Pictured – Gem von Wendelin TD, UTD, UTDXMicah passed 3 CKC titles – beginner field, beginner urban and advanced urban in 2 months! 6 years old, she is very ready for all four titles and needs an advanced field (TDX) for all four CKC titles, to become a Tracking Champion. She is in training for her final advanced field title and we hope to get into a test soon.
Spiritdance Tracking & Coaching focuses on working with dedicated teams wishing to achieve excellence.
I believe tracking is a discipline like any athletic endeavor that requires both physical and mental skills, routine, growth and mastery. To this end, I focus on both ends of the tracking line using my methods and experience along with Professional Coach training designation to provide tailored training to my clients.
I have put 28 CKC tracking titles on her own dogs – GSDs, Border Collies, and Rough Collies. The titles I have achieved include 11 TDs, 8 TDXs, 6 UTDs and 4 UTDX dogs; three of whom are CKC Tracking Champions, with Micah well on her way.
CKC Judge all levels, and Professional Coach – In 2008 I became a CKC judge and have enjoyed judging all-levels tracking tests from the east to west coast of Canada. In 2014 I graduated as a Professional Coach (International Coach Federation, Erickson College in Victoria BC), adding this skill to helping teams succeed.
Mentor John Blondin, head trainer for the RCMP (more below) wisely advised me years ago to ‘let your dogs speak for you.’ She continues to train, learn and grow as knowledge of scent science gives us new ideas for training and success.
My best teachers have always been her dogs! Dogs can teach us more about scent than any book or human expert, if we open our eyes to see what they are saying and to observe what they tell us on the track.
The Dogs Speak! Experiences and Accomplishments
My first exposure to tracking was a renowned SAR Bloodhound Nero in the 1980s through my work with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Conservation Officer Dave Kenney talked Donna into being a “victim” for Nero. I was able to see them train firsthand year ’round. This greatly impacted my love of natural tracking and enjoyment of winter tracking.
I started tracking with her German Shepherd Hawk TDX in 1989 after attending a tracking seminar with Glen Johnson, author of Tracking Dog and lessons with Thunder Bay judge Dawn Sanderson.
In 1995, Hawk, and my Rough Collie Kate passed their TDXs back to back at the same test!
In 1991 I started organizing local tests. I started my business, Spiritdance Tracking, after passing my first TDXs in 1995 – I taught and organized tracking tests in my hometown of Thunder Bay Ontario until 2003 when I had emergency surgery for Cancer. I brought her passion for tracking and teaching to Alberta after a big move west in 2008.
I am fortunate to have met and learned from many amazing trackers over the years, some who have been mentors and helped me to learn new skills. My mentors include many CKC and AKC trackers, and she keeps learning. Notable are Erich Kunzel who was one of the original CKC judges and helped to form the first rules for CKC tests, Maureen Fielding, K9 Leadership in Vancouver, Steve Ripley, Ed Presnall and her first seminar – with Glen Johnson (Tracking Dog author).
IGP – My tracking friend Dan Waters helped introduce me to the world of IGP and footstep tracking. I was a member of the Calgary club for two years with my dog ‘Caden’ – Tracking Champion Caden von der KleinenWiese. I enjoyed training and seminars with Ivan Balabanov, Lance Collins, Doug Deacon, Joanne Fleming and many others. Dan is a successful IGP competitor, winner of the IGP Nationals and a Canadian representative to the Worlds many times with dogs of his own breeding.
Dan introduced me to retired national head of training for the RCMP, John Blondin, also the RCMP’s breeding specialist for many years. I had the extreme good fortune to learn from John for almost three years with my great dog TCH Caden von der KleinenWiese TDX, UTDX.
Caden is the only dog known to pass his TDX and UTDX back-to-back in one test, with a 45 minute break between tests in 2016.
The late Erich Kunzel of Calgary was one of my dear friends and mentors. Erich was a life member of the GSD Schutzhund Club of Calgary where he excelled in tracking, once with a perfect score of 100. He was a beloved CKC tracking judge for decades putting TDXs on all of his IGP dogs. Erich was also one of the original people who crafted the rules for CKC tracking. Erich’s generous sharing of his knowledge, training ideas and experiences has strongly influenced my views of judging and training.
In August 2023, in their last conversation. Erich exhorted me to enter my GSD Micah, “Gem von Wendelin” into tests to demonstrate her training and Micah’s skills. In August, Micah passed UTD, in September UTDX and in October TD, to earn three titles in 2 months. These are all dedicated to Erich Kunzel “tracking dad.”
Micah passes her TD in Langley BC, photo by judge Maureen Fielding
I was a member of Lakehead Search and Rescue (no canines) in Thunder Bay and have always had SAR mentors and friends who have greatly influenced my training and methods over the years. Since moving to Alberta, I have found opportunities to share my tracking ideas with SAR trainers from Manitoba to BC, working closely with many to learn and assist with tracking and training for validations over the years.
For the past three years, I have been learning as much as I can from webinars, videos and through experimenting with her own dogs, eventually adding trailing concepts into her training curriculum to help students understand scent better, and achieve greater tracking with their partners.
My current goal is to bring Trailing to Canada and to prepare for exciting changes and growth in coming years! I view Georgia K9 as the World class standard for high quality performance, and see it as a great fit with my goals for ‘excellence’ and helping dogs be their best.
Thanks go to GAK9 for inspiration – Dogs at Work, Christoph Rosenberger’s online training and webinars, Jeff Schettler‘s videos, FB posts and new online training (!!) K9 Manhunters, Georgia K9’s website and social media sharing – GAK9 Europe, and GAK9 National Training Centre, USA – plus all affiliated GAK9 trainers and their online generosity and sharing.
I have had German Shepherds since 1986. Micah is my 8th GSD! I am also an avid stockdog trainer with Border Collies and had my own sheep for 10 years. Below is the Spiritdance gang, taken in Kamloops BC, October 2023. Note, ‘Blackthorn’ is my Canadian Border Collie Association kennel name. View all of my previous dogs HERE.
Blackthorn Finn age 6, tracking and trailing dog. Finn is from Dawn and Dale Montgomery (Sid and Sage) and has that stockdog savvy, which he applies to tracking for now. An easy going dog eager to please, I am excited about his tracking progress and plan to re-introduce him to sheep herding.
Tracking Champion Spiritdance Blackthorn Ben, age 14. Ben is home bred, a son of two stellar stockdogs, both owned by me and bred by Scott Glen (Alta-Pete). Ben’s mama was Donna’s beloved Tracking Champion Alta-Pete Jet, daughter of Scott’s ‘Maid’ and Alasdair Macrae’s ‘Risp’ – who was a son of Ken Arrendale’s ‘Mac.’ Ben’s sire was Lakeview Ted, son of Scott Glen’s Pleat – enough said! Ben inherited amazing stockdog work ethic and after a bout with his liver in 2022, has recovered and is health and enjoying tracking for fun and being the boss of the dogs.
Gem von Wendelin, aka Micah, mentioned above. Micah is from the well-known and respected Wendelin Kennels, website HERE. Micah has a lovely cheerful temperament, amazing work ethic, and is a healthy age 6 (no one can believe that!). I look forward to continued CKC titles with her, plus ongoing trailing with this wonderful partner.
Blackthorn Quill the up and comer! Quill is three years old. Built like a whippet, she is 45 pounds of dynamo! She loves to track, and has great ability as a beginner now preparing to enter her first stockdog trials. Quill comes down from Texas (Campbell Forsythe, Steve Rosvold, Red Oliver), UK (Irish and Scottish lines, through Wayne Hadley Robert’s (Red) Mick) and great Canadian lines in a who’s who of Prairie stockdog handlers and breeders. Bossy and outspoken, Quill seems to be stepping into ‘Jet’s pawprints.
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All content copyright, Donna Brinkworth, Four Winds Outdoor Leadership – Spiritdance Coaching & Tracking 2025
K9 Windseekers - Tracking & Trailing Instruction & Coaching 