Scents & Nonscents. Spring: Starting Tick/Flea Season. Inside this issue: May, SDOC Classes 2. News Notes 3. Super Q 4.

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1 Scents & Nonscents Page 1 May, 2010 Teaching People and their Dogs for over 50 years. Inside this issue: SDOC Classes 2 News Notes 3 Super Q 4 Senior Moments 5 Removing A Tick Brags Minutes Upcoming Meeting Schedules & Spring: Starting Tick/Flea Season Perhaps in spring a young man s fancy turns to thoughts of love, but a dog s is more likely to turn to thoughts of itching...and his owner s to thoughts of fleas, ticks and heartworm. By now, I hope that most of you have gotten your dogs checked for heartworm and started on their monthly meds. If not, it s definitely time to do it. In addition, this is the time when fleas and ticks are very happy to find new homes, especially on our pets. There are excellent reasons to put your dog on a regimen of monthly or semimonthly tick, flea and mosquito preventives. All three of these critters carry potentially deadly disease for both our dogs and to some extent for us. Ticks are some of the worst. They carry several different diseases which can be passes to both pets and humans. In New Mexico, we routinely see several cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever each year. Here, we are more likely to see the brown dog tick or the Rocky Mountain wood tick than any of the others, but if you travel, you need to be aware of the several kinds of ticks. Other ticks are the Lone Star Tick, Gulf Coast Tick, American Dog Tick, Eastern and Western Black-legged Ticks. The last two are likely to carry Lyme Disease and are most common to deer. Lyme disease is transmittable to dogs and humans. The Lone Star tick which is not limited to Texas but is spread along the southeastern states and up the east coast caries Ehrlichlosis, tulerimia, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and tick paralysis. Not good! The other ticks are found mainly in the East and Midwest, but if you head in those directions, you want to beware of them. The brow;n dog tick carries ehrlichlosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and is found nation-wide. I suspect that all of us have found a tick on our dogs at one time or another. You can definitely find them in the Albuquerque area including in parks and in the Bosque as well as the mountains. It s an excellent reason to buy one of the better tick/flea preventatives. Ok, so you want to buy a preventative. Be sure to read the labels and consult with your veterinarian. Not all medications are equal, and some act in different ways. Some dogs and some breeds of dogs have reactions to certain medications so read any warnings on the boxes and check with your vet about this possibility. Be aware that tick/flea collars provide good coverage just to the neck area. They are less effective for other parts of the body. There are both oral and skin-application medications. You need to check carefully into the various kinds available and how they work. There is an excellent website that carries a number of good articles on the life cycle of the wee beasties, on how to remove a tick...not as easy as you think. In fact I am printing those instructions elsewhere in this newsletter. Also articles on how to choose a medication, and what diseases are carried by the various types of ticks. The address is: The second critter that we really need to watch for is the flea, an all too common critter throughout the U.S. Here in New Mexico, we need to be particularly wary due to the possibility of bubonic plague which is routinely found in ticks carried by rabbits and rodents. If you may remember, a couple from Northern New Mexico set off a national scare a few years ago when they came down with plague in New York City. Plague can be cured, but it needs a great deal of care and hospitalization in most cases. This is really not something you want to court by being careless about fleas on your pets or in the vicinity of your property. Again, there are several medications that can prevent and/or kill fleas even a young stages of their lives. Remember, whatever medication you use and however often you use it, it s better to be safe than sorry. The Editor Scents & Nonscents

2 How to Contribute: SDOC s newsletter Scents & Nonscents is published 11 times per year. Contributions are welcome at any time, provided they are in an electronic format (*.txt, *.doc, *.jpg, *.tiff) and received by the deadline. Send your items and ideas to the Editor. Laurel Drew SDOC Class Schedules and Notes At the suggestion of a few people who have noted as I have that the class listings are sometimes out of date before the newsletter is delivered, we are going to try something a little new. Let us know if this works for you. The Ed For full information concerning up-coming classes whether obedience or agility, please refer to the Sandia Dog Obedience Club website. It is found at Conformation Classes will be held May 23 and 30. These changes allow for the upcoming matches and shows. Rally Classes will be held in May 23 and 30 to again allow for upcoming matches and trials. A new Beginning Novice class starts June 5, Sat., at 10:30AM with John Clendenin and Maggie Gee. Another of same starts June 7, at 6:15 with Michelle Lommasson. Upcoming Events For Summer Deadline for the each issue is the 5.th of each month! Information is believed correct at the time of printing, however the Editor and staff bear no responsibility for errors or omissions. The Editor is deeply indebted to Saul Rovinsky & Nancy Pollock for copying and mailing, and to Clinton Wolf for posting to the Club s website. Los Ranchos Canine Celebration will be held on Saturday, May 29 at the Los Ranchos Park on Rio Grande Blvd. It s from 10-3, basically all day. Our annual Ice Cream Social will be held at the July meeting so start planning now to bring toppings and goodies for Sundaes plus cookies for either dogs or humans. Also, now is the time to start planning for our back to back agility and obedience/rally fun matches to be held August 28/29. Many hands will be needed to put this on so plan to come and help as well as practice. Don t forget our SDOC membership on May 28. This is on the Memorial Day weekend so if you are not going to be out of town, be sure to come! Your Event Could Be Listed Here! Contact Laurel Drew, Editor At elaurgreys@yahoo.com Page 2 Scents & Nonscents

3 News Notes from the Neighborhood Your Editor Linda Smith lost her beloved Chynna who was her heart dog and phenomenal partner in agility. May there be lots of jumps and tunnels awaiting you at the Bridge, Chynna! SDOC will be offering a one (1) day AKC Agility trial for Novice and Open only on October 23. It will offer JWW, Standard, and FAST classes. It will be held at the SDOC training site on dirt. If you have not yet had a good look at our re-designed SDOC webpage, be sure and look at it. All class schedules may be found there as well as information about trials, back issues of newsletters, and applications for classes. It is very professional in style and contains lots of information about the club and its activities. If you are free on Saturday, May 29th and would like to help out at the Los Ranchos Canine Celebration, we can always use more folks to talk to potential trainees and to help put on demos. It will be held at the Los Ranchos Park on Rio Grande Blvd (adjacent to the town hall and fire house. We will hopefully have folks to demo rally, obedience, agility and freestyle...and tricks if you have a trick dog. Parking is tricky so carpool f you can. Call Jeff or Cathy Robb for details. Our next major trials will be held on Labor Day weekend so start polishing those hounds for competition now. Be sure to let any folks who are training mixed breeds know that this will be the first trial in which they can officially enter (for SDOC) so they need to work on their skills and training too! This may be the future of our sport so be encouraging and helpful. I know this seems like an early date to be reminding folks of this, but it will take the summer to get those novice dogs ready! Start now! Results from our May Trials will be posted in the June newsletter. If anyone can get scores for the RGKC and CKC trials being held that weekend, your editor would be delighted to receive them. And don t forget your brags! We ll have lots of room set aside for them. It s not too early to start thinking about getting ready for all the fall trials. Those come sooner than you think. Don t give up working your dog for the summer. Find fun ways to keep your hand and paws in practice. Take your dog to all kinds of strange places to train. The Uptown Shopping Mall the outdoor one is fairly dog friendly so that s one place. The Century 24 Theaters has a large concrete apron on the approach to the building. That s a very handy place to practice with people coming and going in all directions. They also have some large pillars which are just the right size and distance apart to practice figure 8s. Try wearing your SDOC t-shirts for some extra advertising for the Club. Remember to make a good impression, especially if you are wearing your SDOC shirt. If you can, carry a few cards or hand outs with our address and website address on them. Talk especially to folks that you meet who have mixed breed dogs and get the word out about their new eligibility to compete! Our fall trial will be the first where we will accept mixed breed dogs for entry. Help to make this successful. When you see new folks at our classes, and when you see mixed breed dogs and owners, promote the club and our trials to them. We need to involve these folks more and more. SDOC WEBSITE ADDRESS IS Be Sure to Check the Website for complete class information, class applications and special updates. Training Year (per the SDOC Training Regulations) For these purposes, the training year will be from December 1 to November 30 of the following year. The total hours of any class which begins on or before December 1 will be credited to the following training year. May, 2010 Page 3

4 Recent Dog Activities Nancy Brunswick demos Canine Freestyle at our April meeting. To register for any Agility class, contact: Debbie Potter s Zosia who earned new titles. See Brags Dept. Debbie Potter ulinski@unm.edu Or At our recent Agility Trial REMINDER: Drills cost $5 per dog per session. Super Q By Hannah Agee Mark your calendar. On October 23, 2010, SDOC is offering a one-day AKC trial (at SDOC) for Novice A and B and Open - Championship and Preferred. This is a unique event for Albuquerque. The trial is open to Mixed Breeds too. Crating is indoors and there is enough space for chairs around the ring. To register for any Obedience class, contact: Betty Pearson At Trial Secretary Linda Herrera is posting the premium (around August 5, 2010) on the website. The trial opens on September 8, 2010 and closes on October 9, Our judge is Cindy Blanton from New Mexico. Be prepared for a lot of fun at this trial. Please contact our Chief Ring Steward Terri Moyers at terrimoyers@comcast.net if you like to help and make the trial successful. Our new Agility schedule has been posted on our website Come and join us in one of our classes! Page 4 Scents & Nonscents

5 Those Senior Moments Wayne L. Hunthausen, DVM and Gary M. Landsberg, DVM As pets get older, they may develop new, undesirable behaviors. Causes of these behaviors include changes in your household, new stressors, or the effects of disease and aging on virtually any organ of the body, including the brain. In fact, even subtle behavior changes in eating, elimination habits, sleep habits, and activity levels might be the first signs of an emerging health problem. Giving a little extra attention to your senior pet s health care may help him to live a longer and healthier life. It is critical that you identify and report any changes in the health or behavior of your pet to your veterinarian immediately, so that the earliest possible diagnosis can be made Your veterinarian will also work to detect any emerging problems during your pet s annual or biannual examinations and may recommend blood and urine screening tests, which can help detect abnormalities even before there noticeable physical signs of disease. The good news is that a wide range of therapeutic options is now available from special diets, that might slow the decline of problems such as renal failure or brain aging, to drugs that control medical problems such as thyroid disease, diabetes, and arthritis. Early diagnosis and intervention allows your veterinarian to treat these diseases before there are any serious complications, and perhaps even slow the progress of disease. The behavioral effects of disease and aging can be manifested in the way a pet eats, drinks, or sleeps and in his activity level and personality. For example, pets that are in pain from arthritis or dental disease may be more irritable, more aggressive, more fearful, less active, or less hungry. Pets that begin to lose their hearing or sight may be less attentive, sleep more soundly and startle when approached. Disease that affect the nervous system, such as brain tumors or brain aging, can have a wide variety of effects on behavior, including personality changes and disorientation. Endocrine imbalances, disease, and deterioration of virtually any organ (e.g. heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, brain) can have a wide variety of effects on your pet s behavior. As the body ages, so does the brain. Changes in the brains of older dogs and cats are similar to changes in elderly people. Recent studies of dogs indicate that, as in humans, the effects of aging on the brain range from no effect at all to severe dementia. Older pets may become less aware of their environments, develop signs of memory loss, and exhibit a decline in learning ability. This can occur as early as eight to nine years of age in some dogs, while others retain healthy brain function throughout their lives. In cats, signs associated with brain aging generally emerge at a slightly older age. There is a wide range of signs associated with brain aging, including: Disorientation your pet might be disoriented if he gets lost in familiar places, gets stuck behind furniture, or shows decreased responsiveness to sights and sounds. Activity changes Pets may begin to sleep more and play less. As cognitive function declines, there may be an increase in activities such as restless pacing, licking or repetitive barking. Sleep cycle alterations Your pet may experience restless, unsettled sleep or waking at night. Changes in social interactions Your pet maybecome less interested in greeting or social play with familiar people or pets. Some pets may become more irritable. Apathy and depression Your pet may have less interest in people, other animals, toys, eating and grooming. Anxiety Signs of anxiety include fear of sounds, people or environments; a desire not to be left alone as much; and an increase in irritable aggression. Join SDOC s YAHOO! group: Contact Rosemary Burtch at rosybee@earthli nk.net with questions May, 2010 Page 5

6 To order SDOC t-shirts and sweatshirts, contact Estelle Metz Stay warm or be cool, in style! Cont. from p. 5 Learning and memory The ability to adapt to new environments and learn new tasks may be greatly impaired. Dogs may no longer respond to some of their previously learned commands, be less able to perform tasks learned in agility or obedience training, or be less able to function in the work for which they were trained (e.g. drug-sniffing dogs, Seeing Eye dogs). Housesoiling may also be a sign of declining memory in both dogs and cats. Your veterinarian can determine the cause of these physical signs by completing a physical examination, a neurological examination, and diagnostic tests. Depending on the findings, more specialized testing, such as ultrasound or brain imaging, may also be needed. Fortunately, treatment for these problems is now available in the form of a prescription diet or a special drug that may improve the physical signs and perhaps even slow the progress of cognitive dysfunction disease in dogs. Currently, there is no treatment for signs of brain aging in cats, but research continues in this area. In addition to medical therapy, you may need to make some alterations in your pet s environment. For example, if your dog has renal failure or diabetes, he may need to make more frequent trips outdoors or need a doggie door. Cats might need to have their litter boxes cleaned more frequently, need a larger litter box, or require a litter box that is more easily accessible if they begin to have failing sight, develop arthritis, or become weak. Recent data suggests that keeping pets physically and mentally active may also improve cognitive function. Exercise your pet daily, play games with him frequently, review simple obedience commands during his daily walks and play, and occasionally provide new toys. And, of course, be sure to give your pet lots of love and attention during his golden years. This flyer was sponsored and produced by the American Animal Hospital Association, P.O. Box , Denver, CO I found it at my veterinarian s office and recommend some of the other similar flyers produced by this organization. Check at your vet s office or contact the AAHA for names of other fliers. Good Luck To All At The Spring and Summer Trials! Page 6 Scents & Nonscents

7 Removing A Tick! Information from the CDC If you find ticks attached to either your pet s skin, or your skin, act immediately. Do not use bare fingers and just grab it indiscriminately. Follow the process described below. 1. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. 2. Use fine-tipped tweezers or a notched tick extractor, and protect your fingers with a tissue, paper towel, or latex gloves. Persons should avoid removing ticks with bare hands. 3. Grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible and pull upward with a stead, even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick; this may cause the mouthparts to bread off and remain in the skin. 4. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the bite site and wash your hands with soap and water. 5. Do not squeeze, crush or puncture the body of the tick because its fluids may contain infectious organisms. Skin accidentally exposed to tick fluids can be disinfected with iodine scrub, rubbing alcohol, or water containing detergents. 6. Save the tick for identification in case you or your pet becomes ill. This may help your doctor make an accurate diagnosis. Place the tick in a sealable plastic bag and put it in your freezer. Write the date of the bite on a piece of paper and place it in the bag. 7. Note: Floklore remedies such as petroleum jelly or hot matches do little to encourage a tick to detach from skin. In fact, they may make matters worse by irritating the tick and stimulating it to release additional saliva, increasing the chances of transmitting the pathogen. These methods of tick removal should be avoided. In addition, a number of tick removal devices have been marketed, but none are better than a plain set of fine tipped tweezers. From other sources we learn that Lyme disease takes up to hours of feeding after the tick attached. The pathogen lies dormant in the tick s gut. The hot blood it ingests triggers it to become active. As the tick feeds, it gets rid of excess water by salivating into the puncture area which is how the pathogen is passed along. Fleas can also carry tulerimia, a rabbit disease and tapeworms. Adult tapeworms are fairly easy to spot as they are segmented ribbons found in the dog s feces. These are treated with Droncit or similar medication available from your vet. If you find these in your dog s run, use a 10-1 solution of chlorox and water or a serious kennel cleaning compound to cover the ground as a segment may bread off and remain in the ground. The reason for not squeezing the tick with bare fingers is because if it bursts, the blood can get on your fingers. The blood and pathogen can pass easily through the smallest pores of your skin so you are risking infection yourself. When you remove the tick and save it, be aware of where it likely arrived on your pet. Make a note of that for reference in case of illness. To get rid of ticks and fleas, do not just treat the dog. Be sure to treat your house and yard and kennel as well. This three-pronged approach is the most likely to succeed. Keep weeds and lawn trimmed and bushes cut back to provide fewer possible homes for ticks and fleas. Wash dog beds on a regular basis. When you purchase a flea/tick/mosquito medication, be sure that it attacks eggs and larvae as well as adults. Don t automatically choose the cheapest medication. Do not use dog medications interchangeably on cats. This could have serious consequences. If you use a flea collar, make sure that your other pets don t inadvertently bite it as they could become ill from it. Enjoy your summer with your pets and remember to protect all of you! Has your dog accomplished something new? all the details to the Editor. AND if there s a CH or X anywhere in that title, please include a picture of your dog! May, 2010 Page 7

8 Obedience Director s Corner Marcie Jensen, Training Director Hannah Agee can be reached at Or Hannah.agee@ comcast.net Good luck to everyone who is showing this month, especially at our show! I hope you get high scores and maybe even a prize. However, more than that, I hope you have fun with your dog and your fellow competitors. Dogs shows are fun because you re spending time with your best pal and you re seeing friends, old and new. Don t forget to take a minute to stop and smile or better yet chat with the new faces you see. Going to dog shows the first few times can be very intimidating for new people. Those of us who have been aroundforever, and look like we know it all (we don t, but seldom admit it) seem a bit formidable to the newbies. So take a minute and say, Hi!. Our obedience classes continue to fill. I m trying to stay ahead, but with my effective telephone people and Registrar, it s tough. They are doing a super job of enrolling people and keeping me up to date on what s needed when. A big thank you to them all! And, a big thank you to my trainers and assistants! You are what s keeping the Club up and going strong. Please remember to turn the air-conditioner off and be sure the door is lock when you leave the building. We re doing better at this, but a reminder is always useful. As always, if you d like to teach a class or have a suggestion, please get in touch with me. Happy Heeling!!! Officers, Board of Directors & Others 2010 Members of the Board: Officers: President: Maggie Gee Vice President: Janice Anthes Treasurer: Ann Newsted Corresponding Secretary: Estelle Metz Recording Secretary: Jacque Obermeyer Board of Directors: Pam Sehmer, Vickee Jones, Saul Rovinsky, Clint Wolf Ongoing Programs: Obedience Director: Marcie Jensen Agility Director: Hannah Agee Editor: Laurel Drew Production Staff: Nancy Pollock and Saul Rovinsky Web Wizard: Clint Wolf Thank you one and all! Page 8 Scents & Nonscents

9 Brags, Brags, and More Brags! Any Venue, Any Activity (Please include picture if you finished a title) Laurel Drew s greyhound, Huntington s Cinderella SC finished her Championship on Mother s Day. Nice Mother s Day present, huh! Clint Wolf s Golden, Kaia, added yet another win to her list by earning a leg in ExcellentB Standard at the VVKC agility trial in April. This is after notching up two titles in March at the SDOC agility trial where she earned her Excellent A Standard and Excellent A Jumpers titles. She had 5 qualifying runs out of six total! Michelle Mundy s dog, Mama earned her Novice Standard title at the VVKC trial in April with a first place. Congratulations, you two! Debbie Potter s Aussie, Zosia, has added to her laurels once again. She finished her ASCA Elite Gambler s Veterans, and the AKC Preferred titles, NAP AND NJP. This brings her total to 23! Janice Anthes reports that her beloved Sparks, Flat-Coat Retriever, finished his MX and MXJ titles at SDOC s agility trial in March. SDOC Board Meetings are held on the Tuesday prior to General Membership meetings at the SDOC Training Building. Minutes are available for review by contacting the Recording Secretary at earthling. net or at any General Membership meeting. BE SURE ALL DOORS ARE LOCKED AND CLOSED WHEN YOU LEAVE Want to become a member? Get an application in the lobby at the Club building, or download from the SDOC web site! May, 2010 Page 9

10 SDOC MINUTES OF THE GENERAL MEETING APRIL, 2010 Call to Order: President Maggie Gee called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM in the training room of the SDOC training site at 7050 San Pedro NE in Albuquerque. Attendance: Board members attending: Maggie Gee, Estelle Metz, Jacque Obermeyer, Pam Sehmer, Janice Anthes, Ann Newsted, Clint Wolf, Saul Rovinsky Board member absent: Vickee Jones Program: A aemonstration of Dancing with Dogs was presented by Pam Jones and Nancy Brunswick and their dogs. Recording Secretary s Report: The March, 2010, minutes were accepted as written. President s Report: The May Obedience Trial will be dedicated to Barbara Eklund. A one day, on site, Agility Trial (for novice and open dogs only) on Saturday, October 23 has been submitted to AKC. Terry Culley of the Valencia Valley Kennel Club proposed a joint SDOC/VVKC four day agility trial and gave a presentation on this idea. Janice Anthes will form a committee of three people to explore the joint agility trial presented by Terry Culley. Vice-President s Report: The office was cleaned out and there is a plethora of stuff that can be purchased after the meeting at a great discount on a table at the side of the room. Treasurer s Report: The net income for March, 2010, was $18, compared to $21, for March, 2009 showing a net loss of $2, Corresponding Secretary s Report: SDOC s first VST test has been processed and closed out in the AKC s records. AKC acknowledges receipt of application for the fall trials and is waiting for one form, which has been sent. AKC has received and processed the results for the agility event held 3/20/10 and 3/21/10. All judges for our fall trials have accepted and returned contracts. We are fully approved on line at the AKC site for the fall Obedience Trials and no fines are levied so far. Obedience Director: Marcie Jensen stated that there is a full schedule of classes. She is trying to keep classes scheduled ahead so her phone committee has something to recommend when people inquire. She said her phone committee is doing a wonderful job. Tracking Chair: The tracking committee is sending in applications for a second VST test to be held October 17. Penni Adrian is the new tracking secretary. Lynn Wilson will help train her. May Obedience Trial: The May 14 trial is getting close. In an effort to promote obedience Janice Anthes has made stickers with the SDOC logo for members to wear all four days that state ask me about dog training. These cannot be worn in the ring and replacements will be available. Announcements: The Golden Retriever Club plans to schedule a fun match on the third Sunday of April next year. Unfinished Business: May, 2010 Page 10

11 The Board approve $450 for 2 tunnels and repair of the chute. The Board Approved $945 for copier service/maintenance for one year. Ann Newsted is getting bids for landscaping. The Board has been meeting early on board night to work on the by-laws. Membership: Second Readings: Melanie Tidman, Rosalie James and Amanda & Chris Dodd were unanimously voted into membership. Welcome! Hospitality: Thanks to Marcia Sullivan for coordinating the hospitality this month. The meeting was adjourned at 7:55 pm. May, 2010 Page 11

12 Sandia Dog Obedience Club, Inc. P.O. Box Albuquerque, NM Prsrt Std US Postage PAID Permit 759 Albuquerque NM ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Teaching People and their Dogs for over 50 years. (505) Visit us on the web: Upcoming Club Meetings More details... F uture Board Meetings (in the Office at the SDOC training building) - always at 6:30 p.m. May 25 June 22 July 21 August 24 September 21 October 26 November 16 December 14 Future General Membership Meetings (in the SDOC training building) - always at 7:00 p.m. May 28 June 25 July 30 August 27 September 24 October 29 (Halloween Party) November 19 December 17 (Christmas Party) Remember: see for local events. May, 2010 Page 12