Thank you for visiting Lehigh Valley Performance K9s website. Our club was founded in 1986 by Randy Kromer and was the first Schutzhund club in the Northeastern Region. We are a non-profit organization with a group of dog enthusiasts that train in the sport of Schutzhund now called IGP. We are a full member of the United Schutzhund Clubs of America.
IGP, (International Gebrauchshund Prufungs - German for International Working Test) is a dog sport developed in the early 1900s as a breed suitability test for the German Shepherd dog. It has evolved into a sport that can be enjoyed on a variety of levels from hobby to international competition and where many breeds other than German Shepherd Dogs can compete. It is a team sport of dog and handler and the two must work together and perform in harmony. When done well, it is beautiful to watch and the bond between dog and handler is clear for all to see.
IGP training involves three phases: tracking, obedience and protection. When put together, the great effort involved in obtaining an IGP title, and the challenges which accompany this training, make for an obedient, stable, useful and well rounded companion. IGP tests the dogs temperament, nerve and overall willingness to work, and by any definition an IGP trained dog is a well trained dog. As such, these dogs are safe, happy, and obedient with great self confidence, mental stability and a willingness to please the handler. These are traits which make the German Shepherd dog one of the most versatile breeds in existence, and which are still highly valued by professional trainers, law enforcement officers and families wanting an outstanding companion.