The Story Of Tess
Photos are copyrighted 1998-2010 and used with permission
UOCH ARCH URO2 Canami's Working Girl UD TD NA Can CD NAC NJC NGC TN-E (photo by Pat Kalbaugh) |
Tess was bred by Erin Schaefer of Canami Shelties, NY, and came to live with owner Pat Kalbaugh in Juneau,
Alaska. At age four months, she began her tracking training, just a few weeks after her arrival. Pat and a friend
wanted to start tracking dogs, and they got together a couple of times a week through Tess’ first summer and fall.
Pat recalls that neither of them knew much about tracking, but what they lacked in knowledge they made up for in
enthusiasm.
Tess excelled in cross-training from early in her life. She competed in her first obedience trial
at the Sonoran Desert Dog Association trials in Tucson, Arizona on her first birthday. And two days later she
completed her United Companion Dog (UCD) title. Pat said of Tess, “Tess is a happy and consistent worker. I am
extremely pleased with her ability, attitude and performance. She is a joy to work with and I am proud to have her
as my partner and companion but most of all, my best friend.
Tess then went on to finish her U-CDX title at the age of 15 1/2 months at the Whitehorse Woofers
trials in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. From there she went into the Utility class, qualifying the first two times
out with two first places at the age of 1 year 8 months! She finished her United Utility Dog title on Feb 5, 2000
at Monroe Valley's UKC Trials in Seattle, WA where she placed 4th out of 16 Utility B entries.
Meanwhile, Tess continued her tracking. Most of her training was done at the Mendenhall Wetlands
Wildlife Refuge, on the Mendenhall Peninsula in Juneau, Alaska. The refuge is one of the few local areas that is
flat, grassy and open enough to do TD training.
July 1998: A great day tracking in Juneau, Alaska! |
Pat and Tess made an unsuccessful attempt at a tracking test in 1999. After that, Pat sought advice from
friend and tracking judge, Bob McSwain of Montana. He reminded her that the handler must trust the dog, who is the
only one who knows where the track is, and that the handler’s job is to follow the dog’s lead, and keep the tracking
line from tangling the dog.
During training in the summer of 2000, Pat worked on the mental aspects of trusting and following her dog,
and on the physical aspects of line handling. Pat said of her, "Tess’ loves to track and becomes uncontrollably
excited when the harness and flags appear.”
Pat and Tess made their second try at the Luckiamute Dog Training Club Tracking Test in Rickreall,
Oregon on November 5, 2000. Pat thought the weather was near perfect—overcast and about 40 degrees, with a stiff
wind. Tess was her usual motivated self, pulling, jumping, lunging and whining when she saw the start flag. She
locked onto the scent about 10 yards into the track, pulled hard into her harness and located her glove seven minutes
after she started, to earn her AKC TD title.
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