June 13, 2004
Sarah Braun with her Belgian Tervuren "Soren",
who just earned his Herding Instinct Certificate (view
close up)
Herding is the
ability of a dog and handler to smoothly, and without undue
stress to livestock, move them from one place to the next.
The American
Kennel Club, the American
Herding Breed Association, The
Austrailian Shepherd Club of America and different Border
Collie associations sponsor herding trials each year to test
different levels of training and to earn titles. Mainly dogs
from the Herding Group are eligible, although AHBA does allow
more breeds and mixes of those breeds to compete and earn
titles.
One of our instructors,
Dorothy Schmidt, is involved in herding with her Border Collie
and Rough Collie. She travels to Genoa City (south of Lake
Geneva) to the Dead Oak Trial Grounds for herding lessons
each week and also is Trial Secretary for herding events held
there.
A fun herding event
is the very popular Herding
Instinct Day, which is held twice a year at the Grounds.
People can watch as a tester takes their dog in with 3 sheep
to see if their dog has the instinct to herd. No training
is required, video taping is offered and a Herding Instinct
Certification is presented to those dogs showing very basic
herding interest and ability. A number of MDTC members have
taken advantage of and thoroughly enjoyed this event coming
home with their HIC.
What is "Tracking"? All
you need to track is a dog, a harness, a 30' line and a glove,...
and food, water, flags, pencil and paper, surveyor's tape,
colored clotshespins, boots, a watch, a partner (if possible!),
rain gear, mosquito repellent, and time, time, time!
Three titles can
be earned in the AKC
tracking program: TD (Tracking Dog), TDX (Tracking Dog
Excellent) and VST (Variable Surface Tracker). When all three
are earned, your dog has a CT (Champion Tracker). Before a
dog is eligible to enter for a TD, a judge must "certify"
that the dog has passed a regulation track and is qualified
to enter a sanctioned test. The TD has a 52% passing rate,
TDX about 17% and the VST has about a 5% passing rate. There
were only 6 dogs last year that earned their CT. There are
at least 8 dogs in the area earning their CT this year.
The MDTC offers
a small tracking class starting each spring in order to train
and be able to enter an AKC TD test. Mixed breeds can earn
a title through our Club. The instructor, Dorothy Schmidt,
only works with a small number of members and their dogs,
because it takes a lot of land and real dedication of time
to succeed.
A Rhodesian Ridgeback,
a Collie, two Flat-Coated Retrievers, a Golden Retriever,
a Siberian Husky, two German Shepherd Dogs, a Border Collie
and a Viszla have earned TDs through the club. The Rhodesian
has also earned a TDX, and most recently Mint, a border collie,
has earned the VST and the CT (Champion Tracker).
The AKC will hold it's first National Tracking
Invitational at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC on September
20th & 21st, 2003. This is for all dogs that have earned
their CT...with a limit of a 10-dog entry with 5 running on
Saturday and 5 on Sunday.
The tracks will comply with the TDX requirements, with the
following modifications:
- Turns: 5-8
- Age of Track: 3-5 hours
- Length of Track: 800-1000 yards
- Articles: 4 (metal, leather, cloth, plastic)
- Cross-tracks: 1
- Surfaces: Terrain and surfaces as available
What are "Versatility Awards"? Different breed parent clubs and the
American Kennel Club offer versatility programs. Dogs must
earn certain titles at increasingly difficult levels leading
up to a Versatility Championship. This allows people who like
to participate in more than one venue to receive acknowledgement
for their dog's accomplishments.
AKC requires titles
in obedience, tracking and agility (both standard and jumpers).
The Border Collie
Society of America requires herding titles and includes
conformation. The American
Working Collie Association has many areas in which to
earn points from agility, carting, backpacking, service work,
and other areas.
Karen Felle and
her Poodle, Toots, have earned the AKC VCD-1. Dorothy Schmidt
and her Border Collie, Mint, have a VX from the BCSA, and
her Collie, Chelsea, has her VCH from the AWCA. Each organization
has different requirements, but all acknowledge a versatile
dog. Check with your dog's breed parent club to find out if
a versatility program is offered. Variety is the spice of
life, and dogs love variety!
All
you need to track is a dog, a harness, a 30' line and a glove,...
and food, water, flags, pencil and paper, surveyor's tape,
colored clotshespins, boots, a watch, a partner (if possible!),
rain gear, mosquito repellent, and time, time, time!
