05/26/2026
A week ago, my dog Bruce and I went to Medford Oregon and competed in a sport called RH ( Rettungshunde, or Rescue Dog) is an official search and rescue (SAR) dog sport. Originating under international organizations like the FCI, the sport simulates real-world K9 search missions. It tests a dog's trainability and scenting abilities without the emergency response, first-aid, or incident command requirements of real-world SAR. Prior to competing all teams must pass a Schutzhund BH, short for Begleithundprüfung, is the mandatory entry-level temperament and basic obedience test. We did this 18 months ago.
We competed in the tracking level V (first level) it was a 400 step track with 2 turns and 3 articles, and separately him finding a subject and indicating off leash. Combined we got a score of 88. 💃🐾
Then we had the obedience and dexterity portion. That includes an obedience routine, position changes at a distance, directionals, walking through a group of 4 people, 2 of them have dogs on a leash. A tunnel with a shoot, a plank walk and carry with a handover...yes, I carried him 10 steps, passed him to a stranger and we walked 10 more steps. To top it all off, when one dog is doing all that a second dog is in a down and the handler is 30 steps away. That dog must remain in a down while the other team goes. We got a score of 75, I was not surprised. We were the first team to go and I had only practiced this on my own with friends, using my translation of the rules. I had not actually seen what it looks like. I was using rules I printed 2 years ago, they have changed a little and oops. 🫣 Its ok.. I now know.
All this blah blah blah is to say, I love having dogs that are my partners. I love giving my dogs a life which allows them to be genetically fulfilled. For me, it working them. We don't have to compete in a sport or "work" but we do owe our dogs fulfillment. They are not meant to sit inside a house and do nothing, every breed was bred for something and that something runs deep in their genetics. .. we are the ones who chose to bring them home, we owe it to them.
