, especially in the SV, and European political correctness. I have been involved in Schutzhund since the early 1980s, and the decline is palpable. The major American problem is that the SV controls USCA, USCA dominates and manipulates the AWDF and Schutzhund in America is stagnant and increasingly a vehicle for the benefit of the German show breeders in their quest for power, pseudo prestige and profit. If all of this sounds like alphabet soup, you are referred to my Schutzhund America web site for a much more complete discussion.

Saturday was the Protection Sports Association (PSA) trial, a new experience for me. I am increasingly coming to believe that after almost forty years of sucking up to Europeans it is time for us to put on our big boy pants and take our working dog movement and future into our own hands. For this reason I support and endorse attempts to create American organizations and trial venues, and PSA has brought some interesting concepts to the table. Their focus is on two main points, the first being the introduction of randomness and novel situations for the dog rather than the rote execution of a series of fixed exercises. The second point of emphasis is control of the dog in the presence of one or more decoys on the field, increasingly taunting the dog, which must ignore their antics under handler control. Both of these things are in and of themselves good ideas, but taken to extremes that detract from the overall usefulness in terms of a character and physical evaluation of the dog and preparation for practical service.

It is of course inappropriate to draw far reaching conclusions based on one trial, but I will present some impressions. The big thing in my view is the multiple decoy helper harassment and tempting of the dog, which must remain under handler control, goes way over the top. As an example, one advanced exercise involves a decoy with the body suit standing over the dog and shouting about a distant decoy. The dog must ignore the immediate threat and leave to attack the distant decoy at handler command. Stepping back, I find this scenario contrived, unrealistic and counter to the principle that the dog should primarily protect the handler under the direct threat. In the real world a good dog needs to respond to an immediate threat on the handler without handler intervention, in that a handler may be disabled or the attack may come so fast that there is not enough time for a handler decision and command, it must call on the dog’s immediate, instinctive reflexive action. French ring exercises for instance demand that the dog initiate defense on his own in response to the attack on the handler, more or less the opposite of the desired PSA response. Much of this is drawn from Belgian Ring practice, but tends to a circus atmosphere rather than the subtle testing probing for weakness in the dog or fault in the training by a deeply experienced Belgian judge. Also, beyond control under decoy distraction, a new and better sport needs to challenge the dog in more fundamental ways, as in the striking the dog before engagement in the KNPV long attack. The PSA people would do well to revisit the KNPV and NVBK programs with a more sophisticated view and incorporate a little bit more of their approach.

In evaluating any working or sport venue, it is essential to establish the actual purpose, the objectives of the program. As an example, KNPV is an evaluation of readiness for police service, which has two components, that is that the dog on a genetic basis is inherently sound and capable and that the training is adequate to bring out this potential. Schutzhund was originally intended as a breeding certification, proof that the dog was capable of scent work, obedience and protection and thus suitable for breeding, which by implication also means that with some additional training has the potential to be a police patrol dog. French ring is less clear cut in that it primarily emphasizes the game between the dog and the decoy; seems to be more of a pure sport which pits the cleverness of the trainer against that of the decoy, with the dog more or less relegated to the role of sports equipment. The French have embraced technology, as in the adaption of modern materials for suits which have revolutionized their sport, and it would seem that in their hearts many enthusiasts would prefer identical cloned dogs with the sport quickly evolving into a game purely between trainer and decoy. Perhaps this spirit evolves from the fact that the French do not have a serious indigenous breed to promote and take pride in, as in the Belgian and German Shepherds in their respective nations.

The essential problem with PSA seems to be discerning the purpose of the program, and then evaluating it in terms of an evolving, viable American working dog heritage. In an era where the value of the police and military dog is increasingly in substance detection, primarily drugs and in the case of military dogs explosives, a one dimensional protection venue would seem to be out of step with the times in terms of evaluation for breeding or service selection.  

My view is that America needs a comprehensive venue which can appeal to and attract the police community, which would also emphasize search and scent work. PSA does of course not claim to be comprehensive, is in this sense one-dimensional. Also, PSA is essentially owned and controlled by one man with no provision for any real control and influence by the membership as a whole, which has already contributed to one group of former PSA members, prominent and well regarded men, separating in order to provide an alternative venue. It seems unlikely that an organization without a broader base in terms of leadership and control will appeal to a predominant segment of the working community.   

Sunday featured the Canine Brawl under procedures devised by Mr. Singleton. My impression is that term Brawl is nice publicity but that reality is much more reasonable and controlled. There are beginner and advanced tests which begin with a brief obedience demonstration and then feature civil agitation, tempting the dog to leave a down away from the handler with food and a thrown ball and then sleeve style protection exercises involving two decoys and a moderately long courage test. My opinion is that this is a good demonstration of basic personal protection, and that the judging and helper work was first rate.

The French Ring trial on Monday enjoyed much better weather and featured entries from a recently revived Chi Town Ring club with over all good performances. French Ring has struggled for thirty years in America and is just recovering from a recent split of a dissident, completive east coast faction. Although a prominent Michigan Ring judge has apparently given up the struggle and returned to his Schutzhund roots, hopefully this Chicago upturn will prosper. Over thirty years, there has been a lack of continuity here, with periods of enthusiasm and then long dry spells.

The underlying problem with the suit sports in America is that it tends to be a zero sum game; with each new program primarily drawing recruits from other suit oriented venues rather than new people. Over many years there have been a more or less consistent group of two to four hundred enthusiasts, but relatively little real growth. Not only is this unproductive in an organizational and promotional sense, there is very little reason for those without some sort of personal problem with the sleeve sports to consider a new venue until it demonstrates a comparable record of stability and availability.

Photos here:

http://www.angelplace.net/p_Dogs/ChiFst2013/

More Schutzhund discussion here:

http://www.angelplace.net/usca/

Abbreviations:

AKC                 American Kennel Club

AWDF              American Working Dog Federation

PSA                 Protection Sports Association 

USCA               United Schutzhund Clubs of America

SV                   Verein fur Deutsche Schaferhunde,

                       The German Shepherd Club in German


Jim Engel, Marengo    © Copyright 2013


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