Volume 6 Issue 3 In Central Florida Obedience Newsletter Editor Chris Jeffrey Dog Club Inc Oak Prairie Circle. Sorrento, FL 32776

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1 March 2016 Happy Heeler The Central Florida Obedience Dog Club Obedience. Rally. Agility Volume 6 Issue 3 In this issue... President s Message Next Trial Dates Spotlights Meeting Minutes How to ALPHAbetize Yourself New Seminar Coming! Receiving a medal for his service to our Country...well deserved. Central Florida Obedience Dog Club Inc. President Betty Van Dellen Vice President Jan Naigus Treasurer Carolee Stewart Secretary Mary Ann Sanford Board Member Ann Shinkle Board Member Susan Handy Board Member Chris Jeffrey Newsletter Editor Chris Jeffrey Oak Prairie Circle. Sorrento, FL Subtlesmoke1@comcast.net The Happy Heeler is published monthly by The Central Florida Obedience Dog Club, Inc. The views and opinions listed herein do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of The Central Florida Obedience Dog Club, Inc. or the editor. New, brags, etc., must be submitted by the 20 th of each month to be included in the following month s edition. We re on the Web! www. cfodcinc.com Club Phone: (352)

2 2 THE HAPPY HEELER From the President s Desk March 2016 There will be a trial report from Jan later but our numbers are way down. We will want to look at the November trials and see if we want to make any changes. Last November we did 2 trials in one day and that might be the way we want to go again next year. We also might want to consider that for next March. Or if we could just hire 3 judges. Think about it for next year, and I ask all members to observe our trial this month and give feedback. As you know voting begins soon and the 448 club will be closed for voting our regular meeting date so we will be meeting Wednesday instead of the third Tuesday. So sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. The other thing I want to mention is that we will have the awards dinner in April our regular meeting date but at Vincents on 441 going toward Orlando. If you won a title in 2015 be sure to get the information to Bobbie Kurivial as soon as you can so she has time to get the awards made. We are an AKC club but do not limit awards to AKC events, if you titled you dog in another venue that will count. The first year you get a plaque with your dog s name and our club logo, after that every year we add a bar under the plaque with the year and titles won. Be sure and let Bobbie know if you need a plaque and bar or just a bar. As to the dog s name, that is your option, if you want the kennel name or the call name you just need to let her know. Thank you very much for agreeing to do this again this year, Bobbie. I am just going to get subway platter from the nearest subway, either contribute to the purchase of the platter or bring a salad or dessert. Hope to see you all at the meeting. Betty From Jan Naigus... The Havanese litter is still growing! All are spoken for and will be going to wonderful show homes. What a fabulous litter! The little tykes will indeed be missed by the Naigus household! MARK YOUR CALENDAR Trial Dates ODTC April 2-3 Location: Orlando Closing Date: March 16 K9 Obedience Club of Jacksonville April Location: Jacksonville Closing Date: April 6 IPOC April 30- May 1 Location: Lakeland Closing Date: April 13 Dog Training Club of St Petersburg May 7-8 Location: St Petersburg Closing Date: April 20 Dog Training Club of Tampa May Location: Tampa Closing Date: April 29 Gr Venice FL Dog Club June Location: Tampa Closing Date: June 1 IPOC June Location: Lakeland Closing Date: June 8 AGILITY TRAINING Introduction to Agility - with Deb Smith Contact Deb at and/or text below Cookie and Fudge Contact: k9s24x7@gmail.com Text Contact:

3 3 Spotlights... From Candy Zimmerman... Pilot my 21 month old Black Lab Puppy had an awesome weekend at the recent Strawberry Cluster. On Saturday, February 20 th at the Lakeland/Winter Haven Kennel Club trial he qualified in the Beginner Novice B Class placing 4 th. The next day he qualified again and placed 1 st! One more leg to go look out for Pilot. He is flying high! First Basic Obedience Class of the Year takes CGC Testing. A wonderful group of dogs and owners completed their basic obedience training in February. Those that were eligible also took the CGC test and passed with flying colors! Some will be going on to be Pet Therapy Dogs and we hope to see the rest in the ring in the future! For Sale 3 parachute fabric crate mats 21x24 and 20x28 $10 each Contact Candy Zimmerman

4 4 THE HAPPY HEELER Meeting Minutes... February 16, 2016 The Central Florida Obedience Dog Club was called to order by President Betty Van Dellen at 6:45pm. People in Attendance were: Bob Gailey, Chris Jeffrey, Ann Shinkle, Jan Naigus, Sandy Jones, Fran Brown, Betty Van Dellen, Susan Handy, Candy Zimmerman, Dea Jaffey, Cyndi Mimms, and Mary Ann Sanford REMINDER! New Meeting date Wednesday, MARCH 16 Minutes of the last meeting were approved after a motion by Fran Brown President Report: No report. Vice-President Report No report Secretary Report- No report Treasurer Report A page with printed information on the clubs finances was handed out to the members to read. AKC trial The deadline to enter our trials is March 2 nd. The club needs someone to drive the judges to the airport on Sunday. The hotel bill needs to be paid in advance for the judges. Obedience Class Report Monday-Class is going well and the last class is next week. Then CGC test the following week if needed. New classes starts on March 7 th. Two classes offered Obedience and Bridge Class. Tuesday Not much income from the class, few people showing up for Tuesday Class. Unfinished Business Bobby Kurivial will be handling the award plaques once again. You will need to get the new titles earned by your dog in Also let her know if the dog needs a name plaque and what name you want on that plaque. New Business Fran is making reservations for the awards Banquet, which will be April 19 th. Ann Shinkle asked us to remember Harilyn as she is very sick. Candy Zimmerman thanked Chris for the beautiful memorial to Merlyn in the last newsletter. CFODC 2016 Training Schedule* March 7 April 11 Novice/Open Bridge Class Basic Obedience Class April 25 June 6 Rally Class - Basic Obedience Class June 20 August 1 Novice Bridge Class Basic Obedience Class August 15- September 19 Basic Obedience Class October 10 November 14 Basic Obedience & Novice Bridge Class *subject to change Club member Harilyn Adler has been quite ill and is temporarily living with her daughter until she is able to return home. Cards and well wishes can be sent to her in care of: Laura Buckman, Lake Gem Road, Mt Dora, FL Motion made to adjourn by Susan Handy, and seconded. The meeting was adjourned at 7:45.

5 5 How to ALPHAbetize Yourself..... How to ALPHAbetize Yourself (or how to help your dog regard you as leader). If your dog is rather pushy and out of control, lacks respect for your point of view and doesn t mind letting you know about it he or she could be showing signs of the ALPHA SYNDROME! The Alpha Syndrome is at the root of many behavior problems. IN MOST CASES, WE ARE NOT REALLY DEALING WITH A PROBLEM DOG, BUT A PROBLEM ENVIRONMENT OR PROBLEM RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOG AND OWNER. Dogs, just like their ancestor the wolf, need a leader. If the dog is not provided with appropriate guidance, if in your dog s opinion you are not a worthy leader, your dog may try to take over and call the shots. In other words, your dog may be running for higher office. The ALPHAbetizing plan will make an improvement on how your dog views the social hierarchy in your pack. This plan involves changing daily interactions with your dog. It does not resort to punishment and very few actual TRAINING exercises are used. Implement as many of the concepts as you possibly can. Stay with it for several weeks. Your dog did not climb to the top of the totem pole overnight, therefore it may take a little time to change your pal s mind about things. As your dog becomes rehabilitated, you may gradually phase out these corrective measures. Good luck and remember - dog ownership is not a democracy. Be firm, be patient, be consistent, but be ALPHA! A LEADER MUST FIRST GET THE FOLLOWER S ATTENTION! Encourage eye contact several times a day: Call your dog s name, help the dog make eye contact with you by tracing a line with your hand between your dog s face and yours. You can make your hand more interesting by holding a toy or other inducement. Even a one second glance should be reinforced with praise or a reward. You are setting up communication channels and a bond between you and your dog. A LEADER IS DEPENDABLE Scheduled (rather than free choice) meals aid in housetraining problems and puts your dog in a position of dependence on you for food. (More than one meal a day will relieve hunger stress ). Food is a primary reinforcer. Use it to your best advantage. LEADERS EAT FIRST If your meals coincide with the dog s scheduled meals, make it a point to feed the dog AFTER you have eaten. Dogs are nonverbal communicators. This is a statement. Remember the National Geographic specials! Which wolf eats first? EARNING PRAISE AND TREATS Stop all food treats and petting for your dog during this rehabilitation period EXCEPT what is earned by obeying a command. Examples: If your dog comes to you for attention, tell the dog to sit before petting. A brief heeling session can precede a treat. Don t worry, this is only a temporary measure until your dog s behavior improves! LEADERS GO FIRST Don t allow your dog to charge in and out of territory before you. At the door of your home, vehicle, or at a fence gate, put your dog on a stay, go through first, then call the dog in or out. THE LEADER CONTROLS THE TERRITORY A follower yields to the leader. For instance: If your dog is lying down in a hallway and you wish to pass, MAKE YOUR DOG MOVE, don t step over or around. LEADERS MEAN WHAT THEY SAY When giving your dog a command, don t beg or scream, speak in low firm tones. And remember, no matter how simple the command, give it only once and make sure to help your dog comply. LEADERS ARE WINNERS Control the games, control the dog. Ordinarily tug-of-war games are inappropriate for a pushy dog. It may escalate assertiveness and when you let go, your dog considers it a win. An important message can be conveyed, however, if you play by these rules. Keep the game brief so your dog won t become overly excited. Be sure to WIN (have your dog release the toy to you) and while your dog is watching, put the toy away for the day, out of the dog s reach. LIFE WITH YOUR DOG IS NOT A DEMOCRACY... but please be a kind and gentle dictator! I d like to think of it as a partnership, with you making the important decisions! To help explain this to your dog, for now, you get the bed! Your dog may sleep in your bedroom at night, but until the behavior problem s resolved, not on your bed. Sleeping together in the bed makes you seem like a littermate, an equal. Besides, there have been MANY alpha confrontations regarding possession of resting areas! ALPHA OWNERS ARE FUN Do some things you know your dog will enjoy, but you should remain in charge of these activities. For example: If your dog likes to retrieve, tell your pal to COME, help with compliance if necessary, and as a reward, play fetch. Help your dog release the object immediately on command. When play is over, praise and as the dog watches, put the object away. Continued on page 6

6 6 THE HAPPY HEELER New Seminar About our Club The purpose of the Central Florida Obedience Dog Club is to promote the training of dogs. To disseminate knowledge regarding obedience training. To conduct classes for the training of all dogs and their handlers. To encourage and cooperate with individuals and other groups with similar purposes. To encourage the training of judges. To hold and support all AKC events including but not limited to obedience trials, tracking tests, agility trials, under the rules and regulations of the American Kennel Club. To promote cooperation and good sportsmanship among its members in the training and exhibition of dogs. Training classes for Basic and Novice Obedience are held on Monday evenings. Call for a class schedule, pricing and additional information. The Happy Heeler Chris Jeffrey, Editor Oak Prairie Circle Sorrento, FL Club Phone (352) Club cfodtc@gmail.com COMING SOON! DEB NEUFELD SEMINAR SATURDAY APRIL 23 OFFERED BY CENTRAL FLORIDA OBEDIENCE DOG CLUB BACK TO THE BASICS Continued from page 5. How to ALPHAbetize Yourself TALK TO YOUR VETERINARIAN - regarding neutering or spaying your dog. Frequently this procedure has a positive impact on behavior problems and your veterinarian will explain numerous other benefits as well. A thorough exam is important to determine if your dog s misbehavior is caused by a physical problem. MUZZLE CONTROL IS A NATURALLY DOMINANT GESTURE Put your hand over the top of your dog s muzzle and gently hold it there for a few seconds. This can be a regular part of your petting and attention. BELLY UP IS A NATURAL ACCEPTANCE POSTURE Once a day invite your dog over for a free belly rub. Show your pet how enjoyable this gesture of subordinance can be. A FOLLOWER ALLOWS GENTLE HANDLING Have regular grooming sessions with your dog. With positive reinforcement, gradually include sensitive spots, if any. Your goal is to have your dog relax and allow you to brush (or at least pet) the belly area. DOWN IS A SUBORDINATE POSITION Have your dog hold one 30-minute down- stay per day. Enforce it!! This can be done while you eat a meal or read the paper, but be sure you are in a position to help your dog stay down. Next General Meeting: Wed March 16, Club Tavares FL 6 pm Dinner Meeting to follow TRAIN, DON T COMPLAIN Give your dog about twenty minutes of obedience training a day. Break it up into two or three sessions. You do not have to be a member of an organized obedience class for this, but the guidance of a qualified instructor and the group experience for the dog are valuable. Give a command, help your dog comply, praise for a job well done. LEADERS ARE FAIR, KIND, CONSISTENT Be firm, not harsh. Don t work with your dog if you lose your patience, but stay with it! The concept of an alpha owner will become clear to your dog with consistent repetition.