Rules for Members

-Members are expected to participate in all three phases of training: Tracking, obedience and protection. Exceptions will be handled on an individual basis.
-All dogs must be of a mental and physical condition to do the work and be maintained as such through their active training in the club.
-Each full member may train up to 2 dogs with the club, each additional family member may train one dog with the club. If you are a novice, it is recommended that you concentrate on training just one dog until you have titled that dog.
-All dogs must be current on DHLP, Parvo and Rabies vaccines. Proof of vaccination must be submitted to Judy, the membership officer, prior to the first training session the dog is to attend.
-Dogs must never be tied in any manner in the training area except with the approval of the acting training director.
-To avoid injury or accidents, all dogs should be crated or contained in an appropriate and safe manner when not being worked. This applies to all training areas.
-Any member who disregards the club rules or acts in a manner contrary to the best interests of the club may be dismissed from a training session by the acting training director, president and/or the club by a 2/3 vote of the membership.
-The training collar must be used in an appropriate and humane manner.
-A member who's negligence results in a dog fight or accident will be responsible for all costs incurred by the affected parties.
-Handlers must not strike their dogs abusively with hand, leash or any other object.
-Each handler must clean up after their dog immediately.
-All members are expected to help keep the training field clean by picking up any trash and putting equipment away at the end of the training session.
-No smoking allowed on the training field or while training.
-No alcoholic beverages allowed on or near the training field during training sessions.
-All members must carry current liability insurance.
-Visitors must remain outside the immediate training area, except for prospective members who are having their dog evaluated. The training area should be clear of all other dogs when a new dog is being evaluated. All exceptions at discretion of the acting training director.
-Only members are allowed on the training field or immediate training area. Children must be out of the training area and supervised at all times. All exceptions at discretion of the acting training director.
-No dogs are permitted to run free on the training grounds or around/on the club house deck. All socializing should be done OFF the field. All exceptions at the discretion of the acting training director.
-If the acting training director and/or club president feels a dog is unmanageable (overly aggressive, menacing, etc.) the dog may be ordered to be muzzled or excused from the training session until such time as the handler can control their dog.
-The club is not to be run for profit of the club or any members.
-Occasionally work parties are scheduled to build equipment, work on field improvements, maintain and repair the club house and more. All members are expected to participate in these work parties to help keep "The Field of Dreams" the wonderful training ground it is.

Training Session Rules and Schedule

The Allgemeiner Hundesport Klub meets twice a week: Sundays at 10:00am and Tuesdays at 5:00pm. (Days and times are subject to change as needs change). On Sundays, tracking is done first, obedience next and protection last. Tuesdays are typically obedience and protection. We may do some tracking if daylight allows. The training field is equipped with lights for night work. You can expect a training session to last from 2 to 4 hours depending on the number of dogs being worked. We train rain or shine. The club provides soft drinks at a minimal cost. If you see the cooler on the driveway when you come in, please bring it down to the club house and help make sure it gets back to the house after training.

As a member, we ask that you attend at least one training session a week. You are there not only to train, but also to support the club members and to either learn from them or share with them training techniques. Some training exercises require a team effort, club members are expected to be a part of that team. There will be occassions when training sessions are cancelled due to holidays, extreme weather or Schutzhund events/seminars that are being held in the area.

You will be expected to bring proper training equipment for you and your dog which should include preferably the following: Crate, collar (we suggest a fur-saver), 3' to 6' leash, harness, a long line, and articles and flags for tracking. Soccer cleats are a MUST to insure safe footing which protects you and the Helper. Much of the training equipment, such as fur-saver collars and dumbells can be purchased from the club if you choose. The club trys to maintain Frabo brand items of the highest quality in stock at a reasonable cost.

Our training method of choice is motivational/positive reinforcement. WE DO NOT TOLERATE HARSH AND ABUSIVE TRAINING METHODS OR TREATMENT. New members will be helped by the acting training director. We're always open to new ideas.

Please let us know if your dog is in heat so that we can arrange to train her after all the other dogs have finished.

Club Members Trial Responsibilities

Allgemeiner Hundesport Klub puts on one to two trials a year. Mike, the club president and training director, gets input from the members, sets the trial date and makes travel and lodging arrangements for the judge. He also creates the trophies for the trial (they are considered some of the best around).

The trials take a lot of preparation and members are expected to help if they are not competing. We will have a clean-up day the weekend before the trial and this will be the day members not in the trial will be assigned what they'll be responsible for. Only dogs competing in the trial will train on clean-up day. The preparation includes: video, making arrangements for the lunch afterwards, making trial flyers, addressing and sending out the trial flyers, receiving and organizing trial entrants information, assign who will collect spectator fees, who will be trial chairman, organizing the raffle items, making sure the gun and dumbells are on the field and have the bike and leash ready for the BH's. On the day of the trial, the members should arrive early to help set things up. Members entered in the trial will be expected to help with clean-up.

The week after a trial we will not have any practice.

Additional Information

1.) The english translation of the VDH rule book is no longer being sold by DVG America but can be downloaded and printed for your personal use. These are the current rules, effective April 1st, 2004. Go to www.dvgamerica.com to download the rule book.
2.) Please make dues checks paybable to: Allgemeiner Hundesport Klub. Please indicate what payment is for.
3.) Mike is the club president and training director. Judy is the membership officer and collects all the members' dues and information.
4.) Allgemeiner Hundesport Klub is sponsored by Solid Gold Health Products for Pets.