Vol. 43, No. 10 October 2017

Transcription

1 Vol. 43, No. 10 October 2017 The GPGRC Raffle Basket donated to the Golden Retriever Club of America s National Specialty Raffle Thank you Sally Dines and Roseanna Frankowski for delivering it! Thanks to all who donated to it! The October meeting is a Halloween Paw-ty! Come for fun and dress your dog s up for a great time. Adults can dress too if they choose! See flyer for details. Bring a friend! 1

2 Summer is winding down and our Goldens are getting more energy with the cooler weather. Now is time to get outside with them and enjoy their company. Your Club is having a Halloween Party at our next meeting on Oct. 19 th at 7:15 at the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth. Dress up your dogs and bring them along. We will have a gift for the best dressed dog and one for the spookiest dog. Cookies and punch will be provided. Bring your Golden friends and enjoy the evening. Don t forget about the lure coursing trials on Nov. 4-5 th in Jefferson Ohio. You can go onto the AKC website and look up Lure Coursing trials to get directions. The Dalmation Club is putting the trials on. It will be good for us to go and observe and help out where needed so we will know how to run our own equipment. Your Club is hosting the Christmas Party this year at Misty Pines on Nov. 19 th from 1P.M. till 4P.M. The Club will supply the meat choice. There will be games to play, agility equipment to work on for the dogs and lots of food for everyone. People with last names starting with A-M will bring a dessert and the names starting with N-Z will bring a side dish. RSVP to Rosanna Frankowski as to what you will be bringing. Please let her know by Nov. 12 th. There will be a $10 grab bag for the dogs. The number of gifts you bring will determine how many gifts you can get for your dogs. Dogs must be kept on lead at all times. I m starting early to inform members that is March 2018 we will have a vet come and talk to us from the Cranberry Holistic Pet Care. They would like to know what we would like them to discuss. Think about it and let any board member know what your thoughts are. They are open to any topic. So far on the list we have titers, should I spay or neuter my dog and when to operate or not to operate as points of interest to be discussed. Respectfully submitted Pat Depp, GPGRC President. 2

3 Highlights from The Golden Retriever Club of America s National Specialty September 22 through September 30 Salisbury, Maryland BAGPIPES a connection to the National! Highland games are events held in spring and summer in Scotland and other countries as a way of celebrating Scottish and Celtic culture, especially that of the Scottish Highlands. Certain aspects of the games are so well known as to have become emblematic of Scotland, such as the bagpipes and the kilt. The Golden Retriever was first developed near Glen Affric in Scotland, at "Guisachan", the highland estate of Dudley Marjoribanks, 1st Baron Tweedmouth. 3

4 Smartee Kronz - earning her JH leg at the National. This young lady also had a BN and RN pass, earned her WC and won the Amateur Owner Handler class in conformation. All at the National and all around the age of 12 months! CONGRATULATIONS CONGRATULATIONS to Grace West for Zeke s JAM at the National!!!! Over 200 dogs competed in Best of Breed and Zeke won a Judges Award of Merit! 4

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6 A Plague of Ticks: Scientists Search for Solutions By Susan Shea Illustration by Adelaide Tyrol On a hike this spring, we walked through a clear-cut area with tall grass and brambles. Afterwards, our pant legs were crawling with black-legged ticks (Ixodes scapularis), also known as deer ticks, the kind that carry Lyme disease. Scientists with the Vermont Department of Health recently examined over 2,000 ticks and found that 53% of blacklegged ticks tested positive for Lyme disease. A small percentage of the ticks carried pathogens that cause anaplasmosis or babesiosis, two other tick-borne diseases that can make people gravely ill. Understanding the two-year life cycle of the black-legged tick can help prevent Lyme disease. In the spring of the first year, tick larvae hatch from honey-colored eggs in the leaf litter. The six-legged larvae, about the size of a poppy seed, soon seek their first blood meal. The larvae may become infected with the bacterium that causes Lyme disease through this blood meal; it all depends on what kind of animal they find as a host. If it s a white-footed mouse, they re very likely to contract the Lyme spirochete. If it s a chipmunk or shrew, they re somewhat likely. If it s a squirrel or a larger mammal, they probably won t. After feeding, the larvae drop off into the leaf litter and remain dormant until the next spring. In the spring of year two, these larvae molt into eight-legged nymphs, the size of a pinhead, and seek another blood meal. While most feed on mice and chipmunks (and have another opportunity to contract Lyme disease), pets and humans may become unsuspecting hosts. In late summer and fall, the adult ticks, now the size of an apple seed, attach to large mammals, usually deer, where they feed and mate. People and pets are susceptible to picking up ticks at this time, although at this stage they are easier to see and feel. After this last blood meal, the females lay up to 3,000 eggs and the two-year life cycle begins again. Lyme disease was first recognized in the US in 1975, after an unusual outbreak of arthritis in Lyme, Connecticut. Today, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates there are over 300,000 cases in the US every year. A CDC map of Lyme cases shows that most are in the Northeast, mid-atlantic, upper Midwest, and West Coast. Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and New York are all considered high-incidence states and the number of cases of Lyme has risen in recent years. The reasons for the increase in Lyme disease are many. Climate change is probably part of it. Milder winters have allowed ticks to expand their range and emerge earlier in the spring, as well as leading to a surge in the deer and mouse populations that feed them. Forest fragmentation has contributed to an increase in mice, which thrive in small patches of woodland, while their predators need larger forests to survive. In his groundbreaking 2011 book, Lyme 6

7 Disease The Ecology of a Complex System, disease ecologist Richard Ostfeld of New York s Cary Institute advocated for biodiversity managing our landscapes for ecological health to promote human health. A diverse woodland is home to many other animals besides mice and deer that attract ticks but don t infect them. Some, like opossums, even eat ticks. Ostfeld and Bard College ecologist Felicia Keesing predicted that 2017 would be a bad year for Lyme disease because of high mouse populations last year, due to an abundant mast crop in In some areas, said Ostfeld, 90 percent of mice harbor Lyme disease, which translates into correspondingly high infection rates for ticks. Ostfeld and Keesing are searching for methods to control ticks and Lyme disease. Their Tick Project, in partnership with the CDC, New York Department of Health, and others, is in the second year of a five-year study in Dutchess County, New York, which has one of the nation s highest incidence of Lyme disease. The study will determine whether two tick control methods, used separately or together, can reduce the number of cases of Lyme disease in twenty-four neighborhoods. This spring, small bait boxes that attract rodents were placed in the study area. When an animal enters the box, it receives a dose of fipronil, the active ingredient in many tick treatments used on dogs and cats. The other tick control method in the study is a spray containing a fungus that occurs naturally in northeastern forest soils and has been shown to kill ticks. This fungal spray was applied to vegetation in the study area. If these methods are found to be effective, they are already commercially available and others could begin using them immediately, offering hope in the battle against ticks and Lyme. Susan Shea is a naturalist, conservationist, and freelance writer who lives in Brookfield, Vermont. Lure Coursing Ability (CAT) November 4-5 The Coursing Ability Test (CAT) is an introductory event fashioned after the sport of lure coursing. It tests a dog's basic coursing instinct or hunting-by-sight ability. The dog chases an artificial lure, and the test is a non-competitive pass/fail event with dogs run one at a time. The Dalmation Club is hosting lure coursing trials on Nov. 4-5 th in Jefferson Ohio. We will send out an or update the FB page when we have more details. They have invited our club to attend to learn how to host a trial and assist where we can to learn how to use the equipment. We hope to see many of you there! Catching the lure is not normally part of a coursing abilty test, but this Golden Retriever seems to be enjoying it just the same. Photo by KC s Snaps. 7

8 Please RSVP to Roseanna Frankowski by November 12 th if you are planning on attending. She needs to know a head count for the meat and beverage or rfrankowski@verizon.net 8

9 Just Starting Out? Tips for Getting Started In the Field by Kathryn Newman Are you interested in learning how to hunt with your Golden Retriever? Perhaps Hunt Tests or Field Trials intrigue you but you don t know where to start? Would you like to add a Working Certificate title to go along with a bench Championship or CDX title? Every Golden owner who has ever shot over their dog or released their dog from the line in competition was once in your shoes. Getting started on any new project can be a daunting proposition particularly when you have limited knowledge about the area of interest. Here are a few tips to help you get started. 1. Start Early. The younger and more frequently you expose your puppy or young dog to birds the more desire you will create in your dog. Barn pigeons are a good bird to initially introduce to an inexperienced dog. They are small, generally in plentiful supply, easy for a novice dog to retrieve and are cheap. Keep in mind that before you go a field you will need to introduce your dog to the type of bird (ducks, chukkar or pheasants) you will be hunting. When faced with a large Mallard duck or rooster pheasant for the first time, many a young dog who has happily retrieved pigeons may appear bewildered and somewhat uninterested. Most game birds and barn pigeons can generally be purchased at a game farm / hunting preserve. Pigeons can range in cost from $2.00 to $6.00 apiece and while a rooster pheasant can range in price from $14.00 $18.00 per bird. Bird costs vary from region to region depending upon time of year and availability. 2. Join a Local Retriever Club and Get Involved. Most Retriever enthusiasts belong to a local retriever club. Retriever clubs are not specific to any breed but instead welcome all owners of any Retriever breed. The primary focus of these clubs is training dogs for hunt tests, field trials and hunting. Generally, a retriever club will host AKC Hunting Tests and Field Trials and offer educational programs. If you are truly interested in learning more about the field game, offer to volunteer at the club s competition events. If you are just starting out, volunteer to work the Junior stake, as this is the first stake you will be participating in at a Hunt Test. If you are interested in Field Trials do the same for the Derby or Qualifying stakes. By helping out at the stake you are planning to compete in, you will get a good idea about what the judges expectations are in terms of dog work and what you need to do to properly prepare your dog. 3. Join a Training Group. This is where most of us get our education in field training. You ll be able to network into a training group through your Retriever club as it is filled with dog owners just like yourself who are interested in training their dogs. Try to train with people who have more experience than you have AND who have successfully competed in the stake you wish to participate in. 4. Join a Game Farm or Hunting Preserve. Game farms provide you with the valuable opportunity to get your young dog on birds and work on control in the field. Game farms offer pen-raised, upland game birds such as pheasants, quail and chukkar and frequently stock ducks. A well-stocked game farm will also be your source for training pigeons. Annual dues can run from $300 to $2,000 or more a year plus the cost of birds. As such, visit a few of the game farms in your area to identify which one best suits your needs. There are game farms throughout the United States. They can be located in the Yellow Pages under Game Farms or Hunting Preserves. Gun Clubs generally cater to gun enthusiasts and do not stock birds nor have fields to hunt. Instead, they offer target practice, skeet, trap and sporting clays. They are also sometimes called Sportsmen s Clubs. If you have any questions you can call either of the two types of organizations and they can point you in the right direction. 9

10 5. Obedience Train Your Dog. The difference between a good hunting dog and a great hunting dog is not nose, marking or desire. The difference is control. You will shoot more birds over a dog that hunts in gun range, returns on a whistle and sits quietly while in the blind or posting a pheasant field. (see our article OBEDIENCE A BASIS FOR SUCCESS IN THE FIELD.) Most hunting dogs and all Field Trial and Hunt Test dogs are trained to respond to a whistle. The two commands for which a whistle is used are SIT and HERE. However, your dog will also need to be taught a trained retrieve (force fetch), to work out of a boat, honor another dog s retrieve and heel in and out of the field. There is a fine line between having good control over your hunting companion and having a dog that is overly cautious or sluggish. To this end, make sure your training techniques match your dog s personality and your personal goals. 5. Seek Out Professional Help. Don t be afraid to seek out the help of a qualified professional field trainer (see article Selecting a Field Trainer). All owners who intend to hunt their dog should see to it that their young dogs participate in some type of introductory bird and gun course. This type of course prevents gun shyness by ensuring the gun is introduced properly and is associated with the presence of birds. These programs are generally two weeks in duration in which your dog stays at the trainer s kennel. 6. Be Smart About Introducing Your Dog to Water. In the spring many enthusiastic Retriever owners are chomping at the bit to get their young dogs in water. Although it may seem like a warm spring day to you the water may still be quite cold. A good rule of thumb is the 100 degree rule. When the air temperature and the water temperature add up to 100 degrees or higher it is safe to introduce your pup to water. No thermometer is needed if you remember that water freezes at 32 degrees. Consequently, if it is 70 degrees and the water is not frozen technically you have met the 100 degree rule. However, a 32 / 70 combo rarely occurs. Instead you will have many days of degree temperatures as the ice goes out and the water warms. Once the daily average is above 70 degrees it is probably safe to introduce your dog to water. Do not force your dog into the water. Encourage him by tossing a floatable play toy, taking along an older, experienced dog that loves the water, or wade in yourself. 7. Teach Marking by Running Marks in Short Cover. The true value of a retriever is their uncanny ability to locate and retrieve fallen game. To mark a fall means that a dog identifies the area of terrain in which the bird has fallen, promptly travels to the area locates and retrieves the fallen bird. It is best to start with short marks in low cover to build confidence and teach the fundamentals of marking. Football and soccer fields are great locations to start out young dogs as you can easily measure your dog s progress and ensure quick finds. As you can see, preparing a dog for the adventures of hunting or field competition is a varied process. The variation of training activities is one of the pleasures of fieldwork. Having a quality foundation will ensure that you and your Golden will start off on the right foot allowing both of you to enjoy many days a field. HAPPY FALL 10

11 Golden Retrieve Club of America (GRCA) All Golden lovers are encouraged to join our Parent Club, GRCA. The GR News is published bi-monthly by the GRCA and contains educational articles, provides a forum for issues of interest to Golden owners, highlights Golden accomplishments and contains correspondent columns from the Member Clubs across the country. Contact the Editor for more information. GREATER PITTSBURGH GOLDEN RETRIEVER CLUB (GPGRC) Member club of the Golden retriever Club of America, Inc. (GRCA) Master National Retriever Club (MNRC) Pennsylvania Federation of Dog Clubs, Inc. (PFDC) Licensed by the American Kennel Club (AKC) for Conformation Shows and Obedience, Rally and Agility Trials and Hunt Tests. General Membership Meeting is held the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Membership applications are available from the Membership Chairperson. Attendance at two Club functions (one being a General Membership Meeting) and endorsement of two Club Members is required before an application can be accepted. Dues are: Regular Membership (individual) - $25.00, a second adult an additional $ Associate Membership (individual) - $15.00, a second adult an additional $8.00. Junior Membership - $1.00. Completed applications and dues are to be submitted to the Membership Chair. Newsletter is posted monthly on the Club s Website at Club members may request printed, mailed copies of the Golden Gait for a fee of $20 per year. Litter advertisements are accepted from Club Members only on a space available basis. (Fees are full page - $10; half page - $5; quarter page - $2.50.) Refer to the Puppy Referral Policy and Breeder Code of Ethics for required clearances. In summary, puppy referral is a service provided to GPGRC Members only. (1) Both sire and dam must be two years of age or older at the time of breeding; (2) copies of eye clearances within one year of breeding must be supplied; and (3) an OFA numbers for hips and elbows must be submitted. Also hearts must be evaluated by an approved veterinary cardiologist. Acceptance and use of the information provided by GPGRC constitutes an acknowledgment that the user hereby releases and indemnifies the GPGRC and its Officers, Directors, Members and Agents from any and all liability and damages sustained by the user as a result of any information obtained from this organization. Title/Award Record Form should be filled out and sent to the Accomplishments Recorder for all Conformation, Obedience, Tracking, Agility, Rally, Field Events or Community Service Events before they can be reported in the Newsletter. 11

12 Monthly Meeting The monthly meetings are held at the Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth, 301 Bellevue Rd Meeting begins at 7:30 P.M. Guests are Welcome! Directions from I-279: Take exit 12 toward US 19/Perrysville Ave. At Perrysville Avenue, turn left. Go approximately.8 mile and turn left onto Bellevue Road (Sunoco Station on corner). Go approximately.5 mile and turn right to stay on Bellevue Road. End at 301 Bellevue Road. Entrance to complex is one way. Sign will direct you to building. Yellow brick building behind large red brick building is the meeting place. There is an open parking lot or 2 deck parking garage available. OFFICERS President Pat Depp 21 Norwich Ave. Pittsburgh PA Vice-President Chris Killilea 606 Parliament Dr. Moon Twp PA Secretary Roseanna Frankowski 55 Marlin Dr West Pittsburgh, PA Treasurer Melissa Jarvis 2344 Nevin Dr Franklin Park PA Kris Tosadori 72 Kennedy Lane McKees Rocks, PA DIRECTORS Candy Verduce 430 Duff Road Sewickley PA Ray Koper 169 William Circle McKees Rocks PA COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Accomplishment Recorder Kathy Fertal fertalkm@verizon.net Agility Marcy Kronz AKC Liaison Kathy Fertal fertalkm@verizon.net Community Services Education Roseanna Frankowski Equipment Field Training Day GRCA Delegate GRCA News Rep. Candy Verduce GPGRC Webmaster Megan McClung GRF Liaison Historian Grace West Hospitality Membership Shirley Koper Merchandise Rosanna Frankowski Newsletter Sally Dines sallydines4120@gmail.com Puppy Referral Pat Depp Program Rescue Liaison John Osheka Specialty Sally Dines Please pictures of your dogs that can be used in future issues to sallydines4120@gmail.com GOLDEN GAIT - Greater Pittsburgh Golden Retriever Club, Inc.- Sally Dines, Editor Candy Verduce Co-Editor 12