About Southland Dog Sports

Southland Dog Sports is on Melinda Lane in Claremont and works at the sport and protection end of dog training, primarily with German Shepherds. Its own summary is "the finest German Shepherd sport dogs and family companions."

What you can book here

The published program is protection training, and it is described as scalable to purpose: "Whether for personal protection, police or military, Southland's protection training program is tailored to fit your specific needs. We train dogs from 'puppy to protection dog' using a wide range of superior methods and techniques." That flagship route is named on the site as the Puppy to Protection Dog Training Program. The business also breeds and sells dogs and puppies.

The approach

The training philosophy is set out plainly: teaching first, then corrections. In the site's words, after a dog understands a command, "we train you how to correct your dog when he makes a mistake executing that command. Teaching, then adding the appropriate corrections, is the only way to insure you maintain the relationship you have with your dog."

Background published

The site describes twenty years and more of experience training other breeds alongside German Shepherds – Rottweilers, American Bulldogs, Dobermans, Giant Schnauzers and Malinois – and describes traveling internationally to learn techniques. Schutzhund competition is central to how the business describes itself, and it notes that podium placings need pedigree as well as training, which is why it researches bloodlines.

Worth knowing

A Schutzhund club operates at the same Melinda Lane address and on the same phone number. If you are looking for club training rather than a commercial program, that is likely where the conversation goes.