German Shepherd breeders noticed that the dogs were losing their working abilities at a young age. In response, Schutzhund was created as a test to evaluate the working capabilities of German Shepherds. Only those dogs that passed a Schutzhund or herding test were permitted to breed and have their offspring registered as German Shepherds.
The test assesses whether a dog exhibits the essential traits and characteristics of a capable working German Shepherd.
Today, Schutzhund has evolved into a sport in which various breeds can compete, not just German Shepherds. Many breed clubs also use it as a suitability assessment.
Schutzhund evaluates dogs of all breeds for the traits required in police-type roles. Dogs that successfully complete Schutzhund tests are often suitable for a range of tasks, including police work, specific odor detection, search and rescue, and more.
The main goal of Schutzhund is to identify dogs that possess the necessary character traits for these demanding positions. Some of these traits include: