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Sagebrush Little Britches, UD TDX
(Britches)
January 16, 1984-October
24, 1999
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Britches at 2 years |
- 14 3/8 inches
- Sable & white
- Eyes certified normal
- OFA Excellent
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Britches was one of a litter of
four born in my home. Her littermates include
Sagebrush
Wildcat Annie, CDX and Sagebrush Molly Of Candyland, CD. Britches was a character.
She had no use for anyone other that myself, although she accepted
my husband. But she had a terrific sense of humor, and she
excelled in cuteness.
She had a couple of reserves to
her credit, but she didn't particularly care for the show ring.
And her idea of a litter was one or two puppies. Her first
litter was Sagebrush A Girl In The Valley, CD, who
died young.
And luckily for me, her second litter contained CT Sagebrush Molly Brown, UD HS AX OAJ
VCD2 STDs HTD-IIs HRD-IIIs, who was the breed's first Champion Tracker. |
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Britches attended her first
all-breed match at the age of 4 months. She was Best Puppy In
Match with my friend JoAnne Hawkins handling her. I was
handling her littermate, Annie. |
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Britches at 8 years |
Britches at 12 1/2 years, shortly after she passed her TDX test |
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Britches aged well and enjoyed
working well into her teens. Her distractability made her
an indifferent obedience dog, but she was a great tracker.
She once followed a track right under the nose of a curious
horse without giving any indication that she knew the horse was
there.
She was fun to train. On one occasion she was following a
track, and was distracted by a discarded box with the remains of
Kentucky Fried Chicken a few feet to the side of the track.
She went over and investigated the box, and I directed her back
to the track. She went right back to the box, and I took
her back to the track again. It was becoming apparent to
her that I didn't realize the importance of Kentucky Fried
Chicken. The third time she went back to the box, she
looked up at me and very deliberately sat, which was her article
indication. She clearly though that I needed to know how
important a find this was! My first TD dog, Britches started her tracking training at the age of
nine, and was over 12 when she passed her TDX
test. She was only the 28th Sheltie to earn a TDX. |
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Britches passed her
TDX test on April 21, 1996, on her second try. The
Oakland Dog Training Club test was the last test of the
season, and I really didn't know if I could keep her
tracking for another year, as she was 12 years old.
It took her nearly an hour to work through the track.
She had considerable difficulty at the last turn, as
some bird watchers had tromped through the area earlier
in the morning. She got her picture taken for her
trouble. I got poison oak. |
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Britches never competed in agility. She was
a senior citizen when I first built some agility obstacles.
But she insisted that if the other dogs could do it, she could
do it too. She was 13 1/2 years old when we took this shot
of her going over a lowered A-frame.
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Britches at age 15 in 1999 |
Read more about Britches:
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Sheltie Pacesetter,
September-October 1886, in The Sheltie At Work
(article about her TDX track)
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Reg.