the greater gainesville dog fanciers association, inc. · 2019-03-07 · that second shadow...

GGDFA Newsletter — March 2019

The Greater Gainesville Dog Fanciers’ Association, Inc.

March 2019 Newsletter for Dog Lovers

G.G.D.F.A. P.O. Box 358332

Gainesville, Florida 32635-8332

www.ggdfa.org

General Meeting Dates: 2nd Tuesday each month

PINE GROVE Baptist Church 4200 NW 39th Ave

7:30 pm Gainesville, FL

Board Meeting Dates: 4th Tuesday each month

Club Officers

President — Denise Gaboury 1st VP — Pam Rice 2nd VP — Kathy Davis Secretary — Sarah Wingfield Treasurer — Doris Horton

Club Directors Carol Lamb

Claire Hedrick Marge Saucier Linda Graham

Newsletter Editor

Claire Hedrick

Membership Chair Kathy Davis

SPRING IS ON ITS WAY!


News From AKC Published www.akc.org

What's a dog breed? People have been breeding dogs since prehistoric times. The earliest dog breeders used wolves to create domestic dogs. From the beginning, humans purposefully bred dogs to perform various tasks. Hunting, guarding, and herding are thought to be among the earliest jobs eagerly performed by the animal destined to be called “man’s best friend.” For thousands of years, humans bred dogs toward the physical and mental traits best suited for the work expected of them. The sleek Greyhound types bred to chase fleet-footed prey, and the huge mastiff types used as guard dogs and warriors, are two ancient examples of dogs bred for specific jobs. As humans became more sophisticated, so did their dogs. Eventually, there emerged specific breeds of dogs, custom-bred to suit the breeders’ local needs and circumstances. The Greyhound, for instance, was the foundation type for the immense Irish Wolfhound and the dainty Italian Greyhound. All three have a distinct family resemblance, but you’d never mistake one for another. So, then, when is a breed a breed and not just a kind or type of dog? The simplest way to define a breed is to say it always “breeds true.” That is, breeding a purebred Irish Setter to another purebred Irish Setter will always produce dogs instantly recognizable as Irish Setters. Each breed’s ideal physical traits, movement, and temperament are set down in a written document called a “breed standard.”

For example, the breed standard sets forth the traits

that make a Cocker Spaniel a Cocker Spaniel and

not a Springer Spaniel.

The AKC standard for each breed originates with a

“parent club,” the AKC-recognized national club

devoted to a particular breed. Once approved by

the AKC, a standard becomes both the breeder’s

“blueprint” and the instrument used by dog show

judges to evaluate a breeder’s work.

There are over 340 dog breeds known throughout

the world. The American Kennel Club recognizes

192 breeds.

AGILITY NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Tune in to the live stream March 15-17 by going to

AKC.tv on any device or download the AKC.TV

app on Roku, Apple TV, or AmazonFireT

If you’re the owner of a senior dog, you might

think your dog sports days are behind you. But

participating in dog sports with your dog can

provide mental and physical exercise, the thrill of

competition, and a chance for you both to have fun.

With veterinarian approval, there are still many

sports you and your dog can participate in. In fact,

there are hundreds of senior dogs competing in the

2019 AKC Agility National Championship March

15-17 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Generally, dogs are considered seniors starting at

seven years old, but how your dog ages will vary

depending on what breed he is. At the 2019

National Agility Championship, 702 of the 1313

competing dogs are age seven or older. That means

more than half of the competing dogs are

considered seniors! We sat down with the oldest of

all these dogs — Stormy, a 13.5-year-old Shetland

Sheepdog who will turn 14 this July.

See the srticle:

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/sports/meet-

oldest-dog-agility-championship-2019/


Also competing for the first time this year is the Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. For centuries, the agile little orange-red and white dog from Holland has used their gaily waving tail to lure ducks in an elaborate pond trapping system called "Eendenkooi." The breed was saved from extinction in 1939 by the Baroness von Hardenbroek von Ammerstol and the breed's foundation litter was born in 1942. The "Kooiker" competes in agility, obedience/rally, barn hunt and flyball with enthusiastic cheerfulness, but is also content to share a favorite sofa with their owner.

GGDFA Member Sharon Hernandez is the proud owner of this new AKC recognized breed—Nederlandse Kooikerhondje!!!

Two New Breeds Make Their Debut At The 2019 Westminster KC Dog Show

Published: www.akc.org

"The first year of eligibility to enter Westminster is a historic milestone for breeds," said Gail Miller Bisher, director of communications, Westminster Kennel Club. "We congratulate these two breed clubs for earning American Kennel Club recognition.

Debuting at the 2019 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, more affectionately known as the "GBGV" or "Grand," first appeared as early as the end of the 19th century in the region of Vendéen in France. Primarily a pack hunter in their native homeland and throughout Europe, the GBGV is capable of hunting a wide variety of game from the rabbit to wild boar. It is favored as a hunter, companion and friend to those willing to take the time to nurture and appreciate the characteristics that make the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen a unique breed.


Facts about your dogs nose Published: petmed.com

By Aly Semigran

Having worked as a Police K-9 Handler with Patrol and Narcotic dogs I have always been amazed at the ability of a Dog's sense of smell. This article is one of the most informative I have ever read.

On the surface, your dog's nose may look wet, wriggling, and cute. But your pup's nose is actually a powerful device that guides him through his days in pretty impressive ways.

"Dogs noses are specifically adapted to function much better than ours," explains Michael T. Nappier, DVM, DABVP, of the Virginia Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. "They have up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses, versus only about 6 million for us. And the part of their brain dedicated to interpreting these is about 40 times larger than ours."

Here are six interesting facts about your dog's sense of smell that prove canines have superior sniffers.

A dog's nose has two functions-one for smell and one for respiration.According to Nappier, a canine's nose has the ability to separate air. A portion goes directly to the olfactory sensing area (which distinguishes scents), while the other portion is dedicated to breathing.

Dog's also have the ability to take in and breathe out air at the same time."When sniffing, dogs noses are designed so that air can move in and out at the same time creating a continuous circulation of air, unlike humans who have to either breathe in or out only," says Nappier.

Dog's have a special scent-detecting organ that humans don't have. This is called the vomeronasal organ, says Nappier, and it helps canines detect pheromones, chemicals released by animals that affect other members of the same species. This organ plays an important role in reproduction and other aspects of canine physiology and behavior.

Dogs smell in 3-D. Dogs can smell separately with each nostril. Just as our eyes compile two slightly different views of the world, and our brain combines them to form a 3-D picture, a dog's brain uses the different odor profiles from each nostril to determine exactly where smelly objects are in the environment.

A dog's nose has evolved to help them survive. According to David C. Dorman, professor of toxicology at North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine, dogs have used their noses to assist with major life events since the beginning of time. "Evolutionarily, a dog's sense of smell helps them find a mate, offspring, food, and avoid predators," he says.

Dogs can smell up to 100,000 times better than a human. Nappier puts this tidbit into perspective with an awe-inspiring analogy. "A dog's sense of smell is its most powerful sense," he says. "It is so sensitive that [dogs can] detect the equivalent of a 1/2 a teaspoon of sugar in an Olympic-sized swimming pool."

Which Dogs Have the Best Sense of Smell?

While all dogs have strong sniffers, Nappier says "hound breed dogs have the best sense of smell." Dorman points out that sturdy working dogs like German Shepherds and Labradors also rank high in their smelling abilities.

Some dogs, like Pugs who have short faces (also

known as brachycephalicdogs), may "have some

airway compromise that could affect their sense of

smell," explains Nappier.

DOG QUOTES

Dog's lives are too short. Their only fault, really.

Agnes Slight Turnbull

The average dog is nicer than the average person.

Andy Rooney

Be the person your dog thinks you are.

C.J. Frick

No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as a dog does.

Christopher Morley

A dog can snap you out of any kind of bad mood that you're in faster than you can think of.

Jill Abramson


4 reasons your dog follows you everywhere.

By Cheryl Lock -PetMD.com

That second shadow that's constantly beside you isn't a figment of your imagination - it's probably your dog.

As anyone with a furry friend will already know, dogs are often inclined to follow their owners everywhere they go and to watch their every move, but there's actually more to this behavior than meets the eye. "When dogs follow their owners, there can be several scientific explanations, depending on the dog and the individual situation," says Mary Burch, PhD, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Director.

We tapped a few experts to find out the scientific reasons behind why your dog might be following you, how to recognize when this behavior has gone too far, and what to do if it has.

Why Your Dog Is Following You, Scientifically Speaking

If your dog follows you around constantly, you'll likely either find it incredibly endearing or you'll be tired of almost tripping over him all the time. Either way, it helps to understand some of the science behind why your dog might be constantly at your side.

Imprinting. Early ethologist Konrad Lorenz showed how baby geese imprinted on him - or came to recognize him as a parent or other object of trust - by following him everywhere, including into the water. "Puppies can imprint on people, as well," said Burch. "The imprinting period for puppies is between three and 12 weeks old."

Reinforcement. Often dogs will follow their owners if their bond is paired over time with a great deal of reinforcement. For example, "if a dog learns that good things - such as dog food, pats and fun activities - come from a particular human, they may be more likely to follow that person," says Burch.

Breed traits. Some breeds, especially those that have been bred for centuries to work with people, are more likely to be what Burch calls "Velcro dogs" (or those that stick by your side).

Companionship. Perhaps the most obvious reason, some dogs simply prefer the companionship of their human friends. "Over the process of domestication, natural selection has shaped dogs to become companions for humans," said Laurie Santos, PhD, a professor of psychology and director of the Canine Cognition Center at Yale University. "Domesticated dogs are now 'bonded' with humans in some of the same ways as human children. In this sense, our bond with dogs is one that has evolved over the course of domestications."

Indeed, the science behind the companionship between humans and dogs is varied and vast. In fact, "research has confirmed that ... the modern dog is actually better at understanding humans than even our most closely related primates," said Oscar E. Chavez, DVM, a lecturer and adjunct faculty member at Cal Poly Pomona University.

How All This Following Benefits Your Dog

With all the time that your pet spends following you around, you might wonder if she's actually getting anything good out of it. "The human/animal bond works both ways," says Burch. "When a dog spends time with a person, the dog is likely to come in contact with reinforcement - things the dogs likes, like food rewards, petting, fun activities, and companionship."

The time that your dog spends studying your every move also helps her to understand you better, says Chavez, which can help her better interpret the meaning behind your actions.

"Given all the research to support a unique adaption to understand human gestures, language, and tone, it's no wonder that dogs often look like they are studying our movements," he said. "They're watching our every move to see if we give them clues as to our intentions, or to catch us communicating with them. In this way they could anticipate that it's time for a walk, or see that you are getting ready to leave, or perhaps that it's dinnertime. They've become the animal kingdom's human language experts - both physical and spoken language."


he remembers one in particular - Sneakers - who was exhibiting these signs. "Sneakers was extremely attached to his pet parent," he said. "Over several months Sneakers would come in and sit next to Samantha's station exclusively, and barely move or interact with anyone. We all knew not to look at Sneakers directly, as it could frighten him."

After a while, Chavez and his co-workers started giving Sneakers treats any time he would venture away from his owner to explore. "This happened for a few weeks, and he kept getting rewarded for interacting for others," Chavez said. "Today, Sneakers will jump up on certain laps and has become much better socialized. Patience, time, consistency, and some favorite treats help greatly."

If you think your dog may be suffering from anxiety when you aren't around, Burch recommends leaving a dog interactive toy to help divert your dog's attention from your absence, or leaving a radio or television playing when you're out of the house. If those distractions don't work, you could try desensitization, a behavioral solution to separation problems.

"The owner should leave for a very short period of time, like seconds, then come back in the house," she said. "Over many trials, the length of time the owner is gone is extended," until hopefully your dog gets so used to the idea of you being gone, it no longer bothers him.

For extreme cases of separation anxiety, consult your veterinarian; a more targeted approach may be needed.

CORRECTION

In January there was a mention of Russ Milner a long standing member who

passed away in December.

In error, I had listed him as a Charter Member that was not correct.

4 reasons your dog follows (continued)

The Human Benefit

Humans also benefit from being close to a dog, says Burch. "A loving dog prevents loneliness, and when a dog wants to do things such as play and exercise, the person can benefit from the activity," she said. "Dogs who want to be near us make us feel loved, and everyone can benefit from a healthy dose of unconditional love."

It's not just your amorous feelings that improve when you're around a dog, though. "Several studies have now shown that even brief interactions with dogs reduce anxiety and improve mood," says Santos. "Dogs can also improve our health - they improve our heart health, keep us exercising more regularly, reduce stress, and even can help detect diseases like cancer."

In addition, dogs' uncanny ability to display understanding of our cues is the catalyst for our bonding to them, and may even be why we've evolved to where we are today. "As they saying goes, dogs are our 'best friends' because they understand us and we can communicate with them," says Chavez. "Many researchers believe that it was this ability to understand our wants and wishes that helped humanity to thrive in the agricultural revolution. Without the dog, we may never have herded sheet or cattle, or worked entire fields. It is unlikely we would have been able to feed our growing populations. Without dogs, there may be no modern day."

How to Tell if Your Dog's Following Has Gone Too Far

While it's healthy for a dog to look to his owner for commands and cues, it could be unhealthy when a dog cannot stop following or looking at his human. "This is especially concerning if the dog has chosen only one particular human to interact with and is fearful or avoids all other humans," says Chavez. "In these cases, the dog may be improperly socialized with people, or might be overly bonded to one person. These dogs are at risk for developing social or separation anxiety, fear aggression, or other behavioral problems."

For example, Chavez works in an office where co-workers are allowed to bring their dogs in, and


GGDFA Newsletter c/o Claire Hedrick 514 NW 127th Street Newberry, Fl 32669

Secretary’s Notice of GGDFA Meetings

The next General Meeting of the GGDFA will be Tuesday, Mar 12th, promptly at 7:30 pm PINE GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH, 4200 NW 39TH AVE, Gainesville, FL

The next Board Meeting will be Tuesday, Mar 26th.

Training Classes

LOCATION: OAK HALL SCHOOL - Covered and lighted

Tower Road , Gainesville

Obedience/Rally classes— Thursdays 6:00 pm With Denise Gaboury 316-4543

Conformation classes—Club is not offering at this time

Newsletter

The views and opinions in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Newsletter Editor or those of the GGDFA Officers and Board of Directors.

The editor reserves the right to edit or withhold copy that which may be detrimental to the standards of this publication. The deadline for submission of articles, announcements, and brags to the newsletter is the 15th of each month. Materials received after that date will appear in the following month’s publication, depending upon space availability.

You can email the editor at [email protected].

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

mailto:[email protected]

the greater gainesville dog fanciers association, inc. · 2019-03-07 · that second shadow...

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