This breed is routinely used for:
obedience trialing, conformation showing, weight pull, Schutzhund (a German sport which
requires dogs to perform in
obedience, tracking and protection phases of a
competition), agility, and have even been known to participate in herding trials, search and rescue work, and a variety of other tasks including police and armed services work.
They excel in advanced
obedience competition, where retrieving and jumping skills are
required, and in agility (obstacle course)
competitions, where they fly over and under and through the obstacles with a strength and grace that is breathtaking to watch.