IGP, Schutzhund, ZTP and BH: What Each Title Proves

Working and breed-survey titles tell you what a Rottweiler's character and trainability are like under pressure. They do not tell you whether its hips, elbows, or genes are sound. A serious program treats the two as separate columns: titles prove temperament and working ability, while radiographs and DNA tests prove health. Here is what each abbreviation actually certifies.

BH/VT — the companion and traffic test

The BH/VT (Begleithundpruefung mit Verkehrsteil, or Companion Dog Trial with Behaviour and Traffic Part) is the entry gate. A dog must pass it before it can enter IGP1. The minimum age is 15 months. The test has two parts: an on-the-training-ground obedience exam — on- and off-leash heeling, sit, down with recall, and a long down under distraction — and a public traffic and behaviour part that checks the dog's neutrality and stability around pedestrians, cyclists, cars, joggers, other dogs, and being tied up alone. A judge's temperament check gates entry to the rest of the test. BH proves a dog is safe and stable in public — the floor for any well-bred companion.

IGP / IPO / Schutzhund — the three-phase working sport

These are three names for the same sport across three eras. It was called Schutzhund (SchH) until 2012, renamed IPO in 2012, and renamed IGP (Internationale Gebrauchshunde-Pruefungsordnung, International Utility Dog Regulations) in 2019. A trial scores three phases in one event: Phase A Tracking, Phase B Obedience, Phase C Protection, each worth up to 100 points (300 total). To title, a dog must reach at least "satisfactory" — 70 of 100 — in every phase, and must pass each level before advancing to the next. Minimum ages run 18 months for IGP1, 19 for IGP2, and 20 for IGP3, with no exceptions on trial day.

IGP proves desire to work, courage, intelligence, trainability, and confidence around strangers, dogs, traffic, and noise. It is a test of working character, not health — it does not assess hips, elbows, or genetic conditions. For how that character should show up in a puppy, see our note on Rottweiler puppy temperament.

ZTP — the ADRK breed-suitability test

The ZTP (Zuchttauglichkeitspruefung) is the ADRK's breed-suitability evaluation. The dog must be at least 18 months old and must already hold a BH. It pairs a conformation critique — measurement, weight, dentition, eye color, and faults judged against the FCI standard — with a temperament evaluation that includes gun-sureness, a protection test, and stability around the public. Passing certifies the dog as acceptable breeding stock.

Koerung — the advanced breed survey

Koerung is the ADRK's higher breed survey, in two levels (initial and lifetime). Beyond the ZTP, it requires an IGP/SchH/IPO III for males and an IGP/SchH/IPO I for females, with minimum ages of 36 months for males and 30 for females, plus multiple show critiques rated SG or better and HD/ED and AD credentials.

What titles do not replace

Under ADRK breeding rules, two Rottweilers may be mated only if both have a known ADRK pedigree, radiologic hip- and elbow-joint evaluation, and a passed BH and ZTP. Since November 1, 2016, breedings may only be carried out with animals DNA-tested for JLPP — a genetic test, entirely separate from any working title. In the United States, the AKC recognizes BH, IGP, and legacy SchH/IPO titles through DVG America; these are sport titles, distinct from AKC conformation championships. The takeaway for buyers is simple: ask for titles and health clearances, because a title proves the dog can work, not that it is healthy. See how we apply both in our breeding program.