Born to Track

06/21/2024

I don’t know who decided that today is National Dachshund Day, but I have some pretty dark thoughts about the breed that I am going to share.

The day started with a phone call from a man who is getting a teckel puppy in a few weeks from a breeder not familiar with deer tracking. The dam of the litter is registered with the DTK, but not the AKC, while the sire is registered with the AKC. Since the caller is only interested in deer tracking and not breeding, he is not concerned about the puppy's lack of registration with either the AKC or the DTK.

To register a puppy with the AKC, both parents must be AKC registered. If imported teckels are going to be used for breeding in the United States, they need to be registered with the AKC too (easy to do) so their offspring is eligible for the AKC registration. Currently, it is impossible to produce DTK teckels in North America because the DTK withdrew its support for the North American Teckel Club.

It's a shame that so many dachshunds/teckels are being produced in this country without any proper registration/documentation. Maybe we should call them rescue teckels and ask for a lot of money.

When John and I started the North American Club (a DTK group) in North America, we never expected that breeders would not register their imported dogs with the AKC and promote these unregistered dogs as "superior." Unfortunately, it has happened, and uninformed puppy buyers are falling for it.

04/09/2024

Two days ago, brothers Theo and Thor von Moosbach-Zuzelek turned 12 years old. So far, between them, they have recovered 782 deer and bears. Theo is owned by Darren Doran from New Jersey, who tracks with three dogs: Theo, Callie, and Rita. Theo has made 320 recoveries. Thor belongs to Bob Yax from New York and he has been Bob's only tracking dog, making 462 recoveries.
These numbers are astounding and speak not only to the talent of Thor and Theo but also to the incredible dedication of the two handlers. Thank you Bob and Darren, wishing you many more successful tracks in the future! ❤🐾🦌

04/09/2024

Congratulations to Charles Fuller from New Jersey on Rosie's flawless UBT 1 test. Rosie's registered name is Ilse von Moosbach-Zuzelek and she is an 18-month-old daughter of Yukon and Odette.

04/03/2024

Supertrackers from Maine: "Aldo" (Zale von Moosbach-Zuzelek SW) and his daughter Juni (Juniper von Moosbach-Zuzelek SW). Don't their cuteness fool you. They both are serious tracking teckels
❤🐾🦌

04/03/2024

Today I have come across this post by John Jeanneney - a report from our first Trackfest https://www.born-to-track.com/trackfest.html . It is interesting to note that the initiative to form United Blood Trackers came from owners of wirehaired dachshunds. Ken Parker also attended and he was the only handler with a breed different than teckels. Things have changed drastically over the years. It was a very good development for blood tracking movement that handlers of other breeds have joined. The same goes for the book Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer - one of the keys to its success was inclusion of other breeds and not making it just about dachshunds.

TrackFest 2006 - a gathering od hunters and handlers who use wirehaired dachshunds for blood tracking

03/16/2024

02/14/2024

I have not listened to the podcast yet (it is two hours), but this is a very knowledgeable group of trackers. Joanne and Mike track currently with born-to-track teckels Viva, Harry and Freddie:

Sometimes those kills shots don't go as planned or sometimes, despite a double lung shot, the deer finds it's way into terrain or structure that make the wou...

01/30/2024

Thank you to everybody who responded to my post about John's book Dead On! from a week ago. As of today I ran out of the book inventory. More copies should come within 7-10 days. This is a link to a new store developed by Henry Zelenak (thank you Henry so much), which reflects new prices. The new prices include shipment costs, which have been rising steadily https://born-to-track.com/store/books/ . I ship internationally and can provide a custom PayPal invoice, which reflects the actual shipping cost.
It has been a great pleasure working with Henry ❤ I am so lucky - Jack and Henry can provide a tremendous amount support to my small business. Now I just have to find a reliable pet sitter 🙂

Books​by John Jeanneney You can buy John Jeanneney's two books, Tracking Dogs for Finding Wounded Deer, and Dead On! here, directly from the publisher Jolanta Jeanneney of Teckel Time. Prices shown include shipping costs.For international orders, including Canada, please visit the contact page and...

01/22/2024

Just few days ago I have received email from Hassel Weems who says: Dead On is a book for all deer hunters. Much of the book is informed by Mr. Jeanneney's work with dogs, but it's an excellent resource for hunters who don't own a dog. I remember my first time reading it and learning so much about deer anatomy, shot placement, and blood trailing that I wondered how I'd been hunting without it.Since then, I've been reading Dead On prior to opening day of every deer season. I recommend it to anyone who hunts or wants to hunt.
Thank you so much for such a great endorsement! The book can be purchased at https://www.born-to-track.com/book/order-info.htm
Prices for both books will be increasing this week quite substantially to reflect current production cost so this is your last chance to order at a low "old" price.

01/21/2024

I uploaded quite a few pictures of John to the website
https://jola.smugmug.com/John-Jeanneney Images can be purchased for downloads or as prints (all kinds of sizes and finishes). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do ❤

I photograph what I love.

12/24/2023

12/16/2023

A family member saw the article in today's newspaper and emailed me: "In this morning's local newspaper, there was a long article about Vermont's approval for using dogs to track wounded animals. John Jeanneney is mentioned as the "godfather" of this.
He lives on."
I smiled ☺️ Thank you VT/NY Leashed Dog Tracking Service!

CORINTH — What a .308-caliber rifle started during Vermont’s deer hunting season, a dog’s nose was called upon to finish.Last month, Corinth hunter Ron Pierce shot — but didn’t immediately drop — a 130-pound buck that then disappeared out of sight. He...

12/08/2023

I created the 2024 Teckel Calendar in loving memory of Tommy and Tuesday. Many tears have been shed while I was going through the pictures 😢💔
The calendar can be ordered at http://bit.ly/3Rz79s0 and is produced internationally.

12/03/2023

Still working on Tommy and Tuesday's calendar as I spent some time with friends this weekend. More about it later. I could have taken an easy way out and reuse their pics that have been already published in previous calendars. But I decided to search for new pics on my computer and it's taking some time as I am not well organized. Editing takes some time too, and the two pics are a good example of it. It is the same shot of young Tommy.

11/29/2023

In the quiet eve before Thanksgiving's grace,
Jolanta bid adieu to her dear teckels, in embrace.
Tommy, the tracker, Tuesday so wise,
Their fading health brought tears to her eyes.

Kelley, a friend, stood by her near,
As Dr. Roger came, offering care sincere.
The evening before, Steve came by,
Sharing memories, saying a last goodbye.

Dr. Roger, tender, treats in hand,
Shared kindness as they reached life's end.
A sedative's whisper, a peaceful sight,
Guiding them gently into the night.

Together they rested in a woven bed,
Carried away where memories tread.
Tommy and Tuesday, now forever aligned,
Their spirits together, in peace enshrined.

Cremated united, on wings they take flight,
A testament to love's enduring might.
Tommy and Tuesday, in our hearts enshrined,
Forever cherished, their love divined.

💔💔💔 Words cannot express my gratitude to Dr. Roger Blankfein of In the Comfort of Home - house call pet euthanasia for his exceptional care of Tommy and Tuesday and continued support.

11/09/2023

Juniper is just a little over 5 months old and it is quite remarkable that she doesn't mind coyote scent. Some adult dogs do.

Juniper recovered another one last week! Coyotes had started to nibble it a bit, and I’m sure we interrupted their meal. Juni didn’t mind the coyote smell much at all!

11/08/2023

The surge in the popularity of blood-tracking dogs is remarkable. I still recall blogging about various breeds of deer-tracking dogs approximately 15 years ago. Nowadays, I struggle to keep up even with the tracking performed by our home-bred Born to Track teckels.
Managing information has become increasingly challenging, with handlers utilizing a variety of platforms to post about their dogs. Some prefer texting, while others opt for messaging through messenger or email. Additionally, on Facebook, people may have public pages or share information within private groups and pages. Moreover, certain handlers choose not to publicize their tracking activities at all.
Personally, I am not using Instagram or Twitter because I do not wish to spend my life glued to screens. Consequently, I acknowledge that I may miss out on some valuable information and have learned to accept it.
John would have been delighted to witness the progress that has transpired ❤🐾🦌
The picture shows Jeff Annis of Low To Ground Deer Recovery with Cooper (Zack von Moosbach-Zuzelek). Congratulations!!!

11/05/2023

Rare are the occasions when trackers can celebrate their tracking dog's 1000th pursuit, yet Bob Yax's Thor accomplished this feat yesterday. Moreover, the pursuit culminated in the retrieval of a significant 11-pointer. This marked Thor's 429th recovery overall and his 18th this season.
Thor, born on April 6, 2012, consistently showcases his exceptional tracking prowess. Naturally, Thor's achievements reflect Bob's unwavering commitment to aiding hunters in recovering their deer and demonstrate Bob's extensive knowledge of tracking. It's worth noting that Thor isn't Bob's first tracking dog; his initial tracking dog also originated from our breeding. Personally, I am of the belief that handling our first dog teaches us a great deal, while we refine our tracking skills with the second one.
Huge congratulations to Bob and Thor!!!

11/03/2023

I don’t know the details but got a message from Walt that "Dachs came home tonight" ❤❤❤

10/31/2023

Walt Dixon's teckel Dachs is still missing. Please help find him and spread the message. Dachs is our Xena's sire.

Dachs went missing Sunday between Tully and LaFayette

10/20/2023

This is just a small sample of the recoveries accomplished by born-to-track teckels. I apologize, as I couldn't include everyone. I plan to create more collages in the future. I cannot express enough gratitude to the owners of these dogs. They are dedicated to assisting hunters in finding and recovering the big game that they have shot. Trackers venture out despite discomfort caused by adverse weather, challenging terrain, and harsh cover. They are willingly aid complete strangers, sometimes they have to drive for hours. These teckels are bred for a very specific purpose – to track wounded deer, bear, moose, and elk, not to hunt foxes, retrieve birds, or chase rabbits, although many of them are capable of doing so. That's why we refer to them as 'born to track,' not 'born to hunt”.

10/20/2023

Congratulations to Fadi and Zander! Zander is out of our "Z" litter co-bred with Cheri Faust. He was sired by "Tommy" (Tom vom Linteler-Forst) and his dam is Uta von Moosbach-Zuzelek. Sorry for skipping the titles of his parents!

Another recoverly for Zander. He has done an extraordinary job so far this year, this makes 5 recoveries out of 6 tracks.

10/19/2023

In a quaint countryside home, there lie
Two wirehaired dachshunds, Tommy and Tuesday, nearby.
Tommy, at fifteen and a half, with tales untold,
Once a keen tracker, chasing wounded deer bold.
A heart of kindness, in his gentle gaze,
Memories of playful days, a distant maze.

Tuesday, eleven and a half, her wisdom shines,
Raising champions, trackers with defined lines.
Her sharp mind, a beacon in the quietude,
Guiding young ones, through the underbrush, with fortitude.
In the corner of the porch, where the sun softly glows,
Their stories intertwine, as the gentle wind blows.

Tommy's paws, now weary, find solace in the warmth,
Tuesday's presence, a comfort, weathering life's storm.
In the twilight's embrace, they reminisce their prime,
A symphony of barks, echoing through the sands of time.
Old teckels, Tommy and Tuesday, share,
A bond beyond words, in the evening's tender air.

I am not an author of the poem but I like it very much ❤❤❤

10/18/2023

It's always good to see young dogs doing well. I am sure that helping a Maine Warden put an extra pressure on the team. Congratulations to Pineo Large Game Blood Tracking and Oso!

10/13/2023

Every track is a new adventure and knowledge gained. Huge congratulations!!!

10/12/2023

Nice to see John's name mentioned! Susanne Hamilton large game blood tracking and Lindsay Ware, Large Game Blood Tracking are incredible trackers ❤❤❤

By V. Paul Reynolds In many cases, recovering wounded game – whether deer, bear, or moose – is no easy thing.

10/10/2023

Congratulations to Elmo!!! ❤🐾🦌