One of the activities I have enjoyed most as a pet owner is the sport of Schutzhund. In the past fifteen years, I have owned a total of four Rottweilers, all of whom have competed and won Schutzhund titles. My last Rottweiler, Tyson (pictured below being adorable), was a rescue who was four-years-old when I adopted him, so his training started later in life. However, this did not seem to be a problem for him, because he was very eager to work and loved to please me. We went on to get our Schutzhund 2 (intermediate) and AD (endurance) titles.
Schutzhund training began in Germany. It was used primarily among breeders of German Shepherds for suitability testing, which provided reliable results concerning a dog's character, temperament, and physical ability. This type of testing allowed breeders to use only the highest quality of working dogs for breeding purposes. Other working dogs that adopted this testing were Belgian Malinois, Rottweilers, Doberman, and Pitbulls. Today, Schutzhund in the U.S can be a very rewarding, albeit grueling, sport for both the handler and the dog. In one day, the dog and the handler are put through three separate challenges. The end result of this sport is having a strong, confident dog who is willing to joyfully perform the tasks that the handler asks of him or her.
It should be noted that Schutzhund is not for dogs who already have temperament or aggression issues. Dogs who are shown to be aggressive or have temperament issues will be disqualified. (This usually means that if you have a dog who has bitten people in the past for unknown reasons, Schutzhund is not a good fit for you.)
Phase A: Obedience
The obedience phase shows the dog’s "want" or "enjoyment" to perform for their handler. The handler and the dog must have an exceptional working relationship in order to perform the tasks required in the obedience portion of Schutzhund. The obedience phase requires the handler to have complete control of his or her dog during the tasks of heeling on and off leash and walking through a crowd of people (the dog must not stop to sniff or allow for any distractions). The handler must be able to give the “sit” or “down” command at any time in a crowd or standing alone, and the dog must obey. Other activities include the dog staying in a “down” position while another dog or group of dogs works around it. Also during the obedience challenge, two shots are fired from a blank gun, and the dog must not react unfavorably.
Phase B: Tracking
In the tracking phase of Schutzhund, the dog must use its innate aptness to track a person, as well as things that might have been dropped or lost along the path. Many people mistake Schutzhund tracking for search and rescue dogs. Schutzhund tracking is very specific and is judged based on the precision of the dog's ability to track a person’s steps, whereas search and rescue dogs predominately use air scenting for tracking. This phase is usually conducted in dirt or grass.
Phase C: Protection
The last phase of Schutzhund is the protection category. Protection work should not be attempted until the obedience phase has been mastered by both the dog and the handler. People should not confuse this phase of training with personal protection training or attack dogs. In this category, the temperament and character of the dog is tested. The handler must have complete control at all times both on and off leash. In this level of competition, the dog must be courageous, but not vicious. This requires the working dog to have self confidence, prey drive, the willingness to obey its handler (being aware and responsive of commands given at all times), and the ability to perform under pressure. Protection work includes both on and off leash tasks. During these tasks, the dog must be protective of the handler without biting until given the command. The dog is only allowed to bite the sleeve of the "helper" (i.e. the “bad guy”) and is judged on its bite (full mouth vs. front teeth only). During this exercise, the dog MUST release when given the command to do so, or it will fail this phase of Schutzhund. The "bad guy" in this phase might hide behind a screen or in an open field, then approaching the handler in an aggressive manner. 
Schutzhund training, while challenging, has been very rewarding for myself and for my dogs. If you think that you might be interested in trying this with your dog, start early. While some adult dogs like Tyson will pick it up quickly, it is best to instill at a young age.
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