Tails-U-Win! MayNewsletter

Tails Team Tracks Their Way to the Top

Tails member, Doreen Palmer, handled her outstanding Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Zephyr, to his Champion Tracker title on April 4, 2010. Because this is such a momentous accomplishment we have asked Doreen to share her story with us.

Doreen started training at Tails in 1995. In 1998 she moved to Maryland. In 2004 she returned to Connecticut and Tails-U-Win! Doreen and her husband, Gary, have always had Chessies and have always trained using positive methods. Her first dog, Taku, became a UCDX, CH, VCD3, MX, MXJ.

UCD *CT* Eastern Water's Sea Zephyr, VCD2, UD, RE, OA, OAJ, NF, WD, CGC earned his Champion Tracker title on April 4 at the Oriole Dog Training Club's VST test in Elkton, MD. This made Zephyr only the 2nd Chesapeake Bay Retriever to ever earn a VST and become a CT. Zephyr is a very special dog, he's our 6th Chesapeake and one of the sweetest. Not only does he compete in tracking but he also has his UD, with 4 UDX legs (earned in 6 tries), his RE, has his OA & OAJ titles and legs towards his AX & AXJ and has our club's WD (working dog) title. He will be running in Hunt tests this summer with my husband. We couldn't be prouder of this boy!

A Champion Tracker title is an AKC tracking title that is awarded to dogs who have earned their TD, TDX and VST. Since this award was first offered in 1995 there have about 250 dogs - all breeds - to earn a CT. Compare that to the all breed averages of about 100 OTCHs a year and about 575 MACHs a year and it's evident that it is indeed difficult.

All levels of AKC tracks are blind, that is the actual path of the tracklayer is unknown to the handler. The tests show that the dog is using it's nose to follow a scent and that the handler can read their dog. Depending on the level of the test aging, length of the track and surfaces vary, as do the number of articles that the dog must indicate. The dog is worked on a harness and a lead that is between 20' and 40' long. Only one pass at each level is needed to title at that level.

A TD (tracking dog title) must be earned before a dog can enter either a TDX or VST test. A TD is a track that is laid by the tracklayer at least 30 mins prior to but no longer than 2 hours before the time the dog starts it's track. This track is laid a vegetative area. It is between 440 and 500 yds long and will have 2 cloth articles, one at the start and one at the end of the track.

A TDX (tracking dog excellent title) track is 800 to 1,000 yds long, and aged 3 to 5 hours. The track is laid through various types of vegetation, it must cross 2 barriers such as woods, fences, ditches, streams and roads and will have two (2) cross tracks on it. Cross tracks are laid by 2 persons, different from the tracklayer, who walk apprx. 6' apart and cross the track in 2 different areas. Cross tracks are laid from 1.25 to 1.75 hours after the initial track is put in. On a TDX track the dog must indicate 4 articles. One at the start, 1 at the finish and 2 on seperate legs of the track. Articles for TDX tracks are dissimilar personal type items, such as gloves, wallets, hats, and socks.

A VST track is 660 to 800 yds long and aged 3 to 5 hours. At least 1/3 of the track must be on non vegetative surfaces - concrete, asphalt, gravel, sand and mulch are examples. The dog must make a "moment of truth" (MOT) turn which is done on a non vegetative surface at least 30 yds from any vegetative surface and has a 90 degree turn. There are no physical obstacles such as would occur on a TDX track (fence, stream etc), however tracks can be laid alongside buildings, through open ended buildings (like a pavilion or a portico) and up or down stairs. There are 4 articles used in a VST track, they are put down in similar manner to a TDX track but must include 1 cloth, 1 plastic, 1 metal and one leather article.

A limited number of tracks are available at each test, dependent on the terrain, the amount of volunteers available and the area that is usable to lay tracks. Entries for tracking test generally exceed the number of tracks available so there is a draw to determine who has made it into the test. All entries are drawn and any entries that exceed the actual number of tracks are assigned an alternate number.

An alternate track, which is encouraged to be plotted and laid, can be used as a titling track if is isn't needed for the regular test. It is rare for a track to be considered fouled so many times the alternate track will be run as a titling track.

Zephyr was the 1st alternate at Oriole DTC's first ever VST at Fair Hill in Elkton MD, on Easter Sunday. This was indeed the mother of all Easter Egg hunts! This was a 4 track test with the alternate being run as a titling track if it wasn't used. Lucky us, it wasn't needed so we were the 5th track of the day to run.

Our judges were Ray Desmaris and Allison Platt. Unfortunately none of the first 4 dogs passed their tests, which is not unusual for a VST. The pass rate is extremely low, Many times you will go to a VST and not see a pass - the last 3 tests I went to there was only 1 pass out of 20 tracks run! This was our 4th attempt at the title.

Our track was at the Cecil County School of Technology and was 635 yds long, with 224 non vegetated yds. It was laid at 10:15 am and we started it at 1:40 pm. Zephyr ran the track in 35 mins. It had been breezy for the earlier tracks but by the time we ran it was calm. And HOT! close to 80 degrees. We drove up to the area of the start then walked to the start flag.

Our first leg was 100 yds uphill on tall grass/hay cutting away from the paved lot. The first turn was a left turn back down the hill paralleling the end of parking lot, it was 70 yds long and on mowed grass that was several inches high. We made our 2nd turn, another left and headed back to the parking lot - towards my car which was quite visible to us. I was really worried that Z was going to decide that it was too hot, he doesn't like to work in the heat and he was going to be tracking towards the car. The 3rd leg was 75 yds long with 40 yds on grass and 35 yds on the pavement. He found the 2nd article, a leather square as we came onto the pavement, by now he was pretty hot and I had to force water on him as he doesn't like to take water while tracking. When we got about 30 yds into the paved area he spotted a shade tree and the car and took off for that. Luckily it wasn't too far from the actual track and I was able to get him to work his way back onto the track. He did stand under the tree for what seemed like an eternity staring at the car but I know it wasn't more than a few seconds before he came back on track. I gave him more water when he came back from the shade tree and he went back to work. When I stopped to wait for him to come back from the shade tree I was pretty much standing on his MOT. He nailed the right turn and took off across the pavement to the grass on his 4th leg which was 70 yds long with 30 yds of pavement, 30 yds of grass, 5 of mulch and another 5 yds of grass. We went through a garden and under a pine tree, up another hill towards a chain link fence. Another right turn for our 5th leg which was all grass, 60 yds long and our 3rd article, a metal altoids tin, squashed flat. We then turned left down the grassy hill, over a concrete sidewalk, across the driveway, over another garden filled with mulch, back onto the driveway and then onto another sidewalk. This was our 6th leg and was 40 yds long. We went up to the building for out last turn which was a right turn. This leg was 200 yds long and went over concrete, mulch, grass, concrete and finished on grass. There was a 4' high retaining wall that ran about 20' away from the building and parallel to it for about the last half of the leg. When he got to the start of the retaining wall there was a storm drain - the kind with the open grating - he checked around it and decided that the track didn't go down there and came out from the corridor made by the building/retaining wall, hung a right and went across the road and back up the hill into the mulch. I knew we were near the end of the track and I was afraid that he'd missed the last article and was now working the walk out track. But he got to the top of the hill, said "no it doesn't go here" and came running back down the hill, with me backing up like crazy and then he ducked back into the corridor. Once there he took off and went blasting down to the end of the building, hooked a little to the left to his last article, a plastic square with a BIG number four on it!!!! Needless to say I was ecstatic - the poor dog couldn't figure out why I was screaming and hugging him and crying. Ray and Allison came running up to congratulate us and then my husband came tearing around the building followed by the gallery. I understand I missed one of the most unique sights on the track, the gallery couldn't see what was happening from the playground where they were told they could watch from so they all climbed onto the jungle gym for a better view. Sure hope someone got a picture of that!

We were Ray's first VST pass and the first VST pass for Oriole DTC. Z came home with a huge rosette and a VST patch and a CT patch. He also got a cake that had a really nice decoration of the CT patch in the middle of it. It was a human cake so he didn't get but a small taste but he got a nice long swim and some extra goodies. Not to mention all the attention he could handle when we got back to the test site.

Earning a CT is a very difficult trip that can't be done without a ton of support from friends and family. We thank all our friends at Tails for their support. You all own a share in this title as well!

Doreen and CT Z-man!