I'm training my boy in Schutzhund right now. The first thing that you need to do is find a club locally that you can go watch and ask all these questions to. It is a HUGE TIME COMMITMENT! It takes a lot of training to do this sport. Watching a group work and talking to them personally will give you an idea if you really want to do it or not. Some people train the sport very harshly and you need to decide what you will allow and what you wont before hand. As far as their obedience methods I see them behind the times using fear and corrections and some methods I'd never allow with my dogs. Each group is different as well as the people in it and what they are learning it for.

Harley may be a bit to old but it would depend on his drives. When we have newcomers to our group that want to learn more and see if their dog can do the sport we invite them out for the day and have them watch. Our trainer who also judges this sport worldwide usually has them take their dog or puppy out and he does just basic play with the dog with tug toys and things on a rope. While it may seem like just play to the average person they are actually judging some of the drives with the dog.  I dont know what the pedigree is behind your dog so I will use my own that I'm training as an example. Mine comes from a long line of Am champion conformation show dogs (not at all your typical Schutzhund dog). If I had NOT started him as a youngster and brought him out when he was older he would probably not have taken to the sport at all. Playing tug is extremely important in beginning the dogs training and it is done just so. I never really engaged any of my other dogs with this type of play at the level it is taught for in Schutzhund. Romeo's litter was raised with lots of drive work as young puppies as I knew breeding this litter that it was something I wanted to pursue with the dog I kept. My goal was to prove that nice looking Am. Ch lines could and would work.

Now with that being said Romeo does not have as wild and strong of drives as some of the German bred dogs do but that is okay with me. It makes for a much more livable pet and he is more forgiving to my mistakes I make in training him. To me he is the perfect dog for me to learn on and he loves it.

I had first brought out Romeos mother to see if I could start her in Schutzhund when she was around 3 while she passed her WAC with flying colors and her defense drives are extremely high she would not play tug with anyone else but me. So as much as I tried she just couldn't cut it in that area and that is the start of schutzhund training.  

Start by contacting the Schutzhund groups in your area and base your decision off of talking with and watching people that do the sport and know what they are talking about. Other wise the info is just hearsay not actual experience.

Thanks Des!  We were typing at the same time :)

My new job has prevented me from working Romeo like I should. Our club meets on Sat. and wouldn't you know I work just about every Sat. They made a special arrangement for me today and we were able to get out and work, we both had a blast. I was going to take my camera but forgot it darnet! My husband actually came out to watch us and enjoyed it. As I type Romeo is happily tuckered out and sleeping next to me

We thought about it too, but then Harley wouldn't be covered under our renters' insurance.  I would check with your insurance company.

We did Schutzhund with our GSDs before and I now have Gideon in class on Sundays. 11 months is fine - he will learn what he needs to in time. I have to echo the advice to go and watch training before you commit - don't bother with the trainers who train the dogs in the defensive only. Also, read up on the rules - they have changed - and make sure the training you observe is consistent. Also, I would look at the make-up of breeds in the class. Dobermans and Malinois require a similar type of training, whereas GSDs learn differently. If the class is made up of predominantly GSDs, the trainer may not know how to effectively train your Dobe. Ask the question as to whether they change their style of training with dobes and Malinois - if they do not, I would take a pass.

I wish I could offer more details, but I'm just learning myself. It has to do with Dobe and Mali independence of thought - it takes a little more finesse. This is coming from my trainer, who has several dobes, but has competed with all three breeds plus giant schnauzers. I should have added that it was his advice - I didn't mean for it to come across as my own "extensive experience."