GCSClub, Ft. Myers, is a club for those interested in the canine sport of IPO or Schutzhund. For more information contact Klaus Langenbach @ 239-634-0708.

As a Schutzhund Club, our members have various breeds of working dogs. However, we are primarily dedicated to the fun of training our German Shepherd dogs to the German Standard of the Schutzhund title.

We encourage a fun, relaxed, and open-minded environment. We have dogs and handlers at all levels with a common desire to advance their skills and train their dogs to achieve at their highest potential.

The dog sport of IPO (Schutzhund) was originally developed in Germany by Rittmeister Max von Stephanitz, who used herding dogs - shepherd dogs - for training as working dogs and founded the "Schaeferhund Verein" (SV) in Germany in 1899, which is the Shepherd Dog Club of Germany. The SV in Germany developed the rules for IPO (Schutzhund) Training in cooperation with the VDH (the German Working Dog Association) and has continued to update the rules over the years.

These rules are the worldwide International Standard for the training and title of IPO (Schutzhund) and were also adopted as the rules for training and examinations of IPO (Schutzhund) in the USA.

In a IPO (Schutzhund) trial, the various requirements measure the dog's mental stability, endurance, structural efficiencies, ability to scent, willingness to work, courage, and trainability. As a breed test, the IPO (Schutzhund) title is one of the requirements for a German Shepherd Dog to qualify for performance breeding after the International Standard.

This working dog sport offers the ultimate opportunity for all working dog owners to train their dogs and compete against the German Standard for the handler's ability to train and the dog's ability to perform as required. The IPO (Schutzhund) trial has 3 parts: Tracking, Obedience, and Protection.

Training & Membership:

Training starts every Sunday at 9:00 AM with protection work, at 10:00 AM we begin the obedience work. Every first Sunday every month we start at 7:00 AM with tracking in our tracking field. On request, there also will be training on Wednesday at 6:30 PM.

We train at the German American Social Club at 2101 SW Pine Island Road (SR 78), Cape CCoral, FL 33991. You will find us in the very back behind the building.

When attending for the first time, please call (239) 770-1579 to make sure that there is no change in the time or place of training. And please bring a copy of your dog's rabies certificate.


As a guest, we would like you to come to at least 6 training sessions in a row so that our trainer can see a development pattern in training. The guest's training fee is $15.00 for one dog and $5.00 for each additional dog each time you attend. After 6 sessions, you may be eligible for club membership with the trainer’s recommendation.

To become a member of our local Schutzhund club, you will also need to become a member of the United Schutzhund Clubs of America. As a local club member, you will receive all of the benefits that our club has to offer to its members:

Member Meetings, which provide an opportunity to discuss questions about your dog with other German Shepherd Dog owners.

Free training classes for Traffic Sureness, Obedience, Shows, and Protection.
Bi-monthly subscription of the "Schutzhund USA" magazine from the United Schutzhund Clubs of America.

Social meetings and fun matches.
Experienced Breeder of German bloodlines for all questions about performance breeding the European way (for buyer or breeders of German Shepherds) Free dog training DVD rentals