Friday Flashback - River's TDX MAY 2006
The above photo is of the last leg of River's TDX track in May 2006. The map is below. It feels like yesterday that she passed this test and what a wonderful test it was that day with some other very special passes alongside River for 5 TDXs and 4 TDs in total (see the end of this post, as well as this post from the archives). The judge for this test was Dawn Sanderson of Thunder Bay. I started tracking in 1989 with Dawn, so it was fun to be judged by her and pass with River for my fourth TDX title.
River had a late start in tracking, earning her TD in 2005 when she was five. She was not supposed to be a tracking dog but ended up coming out with me all the time - and of course she had to track if she was taking up a spot in my van! Thank goodness things turned out as they did. She loves to track and we have had a lot of special years together.
Here are a few more photos of River - all taken by Karen Boyes of TCH Aussies Jasper and Penny fame. I remember that this day started out very cool and damp which was great for the TDs. Just as River was about to run her track, the sun came up and it got very muggy. I was in a bit of a panic as River, being a longcoat, tends to overheat very quickly. I completely soaked her down. I brought water on the track but River was on a mission, and at her second article she just took off before I could give her anything. She was moving at such a fast pace she overshot one corner as you can see, and I thought the track might cut through the trees. She came back and shot off again to finish the track in 13 minutes.
My Rough Collie Katie passed her TDX in this same field in 1994 in 11 minutes. I remember feeling as though Kate was with us during that track. At the last glove, River was very wobbly on her feet, once the test was over. She took some water then! Here are a few more shots from Karen...below is Dawn the judge and the tracklayer Diana following us.
Another of River near the end...great zoom!
River and I heading for the car, with our friend Margaret who came to say congrats! Margaret's Bull Mastiff Solo had a TD and two years ago her Aussie Drake also passed his TD and he is working on his next titles now, I understand.
River new TDX. The TDX is 3-5 hours old, has 5-7 turns, two cross tracks, and 3 articles. It has a road cross and varied terrain along the way. (I look at this picture and am very proud of my recent weight loss, I have to add!)
And here is the gang. These people are ALL my students. You can imagine how I feel at tests when my students are all entered. I feel like I have 12 dogs in, not one of my own! Other dogs to pass that day were Hellon the Flat-coated Retriever, who is the only blind dog to pass a TDX in North America, and TCH Austen with Julie, the first Toy Tracking Champion in Canada as of last year - int his picture, Austen had earned his TD with the FASTEST time of the day for TDs...a glimpse of the dog he was to become! TCH Penny also earned her TD - she is now a tracking champion too! This is a real rogue's gallery. An old Golden Cymba passed (not in the photo) and so did Belgian Joy, Golden Dawson, and two other FCRs - Solo and Perry. All in all it goes down as one of my favourite trials EVER! (Thorn is lying with us in the photo - he was on the alternate list for this test). What a great group of enthusiastic trackers in Thunder Bay!
I feel a bit choked up typing this because River has really aged this winter. She was diagnosed with Pannus in March, and I think it is affecting her vision and I notice that she is carrying her head differently and seems to be hesitant on stairs. She sometimes stumbles as she tracks - but she still loves it and she is full of joy and otherwise healthy and fine. It is just so hard to see these photos and realize time goes by so quickly and we need to remember to enjoy our dogs in their youthful exuberance because they are with us such a short time in the big scheme of things!
River will continue to track of course. It is her love and I love to go out with her. And remembering that Hellon tracked well with no sight is also a good reminder that tracking is about the nose, not the eyes. River is on drops and who knows what the future holds. She has been a great teacher and even though she had a late start, has had a nice career in tracking, and helped me to teach a lot of other people along the way. Good girl River!
Category Article German Shepherd, River, tracking test results
