HAPPY NEW AND EVENTFUL YEAR!

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1 The Scramble JANUARY, 2016 Contributions to the Scramble are welcome. Deadlines are: December for January issue March for April issue HAPPY NEW AND EVENTFUL YEAR! June for July issue September for October issue Send to: Toni Ginnetti 207 N. Greenwood Ave. Park Ridge, IL Board of Directors Officers Synoma Hays, President Susan Raatz, Vice President Susan Frankel, Secretary Lou Bogart, Treasurer Directors Paul Glombowski Nancy Reyes Nancy Muklewicz Dolores Valerio Kathy Vaughan Another new year brings new hopes and ambitions for each of us, and our goals may well include conquering the challenges of agility. It may be a new title or simply getting those weave poles down pat. May it always remain fun, even when it is exasperating. But we hope your goals will include making Windy City Agility Club a continuing viable organization through your participation in classes and also by lending a helping hand at upcoming CPE trials, assisting with requests that come from the Board, or just getting the word out about the club to help recruit new members. We re all here to learn the sport, bond with our dogs and with each other. You may have ideas on new ways to achieve those things, and we welcome any and all ideas. And we always welcome your ideas on communicating with each other. We hope you ll remember to share your happy moments and achievements, as well as the new things you learn about your dog, his health and well-being that would benefit all of us. It can help make 2016 our best year yet.

2 JANUARY 2016 Page 2 BRAGS AND WAGS Lift a toast to a crowning achievements for WCAC s Marianne Fieseler and her Cocker Spaniel, Whiskey. They took home the coveted pole and CPE title of C-ATE [Agility Team Extraordinaire] on Nov. 17 at the RACE trial held in Huntley, IL. Ten-yearold Whiskey, who has numerous other agility titles, including a C-ATCH3 [Agility Trial Champion times three!], joins WCAC members Christa Leyendecker and her dog Curly, who earned the C-ATE in May, and Diane Lauer and her dog Jenna who earned theirs in July. Whiskey has expressed no desire to retire, Marianne reports. We are going to work on C-ATCH4 now and run at Level 5 since he is happiest when running an agility course, she said. A salute to Scramble editor Toni Ginnetti s own Trey, the terrier mix tri-paw who now boasts the title of Therapy Dog Novice. Trey works with Aliss South s therapy dog Neskaya visiting seniors each month at Lutheran General Hospital s Adult Day Care Center. And Trey s older brother Bowie earned a new title as well, passing the advanced level of the Canine Good Citizenship test. It carries the title of AKC Community Canine. CPE Judge Mike Brownwell with the new champs

3 JANUARY 2016 Page 3 XYLITOL A POTENTIAL TOXIN IN HIDING Most dog owners are aware of the dangers some foods and additives can pose to pets, and more are becoming conscious about reading labels for countries of origin for pet foods and treats. Xylitol, an artificial sweetener most commonly found in sugarless gum and candies, has been known to be poisonous to dogs and cats, causing severe toxicity in as little as 30 minutes. But pet owners may not know that a wider range of foods have added Xylitol to their products. In 2014, the Pet Poison Helpline reported 2,700 cases of suspected Xylitol poisoning, almost all in dogs. Almost half those cases (43 percent) were referred to vets for emergency care. That was a marked spike in the number of such calls, and the American Veterinary Medical Association reported the cause might be the growing number of food products and drugs that have introduced the artificial sweetener as an ingredient. The Pet Poison Helpline has tried to identify those products, and they include: Over-the-counter liquid medications and digestive aids such as Beano and antacids; dental and oral care products; nicotine gum; nasal sprays; chewable dietary supplements; stool softeners; ice cream; Jell-O sugar free pudding; peanut butters and other nut butters, and energy drinks. The list is only partial. The best advice is to read labels of everything and, of course, to keep over-the-counter drugs and prescriptions out of the reach of pets. If you don t know the ingredients of your food, don t share it with your pets. The signs of Xylitol poisoning include vomiting; weakness; depression; uncoordinated movement; decreased potassium; seizures and coma. Seek immediate vet care if you suspect your pet has ingested Xylitol. It s also wise to keep handy the phone number of the Pet Poison Helpline: Their website is

4 JANUARY 2016 Page 4 WCAC NEWS As the new year begins, it brings some changes for Windy City Agility Club. Fees for classes will be $85 for members for each seven-week session and $115 for nonmembers. Guest fees will be $20 for members and $25 for non-members. In a policy change, if a class must be cancelled due to weather or other circumstances, there will be no make-up class scheduled. Members will be notified by if a class is cancelled. Something new for classes: in response to requests from members, instruction and practice for CPE games will be added to the curriculum. For this session, Week 4 (on Jan. 28) will focus on the game of Full House. In week 7 [Feb. 18, which would normally be runthrough], two nested CPE courses will be available for run-throughs. Currently enrolled Intermediate and Advanced students may come at any time from 7:45 to 9:45 p.m. to run whichever course they choose. The full floor will be available. You will be guaranteed two runs. Help is needed to set up courses on class nights. A change in the For Your K9 class schedule means WCAC will be responsible for setting up courses before the Beginner class. Please come early to help if you are available. WCAC fees are significantly lower than what most training programs charge in the Chicagoland area. You can spread the word to friends and others interested in trying agility. Fliers about WCAC are available at class or ask Lou Bogart (wcaclou@sbcglobal.net) for a pdf copy to print or . A potluck day will be scheduled for a Summer Celebration. The board has two vacancies because of the resignations of Loretta Marchese and Kate Witas. The Board is in the process of reviewing the club s bylaws and will address the vacancies afterward. Member Aliss South has a new addition to her Akita pack. He is Castiel [photo right] who came from Midwest Akita Rescue. Aliss planned to foster him, but his friendly nature made him a keeper. Castiel is about 7 years old and is learning to become friends with his sister Neskaya.

5 JANUARY 2016 Page 5 AN AGILITY BLESSING By P. J. Hughes, Inspired by his little Tater May the tunnels not have too much suction, May the course be fun and fast, May your dog not stop to say `hello To the photographers as they pass! May the table not be too slippery, May the chute not house any beast, May all the yellow parts be touched With one little toe, at least. May the wind always be at your back And no bars fall on the ground, May the A-frame have no stop sign on top, May the judge s whistle never sound. May your dog obey all correct commands, And ignore the ones that are wrong. May your heart be light, your feet be sure, And the bond with your dog grow strong. At the finish line, may great joy abound, Regardless of your score. You have your dog, your dog has you, And who could ask for more?

6 JANUARY 2016 Page 6 NEW YEAR NEW LAW The new year brings a positive change to the law against leaving pets in locked cars. As of January 1, Illinois now imposes stricter punishments on those who expose their pets to extreme hot or cold weather. The law is an amendment to The Humane Care for Animals Act passed last summer, making it a Class A misdemeanor for people to expose their dog or cat in a manner that places [the animal] in a life-threatening situation for a prolonged period of time in extreme heat or cold conditions that result in injury to or the death of the animals. Individuals convicted of this misdemeanor face a fine of up to $2,500 and up to one year in jail. Previously, the only law in Illinois dealing with these situations was the one allowing law enforcement officers to break a car window to free pets trapped inside a car in extreme weather. The new amendment now provides a punishment for offenders.

7 OCTOBER 2015 Page 7 TRACKING THE ABUSERS FBI ADDS ANIMAL ABUSE AS CRIME AGAINST SOCIETY The FBI long has tracked crime statistics for the country, but while homicides and burglaries are among the crimes chronicled, animal cruelty cases were lumped into an other catch-all category. That changes this year, in part because of the efforts of an animal rights advocate, Mary Lou Randour, who had asked a simple question more than 10 years ago: is animal cruelty on the increase? She couldn t get a definitive answer because no agency kept track. After years of lobbying from advocates like her, the FBI agreed last year to begin tracking cases of animal abuse as a separate and distinct category starting this year. The FBI now defines animal cruelty as the act of intentionally, knowingly or recklessly taking an action that mistreats or kills any animal without just cause, such as torturing, tormenting, mutilation, maiming, poisoning or abandonment. There will be four categories of animal cruelty chronicled: simple or gross neglect, intentional abuse or torture, organized abuse such as dog fighting and cock fighting and animal sexual abuse. FBI spokeswoman Amy Blasher said the Bureau partnered with the National Sheriffs Association and Animal Welfare Institute to devise the new record-keeping policy. [They] believe that animal cruelty was an early indicator of [future] violent crime, and that s really what led the discussions with our law enforcement partners throughout the country. Data collected this year will be available to the public starting next year.

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9 JANUARY 2016 PAGE 9 DON T GIVE THEM THE BRUSH-OFF The Importance of Dental Health By Toni Ginnetti February is Dental Health Care month for pets, but every month of a dog s life should include dental care. Pet insurance companies report that eight out of 10 dogs show signs of oral disease by the age of 3. Veterinary Pet Insurance calculated that its policy holders spent $11.2 million on dental claims in That cost might be contained if pet owners took a few minutes several times a week to do the simple act of brushing their dog s teeth. Every time I take my dogs to the vet and he does a cursory mouth check, he tells me how good the dogs teeth look. That goes for my 12-year-old Sheltie, Bowie, and 8-year-old Collie, Marnie. Both are breeds that can be susceptible to dental problems. They are not particular chewers of dental-type treats, although they get a daily regiment of raw carrots they love to munch, so there s no doubt the brushings make a difference. My vets always tell me how they wish their clients would take a little time to care for their pets teeth. If health didn t motivate you, perhaps cost might a vet s dental cleaning costs hundreds of dollars, and requires anesthesia. Pet toothpaste costs about $5 a tube, and it s flavored to make it more palatable. Even rubbing the toothpaste onto your pet s teeth with a finger can help his dental care. WEBSITE WATCH With National Dental Health Care month coming in February, we offer this site to try Hawaii s No. 1-selling dental dog treat Ilio Dentals. It s a gluten-soy-wheat-corn and soy-free dental chew made in the USA that helps reduce tartar buildup. It has an asymmetrical design and semi-hard texture to encourage longer chewing and lessens the chance to gulp or choke. [ Ilio means dog in Hawaiian.]

10 Class Schedule and Upcoming Events THURSDAY EVENING INDOOR CLASSES (Held at For Your K9, 1975 Cornell Ave., Melrose Park) Session I: January 7 through Feb. 18 Session II: March 3 through April 14 Session III: April 28 through June 7 Session IV: June 23 through Aug. 4 Session V: Aug. 18 through Sept. 29 Session VI: Oct. 13 through Dec. 1 [No class on Thanksgiving, Nov. 24, 2016] In the event a class is canceled due to weather or other circumstances, there will be no make-up class. Members will be notified by . Class Times: Beginner 6:45 to 7:30 P.M.; Intermediate 7:45 P.M. to 8:30 P.M.; Advanced 8:45 P.M. to 9:30 P.M. (flexible) WCAC BOARD MEETINGS Meetings are at For Your K9 Inc. usually on the second Friday of each month. Members are always welcome. Quiet and well behaved dogs are also welcome. For more information, call Ask any Board member (names are on the cover page), or visit our website at Windy City Agility Club reserves the right to cancel classes, trials, meetings and events or change dates, times or location without notice. Club members may request copies of WCAC board meeting minutes from the board secretary. Windy City Agility Club c/o Toni Ginnetti 207 N. Greenwood Ave. Park Ridge, IL INSIDE THIS ISSUE; Happy New Year Brags and Wags Xylitol The Hidden Toxin WCAC News An Agility Blessing New Year, New Law FBI To Track Animal Cruelty Dental Health Care month