From Left to Right: Judge Jeff Shaver, Gillian Salling, Liesl, Judge Susan Eldred, and the Tracklayer
From Left to Right: Judge Jeff Shaver, Gillian Salling,
Liesl, Judge Susan Eldred, and the Tracklayer
Another Fernheim German Shepherd gets her TD!!!!
I started tracking training with my German Shepherd female, Liesl von Fernheim, at the end of September 2006
when she was 9 months old, which was when I acquired her from her co-owner. I usually start tracking with my own
pups when they are only 9 weeks old, which I find much easier because they don’t pull as strongly as they do
when they are 9 months old! Due to our dry weather conditions last fall and winter, most of our tracking was in
dry and dead vegetation, some of it quite sparse. I always feel if a dog can track in extremely dry vegetation
where there is not much scent, then they can easily track in wetter conditions where the track scent is stronger,
but not necessarily vice versa. The short, dry, sparse grass also tends to pull the nose down deeper to
the ground, which I like, because that is required for Schutzhund tracking.
In February 2007, Liesl was ready to be entered into an AKC tracking test, so I entered her in the Texas
Tri-City Obedience Club test on February 25thin Fort Worth. This would have been conveniently close
for me, but she only pulled 1st Alternate and all the entrants did show! The conditions there were
similar to what she had tracked in all along and I laid her a track there after the TDs had finished and had a
friend follow behind her for a distraction. I then entered her in the Houston Obedience Training Dog Club in
Houston on March 18th. In the meantime, I came down with a bad case of the flu on March 4th!
I was in bed with a high fever for a week during which time I found out we had got into the
Houston test.
I was not sure I was going to be able to make that 320 mile trip down there. On top of that, I had heard that
they had had a lot of rain in Houston and I knew the George Bush Park tended to flood very badly. I managed to
get out twice the week before the test to track Liesl and the last day I got her out I went to track in an area
that I knew had a place that stood in water at the very slightest rain. It had rained 2 days prior to that.
I laid the track over that area to see what she would do. She did have difficulties in that area but I let her
work it out on her own and she was able to complete the track without my help. That proved to stand her in good
stead for Houston!
When I got down to Houston the afternoon before the test I couldn’t believe all the water in the park! I laid
Liesl a short one turn track in a very soggy area just to familiarize her with the scent conditions there. The
next morning we drew the first track! It was in an area close to the pavilion that had been intended to be the
alternate track, but they decided to use that as the first track before any of the public wandered on to the
area. Part of the area had been underwater just the day before!! I could even see the high water debris line
on the track! It was a zigzag shaped 4 turn track of 455 yards and part of it was standing in water, so we had
to slosh thru it! The wet ground didn’t seem to bother Liesl but she did take a bit longer on the 4th
turn than on the others. After she made that turn I knew we had it made, but there is nothing more exciting than
seeing your dog down at the article at the end of a
successful track, especially when she has to lie in water!!
She completed the track in 10 minutes. I was especially proud because she had never tracked in such waterlogged
conditions! I was also excited to see Deb Lyons pass with her German Shepherd!
Congratulations to all successful TD and TDX participants and happy
tracking to all!
Submitted by Mrs. Gillian M. Salling, AKC Tracking Judge #3165