The trial had 2 UTD tracks then 4 UTDX. We drew X#3. A great group of people there, congratulations to Jersey and Candace Rennie who earned their UTD. The other dogs were great and just had a blip that prevented their passes on Sunday. All did really well on their tracks.
The picture above shows us just starting out and a nice beginning it was. Judge Marie Babin and our tracklayer Joseph Weir behind us.
Second leg, just before out second corner, a left turn, a cloth article. Trust is working well. I thought the amazing green grass might be a bit overwhelming, but it was lovely to work on.
We've made our third turn beside a building and are moving well - over towards a drop down to a driveway.
This hill felt steeper than it looks here, I remember leaning back slightly going down. On the other side of the driveway was collected water that I had to jump over, and luckily didn't fall short and land in it. Trust just plowed through and was working soooo well. I felt she was dead on here, I was watching for that last footstep off the grass and she never wavered.
She is checking out a right turn here, actually did a little circle to the left first, there was a sewer grate there she checked, and then moved on to the right.
She committed quickly to the right turn, and now is just about to find her second article, a square of wood. Yay, we're feeling good.
Moving across another driveway and then into a parking lot. I'm feeling very confident out here, she's been doing great on hard surface in practice and actually seems to enjoy it more now than grass. I never thought I'd be saying that a couple of years ago!!! We went about 2/3 of the way out and she made a left turn further into the parking area.
She's moving along with confidence, I felt so good behind her. I think we both were willing confidence & trust to each other. But we had a little bobble after this, she continued straight, there was a left turn just ahead of her here and she continued past it. She wanted to go ahead and then seemed a little uncertain, but I let her go, I wanted her to check it out, we circled back around a bushy landscaped spot, and back into the parking lot, moving over toward the end of the building and scooting along toward the sidewalk. She was working it out. I told she could do it...and what a good girl she was.
This is the longer distance view, she had turned onto the sidewalk and worked right down the centre of it. I had forgotten...earlier I saw a parked van at this corner, as we entered the far side of the parking lot; he had stopped there and collected some round rocks. I remembered at that time thinking I hope he isn't letting a dog out. But when we reached this spot, it had totally left my mind as I was concentrating on Trust making a commitment...or not...at this spot.
This is when she just turned on to the sidewalk and I was "pretty sure" but watching for her 'lower' body postion to show she was on it as we moved on.
And she did commit, moving dead centre down the sidewalk to the end of the grass area....I also thought, hmmm, wonder why the track isn't down the roadway....
Well, it was!!! All of a sudden, she zoomed out to the final article. When I saw her moving right and saw 'something' out there, from my perspective, it was NO article, but some tiny piece of something...as I followed her there, she stopped dead, and I saw YES! IT WAS THE PIECE OF LEATHER. OMG! WE DID IT!
Of course, I turned into a blubbering fool, hugging her and telling her how wonderful she was, while Marie and Joseph gave us a few minutes to calm down.
Then Trust ran out to see them, Tascha ran up to see Trust (not me, ha.ha.) and we all hugged each other...a new Tracking Champion! Amazing. It was almost too impossible to believe...we finally did it! Best of all was how Trust worked, with enthusiasm and obviously happy and confident. What a wonderful day. The "trial" to get here was forgotten.
Marie and Tascha took a few pictures here. They were going to drive us back to where we were parked, but who could sit still?! Tascha and Trust and I walked back, reliving the track in reverse, playing with Trust, and probably looking and sounding like silly fools.
After the final track, we did the required photos and speeches and thank you's with the presentations of the rosettes and maps. Trust will also be receiving a medallion from the Club when it is ready.
My tracklayer, Joseph, who must have smelled very special to Trust, and judge Marie. Where do I begin with "thank you's"?!
An official introduction: TCh Carmspack Trust CD RN who is also a therapy dog.
Carmen Duggan (Carmspack German Shepherds) who bred this wonder girl, nine years ago.
Darlene and John Barnard who gave the seminar we attended before Urban was accepted by CKC.
Encouragement by so many people along the way. I had "retired" Trust last fall, and
a couple of months ago, just felt we had to try again. Many people were pleased that we had, probably most of all...ME!
Tascha for helping us in our training...laying tracks, always ready to help in any way, not the least...bringing Timmies' french vanilla and often taking pictures. I know Tascha feels like a protective auntie to Trust. Thanks, Tascha.
Marie who plotted a very nice track (for everyone on Sunday) and Joseph, our tracklayer. Everyone else involved in this test also, just so many helpful souls and those who came to watch and cheer everyone on.
Thank you everyone. This is a day I will never forget. Trust is happy to be home and going for a nice walk through the forest today...after all...she's "just" a dog! ha.ha. (But a VERY special one!)
I don't think these are common in our area, I am contacting our local "bird people".
What a day!!!!! I kind of kept this to myself before the trial, but Trust was entered in the UTDX on Sunday in Whitby. I am a member of the Cross Country Tracking Club who put on the UTD/UTDX Test. Trust has been working like a happy puppy this spring...which only consisted of 6 times out since the snow began to leave the parking lots. The green grass down south was amazing to see, we actually still have snow in some areas up here. With our impassable driveway, we ventured out with flashlights and two dogs on leashes to avoid the water/mud on our walk down at 3:30 a.m. to reach the draw at 8:30. Hardly any sleep the night before, but otherwise felt relaxed and calm and positive! I thought when I reached the van, I had forgotten my shoes and would have to wear my mudboots all day! Luckily, I found them.
Second leg, just before out second corner, a left turn, a cloth article. Trust is working well. I thought the amazing green grass might be a bit overwhelming, but it was lovely to work on.
We've made our third turn beside a building and are moving well - over towards a drop down to a driveway. 
This hill felt steeper than it looks here, I remember leaning back slightly going down. On the other side of the driveway was collected water that I had to jump over, and luckily didn't fall short and land in it. Trust just plowed through and was working soooo well. I felt she was dead on here, I was watching for that last footstep off the grass and she never wavered.
She is checking out a right turn here, actually did a little circle to the left first, there was a sewer grate there she checked, and then moved on to the right.
She committed quickly to the right turn, and now is just about to find her second article, a square of wood. Yay, we're feeling good.
Moving across another driveway and then into a parking lot. I'm feeling very confident out here, she's been doing great on hard surface in practice and actually seems to enjoy it more now than grass. I never thought I'd be saying that a couple of years ago!!! We went about 2/3 of the way out and she made a left turn further into the parking area.
She's moving along with confidence, I felt so good behind her. I think we both were willing confidence & trust to each other. But we had a little bobble after this, she continued straight, there was a left turn just ahead of her here and she continued past it. She wanted to go ahead and then seemed a little uncertain, but I let her go, I wanted her to check it out, we circled back around a bushy landscaped spot, and back into the parking lot, moving over toward the end of the building and scooting along toward the sidewalk. She was working it out. I told she could do it...and what a good girl she was.
This is the longer distance view, she had turned onto the sidewalk and worked right down the centre of it. I had forgotten...earlier I saw a parked van at this corner, as we entered the far side of the parking lot; he had stopped there and collected some round rocks. I remembered at that time thinking I hope he isn't letting a dog out. But when we reached this spot, it had totally left my mind as I was concentrating on Trust making a commitment...or not...at this spot.
This is when she just turned on to the sidewalk and I was "pretty sure" but watching for her 'lower' body postion to show she was on it as we moved on.
And she did commit, moving dead centre down the sidewalk to the end of the grass area....I also thought, hmmm, wonder why the track isn't down the roadway....
Well, it was!!! All of a sudden, she zoomed out to the final article. When I saw her moving right and saw 'something' out there, from my perspective, it was NO article, but some tiny piece of something...as I followed her there, she stopped dead, and I saw YES! IT WAS THE PIECE OF LEATHER. OMG! WE DID IT!
Marie and Tascha took a few pictures here. They were going to drive us back to where we were parked, but who could sit still?! Tascha and Trust and I walked back, reliving the track in reverse, playing with Trust, and probably looking and sounding like silly fools.
After the final track, we did the required photos and speeches and thank you's with the presentations of the rosettes and maps. Trust will also be receiving a medallion from the Club when it is ready.
My tracklayer, Joseph, who must have smelled very special to Trust, and judge Marie. Where do I begin with "thank you's"?!
The above picture was from a CGN test last October in North Bay
Two days can make such a difference! We could get part way up the driveway before this storm, but meant either backing in or backing out. David backed off the edge, and went into a newly formed pond! Actually, this picture is below. The tow truck came, wasn't sure he could get him out, finally did. The tow truck got stuck! This whole process last 4 hrs. I took these from the living window, they are 1500' down the driveway. Today we are back to solid muck and water over the driveway further up. Both the truck and van are parked at the road for a long time. We were lucky yesterday to have frozen ground early morning, so we could get the van down. What a spring this has turned out to be. It's a long walk, in and out, especially with groceries or dogs and now can't even use the garden cart to carry things. Pouring rain today!
April 21st - 24 cm of snow. When will this ever stop? Have been without computer usage for a week from a previous storm...modem knocked out again, but were in the middle of obtaining (FINALLY!!!) high speed and now, fingers crossed, are set again. I had a few postings in the middle of this, old address, so they are more or less outdated now. 
Kira "catching" snow as I shovel off the deck. Spook used to do this regularly, and no dog has since. It sure brought back memories of Spook when Kira began following around below the deck just loving the snow being thrown at her.
The duck pond. This is half way down our driveway, isn't that special?!!
The 'new' duck pond as seen from the top field.
There were four ducks in here, a joy to quivering Tank to see, no distraction at all to Blast....
Blast charged in with the kong frisbee, found the actual "hole" to swim in and then ran around having a wonderful splashing time. I had tried to avoid getting too close as it was nearing 4 p.m. and their dinner time, and ended up with a soaking wet dog who ignored me calling him before he hit the water. Very bad dog!
I have backed in the driveway, just past the "duck pond" where the driveway begins to give away to muck and ruts. Further up, it is totally impassable, so this is my grocery cart...hauling up my food, dog food, dog equipment and coat. This was last Thursday, I think, it was actually a lovely sunny day. We've been "walking" the driveway for a week, and still no sign of improvement...actually it gets worse.
Trust at the start, I didn't ask for a down as it was so wet and soggy. Our veg. surfaces weren't really much grass still, some pine needles, dirty grass. 
On the first leg, a zig around a large puddled area over into the pine trees. 
The track is the red outline, Trust moved around the other tree and headed straight out onto the paved driveway with a mission! Back to the track. First article coming up soon. 
This was a metal article, buried now in a puddle. She went right to it, and I had to dig it out from under the water. 
We head across a parking lot, across a road, and into a scent collecting area in front of an entrance. The wind was coming in an angle from the left. 
You can see the rain pouring down in this picture. Trust moved into the doorway to check it out, no problem, I knew there would be a turn on the sidewalk, she obviously wasn't heading in the door. A quick check, and back out turning left. 
Trust moved right down the centre of walkway, across the driveway, and then zipped around to the left of the rock, and back over to the next article - a block of wood. Then out across another parking area, where there was an open left turn about 2/3 of the way...however, she was working to the right of the track and continued on before turning left further up over the curb into the grass. 
This picture shows the track in red, and where she went from the wood article, and up onto the grass. Her turn was still in the 'allowed' area, and the scent had changed in over 3 hr. from dry to rain, so things change. Oh, to have a footstep tracker, though!!! 
The track headed towards the rocks and made a right turn. Trust had gone down over into the ditch on the left, and came back again to the track. 
Above, she appeared to be going to the childs' rubber boot, but corrected herself part way there, coming back to the track and moving on. 
My favorite picture..note the sign on the post..just for Trust and me - two seniors crossing the road. Neither Tascha nor I even noticed this until I looked at the pictures. Pretty funny! Anyway, back to the track - there was an open left turn on the grass just before the driveway, and the track went across the road. She goes down in the ditch, before coming up onto the road and crossing. 
She had some difficulty here, heading off the sidewalk, and over the chain into the field. She "tried" a few times, but couldn't commit. She kept scenting in this direction where she's standing, turning back and up and down. Finally, she did move down and over the chain fence. 
Once she committed, she moved with purpose and there was a right turn shortly ahead. This was the longest leg on veg. surface with an article about 2/3 of the way up. 
She's moving along well, but we are actually about 3 meters to the left of the track. 
She lifts her nose, as I believe she scented the article - plastic - over to the right and makes her way over to it. 
A plastic switchplate, she was right on finding this. Always surprises me! 
Again, she seems to be picking up the scent that has gone across this road (turn further up) and into a small grassed area for the final article. A busy highway is behind this, and the wind is coming from that direction as well. 
I think she was getting tired by this time as well, I hadn't intended as long a track and she was soaking wet. She was working really well, really trying in a few difficult areas and working them out well. 
One check in this direction turns back to the right and on to the article. 
Finally! A soaking wet sock. How exciting is this? Well, she got a bunch of turkey after this and was mighty happy, and happier still to go on the long walk back to the van, being told all the way what a wonderful girl she was.
