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Traeloch’s Looking For Trouble TD (Dennis) earned his TD today at the Berks County Dog Training Club trial held at beautiful Blue Marsh Lake in Central Pennsylvania. Sue Ammerman and Salle Richards were the judges. The location is spectacular---with rolling hills leading to a huge and scenic lake. The cover ranged from mowed timothy fields to calf-high alfalfa fields. Dennis was Catalogue #2 and we drew the second track of five tracks (the sixth became the alternate's track). The morning was fall-like with calm winds. The fields were wet.
Dennis had a good start, laid into his alfalfa field, went up a slope, and at the first corner, went toward a gravel road down a slope, but I let out line for him to test the corner. He returned to the corner and went up another slope to the right. After four turns, a visit to four of seven ground hog holes, and 455 yards, he stood proudly over a tan shearling-lined leather glove, and turned and looked at me, wagging his tail (he was smiling broadly). The gallery cheered as I held up the glove. We continued to cheer on the other teams as they ALL successfully earned their TDs that day. All save one were seasoned handlers--some were judges--and others trained tracking. As Salle Richards said, it was due to the well-trained dogs and handling skills of the handlers. I was quite impressed with the handling in each of the teams.
We all returned to the pavilion very happy to a spread of home-cooked treats---from barbeque to hotdogs and sauerkraut to homemade soup. There were brownies, pumpkin bundt cake, and cookies as well as drinks.
Then there were the group photos and individual photos with the tracklayer and judges. We all held up our gloves signed by the judges as well as our inscribed wooden plaque (each had a place for a photo, which they send later) and our track map. The photos were with the lake in the background--very impressive location. I promise to send photos.
Well, Dennis is on to his TDX--although it will have to be Teryl that takes him in as my leg probably can't go that distance or bend enough to go over large logs. Use your back button to sniff out a new story