Miniature American Shepherd Breed Magazine - Showsight

One particular Mini is a professional entertainer that has performed for mil- lions of people across the country. She performs at professional football games, professional basketball games, with the Indianapolis Symphony, etc. She is a great ambassador for the breed and encourages folks to be active with their dogs. If you decide to introduce your Min- iature American Shepherd to the disc, be careful—they get ADDICTED! You will frequently find a disc laid at your feet by a dog with an intense and hopeful look on their face, waiting for your throw with all their heart, enthusiasm and love for the game! TRACKING Th is is a great sport for our athletic Miniature American Shepherds. Dogs have a very keen sense of smell—100,000 times stronger than humans! AKC Track- ing is a canine sport that demonstrates a dog’s natural ability to recognize and follow a scent and is the foundation of canine search and rescue work. Tracks are plotted by judges along with a test tracklayer. On the day of the test, the tracklayer walks the track at the

appointed time and the track is allowed to age. When walking the track, the track- layer drops articles at locations specified by the judge along the track for the dog being tested to find. If the dog follows the track and finds the article(s) placed on the track, he earns the tracking title for the level at which he is exhibiting. Unlike obedience and agility, where dogs respond to the handler’s com- mands, in tracking the dog is completely in charge, for only he knows how to use his nose to follow the track. Training tracking involves lots of time outdoors while spending time working with man’s best friend. Getting started in tracking is easy—it requires a well-fitting harness and a sturdy long line. With the new Tracking Dog Urban title, folks in urban areas with less vegetated spaces can now join in the fun. AKC recognizes that all dog breeds are versatile. When a dog is titled in agility, obedience and tracking, AKC grants the dog a tile of Versatile Com- panion Dog (VCD). Multiple VCD titles (VCD1, VCD2, VCCH) are available as the dog becomes more accomplished in each of these events.

S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , S EPTEMBER 2014 • 267

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