*** Tracking Dog Qualifications ***

Subject:   Re: Defining Terms
  Date:    Wed, 25 Sep 1996 10:55:22 -0400 (EDT)
  From:    kparks@bright.net
    To:    sar-l@islandnet.com


TD  is an American Kennel Club  title certifying a dog as a beginner
qualified tracking dog.

The dog has to be able to follow a specified course (more than 1/2 hour
old  up to 2 hours old. And the track is 440 to 500 yds long.

In essence ...the dog  has to have an idea that he is tracking some kind
of scent and follow it. He even gets two starting flags so he knows which
direction the track goes. But in the distance that he is tested
under...you hardly need a tracking dog.

TDX  this is a 3- 5 hr old track that contains some sort of obstacle and
is 800-1000 yards in length. Other people cross the track in two places
and the dog must locate dropped articles along the way.

VST is an AKC title that involves circumstances as in the TDX only most
of the track must be on unvegetated surfaces. Sidewalks, roads parking
lots... industrial complexes etc... and any amount of contamination from
vehicles and people what ever does not invalidate the track.

If your dog passes both TDX and VST he then becomes a tracking Champion
and gets the title TCH infront of his name. If he is a TCH...you
probably have a tracking dog suitable to start search work.

Most dogs are way beyond this level of expertise. My dogs have been trying
to draw into some of these tests for years now. There are MANY dogs vying
for a few spots. Tests are few and far apart and expensive. All tracking
slots are determined by luck of the draw. With my luck... I`ll never
bother with a lottery ticket. I have finally given up on entering them...
it is only lost postage. But I DO have an entry in a TDX test this
November... My dog didn`t get "in" the earlier fall drawings.

The final test he is entered in this fall is at the Kentucky horse park.
This is a groomed course that would NEVER need a tracking dog to locate a
person...a pair of binoculars would do... but due to short vegetation not
holding scent  and high traffic of horses... it is actually the most
challenging on TDX courses that I`ve seen... looks easy to us  but it
really has a VERY high failure rate.

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