Alameda County Schutzhund Club

Training in Schutzhund/IPO, obedience, protection, and tracking in LIVERMORE, CA.
Designed mainly for german shepherds, but all breeds are welcome.

Training Days and Times (updated May 2013):

Sundays: Field Opens at 9:00AM
Obedience: 9:00am - 10:00am
Protection: 10:00am - finish

Wednesdays: Field Opens at 5:00PM
Obedience: 5:00pm - 5:30pm
Protection: 5:30pm - dark

Guest Field Fees: $20 per dog
EVERYONE IS WELCOME, including beginners, those new to the area, those dabbling in the sport, and those who compete at the advanced levels... ALL BREEDS WELCOME.
Field is located 1/4 mile up Laughlin Rd. on the right hand side. Go through the gate that leads into the pasture (please close gate behind you). Drive to the first gate on your left. You will see the dog field before you turn in.

Schutzhund is a German word meaning "protection dog". It refers to a sport (recently renamed "IPO") that focuses on developing and evaluating those traits in dogs that make them more useful and happier companions to their owners. The sport of IPO concentrates on three parts. Many are familiar with the obedience work of the American Kennel Club's affiliates and will recognize the first two parts, tracking and obedience. The IPO standards for the third part, protection work, are similar to those for dogs in police work.

While dogs of other breeds are also actively involved in IPO and often follow similar criteria for breeding purposes, this breed evaluation test was developed specifically for the German Shepherd Dog. This sport is intended to demonstrate the dog's intelligence and utility. As a working trial, the sport measures the dog's mental stability, endurance, structural efficiencies, ability to scent, willingness to work, courage and trainability.

This working dog sport offers an opportunity for dog owners to train their dog and compete with each other for recognition of both the handler's ability to train and the dog's ability to perform as required. It is a sport enjoyed by persons of varied professions, who join together in a camaraderie born of their common interest in working with their dogs. Persons of all ages and conditions of life, even those with significant disabilities, enjoy IPO as a sport.