The Bundessieger show has close ties to the German dog sport Schutzhund, and is, in essence, a National Championship competition for Schutzhund. Be careful not to confuse the terms Sieger with Bundesieger. The Sieger show, also organized by the SV, is strictly a conformation beauty show, and is not associated with Schutzhund or sporting dogs in any way.

Much like standard Schutzhund trials, the Bundessieger show focuses on three main areas: tracking, obedience and protection. The exercises themselves remain largely unchanged from standard Schutzhund exercises, but the setting of the Bundessieger show provides an added challenge to competing dogs and handlers. Bundessieger events are held within a stadium, with a relatively large audience. Handlers must ensure that their dogs do not get confused by the noise and large crowds present at the event.

It takes both a well bred dog as well as a skilled handler to be successful in the sport of Schutzhund, and to win the Bundessieger championship is an extraordinary feat. However, one must always remember the difference between working dogs and sporting dogs. No matter how impressive a German Shepherd sporting dog may be, the fact remains that it has been trained only for sport. The work of a true protection dog or guard dog requires training in real-world scenarios, for real danger.

Unfortunately, von Stephanitz’s vision has since faded. Conformation shows that promote visual beauty over working ability have given rise to an influx of show line German Shepherds. True working line protection dogs are getting harder to find. However, not all  conformation shows focus exclusively on aesthetic quality. Some trainers and breeders have set out to award working line German Shepherds based on conformation standards that promote the breed’s working ability. Only working line dogs are permitted to enter, and awards are given to dogs who will improve the integrity of the breed by their physique, intelligence and nerves. True German Shepherd conformation standards should focus on how the dog’s build will effect its working ability. Physically, a good protection dog must be healthy, strong, agile and well-balanced. Aside from the obvious lack of nerves and confidence found in show line dogs, many show line German Shepherds are also poorly balanced, and as a result, are not as agile as their working line counterparts. Mentally, a German Shepherd needs to show intelligence, loyalty and strong nerves.

While many aesthetics-based conformation shows have contributed to the development of poor German Shepherd bloodlines, the efforts of a select few trainers and breeders are helping to preserve the true strength of working line dogs. Here at CCK9, we only breed the best working line German Shepherd dogs for work as Protection Dogs, Guard Dogs and Security Dogs. Any conformation show that focuses on the German Shepherd as a working dog, as it was meant to be, is a welcome improvement.