Barn Hunt is based on the traditional roles of many breeds in ridding farms, barns, crop storage areas, and homes of destructive vermin.  It is a fun sport that allows dogs of all ages, breeds, and backgrounds to search for a rat through a course of straw bales. The rats are hidden in safe tubes in the straw and it is up to your dog to search them out using their amazing scenting skills!

Most Standard Schnauzers love barn hunt, and learn it very quickly.  If you're interested in barn hunting with your dog, a great place to start gathering info is at: Barn Hunt Association

Our club recently hosted a group event in which we enjoyed each other's company while some of our dogs learned new skills and other's showed-off their already-trained expertise.  Here's a video of RRSSC Barn Hunt Day 

While a dog show may look like a beauty pageant, it’s not.

Dogs are not being compared to each other; they’re being measured by how closely they conform to the standard of their particular breed. Why? Because the closer a dog’s appearance is to the breed’s standard, the better that dog’s ability will be to produce puppies that meet the standard.

A conformation championship from a recognized national kennel club is generally considered a reasonably objective indication of merit, as it indicates that the dog has been found to be a superior example of its breed by a number of different judges on a number of separate occasions.

Many breeders consider championship a prerequisite for breeding.

Our club members take conformation showing seriously, but we always find time for fun too!  As a member of RRSSC, feel free to ask for a mentor if you're considering conformation showing. 

Dock jumping, also known as dock diving, is a dog sport in which dogs compete in jumping for distance or height from a dock into a body of water.  Dogs are enticed to run the length of a dock and leap as far out into the water as possible. 

This is a particularly fun sport in the hot summer months, but some of our crazy Standard Schnauzers are up for it anytime you'll take them. Trials are held under several national organization rules.  A good place to start if you're interested in this sport is: North America Diving Dogs  

Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from a start/finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball. Flyball is run in teams of four dogs, as a relay.  It is action-packed and full of adreneline even when you're sitting on the sidelines watching! 

If you're interested in this high-intensity sport, a good place to start learning more is: Flyball 101

There are several programs topromote responsible dog ownership and to encourage the training of well-mannered dogs.  

The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and Farm Dog Certification (FDC) programs are designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home, in the community, and on the farm.  Dogs who pass the evaluations earn titles, and can progress to higher, more complex testing and titles. 

CGC tests are sometimes sponsored by clubs at a conformation dog show, but you can also start your search for training and testing opportunities here: AKC: WHAT IS CGC?

LURE COURSING is a sport for dogs that involves chasing a mechanically operated lure. Competition is typically limited to dogs of purebred sighthound breeds, although the AKC has a pass/fail trial for all breeds called the Coursing Ability Test (CAT), in which Standard Schnauzers excel.

FAST CAT is a timed 100-yard dash where dogs run one at a time, chasing a lure. Its over before you know it — and its nothing short of awe-inspiring.  This is a sport for which most Standard Schnauzers require no training.

Three of our RRSSC owned/bred dogs are ranked in the top 10 fastest dogs of 2020 for Standard Schnauzer racers, and one is currently tied as the fastest female in the nation over the lifetime history of the sport.

AKC Rally® event as any team sport: You and your dog navigate a course, side-by-side, as you steer him through a course of 10-20 different signs. Each of these signs provides instructions regarding the next skill that is to be performed.  It is a stepping stone into Obedience trials.

 Developed in the 1930s, Obedience is one of the AKC’s oldest sporting events. From walking on- and off-leash to retrieving and jumping or demonstrating the dog’s ability to stay. It is essential that the obedience dog demonstrates a willingness and enjoyment working with the handler.  

 The AKC and several other National Scent work organizations hold tests and trials involving up to six different scents (varies from 3 to 6 depending on which organization is hosting the event). Dogs search for these scents inside, outside, in containers and around vehicles.

 Therapy Dog is an AKC program which recognizes the necessary therapy work performed by dogs through accepted organizations based on the number of visits. Therapy work involves volunteers who schedule visits to various facilities and locations such a nursing homes, classrooms, libraries, assisted living centers, hospices, funeral homes, schools, shelters even courtrooms.

Whether they’re working with a child who is learning to read, visiting a patient in a hospital or a senior in assisted living, therapy dogs and their owners work together as a team to improve the lives of other people. A dog can provide a valuable sense of reassurance, joy, or calmness to people experiencing stressful, lonely or depressing situations or general times in their life.