What IGP is: tracking, obedience and protection in the Rottweiler

The Rottweiler was born as a working dog, and serious breeding still tests that ability. The reference test is IGP, short for Internationale Gebrauchshundprüfung, the international utility dog test. It used to be called IPO, and in Germany for decades Schutzhund, which is why older pedigrees show titles such as SchH 3 or VPG 3.

The starting point: the BH

To enter IGP the dog must first pass the BH-VT, the companion dog test. It includes basic obedience exercises and a part in the street, with traffic, people, cyclists and other dogs, where the dog is checked to be safe and manageable in everyday life.

The three phases

IGP is divided into three phases, each scored out of 100 points, for a maximum of 300. To pass, the dog must reach a minimum score in each phase.

• Phase A, tracking: the dog follows a track laid by a person hours earlier and indicates the articles it finds along the way. It measures concentration, scenting ability and perseverance.
• Phase B, obedience: heelwork, positions, retrieves, jumps and send-away. It measures cooperation with the handler and precision.
• Phase C, protection: searching for the helper, hold and bark, stopping an escape and defending the handler. It measures courage, confidence and above all control: the dog must release as soon as it is told.

The levels: IGP 1, 2 and 3

There are three levels of increasing difficulty. IGP 1 is the first and IGP 3 the highest: tracks are longer and older, exercises more complex and protection more demanding. An IGP 3 indicates a dog with years of consistent work and a highly prepared handler.

Alongside IGP there are specific tracking titles, such as FH 1 and FH 2, with longer and harder tracks. They are common in Rottweilers with particularly good scenting ability.

The ratings

• V, vorzüglich (excellent): 96 to 100 points per phase.
• SG, sehr gut (very good): 90 to 95.
• G, gut (good): 80 to 89.
• B, befriedigend (sufficient): 70 to 79.

What it tells us about a dog

A working title is not just sport. To earn it, the dog must show stability, ability to learn, willingness to cooperate and control under pressure. These are the qualities that define the Rottweiler according to its standard, which is why the ADRK requires working titles for breeding selection.

When a pedigree combines show titles with IGP over several generations, we are looking at a line that breeds complete Rottweilers.