The AKC Champion Tracker title : My journey

Sophie's diary : I was 9 1/2 months old when mom picked me up from my foster mom. My tracking training started the following morning. I really like it and I got to go to McDonald's for breakfast afterwards. I got to practice 2 to 3 times a week, and I was getting pretty good at it very quickly. Mom took me to judge Deb and I passed my certification a couple months later. I passed my first tracking test a week after my first birthday on my first attempt. I was very proud and so was mom. 

Me tracking at the TD test

Mom continued to train me and we practiced at least once a week no matter what the weather condition was. I was also going to obedience classes and agility classes at the same time. I was scared of obedience judges so mom said I would not be in the obedience ring anytime soon. So mom said I needed to concentrate on tracking at that time.

Mom started to enter me in TDX and VST tests about a year later. She said I needed to get the experience. I got to go to Houston and Tulsa and we stayed in a hotel overnight and I got KFC for dinner. I failed quite a few tests but I seem to get more experienced and my horizon was broadened. I was able to sniff in different conditions. I was 3 years old when my older brother Shadow got sick. Mom could not afford to enter tracking tests because she had to pay for Shadow's medical bills. We also stopped tracking at the test site because mom could no longer afford the gas to go. So I tracked close to home, at the school, a park, and a business park close by. I was happy because I still got to go to McDonald's.

My TD picture, I looked confident, I was just a puppy.

Shadow passed away a year or so later in the summer of 2012. He was almost 15. Mom started to enter me in tracking test that fall, and I passed the VST in Houston that November. Mom was very happy and so was I. I got lots of food and mom told me I was a very good girl. I also got my rally novice title the following month. I really do not like obedience very much but I do it for all the chicken nuggets.

Mom then changed my training to field only. She said I needed to concentrate and not sniff for rabbits and coyotes. It was hard. I love finding rabbit's nests and I love to dive my nose in the ground. I also love drains, just like my older sister Sidney. Got to check out the drains. Mom said I got to stop that.

My VST picture at the University of Houston.

In the mean time, mom entered me in agility trials and I started to concentrate and was doing well. I was either going to tracking tests or agility trials. I failed quite a few TDX tests by the spring of 2014. Mom said I needed to get my act together. I had already got my novice titles in agility and was in open level. Mom said we were going to take a break from tracking tests and I needed to get my CD.

By then, my baby brother Spencer was over a year old and we started going to obedience trials. He was better than me, and I was glad I had company.

Mom said my CD tour started in Fort Worth, then Abilene, Longview, Belton, Dallas, Glen Rose, Azle and finally ended in Mesquite. That was my Texas tour. I finally got my CD spring of 2015.

Me at a TDX test.

Don't get me wrong, my tracking training never stopped. I was tracking once a week in addition to going to obedience and agility trials. By then, I had already got my excellent level agility titles. Spencer also got his TD by then so mom said I would be in a tracking boot camp.

After Easter, we started going out to the test site on Thursday nights in addition to our regular Saturday training. Mom would come home from work and we have dinner and be out in the fields. Mom would lay me a short track and I was to concentrate finding the start direction, that was interesting since I got the same ice cream as Spencer but he has to do a full track. Mine is usually only one or two turns. If I did not concentrate, mom would remind me my ice cream is on the line.

Mom entered me in a first tracking test in over a year and a half. Mom had a talk with me the night before. She said I need to get my nose together, if not I would be going back to obedience class. I heard that right. That Sunday morning, I was confident and the weather was good that day. It was cold enough and wet enough for my nose, just some wind. I found all the articles and passed the test. Mom was happy and relieved. I am now a Champion Tracker. My foster mom Kathleen was also proud of me.

My Winning ribbon and glove

My TDX and Champion Tracker picture

My Champion Tracker certificate

Abbreviations : 

TD : Tracking Dog

CD : Companion Dog

TDX : Tracking Dog Excellent

VST : Variable Surface Tracking

I am "Scentsational" !

Spencer's diary : I started tracking when I was about 14 weeks old. Mom waited until I had all the puppy shots before she took me out in the fields. It was fun and I love going sniffing. The best part, of course, is getting a McMuffin for breakfast. Pretty soon, it was getting hot in the summer, but I was pretty good already before I turned a year old. Mom said I could not compete in any AKC events until I got neutered at 14 months old. So my first winter went by, and I continued to go tracking with Sophie and mom last summer and fall.

The holidays came, and mom stayed home for 2 weeks. Aunt Roxanna was also here to spend the holidays. One day, Aunt Roxanna and mom took me to Judge Deb and mom said I had to track for Judge Deb so I could enter a tracking test. Judge Deb was very nice, and my track was very smelly. After that we went to McD's and I fell asleep during the long ride home.

Me tracking for Judge Deb

We continued to practice tracking and mom said I really needed to work hard and pass this winter or early spring. If not, it would be almost another year before I can try again. 

February came, and mom told me one morning that that day was my tracking test. It was cloudy and rainy that day. I got to the first turn and I lost my scent. Mom was very upset, but I really did not understand, since after the judge blew the whistle, I still got to the end and found the glove. 

We then started to track in the rain. Mom said that I needed to learn how to track in all weather situations. It was not all that bad, just got a little wet, but still the same McMuffin after practice. Mom

Me approaching the 30 yard flag on test day

said that I will have another tracking test on Easter Sunday. I was kind of disappointed. I thought we were going on Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday!

Well, Easter morning came and mom told me that I should get ready and not run around crazy with Sophie. It was another rainy and cloudy day. I hoped all the practice in the rain would pay off.

I got to the first turn and told mom a couple times that I needed to turn right, but she wasn't sure, so I told her a couple more times and she followed along. Then the second turn, the third turn, no problem. I started to get tired because there were a lot of wildflowers in the field, and you know, you got to stop and smell the flowers. I was also wet because I was not allowed to wear a raincoat during the test. So, when I got to the fourth turn. I told mom, here, turn right, and came to sit in front of her. She kept telling me to go find it, but I thought she could go get the glove herself.

She said that quite a few times, and I saw the judges behind her looking at us. I really would like my McMuffin then. That was when mom said go find it and we go to McD's. Oh that I heard right, so I

Me tracking, and stopping to smell the flowers

got up right away and head towards the glove.

But then, I got to stop and smell some more flowers. The flowers smelled really good, and mom kept reminding me that I needed to look for the glove. I know, I know. I needed my breakfast too. And finally, there it was, the glove, glorious glove. Mom bent down to pick it up and everybody cheered. I did not know I had an audience, but I was very hungry.

The judges told mom that I passed the test and we walked back to the car and off we went to get my McMuffin.

Instead of going home, mom said we needed to go back so I could get my ribbon. I was wet and tired. I fell asleep in the car. Mom woke me up later so I could get my ribbon and pose with the judges for a picture. I could tell mom was happy. A few people gave me some treats so I was happy too.

My surprise came when I thought we were heading home, mom stopped to eat lunch with everybody who entered the test. So I decided that I would take a nap. Mom then came out with a burger. I could

Me posing with mom and the judges

My ribbon and glove, along with a hat for
Mom, a prize that I won 

not believe it. I was so happy. A burger and a McMuffin on the same day? Afterall, I am officially "Scentsational" !    

The AKC Versatile Companion Dog title : My journey

Sophie's diary : My name is Sophie. I am, of course, a German Shepherd Dog. Mom found me on Petfinder.com Thanksgivng 2008 when I was about 10 months old. I was very scared of people. I did not remember how I ended up in a shelter, but Kathleen, my foster mom rescued me and I lived with her for almost 3 months before mom found me. I do not know who my real mom and dad is. But mom loves me very much. She enrolled me in obedience class and agility class right away. I was fascinated and learned a lot of new things, getting a lot of treats along the way.

She also turned in an application for me to the American Kennel Club (AKC) so I can get a

Me tracking on my passing TD track
A week after my first birthday. 

Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) number. With that number, I can compete in any AKC performance sports just like a pedigree dog. Wow, I was excited. Mom also got to pick out a unique name for me, and she said since I am so silver in color, she named me after Van Gogh's Starry Starry Night.

There were quite a few things that were difficult for me to learn, like going on the dog walk and the teeter, doing a stand for exam in obedience since I was really scared of people, and staying, since I do not want mom to leave me. But one thing that I found out that I am really good at is tracking. Mom took me out to the fields the day after she came and got me from Kathleen, and she showed me how to sniff (well, I kind of knew how, you know what I mean!), and find things and she taught me how to follow a scent. That was a lot of fun for me, and the best part of the training is I get a McMuffin for breakfast afterwards. What's not to like? I passed my first AKC tracking dog test (TD) at first attempt in less than 3 months, a week after my first birthday. I found a dead bird along the track too. Mom had to take it from my mouth, but I was still a puppy then. Obedience class continued, and I passed the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test shortly thereafter.

Mom and I continued to track and enter tracking tests, along with weekly obedience and agility classes. I passed the AKC Variable Service Tracking (VST) test in Houston when I was 4 1/2 years old at the Universiy of Houston.

Me tracking on my passing VST track
At the University of Houston

Did I mention all the KFC chicken that I get to eat every time we stay at a hotel? This is an advance level tracking test, so mom is very proud of me that I had achieved an advance level title.

Mom then told me that since I had been in obedience class for almost 4 years, it was time for me to get into the obedience ring. So I got my rally novice (RN) title the following month.

Then mom told me since I had been taking agility classes for 4 years, I need to pay attention and start earning ribbons. So here I was, I got my novice, open titles in agility and jumpers in about 9 months time, and my excellent level title (AXP, AJP) in another year or so. I like jumping, and I like to run, but sometimes I run like crazy, and mom told me that I am not crazy, and I need to pay more attention. I get to go to McDonald's when I have a good run. Mom either gets me an ice cream cone or a McChicken. I also get salmon in between runs. So I have been enjoying going to agility trials.

When I turned 6 last year, mom said I need to get my act together and get my obedience title, because that is the last thing I need for the Versatile Companion Dog 1 (VDC1) title. I was still scared of some people, especially when they have big hair or a big beard. My baby brother Spencer had been coming

Me clearing a triple jump

along to the obedience shows with me, and he acts like he had been doing it all his life. He told me being petted by the judge is really no biggie, and he told me to think about McDonald's afterwards. It took me a number of times before I got my first qualifying score (Q). But then there were quite a few scary looking judges, and I either did not want to get petted by them or did not stay when I was told.

Mom put me in a sit stay down stay boot camp since I needed 2 more Qs. She said this is not all about the titles, but about being a better dog. She also said when I get my 2 Qs, I will never have to go to obedience class again. I heard that right. So I got a second Q when I saw a nice looking man and I thought hmmm I could be petted by him. And sure, nothing bad happened. But then the next day, it was a lady with big hair, and I was scared and won't let her touch me. I knew mom was upset, but she should know that I do not like big hair. So on the last day of the trial, mom told me that the judge is normal looking, so I need to pay attention. I completed my individual exercises and I Qed up to that point.

Then came the group exercises where I had to sit stay and down stay with a group of dogs that I do not know. Well, the judge was not scary so I thought it was no biggie. But then the Doberman next to me got up while we were supposed to be lying down, and went over to the bloodhound. I thought about mom's boot camp and I decided not to move, no matter what happens. So I got my last Q.

Me and mom performing the off leash heel
Exercise at an obedience trial

Now that I finally have my Companion Dog (CD) title, mom kept her word and sure enough I do not have to go to obedience class anymore. I also fulfilled the requirements of a Versatile Companion Dog 1 (VCD1), which requires at least novice titles in obedience, tracking, agility and jumpers.

I still look forward to the next hotel stay, next KFC meals, and the next dog show. I guess I will have to tag along when Spencer goes to the next obedience trial. I am glad I am a smart and multi-talented GSD, and I had lots of fun along the way.

My AKC certificates for my CD and VCD1 

For more information on the American Kennel Club Purebred Alternative Lisitng program, please visit

http://www.akc.org/register/purebred-alternative-listing/