The Joy of Tracking and Old Jess
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[Tracking_Dog] The Joy of Tracking and Old Jess
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 1:16 PM
From: "SUSAN COUTTS"
Just a little story, about a little old dog that I hope encourages others in this
wonderful sport of tracking. Sometimes we get so bogged down with
"important" titles on our dogs, or the problems we encounter at shows or
trials, or AKC or CKC, or whatever.....
To me, this is what our chosen sport of tracking is all about.... I've never
been so happy to have a dog earn any tracking title as I was this past
weekend when Jess (finally) made it to her article.
The B.C.Sheltie Rescue took Jess from a horrible life in a puppy mill when
she was 9 1/2 years old. After coming to us, she soon became a pet therapy
dog, and has been giving joy to some older folks for over five years now.
Jess was always excited when I took the other dogs out to "work" and I
decided to get a PEN (CKC Performance Event Number) for her (at thirteen)
and try Rally 0. She got her CKC Rally Novice but has some arthritis in a
shoulder, so I did not continue due to jumping. Last year, at 13 1/2 years of
age, I began to track with her. She was super keen. It was for fun for her,
and eventually, I even began to consider the possibility of a TD.
Unfortunately, mid July she became quite ill, and after recovering, just never
seemed to track as well. Not sure why, she was given a clean bill of health,
but seemed to track to the side more than on the track. She had good and
not so good days, but every day was fun for her. She always really wanted to
go out, she would hop around and had an excited little cry, and so we
continued.
I would not have taken a place in a test if I felt we were holding back an
alternate. However, there was space in a test last weekend, and I figured this
just might be her one and only chance, mainly due to her age. We entered
on closing day.
Jess is actually only two months, and one week, short of fifteen years old.
She is also almost deaf, and I work on the lower limit length of line with her,
and actually have to yell at her to hear me. I made sure the judge was aware
of this first. Jess certainly did not do a stellar track, it was a struggle at times,
and I was close to calling it a day more than once. However, we did persist,
her track took 41 minutes (a looong 41 minutes!!!). She perked up
considerably nearing the final (fourth) corner, and I realized, just maybe, we
were really going to do it. Jess couldn't care less about the articles, she just
stops dead when she reaches one. I can't even begin to express my feelings
when I saw her stand still, looking downward. I only remember gulping,
running up, and bawling and hugging her for so long.
I just really hope that people will see that a rescued dog, and an old dog, can
still work in this venue, perhaps give them a purpose, and certainly give them
a lot of joy. Jess has certainly given a great deal of joy to us, and hopefully is
an inspiration for others.
Should you wish to read a little about her earlier life, and how she came to us
there is a link and Jess is No.4 on this link:
http://mistyisleshelties.com/rescue.html
Thanks for letting us share this, and I hope it will give someone else the
"push" to do the same with an "older" dog, just for the joy of it.
Keepers Jess RN TD
susan c
www.gooddogsplay.com
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 1:16 PM
From: "SUSAN COUTTS"
Just a little story, about a little old dog that I hope encourages others in this
wonderful sport of tracking. Sometimes we get so bogged down with
"important" titles on our dogs, or the problems we encounter at shows or
trials, or AKC or CKC, or whatever.....
To me, this is what our chosen sport of tracking is all about.... I've never
been so happy to have a dog earn any tracking title as I was this past
weekend when Jess (finally) made it to her article.
The B.C.Sheltie Rescue took Jess from a horrible life in a puppy mill when
she was 9 1/2 years old. After coming to us, she soon became a pet therapy
dog, and has been giving joy to some older folks for over five years now.
Jess was always excited when I took the other dogs out to "work" and I
decided to get a PEN (CKC Performance Event Number) for her (at thirteen)
and try Rally 0. She got her CKC Rally Novice but has some arthritis in a
shoulder, so I did not continue due to jumping. Last year, at 13 1/2 years of
age, I began to track with her. She was super keen. It was for fun for her,
and eventually, I even began to consider the possibility of a TD.
Unfortunately, mid July she became quite ill, and after recovering, just never
seemed to track as well. Not sure why, she was given a clean bill of health,
but seemed to track to the side more than on the track. She had good and
not so good days, but every day was fun for her. She always really wanted to
go out, she would hop around and had an excited little cry, and so we
continued.
I would not have taken a place in a test if I felt we were holding back an
alternate. However, there was space in a test last weekend, and I figured this
just might be her one and only chance, mainly due to her age. We entered
on closing day.
Jess is actually only two months, and one week, short of fifteen years old.
She is also almost deaf, and I work on the lower limit length of line with her,
and actually have to yell at her to hear me. I made sure the judge was aware
of this first. Jess certainly did not do a stellar track, it was a struggle at times,
and I was close to calling it a day more than once. However, we did persist,
her track took 41 minutes (a looong 41 minutes!!!). She perked up
considerably nearing the final (fourth) corner, and I realized, just maybe, we
were really going to do it. Jess couldn't care less about the articles, she just
stops dead when she reaches one. I can't even begin to express my feelings
when I saw her stand still, looking downward. I only remember gulping,
running up, and bawling and hugging her for so long.
I just really hope that people will see that a rescued dog, and an old dog, can
still work in this venue, perhaps give them a purpose, and certainly give them
a lot of joy. Jess has certainly given a great deal of joy to us, and hopefully is
an inspiration for others.
Should you wish to read a little about her earlier life, and how she came to us
there is a link and Jess is No.4 on this link:
http://mistyisleshelties.com/rescue.html
Thanks for letting us share this, and I hope it will give someone else the
"push" to do the same with an "older" dog, just for the joy of it.
Keepers Jess RN TD
susan c
www.gooddogsplay.com
| Click on photo for larger view |
| This story just goes to prove that it's never too late to get out and do things with your dogs! Susan posted Jess' story on the Tracking_Dog list and gave me permission to re-post it here. |
