Hawk, my first TD - 20 years ago
Recently on the AKC Tracking List people were discussing memorable titles. It made me think about my first tracking dogs, Hawk, Robin and Kate. These were my first tracking dogs. earning their TDs in 1991, '92 and '93. Here is Hawk's TD story. Others will follow.
Year Three, 1991. Hawk and I gelled into an amazing team. We were SOOOO ready! The Thunder Bay Kennel and Training Club organized it's first tracking test for September of the year. In August, I took possession of my new house in the country. Everything was going so well - and then - DISASTER!
A week later I moved into the new house. I was a wreck over Hawk who was home and in an ex-pen in the living room. We were entered in the test, but not able to practice. I didn't want to pull him, the test was three weeks away - who knew what he would be capable of doing in three weeks?
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| Robin (left), Kate (centre) and Hawk (right) were three great dogs. Winter 1993 in front of my home in Thunder Bay. Hawk (1987 - 2000) Lindau's Knight Hawk CD TDX TT - "Hockey Puck" Earned his Tracking Dog title in September, 1991 on our second try |
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| Hawk's grandsire was Covy Tucker Hill's Mazarrati, littermate to the famous Manhattan who won Westminster handled by Jimmy Moses. His dam was Sigrid Appelt's (breeder) lovely Heide-Marie who came down from German lines and was a TDX dog herself and wonderful nose-down tracker. |
Hawk was originally a flyball dog. He was a member of the first flyball team in Thunder Bay and to his dying day, he would hit the nearest low surface with his paw then look with his ears up hoping to see a toy or cookie delivered - the habit was so ingrained. In 1989 he had elbow surgery and his flyball days came to an abrupt halt. Looking for something to do with Hawk, I signed up for a tracking class with CKC judge and local tracking rep Dawn Sanderson.
Above, me with Robin and Hawk in 1993. He was a big boy!
Dawn had organized a Glen Johnson tracking clinic that I attended (I still have the notes) and I was interested in tracking. In part, I thought I might get into Search and Rescue because I worked with a Conservation Officer who had a highly decorated Bloodhound named Nero. Nero had many credits to his record for helping find lost people in Ontario. It sounded like a great, worthwhile thing to do. However, there was no SAR involving dogs in Thunder Bay. So I threw myself into CKC tracking.
Year one - first year of tracking with Hawk, I broke my leg and that took me out of going to Winnipeg - the nearest test. Year two - 1990. A few days before heading to Winnipeg, Hawk and I were tracking in silence. I still remember saying 'good boy' at one point, and he nearly leaped out of his skin he was so in the zone. At about the same moment, a skunk also leaped out of the grass and Hawk took off after it. I panicked and yelled NO! Miraculously, Hawk stopped chasing it. If he had been sprayed, I would have pulled from the test. So, my friend Cindy and I drove to Winnipeg for our first test judged by the late Margeurite Charter.
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| Hawk was the wisest, sweetest dog. Here he is with my niece Rachel (who is now 16!) |
The test was at Bird's Hill Provincial Park. Each track started on one side of a hill-like berm. We were driven in a stranger's car to the scent pad and dropped off. I recall the car reeked of cigarette smoke. (I would refuse to get in today). Every dog made it about as far as the crest of the hill and completely lost the track. The wind was blowing, and a few green tracklayers seemed to be confused as well. Not the best test in my mind and many would have packed in tracking after that experience.
Two dogs passed - Hawk's dam Heide with Sigrid handling. Heide so nose down, did a breathtakingly beautiful track. The other was a Golden, handled by Susan Venn (then, Smith) also of Thunder Bay. It was a tough drive home. Cindy's Dachshund dove into a burrow on her track and never came out! Hawk missed a turn. But when the majority in the test failed, it was not too bad. I got very determined!
Me and Hawk. We were a great team.
Year Three, 1991. Hawk and I gelled into an amazing team. We were SOOOO ready! The Thunder Bay Kennel and Training Club organized it's first tracking test for September of the year. In August, I took possession of my new house in the country. Everything was going so well - and then - DISASTER!
A week before moving, I was tracking with Hawk one hot morning. After his track (which I remember turn for turn) I took him for a swim, and we played fetch with a stick. Within an hour, he was in bloat and torsion. Thankfully, I found a vet, Diane Maki, at her clinic on a Sunday, checking on some dogs. I banged on the door. I was a member of a local dog committee and Diane was on it too, so when she opened the door I babbled about Hawk. He was visibly swelling up. She rushed him right into surgery and with no assistant to help, I held out my arms as she slung his intestines over them. I will never forget it. She saved Hawk's life and he pulled through with flying colours. In fact, she said he was in great shape and this was from all of our tracking! With his bad elbow, it was the best exercise possible.
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| Hawk's bloat scar. What a nightmare, and a blessing he survived and lived to be 13. |
A week later I moved into the new house. I was a wreck over Hawk who was home and in an ex-pen in the living room. We were entered in the test, but not able to practice. I didn't want to pull him, the test was three weeks away - who knew what he would be capable of doing in three weeks?
The day before the test, I did a short leg laced with treats on my front lawn. On test day, I was a basket case. Hawk had a shaved tummy but seemed to be doing so well and was his normal self. The test was held on fields we were never able to use again (prison farm) and I can't remember the pattern, except for the final turn. It was an open angle. I was not used to these. The judge was a very serious German man, who stood waiting for me to follow my dog (this appears to be the story of my life)... When Hawk was going off on an angle I panicked. No, I would NOT fail again! I actually recall a look of pained impatience on the judge's face when I scoured the area for an article. I finally took some trepidatious steps behind Hawk, and he picked up steam and I realized he was ON TRACK.
He stopped at the glove and I will never forget the joy of seeing that article. It was my first TD and I burst into tears and landed beside him to hug that great neck. I had to stop typing here for a minute because I just had a little cry and my mascara is stinging my eyes! At the lunch later, I hugged that judge (I don't think he liked that) and burst into tears again as I told him about Hawk's bloat a month before. I have to go look up this judge's name. He was also a SchH person, and German, and despite being pretty stern, I can see a little smile on his face in our photo.
Here is our picture. I am 31 and that is the year my life changed and I became a tracking addict.  |
| I promise to look up this judge's name. Here I am with Hawk - a photo captures "the day my life changed!" |
I took this picture (below) when I got home, in my backyard. I could not have been more proud. There is NOTHING like a first TD, and seeing that glove at the end of the track. *Sadly, I have no pictures of me tracking with Hawk to show you.
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| OMG !! We passed !!! |
It has been wonderful to share this story about my beloved Hawk. There are a million Hawk stories, but I've tried to stick to tracking here on the blog. Hawk was the dog who sold me on German Shepherds and because of him, I could never, ever be without one. In fact, when I lost Thorn in 2007, I just knew I had to get a male GSD to fill the void, and that's how I have Caden! Despite the fact that Caden is not related, he reminds me so much of Hawk. He has many of the same qualities that Hawk had, that made Hawk such a great friend and a great dog.
After finishing up the TD stories, I'll share the story of Hawk's TDX. There was no urban tracking back in the day, so once he got his TDX, we were through with testing. But he continued to track as long as his legs would carry him, as a demo dog for my tracking classes, and through my classes, Hawk introduced many other people to the love of tracking.
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| Hockey Puck at Christmas, back in Thunder Bay. |
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| Into his old age, Hawk ALWAYS had a glove or mitten in his mouth and was so proud of himself. |
GOOD BOY HOCKEY PUCK. I LOVE YOU!
Thank you for being the best tracking friend, for putting up with me and for introducing me to this sport.
Hawk died of simple old age at home when he was 13 years old. I sat with him all day and thought about all of our great times together over the years. Just before his last breath, he actually lifted his head and looked right into my eyes. I will never forget him. He is often with me on the field when I train and track with my dogs.
Category Article German Shepherd, tracking test results, Tracking training
