1. pets
2. dogs

Obichaff
Proud Member Club
of the AKC Since 1938
The Monthly Newsletter of the
Capital Dog Training Club of Washington, D.C., Inc.
June 2014
Volume 70 • Issue 6
CDTC Seminar—
Top Dog Obedience At Capital
—by Carrie Solomon
C
apital hosted Betsy
Scapicchio and Linda
Brennan from Top Dog
Obedience School for a two-day
workshop on May 17-18, “Are We
Having Fun Yet.” Twenty-four
dog/handler teams comprised of
members and non-members plus a
half-dozen auditors participated.
As background, Betsy has earned
more than 60 AKC obedience titles including seven OTCH
titles plus twenty-two perfect 200 scores among her many
training achievements.
Linda has trained with
Betsy since 1986 and
has also earned numerous Rally, Obedience
and Agility titles with
her dogs. Betsy and
Linda have trained
many top dog/handler
teams including Petra Ford and her black Lab,Tyler, who
won two National Obedience Championships and were
the only American team to ever win the Obedience Championship at the UK’s Crufts Dog Show.
Betsy and Linda have put a lot of thought and time into
their training regimen.Their philosophy is that if you are
In This
Issue
Top Dog Obedience Seminar ..........1
From the Editor ................................2
From the President ..........................3
CDTC Obedience Show N’ Go’s .....3
Delegates Corner.............................4
AKC Sportsmanship Award .............4
Rally Training Group ........................5
Announcements ...............................5
going to be training your dog
over many years to earn the
higher level obedience titles,
you have to incorporate fun
and games into your training or
your dog will shut down and
performance will suffer.They
strive to make themselves and
the trial ring the most fun place
that their dogs want to be.They
accomplish this by breaking
everything down into little steps
and incorporate play into the exercise, not just before and
after an exercise. For example, many games are incorporated into dumbbell training, i.e., drive is built up before
sending the dog to the dumbbell so he can’t wait to get
the dumbbell and then running away from the dog as he
returns with it so he runs after
you.We found that this particular exercise helped our dogs in
two ways: the dog did not look
around after he retrieved
because he was immediately
looking for his owner so he
stayed focus and his return
with the dumbbell was fast.
CDTC Trial Brags..........................6-7
AKC Disaster Relief Trailer ..............8
It’s Tick Season!..................................8
CGC Test A Big Success! ................9
Obedience–Volunteer & Participate..9
Build A Team, Build A Community...10
Our Relationship With Animals.11-12
continued on page 19
Summer Fun—Lure Coursing! .13-15
In Memoriam: Vicki Lambert..........16
In Mesoarium: Sally Kirschenman..17
Meet Our New Members ..........18-19
Greg Strong Handling Seminar .....21
Class Schedules.......................22-23
Events .............................Back Cover
2014 Board of Directors
From the Editor
President
Carrie Solomon
[email protected]
Vice President
Eileen Freedman
[email protected]
Secretary
Brad Smith
[email protected]
Treasurer
Nan Marks
[email protected]
— by Pam Coblyn, Editor, Obichaff
Director
Suzanne Miller
[email protected]
Assistant Training Director
Abigail Carter
[email protected]
Training Secretary
Shannon Hall
[email protected]
Trial Chair
Burton Goldstein
[email protected]
Trophy Chair
Sue Faber
[email protected]
AKC Delegate
Joyce Dandridge
[email protected]
Obichaff Editor
Pam Coblyn
[email protected]
Members at Large
Lisa Barry
[email protected]
Charma Le Edmonds
[email protected]
Kathy Sheehan
[email protected]
New Membership Information
Charma Le Edmonds
[email protected]
Lisa Daniel
Coordinator for Capital Points
Lois Kieter
Sunshine Person
[email protected]
2
Hold Your Head High,
Set Goals and Dream Big
“You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the
teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”
—Walt Disney
H
ave you ever been at a show, in the ring or even in class and
wanted to disappear out of shear embarrassment? Consider this—
while you wanted to skulk away into a dark corner, your dog most
likely was having the time of his life.A poor performance—whether it be
from not really being ready to show or simply having “one of those days”—
should never be a reason to feel embarrassed or want to quit.
Embarrassment is a condition that is entirely self-induced. In other
words, it’s your “Inner Voice of Self Doubt” that you allow to take center
stage and dictate how you process a situation.
No situation or person can embarrass us without our active participation in the condition. My dog taught me that—Fenway has YET to be
embarrassed by his actions during a performance and has a smile on his
face no matter what is happening! I am sure we have all witnessed a
happy dog merrily zooming about an agility ring...or staring at us when
we give a Recall signal as if we were a total stranger.
It takes character, fortitude and downright love for your dog to smile,
shake your head, laugh and enjoy that moment. Because, as we all know,
dogs will be dogs! If you can, try and figure out what went right or what
went wrong.Then, come up with a plan to work on what needs work!
And remember—progress, NOT absolute and unerring perfection, is
the most reasonable goal. As long as you are moving forward, you are
headed in the right direction.
But remember to DREAM BIG because big dreams have magic to
inspire you! I am convinced that sooner or later, every dog has its day.
Website: www.cdtc.org
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Capital Dog Training Club of Washington, DC
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@CapDTC
Obichaff is published monthly, except in January, for the benefit of members of Capital Dog Training Club. Members are encouraged to submit articles that would be of interest to other members.
All submissions to Obichaff must have the author’s name. Previously published material must include permission from the publisher to use the material in Obichaff. The Editor has the right to
edit for space, content and tone. If significant changes are made (i.e., more than just for clarity,
punctuation, spelling, etc.), the author will be given an opportunity to review the edited article.
Material published in Obichaff does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Editor or of CDTC.
Newsletters of other clubs may quote any part of this publication, provided proper credit is given
and a copy sent to Capital Dog Training Club.
June 2014
From the President, June, 2014
W
e hosted a very successful two-day seminar
in May, “Are We Having Fun Yet,” presented by Top Dog Obedience. We hope to
continue offering programs like this that are interesting
and inspirational to our members. We will be presenting some of the exercises learned at the seminar at future General Membership meetings.
Next up is a two-day seminar on June 7-8, “Only 15
Points To Go,” presented by Greg Strong, one of the
top AKC professional handlers in conformation. If you
have always wanted to learn how to present your dog
in conformation, this is the seminar for you! Working
and audit spots are still available.
We also have our annual Instructor
Appreciation and Awards Night coming
up on July 8 at the clubhouse when we honor and
celebrate our instructors and achievements for the past
year. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend this dinner and awards night celebration. Details
are in this issue of Obichaff.
Finally, it is that time of year when we renew our
membership. Our membership year runs from July 1 to
June 30th. Renewal forms are on our website and in
this issue of Obichaff. Please make sure to renew
before the June 30th deadline!
So get involved, stay active in club happenings!
Hope to see you soon!
Summer CDTC Show N’ Go’s—
Volunteers and Participants Wanted!
Don’t miss the CDTC Obedience Run-Thrus
on Sundays: June 1, July 6 and August 3!
Please see the poster at the clubhouse and sign up
to volunteer for the Obedience Show and Go’s.
We will begin around 8:30 am with Utility and Open running concurrently
in two separate rings. Novice and Beginning Novice will begin as soon as a ring becomes
available, typically after 10:30 am, depending on the number of Open/Utility runs.
Mary Rice will host the June event but we need volunteer hosts for July and August.
If need be we can do TWO volunteers each month—
one for Open/Utility and another for Novice/Beginning Novice.
We also need workers! Remember this is your club! Please step up!
Go Green—Obichaff Print Edition Opt-Out
Don’t want to receive a copy of Obichaff in the mail? No problem. Just email Pam Coblyn at [email protected]
and ask to have your name removed from the Obichaff mailing list. All club members subscribed to the CDTC
listserv will receive notification when the PDF of Obichaff is posted to the web site.
May 2014
3
Delegates Corner
—by Joyce Dandridge, CDTC AKC Delegate
AKC Expands Therapy Dog Titling Program
In an effort to honor the thousands of therapy dog
teams that make a difference in the lives of others daily,
the American Kennel Club ® (AKC®) has added four
new titles to the popular AKC Therapy Dog TM program.
In addition to the AKC Therapy Dog (ThD) title
(awarded after 50 visits), the AKC now offers:
AKC Therapy Dog Novice (ThDN):Awarded after 10
visits.AKC Therapy Dog Advanced (ThDA):Awarded
after 100 visits. AKC Therapy Dog Excellent (ThDX):
Awarded after 200 visits.AKC Distinguished Therapy
Dog (ThDD):Awarded after 400 visits.
“The AKC heard from many dog owners whose dogs
had already earned the ThD title and who wanted additional formal recognition of their ongoing commitment
to volunteering to help others.We’re pleased to expand
the AKC Therapy Dog program as a result of these requests,” said Doug Ljungren,Vice President of AKC
Sports and Events. “We’ve also added a way to acknowledge beginning therapy dogs, hoping that this will encourage even more dogs and owners to participate in
therapy dog work.”
Dogs who are registered and approved by recognized therapy dog organizations may apply to earn the
AKC Therapy Dog titles as long as the dog is AKC-registered, listed with the AKC Canine Partners or enrolled
in the Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) program.AKC
does not train or certify therapy dogs.
Applications for the new titles will be accepted beginning June 1 with titles awarded beginning July 1, 2014.
To apply for a title or learn more about the AKC
Therapy Dog Program, visit
www.akc.org/dogowner/therapy/indes.cfm.
CDTC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award 2013
Nominee: Burton Goldstein • Submitted by : Lois Kietur
Since Burton Goldstein joined Capital over L3 years ago, he has volunteered to serve
the club in several capacities. He has served on the board of directors as assistant training
director, as vice-president from 2003-2005, and since 2009 has been the club’s Trial Chair.
As trial chair, Burton organizes both the annual obedience, rally and agility trials. Each
trial involves tons of work, including finding the best judges, drafting the premium and
getting it approved on time, and enlisting volunteers for the numerous jobs required to run
the trials, to name just a few of the many required tasks. Not only does Burton organize
each trial, but he also works hard at coming up with new ideas to make each year’s trial
fun and exciting, such as special tie dye T-shirt day and pet therapy dog recognition day at
the agility trials. Burton serves as the club’s main cheerleader, encouraging everyone to
volunteer at the club’s trials.
Burton has taught upper level agility classes, several puppy and pet classes, and conceived and taught an
“obedience for agility folks” class. For the past several years, he has held a weekly obedience training group,
which has brought in around 52,000 each year in fees from training members for the day. He has also overseen
the club's demo team at the county fair for the past several years.
ln addition to all his work for the club, Burton and his wife, fellow club member Shellie Goldstein, do pet
therapy work with their four Shih Tzus, and he is the public relations director for National Capital Therapy
Dogs. Shellie and Burton lead their temple’s Mitzvah Day program, where temple members bring their dogs to
visit elderly residents at the Hebrew Home.Their two older dogs, M.G. and Goldie, are certified as crisis response dogs, and were deployed for Hurricane Sandy emergency relief work.
M.G. is the most decorated Shih Tzu, and competes in obedience, rally and agility.When Burton and Shellie
got married in 2007, Goldie walked down the aisle as the flower girl, and M.G. was the ring bearer, bringing Burton
Shellie's ring on one of Burton’s utility gloves. Now Burton and Shellie have two young Shih Tzu’s in training.
For his many years of service, and his unbounded enthusiasm for the club and its activities, I nominate
Burton Goldstein for CDTC’s 2013 Outstanding Sportsmanship award.
4
June 2014
The Rally Training Group—Keys to Success!
Set up for the Rally Training Group (RTG) is 1:00-1:25 pm. Walk-thrus are
from 1:25-1:40. Run-thrus start at 1:40 and go until 2:45.
IF you need walk-thru (which is highly recommended) please come
early enough to do so. IF you come late, you will miss your opportunity to
do a walk-thru but you can look at the posted map and watch others.
We can get quite BUSY this time of year, and we want everyone to get a chance to participate. If
your schedule permits, please come early to help set up, or stay late to help take down! Also, if you
have adequate knowledge of all rally signs, please offer to assist in judging.Thank you all! Your help
is always greatly appreciated! — Josie McAuliffe
Save the Date to Celebrate! Please plan to attend our
Annual Awards Dinner on Tuesday, July 8th starting at 6:30 pm!
Capital Dog Training Club invites all
members, family and friends to attend the
Annual Awards and Instructor Appreciation
Dinner. Every member is invited to attend—
you do not need to have completed a title.
This annual event is to celebrate the many successes
our members and our instructors achieved in 2013.
Club members will be recognized for new titles earned.
CDTC Class instructors will be acknowledged for the
significant time, effort and knowledge that they have
shared in support of club training and classes.
All members are welcome and invited to attend.The
social gathering is from 6:30-7 pm, and dinner starts at
7 p.The presentation of awards and instructor gifts will
begin at 8 pm.The event is free to CDTC members and
a guest. So please mark your calendar for this special
event! This is a “humans only” event.
The deadline for submitting your Awards Form is
May 1st.The form is for titles earned in 2013. Scores and
titles will be verified with the AKC.The Annual Awards
Dinner will be held at the CDTC Clubhouse on
July 8, 2014.
Please RSVP Sue Faber by July 1!!!
([email protected]) for the form.
Our club needs volunteers to help make the Awards Dinner a success!
Please contact Sue Faber if you can help set up, decorate or clean up.
Obedience Trial Trophies
& Donations Needed!
Our club’s Trophy Chair, Sue Faber is collecting trophies
and donations for the October 2014 Obedience Trial.
Cash prizes should be in the form of a check made payable to CDTC.
Checks should be submitted to the CDTC Treasurer, Nan Marks.
The deadline for trophy/pledges for the October Trial is July 1.
June 2014
5
Brags—CDTC Members & Dogs Take To the Ring!
Labs Rule—Two Champs in the Ring!
Josie McAuliffe reports that her labs, Atlas and Xena, were
very lucky and each placed 1st in their class! Atlas even beat
a rally judge at her own game, Rally Novice!
Xena placed 1st, earning her first leg in pre-Open (Open
exercises with out the stays!) at the Greater Washington Bouvier des Flandres Club Annual Virginia Derby. Atlas placed
1st (with a 98%) in Rally Novice at the same trial. Josie says,
“It was a very lucky day...like seeing a shooting star!”
Josie thanks everyone for your help and support!
Little Black Dog Has Her Day!
Double the Fun in Rally & Obedience
Rings!
Sandi Atkinson and Figaro competed at Catoctin
Kennel Club’s obedience trial on Monday, the last
day of the Cherry Blossom Cluster in Timonium. Fig
earned 85 points in Rally Novice B. Sandi reports,
“We had to repeat two stations, which was not so
hot, but then he got 193.5 points & 3rd Place in Beginner Novice B. He only lost 1/2 pt. on the Figure 8
which was his best score on that exercise (unlike
regular Novice obedience, in BN the Figure 8 is
scored separately from the heeling pattern!” These
were both 4th legs as Figaro has already earned his
RN & BN. Congratulations on all those Q’s, Fig!
April de Bremond’s Elle (Enchanted Lady Liberty,
CGC), our 3 yr old “little black dog” worked very hard
to obtain her CGC on
Sunday at CDTC. April
wants to send an enormous “Thank you!” to
all the fantastic member
coordinators—Shannon
Hall & Diane Harab and
Judge Carrie Solomon—
who stayed a little later
for them cause they
were a tiny bit late. Elle
now has AKC letters
after her name!
Lovely Q!
Mimi Burton’s Miles earned his
second Q with a 1st Place in
Jumpers With Weaves (JWW) at
the AKC Shetland Sheep Dog trial
on April 26, 2014. See everyone,
Miles can keep the bars up when
he wants to. Bravo to Shannon
Hall for her handling and to
Miles for keeping those bars up!
New Agility Title!
Laurie Warren’s Paint
(Fox Spring Paint The
Town Gold) earned his
Excellent FAST title at the
Shetland Sheepdog Club of
Greater Baltimore!
Go paint the town red,
Paint!
New Agility Title!
Vanessa Andrews’s Norwich Terrier ACE
earned his T2B (Time To Beat) title on April
27! Flying Ace is a sight to behold!
6
June 2014
USDAA Mid-Atlantic Performance Grand Prix Champion!
At the USDAA Mid-Atlantic Regional Showcase, Kathy and Lucky Dawg Sheehan came in 1st Place in the finals of Performance Grand Prix! Lucky earned a
bye to the Semi-finals at the USDAA Nationals and became the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Performance Grand Prix Champion! He also came in 2nd Place in
the local qualifier of Performance Speed Jumping.
Meanwhile, Lucky’s brother Dodger was busy helping his team “Rat on Border
Patrol” earn their second Q as a team in DAM (Dog Agility Masters Three-Dog
Team Championships).The team was made up of two Border Collies (Dodger
and Tricia Dranchak’s Surge) and a Rat Terrier (Jill Bond’s Bozo the Dog). DAM
consists of four individual events (Standard, Jumpers, Snooker and Gamblers)
plus a three dog relay! Dodger’s best run was the three dog relay—the most
important event in terms of points. His favorite event was Gamblers—which ended with going back and forth in
the same tunnel seven times! Way to go, Sheehans! You are now notoriously nationally famous!
Shente’s Bear Goldstein Finishes His Novice Career!
Last year, Burton and Shellie Goldstein, along with their local
breed club, hosted their annual Shih Tzu National Specialty in Annapolis. Not only was it the first time in the ring for The Bear and
Emma, the four Goldstein Shih Tzu’s combined for twenty-two
entries.The Bear went twelve for twelve and earned his first two
CD legs with two High-in-Trials.
Burton and Shellie spent this past year working with Jerusha and
learned to replace Shih Tzu “attitude” with “happy attentiveness”.
This year, everyone piled into a rental mini-van and drove to St.
Louis.The Bear finished his Novice Obedience title along with
two agility titles.Again,The Bear earned High-in-Trial each day
with scores of 196.5 and 197.
Emma earned her first CD leg, with every judge announcing that if only cuteness counted ... From the audience
seats, M.G. (and Goldie) could be heard repeating: “been there ... done that!”
Border Collie Rounds Up Rosettes
Pam Coblyn and her indefatigable Fenway
earned more satin ribbons on three consecutive weekends.At the NADAC In the Zone
trial on May 2, Fenway ran away with 1st
Places on both Elite Standard Runs. At the
USDAA In the Zone trial on May 10, Fennie
earned his Starters Pairs title and a 1st Place Q
in Starters Snooker. At the USDAA Hog Dog
Trial on May 24-25, Fennie finished both his
Starters Snooker and Jumpers titles with 1st
Places along with a 1st Place Gamblers Q.
Do you ever get tired, Fenway?
Correction: The May 2014 issue of Obichaff left out a very important credit.
The tribute to her beloved corgi, Andy, was written by Amy Cook.
June 2014
7
CDTC’s Fund Drive—AKC Disaster Relief
Trailer Helps Pets During Emergencies
W
ith the ever-increasing number of floods,
hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and
wildfires,AKC Reunite is helping communities across the nation prepare by mobilizing AKC Pet
Disaster Relief trailers.
Our CDTC is teaming up with other area AKC clubs
to raise funds to help supply a stocked mobile AKC Pet
Disaster Relief trailer for Cecil County. (please note that
Montgomery County already has a trailer) The trailer
will deliver essential, nonperishable necessities for
sheltering pets when and where needed to local
emergency management.These trailers provide animal
care services during the first critical hours following a
disaster before FEMA support and services can be
deployed and delivered.
Approved organizations that raise a minimum of
$1,000 will have their logo featured on the AKC Pet
Disaster Relief trailer—but we want to set the bar high
and try to reach $5,000 in donations from our club.
Please contact Joyce Dandridge at:
[email protected] for more information about
making a donation to this very worthy cause.
Beware—Be Vigilant!
It’s Tick Season!
—by Megan Hemmer
Ten days ago, I went hiking with my dogs.They still managed to pick up a
lot of ticks, even on Frontline, so they also got Advantix.
Last Saturday, my 1.5 year old border collie Lilly was completely paralyzed. Blood work and x-rays were normal. But because I pulled off lots more
ticks, Lilly was started on doxycycline because Lyme Disease was strongly
suspected to be the cause. Lilly was a little better Sunday but still could not
really walk or stand.
On Monday, I made an emergency appointment with a neurologist who
diagnosed tick paralysis! It is not very common around this region, but a paralyzed but non-painful neck, no change in mental status and improvement
after tick removal is signature. People can also be affected and it can be fatal
because it can progress to paralyze the respiratory muscles. Lilly will stay on
doxy to stop other tick-bourne diseases like Ehrlichia or Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever.
By Tuesday night Lilly was jumping on the bed and walking normally!
There is no prevention, other than stay away from heavily invested tick areas!
8
June 2014
Volunteers Make CGC Test a Resounding Success!
—by Jodie Jeweler
I
recently had the joy and honor of teaching CDTC’s
spring CGC (Canine Good Citizen) prep class.We
had about 12 students in class this session. Most are
taking or have taken Basic or Advanced Basic classes at
Capital.They call came into my class with a good foundation, which made my job so much easier. Speaking of
which, my assistants,Arlene Spilker & Jeff Harab made
things SO much easier—I want to thank them publicly!
I was surprised at some of the things that the students
didn’t know, which I feel necessary for happy and successful dog ownership.Things like what the inherent
traits in certain breeds are—like Herding breeds staring,
barking, & well, herding.What “loose lead” means—not
just walking away and expecting the dog to come along.
In some cases, even what type of brush is best for their
dog’s coat was discussed!
While these things aren’t “obedience” issues, I do feel
they might be at least be mentioned in other classes, as
foundation information to help make successful partners.
I did find that all the teams excelled at learning! They
all wanted to be successful and were willing to try
something new to make an exercise successful. It was
quite joyous to see their eyes light up—both human
and dog—when the process clicked and the dog understood what was being asked of him!
I’ve taught most of the recent CGC prep classes, and
it’s something I REALLY enjoy doing. Jeff, Carrie, Shannon and I worked together to come up with some
ideas to revamp Capital’s program, to make it more successful and more lucrative.We’re planning to offer the
CGC class much more frequently—hopefully at the
conclusion of every Advanced Basic or Basic 8-week
session.We’re looking into advertising the classes more
through social media, news media and other venues.
We’re looking at which format: four, 1-hour sessions or
2 two-hour sessions—and will decide what will work
best for the club, the class and the instructors.
Finally, I want to mention a few points about the
CGC.AKC has recently made it so you can get a CGC
title. Most of the exercises are simple, but you’d be surprised at how tricky some of them can be for a trained
dog to master! If you haven’t learned about the test, I
urge you to go to
http://images.akc.org/pdf/cgc/GK9GC2.pdf and read
all about it! Some building complexes and communities
will only allow dogs to live on their property with a CGC.
Some insurance companies will reduce your rates if
your dog has a CGC! And if you like alphabet soup after
your dog’s name, it’s an easy title to add! And now you
can also add the advanced CGC- the Community Canine.
I hope to see many new faces, and lots of familiar
ones, at our upcoming CGC classes!
We held our most recent CGC on Sunday May 4,
with evaluators Carrie Solomon and Dianne Harab.
Michael Harab and Reese were our neutral dog team.
Robin Seigal, Sue Faber and I did the unskilled labor
of milling about and holding dog leashes and my
daughter Naomi along with one of the test taker’s
children acted the part of “the TDI kids”. All dogs
passed! Thanks to Jodie Jeweler for teaching a nice
CGC Prep class and all the volunteers.
Cheers, Shannon
Get Ready, Get Set & Proof Your Team’s Obedience Ring Skills!
It’s that time of year again! Summer Obedience RunThrus will begin at Capital starting June 1! What a better
way to get ready for your summer-fall show season.We
need everyone to participate AND help spread the
word. Mary Rice is our official organizer.
This round of Run-Thrus will be held the first
Sunday of the month on June 1st, July 6th, and
August 3rd. Utility, Open, Novice and Beginner Novice
will be offered. Please see the announcement on page 2.
We need JUDGES, STEWARDS, and REGISTRATION TABLE volunteers for morning (8am-11am)
and afternoon (11am-about 1 to 2pm) shifts.
June 2014
If you can only give an hour or so, that’s great! Sign
up at the club house and indicate the time you can help.
It goes without saying that we need participation
and help spreading the word to come to the CDTC
Run-Thru’s! No matter if you do a Run-Thru or volunteer—or both—you will have a wonderful time, help
our club, and learn a lot! In fact, I’ve learned as much by
watching as by actually doing the run thru with my dog.
Thank you in advance! See you all there!
Amy Huprich Cook
MA, Member & Training Asst.
9
From the Training Director
— by Suzanne Miller
Build A Team, Build A Community
I
’ve been thinking a lot lately about team-building
and when that magic spark of synergy takes off
and we have the ineffable, that melding of team
and group and support.When five teams from Capital
went to the Rally Nationals, we all saw it—they
coached each other, supported each other, and were
truly there for each other. How did that grow and come
about? Was it by accident, or is there something in our
Rally program that builds that sense of team?
Capital’s Agility teams seem to work in the same
fashion—all for one and so forth. But that may be a
function of Agility in general—there’s such a lot of support and cheer in the sport.
But over the last two years I’ve been stumped by our
Obedience teams. We have excellent instructors but
we are definitely siloed by class. Monday people don’t
know Thursday people, and they rarely know Tuesday
people.We don’t interact, except for those of us who
have known each other for years.We talk at shows,
but not to the level that I see Agility and Rally people
interacting.
This affects how we support one another to move
forward from level to level.A CD is a great accomplishment and should be the stepping stone to higher competition.Yet our club’s average of progression from CD
10
to CDX is only 28%, as opposed to the AKC’s 50%. And
the same drop off is seen from Open to Utility—Capital
has a progression rate of 27% as opposed to the AKC’s
total of 51%.
I’ve been trying to address this by creating a logical
and seamless progression from Novice through Open
to Utility—but that’s only addressing one aspect of the
supportive transition.
How do we build community? How do we become
inclusive, supportive and grow with one another in our
skills and training abilities? How do we grow as a
team—not only with our canine partners, but with
those we train with and learn with and learn from?
What are the responsibilities of all of us who are training to one another? Without figuring this out, new people will not move forward and will not feel welcome
and supported.Without developing such an environment, we will not grow instructors and keep our programs vital and fluid and organic and responsive to
those who are training.Without it, we will continue to
fall behind the national average in Obedience.
So how do we become the Club that sends five
teams to the Obedience Nationals next year along with
our five Rally and five Agility teams? What do you think?
What are your ideas?
June 2014
Examining Our Relationship With Animals
— by Donna Cleverdon
The New York Times recently published an article in
the Sunday Magazine about a lawyer, Steven Wise,
who brought a suit of habeas corpus in New York State
court on behalf of Tommy, a chimp who is confined in a
dungeon by his owner. If you want to learn how and
why, read the article.1 Various organizations are working
in the legal field, to obtain the release of Tommy and
other animals like Tommy by re-drawing the lines of
where rights may be bestowed upon non-human animals.
Exemplified most famously by the organization People
for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), this movement purports to advocate on behalf of non-human
animals for humane treatment. However, anyone who
has studied the PETA’s writings will shortly discover
that the scope and degree of this advocacy to which it
aspires are truly revolutionary.The most radical rhetoric
of so-called animal rights activists would have humans
give up all association with domesticated animals—
stop eating meat, using leather and even living with pets.
Because I want to continue living with pets, I am asking
the question: “Where do we draw the line as to what
kinds of animals are ‘pets’?” The scope of this discussion can quickly become unwieldy, so please forgive
any
appearance of glossing over in my article.
Most of us set some sort of boundaries for our warm
and fuzzy feelings for animals. Some of us love dogs, yet
can’t stand cats. Others of us don’t eat meat or use
leather. Some of us keep snakes in our houses or have
fish in aquariums. Some people have ferrets, chickens
or goats, or pigs and regard them as “pets”. I am trying
to define for myself what is a DOMESTIC ANIMAL,
what is NOT a domestic animal, and what is a PET.
Here is where my current thinking leads me:
• Domestic animal: species which have traditionally been
kept living in close proximity to human settlement for
cultural and/or economic purposes, without deleterious
effect upon the species. Individuals and groups can be
managed by humans without undue danger to the humans, and behavior modification can be accomplished
without extraordinary means. Behavior of the animals
can be predicted with reasonable certainty.
• Non-domestic animal: species have not been traditionally
kept living in close proximity to human settlement.To
do so would have a degrading effect upon the health
June 2014
and internal group structure of the animals; they cannot
be kept without danger to the humans, and behavior
modification can be accomplished only by the expert.
Behavior is not predictable with reasonable certainty.
• Pet animals: species which can live in intimate surroundings with humans to mutual benefit. Behavior
can be easily modified without harming the animals or
contradicting its natural tendencies; there is little risk to
humans or the animals in such arrangements; it appears
to be a true symbiotic relationship.
There seems to be no distinct line between my categories as some animals could belong to two of my categories, or perhaps to none. I think there would be
individuals of any species, that, while its species may fit
into one of my categories, the individual would not. So I
will allow for a lot of flux—at least for now, while I
refine my thinking.
I have kept a pet dog or several dogs for 45 years. I
think dogs derive great benefit from their close association with humans.They live in a relatively safe environment as is evidenced by life spans in excess of 10 or 11
years—or more.They get medical care and protection
from disease and parasites.They get all the food they
can use, and then some.They get lots of mental stimulation and interesting things to do. I know I don’t have to
talk to you about what benefits we get from them! Here
is where I diverge from PETA and their ilk.
It is well documented that certain of the animal rights
advocates believe that no human can humanely keep
any animal for any purpose. But I think they are just plain
wrong.There IS a qualitative difference between feedlots for cattle and swine or caging animals in “road-side
attractions” and teaching my dog to be house trained and
to walk on a leash.Any adverse consequences of walking
on leash are far outweighed by the benefits of the
arrangement. I think history and science prove my point.
Three books which support my view are: Covenant
of the Wild: Why animals choose domestication, by
Stephen Budiansky; Adam’s Task, by Vickie Hearn; and
The Horse, the Wheel, and Language, by David W.
Anthony. Another book, which I reviewed in an earlier
Obichaff, Animals in Translation, byTemple Grandin,
addresses the topic of humane treatment of market animals.
In his book, Budiansky admittedly goes about the job
of specifically refuting the notion that humans imposed
domestication on animals. He argues that domestication
(continued on next page
11
Our Animal Relationships, continued from page11
is a natural product of evolution rather than a human
invention and that animals living in close proximity to
human settlement have received many benefits as species,
even if some individuals become food, beasts of burden,
or other types of minions.
Vickie Hearn, admittedly one of my favorite writers,
had a lot to say about our relationships with animals.
Unfortunately, she died early and so her dialog on the
subject was cut off. As a dog and horse trainer she had
many cogent insights into the nature of our relationships with domesticated animals, pets, and non-domesticated animals.
David Anthony’s book is a serious scholarly work
which examines in detail human pre-history and the
development of language and civilization—he seeks to
explain why roughly half of the world’s population
speaks languages derived from a shared linguistic source
known as Proto-Indo-European.This book reveals how
the domestication of horses and use of the wheel spread
language and transformed civilization. I am only familiar
with it second-hand. My husband, whose attention span
is far greater than my own, read it. I am, as a result, only
slightly acquainted with the material within. Mr.Anthony
writes that, according to the archeological record, these
speakers of Proto- Indo-European lived in the steppes
north of the Black and Caspian Seas, and that prior to
about 5200-5000 BC, they possessed no domesticated
animals at all. Horses were hunted for food. If we could
ask the horses which they would prefer: being eaten or
being use as riding and draft animals, I feel certain the
answer would be the later!
I am personally in favor of a legal prohibition on
keeping primates in confinement for the purposes of
“entertainment”.There are good reasons for keeping
primates in confinement: zoological gardens being one.
There are probably many researchers who keep primates
in captivity to study and I hope they are providing a rich
and comfortable environment for them.These studies
are leading us to know and appreciate these animals
better, and by extension, to try to preserve them IN THE
WILD.A few individuals may pay a price for the preservation of the species. But just as most of us are repulsed
by the idea of exposing animals like rabbits or dogs to
irritants in order to test cosmetics or for other frivolous
purposes, I think we would generally agree that our
closest cousins in the animal world should not be isolated from others of their species and confined for sheer
monetary gain.
Most of the laws governing treatment of animals
12
were enacted for the preservation of public health and
safety—not for the welfare of the animals. However, I
am in favor of our culture and civilization recognizing
the moral duty to treat our domestic animals with respect and kindness, so I am in favor of our legal code to
spell this out.There have been spotty attempts to do
this, but as we know, it is very difficult to enforce. Philosophical views about the distinction between humans
and animals are as old as history.Aristotle tackled the
issue, deciding that man is justified in his subjection of
animals because animals “lack reason”. Rene Descartes
decided animals were more or less automatons that
lacked souls.The great ethicist, Immanuel Kant, thought
that humans were obligated to treat animals with kindness so as not to damage humans, a view I share, but
not as a sufficient reason not to be cruel.The real crux
was reached with Jeremy Bentham, a 19th century British
philosopher. He declared that it was not the lack or reason that behooves us to be kind to animals, but that animals can suffer. Somehow this does not resonate with
me. I think a fly can suffer, but I doubt even Ingrid
Newkirk2 hesitates to swat a fly that is annoying her.
I tend to side with Professor Kant in the debate—at
least for now—while my thoughts evolve.We need to
exercise respect for other living creatures.To me this
means that animals going to market will be kept as calm
and comfortable as possible until the moment they are
dispatched. It means that we cannot confine animals in
tiny cages for months on end, as in so-called factory
farming. It means that we have to be careful not to cause
avoidable needless distress.
Perhaps it is a religious view—be it Christian, or
Buddhist, or Hindu or Jain. I don’t believe that animals
are soulless automatons, but I think if humans behaved
as though they were, that is what WE will become. I
choose not to behave as a soulless automaton.And in
the case of the dog I keep as a PET, I believe that canis
familiaris exists because of its parallel and intertwined
evolution with homo sapiens. That is to say, dogs and
humans were always together—became what we are
together. 3There is no “Run free, little puppy, run free!”
There is no such thing as Dog without Human.
1: New York Times Magazine, April 23: “Should a
Chimp be Able to Sue its Owner?” by Charles Siebert
2: Ingrid Newkirk is President of PETA
3: I haven’t read it yet, but Mark Derr’s latest book
“How the Dog Became The Dog, From Wolves to our
Best Friends,” sounds interesting. I have read several of
Mr. Derr’s pieces over the years and found them very
thought provoking.
June 2014
Summer Fun With Your Best Friend!
A CAT for All Dogs:
Why Lure Coursing Isn’t Just for Sight Hounds Anymore
—by Amy H. Cook, CDTC Assistant Instructor, MA
I
t was a sight to behold:A dozen or so corgis excitedly lined up at 9 a.m. along a sparkling green field
ready to take their CAT. CAT?! We are definitely not
talking about wildly hounding after our fine feline friends
here. Rather, this is one the AKC’s newest canine sporting
events, the Coursing Ability Test (CAT), which allows
non-sighthound breeds to partake of the action that was
once only the domain of dogs specifically bred and
raised for the chase.
My own breed club, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club
of the Potomac, offered its very first CAT on this sun
soaked May morning in northern Maryland to the absolute thrill of all that participated and observed from
the sidelines. Many of the corgis, including my own
nine-month old puppy, lunged and barked with enthusiasm
at their chance to chase after the white flag lure strung
along a modified 300 yard course. Once individually
released, each corgi ran full throttle with “bunny butts”
flying and stumpy legs churning full speed after the
June 2014
elusive lure. Only a few dogs ambled off track to investigate a stray scent, say hello to a friend, or take a quick
potty break.We laughed until our stomachs ached and
cheered like crazed fans as most dogs that day passed
the CAT with flying colors. Having never actually seen
lure coursing myself in person, I was decidedly hooked.
What is the AKC Coursing Ability Test?
The AKC created the Coursing Ability Test (CAT) in
order to open up the excitement of coursing to all dogs
in a non-competitive, pass/fail, single dog venue. Participating dogs must be registered with the AKC.They can
be registered with the AKC’s Foundation Stock Service
(FSS), individually through a domestic or foreign registry
organization acceptable to the AKC, through the AKC’s
Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) or Canine Partners
program, or with an AKC Unlimited, Limited or Conditional Registration.
An breed appropriate course is set up in various
13
patterns over a level outdoor field that run at least 600
yards for most dogs. However, for certain small dogs
that are shorter than 12 inches at the withers and/or
are brachycephalic, a clearly marked course of 300 yards
is the standard. How it works is by attaching white flag
lures to a line that is strung along a motorized system of
pulley placed on the ground according to a pre-determined course map (each CAT event having its own
course designed by the judge). No sharp abrupt angles
over 90 degree are allowed for safety considerations in
order to prevent over stressing or injuring the dog.The
600 yard course must be run in less than 2 minutes, and
the 300 yard course in less than 1.5 minutes. So although
the dogs running the CAT are not racing against each
other, they still must run consistently according to the
AKC regulations, “with enthusiasm and without interruption” along the course and in good time in order to
earn their pass for each attempted test. No dogs under
the age of 12 months may take the test (to the complete
and utter disappointment of my corgi puppy—she was
fixated like a lioness stalking a gazelle as the lure spun
around the course). Dogs found to be lame by the judge
may not run, and no females in season are permitted to
take the test.
Multiple AKC titles can be earned with the repeat
performance of a “passing” grade of the CAT. A “Coursing Ability” title (AB) is awarded after three passing CAT
runs under two different judges. Next, the “Coursing
Ability Advanced” title (CAA) is given after a total of ten
successful CAT runs (the three CA runs plus seven additional passing runs).The “Coursing Ability Excellent”
title (CAX) is granted after a total of twenty-five passing
CAT runs Then, if you’re really insane about the sport
(and I might well be counted as one of them), you can
earn the “Coursing Ability Excellent 2” title (CAX2)
with a total of fifty passing CAT runs. Unbelievably, a
higher numbered title will be granted for every set of
twenty-five passes, so a CAX3 is not out of question.
Quite literally, the sky’s the limit!
How to Get Involved
As outlined, any pure-bred or mixed breed dog registered with the American Kennel Club can take the CAT,
enjoy the thrill of the chase, and earn multiple titles. But
here’s the only obstacle at present: Finding the CAT and
practice runs in our area can be a little tricky. However,
are ways to get involved and up to date on upcoming
CATS.The most obvious is to log onto the AKC CAT
website (www.akc.org/events/coursing_ability_test/)
and search under the “Events & Results” link at the
bottom of the page. But note that the AKC only requires
clubs follow a 90-day application process for CAT events.
14
This means that many planned CAT events aren’t in the
system until very close to their actual date. Frequently
checking the AKC events page and Info.dog (under
CABT) for CATs is wise.There is a group Facebook
page for non-sighthound lure coursing
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/sighthoundfakers/)
where upcoming events are chatted up and coursing
stories are related.
Another possible resource is your local own local
breed club and local sight hound breed clubs.Ask
if/when CATs and practice runs might be available. If
your breed club is not yet on board with the CAT,
“hound” them to add it to their event list and become a
local organizer. My own Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of
the Potomac for instance, will be offering the CAT
(open to Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgis only) at
its May Fun Fair and then hopefully at its Rescue Picnic
in August. I’m certainly going to be helping with future
coursing events.
Other breed clubs that do offer the CAT include the
Irish Wolfhound Association of the Garden State (IWAGS)
and the Greater Valley Forge Rhodesian Ridgeback Club.
On June 21st and 22nd, the Upper Chesapeake Bay
Saluki Club is offering the CAT in at the Hanover Shoe
Farm in Littlestown, PA (go to the Hanover Lure Coursing
Clubs website at www.hanoverlurecoursingclubs.com
for more information). At time of this article’s publication, Bonnie Louden of the Chesapeake Bay Area
Rhodesian Ridgeback Club informed me that this test
date is full, but there is a waiting list. Bonnie suggests
that, “since the CAT is so popular now, many all breed
clubs and specialty clubs are getting approved by (the)
AKC as lure coursing clubs and offering their own
June 2014
events.” Two dog sport clubs in our immediate area,
Barkby Plungers in York, PA and Hog Dog Productions
in Millersville, MD, do offer coursing events (for fun
runs). Practice runs are usually found during two-day
events, and are held after the first day of the event and
only if weather, volunteers and equipment are still available. As with any dog sport you are first plunging into,
observing the event can be extremely beneficial even if
your dog doesn’t run. However, with the practice run
generally being held after the regular event, a chance to
try out coursing without shelling out for a regular CAT
may well be worth the wait.
Practicing coursing at home is a great way practice
and see if your dog enjoys coursing and chasing after
the ever elusive white rag “bunny” before plunking
down the $20-$30 for a test run. I’ve taken a wiffle-ball
and secured a long string
to it, then used that to
“lure” my puppy around
the back yard. Kinsey loves
this game. Too, it has clued
me into the fact that she
will probably take to coursing once she’s old enough
to try. You can also use a
white plastic or cloth rag
tied to a string and attach it
to the end of a long dowel
or fishing pole. Easy and
fun! Most dogs will enjoy
this game, but of course
(no pun intended) safety is
of primary concern, so don’t let your pup chew too
long on the white lure or leave him/her unattended.
Whether as a fun and enjoyable way to spend time
with your dog or earn CAT titles, coursing is not just for
sighthounds anymore. I know that coursing will be in
my dogs future, and hopefully this article has given you
a good introduction and leads on where to find coursing events and the AKC CAT in our area. Good luck and
tally ho!
Lure Coursing Clubs, Specialty Clubs,
and CAT Resources:
■ The Hanover Lure Coursing Clubs: Mason Dixon
Ibizan Hound Club;Tortoise & Hare Lure Coursers; and,
the Upper Chesapeake Bay Saluki Club. Go to hanoverlurecoursingclubs.com for links to all three.
■ Sight Hound Organization of Tidewater
(SHOT):shotlurecoursing.org
June 2014
Coursing Hounds Association of the
Mid Potomac (CHAMP): champlurecoursing2.org
■ Jersey Rag Racers Whippet Association
(JRRWA): jrrwa.org
■ Irish Wolfhound Association of the
Garden State (IWAGS): iwags.org
■ Greater Valley Forge Rhodesian
Ridgeback Club (GVFRRC): gvfrrc.org
■ Barkby Plungers: barkbyplungers.com
■ Hog Dog Productions: hogdogproductions.com
■
CAT (Coursing Ability Test) At-A-Glance:
■ Open to any individually AKC registered dog (purebred, PAL, FSS and Canine Partners included) that is at
least 12 months of age.
■ Each dog runs individually
on a non-competitive
pass/fail basis, unlike the
coursing trials for sight
hounds.
■ No bitches in season or
lame dogs allowed as determined by the officiating inspection committee.
■ Any club licensed by the
AKC to hold Lure Coursing
events may hold a CAT as
well. Clubs licensed to hold
conformation, agility or
obedience events may
apply to hold CAT events by contacting the Performance Events Department at
[email protected]
■ Dogs may wear any collar during the CAT except a
“choker collar, prong collar, or an electronic training
collar.
■ Runs will either be 300 or 600 yards, depending on
the breed of dog being run.
Suffix titles include:
■ Three passes = Coursing Ability (CA)
■ Ten complete passes = Coursing Ability Advanced (CAA)
■ Twenty-five total passes = Coursing Ability Excellent (CAX)
■ Fifty total passes = CAX2 (with higher numbered titles available with each additional twenty-five passes).
Ribbons or rosettes are offered to each dog who successfully passes the CAT with a qualifying run. Since the
test is pass/fail, there are no 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc. placements.
15
In Memorium
Vicki Lambert
Our dear friend Vicki Lambert passed away April 5, 2014 after a valiant battle with cancer.Vicki was a part of our club and our community and we loved her.We are honored to
have this opportunity to share a few of our memories.
You may remember Vicki and her dog tiny gray dog Baa (pictured on left next to the
judge).Vicki had just won 1st Place in Rally, Novice with a score of 98.
“My mom and Baa loved working together at CDTC and talked about their adventures
and the people and dogs they knew with real enthusiasm and affection.”
—Vicki’s daughter, Nickie Lambert
Josie McAuliffe writes, “Vicki was a much loved CDTC and part of the beginnings of the
Rally Training Group. She had an encyclopedic memory and and a quick wit. She helped so
many of us with her Rally knowledge and expertise. I miss her very much! I am comforted by
remembering her funny quips. I think the last time I saw Vicki Xena had just been acting
crazy in the ring.Vicki said that “Xena was full of beans today” and indeed she was! I want to thank Nicki for remembering Vicki’s dog training friends.When Vicki adopted Baa, she took her to CDTC for training.They very
much enjoyed their first two classes, after which Vicki sent me an email that said, “I want to continue and I haven’t
asked Baa, but I think she’s game.Vicki and Baa went on to Rally class, then the Rally Training Group, then competition.They found great success as a team.”
Vicki was generous with more than just her time. Our friend Bob tells a story about Vicki’s kindness and trust
towards Bob and his wife Karen, when they found themselves stranded in Point of Rocks on a Sunday, with three
large dogs and nowhere to go, having lost their car keys.As Bob says,
“When I told Vicki about our situation, she graciously offered the loan of
her car to Karen.Vicki saved the day for us.”
Our friend Luann reminisces,“I enjoyed Vicki’s dry wit and her easy
smile and laugh. She took training seriously, but not herself.While she
was certainly competitive enough to work for and achieve that perfect
score, it was her relationship with Baa that was paramount and that is
what I admired most. It wasn’t about ego; it was about teamwork. Her
actions were always directed to that end, with love, patience and gentle
encouragement—the same talents that she brought to her human interactions as well.”
Our friend Brad Smith summed it up at Vicki’s memorial service
when he said: “She is and will continue to be missed dearly.”
Shannon gave a moving tribute at the memorial service. She says, “I
don’t really remember what I said except that I told a story Josie told
me about Vicki. She had no tolerance for pretension and was overheard
talking to someone at a trial who claimed that she and her dog had
never failed.Vicki’s response to that was ‘Well then, we have nothing to
talk about!’ This clearly sounded just like Vicki and got a good laugh,
which I think was in keeping with her family’s intent.Vicki’s family
knew by the presence of many CDTC members at the memorial that
we cared about her and miss her,—and that's all friends can do.”
16
June 2014
In Memorium
Tribute to Sally Kirschenman
Our fellow CDTC member Sally Kirschenman, of Arlington,Virginia passed away unexpectedly on Thursday,
May 1, 2014 after a very short, but courageous battle while being treated for a recently diagnosed aggressive throat
cancer. She was 76.
As generous in death as she was in life, Sally donated her remains to science. No services were held.
She is survived by her loving husband Fred Kirschenman, and two grown sons, Jerry and Jay, of whom she was
very proud. Sally also leaves behind her two beloved sheepdogs, Annie and Lily.
Sally was a passionate and highly accomplished dog trainer, creative canine freestyle choreographer, and beloved
instructor with an astute eye for giving constructive feedback that brought out the best in her students. She had
been an obedience competitor since her teenage years during which time she worked with Cocker Spaniels, a
Wire-Haired Terrier, an Aussie, and four Old English Sheepdogs. She had also shown the Old English in the Breed ring.
Sally was a long term member of the Capital Dog Training Club. She was active in the Wednesday noon time
Obedience/Freestyle Working Group and was a co-instructor, along with Wendy Ely, for the Friday, Freestyle class
which is known as the first and longest continuously running Canine Freestyle class in the country. She was also a
contributor to the club’s newsletter.
Sally was also very active in the Canine Freestyle Federation (CFF), where she most recently served as Recording
Secretary and also served as a judge for all levels of CFF competition. She was an active CFF competitor herself
having achieved the highest level with her past working sheepdogs, Luvie and Annie, and was working on moving
up the competition ladder again with her current working dog, Lily.
Sally also represented both CDTC and CFF at various community programs and dog-related events around the
Washington and Baltimore Metropolitan areas to showcase the joy of working with dogs in the freestyle sport. She
also travelled across the country to participate in competitions herself.
Outside of the dog training world, Sally was an ice skating coach and worked with children and adults for more
than 30 years before retiring several years ago.
To those who knew her, Sally leaves behind a wonderful legacy of the love of dog training for the sheer joy of it
and a huge void in our hearts. She was an inspiration to us all.
Donations in Sally’s memory can be made to the Cancer Research Institute.
June 2014
17
Meet the Newest CDTC Members!
Kate Renner and Baker,
(Ingomar Di Mancini Torsione Pane CAX2, CGC,TT)
W
e are really excited to be one of the newest members of
CDTC. Baker and I have been playing in Coursing,Agility, and
Rally in the past year. He was the sixth AKC Canine Partner
to achieve the CAX title and the second to achieve the CAX2 title.We
have 2 legs towards our Rally Novice Title and hope to finish the RN
title this summer.
I have been training and handling dogs since I was 10. I entered my
first agility trial at age 14. I’ve done a lot of dog stuff over the years—
Agility, Flyball, Obedience, Coursing, Herding, Barn Hunt, Live
Performances, Educational talks, Carting, Nosework, and Therapy work.
I look forward to meeting more members and having a great time training, showing and learning!
Blues and Q’s!
Louis “Jake” and Jeanne Jurgens and Dante, Nikki and Max
M
y wife and I were adopted by our first Vizsla in the early 70’s, our
first “Dante.” Back then we only had experience with German
Shepherds (including a breeding/whelping experience!) so the
highly-energetic, field-bred, “velcro dog” breed was new to us.We had a
neighbor who raised prize chickens in his yard and Dante delighted in
occasional visits there to retrieve them for us (no harm done to chickens),
much to our neighbor’s horror! Hmmm, I thought, great hunting instincts here.
In the 90’s we were fortunate to have 2 wonderful Vizsla—Treff & Tizsa—
and we began taking them to hunt tests and enjoying field-oriented activities.
We joined clubs and worked on obedience and a bit of agility, too.We lost
them both within 2 weeks in April 2009—a terribly sad month for us—and
took a year kayaking local rivers and lakes. It was wonderful being outdoors, but we missed the dogs.
Early 2010 found us with a new puppy, Nikki, brought all the way from Memphis.The following year
we brought little Dante home from New Jersey, and one year later we picked up Max, our big boy (65
pounds) from the breeder at a field trial event in Georgia.What a wonderful mix of Vizsla children we have!
Last year while Jeanne worked with Nikki & Max, I began working with Dante
at Capitol, first in obedience—many thanks to Joan & Brooke—and then in Rally.
We are fortunate to have so many great members at CDTC who are willing to
help and offer advice and encouragement. Dante was recently awarded his
Novice Rally title in consecutive tests and we're now working on Advanced/
Excellent. Could an RAE be in our future? I hope my non-dog work will allow
me more time with Dante; he so enjoys it!
FYI, my day job is with a security company that builds network security
software and devices that help protect our networks from malicious intruders,
many of whom are state-sponsored adversaries. Other interests in our household are sailing, Formula
One auto racing, and (Jake only) “ham” radio. But working with the dogs is always Number One!
Thanks so much for everything CDTC membership has done for us!
18
June 2014
C.J. Foster and Sadie
W
hen I was offered a position
in the Washington, DC area
in my field, I moved to Silver Spring, Maryland in June of 2012.
I got my Miniature Poodle, Sadie, a
year later and we started her off at
CDTC in a Basic class and then in Novice Rally and Obedience classes.
I didn’t do any driving during the winter if at all possible but we did a
lot of walks and met new people and other dogs and enjoyed our down
time. She is my beautiful little girl. Sadie and I work real well in the
house and we train every day now to see if I can get her to work that
well in public!
Top Dog Obedience Seminar,
continued from page 1
Another aspect that Betsy
and Linda focused on was
the marker system that uses
specific commands or markers to provide clarity and information to the dog.They
use three markers: yes, good
and no. Yes is a positive
marker that means you’re
right—now you get a reward and a release.This
marker is specifically used to
mark something your dog
just did that was the specific
thing you wanted and reward immediately. It is also a
release and ends the exer-
June 2014
cise. Good is also a
positive marker but
the meaning is
slightly different,
i.e., good, keep
doing it, I like it. Unlike Yes, it does not
release or end the
exercise by immediately rewarding.
This marker is used
to communicate
that I want you to
keep doing what you’re doing because it’s the right
thing to do.They also use silence in the same way so
that silence comes to mean that it’s good and keep on
doing the behavior.The last marker is No and it is a negative marker that tells the dog that he is wrong, not correct, not what I want and no reward. Per Betsy and
Linda, used consistently, these markers provide great
clarity to your dog and make training more positive because it removes a lot of stress and confusion for the
dog.
They also like to get their dogs to play with them—
without toys—at the beginning of a training session
and take play breaks during training where you are the
toy. In other words, it’s just you and your dog which is
something that you can actually use in the trial ring between exercises to keep your dog’s attention and motivation high.
Some other training philosophies from Betsy and
Linda:
■ Use yourself and food to reward. Mix it up!
19
Top Dog Obedience Seminar,
continued from page 19
■ After
play, when it stops, the dog
should stay with you and not go away,
until you release. Games should be interactive for the same reason.
■ You can teach your dog anything
but you can’t teach your dog anything without attention.
■ Food is used as a lure, focal point and reward but it
should not be used as a distraction when dog is
stressed.
■ Do not do complete run-thrus in training and don’t
work on all the exercises at once.
■ Make sure a dog really knows an exercise and what
you want him to do before giving a correction.
■ As your dog matures and really knows the exercises, your job is to maintain them by reinventing
them and making them fun and interesting.
We covered a lot of territory and Betsy and Linda
were truly inspiring.They now have some videos available and we purchased two of them for Capital’s library.
We will also be demoing some of the exercises we
learned during future General Membership meetings.
It was great to have Betsy and Linda back at Capital and
we hope to offer more seminars like this in the future.
20
June 2014
CDTC Spring Conformation Seminar
Presents Spring 2014 Handling Seminar
25 Working
Spots / June
Unlimited
Saturday
and Sunday
7thAuditing
and 8th, 2014
CDTC Club House 2758 Garfield Avenue, Silver Spring, MD
Greg
i
Only 25 Working Spots / Unlimited Auditing
G
CDTC is excited to present a Handling Conformation seminar featuring Greg Strong. Greg
is recognized as one of the top handlers in the country, and is an active member in the
In addition
to He
Professional
hebreeding,
owns a Boarding,
AKC Registered Handling
Program.
has been handling,
involved in
raising and training
show dogs all of his life. Annually he attends an average of 140 to 160 dog shows. As an
all breed handler he is successful exhibiting in all 7 groups with many Best in Show
Register
and attend this
winners in all 7 groups. In addition to Professional handling, he owns
a Boarding,
Grooming, and Training facility in Easton Maryland.
i
This seminar is excellent for both the new and experienced dog show exhibitor. Register and attend this
information packed seminar covering all aspects of showing a dog. This is a working seminar but includes
periods of lengthy lecture and discussion. There are both working and auditing spots available.
The Duration: 2 Days, from 9am to 4pm (doors open for setup 8am), with a one hour lunch provided
by CDTC each day. The Focus:
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Starting your first Show Dog
The makings of a great show dog
Techniques for competing with the professionals
Building confidence for you and your dog
Psychology
and
in training
philosophy
your dog Building a winning partnership with your dog
Overall
presentation
of a show dog
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participants that opt for the competition will be divided into mixed groups. A first place will be
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Registration deadline May 23
Conformation for attendance will be emailed within 7 days of receipt of registration.
www.cdtc.org
June 2014
21
CLASS SCHEDULES
Day
Date
Time
Instructor
PUPPY KINDERGARTEN
Tue
6/3-7/22
6:00-6:50 pm
Thur 5/24-6/12 5:00-5:50 pm
Hathaway
Gurvin
BASIC
Sun
4/27-6/15
Mon 3/10-5/19
Tue
5/6-6/10
Thur 6/26-7/31
Sat
4/26-6/28
Hall
Hall
Reinhardt
Reinhardt
Daniel
3:00-3:50
8:00-8:50 pm
6:00-6:50 pm
5:00-5:50 pm
4:00-4:50 pm
ADVANCED BASIC
Sat
3/15-5/3
9:00-10:00 am
Mon 6/2-7/8
6:00-6:50 am
Thur 5/1-6/19
7:00-7:50
Solomon
Freedman
Harringer
BEGINNER & SUB-NOVICE
Mon C
7:15-8:05 pm
Sat
5/31-6/28 3:00-3:50 pm
Adler/Dwyer
Faber
NOVICE
Mon C
Tue
C
Thurs C
Thurs C
7:30-8:20 pm
7:00-7:50 pm
9:30-10:20 am
6:00-6:50 pm
OPEN
Mon
Tue
Thur
Thurs
6:00-7:15 pm
LaDieu
7:00-7:50 pm McMunn/Cleverdon
7:00-7:50 pm
S. Miller (Intro)
8:00-9:00 pm
Harry (Int.)
C
C (Beg.)
3/6-4/24
C
UTILITY
Mon C
Thurs C
Thurs C
8:15-9:05 pm
6:00-7:00 pm
7:00-8:00 pm
Daniel
Merchant
Holt
Gurvin
Adler
Harry/Prep
Harry
RALLY
Thurs
Rally Class Set Up: 11-11:30 am
Thurs C
11:30-12:20 pm Daniel/Comp.
Sat
10:00-10:55 am D. Harab Novice
Sat Rally TG
1:30-3:00
McAuliffe, et. al.
* No classes will be held on June 7-8
because of the Greg Strong
Conformation Seminar!
22
Time
Class
Instructor
CONFORMATION
Sat
10:00-10:55 am
J. Harab/Beginner
Tue
8:00-8:50 pm
Kopp/Advanced
5/13 (no class during general & board meetings)
TRICKS
Mon
Sat
12:00-1:30 pm
7:30-8:45 am
Rosen
Melchior
AGILITY
Wed
Wed
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
Sun
6:00-7:15 pm
7:15-8:45 pm
11:00-12:30 pm
4:00-5:15 pm
5:30-6:45 pm
6:30-7:45 pm
7:45-9:00 pm
Coblyn
Briefel
deBremond
Hall
deBremond
Keiter
Carter
FREESTYLE
Mon C
Sat
10:00-12:00 pm Ely
11:00-12:30 pm Guzman
FLYBALL
Sat
C
6:30-9:30 pm
Lindberg/Dwyer
TRAINING GROUPS
Mon C
10:00-12:00 pm Ely (Freestyle)
Tue
C
Cleverdon
Wed C
9:30-10:20 am McCown
Wed C 11:30-12:00 pm Spodak (Obedience TG)
Wed C 12:00-1:00 pm Spodak (Open Discussion)
Wed C
1:00 pm Spodak (Freestyle TG)
Wed C
4:30-5:30 pm
Cleverdon
Thurs C
10:30-11:30 am Holt
Thurs C
12:30-2:20 pm Goldstein
Sat
C
10:00-10:55 am J. Harab
Sat
C
12:00-1:00 pm Larkin
Sat
C
1:00-3:00 pm McAuliffe/Harab/Smith
Sun
C
9:00-11:00 am Bob Reinhardt
BUILDING CLEANING
Tues C
Before 8 am and 1-4 pm
Montgomery Cleaning Co.
June 2014
CLASS SCHEDULES
Time
Class
MONDAY
10-12 am
12-1:30 pm
6:00-6:50
6:00-7:15
7:15-8:05
7:30-8:20
8:15-9:05
Freestyle TG
Ely
1-2-3
Tricks
Rosen
1-2
Adv. Basic, 6/2-7/8 Freedman
1
Open
LaDieu
2-3
Sub-Novice
Adler/Dwyer
1
Novice
Daniel
2-3
Utility
Adler
1-2
TUESDAY
1-3:30 pm
6-6:50
6-6:30
6-6:50
7-7:50
7-7:50
8-8:50
8-10:00
Instructor Ring
Building Cleaning
Basic Reinhardt 5/6-6/10
1
Open/Utility TG Cleverdon
2
Puppy K 6/3-7/22 Hathaway
3
Novice
Merchant
1
Beg. Open McMunn/Cleverdon 2-3
Adv. Conformation Kopp
1-2
6/3,17, 7/1,29 (no class on Mtg. nights)
CDTC Meetings
Bldg.
General: 6/10, Board: 6/24
WEDNESDAY
9:30-10:20 am Novice TG
McCown
1-2
11:30-2:20 pm TG: Obed. Handling
Spodak 1-2
Discussion & Freestyle
6:00-7:15
Agility: Handling Coblyn
1-2-3
5/7-6/25
7:15-9:00
Agility: Competition
Briefel 1-2-3
5/7-6/25
THURSDAY
9:30-10:20 am Sub-Novice
Adler
9:30-10:20
Novice
Holt
11:00-11:30
Rally Set-up
11:30-12:20pm Competition Rally Daniel
12:30-2:30
Open/Utility TG Goldstein
5:00-5:50
Puppy K, 5/24-6/12 Gurvin
5:00-5:50
Basic, 6/26-7/31 Reinhardt
6:00-6:50
Novice
Gurvin
6:00-7:00
Utility Prep
Harry
7:00-7:50
Adv. Basic
Harringer
5/1-6/19
7:00-8:00 pm Utility
Harry
8:00-9:00
Open Intermediate Harry
June 2014
1
2-3
1-2-3
2-3
2-3
1
2-3
1-2
3
1
2-3
1-2
Time
Class
Instructor Ring
FRIDAY
10:00-12:00
Freestyle
Ely
SATURDAY
7:30-8:45 am Tricks
1-2-3
Melchior
2-3
4/5-5/31
9:00-10:00
Advanced Basic Solomon
2
3/15-5/3
10-10:55
Conformation Handling J. Harab 1
4/12-6/28
10-10:55
Rally Novice, 4/12-6/21 D. Harab 2-3
11:00-12:30pm Freestyle
Guzman
3
12:00-1:00 pm Heeling TG
Larkin
1:00-3:00
Rally Training Grp. McAuliffe/ 1-2-3
Smith/Harab
10-10:55
Rally Novice, 4/12-6/21 D. Harab 2-3
3:00-3:50
Beginner Novice, 5/31-6/28 Faber 1
3:00-5:00
CGC Prep, 5/3, Harab/Solomon
1
6:30-7:30
Beg.Flyball
Thompson 1-2-3
7:30-8:30
Intermediate Flyball Dwyer
1-2-3
8:30-9:30
Competition Flyball Dwyer
1-2-3
SUNDAY
9-11:00 am Open TG
Reinhardt
11-12:30 pm Agility: Intro
deBremond
5/4-6/29
3:00-3:50
Basic: 4/27-6/15
Hall
4:00-5:15
Agility: Handling A Hall
5/4-6/29
5:30-6:45
Agility: Intro
deBremond
5/11-6/29
6:30-7:45
Agility: Foundation Work Kietur
4 Week Class: 5/4-6/8
7:45-9:00
Agility: Handing B Carter
5/4-6/29
1-2
1-2-3
1
1-2-3
1-2-3
1-2-3
1-2-3
More Doings At the Club!
• TDI Test, Sunday 6/22, 8/17 1-3 pm, Hall
• No Classes Sat-Sun, May 17-18 for Seminar
• General Meeting: 6/10, 8 pm
• Board Meeting: 6/24, 8 pm
TG = Training Group C = Continuing Class
* No classes will be held on June 7-8
because of the Greg Strong
Conformation Seminar!
23
June Rally
Training Group Schedule
Set up at 1pm. Walk-thrus at 1:25.
Runs start at 1:35, end by 3pm.
The June training dates will be:
6/14 and 6/28
There will be no rally on 6/7 because of
the Conformation Seminar.
Obedience Show n’ Go
June 1, July 6 and August 3
Clubhouse/Information Phone: 301-587-5959 (K9K9)
Yahoo! Group: groups.yahoo.com/group/cdtc
Website: www.cdtc.org
Obichaff email: [email protected]
Classes: www.cdtc.org/classes/classes.html
Events: www.cdtc.org/events/events.html
Facebook: Capital Dog Training Club of Washington, DC
Twitter: @CapDTC
eCommerce Site: www.CapitalDTC.blogspot.com
Obichaff
The Monthly Newsletter of
Capital Dog Training Club
of Washington, DC, Inc.
Pam Coblyn, Editor
2758 Garfield Avenue
Silver Spring, MD 20910-1823
Originators of AKC’s Brace
and Graduate Novice classes
Important Dates
at CDTC
General Membership Meeting
Tuesday, June 10 at 8 pm
CDTC Spring Seminar
Features Top Presenter!
CONFORMATION
HANDLING SEMINAR
WITH
Greg Strong
June 7-8
YOU’VE SEEN HIM AT WESTMINSTER,
NOW SEE HIM IN PERSON!