New Champion Tracker!

I am always humbled and honored to be the "dope on a rope" following my dogs on a tracking test. Hokey and I entered 13 TDX tests this fall. We got drawn in two and got in run in two others as an alternate. Oh, so close on a couple - including about a month ago in Virginia when two gun shots blew our almost perfect track.

I thought long and hard about not entering this last test in Virginia. After all, #13, the weather likely to be bad (on my end in upstate NY if not in Virginia) and admittedly, I was a bit discouraged. When we got in, I still waffled a bit. I would have to take my old car (yellow mini van with over 200,000 miles on it), had a bad cold, my good boots had a hole, etc. But off we went driving 400 miles down Route 81.

Sunday am was cold (temps in the mid 30s) and wet. It started off misty/drizzly for the TDs, but then started to actually rain when we went. Oatlands Plantation is a cool site with sweeping grass areas and plenty of three day event jumps (for horses) scattered about. The grass was manicured lawn though - literally cut closer than my lawn at home ever is! There were woods, a stream, some brushy areas.

Our draw items to determine our tracks were cute angel ornaments. We drew Track 2. Track one went off well but the BC got drawn down the cross tracks.

It was our turn. The wind and rain picked up but Hokey started right down the first leg. Then we turned left up a long, rolling hill. At the top, he indicated a turn to the right. The track actually went a touch further but he was hesitant to go between the low branches of an evergreen and a solid telephone pole log jump.

We almost blew it right then. Hokey spotted a white article (a piece of trash as it turns out) and did classic VST dog article search mode. Luckily when he realized it was not one of our articles, he worked his way back and came across one of our real articles! Yay - just two articles & hundreds of yards to go!

We went straight a bit and then turned right to go back down the hill. Hokey had now crossed over both sets of cross tracks with barely a nod. We went through a brushy/swampy/pricker area, then some more field and down a banking, over a creek into the woods. The creek was 6 to 8 feet wide in places and about a foot deep at its deepest.

On the far side of the creek, Hokey turned left onto a path through the woods. It was dirt and cinder, with a few old leaves around. The second article was partway down this leg. Good boy Hokey!!

We finally left the woods and came out into a nice field. Hokey immediately turned left to go back down to the creek. At the end of the line, he hesitated a touch. I honestly could not believe we would actually go over the creek again so I held steady. Poor Hokey then checked every possible permutation of the field edge and finally insisted we head down to the creek. Thankfully I did trust him - the words of Ed echoing around my head, "90% of the time, the first way the dog checks is the correct way".

I might add, this is a dog who hates water! On a 90 degree day at an agility trial he will not even go in the kiddie wading pools.

Hokey went right through the creek again and then onto a sheet of ice (which was over land, not water). We got the line caught on another jump right there but then he went straight to snuffle at a blob of mud. He snuffled, turned, smiled at me and sat! That is his stellar article indication and I ran up to see that the "blob" was a brown, wet, muddy glove, stuck in the mud!!

I screamed, he bounced around, the judges screamed, my track layer screamed and Hokey had (despite me almost blowing it!) earned his TDX which also gave him his CT or Champion Tracker title!

The title is a huge high of course, but best of all, is that Hokey is still alive and well, still loves doing things, training, traveling and competing. 14 months ago I was in terrible despair with a dog with a very guarded prognosis from an aggressive lymphoma. And from our despair came hope as he handled the chemo so well and now an amazing success!

The judges (Susan Ammerman and Judith Edwards) hustled off to the next track while my track layer (Sharon Kilrane) and I walked back up towards the start area where our cars were. I dried Hokey thoroughly and gave him a bunch of chicken.

Sadly, no other TDX dogs passed.

We had along drive home - made longer by stops for caffeine for me and double cheeseburgers for Hokey.

I am still in awe at my dog's ability. And our motto is "Canine Cancer Survivors Can Do"!!!

Catching up!

Boy, things have been busy! Between Tom's soccer and marching band I have barely had time to catch my breath.
My Belgian Breeds examiner column has just finished a really fun treat recipe contest. Check it out at www.examiner.com/belgianbreeds . The recipes were fairly simple and our dogs loved all of them. The peanut butter and tuna treats were enjoyed by the humans too! I hate liver and hate even having it in the house but I have to say the dogs were thrilled with the winning treats.

Kate found a tick on Queezle the other day and I pulled one off Hokey a week ago. So don't figure that tick season is over. Boy, I really hate them!

Hokey continues to do well - now one year and one month post diagnosis. I have added organic, raw apple cider to his regimen - just 1 tbsp a day. The glutamine and arginine were dropped as he is well post chemo at this point. I just keep crossing my fingers that he stays in remission. He feels great, looks great!
Deb E

Oh yeah, I am doing just fine! I race and bark at the other dogs, I leap, I dance, I am!
Hokey

Disasters - but minor!

I had hoped to have good news, but despite lovely conditions, Hokey and I muffed up a turn and failed our TDX test in Cleveland. I was crushed since it is so hard to get into a test, we started well and he was working just great. Still these things happen. No passes at all.
We were late alternates the previous weekend and are again this coming weekend, so no more tries for a while. With every entry I send I add a prayer that Hokey will still be feeling fine IF we get in.

This trip was not that fun except for the actual test. The Cleveland folks are wonderful and the site was great. The drive out and most of the drive home were in pouring rain. On the way home I ended up in the post football game Buffalo traffic. This slows things way down - as in 10 miles in 30 minutes plus you have to beware plenty of drunk drivers. Not fun!

Halfway home I also started itching and quickly realized I had bed bug bites from my motel stay! ARRGH!!! This meant doing laundry literally as I walked in the door at 9 pm and spraying my bag, car, etc. Kate keeps telling me I will find this funny at some point. I am not sure I will live long enough!
Deb E

From Hokey:
Yeah, we blew it. I had visions of my double cheeseburger dancing through my head and then suddenly there was fabulous deer poop - like everywhere! Kind of lost it a bit. But I am sure we will pass soon!

Hokey's "official photo" & a great present

We got the digital file for Hokey's official CDX title photo today - Kurtis Photography. I figure he looks great and the judge and I at least look decent!

Hokey is also lucky to be part of a very supportive family - the Sensation Terv family. We got accolades from all his relatives. Then, today, from his favorite sister, T, Hokey got a GREAT toy! He loves the "wubbas". This one is a cute fox and has a great squeak. The one problem will be keeping it away from the other dogs.

Deb E

OH yeah, LOVE my sister T! Her humans are pretty darn nice too :). And their taste in dog toys is fabulous! I consider this to be all mine so I may have to hide it from the other dogs - especially those sneaky Aussies. I feel like the song from the Lion King - "It is good to be king!"

Hokey

Hokey continues on his road to excellence!

On Saturday morning, up in Amherst NY (near Buffalo) the Western Lakes Training Club was holding obedience trials. I drove up the night before and stayed at a Motel 6 with Hokey and Kate's Aussie, Tia. Both dogs were entered in Open A.

In the morning, our judge was Diana McKienzie - lovely woman from Canada. Hokey ended up going first to separate Tian and Hokey. It was not pretty but he was qualifying going into the stays. The dog next to him got up and looked around during the Long Down but then laid back down. He stayed and qualified - finishing his CDX and taking second place!

Tia did her best work ever and was qualifying going into stays as well but laid down with 20 seconds left, so she nq'd. I had told Hokey he never had to do Open again (except next Sunday at Interclub) so he was done! Tia went back in the afternoon and was terrible so she was "removed".

It was great to see a bunch of freinds that I only run into at obedience trials and many, many local friends had great successes. A special tip of the hat to Barb Handelsman who took 4th with her St. Poodle in a very tough Novice B class. This was Barb's first time back in the obedience ring after a 16 year hiatus! And to Pam Cox and Schuyler who pulled off two qualifying runs in Utility A back to back!

Hokey got a double cheeseburger on the way home to celebrate and we had steak yesterday so he got a bunch of that too :). Coming on what is very close to his one year anniversary of his diagnosis of lymphoma, this is even more special. And best of all, he is still feeling fine and in remission.

Deb E

Oh yeah, who, who, who was THE dog?!! Hokey, Hokey, Hokey! Tia fell flat on her face (lying down with 20 seconds to go - how lame!) and *I* was the star! Deb was trying to be cool but she definitely had trouble. Mt double cheeseburger was excellent and the steak yesterday was a nice touch too. Oh, and I got to choose a toy for a prize so I picked out a tiger stripe fuzzy squeaky. It is mine, all mine! Ooooh, and a stunning dark blue and gold title rosette to go along with my red rosette for 2nd place! Yep, I AM the dog!

When my official photo comes in I plan to share it with all of you.

Hokey, now known as Sensation Coyote Heart Dance CDX VST HSAsd RAE AX AXJ XF plus obedience, rally, herding and tracking titles in other venues

Duckling sort of a day

Whew! The ducklings are growing like weeds - or maybe even faster! Today I moved them down to the barn - with an ex-pen in a stall and a cover just in case Firecracker, our barn cat, thought duckling might taste good. He has never bothered the ducks but since these guys don't have a mama duck with them I want to be safe.

I then put them out for about an hour in the smaller pen inside the big duck pen. That way they can become acquainted with the older ducks and vice versa. Since everyone was safely confined, I went off to hang laundry.

When I came back down to move Pip and Squeak back into the barn, I realized that Pip, the tan duckling, had squeezed under the fence in one area and was in with the big ducks! Luckily, no one had gone after him.

The main duck stall inside is smaller than the outside pen so I don't want to mingle them until the ducklings have some more size. Just in case anyone gets territorial!

Never a dull moment!

Deb E

From Hokey - I don't know why she was worried. I LOVE ducks and I would have guarded the babies. (Editorial comment here - he would have, he does love herding the ducks and he is great with them.)

I am working at my obedience. I really like the retrieving and the jumping but the heeling is kind of boring. Deb has promised if I just hold it together one more time at a trial and pass I can stop ever doing this. She says we will work on Utility which is all fun. I hope she is right. I also get a double cheeseburger when I get that last Open A leg!

I track too. We are working on TDX out in the fields and woods which is also fun. I sometimes get distracted in the woods but I am working on it. Deb says when I get my TDX I will get a double cheeseburger AND a steak since that would be my CT (Champion Tracker). Good thing *I* don't feel any pressure!

Busy summer!!!

Boy this has been a busy summer! Making Tom's concerts at Eastern US Music Camp at Colgate University, doing agility and obedience, training in tracking and moving Kate back to Cornell, this time to an apartment with Queezle!
Hokey has continued to do well - even adding his second CDX leg with a first place! Best of all, he feels good and has stayed in remission so far. The end of September will mark one year since his diagnosis.
We have two new family members - Pip and Squeak - ducklings who hatched here. Unknown sex, but they "seem" like boys to me! Pip is the tan one and Squeak is the multi colored one. They are growing daily but at two weeks of age are still too small to join the adult ducks. No female claimed them so they are living in the back room at this time :)

I am now writing three examiner.com columns - Utica Dog, Utica Pet Health and a national Belgian Breeds. Subscriptions are free - just hit the subscribe button on the top of the columns if you want to.