Another TDex

[smokeybear]

Twiggy qualified TDex yet again at the weekend gaining 197.5 marks out of a possible 220.

56 dogs entered, 13 were qualifying after the nosework and 9 qualified overall after the control and agility.

This is her 7th TDex and makes her the most qualfied bitch this millenium in Working Trials and the only bitch to have qualified TDex this millenium.

[Wetdog]

Congratulations to both you and Twiggy on your Tracking Dog Excellent achievement!
If you don't mind me asking, where are you located? How many draws did you enter in order to get your 7 TDX's, and how far apart were they?
I ask because some of my fellow club members here are having trouble making the draws for available spaces, just wondering how much trouble you had.
Does Twiggy do any Search and Rescue work?

[smokeybear]

Hi

TDex qualification in the UK differs from that of the US and Canada.

There it is just a tracking exercise ours include control and agility sections.

There are 220 marks available overall and the dog must get a minimum of 176 points to qualify TDex and also qualify in each section, 70% of the marks in each section and 80% of the marks overall.

The tracking consists of a 3 hour old track 1/2 mile long with up to 30 legs which can be laid on any surface, grass, rolled plough, stubble, crop etc. There are 3 articles about 2" maximum that the dog must recover.

(No blood or food is used to assist the dog, it must use a combination of crushed vegetation, if any, and disturbed earth etc).

20 mins are allowed for this and the dog will be docked for casting etc.

The dog must then recover 4 similar size articles of any medium in a 25 x 25 yard square within 5 mins eg stone, nail, film negative etc.

In the control section the dog must do heelwork off lead at fast, medium and slow pace with no commands, this may be around people, dogs and equipment.

There is a speak on command exercise which may be done at the halt, on the move, in any position, out of sight, on a table etc

a 10 min down stay with handler out of sight.

Be steady to gunshot

The dog may be sent away up to 200m away and then redirected the same distance either right or left or sometimes both or diagonally.

In the agility section the dog must clear 3ft high, 9ft long and scale 6ft high twice.

And that is all there is to it..........

There are no draws, the average entry is circa 70 dogs and generally only 10 - 20% dogs qualify. It will go on all week, some trial start on Monday and finish on Sunday.

The tracking is held over several days with all the dogs returning on the final day to compete in the control and agility section.

We do not do Search and Rescue as here in the UK handlers are required to be skilled hill/mountain climbers etc

HTH