Confused about how to select a food

Transcription

1 August 2012 Confused about how to select a food for your dog or cat? As a pet owner, you re bombarded with ads and advice and not all of the information is reliable or even true. Here are five common myths about pet food. MYTH #1: the Label Tells You about Quality Have you ever pored over a pet food bag and its ingredient list, comparing and contrasting the information? Unfortunately, despite what it may say about quality or grade, the packaging can t tell you about the quality of the food inside. This is by regulatory design. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) develops and implements standards for the manufacture, distribution, and sale of animal food. AAFCO doesn t allow references to the quality or grade of an ingredient, so if a food says it s of a high quality or grade, this should not be taken as fact. MYTH #2: High-carb Foods Are Bad Corn, in particular, is a carbohydrate that gets a lot of attention. You may have heard that corn is a bad source of protein. Well, this is true. But no pet food manufacturer is using it as the major source of protein. They re using it as a non-fat protein. They re using it as a non-fat energy source. Properly cooked corn is more than 85 percent digestible by both dogs and cats. Yes, carnivores can and do Five Myths About Pet Food By Rebecca L. Remillard, DVM, DACVN From Healthy Pet Magazine digest the starch in grain. In fact, corn or other carbohydrates should be in the first three ingredients that s because kibble should be composed of approximately 40 to 60 percent starch with a protein content of 18 to 25 percent for cats these are minimums per AAFCO guidelines. For healthy dogs and cats, too much protein doesn t usually cause a problem, but feeding high levels of protein over a long period of time, or to pets with underlying kidney problems, can be dangerous. That s because the liver and kidney must work harder to eliminate the excess protein consumed. Dinnertime! Cookies! Treats! Beggin!! Cats do have a higher protein requirement than dogs, and for cats, carbohydrates are not essential when sufficient high-quality protein and fats are available. However, despite concern about the effects of carbohydrates in cat foods, it does not cause any disease such as diabetes or appear to be a significant factor in the health of cats. It does lower the calorie intake compared with feeding fat, which is probably a good thing in this time when 30 percent or more of pets are overweight. MYTH #3: What You See Is What You Get If you know your pet is intolerant or allergic to a particular item, then the ingredient list is a good place to check. But be aware that not everything in the food is on the label. For example, products stating that they contained no soy have tested positive for soybean in laboratory analysis. This is because, per AAFCO regulation, manufacturers must list ingredients they have used to make the food, but the product could be exposed to other ingredients during transportation or when equipment isn t thoroughly cleaned. To be certain a particular ingredient hasn t contaminated a product, you must look to a company that will stand by such a claim. In some cases, you might see a familiar ingredient, such as apple, but it might not be what you have in mind. You can t tell from the ingredient list what part of the product was used. Was it the whole piece of fruit or just the seeds, stem, or skin left over from something else? MYTH #4: By-products and Filler Are Unsafe The web is rife with misinformation about what by-products are and what they can contain. Hair, horns, teeth, and (continued on page 2) Next Meeting Monday August 20th at Allied Gardens Rec. Center Setup ~6:00pm Potluck & Meeting ~6:30, Games and Fun Stuff Follows! Dog Daze Deadline: the 3rd of the month. Send Dog Daze contributions to Audrey Austin Send information for the calendar to Bruce Barnett

2 Pet Food Myths (continued from page 1) Dog Daze is a monthly puublication of All Breed Obedience Club Inc., a nonprofit obedience club serving San Diego County. Articles which appear in this paper do not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the subject matter by ABOCI. Articles may be quoted, provided credit is given to the author and Dog Daze. Subscription rate for non members is $ ABOCI Class Info: (619) Dog Daze Editor Audrey Austin (619) audreyaustin@cox.net ABOCI Officers Audrey Austin, President (619) Geri Demeglio, Vice President (720) Eleni Stevens, Secretary (619) Sarah Ball, Treasurer (619) Board Members Vickie Hill David Smelser (619) (760) Cathy Colley Louisa Golden (619) (619) Calendar Editor Bruce Barnett bcbarnett@cox.net Dog Daze Publisher Kathy Upton Cell (858) uptonkathy@san.rr.com hooves are expressly prohibited, as is sawdust. What can by-products contain? It could be the organ meats people refuse to consume but the dog or cat would gladly eat because they re highly nutritious (and tasty). Or, it could be the residue left after milling corn or barley for flour, which provides an excellent source of fiber and some B vitamins. By-products are secondary products that are produced as the result of some process, and the bottom line is: They aren t inherently bad or of poor quality. As with any ingredient, you can t assess the quality of by-products simply by reading the label. But think of it this way: Manufacturers have certain specifications for their final products and hold their ingredient suppliers up to those standards. It s far better to reject a truckload of an ingredient than to recall tons of a product later. Filler is also often referred to as a bad thing. But what s commonly called filler is actually fiber, something that most dogs and some cats should have in their diet for overall improved intestinal health and weight management. MYTH #5: Homemade Diets Are Best Producing a high-quality, nutritionally complete and balanced diet for dogs and cats at home is possible, but it s more difficult, time-consuming, and at times not convenient. Most commercial pet foods provide consistently balanced nutrition and are generally quite palatable. Plus, the overall cost of producing equivalent foods in your kitchen can be far greater. FINDING THE RIGHT FOOD Now that we ve debunked some the common myths of pet food, what should you look for to find the right food for your pet? Look for the AAFCO claim reading: Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantial that (name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition for (specific life stage) This statement indicates that the diet has 2 been formulated to meet minimum and maximum nutrient guidelines, and has also been fed to dogs or cats to ensure product digestibility and safety. Also, it indicates that the food is appropriate for the specific life stage of the pet and that the pets maintained their health and body weight while fed the food for at least six months. Consult your veterinarian for specific diet recommendations or ingredient and nutrient content that is best-suited to your pet s age and health status. There is no one best dog or cat food. It s truly a match between the individual characteristics of your pet, your lifestyle (including location and budget), and the products available to you. At the end of the day, your pet is the best judge of which food is right for it. If you have questions or your pet isn t responding as expected to its current food, contact your veterinarian. Your pet may require a different type of food for its life stage or health status. Some pets develop specific food intolerance, which need to be identified and addressed. A referral to a veterinary nutritionist may be needed to ensure balanced nutrition. Reassess regularly. After choosing a food that s AAFCO-approved and fits your pet s life stage, reassess the food after three to six months. Is your pet doing well as you expected? If there s an issue, your veterinarian, not the pet store clerk, is your best resource. Don t get overwhelmed. A colleague once described pet food to me this way: Think of pet food like cars. There are all kinds of cars, but basically each one has four tires, and engine, a wheel, and gets you where you want to go. Sure, there are bells and whistles depending on how you want to get there. Nutritionally complete and balanced pet foods all have the same basic nutrient profile within the minimum and maximum guidelines and on average will sustain the majority of pets well into old age. Remember, if you have any questions, your vet is your best source. FF

3 Brags! Brags!!! JEANETTE POLING has another brag for her amazing COOPER: Once again, my Cooper Perfect gave it his all in Agility! At the July 29 trial he qualified with a 4th place in Excellent Jumpers and completed his MJP (Masters Agility Excellent Jumpers Preferred) title. Thank you Joanna Hunt who so graciously and expertly has been handling him while Bobbie Sevier recovers from her surgery! He and Joanna make a great team! My COOPER PERFECT is such a fabulous dog and I am so proud of him. He just started competing last July and in one year he has completed both MXP and MJP titles and has 6 QQ and 265 points towards his PACH! Thank you Bobbie and Joanna for being his wonderful partners! Thank you Pattie Bott and Bob Long for all the great lessons. Thank you to all my friends for so much fun! And of course, thank you to Cooper for being such an amazing loving companion! RITA WOLKIEWICZ brags about her Poodle THOMAS: Thomas got his MX (Master Excellent Agility title) in July. When I got his certificate it had MJB on it as well. And no it is not the coffee. Seems that if you get 25 Excellent Jumpers legs after you get your MXJ, you get a Masters Jumpers Bronze. It s kinda neat considering we re watching the Olympics on TV. I wanted to be the first one to brag since everybody will be getting one. No, Rita, not EVERYBODY will be getting one. You have to work hard and compete well to get it. Congratulations!! Audrey & Kathy AKC News Release The AKC Companion Events department has some exciting news for clubs licensed to hold obedience/rally events regarding changes to the regulations. New Classes The department continues to focus on growing participation by varying levels of competitors. To continue generating near competitor interest, the AKC has developed new Optional Titling classes and titles: the Pre-Novice Class, Pre- Open Class and Pre-Utility Class. The classes have been developed with no Group Exercises and the jumps in Pre- Open and Pre-Utility are set to half the height of the dog at the withers. With the addition of the new Pre-Novice Optional Titling Class, the current Non-Regular Pre-Novice Class has been renamed the Sub-Novice Class. These new classes become effective and may be offered at events beginning July 1, Move Ups & Tranfers With the addition of more new classes, it became apparent that AKC needed to allow exhibitors the ability to move their dog to more than just the traditional level classes when they complete a title. The language in the Obedience regulations, Chapter 1, Section 16a has been changed from Move-ups to Transfers. Effective July 1, 2012, after a dog earns a title, it may be transferred to another class in a future trial even though the closing date for the trial has passed, provided the club offers transfers and provided the dog and handler are eligible. A Dog competing in obedience in the Optional Titling classes may be moved to Regular Titling classes and vice versa or even to Non-Regular Titling classes at the request of the exhibitor. Transfers are only allowed within the same sport, e.g. obedience class to obedience class, or rally class to rally class. The request to transfer must be presented in writing to the superintendent or trial secretary at least 30 minutes prior to the start of each trial. Transfers may be approved provided the class and judges are available, and the class has not reached its limit. Movement between an A and B class at the same level in not considered a transfer refer to Chapter 1, Section 16b of the Obedience Regulations. Beginner Novice B Another change applies to the Beginner Novice B Class eligibility requirements (Obedience Regulation Chapter 6, Section 2). Previously once a dog had earned the BN title, they were required to move out of the Beginner Novice Class. Effective August 1, 2013, a dog may remain in the Beginner Novice B Class until the handler believes the dog is ready to enter another level class. Junior Hander Entry Fees Lastly, we know that parents have a lot of choices for their children to participate in multiple activities these days. The AKC has approved that clubs may offer a reduced entry fee for Junior Handlers in their obedience, rally, tracking and agility events effective for events applied for on or after January 1, A Junior must have an AKC Junior Handler Number and is defined as anyone under 18 years of age on the first day of the event. Please remember to encourage new exhibitors, especially juniors to participate in our sports; they re the future of the sports we love so much. Sincerely, Pamela Manaton, Director of Obedience, Rally & Tracking. AKC To Recognize Three NAFA Titles Effective July 1, the AKC recognizes three North American Flyball Association titles (if requested by the owner): Flyball Champion (FCCH) Flyball Master (FM) and the ONYX Title. Dogs must be registered or listed with the AKC. FF 3

4 All Breed Obedience Club Meeting Minutes, July 2012 Call To Order: The July 16, 2012, meeting was called to order by President Audrey Austin, at 7:05 p.m. Reports Minutes: Judy Ekdahl moved that the minutes from last month s meeting be accepted as published in Dog Daze with no corrections. Bruce Barnett seconded and the motion was carried unanimously. Treasurer: We currently have $ in checking and $ in savings. Training: Geri Dimeglio reported on status of our current classes. We have two basic obedience classes starting on July 23, one at 5 p.m. and one at 6 p.m. Louisa Golden is planning a CGC class for mid to end of August. Further details as they become available with a test planned for mid September to early October. It was noted that AKC has changed their rules and there is no longer a minimum number of participants required to hold a CGC test. Show & Go: The next Show & Go is planned for Sunday, August 5. We need to talk to Ruby about having the bathrooms opened at 8 a.m. that day. Otherwise, they will open at 9 a.m., which is usual procedure on Sundays. UKC Show: Vickie Hill gave an update August in San Diego, and summer is here. We re having a heat wave. Just be thankful that it isn t a heat wave like the rest of the country has been having. Remember to stay cool, and keep your dogs cool. No dogs left in cars, lots of cool water to drink, and have fun in the shade. This month s meeting, August 20, is our special annual potluck! Join us for tons of good food, and a special freestyle demo as well as fun and games with our dogs, an August Fest. Bring a dish to share, a chair to sit, fighting tools to eat with, something to drink, and most about our next UKC Show. Dates are April 6 and April 7. Pam Murphy has agreed to judge. There was discussion of whether or not we want to put on UKC show. Mickey Binnall agreed to be Show Secretary. Eleni Stevens agreed to do Judge s Hospitality. Vickie will move forward as Show Chair. Flyball: Ella Biggs reported on the recent flyball tournament. The club took in $4840 in entry fees and $656 for the raffle, for a total income of $ Expenses were $ , leaving a net profit of $ Ella requested that the club assist Run Amuck in getting two new flyball boxes. The cost new is approximately $1300. Ella can get one used at approximately $500. Lydia Tucker-Clark moved that the club purchase the new flyball boxes for Run Amuck. Bruce seconded. The motion was carried unanimously. Old Business: The August meeting will be our annual picnic/potluck. Everyone will bring one item to share, a chair, their own utensils and drinks. Kathy Horton agreed to plan the games for dogs. President s Message of all bring your dogs. They don t need to be highly trained for these games. Anyone and any dog can win. You just have to show up. As you may have heard, a good friend and avid supporter of UKC trials, Karyn Dawes, has passed away suddenly. We are all saddened by this news. Karyn will be sorely missed. She was such a fantastic driving force in all the dog sports and a happy hard worker. Our hearts go out to her daughter, Karyn Jr. New Business Change in Meeting Schedule: After much discussion, a plan was made to have a monthly board meeting on line or via telephone conference call (best means to be determined) in order to dispense with some of the minutiae of club business. The monthly club meeting will then be for members to vote on any necessary business and have a program. Geri moved that we implement this plan. Judy seconded. The motion was carried unanimously. Louisa Golden agreed to be in charge of planning program for the general meetings. UKC Club or AKC Club? After much discussion of whether or not to remain a UKC club or investigate the possibility of becoming an AKC club, Audrey volunteered to research the requirements for becoming an AKC club and report back to the membership. Mimi Lorié moved that Audrey do this research. Ella seconded. The motion was carried with four votes opposed. Adjournment: Following a motion by Bruce, seconded by Judy, and approved unanimously, the meeting was adjourned at 7:44 p.m. Eleni Stevens, Secre- Submitted by: tary FF What s in the future for ABOCI? Will we have our annual UKC trial this spring? So far, it is a yes. But it all depends on volunteers stepping up. Vickie Hill is the chair- 4 man. She is looking for members to fill key positions. Without volunteers we can t get it done. Please check out what we need, how you can help, and volunteer. We are planning a program with each meeting. Hopefully, you will find these programs so interesting you will come out to see what you can learn. I am thinking that September is also a pretty warm month. We could hold our meeting outside again. If you have any comments, opinions, complaints, suggestions, please send then to me and I ll see what I can do. Audrey

5 Does your dog cower during a thunderclap? Shake when she meets the neighborhood Mastiff? Or vanish when he sees the minivan? Storms and other loud noises, unfamiliar dogs, and car travel are three of the most common fears in dogs. A little bit of fear in unfamiliar situations can be good, it s what keeps pets and people from doing potentially risky or even fatal things. But when fear interferes with normal social interaction, then it s time to address it. The Keys to Treating Fear We all react to stress by producing the hormone cortisol. A huge pulse of cortisol blocks production of the proteins we need to learn a new way of reacting or responding. In other words, when we re scared and stressed, we re not able to change the way we re behaving. The same is true for dogs. So to begin addressing fear, we must lower the reactivity level and encourage a better learning environment. Here are four key points to treating fear. 1. Early recognition and awareness of your dog s fearful response, so that you can address it and accurately assess whether your pet improves over time. 2. Identification of the situations in which your dog is fearful, so you can avoid them. Otherwise, your dog is practicing, and learning to be fearful. 3. Gradual desensitization and counter-conditioning of your dog to the stimuli that trigger the fear. 4. Rewarding of your dog any time he or she is not behaving fearfully. Loud Noises Many dogs react to storms, alarms, fireworks, gunshots, and other loud noises. Some dogs react only to odd noises, like the crinkly sound that plastic bags make. Most animals are adaptable and lessen their response with exposure. The less lucky dogs exhibit true fear, and the earlier you intervene, the better. A Life Without Fear by Karen L. Overall, VDM, DACVB from Healthy Pet Magazine If the problem just started and is restricted to one specific set of noises, you may be able to help desensitize and counter-condition your dog by creating an audio-recording or video, with adjustable sound. Start with the sound at a low enough volume level that the dog doesn t react. Then gradually increase the volume in a way that doesn t trigger a reaction. Reward the dog for exhibiting behaviors that are incompatible with the fear, for example, lying down instead of pacing. The desensitization is about establishing the threshold for learning how loud does the sound have to be for the dog to react? And then gradually exposing the dog to the sound at an increasing level without generating a reaction. Counter-conditioning comes in when you are rewarding your dog for relaxing and engaging in a behavior not compatible with fear, like lying down. In some cases, a noise that interferes with the fearful noise may help. Think radios, air conditioners, and white noise machines. Curtains that block out light may help dogs that react to the visual aspects of fireworks and storms. Other possible aids include eye shades, ear protection, and anxiety wraps, but don t try these out for the first time during the distressing event. Dog should become accustomed to these aids beforehand. Other Dogs Given that dogs are social, it s hard to believe that any dog could be afraid of another friendly dog. But for some dogs, this is a reality. So what can you do? Start with the basics listed here. Once you dog can sit and calmly respond to your request to make eye contact and take some direction, then you can gradually begin to introduce calm dogs under controlled circumstances. For example, start with your neighbor s quiet, non-reactive, and slightly arthritic 12 year old dog that is familiar with your dog and will not engage in any sudden behaviors. First, find the distance in which you dog can sit before experiencing any signs of fear, and then use desensitization and counter-conditioning to slowly move the dogs closer until they are happily sitting side by side. This could take weeks. Then, start working with a slightly less familiar and more reactive dog. The goal is to gradually work your way up to the point where even the most reactive dog does not scare yours. In the meantime, avoid overly crowded areas with lots of dogs. That means no dog parks. As your dog improves, going to a dog park with a calm dog may be part of the treatment, but work up to this do not dive in. Car Travel Most dogs love to ride in the car, but those 5 who don t, loathe it. Whether the movement of the car makes the dogs ill or they are afraid of some aspect of car travel, these dogs can show a range of non-specific signs of anxiety. The most common; vomiting, crying, pacing, panting and shaking. There is no mistaking a dog that is distressed into a car. Why do dogs develop this fear? They may have gone to surgery the first time they rode in the car. Or something happened while they were in the car, and they felt trapped and scared. For example, the car was parked at a shopping center and some cruel kids teased the dog, rather than associating the fear with just these children, the dog associated it with being in the car. Or you may have had an accident when the dog was with you. For dogs that get car sick, just the sensation of feeling ill may make them fearful of the car. They remember how awful they felt, and they don t want it to happen again. The rule for working with dogs that fear cars is the same as it is for any other fear; gradual exposure using desensitization and counter-conditioning. First, your dog learns that it s fun and not distressing to sit next to the car. Then she learns to sit in the car, and rather than something bad happening, she is rewarded with a treat. Remember, dogs can t eat when distressed, so this will also give you a gauge of whether your pup is worried. Then she sits in the car with just the engine running, but no movement. Many dogs fears are triggered by movement, so when you do actually move the car, don t go far, maybe only back and forth down part of the driveway. The final phase involves going somewhere. Start with short, quiet smooth trips and work up to longer noisier and jerkier trips. Keep in mind, this process can take weeks. If at any time your dog seems fearful, back up, stepwise until she no longer reacts and starts to work from that point forward. For dogs that are not panicky, but still distressed in cars, lavender may help calm them. Lightly spray a clean washcloth with lavender water and put it between the front and back seats. For some mildly affected dogs, it makes all the difference, calming them just enough so that they can use all the relaxation training that they ve previously been taught. Fear No More Fear is a true quality of life issue for dog and their human partners. Between managing the (continued on page 6)

6 Fear No More (from page 5) dog s environment, using behavior modification and conditioning, and maybe even adding medication, we can alleviate most fearful behavior. The tips provided here are good starting places, but discuss your dog s behavior with your veterinarian. And if the number of signs increase or if there s an increase in intensity, talk to your dog s doctor immediately. Do s and Don ts DO reward you dog when he s calm. The most commonly missed opportunity is the easiest to implement. Simply tell you dog that he s good when he is quiet and calm, even if he s asleep. If you can further reward you dog with play, massage, or treats without increasing reactivity, do it DON T tell your dog it s OK. While your intentions may be good, the risk here is that you may accidentally be rewarding behaviors associated with distress by offering reassurance. DO touch with firm, gentle pressure. If your dog will allow it, using your hands or body to provide gentle pressure may help your dog to relax her muscles. When petting, do so only in a slow, firm manner. Rough and fast stroking can make your dog more reactive. DON T bribe any animal into not being fearful. Again, this may actually cause harm as your dog is rewarded for the distressing behavior. Instead, teach your dog to sit for a food treat and relax. Then, calmly and gradually introduce the fearful situation so that your dog learns to associate the situation with good things. DON T force a dog to be in a scary situation. Many people think that exposing a dog to the upsetting element will help the dog get over it. This is wrong and can even make your dog worse. If your dog is distressed and scared, get it out of the situation as soon as possible. DON T use physical punishment, shock, or electrical stimulation. These methods won t work, and will make your dog worse and possibly aggressive. DO tell friend and family how to act. Emphasize that it s important for them to help your dog and that their behaviors must be in your dog s best interests. FF The Purpose of Going to a Match (Show & Go) by Connie Cleveland from Front and Finish Magazine Editor s note: This is a very old edition that refers to Matches. It seems matches were replaced by show & goes. From here on, think of Match as a show & go. The same principles apply. There are reasons to attend a match, and reasons not to, things to learn, and mistakes to avoid. Be a smart consumer use the match to the best of your ability. Newcomers Need Matches to Learn Ring Procedure The best way to familiarize yourself with the ring procedure and become comfortable with a dog show experience is to attend a match and be run through. Hearing the judge s commands, moving through the order of the exercises, lining up for the stays, all becomes easier if you ve done it than if you ve simply heard someone tell you how it will happen. How Soon Should You Enter? Enter Novice even if you have to do both heeling patterns on leash. Don t be afraid to correct your dog for a lack of attention, or reward him with a treat between exercises. However, if you feel you will need to bribe him to perform with treats in your hands, you don t need to enter just yet. Furthermore, if you are not ready to perform the stand for exam, recall, or stays as required in the ring, you ll accomplish more by avoiding the match and engaging in a good day of training. However, if the match is convenient, even if you re not ready to enter, don t miss an opportunity to go to the match and train outside the ring. Exposing your dog to a dog show environment, and teaching him that a dog show is simply another place to train, is invaluable experience. Editor s note: The show & go is a good place to train for the ring. You really don t have to ready or perfect. Use the show & go to have a good time in the ring. Modify the Routine to Suit Your Training Level Editor s note: At a show & go you can choose to do or not do any exercise. Heel on leash for all exercises, do the stand on leash and with treats for good behavior; just inform the judge what you want to do. You can reward with toys and tugs as well as treats. Enter Open if you think you can do the retrieves and broad jump, even if you don t want to drop the dog on the recall or if you intend to go out of the ring, but stay in sight during the sit and down stay exercises. Remember, heeling can always be done on leash, or with a string or tab on to correct any attention errors. Enter Utility even if you need to stand closer that required on the signal exercise, put out fewer articles than will ultimately be required, or use guides to insure that you have a straight go out. Do not be afraid to enter more than once, or more than one class. 6 What Can You Hope to Accomplish? 1. Expose Your Dog to a Dog Show Environment. The more matches you attend, the more your dog will grow accustomed to the chaos of the dog show environment. One way that experienced handlers teach young dogs to perform well is by exposing them to dog shows while they show an older dog. This experience is invaluable. Compare this to a Novice A dog that is attending their first match or show and competing. The dog show environment could easily put an inexperienced dog into information over load. 2. Evaluate Whether or Not Your Dog Is Ready to Enter a Show Having to perform the whole routine in a strange place is the best way to determine whether or not your dog is ready to be entered at a show. Dogs are situational, so performing all the exercises correctly in an unfamiliar location is extremely meaningful. You do not have to go into the ring and let your dog make errors to make this evaluation. Quite the contrary, you should be ready to correct all his errors, and then honestly evaluate how many errors there were and whether or not the performance would have been satisfactory if you had not corrected his mistakes. Matches are opportunities it s an opportunity to teach him that even in this strange environment, you will require all the correct behaviors. Do not miss this opportunity! The only time that you have to go into the ring and not correct any mistakes is at a trial. Since you can fix errors at a match, make sure you have a plan to do so. When in doubt, the best plan is to tell the dog he s wrong, take him to where he was last right, and make him repeat the part of the exercise that he failed. Don t dwell on it! After you ve fixed the error, move on and do the rest of the exercises. You have gained the information you need. You know now what exercise needs more training. 3. Learn How to Warm up Your Dog for a Performance Each time you go into the ring, experiment with how you might get him focused and ready to perform. Some dogs need to do some heeling before they enter the ring. Others need to be motivated with toys or treats. Some just need some quiet time to relax. Matches are great places to experiment with your own warm up. As a long time athlete and competitor, I find it unbelievable to think that the best warm-up is to grab the dog from his crate and go into the ring. However, I often hear handlers say that is their plan. No athlete would ever jump up from a nap and enter an event without some sort of warm-up. Your job as the coach is to determine what is best for your dog. (continued on page 7)

7 Calendar of Dog Events EVENT TYPE DATE(S) Addl. Day? CLUB Obedience & Rally Show & Go 8/5/2012 All Breed Obedience Club Allied Gardens Community Park Closing date (blank=n/a): Info: 8:30 a.m. to noon AKC Agility Trials 8/4/2012 8/5/2012 German Shepherd Dog Club Rohr Park, Chula Vista Closing date (blank=n/a): 7/18/2012 Info: Lynda Tjarks: AKC Agility Trials 8/18/2012 8/19/2012 American Chesapeake Club Rohr Park, Chula Vista Closing date (blank=n/a): 8/1/2012 Info: Lynda Tjarks: General Meeting 8/20/2012 All Breed Obedience Club Allied Gardens Recreation Center Closing date (blank=n/a): Info: Meeting starts at 7 p.m. AKC Obedience & Rally Trials 8/25/2012 8/26/2012 Santa Barbara Kennel Club Santa Barbara Closing date (blank=n/a): Info: Bradshaw: Obedience & Rally Show & Go 9/8/2012 Hidden Valley Obedience Club HVOC training grounds, Escondido Closing date (blank=n/a): Info: 9 a.m. to noon AKC Agility Trials 9/14/2012 9/16/2012 Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club Rohr Park, Chula Vista Closing date (blank=n/a): 8/29/2012 Info: Lynda Tjarks: General Meeting 9/17/2012 All Breed Obedience Club Allied Gardens Recreation Center Closing date (blank=n/a): Info: Meeting starts at 7 p.m. AKC Obedience & Rally Trials 9/22/2012 9/23/2012 Santa Ana Valley Kennel Club Richard Gahr High School, Cerritos Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/5/2012 Info: Bradshaw: AKC Agility Trials 9/22/2012 9/23/2012 German Shepherd Dog Club Rohr Park, Chula Vista Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/5/2012 Info: Lynda Tjarks: ASCA Agility Trials 9/22/2012 9/23/2012 Performance Dog Training Doyle Elementary School, La Jolla Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/15/2012 Info: Premium at: AKC Agility Trials 9/29/2012 9/30/2012 Aztec Dob. Pinscher Club of SD NTC Promenade, Point Loma Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/12/2012 Info: Lynda Tjarks: U-FLI Flyball Tournaments 10/6/2012 Catchers on the Fly Ramona Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/7/2012 Info: Karen Leopold, 9304 Cadorette Ave., Santee, CA U-FLI Flyball Tournaments 10/7/2012 Fast Fourward Ramona Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/7/2012 Info: Karen Leopold, 9304 Cadorette Ave., Santee, CA CPE Agility Trials 10/6/ /7/2012 Agility Club of San Diego HVOC training grounds, Escondido Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/26/2012 Info: Premium at: Obedience & Rally Show & Go 10/7/2012 All Breed Obedience Club Allied Gardens Community Park Closing date (blank=n/a): Info: 8:30 a.m. to noon AKC Obedience & Rally Trials 10/14/2012 Obedience Club of SD County Markim Pet Resort, San Diego Closing date (blank=n/a): 9/26/2012 Info: Barbara Scott, 441 Las Flores Ter., San Diego, CA General Meeting 10/15/2012 All Breed Obedience Club Allied Gardens Recreation Center Closing date (blank=n/a): Info: Meeting starts at 7 p.m. AKC Obedience & Rally Trials 10/20/ /21/2012 Hidden Valley Obedience Club HVOC training grounds, Escondido Closing date (blank=n/a): 10/3/2012 Info: Jennifer Kipper, 1521 N Elm St., Escondido, CA AKC Obedience & Rally Trials 10/27/2012 Kennel Club of Riverside Perris Closing date (blank=n/a): 10/10/2012 Info: Bradshaw: Information to come AKC Obedience & Rally Trials 10/28/2012 Pasanita Obedience Club Victory Park, Pasadena Closing date (blank=n/a): 10/10/2012 Info: Sharon Licciardi, th St. E, Palmdale, CA AKC Agility Trials 10/28/2012 Golden Retriever Club of SD Co. NTC Promenade, Point Loma Closing date (blank=n/a): 10/10/2012 Info: Lynda Tjarks: 4. Work on Controlling Your Own Nervousness A match is the perfect place to practice your own routine. You are the coach and this is your player. You don t need the team to know that you are anxious about the big event! Becoming familiar with the ring procedure will at least allow you to relax about that aspect of your nervousness. Becoming comfortable communicating to your dog in the ring, letting him know when he s done a good job and when he s made an error will also help with your own nervousness. Your goal is to be able to say that you are excited about performing, and perhaps anxious about the outcome, but not nervous about being in the ring and performing. Avoiding Problems It s not uncommon to hear, I know I wasn t ready but I entered the show and I guess it will just be an expensive match. This is ridiculous. A show is not a match. You will see what your dog s weaknesses are, but you cannot fix the mistakes. This is the attitude that leads to problems that are incredibly difficult to fix. If you show a dog too often, allowing him to make the same mistake at numerous shows, you will find that you have taught your dog that he must perform one way in training, but that another performance is acceptable in the show ring. Many refer to this as ring wise. This is a misnomer. Dogs aren t wise; they are simply doing what they believe to be acceptable. Since dogs are situational, if they offer a behavior in a dog show environment, and you seem pleased, or perhaps there is just an absence of displeasure, the behavior seems acceptable to the dog. Some of the most difficult problems to fix include dogs that are significantly out of heel position, fail stays, refuse to jump, or 7 stop short on go-outs. If these problems (and there are others) go on for too many shows, the dog believes that his variation of the exercise is perfectly reasonable. STOP! You need a match. If you continue to show a dog that is repeatedly making the same error, you are in danger of never being able to fix the problem. If this describes your situation, and you have found a match, formulate your plan. Decide ahead of time how you will respond to the error. Editor s note: ABOCI and Hidden Valley Obedience Club hold matches every other month. There may be more that I am not aware of, but these can give you an opportunity to use the show & go at least once a month. Go, learn what you need to train, correct errors, reward, and have a good time. Remember, competing is having fun with your dog! FF

8 ABOCI Membership Renewal Form Mail your renewal check and this form to: Sarah Ball, 4970 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA Member Name Additional Family Members: Address (if different from mailing label): City, State, Zip: Address: Best Phone Number to reach you: Dogs Names & Breeds: If you wish to renew your membership, our current membership fees are: o $5.00 Junior o $25.00 Individual o $35.00 Family o $15.00 Dog Daze Subscription only Also, membership dues are due! Mail in the form on this page if your label says Exp. 2012!! The Club calendar year is June 30th to June 30th! Contact Kathy if you d like to receive your Dog Daze in full color instead of a boring black and white copy! (web link or delivery) All Breed Obedience Club, Inc. Care of Kathy Upton 3365 Ogalala Avenue San Diego, CA 92117