Dog Sport Magazine article about blind dog earning her TDX "Hellon, the dog who sees with her heart"
As promised, here the full text of an article I wrote for Dog Sport magazine's July 2006 issue. For those of you unfamiliar with the magazine, it is a great performance -oriented magazine, you can check out their website by clicking here - www.dogsportmagazine.com
by Donna Smith
Last May, an eight-year old Flat-coated Retriever named Hellon made tracking history by overcoming the odds to earn her TDX. Hellon is the first blind dog in North America to earn this title. Formally known as Labrys High Spirits Extreme TDX, she was bred by Joey Farrell and Linda Roe of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
This achievement is even more remarkable because Hellon was diagnosed with cancer last fall. As she progressed along the three-hour old track, we held our breath knowing this would be the last tracking trial for Hellon. When she reached the final glove, Linda dropped to her knees, hugging her as the crowd surged forward with congratulations. It had been a long journey, worth every step.
The biggest barrier to Hellon’s tracking success is not her lack of vision. It was proving that blindness is not a disability in tracking. A dog’s primary faculty is scent, not sight, and tracking is a sport where the nose is the thing.
People worried whether Hellon would be safe in the field. What if she bumped into a tree or fell over an embankment? Linda persevered. When Hellon was ready, permission was granted by the CKC to enter a trial. Hellon demonstrated that she was exceptionally able to do the job, earning her TD in 2002.
Hellon’s namesake, Helen Keller, was blind and deaf from childhood. A creative teacher named Ann Sullivan opened up a new world for Helen. Biographers have debated who had greater determination, Ann Sullivan or her student. Like Ann Sullivan, Linda Roe had faith in Hellon and was determined to enrich Hellon’s life from the time she was born.
Hellon was born dehydrated but she was a fighter, latching onto a nipple and rapidly recovering to become a boisterous, cheerful puppy. “Hellon’s life is good attitude gives her inner strength,” says Linda. “We knew she was special and always say she has “extra ability” not a disability.”
Linda took Hellon everywhere, teaching her verbal cues to help her cope with her surroundings. Hellon even learned to swim in their training pond, retrieving bumpers she found with her nose. “Courage has always been Hellon’s motto," says Linda. “We never held her back, always making sure she was safe. She forges ahead with the gusto of all Flat-coated Retrievers. Tracking seemed like a natural outlet for her energy.”
Studies in blind people show that the portion of the brain used for sight is reassigned to assist the brain with smell, taste, touch and hearing, making these faculties keener. When Hellon was enrolled in Spiritdance Tracking classes, I saw right away that she was a gifted tracking dog. Since she air-scented naturally, the challenge was to get her nose down.
CKC tracking involves having dogs follow the scent of crushed vegetation combined with human scent. In the beginning, most trackers use treats and toys along a track to reward the dog for following the scent left by the tracklayer. Handlers point to the ground to encourage the dog along. Linda had to think of creative ways to get started. She would lie Hellon down nose to nose with yummy pieces of bait and say, “Find it!”
“Hellon quickly learned this game, proudly carrying gloves around at home,” says Linda. “She became a dog with a new sense of purpose.”
Linda used a scented drag to motivate Hellon as tracks became more complex. Linda’s drag was an old sock filled with disgusting old limburger cheese and garlic sausage. As you can imagine, it left a strong scent on the ground. Hellon soon learned to put her nose down when asked to track.
Linda’s challenges were keeping up with Hellon physically and learning to read Hellon’s body language. Hellon would spin in frustration if Linda was too slow.
“Tracking is a great game to Hellon,” says Linda. “She has a sense of humour. She would tease me by lifting her head and taking a few steps off the track. She would wag and giggle, then get going.” Linda would say, “Are you working?” to Hellon during her silly moments. When Hellon looked straight into Linda’s eyes, no one would ever have known she was blind. With a skip and a shrug, she would take off.
“Sometimes, she would race in a circle wrapping the line around my legs. I knew she was expressing the sheer joy she felt so I would let her get it out of her system,” Linda noted. “I could tell when she was on track because her whiskers curved forward and bristled. Hellon had a style all her own.”
Hellon never missed an article. On windy days, Hellon would sometimes follow scent drift, and then suddenly leap sideways to pounce on a glove. There was never any pointing or guiding with Hellon – only verbal encouragement and praise.
When Hellon earned her TD, test judge Dawn Sanderson said, “Hellon had a very committed start and was very track sure. During the test, a flock of geese flew overhead and Hellon looked up. Once the honking subsided, Hellon went back to work and tracked with confidence to the article.”
Linda set her sights on a Tracking Dog Excellent title. A more complex title, it would prove Hellon’s ability to track. In a TDX test, the dog must finish a track that is nearly one kilometer long, three to five hours old, find multiple articles and ignore crosstracks laid by people intersecting the primary track. There are vegetation changes along the way, including a road cross. The pass rate for TD is 50%, dropping significantly for TDX.
Two days before the 2005 tracking test, Linda learned that Hellon had cancer. Hellon tracked just within reach of the final article. She tried to pull Linda the right way, but Linda was nervous and unable to think clearly. Linda and Hellon practiced through winter, with Hellon climbing over snow banks to the glove. Hellon lost weight. Linda tightened her harness a few notches. By this spring, Hellon was visibly slower. The May trial would be her last chance.
Test day was perfect. Rain had made the vegetation green and lush. Linda drew the third TDX track, which ran at 10:00 in the morning. “It all felt so right,” recalls Linda. “Hellon’s tracklayer was Carolyn Homonko, our obedience instructor. I had a flashback to the obedience class remembering how surprised people were to find out Hellon was blind after sixteen weeks and two classes together. I was reminded of her strength and felt confident. It was good karma to see Carolyn waiting with Dawn Sanderson, who had judged Hellon’s successful TD.”
Hellon seemed to know this was an important day. She did not tease Linda with any goofy routines. Instead, she took off across the field and across a dirt road looking very business-like. We were hunkered behind trees, watching Dawn and Carolyn keep pace behind the team. The track turned toward the crowd and we knew Hellon was on her last leg. Suddenly, her head came up. She walked off the track to sniff the air, head pointed to the far horizon. When her usual grin was not there, we realized that Hellon was tired.
A judge will wait as long as the dog is working. This time, Linda was prepared and she unleashed her secret weapon. “Where are your Timbits, Hellon?” she asked. Hellon loves the little donuts from Tim Horton’s, passed to her through the window at the coffee shop drive-through. Hellon came back to the track, put her nose down, and pulled Linda the rest of the way to the glove.
“It was a privilege to judge Hellon again,” said Dawn Sanderson. “She tracked like a trooper and showed everyone she is capable of this advanced title.”
“She was exhausted,” says Linda, “But I knew we could do it. I have always had faith in her. I once read that a dog sees from the heart, and I know this is true after tracking with Hellon.”
Linda and Hellon demonstrate that the keys to tracking are motivation and a strong relationship. Through creative training, Linda gave Hellon a sense of purpose that enriched their time together. Hellon’s accomplishments have inspired others in Canada and the United States to start tracking with their blind dogs. Currently, the AKC does not permit blind dogs to enter tests but perhaps because of the CKC’s insight and Hellon’s achievements, they will review their policy.
As their instructor, I learned great lessons from Hellon. Like her namesake Helen Keller, Hellon has broken a barrier for the dogs that will follow. Her legacy will be countless dogs joyfully bounding through summer fields with their owners, pouncing on gloves.
Original article written by Donna Smith
Published in Dog Sport Magazine, July 2006
www.dogsportmagazine.com
Hellon, the dog who sees with her heart
by Donna Smith
Last May, an eight-year old Flat-coated Retriever named Hellon made tracking history by overcoming the odds to earn her TDX. Hellon is the first blind dog in North America to earn this title. Formally known as Labrys High Spirits Extreme TDX, she was bred by Joey Farrell and Linda Roe of Thunder Bay, Ontario.
This achievement is even more remarkable because Hellon was diagnosed with cancer last fall. As she progressed along the three-hour old track, we held our breath knowing this would be the last tracking trial for Hellon. When she reached the final glove, Linda dropped to her knees, hugging her as the crowd surged forward with congratulations. It had been a long journey, worth every step.
The biggest barrier to Hellon’s tracking success is not her lack of vision. It was proving that blindness is not a disability in tracking. A dog’s primary faculty is scent, not sight, and tracking is a sport where the nose is the thing.
“The chief handicap of the blind is not blindness, but the attitude of seeing people towards them.” Helen Keller
People worried whether Hellon would be safe in the field. What if she bumped into a tree or fell over an embankment? Linda persevered. When Hellon was ready, permission was granted by the CKC to enter a trial. Hellon demonstrated that she was exceptionally able to do the job, earning her TD in 2002.
Hellon’s namesake, Helen Keller, was blind and deaf from childhood. A creative teacher named Ann Sullivan opened up a new world for Helen. Biographers have debated who had greater determination, Ann Sullivan or her student. Like Ann Sullivan, Linda Roe had faith in Hellon and was determined to enrich Hellon’s life from the time she was born.
Hellon was born dehydrated but she was a fighter, latching onto a nipple and rapidly recovering to become a boisterous, cheerful puppy. “Hellon’s life is good attitude gives her inner strength,” says Linda. “We knew she was special and always say she has “extra ability” not a disability.”
Linda took Hellon everywhere, teaching her verbal cues to help her cope with her surroundings. Hellon even learned to swim in their training pond, retrieving bumpers she found with her nose. “Courage has always been Hellon’s motto," says Linda. “We never held her back, always making sure she was safe. She forges ahead with the gusto of all Flat-coated Retrievers. Tracking seemed like a natural outlet for her energy.”
“Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.” Helen Keller
Studies in blind people show that the portion of the brain used for sight is reassigned to assist the brain with smell, taste, touch and hearing, making these faculties keener. When Hellon was enrolled in Spiritdance Tracking classes, I saw right away that she was a gifted tracking dog. Since she air-scented naturally, the challenge was to get her nose down.
CKC tracking involves having dogs follow the scent of crushed vegetation combined with human scent. In the beginning, most trackers use treats and toys along a track to reward the dog for following the scent left by the tracklayer. Handlers point to the ground to encourage the dog along. Linda had to think of creative ways to get started. She would lie Hellon down nose to nose with yummy pieces of bait and say, “Find it!”
“Hellon quickly learned this game, proudly carrying gloves around at home,” says Linda. “She became a dog with a new sense of purpose.”
Linda used a scented drag to motivate Hellon as tracks became more complex. Linda’s drag was an old sock filled with disgusting old limburger cheese and garlic sausage. As you can imagine, it left a strong scent on the ground. Hellon soon learned to put her nose down when asked to track.
"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." Helen Keller
Linda’s challenges were keeping up with Hellon physically and learning to read Hellon’s body language. Hellon would spin in frustration if Linda was too slow.
“Tracking is a great game to Hellon,” says Linda. “She has a sense of humour. She would tease me by lifting her head and taking a few steps off the track. She would wag and giggle, then get going.” Linda would say, “Are you working?” to Hellon during her silly moments. When Hellon looked straight into Linda’s eyes, no one would ever have known she was blind. With a skip and a shrug, she would take off.
“Sometimes, she would race in a circle wrapping the line around my legs. I knew she was expressing the sheer joy she felt so I would let her get it out of her system,” Linda noted. “I could tell when she was on track because her whiskers curved forward and bristled. Hellon had a style all her own.”
Hellon never missed an article. On windy days, Hellon would sometimes follow scent drift, and then suddenly leap sideways to pounce on a glove. There was never any pointing or guiding with Hellon – only verbal encouragement and praise.
When Hellon earned her TD, test judge Dawn Sanderson said, “Hellon had a very committed start and was very track sure. During the test, a flock of geese flew overhead and Hellon looked up. Once the honking subsided, Hellon went back to work and tracked with confidence to the article.”
Linda set her sights on a Tracking Dog Excellent title. A more complex title, it would prove Hellon’s ability to track. In a TDX test, the dog must finish a track that is nearly one kilometer long, three to five hours old, find multiple articles and ignore crosstracks laid by people intersecting the primary track. There are vegetation changes along the way, including a road cross. The pass rate for TD is 50%, dropping significantly for TDX.
Two days before the 2005 tracking test, Linda learned that Hellon had cancer. Hellon tracked just within reach of the final article. She tried to pull Linda the right way, but Linda was nervous and unable to think clearly. Linda and Hellon practiced through winter, with Hellon climbing over snow banks to the glove. Hellon lost weight. Linda tightened her harness a few notches. By this spring, Hellon was visibly slower. The May trial would be her last chance.
Test day was perfect. Rain had made the vegetation green and lush. Linda drew the third TDX track, which ran at 10:00 in the morning. “It all felt so right,” recalls Linda. “Hellon’s tracklayer was Carolyn Homonko, our obedience instructor. I had a flashback to the obedience class remembering how surprised people were to find out Hellon was blind after sixteen weeks and two classes together. I was reminded of her strength and felt confident. It was good karma to see Carolyn waiting with Dawn Sanderson, who had judged Hellon’s successful TD.”
Hellon seemed to know this was an important day. She did not tease Linda with any goofy routines. Instead, she took off across the field and across a dirt road looking very business-like. We were hunkered behind trees, watching Dawn and Carolyn keep pace behind the team. The track turned toward the crowd and we knew Hellon was on her last leg. Suddenly, her head came up. She walked off the track to sniff the air, head pointed to the far horizon. When her usual grin was not there, we realized that Hellon was tired.
A judge will wait as long as the dog is working. This time, Linda was prepared and she unleashed her secret weapon. “Where are your Timbits, Hellon?” she asked. Hellon loves the little donuts from Tim Horton’s, passed to her through the window at the coffee shop drive-through. Hellon came back to the track, put her nose down, and pulled Linda the rest of the way to the glove.
“It was a privilege to judge Hellon again,” said Dawn Sanderson. “She tracked like a trooper and showed everyone she is capable of this advanced title.”
“She was exhausted,” says Linda, “But I knew we could do it. I have always had faith in her. I once read that a dog sees from the heart, and I know this is true after tracking with Hellon.”
Linda and Hellon demonstrate that the keys to tracking are motivation and a strong relationship. Through creative training, Linda gave Hellon a sense of purpose that enriched their time together. Hellon’s accomplishments have inspired others in Canada and the United States to start tracking with their blind dogs. Currently, the AKC does not permit blind dogs to enter tests but perhaps because of the CKC’s insight and Hellon’s achievements, they will review their policy.
As their instructor, I learned great lessons from Hellon. Like her namesake Helen Keller, Hellon has broken a barrier for the dogs that will follow. Her legacy will be countless dogs joyfully bounding through summer fields with their owners, pouncing on gloves.
Original article written by Donna Smith
Published in Dog Sport Magazine, July 2006
www.dogsportmagazine.com
Category Article Commentary, My friends, tracking test results, Training theories
