Why should I read this?

It’s a bit like reading a resume! Learn more to know who you’re working with, their dogs and their background!

3 Tracking Champions

TCH Alta-Pet Jet, Border Collie (2012)
TCH Caden von der KlienenWiese (2015)
TCH Spiritdance Blackthorn Ben – Jet’s son (2017)

Titles Tally

3 Tracking Champions! Jet, Caden and Ben!

A dog must have all four titles (two beginner field and urban titles, and two advanced field and urban titles) under at least 2 licensed judges to have a TCH title conferred.

4 UTDXs (2 German Shepherds, two Border Collies)
6 UTDs (4 on German Shepherds and 2 on my Border Collies)
8 TDXs (German Shepherds, Border Collies, Rough Collies)
11 TDs (German Shepherds, Border Collies, Rough Collies)

Ben is now almost 14. He still loves to track and is never left behind. After being an alternate 7 times, we have realized we won’t continue trying to get into tests for his Masters Tracking – but the good news is that he doesn’t need to prove anything. It’s hard to get in with a titled dog as untitled enter first. In the meantime we train and he loves our outings. I love to follow him.

Gem von Wendelin TD UTD UTDX aka Micah the GSD

Micah’s current focus has been to teach me about Trailing. She is an amazing partner and has been trailing since 2022. Before teaching it to others I made sure I had a dog that I was confident could work at advanced trails.

Micah has been tracking since she was 3 months old. She started testing late due to COVID, judging and some moves for work.

Micah passed her TD, UTD and UTDX in three consecutive months in fall 2023. I’m proud of her and thankful to the judges.

TD – Maureen Fielding in Langley BC, Great Dane Club
UTD – Jeff Shaver (AKC judge from Texas)
UTDX – Maureen Fielding, CATS test in central Alberta.

We are hoping to get into a test for TDX soon.

Up and Coming

Spiritdance Blackthorn Finn – Border Collie – up and coming and ready for tests. Finn comes down from Dale Montgomery’s lines (Maple Creek SK). He is now on his way to TD and UTD.

Spiritdance Blackthorn Quill the stockdog just turned three. She is primarily a stockdog, and had a good foundation in tracking. She is currently in training for stockdog trialing.

Notable Accomplishments

Jet and Ben, mother and son, are the only Border Collies in Canada so far who are Tracking Champions. They are stockdog bred, working Border Collies and come from Scott Glen’s breeding. Scott Glen is a World Class competitor and it is an honour to have had these dogs. Ben is now 13.5!

Jet and Ted – my other wonderful dog from Scott Glen were also stockdogs who herded sheep and entered trials. I had sheep for 10 years in Thunder Bay and am fortunate to carry on with this passion in Alberta.

Caden became a Tracking Champion by passing his advanced field test (TDX) and advanced urban test (UTDX) back to back, on the same day – 45 minutes apart! We aren’t aware of any other dog accomplishing this – he had a lot of heart, that boy. He died the following year at age 8 of spinal cancer, so I am very grateful he did pass them both that day.

My first tracking dog, German Shepherd Lindau’s Knight Hawk CD TDX and Rough Collie, Ch. Tallywood Banreigh Spiritdance Am Can CD, TDX,(Kate) passed their TDXs on the same day, back to back in 1994!

Not mentioned are other CKC titles in conformation and obedience from back in the day I started when I was 16! Switched to tracking and herding only after Cancer made me reevaluate in 2003.

Gallery of Spiritdance Dogs – more…

Below are pictures of my dogs, including three collages of the three breeds I’ve owned, and a picture of our family’s mixed breed Suzy – our intelligent Karelian Bear Dog – Rough Collie cross. Beside her is puppy Hawk – my first tracking dog, the one who started it all. My long-coated girl River was my first urban tracking dog – a wonderful partner and teacher.

I’ve added quite a few pictures of Caden because he was a pivotal dog for me – the dog I trained when I moved to Alberta. Through Caden I met amazing trainers and mentors in IGP (shout out to my friend Dan Waters) and because of him, I had the privilege of working with the retired head of canine training and breeding specialist for the RCMP, dog whisperer Jean Blondin.

Below Caden are pictures of my current, mature partner Micah, Gem von Wendelin. Her claim to fame is that she was running full advanced urban tracks by 6 months of age! I am always trying new methods and ideas, and try them on my own dogs before bringing them into my training. Unfortunately due to a long wait for a hip replacement, followed by COVID-19 where I judged a lot locally. Excited to be back at testing with my own dogs!