1. Keep Costumes Comfortable and Safe 2. Watch for Escape Artists

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1 THE BULLSCOOP THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF TAMPA BAY BULLDOG CLUB October 2017 Avoid These 5 Halloween Risks for Pets BY LAURA CROSS Halloween is almost here, and though you might get a kick out of the adorable witches and ghosts who come trick-ortreating to your door, your dog or cat may not be as thrilled. Don t let October 31 become your and your pet s worst nightmare. No one wants to spend Halloween night looking for an escaped pet or rushing to the vet ER. Here are five Halloween hazards for cats and dogs and what you can do to prevent them and keep your animal safe. 1. Keep Costumes Comfortable and Safe Your pet might look adorable as Elsa from Frozen, but if your dog or cat paws at or squirms in her costume, she probably doesn't want to wear it. If you pet doesn't seem averse to being dressed up, make sure his costume fits well, can be seen in the dark, and doesn't have buttons, threads, beads or ties that can be chewed off. Supervise your costumed pet at all times and limit the amount of time he wears the outfit. 2. Watch for Escape Artists The constant ringing of the doorbell combined with trick-or-treaters in masks and costumes can be stressful and scary for pets and cause them to react badly or even dash out the door. Keep your dog on a leash or in his crate. If you have a cat, keep him in another part of the house or in a closed room or crate. And no matter what precautions you take, make sure your pet is wearing a collar with proper identification, and, if he s not already, you should consider getting him microchipped. After the Fourth of July, Halloween is the second most common night of the year for pets to escape, so be extra vigilant.

2 3. Keep Candy Away Keep all sweets out of your pet's reach. Chocolate, especially dark chocolate, can lead to stomach upset or even lifethreatening situations for both dogs and cats. Sugar-free candy is also risk, as it may contain xylitol, which can cause low blood sugar and liver damage in dogs. 4. Beware of Dangerous Decorations Halloween decorations are festive and fun, but some can be risky for pets. A cat or dog can easily knock over a lighted jack-o'-lantern, potentially causing a fire. So use a battery-operated candle or flashlight in your pumpkin instead. And while you re at it, keep edible decorations out of reach. Consuming large quantities of pumpkin or decorative corn can cause vomiting and diarrhea in pets. Scary decorations that make noise and have flashing lights also can upset animals, so be mindful of your pet if you choose to display them. And it s also a good idea to secure stringed lights or electric cords pets can chew on or get tangled in them. 5. Let Your Dog Stay Home It might seem like fun to take your pooch out trick-or-treating, but it could quickly turn into a nightmare. Flashing lights and unexpected sounds can alarm your pet, potentially creating a troubling encounter between an overexcited dog and the neighborhood kids. Do everyone a favor by leaving your dog at home.

3 The first bulldog I ever met was a boy named Buster. Buster was my sister & brother-in-law s first bulldog and although I thought he was funny looking with a wonderful personality, I never thought I would own one. But that all changed in 2004, when I got my first bulldog, Buster Jr., (no relation to the first Buster) as a gift from my sister and brother-in-law. I honestly thought, no way was I bringing home a bulldog puppy, but when I saw those big chocolate brown eyes looking up at me, I just melted. I knew nothing about raising a bulldog puppy. I thought, they are just like any other dog, right? Little did I know that was the farthest from the truth. So, after a short course of Bulldog 101, I packed Buster Jr in a carryon bag, got on the airplane and off we went to my home in Arizona. Bulldog 101 never prepared me for what was in store for both of us. Buster Jr. lived to 12 yrs. of age, in spite of my inexperience. He was the mascot for the Marine Corp Birthday Ball in AZ for 2 yrs. in a row. Sadly, Buster passed away in March My second bulldog, was Lady Diamond Star or Star. She was the first born from the first litter that Buster sired. She was my first show dog and loved to go in the ring. She gave me my first litter of beautiful puppies, but was retired from the show ring before she finished. I lost Star 2 weeks after Buster passed away in Fire Opal came to our home in December She was from the last litter that Buster sired. Opal was very different from Buster and Star. As much as Star loved the show ring, Opal HATED it! However, she was a very good mother, and had 3 beautiful boys. She was the most intuitive dog I have ever known and nothing could get past her. I lost her to renal failure in 2014 at 6 yrs. of age. Dallas is one of Opal s puppies from her last litter. As much as she hated showing, he LOVED it! Dallas is my buddy, my sweetheart and is always by my side. At his first big boy show at 6 months of age, he came home with Reserve Winner s dog. Since then he has been awarded Best of Breed, Winner s Dog, etc. As soon as Dallas walks into that ring, he knows what he has to do and could probably show himself. After four years of showing, he is retired and enjoys staying at home now. Last but certainly not least, there is Charm. I co-own Charmie with my sister and brother in law. She is one of the most intelligent and conniving bulldogs I have ever known. Charm was a challenge in the show ring, but we soon bonded and she learned to enjoy it. In January 2017, Charm earned her Championship at the Brooksville shows. She is the first dog I have had the pleasure of showing to championship. She now enjoys life on the farm in West Palm Beach and is expecting her first litter later this month. (Continued next page)

4 First and foremost, to me, all of my dogs are my 4-legged children, and secondly they are my show dogs. As you can see, I have not been raising bulldogs as long as many of our club members have. What I know about these dogs could fit on the tip of many members little finger. But I have been lucky to meet up with and form great friendships in the bulldog community. I am grateful for my mentors and all the friends for teaching me about caring for these wonderful, loving and intelligent dogs. I strongly encourage anyone who is new to bulldogs, to join the local club and BCA. The friendships you make with longtime lovers of the breed are invaluable. And maybe you will even come down with the dog show bug and end up with a champion in your family? UPCOMING SHOWS DATE OF SHOW HOST CLUB LOCATION CLOSING DATE JUDGE 11/11/2017 Jacksonville DFA Ocala 10/25/2017 Linn Kingel Brown 11/12/2017 Jacksonville DFA Ocala 10/25/2017 Timothy Catterson 11/17/2017 Seminole DFA Ocala 11/1/2017 Penny DiSiena (Prov) 11/ Greater Ocala DC Ocala 11/1/2017 Gabriel Valdez 11/19/2017 Greater Ocala DC Ocala 11/1/2017 Ann D Hearn BRAGS 9/23/2017 West Volusia KC, Deland Elkmere Another Midnight Rendezvous WD/BW Sam Steding Knowbull Ellie Don t be Jelly WB/BOS/BOBOH Dan McCallum 9/24/2017 West Volusia KC, Deland King Rocko Kinsey RWD Erick Kinsey Knowbull Ellie Don t be Jelly RWB Dan McCallum Greater Naples DC, Elkmere Another Midnight 10/14/2017 Arcadia Greater Naples DC, Arcadia Rendezvous WD/BOB/BW Sam Steding Elkmere Another Midnight Rendezvous WD/BOB Sam Steding

5 Handling Hints for New and Old Bulldoggers Assuming your dog is in good condition and has been trained sufficiently so that he will walk on a leash without pulling, and pose for the judge in normal stance, he must be prepared for the show by at least the following steps: 1. Bathe him four or five days prior to the show to allow sufficient time for nature to restore the natural skin oils to the coat. 2. Cut his toenails several days before the show, just in case you should have an accident and cut to close to the quick or blood vessel. This mistake is painful so that the dog could favor the offended toe with a limp. A few days should get him over this period in time to be shown properly. 3. Clip his whiskers the night before the show. 4. Be sure your dog has been brushed especially well, and repeatedly so as to remove loose and shedding hairs, as well as put a rich lustre into a healthy coat. 5. Use the same type leash that the dog is accustomed to at home. Equally important is that the same person handle the dog in the ring that has trained the dog. 6. Have your dog at ringside ready to enter in advance of the calling of the class he is entered in. 7. Walk directly into the ting so that the Judge and Steward may check your presence by your number, which must be located in an easily viewable position. Then take your place in line with the other entries to await the Judges signal to begin. 8. Always keep your eyes on the Judge so that you may remain alert to his signals. You must at all times keep your dog between yourself and the Judge so that he may view the complete dog at any time. 9. Do not keep a tight leash on your dog so as to restrain him from proper movement. 10. In posing a Bulldog, place his front feet straight down, directly underneath his turn of elbow. 11. Try to keep the dog s head in line with his body, particularly when the Judge is viewing the dog s profile. Raising the head by lifting the underjaw will cause a sharp dip in the dog s topline. 12. Try to wear clothes of contrasting colors to your dog s coat color. Dark clothes with a fawn, red or white, and light clothes with the darker brindles, if possible. This seemingly unimportant detail can make your dog stand out in appearance. Nothing can spoil the lines of a dog more than a dark suited man showing a dark brindle dog, or a white dressed woman with a solid white dog. 13. Keep your dog under control at all times, to avoid his sudden departure in the direction of a neighboring dog. 14. Never stop working with your dog all the time you are in the ring. Moreover, it is important to remember that the judging does not end when you are told to go in front of a numbered place marker. Judges have been known to shift placing around at any time prior to his marking the book and handing out the ribbons. 15. And lastly, remember that the Judges at ringside really DO NOT have as good a view of ALL the exhibits as does the Judge in the ring. -The Bulldogger Digest

6 JOIN IN OUR MEETINGS! Location: Brandon Crossroads Bowling Center 609 Crater Lane Tampa, FL (813) NEXT MEETING: October 21, 2017 General Meeting at 6:00 PM. Presentation of 2018 Slate of Officers with nominations from the floor CLUB OFFICERS PRESIDENT TAMARA HASTY VICE PRESIDENT CAROLINE WILSON SECRETARY CANDACE TRAFTON TREASURER ANN WAGNER BOARD of DIRECTORS TRACIE DONDEY (2017) LINDA HEINZ (2018) DAN MCCALLUM (2019)