Pawprint. Next Meeting August 1st Meredith Center Fire Station 6:00 PM Board Meeting 6:30 PM General Meeting

Transcription

1 Pawprint July 2016 Official Publication of The Lakes Region Kennel Club-NH AKC Member Club Editor Ken Polakowski 33 Hackberry Lane Laconia, NH Deadline 15th of each month OFFICERS President Linda Heath Vice President Corina Alexander Recording Secretary Deborah Mardin Corresponding Secretary Susan Blake Treasurer Barbara Champaigne AKC Delegate Crecia Closson B.O.D. Debbie Cost Nancy Large 2017 Cathy Barber Next Meeting August 1st Meredith Center Fire Station 6:00 PM Board Meeting 6:30 PM General Meeting We re looking for pictures and brags about your dogs along with interesting articles to share with our community. Send them to

2 Meeting Minutes Meredith Center Fire Station July 11, 2016 Meeting Called to Order: 6:39 Members Present: Linda Heath, Deb Mardin, Nancy Large, Susan Blake, Debbie Cost, Julie Boyer, Ken Polakowski, Heather Smith, Mike Tierny, Deb Deaceatis Motion made by Nancy Large to accept the June 2016 meeting minutes as published. Seconded and passed Presidents Report: No Report Recording Secretary Report: No report Corresponding Secretary Report: No report Treasurer Report: Absent, motion made by Debbie Cost to accept the treasures report subject to review as read by Linda Heath. Seconded and passed Committees Reports: AKC Delegate: Club can get a surrogate delegate if we cannot find one. Club is still actively looking for a delegate. Barn Hunt: Successful trial. Results and photos are posted on the website. 4H concessions were very happy with the turnout. Hay is already scheduled for next year. Handling, Obedience, Performance Classes: Start September 6, 2016 Pet Oxygen Masks: Money collected from various establishments Nose work trial: Trial coming up on the 17 th. We will be taking registrations the day of. Currently have 102 entries. For more information please go to Website: Results and photos are up on the website from the recent Barn Hunt. Statistics are showing that there is a lot odd traffic from other countries. Pawprint: If you would like something submitted, please send it to Ken. Rally trial: Currently working on the premium for the October trial. Responsible Dog Owner: Will be held in September at Tractor Supply, date TBD. New business: Nominating committee needed to committee members. Annual meeting September 12, 2016 at the Homestead in Bristol. Teacup auction bring something to raffle off. Meeting adjourned at: 7:22 Respectfully submitted, Deborah Mardin, Recording Secretary Next meeting: August 1, 2016 Meredith Center Fire Department

3 A u g u s t The calendar lists LRKC events and a sampling of AKC sanctioned events in New England. A complete listing of AKC events can be found at: Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 6:00 Board Meeting 6:30 General Meeting Meredith Center Fire Station Pioneer Valley Kennel Club, Inc. - Greenfield Community College - College Dr - Greenfield,MA Wachusett Kennel Club, Inc. - Royal Plaza Trade Center - Royal Plaza Trade Center - Marlborough,MA 21 Wachusett Kennel Club, Inc. - Royal Plaza Trade Center - Royal Plaza Trade Center - Marlborough,MA Newtown Kennel Club, Inc. - Eastern States Expo - West Springfield,MA 26 Northwestern Connecticut Dog Club, Inc. - Eastern States Expo - West Springfield,MA 27 Newtown Kennel Club, Inc. - Eastern States Expo - West Springfield,MA 28 Elm City Kennel Club - Eastern States Expo - West Springfield,MA

4 ANNUAL MEETING The annual meeting will be held on September 12, 2016 at the Harts Turkey Farm in Meredith. Election of officers for next year will take place. The nominees are: President: Linda Heath Vice President: Corina Alexander Recording Secretary: Deborah Mardin Corresponding Secretary: Susan Blake Treasurer: Barbara Champainge AKC Delegate: Deb Kreider For Director for the three (3)-year term : OPEN Note: Article IV, Section 4.(c) Additional nominations may be made at the August meeting by any member in attendance provided that the person so nominated does not decline when his name is proposed, and provided further that if the proposed candidate is not in attendance at this meet-ing, his proposer shall present to the Recording Secre-tary a written statement from the proposed candidate signifying his willingness to be a candidate. No person may be a candidate for more than one (1) position... (d) Nominations cannot be made at the annual meeting or in any manner other than as pro-vided in this section. Meeting Details Social hour starts at 6 PM, set up and ticket sales for the Tea Cup Auction Short Board meeting 6:30 Dinner will be ordered from the menu. Regular meeting and election of new officers Tea Cup Auction Please bring a new or like new dog related item valued at $5.00 to $10.00 Guests are welcome Please bordertaussie@gmail.com if you plan on attending

5 It is time for membership renewal. Please fill out and return the renewal form on the next page.

6

7 The Lakes Region Kennel Club, Inc. New Hampshire AKC Member Club Presents Dog Obedience Classes Starting Tuesday September 6, 2016 at the Meredith Community Center all classes are 7 weeks Please contact Linda Heath or her at bordertaussie@gmail.com for more information Please bring proof of your dog s current rabies shots (Veterinarian Certificate or receipt AKC S.T.A.R Puppy Class 6:00 PM Socializing* Training* Activity* Responsibility Open to all puppies from 8 weeks to one year old Class is designed to get owners and puppies off to a good start 6 Week course required Graduation 7th week. Instructor: Linda Heath Class Fee $85.00 Basic Manners Class 6:00 PM This class is for puppies that have passed the S.T.A.R. Puppy Class and need more training. Instructor: Mike Tierney $85.00 Competition Novice Obedience 7:00 PM Prepare your dog for the Novice Companion Dog Title. This Class aims to improve or perfect performance in Novice exercises and develop the attention needed for competition. Instructor: Linda Heath. $85.00 Nose Work Class 7:00 PM Teach your dog NoseWork. Instructor in Nancy Large $85.00 Advanced Rally Obedience Course 7:00PM Practice a Rally Advanced Course Instructor: Corina Alexander Drop ins $5.00

8 The following is a list of qualifiers from the Barn Hunt held on 6/25/2016 and 6/26/2016 at the Sandwich Fair.

9 The following is a photo gallery from the Barn Hunt held on 6/25/2016 and 6/26/2016 at the Sandwich Fair.

10 WOW! The stats are in for the Lakes Region Kennel Club, Inc. MagnifiScents PSD Trial on 17 July 2016 in Meredith NH. Thank you TS, Kristen Bartoli, for your quick compilations; these results are fantastic! We had 16 titles earned by 9 dog and handler teams including one Novice Level Scent Dog title (having titled in all 5 Novice classes). And it was wonderful to see so many first time exhibitors qualifying and earning placements in the Novice classes! Brilliant!!! Ginormous Congratulations are in order for New PSD Titles: Dori Almann and Taika - Novice Exteriors and Novice Buildings Jean Collins and Danny - Novice Containers Linda Franchi and Sigur - Novice Containers, Novice Speed, and Novice Distance Linda Franchi and Lilly - Novice Buildings Lucia Hackett and Bella - Novice Buildings, Novice Speed, and Novice Distance Barbara Head and Luna - Advanced Buildings Nancy Large and Sweet Caroline AKA Truffle - Novice Exteriors and Novice Scent Dog Liz Moak and Phoebe - Advanced Containers and Advanced Advanced Distance Liz Moak and Snow Bear - Advanced Exteriors Thanks to all including our (awesome!) judges, Jason and Jen, our apprentice judges, John and Jean, our TS in Training, Linda, our exhibitors and your dogs, and of course, the MagnifiScents volunteers for making our Trial so smooth and successful. Thank YOU for supporting our first PSD Trial

11 The following is a photo gallery from the MagnifiScents PSD Trial on 17 July 2016 in Meredith.

12 Search Dog Training Definitions of terms in this article can be found at: OVSAR uses all working breeds of dogs, such as Border Collies, German Shepherds, Labradors, and Golden Retrievers. We like to begin training a dog as young as 12 weeks of age, but older dogs are also considered. Wilderness search dogs must be trained and certified in one of three methods: tracking, trailing,air scent or cadaver. Dogs first taught to track or trail may later be trained in air scent. However, dogs first taught to air scent can rarely be taught to track or trail because air scenting is the easiest and most natural for the dog. Often air scent dogs naturally combine all three methods to locate a subject. Dogs instinctively use their noses to locate things in everyday life, so the real training is to teach them (1) to locate the lost person or article and (2) to notify the handler that the subject or article has been found. This notification is called the alert. Dogs can locate people because all humans have an individual human scent left behind by the 40,000 skin cells dropped per minute. Air currents carry these cells that dogs can detect with their sensitive nose. Search Dog Training - General Training search and rescue dogs is a gradual and careful process because each dog responds differently. All dogs progress at different rates and their reactions to training challenges and rewards will also vary. OVSAR regards training as a team effort. We use a variety of subjects for mock search exercises and we rely on each other for support and advice. OVSAR uses the training methods described in this section but is not restricted to these only. PLEASE keep in mind this is a VERY brief explanation of our training methods. It is not a comprehensive training guide - it is only an overview. TRACKING SEARCH DOG Phase I The tracking dog is worked in a harness attached to a foot lead. The handler puts the harness on the dog just as the team (handler and dog) get ready to work. This way the dog associates the harness with the tracking and is more focused to start working. To start training a tracking dog, we begin by having a familiar subject drop a scent article and make a scent pad, then walk feet, laying food treats in each step. The subject then hides in an easily detected location. The handler shows the scent pad and scent article to the dog, then the handler gives a command such as "find" or

13 or a favorite toy. We continue these short searches using fewer treats each time. We also use different terrain's, such as fields, yards, parks, lightly wooded areas, etc., but with no heavy vegetation or concrete surfaces in this phase. We continue these short searches using fewer treats each time. We also use different terrain's, such as fields, yards, parks, lightly wooded areas, etc., but with no heavy vegetation or concrete surfaces in this phase. Phase II We continue using the scent article, scent pad and a few treats (every 5-10 steps), but we increase the length of the search. These short searches should always be in a straight line. When the dog starts getting the idea of the search, keep him from seeing the victim hide. We add more variety to the locations used, and even use some with heavy vegetation. Phase III In this phase we add curves and eventually stop the track treats. As the dog's ability increases, we start adding distance and age to the track and continue exposing the dog to a wide variety of terrain's. The use of the scent article is always needed but the scent pad must be phased out as the dog becomes more accomplished. Phase IV When the dog is reliably finding the victim through these phases with no treats and a trail of ten minutes or more, we next use a subject unknown to the dog. We add variables to the searches as the dog is able to successfully complete each level. Phase V Two people are now used: one as the victim and one as a distraction. The subject leaves the scent article and both the subject and the distraction walk away together. At a predetermined distance the distraction breaks off and leaves the search area while the victim continues on. The tracking dog must stay on the subject's track and locate the subject, even though the distraction turned in another direction. The tracking dog team (handler & dog) should be able to consistently work trails up to 24 hours old that are 1-2 miles long in all terrain's. This phase is basically for the tracking dog that is ready for the tracking certification test. PLEASE keep in mind this is a VERY brief explanation of our training methods. It is not a comprehensive training guide - it is only an overview. TRAILING DOG A trailing dog works similarly to the tracking dog. A scent article is used so the dog can pick up the subject's scent and trail. The dog may waiver from the person's actual track by several feet by cutting corners and using the wind to his advantage. Again, the dog is generally in a harness attached to a foot lead. PLEASE keep in mind this is a VERY brief explanation of our training methods. It is not a comprehensive training guide - it is only an overview. AIR SCENT SEARCH DOG The air scent dog works off lead, ranging back and forth in an area to pick up the human scent left by the subject. Ranging often takes the dog out of sight for several minutes at a time, so the handler must trust his dog and listen for an alert. Once the dog gets the subject's scent, he moves in to its source. The dog must then "alert" by either barking while staying

14 with the subject or by returning to the handler and "indicating" her in some way that the handler should follow. The dog then "refinds" the subject and leads the handler to the subject. To train an air scent dog to issue a bark alert, we start training the dog to bark on command as young and as soon as possible.the bark alert is usually the hardest area of the search sequence to get the dog to do reliably, so we start early on this behavior. New handlers usually want to progress quickly through the phases, but we have found that if the foundational steps are not solid and reliable, the whole process will eventually fall apart. We stress a very slow, steady training sequence for the new dog to assure a solid foundation. Phase I Team members start with runaway searches for the new dog. A person the dog is familiar with holds the dog while the handler excites the dog and then runs away (into the wind) and hides. All this is done in full view of the dog with the reward, preferably a toy, in the runaway subject's hand. The handler then gives a command such as "search" or "go find" and releases the dog. When the dog reaches the handler it is "party time" with lots of playing and praise for the successful search. A search, no matter how short or long, is a big game to the dog, so it is always "party time" when the dog finds the subject. We continue with the runaway searches increasing either distance or adding terrain variations. In general, we keep the searches in a straight line and always into the wind during this phase. Phase II For those dogs that we want to give a bark alert, we now add the requirement that the dog barks when he reaches the subject. Usually the subject has to give the "speak" command. Once the dog barks the handler comes in and helps reward the dog with play and praise. For dogs that alert with a refind, the training varies. Once the dog reaches the subject, the handler calls the dog back to her and gives a new command to tell the dog to return to the subject, such as "show me" or "refind." In the beginning of this training, the subject will most likely have to call the dog back, then the handler and subject reward the dog enthusiastically. We continue with short, straight searches but add variations in terrain, location and subjects. Begin using people familiar to the dog as subjects with the handler working the dog. Phase III Now the dog is ready for "blind searches" where the subject hides without the dog watching. It is essential to work into the wind so that the dog has the best chance to catch the human scent. As the dog becomes more accomplished at this, we make the searches longer and vary the terrain. If the dog fails to bark or do a refind, we return to Phase II because we do not have the solid foundation needed to continue. Phase IV Next we use subjects unfamiliar to the dog and add variables such as length (distance and time) and new terrain. We also begin starting the search in another place than where the subject started from. Phase V Again, as with the final phase for the Tracking Dog, Phase V is for the search team (handler and dog) that is ready for the wilderness certification test. The team needs to be ready to search for long periods with short rest breaks, covering a wide variety of terrain in all kinds of weather. In spite of all the work, we ensure that the dog finds searching fun by doing a variety of searches, from short, fun runaways to the 1-3 hour search. Wonderful rewards and praise always follow each successful exercise. OBEDIENCE TRAINING During search training we run through obedience exercises during search training, but the actual obedience training is the individual handler's responsibility. We recommend a formal obedience class for socialization, basic commands, and experience.

15 Following dog obedience training, OVSAR dogs must pass an extensive obedience test in order to represent OVSAR at various functions, such as fire department open houses, parades, and school demonstrations. To progress to mission-ready status, the dog must pass a test for search certification in one of the three specific search disciplines. The standards for this test are similar to the standards established by the National Association of Search and Rescue (NASAR) and the State of Indiana.

16 FROM 3 Survival Commands Your Dog Should Know By Pat Henry on July 29, 2015@prepperjournal Not only is your dog a good companion, but he or she could potentially save your life in a survival situation. With the proper training, you can transform your cuddly puppy into a smart, disciplined survivalist. Training takes time and patience but there are some commands you can teach your dog that could help you out in an emergency or dangerous situation. Start out training your dog the right way with these commands your dog should know. Teach your Dog to Speak You don t need to invest in a full-scale alarm system for your home because your dog s bark can ward off any predators approaching your home. To teach this command, kneel in front of your sitting dog with treats clearly visible in your hand. Get your pup s attention, and, in a happy tone, say his name while showing him a favorite toy, but not letting him have it. Say speak, and give him time to respond. Repeat this process until he barks, and then reward him with a treat. Once he masters the trick, try it out in different areas without treats. Your dog s bark could save you if there s an intruder in your home, you re stranded in the wilderness or you re awaiting rescue.

17 Teach your Dog to be Quiet Additionally, teaching your dog to be quiet when you don t want your cover blown is equally important. Pick a command like hush or quiet, and use it consistently. When training him how to be quiet, wait for him to bark. Once he does, quickly get his attention with a second sound, such as a whistle or clap. Once you have his attention, use your command and give him a treat for obeying. Repeat this two to three times in a row and continue over the next couple days until he masters the command. However, if you re working with an unruly dog, such as a yippy terrier or high-energy breed, you may need to use an electric dog collar with a bark-limiter. Trigger the vibration, and use a vocal command to teach your dog to stay quiet. Amazon offers a wide range of electric collars for dog training and hunting. This method isn t necessary for most dogs provided you are patient and willing to spend the time training them. Breed differences can vary with how much they bark, but I think most of the time unwanted behaviors can be trained out of your dog with time. Our dog is extremely high energy but she isn t a barker. Your dog may be different. Teach your Dog to Search A dog s olfactory abilities are 100,000 times stronger than a human s, according to dog trainer Dina Zaphiris. This trait makes your dog well-suited for making rescues. Train your dog to recognize you and your family s scent so he can make a rescue in the event of a disaster, such as an avalanche or being lost in the wilderness. Dogs as young as 12 weeks can learn these skills, and older dogs can still learn, too. To teach trailing, use a partner and your dog. First, drop a piece of clothing with your friend s scent and walk 10 to 20-feet ahead, dropping treats with each step. Then, have your partner hide in an easy-to-find location. Show the dog the piece of clothing and let him sniff it. Use a command like search or find. Your dog should be able to follow the treats and the scent to your training partner. Reward him with his toy, play or more treats. As he gets better, use less and less treats, and take your training to different terrains. Ohio Valley Search and Rescue has put together a comprehensive guide to help you teach your dog these life-saving skills. These commands your dog should know are by no means the end of training. There are a million other things your pooch is capable of but these commands are a start. Where you go from there with your dog is up to you two.

18 FROM

19 Education Center & Info Line practical solutions to everyday questions Toll free Info Line Insect Repellents Dr. Alan T. Eaton, Extension Specialist, Entomology The term insect repellent doesn t accurately reflect how these materials work. They don t actually repel insects, but rather block the receptors that mosquitoes, gnats, punkies, no-see-ums and other insects use to detect appropriate hosts for them to bite. Blocking those receptors stops the insects from biting, so a more accurate term might be bite-preventing substances. By the way, they can also repel some insect relatives such as ticks. The effectiveness of repellents varies with the active ingredient(s), the concentration, and the target species. Products come as lotions, pump sprays, pressurized cans, and wipes. Which one is best? That s for you to decide. Look at the list of active ingredients and their concentrations to help decide which one to buy. Always follow label directions when using repellents. DEET is an acronym for the long technical name: N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide. Developed in 1946, DEET has been used extensively since then and serves as the standard mosquito repellent against which new candidate materials are tested. In addition to working on mosquitoes, it works well on fleas, biting midges (punkies, no-see-ums) and black flies. It doesn t work well on snipe flies, deer flies, greenheads or horse flies. (By the way, no re-pellents really work on those groups.) Ticks and chiggers are closely related to insects, and DEET works on them, too. Repellents that have higher concentrations of DEET generally last longer and are more effective (to a point) than those with low concentrations. DEET should never be allowed into mucous membranes (nose, mouth, eyes), and should never be used on infants less than two months old. Officials don t rec-ommend using products containing more than 30 percent DEET. A few people are allergic to it. DEET is greasy and also dissolves some plastics and finishes. Picaridin is a relatively new repellent. It first became available in U.S. products in For most species, it s as effective as DEET, but appears to lack some of DEET s shortcomings. It doesn t dissolve plastics or finishes, and no allergic reactions have been noted. Perhaps as products containing picaridin become more widely used, some shortcomings might appear. Picaridin works well on mosquitoes, and also biting midges (punkies/no-see-ums) and chiggers. It works almost as well as DEET on ticks. N.H.-registered repellents with low picaridin concentration are labeled for mosquitoes, biting flies and chiggers. Those with higher concentrations include ticks on the label. Avon, Cutter, Go Ready, Natrapel, OFF, Repel, Sawyer and Walgreens are brand names that include picaridin repellents registered in New Hampshire. Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus is one of many natural products. Research has shown that repellents based on natural oils or herbs are less effective on mosquitoes than products based on picaridin or DEET. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, oil of lemon eucalyptus (active ingredient: p-menthane 3,8-diol [PMD]), tested against U.S. mosquitoes provided protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET. The data showed that this was effective only for the first few minutes of the testing. After that, it was much less effective.

20 Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children younger than three years old. S.C. Johnson (OFF) produces two products containing PMD that are registered in New Hampshire. One (towelettes) has 8 percent PMD, and lists black flies, gnats, mosquitoes, no see-ums on the label. The other (liquid) has 10 percent PMD, and lists those pests plus ticks, chiggers and bugs. Citronella is a natural product with limited repellence to mosquitoes. It is incorporated in some candles and torches, in addition to repellents. The material is derived from two grasses native to tropical Asia: Cymbopogon nardus (L.)Rendle ( mana grass ) and C. winterianus Jowitt. 2-Undecanone is a chemical derived from wild tomato plants. Some chemical registries refer to the same compound as methyl nonyl ketone. In preliminary tests on American dog ticks and some mosquitoes, it worked as well as or better than DEET. EPA registered the material as an insect repellent in The material became registered for use in New Hampshire in 2010, under the trade name Bite Blocker BioUD. BioUD is a trade name for products with this active ingredient. A search of the N.H. pesticide registry uncovered a surprise: we have many products with this chemical, registered to repel or train dogs & cats, but not formulated for use as insect repellents. IR3535 (ethyl butyl acetyl aminoproprionate) has several chemical names. The chemical was designed in the early 1970s and has been available in Europe since the mid-1970s. Tests show that it works moderately well on mosquitoes and fairly well on blacklegged tick. At least three manufacturers (Sawyer, Chattem, and Avon) make products that combine sunblock and insect repellent, contain this chemical, and are registered for use in NH. The Chattem ( Bullfrog Mosquito Coast ) and Sawyer products typically have 20 percent IR3535 and are registered for mosquitoes. The Avon products have lower percentage of active ingredients and are registered for biting midges, black flies, deer ticks, gnats, mosquitoes, nosee-ums, and sandflies. Other repellents Research continues to turn up new candidates for registration as repellents. Recent examples include A and tansy essential oil. Perhaps these will eventually appear in commercial mosquito or tick repellents. Amitraz and permethrin are two artificial chemical pesticides for ticks that show what is sometimes called repellency. Rather than being true repellents, they seem to create irritation and toxicity symptoms in ticks, which cause ticks to drop off and prevent them from attaching. Tick control products containing fipronil can also prevent tick attachment, which some people interpret as repellency. Dimethyl phthalate, R-11 and ethyl hexane diol were fairly effective against mosquitoes and black flies, but they are no longer available in repellents. They were discontinued in the early 1990s, based on health concerns. Labels and the registration process Repellents are classified as pesticides by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As such, in order to be sold in this country, they must first be registered with the EPA. Companies submit product information (contents, testing results, targets, proposed label, etc) and EPA looks to see if the products are safe for use as directed. For most chemicals, they also look to see if they work. For one group of chemicals, effectiveness testing is much reduced or not required by EPA. This is for natural products composed of chemicals on the federal generally regarded as safe (GRAS) list. The GRAS list includes materials in food, such as black pepper, many essential oils, caffeine, ethyl alcohol, spices, etc. Insect repellants that contain only GRAS-list ingredients don t have the don t have the same rigorous test-ing requirement to prove their effectiveness, which is why a natural repellent might not work as well as one tested against the standard (DEET). When a product is accepted by EPA, the label becomes a legal document that we are all required to follow for use. We aren t allowed to use (or recommend) ) products in a manner that is inconsistent with their labeling Please read and follow label directions.

21 They are there to ensure your safety and maximize effectiveness of the product. This publication or parts thereof may be reproduced and distributed, provided that credit is given to the author and UNH Cooperative Extension as the source. Where trade names are mentioned, no discrimi-nation is intended and no endorsement is implied. Pesticide registrations change frequently. For the lat-est information on registration of a pesticide in New Hampshire, contact the Pesticide Control Division of the NH Dept. of Agriculture at or visit their website at pesticide_control/pesticide_registration.htm Tick Tips: Information and Best Practices to Keep You and Your Family Safe and Healthy Apr 27, 2016 By Jeremy DeLisle, UNH Cooperative Extension Education Center Program Coordinator Note: The information provided in this article has been adapted from The Biology and Management of Ticks by Alan Eaton, Ph.D., UNH Cooperative Extension Entomologist. Q: My family loves to spend time during the warmer months in our yard and walking in the woods, but I m increasingly concerned about ticks and tick-borne illnesses, like Lyme disease. What can I do to minimize risks? -- Betty G., Manchester, NH A: Dealing with ticks and tick-borne illness is a reality for many people in New Hampshire who enjoy spending time outdoors. According to 2014 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, New Hampshire ranks seventh in the nation in the number of Lyme disease cases reported per 100,000 people. Fortunately, you can minimize risk of tick bites and tick-borne illness with some basic information and good practices. Although New Hampshire is home to several different species of tick, it is primarily the black-legged tick, also known as the deer tick, which transmits Lyme disease in the state. While tick activity begins as soon as snow melts and temperatures rise above 40 degrees, the threat posed by black-legged ticks is highest from May to mid-july, during their juvenile or nymphal stage, and again from October to December, when they re adults. Dress for protection When in tall grass and wooded, brushy areas that are prime tick habitat, protect yourself taking these steps: Wear shoes that completely cover your feet (no sandals) Tuck long pants into your socks Consider wearing gaiters, which are made of stretchy material that fits over the laces and tops of boots, or tall rubber boots that can hold tucked pant legs securely Wear a long sleeved shirt with snug collar and cuffs and tuck it in at the waist Choose light colored clothing, which will make ticks more visible Consider applying an insect repellant or wearing repellanttreated clothing

22 During tick season, it s good practice to monitor yourself, your children, and pets for ticks every day. Use a full length mirror or ask a family member to help check for ticks on your back and other difficult to see areas. Don t neglect your head, especially if you have long hair. Ticks tend to crawl upward, and if they can t get inside your clothing, they will end up on your head or neck. Dry, mowed vegetation are low-risk zones There are a number of steps you can take on your property to make vegetation and leaf litter dry out faster, which will make it less favorable for ticks. Keep your lawn trimmed, and mow a strip between play areas and thick brush. Remov-ing dense brush is also helpful. A second technique is to reduce human contact with the tall grass or thick brush that holds ticks. Widen paths through the woods, move play equipment away from the woods edge, and mow the edges of paths. You might consid-er using black plastic landscape netting or other fencing to limit people from walking into thick vegetation along paths. Pesticides can reduce outdoor populations There are many products that can be sprayed outdoors to kill ticks. The pesticide label will indicate where and how these should be used. The perimeter of yards, shaded perennial beds, along woods trails, and stone walls are important target areas. Lawns are not important areas to spray because they are too dry for tick habitat. A sprayer that has enough pressure to turn over leaves and vegetation and reach into crevices is most effective. You may want to consider hiring a professional pesticide applicator. Removing ticks safely requires patience and skill Should you find an attached tick, use tweezers to grasp the tick rather than using bare fingers to avoid potential contact with a disease-causing organism. Firmly grasp the tick as close to its head as possible, and pull gently, using slow, steady pressure. Do not yank it or pull it sideways, since this could cause its head to break off inside the wound. It might take as long as a minute or two for removal. Some people find it easier to use a plastic tick spoon specifically designed for tick removal. You slide the spoon under the attached tick, fitting its mouthparts into the v-shaped notch. Then hold the body of the tick down with your thumb, and gently roll the handle of the spoon down, using leverage to pull the tick out. Be careful to fit the mouthparts into the smallest part of the notch, and do this as close to the skin as possible. If you are concerned it might be a black-legged tick and has transmitted a disease, place it in a container and send it to UNH Cooperative Extension for identification. Be sure to record the date and location of the bites. If possible, record the date and town where you probably picked up the tick to help identification. If you would like to know more about ticks in New Hampshire, come to the Goffstown Ace Hardware at 5 Depot Street in Goffstown on Saturday, April 23 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Rachel Maccini, a trained entomologist and Cooperative Extension s pesticide safety education program coordinator, will be providing information and answering questions. Jeremy DeLisle is the program coordinator for the UNH Cooperative Extension Education Center. The center answers questions about gardening and more at answers@unh.edu, or by calling (877) Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Early July Tick and Mosquito Report Jun 28, 2016 By Alan Eaton, Ph.D., Extension Specialist, Entomology Being able to accurately predict the risk from mosquitoes and ticks partly depends on being able to accurately predict timing and amount of rainfall. The greatest mortality factor for ticks is drying out, so to be active, they need a little rainfall every few days. For mosquitoes, standing water is where they lay their eggs and their larvae grow. Mosquitoes thrive if we have heavy rain (2 inches or more) every two weeks or so and warm temperatures.

23 n southern and central New Hampshire, blacklegged tick numbers are a bit lower than usual, and activity has decreased due to current dry weather. Tick activity typically declines in early July and stays low through August, and blacklegged tick adults won t be active again until about October 1. But the numbers of American dog ticks, which don t transmit Lyme disease, seem to be a bit higher than usual. Mosquito numbers fluctuate with the rain, and currently are a bit lower than usual in the seacoast area. New Hampshire has about 46 species of mosquitoes, and some are aggressive biters. During the daytime near salt marshes, the salt marsh mosquito is an active, annoying biter. Inland, when you walk through woods and shrubbery during the day, you disturb resting mosquitoes, who readily respond by biting. Otherwise, mosquito biting is heaviest within an hour or two of sunset and dawn. The risk of getting a mosquito-borne disease in New Hampshire is pretty low overall. But the riskiest time is late in the summer and early fall, before a killing frost stops the adults. Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus are the most likely problems. I m asked about Zika virus a lot now. The two main vectors of Zika virus (Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti) do not occur in our state, and the closest that they exist seems to be the New York City area. So, the risk of getting Zika here is probably extremely low. Lately, I have received many questions about repellants. Deet is one of our most effective repellants. It works on mosquitoes, ticks, black flies and no-see-ums. Some people can t use deet because they are allergic to it. I don t use it when I m playing music because it can damage the finish of some instruments. But, there are other effective ingredients, like picaridin, you should look for.

24 DOGS NH Legislative Update # Legislative Round-up This is a bit late. My only excuse is summer! DOGS legislative advocacy program is made possible by contributions from our members and local dog and cat clubs. We are grateful for the continuing support of the Seacoast Cat Club, the New Hampshire Mushers Association, the Granite State Shetland Sheepdog Club of South East New Hampshire, the Lakes Region Kennel Club, the Merrimack Valley Kennel Club, the Newfoundland Club of New England, the Souhegan Kennel Club, German Shepherd Dog Club of Southern New Hampshire, and the contributions of our supporters. Many thanks to everyone who has helped out this year. If you can, please go to our website and make a contribution. We really couldn t do this without your involvement. Final Round-up of 2016 bills This year out of the 10 bills DOGS followed, only one was signed into law. Some we supported; others we opposed or requested amendments to make them acceptable. Members of DOGS testified at public hearings, contacted legislators and shared DOGS legislative information with local clubs and friends. Our efforts made a difference in the outcome of several bills. If you would like to get more actively involved, we can be reached at dogs.nh@gmail.com. Signed by the Governor HB1547 prohibiting bestiality. DOGS opposed the bill as written due to concerns about common animal husbandry practices being included in the definition of bestiality. DOGS s members testified in the House against the veterinary/animal husbandry exceptions being only for commercial breeders or licensed veterinarians as well as our other issues with the bill. The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee amended the bill to address our concerns. The final version moves the crime of bestiality to being under the Animal Cruelty statutes as suggested by the Farm Bureau and the Department of Agriculture. Supported by DOGS HB661 relative to record keeping for sold or transferred animals and making certain technical corrections to the law governing the sale or transfer of animals. Killed in the Senate at the request of the sponsor. HB1230 relative to information on dog licenses. Killed in the House. This bill was introduced at the request of DOGS. It would have added emergency contact information to the dog licensing records. While the Municipal and County Government Committee appreciated the intent, it was felt that changing the Town Clerks software would be too expensive.

25 HB1567 authorizing friends of animal number plates. Killed in the House. The Transportation Committee was concerned with the costs of producing a specialty license plate. HB1615 regulating the transfer of dogs from out of state. The House Environment and Agriculture Committee kept this bill for Interim Study. This bill licenses and regulates out of state transporters of dogs and cats who deliver pets for transfer into New Hampshire from out of state. The committee felt that this bill, while good, could be improved. Opposed by DOGS HB1499 relative to certificates for rabies vaccination of dogs, cats, or ferrets. Killed in the House. This bill would have eliminated the requirement that veterinarians send copies of certificates of rabies vaccination which they generate to town and city clerks. The House Environment and Agriculture Committee felt that eliminating this central repository puts our citizens at risk. HB1576 repealing the licensure of dogs. Killed in the House. Although the minority of the Municipal and County Government Committee felt that dog licensing was a tax, the majority thought Without licensing, strays would be almost impossible to identify, the requirement for rabies vaccinations could be largely ignored and many programs of benefit to the public would go unfunded. Testing for rabies at the State Diagnostic Lab would be curtailed as well as other animal related programs and even the office of the State Veterinarian would suffer. HB1571 prohibiting the possession, purchase, or sale of equipment used for animal fighting. Killed in the House. In the House Calendar, the House Environment and Agriculture Committee stated: The committee overwhelmingly agrees that animal fighting is inhumane. This bill attempts to use various types of paraphernalia found in the possession of a person, even without the evidence of any animal being present, as a basis for finding the person guilty of animal fighting and subject to a class B felony. Many legitimate animal handlers could be subject to this vague interpretation of law. This bill would presume that they are guilty and now are required to prove their innocence with no recourse. currently, there are sufficient laws in statute to regulate any animal fighting that may occur. There have not been any instances of animal fighting in NH for many years. SB415 requiring appropriate hydration be made available to certain animals and establishing a committee to study harmful weather conditions for dogs. Killed in the House. Although DOGS supported changing the original bill s requirement for having water available 24 hours a day to appropriate hydration, the House Environment and Agriculture Committee felt that the current law which requires providing adequate sustenance, which includes hydration, was sufficient. Also, they cited the testimony of members of DOGS that it would be impossible to set a standard about harmful weather conditions due to the variability in dog breeds and acclimatization. SB505 relative to the transfer of animals and birds. Killed in the Senate. This was a constituent requested bill which would have remove the requirement that Health Certificate be issued by a NH veterinarian, made a dog or cat Health Certificate valid for 30 days, removed facilities inspections prior to the issuance of a state license, removed the mandatory quarantine. The bill only required a 48 hour quarantine if the dog or cat show sign of sickness.. The Senate Executive Departments and Administration agreed with the testimony of DOGS members against this bill.

26 Lakes Region Kennel Club Members Brags Owner s Name: Dog s Name: Brag: Please brags to polakowski@att.net so they can be published in the Pawprint. Pictures are welcome too. Please send photos of your dogs so I can put them in the Pawprint. Example: Here is a picture of Tux playing Frisbee.