Podium Schutzhund Club

The Podium Schutzhund Club focuses on Schutzhund/IGP sport, which tests dogs for traits necessary for police-type work, specific odor detection, and search and rescue. The sport consists of three phases: tracking, obedience, and protection.

Before achieving any Schutzhund titles, dogs must pass a temperament test called the BH (Begleithundprüfung), which assesses basic obedience and confidence around strange people, dogs, traffic, and loud noises. A dog must pass all three phases (tracking, obedience, protection) in one trial to be awarded a Schutzhund title, with a minimum passing score of 70 points for each phase.

The tracking phase evaluates the dog’s scenting ability, mental soundness, and physical endurance as it follows a track and indicates dropped articles. The obedience phase, performed in a large field, includes heeling exercises, reaction to gunshots, sit, down, and stand commands, recalls, retrieves, and a send out. The protection phase tests the dog’s courage and control in guarding a helper/decoy, searching blinds, barking to indicate the helper, and biting a padded sleeve to stop attacks or escapes, always under the handler’s command.

The Podium Schutzhund Club, founded in 1997, is a working dog club affiliated with DVG America and AWMA-Belgian Malinois Working Dog Organization. Located in the panhandle of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia on the West Virginia side, very close to I-81, the club focuses on training and supporting working dog sports, particularly Schutzhund/IGP.

The club trains on Wednesday mornings and Saturdays, taking a two-week break between Christmas and New Years. They show their dogs at local, regional, national, and international events. Over the years, the Podium Club has hosted numerous dog events, including seminars, working trials, German Shepherd conformation shows, Regional events for working and show dogs, the Universal Sieger show (GSDCA-WDA), and National events (AWMA).

Under the guidance of head training director Hardy Ernsting, hundreds of titles have been achieved, and the club continues to actively train for more. The club aims to provide members with the knowledge to train their dogs for Schutzhund, emphasizing the enjoyment and companionship between handler and dog as their highest goal.

Accomplishments

The Podium Schutzhund Club, under the training of head training director Hardy Ernsting, has achieved hundreds of titles. Hardy Ernsting and his dog Caraq vom Lowenfels achieved an IPO3 title at the World Championship in Turin, Italy. Peter Lee and his dog Bill vom Starker Wille achieved an IGP3 title, along with High in Trial, High Tracking, High Obedience, and High Protection at the Podium Schutzhund Club Fall trial in 2022.