Nowadays Staffordshire Bull Terriers and other dogs are used in many spheres of human life. And each of them has its specific peculiarities that confuse novices. For example, dogs are used in government, state law enforcement agencies and local police stations. They are used for patrols and detection services, they help to find drugs and firearms. Dogs also work in private security service agencies performing various functions.

Companion and guard Staffies live with us. The last often follow their owners to work as a private body guards.

There are people who keep dogs for the love of them, the others train their dogs to take part with them at competitions on tracking, basic obedience, watch service and contests on European training systems as Schutzhund, IPO, KNPV or French ring.

People often ask: what does K9 mean? K9 is a generally accepted abbreviation for working dog in police, military and so on services. In general, K9 is a symbolic spelling of the word canine [‘keinain] that developed from the Latin word canis meaning “dog”. It means that the question “How can my dog become K9?” is an equivalent for “How can my dog become a dog?”.

It is considered that Schutzhund training is guard dog training. This delusion is rather widely spread because a lot of methods of guard dog training originated in Schutzhund training. Nevertheless dogs trained according to Schutzhund system are easily taught again to become military, police working dogs and home watch dogs.

When it is said about police or military K9 people almost always imagine patrol with a dog. It is correct, but patrol is not everything. For example, police K9 searches for hidden drugs or demolitions that is very important work.

Another wide-spread prejudice: when people talk about guard dogs working in security services or private watch dogs, an image of growling muzzle against a fence with the ”Beware of the dog!” sign emerges. However such dogs often accompany their owners to work or at the business trips literally being a body guard.

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European Systems of Dog Sport Competitions: Schutzhund, IPO, French ring

Dog sport competitions were created in Western Europe in XIX century. Every system involves different methods of dog working qualities checking: tracking, basic obedience, work with equipment and guard-protection service. Sport contests were created owing to desire to preserve working properties of German Shepherds and other working dog breeds.

For example, a dog won’t get the “excellent” grade at the dog show in Germany if it doesn’t pass Schutzhund test. There are several requirements for a dog to get the Zieger (champion) title. A dog must have the “excellent” grade at a show, the Schutzhund 1 title, have the KKL I “A” certification (the “excellent” grade, recommended for breeding), be a pedigree dog, have AD title (pass the endurance test, run 12 miles) and not suffer from hip dysplasia. If a dog doesn’t meet the requirements, the Kormeister (breeding instructor) cannot register mating. Due to these actions the number of dogs allowed to be bred is not big, and the number of litters is not big, too, but high working properties of such dogs are guaranteed.

IPO (International Pruefungsordnung) competitions, an international variant of Schutzhund, take place in USA. French ring contests and KNPV, its Dutch variant, emerged in the USA only in 1986 when Stuart Hilliard and Charlie Bartholomew hold the first seminar dedicated to these sports in Denver, Colorado. There are few clubs that can train your Staffordshire according to these systems.

French ring and KNPV have such activities as guarding an object and a spring over a “trench” (a broad jump), stopping a man with grabbing his leg in spite of Schutzhund and IPO. This dog training system is very difficult but incredibly exciting view at a show. Belgian Malinois is a “selected” breed here.

Any of the mentioned above training systems can't go without professional dog training tools: