In March of 2001, the Chicago Schutzhund Verein was founded by four individuals.

Prior to founding the Chicago Schutzhund Verein, Raymond Silvertrust studied helper work and show training with Martin Lerchbaumer a top international competitor, schutzhund teaching helper and breeder in Kirchdorf, Austria. Ray was a member and worked in Lerchbaumer's Club OG Kirchdorf as a helper. He also studied in Wiesbaden Germany with Marco Hess one of Germany's top teaching helpers. Back in the US, he served as chief helper at the Illini-Badger Schutzhund Club in Russell Wisconsin before founding his first club, the Greater Chicago Schutzhund Club in the 1990s. He is a member of the SV (the German Shepherd Dog Club of Germany)  and also the German Shepherd Dog Club of America. He has served on the executive board of the German Shepherd Dog Club of America Working Dog Association, the GSDCA-WDA.

Our second founder was Dr. Herbert Preiser, longtime member of the SV and one of the most renowned and influential breeders of German Shepherd Dogs in the United States, His von der Neuen Welt Kennel produced many top GSDs in Schutzhund Sport and conformation over more than five decades. After taking graduate studies in veterinary medicine in Munich, Germany, he was instrumental in bringing the sport of Schutzhund back to the U.S. in the 1960s. He was one of four individuals who founded the National Schutzhund Association (NASA) which was the precursor of the the United Schutzhund Clubs of America and the German Shepherd Dog Club of America Working Dog Association. He also founded the first schutzhund club in the Midwest, the Northern Illinois Schutzhund Club. An expert in all aspects of schutzhund and German Shepherd conformation, our club members have been fortunate to have had Dr. Preiser as our mentor and teacher.

Third was Charles Carroll, Chuck became involved in Schutzhund in the late 1980s as a member of the Midwest America German Shepherd Dog Club where he trained with Robert Wyatt. Subsequent to that, he joined and trained at the Illini Badger Schutzhund Club with Thomas Just, who was serving as vice president of the GSDCA-WDA. Chuck then trained at the Greater Chicago Schutzhund Club with Ray Silvertrust prior to helping found the Chicago Schutzhund Verein where he worked from time to time as a helper when needed. Besides schutzhund, Chuck was also an active participant in Search and Rescue. He remained a member of the Chicago Schutzhund Verein for more than a decade until his death in 2011. Chuck is seen here with one of his favorite dogs from Dr Preiser's kennel, Winter von der Neuen Welt, SchH1.

And fourth is Skyler Silvertrust, Raymond Silvertrust's son, who in 2003 became the  youngest person in the United States to become certified as a Club Helper. At the certification examination, the certifier, one of Germany's leading teaching helpers, called Skyler one of the most natural helpers he had ever had the pleasure to watch. Subsequently, Skyler went on the qualify as a certified Regional Trial Helper which allows him to work at regional championship trials. In addition to his skills as a schutzhund helper, Skyler became a top conformation show handler, taking many dogs to winning positions. At international championship (sieger) conformation shows, regularly attended by German breeders and competitors, he was often mistaken for a top German show handler. He is pictured  here with Santo von der Neuen Welt, SchH3 after winning the Midwest Regional Conformation Championship Show. Santo was bred by Dr. Preiser.

The Club was registered under the laws of the state of Illinois as a not for profit organization, whose purpose was and is the training of German Shepherd Dogs..