Beckett

OTCH CT DD's Paws Before You Leap UDX3 OM4 BN RAE2 RM SWD SWM TDU JH AX NJP AXJ OF SHDA VCD3 CGCA CCA OBHF OD VCX WCX

Basic Info

Birth: February 28, 2012
Gender: Female
Puppy Collar Color: Red
Photo Gallery

Pedigree

K9data Page
Dam: Bungee - DD's Look Before U Leap UDX OM BN RE RM TDX JH AX AXJ SWN VCD3 CCA OD VCX WC
Sire: Brogan - Ch. SHR Mirasol Nose No Blarney RA JH OA OAJ NF CCA VCX
Littermates (Bungee's First Litter)

Litters

Beckett's First Litter - born June 14, 2015

Career Stats:

High in Trials: 7

Megan’s Story

My name is Megan. I share my adventures with a Golden Retriever named “Beckett” or DD’s Paws Before You Leap, TDX, TDU, RN, CGC, WC, CCA

Beckett and I really like to track. We have shown some aptitude for it, so we track a lot and have a great time. In the summer of 2013 we heard about a new tracking test called Tracking Dog Urban (TDU) that would be starting on January 1, 2014. The rules of the TDU may be found here: //www.akc.org/events/tracking/tdu.cfm Given that we live downtown in one of the 10 largest cities in the US, most of our tracking is done on college campuses, city parks or large business parks. We were excited about the TDU test that would give us an opportunity to test where we train.

For those who aren’t familiar with Tracking…here is a brief overview. Tracking is a sport where a dog and handler team are taken to the start of a “track” laid by a stranger and the dog and handler work as a team to follow the track. Thankfully the dog does the sniffing. The role of the person is to stay connected to the dog via a long line, assist the dog in navigating the track and collect the articles the dog indicates along the track. There are many more dogs that would like to run tracks than clubs can accommodate in their tests, so to be able to run in a test, you must enter the dog….and then usually you need to win the catalog lottery which will assure you a track to run on test day. Like other events, about 10 days prior to the event, you learn if you have won the catalog lottery. Once you win the catalog lottery, you will draw for your running order on test day at the test site. The tracks are then run and the teams either pass or fail. Passing teams earn a title.

After searching for TDU tests to be held in January 2014, we learned of one TDU test on the west coast: Portland Dog Training Club was offering a TDU on January 1, 2014. This test would be located at the University of Portland. The judges were Mr. Curt Curtis and Mrs. Karla Curtis. We decided to enter. On Friday December 20th we received news that Beckett was one of the lucky dogs that made catalog draw for PDTC’s test. We decided we couldn’t miss that opportunity to participate in the first TDU test on the west coast, so we decided to make the 700 mile drive to Portland.

On January 1, 2014 we made it to the University of Portland around 8.30 am and went into Tracking Headquarters (a room on campus) to wait for the track draw at 9 am. As we checked in with the Secretary, we learned that all 10 entrants were present for the test—6 catalog draw winners and the 4 alternates.

At 9 am the draw for running order started. Catalog dog 1 drew track 3. Catalog dog 2 drew track 5. We were catalog dog 3; this turn of events left tracks, 1,2,4 or 6 for us. We drew track number 2.

By 9.10 the draw and judges briefing was over and the dog/handler team was off to track 1 which was located slightly off campus. My nerves weren’t up to seeing that team track or even trying to drive my car, so we stayed on campus at the headquarters and waited for the judges to return to campus for the remaining tracks. Around 9.30 am we learned that dog 1 didn’t pass and that our track would start about 9.45 am. We anxiously waited for the judges to come get us and take us to the start.

At 9.45 we followed Judge Curt Curtis up the hill to our start. We were led to a beautiful bluff, pointed “left” and wished good luck. Once we completed our start ritual, I pointed her toward the track and we were off. Beckett indicated the start article and then headed off on the track. She had a great start. About 50 yards into the track, she made an abrupt turn left from the grass to the pavement. She wasn’t really committed, so we backed up to the last known point of the track and she headed back on her original line for about 5 more yards and then made another hard turn left.….so, we went out into the pavement and stayed there for a while. She was searching back and forth in a “round about” in front of a building. She searched for a few minutes before she made her way right and up a slight incline in the parking lot. She clearly indicated the track on the pavement and headed left into campus. She continued across the pavement and hit the grass— right on the track.

Once we were back on the grass we made another left hand turn and headed off into campus. We were moving between two buildings onto the grassy courtyard part of the campus crossing some small walkways along our way. Immediately following a path crossing, we made a right hand turn. She lined out heading directly towards a building about 200 yards away. Along the way we crossed a few more paths and found the intermediate article…a lonely pink sock. Even in all our other tracking adventures, I haven’t been as excited to find an article as I was to see that one pink sock.

After our re-watering ritual, we started out on the track again and made another right hand turn between some more buildings. We were heading up a slight incline and back towards another traffic circle like we saw on our first turn. However, instead of entering into that circle, she darted across a car free street and headed to the bluff. She went under the protective guard railing with quite a lot of confidence. I was pretty sure that the judges wouldn’t have run us off a cliff….but my job isn’t to sniff, so I went over there and took a peek.….no glove….and no way (Pass or Fail) that we were heading down there……so, back across the street we went.

Back on the other side of the street, we ended up making a left hand turn onto the pavement between a building and the grassy part of the traffic circle. On the other side of that circle we hit grass. She veered slightly left, lined out for about 30 feet and then she started her article indication pattern. I looked up …. and sure enough, I saw a leather glove about 75 feet ahead of us. I gave her more line and she went to the glove and laid down on it. I held it in the air and we became the first Golden Retriever Team in the country to earn a TDU.

Our track was about 450 yards with 5 turns and about 70 yards on a non-vegetated surface. This track took us about 15 minutes to complete.

All in all 7 teams earned a TDU on January 1, 2014. Three other teams passed in Portland: a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, a Beagle and a West Highland White Terrier. In Missouri two dogs passed: an All American Dog and a German Shepard. In Louisiana one dog passed: a Boxer.

A huge thanks to everyone who has helped us along the way with training tips, track laying or listening to our tracking stories. We couldn’t have gotten here without your time and support.