General Meeting. Page 1

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1 Jan/Feb 2007 Vol. 11 Issue 1 Presidents Message (s): by Joan Taylor By the time you read this I hope the freezing weather has passed and we are experiencing some normal temperatures. I know we are all looking forward to spring and working and competing with our Goldens. I want to thank Teresa Campbell and Marshall Landis for serving as President and Vicepresident, respectively, of CGRC for the past two years. They, along with the Board have done a wonderful job building our club. I hope I can help continue developing this club into something in which we can all be proud. Our first venture this year was hosting the luncheon for the NEMKC match show. Pam Ford and her group of volunteers are to be congratulated for doing such a super job. We are getting ready for our match show to be held March 10, that is in the capable hands of Match Show Chair, Linda Billings and Obedience Chair, Kay Bleinberger. Next will be our specialty in conjunction with Wilmington Kennel Club in April. Ray and Teresa Campbell will be chairing this event. We will be discussing this at our upcoming meeting. We need more entries so encourage your friends in other Golden Clubs to support this show, as we support the others in the area. I am getting a great deal of input from members about things they would like to see happen with CGRC this year. I have some requests for a handling class, field working classes and possibly a health clinic in conjunction with GoldHeart. All of this is possible if we get enough members interested. If you have any ideas please contact me and we can all work together to make this a banner year for our club. General Meeting Tuesday, February 27, 2007 at 7:00 pm. McFaul Activities Center, 525 West MacPhail Road, Bel Air, MD Guest Speaker: Vicki Rummel of Pets on Wheels. Pets on Wheels is a not for profit volunteer organization which provides friendly visits from volunteers and their pets to those requiring the support of an institutional setting. This includes settings such as nursing homes, assisted living, veterans' hospitals, facilities for physically and mentally challenged as well as programs for the homeless. A pet's warmth and unconditional love makes a difference to those they visit. I hope you will join us on Tuesday night, February 27, to listen to Vicki, assisted by her Golden, Sienna, as they speak of their good work and success stories. RSVP to President: Joan Taylor At Jmtgoldridge@cs.com or call please call for directions Match Show Our match show will be held on Saturday, March 10 at the Papillonia Dog Training Center in Red Lion, PA. Conformation for Goldens only and Obedience for all breeds. Obedience entries will be limited to 80 dogs so pre-entry may be a good idea. There will be a complete discussion of the match at the February meeting so PLEASE plan to attend. We need volunteers for several different tasks, including stewarding and food donations. Contact Linda Billings for what will be needed, or you can get that information at the meeting. Let's make this our most successful match yet, last year was good, but we had a very small entry. With a good turnout we can make this a successful fundraiser as well as a successful match show. Tell your friends in obedience who have those "other" breeds that this is wonderful facility for obedience and a great time to get their dogs ready for the spring shows GoldHeart Rescue In January, Kay Bleinberger and I attended the annual meeting of Goldheart. They are doing an impressive job of finding "forever homes" for neglected, stray and abused Goldens. I invited them to become more involved with CGRC and told them we would like to be more involved in their activities. This was warmly received by all the members and they have added a link from their website to ours and we have two links to them. We hope to have a representative form GoldHeart speak at an upcoming meeting. Currently GoldHeart is having a fundraiser for Longaberger Baskets. Each raffle ticket has 2 possible winning numbers with drawings daily from May 1 through May 31. The winning number will be the number from the Maryland Lottery Daily Pick 3. There will be a different basket each day for 32 days and an extra special basket on Memorial Day. Tickets are $10 a piece and are sold in groups of ten. If ten members want to buy a single (or more) ticket(s), I will buy a pack and have them for you at our February meeting. I hope you will join me in pledging money to help a Golden, not as fortunate as our own. I will have a list of the baskets to be won daily at the February meeting. For more information you may contact Lynette Kaufman at goldenslmk@adelphia.net. For volunteering opportunities you may contact the Volunteer and Event coordinator Alison Nattress at raymond.natress@verizon.net Page 1

2 Well, the NEMKC Match is over and the tally is in. CGRC, you baked, and cooked, and delivered, and served - and that was just Saturday! You did it all over again on Sunday! You got babysitters for the puppies, lent your crockpots and frypans, served food inbetween showing your dogs, refreshed the buffet tables, and provided enough paper products to supply our next event. And it did not go unnoticed that not one receipt was submitted for reimbursement. Always in our hearts. With great sadness, Effie Dolan lost her beloved golden "Guinness" aka Guinness Golden Sheldon Leigh on November 30th She had been diagnosed with mast-cell tumors in April 2006, and was very active playing with her best friend and yellow lab cousin, "Bailey" up until the last few weeks. Guinness was only 6 years old, but lived a truly "golden life" -- she had a fun-loving, mischievous personality, was warmer than sunshine, and always greeted family and friends at the door with her happy doggie-dance, tail wagging in full plume, and toy or ball in her mouth. Effie could always count on Guinness to HANDLING CLASS Conformation Handling Class offered to CGRC members: Interested in learning the best way to show off your young prospect in the breed ring while holding your own against the pros? How about honing those handling skills with a two-session, hands-on training class led by our very own top junior handler, Jamie Campbell. Focus will be placed on improving skills in stacking, free-baiting and gaiting your dog, while emphasizing our dogs strengths, and detracting from its faults. Class will be limited to 8 dogs/handlers to provide individual attention to each participant. In the stiff Golden competition, who couldn't use some handling tips and tricks as we enter in to the spring show season? When: 7:30-8:30 pm - Monday February 26, and Monday March 5 Where: 4-Paws Spa and Training Center, located in Forest Hill Cost: $20 (covers both classes) To register, contact Meggan Ballard at or grinning@clearviewcatv.net Match News By Linda Billings HI EVERYONE Our Spring Match is just around the corner. We are hoping to provide a great luncheon for this event as well. Pam Ford will be our super coordinator. The menu will consist of : Homemade B-B-que Sandwiches, Macaroni Salad, Chips, Desserts and Drinks. Pam will put a list out soon for everyone to pick something to bring, but right now you can begin to think about it. And give her a call if you know you can help. Remember Judges and Workers eat for free, so volunteer to steward or take entries and you will be treated to this wonderful Lunch. AKC Sanctioned Breed with ALL Breed Obedience Match---- March 10, 2007 to be held at Papillonia Dog Training Center, 1127 Felton Road, Red Lion, PA Entries will be taken from 7:30 am until 9:00 am Judging will begin at 9:15 am Utility first in Ring One with Open to Follow Conformation in Ring Two with Pre-Novice/ Novice to follow Judges are as follows: Breed/Jr Show---Carole Gossweiler Pre-Novice---Bobbi Compton Novice A & B---Irma Shanahan Open/Utility---John Cotter Hope everyone comes out to have fun and support the club! For further info contact: Linda Billings The Northeastern Maryland Kennel Club would like to extend a huge Thank You to Chesapeake Golden Retriever Club for providing a simply scrumptious luncheon at our recent 2 day Match. We had numerous compliments and you should know your efforts were greatly appreciated. We would welcome Chesapeake to consider providing the luncheon at our 2008 Match Again, Thank You, Linda Billings NEMKC Match Chair 2007 Officers President: Joan Taylor Vice President: Teresa Campbell, Corr. Secretary: Cheryl Dunkin, Recording Secretary: Kay Bleinberger, Treasurer: Nancy Grubb, Board Members: Marshall Landis Pam Ford Janus Kurzmann Please check the membership list on Page 5 for the details of how to contact the Officers. Oops : Cheryl Dunkin was Mistakenly not on that list. Correct list will come out next issue, after I get all of the boo boos Page 2

3 Brags BARB LEIGHT UCD Medea's Rainbow Reflection, CD,RA,CD-H,CGC aka "Corey" Entered her in the new St. Hubert's Dog Sports Program Trials in Mechanisburg,PA : January 13 : Trial 1 Novice B Score 199 Medea's Rainbow Reflection 1st HIGH IN TRIAL Jan 14 : Trial 2 Nov B : 196 Medea's Rainbow Reflection 3rd Jan 14 - Trial 3 - Nov B : 198 Medea's Rainbow Reflection 3rd NEW TITLE : CD-H Corey is listed as # 36 in the All Star Rankings for Novice!!!! 9th Golden! go in and take a look : ObedienceNoviceAllStars.htm Kay Bleinberger: Lycinan's Holiday Celebration, CGC aka Magnum, therepy dog extroidenaire, is going to be featured in this months issue of Prime Times, Harford Counties paper for active adults. The editor of the paper, Suzanne Streeter, inquired about doing an article for the paper about the Healing Paws program at Upper Chesapeake and the coordinator recomended Magnum for the article so she came to the hospital on the night that I visit and did the interview. Magnum shined especially that night and Suzanne and her assistant Jan were amazed at the response of the patients to Magnum and his response back, he truly was make for this "job". The staff on both Woman's and Children's and Orthopedics are really in love with him and he with them. We are so blessed to have these wonderful goldens in our lives and when I see Magnum bringing such joy to everyone it makes me feel especially blessed. Meggan Ballard Grinning's Lycinan Tallulah was best adult at the NEMKC match The Campbells. Woo Hoo!! Jamie got her 10th win in Junior Showmanship at the Trenton KC Show. With a little help from her friends, Bear (Golden Retriever) and Izzie (English Springer Spaniel) she is now qualified to show in Juniors at the Westminster KC show in February (one last time as she will be aging out of juniors). Bear (Ch. Numoon Lion-N-Tigger-N Bear Oh My, SDHF) took Breed and made the cut in the group at the Chesapeake Kennel Club show in MD. John Cotter Ben just added an X along with his obedience title. Formally known as Colabaugh s Ben Dar Rules he now has obtained his CDX title along with his JH, WC, and NAJ. Ben performed great in the ring and took first place at the Philadelphia DTC, Lancaster and Berks County trials. Now on to Utility! April Snyder Laurelridge Lycinan Lily got a second place in her first obedience show at Potomac Valley Golden Retriever Show in April. Thank you goes to Chris Saint, Our obedience instructor! Sisi Smith Briarpatch Buttercup UD earned her hard-earned first UDX qualifications in Northern Jersey - that would be 1/10th of a new title. Only 9 more to go Joan Taylor Goldridge Dancen In Diamonds (Fancy) was second in pre novice at NEMKC match with a score of 194 1/2, Lycinan Goldridge Point of Freedom (Hudson) was first in novice dog (conformation) at NEMKC match. A special brag to Marshall Landis, who took over the newsletter, due to a computer crash, that lasted for a few years. Well due to time, I had to go back to the program I could whip out. We can go back to the page next issue. sgk When I am old I will wear soft gray sweatshirts And a bandana over my silver hair, and I will spend my social security checks on wine and my dogs. I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen to my dogs' breathing. I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night and take my dogs for a run, if my old bones will allow. When people come to call, I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs and talk of them and about them... the ones so beloved of the past and the ones so beloved of today. I will still work hard cleaning after them, mopping and feeding them and whispering their names in a soft loving way. I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a jewel and I will be an embarrassment to all, especially my family, who have not yet found the peace in being free to have dogs as your best friends. These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall, and eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep to greet you as if you are a God, with warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you will always stay. I'll hug their big strong necks...i'll kiss their dear sweet heads...and whisper in their very special company. Although I look in the mirror and see I am getting old, this is the kind of person I am and have always been. Loving dogs is easy...they are part of me, and accept me for who I am. My dogs appreciate and love my presence in their lives. When I am old this will be important to me. You will understand when you are old... if you have dogs to love, too! ~Author Unknown Sweeps Classes for CGRC SPECIALTY Saturday, April 28, 2007 Puppy Dogs, 6 months & under 9 months Puppy Dogs, 9 months & Under 12 months Junior Dogs, 12 months & under 15 months Junior Dogs, 15 months & under 18 months (Same classes for bitches) Veteran Sweepstakes: Veteran Dogs, 7-9 yrs Veteran Dogs, 9-11 yrs Veteran Dogs, 11 & yrs (Same classes for bitches) SWEEPSTAKES PRIZES Best in Sweepstakes, Rosette & bag of Eukanuba Dog Food Best of Opposite Sex to Best Puppy in Sweepstakes, Rosette & bag of Eukanuba Dog Food Best in Veteran Sweepstakes, Rosette & Bag of Eukanuba Dog Food Best of Opposite Sex to Best Veteran in Sweepstakes, Rosette & Bag of Eukanuba Dog Food REGULAR CLASS PRIZES Best of Breed, Rosette & Cut crystal leaded Biscotti Jar offered by: Dr. & Mrs Michael Selander Best of Opposite Sex to Best of Breed, Rosette and Cut crystal leaded Biscotti Jar offered by: Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Campbell Best of Winners, Rosette and Cut crystal candlestick offered by: Chesapeake Golden Retriever Club Winners Dog, Rosette and Cut crystal candlestick offered by: Pam Ford Winners Bitch, Rosette and Cut crystal candlestick offered by: Kay Bleinberger Highest Scoring Golden Retriever in Regular Classes, Rosette and Cut crystal leaded Biscotti Jar offered by: Chris Saint in Honor of Medea's Rainbow Reflection, CD, RA, CGC Page 3

4 First Adventures By Pam Ford It is 6:30 A.M. still, quiet, and dark beside a small creek off the lower Choptank River. Toby and I are on our first duck hunt. As we traipsed through the marsh and mud, the hunters I accompanied debated the odds of the hunt. If the weather turned bad as predicted, the hunt may be good; for ducks don t fly on bluebird days. But for now my focus was getting to the blind. I had been warned that depending on the tide, we may need to walk through calf-high water. Since I don t have or often need waterproof boots that high, I wore my husband s knee-high wading boots. Problem fixed, right? Wrong! Guess what happens when you walk through muck with boots that are too big for you? Every step I took I needed to hold the top of the boot - otherwise the boot stayed in the muck and my foot came out! Try walking through tidal swamp holding a gun, ammo, your boots on, your dog at heel, and trying not to look like an idiot to the more experienced crew whose boots fit! It felt like quite an accomplishment just getting to the blind. By this time there was light in the sky and though the sun wasn t up yet, I was taken aback by the beauty in front of me. The water was still and smooth, the shoreline devoid of any visible sign of civilization, the birds still quiet. It took my breath away. After setting up, 2 in the blind, 2 sitting on cinderblocks beside the blind, I had the next 20 minutes to sit and watch the world light up and come alive. If the trip had ended then, it would have been worth it! But even better was to come! We had three dogs with us. An experienced chocolate Lab, Maya; a quarrelsome, inexperienced Chesapeake, Bruiser; and an even less experienced, but happy-go-lucky Golden, Toby. Three retriever breeds were represented each conforming to the stereotype of their breed, valid or not - Birdy Lab, Testy Chessie, People-oriented Golden. The dogs wandered the rocks at water s edge, but Maya settled into a horizon-scanning sit in front of the blind. She was ready to work and this is what she lives for. And while the people were totally camouflaged in either clothing or the blind, the hunters were not concerned about the movement of the dogs. It seems that ducks don t worry about dogs and don t connect their presence with that of the hunters. So we waited, reviewed our shot patterns for the day (the angles that each of us was allowed that would keep everyone safe), and waited some more. The sky was gray that morning and it was very hard to pick out birds flying on the horizon. I quickly learned that my best chance of sighting birds up to a mile away was to watch Maya. She moved her head slowly in a 180 degree arc and honed in on any birds she saw on the horizon. Then she would watch and wait until they got closer. While they were still too far for me to discern, her body language would accurately tell whether the birds were game or not. If they were seagulls, she went back to scanning the horizon. If they were ducks or geese, she would move her body to line up her spine with the birds and still in a sit, start trembling slightly. She could always tell before I could. About 30 minutes into our hunt, the air became charged with anticipation! A pair of mallards was flying in our way. Hold still; hold still, the slightest glint of the gun barrel or pop of a head above the blind would be enough to cause the ducks to veer off. When our designated leader called for the shot, the two of us in the blind fired, and fired again. One of the birds dropped into the water about 30 yards out. The tide was low, the bottom very mucky, and the dogs were allowed to go after the bird together. Maya was first to the fall and the others turned back. Maya brought the mallard drake back and placed him on top of the rock in front of the blind. When hunting in the winter, it s a good idea to allow the dogs to retrieve to a pile rather than enter the crowded blind and get us all wet! Our first duck! After some conversation about who actually shot it, we went back to scanning the horizon. It was at least another 30 minutes before the next ducks flew our way and although there were some moments of anticipation that some were approaching before they headed elsewhere; there was a lot of time for talking. It made me realize that duck hunting is a bit different than the other bird hunting I had done. Upland game hunting keeps you always on the move, always walking and watching for the signals that your dog may be scenting a bird. Dove hunting is more solitary, as each hunter typically spreads out across a field to cover the flocks of doves as they zoom by. But it seems that duck hunting has a social part to it that I was unaware. The next flight of ducks that came by was scared off by some movement. I don t know who did what, but it made me remember just how good a bird s eyesight is. Another 15 minutes, some more conversation about how the ducks weren t flying this morning, and a group of 6 ducks came up from behind us. What a surprise! They were on us before we saw or heard them. Several shots were fired as they flew over our heads and in front of us. One duck flew approximately 70 yards and dropped straight out of the sky into the water. Another duck was obviously hit and losing altitude but it hit the water in a controlled drop at least 100 yards out. Again, the dogs headed out, but after 40 yards of struggling through mucky chest deep running water, Toby turned back, letting Maya go it alone (Bruiser sat this one out he was in the woods behind us, rabbit hunting I think) Maya picked up the closest duck, the dead one, and turned to come back in. Then she stopped, looked out toward where the crippled would have landed, hesitated, swam a few strokes out while carrying the first duck, then decided she could come back for that one, dropped it, and headed for the farther, crippled duck. Just about the time when we were losing sight of Maya, for the duck was drifting further out, she turned around and headed back, duck in mouth. As she got closer, one of our party commented that the duck was ready to run based on it having one webbed foot in an upward position. Now to me the duck looked dead, head and neck hanging low, but Maya came out of the water, put the bird on the pile and it started running back for the water. Then this incredibly smart and experienced dog, brought the bird over to a hunter who wrung its neck before she returned it to her pile. Eight and a half year old Maya then returned to the water were she knew the first dead duck was waiting for her. Hunt test rules or no, she did just the things you d want a hunting companion to do. Two and a half hours and only 4 ducks later, we left the blind and headed back to the house to fulfill a duck hunting tradition of my fellow hunters a fresh duck brunch. We skinned and breasted the ducks (who were quite fat due to the mild winter) and seasoned and fried the breasts for a delicious meal with biscuits. Final thoughts? Wear boots that fit. The entry into the tidal rivers is rarely as smooth as the ponds that we use for practice for our dogs. Lighter weight steel shot and less than stellar marksmanship can result in falls that are closer to field trial length than hunt test lengths. I m adding the Benelli Black Eagle semi-automatic 12 gauge to my Christmas list next year. And, take good conversation partners on your duck hunt you may have lots of time to talk! Page 4

5 Don t Miss Out on these Events February 26, 2007 and March 5, 2007 Handling Class February 27, 2007 General Meeting 7:00 pm McFaul Center Arts & Crafts Room, Bel Air March 10, 2007 CGRC B Match at Papillonia Dog Trainging Center, Red Lion, PA Linda Billings match chair March 14, 2007 Board Meeting 7:00 pm McFaul Center Library, Bel Air April 24, 2007 General Meeting 7:00 pm McFaul Center Arts & Crafts Room, Bel Air May 9, 2007 Board Meeting 7:00 pm McFaul Center Library, Bel Air June 26, 2007 General Meeting 7:00 pm McFaul Center Lounge, Bel Air Special Thanks to Steve and Wendy Rosen for Hosting a Great holiday Party /Meeting And to Maggie & Tory for sharing their home and ending 2006 in Style! Health Clinic Crystal Kennels & Dove Hill Labradors are sponsoring an 'ALL BREED' health clinic on April 29, 2007, benefit to Lab Rescue. Pre-registration is required. The clinic will be held at Loudoun Veterinary Service in Purcellville, Virginia Dr. Nancy Bromberg will be doing CERF Exams (Dogs for CERF exams ONLY. Please no exams for eye problems) Dr. William Tyrrell will be doing exams for OFA cardiac clearances. Dr. Bromberg & Dr. Tyrrell are board certified in their specialty field Dr. Stephen Stang will be taking radiographs for OFA hips and/or elbows. A mild sedative will be given to dogs being radiographed. Dogs will be able to walk back to their cars. Radiographs for OFA prelims are welcome. We will not have time for preanesthetic blood work. If you want this done, please have it done at your regular vet prior to your appointment. We will also be offering micro-chipping for those who need to meet the OFA & CERF permanent identification requirements or just want to have their dogs micro-chipped. All dogs attending the clinic must be up to date on vaccines. Costs. These prices are discounted for this date only. Loudoun Veterinary Service will not honor them at any other time: CERF Exams: $32 per dog Cardiac exams: $45 per dog Micro-chips: $35 per dog Hip Radiographs: $100 per dog Elbow radiographs: (with hips) $50 per dog Elbow radiographs (without hips) $75 per dog Dogs over 90 pounds will be an additional $75. Any dog requiring general anesthesia for the radiographs will be an additional $50 You will still be responsible for the cost of registering your dog's results with the OFA and CERF. Those having radiographs taken must bring a check made payable to the OFA for submitting the films. Loudoun Veterinary Service will submit the films. Directions: The address is 1043 East Main Street Purcellville, Virginia You can use to map out directions, or Jenifer Witkowski at crystalkennels@hughes.net Pre-registration is required. To pre-register, contact Jenifer Witkowski at crystalkennels@hughes.net or call at ( preferred) Happiness is a Golden Retriever Puppy!!! Featured above are two litters bred by Alaine Hamilton. It s time to start sending your brags, articles and information for the March/ April Newsletter. Please use the Newsletter Address as follows. Newsletter@chesapeakegrc.org. The next newsletter is scheduled to come out at the end of March. You may also mail your information if you need to. The clinic will start at 8:00am & run until 2:00. We ask that dogs arrive 30 minutes prior to their scheduled time to fill out required paperwork. Please bring a copy of your dog's AKC registration form as well as any permanent identification information you may have for your dog, as this is required for the certification. If you have any questions concerning the clinic contact either Jenifer Witkowski at crystalkennels@hughes.net or (540) or Ann Parris at dovehill@hughes.net or (540) Because of bounced checks at previous clinics, we will not be accepting checks. We also can not accept credit cards for payment of services. Cash only please. Page 5