April 2020

Volume 76 - Issue 3

“Many are called, but few come when you call them .” The Book of Canines 4:16

Review WELL GROOMED- A Documentary

WELL GROOMED is a documentary about the world of competition dog grooming. This sport, much like competition obedience or agility, which CDTC members are familiar with, is all about working and bonding with your dog. It is obvious, even to the casual observer, that the women featured in the documentary love their dogs and that their dogs are a central part of their lives. WELL GROOMED is a funny and sweet portrayal of individuals engaged in a competitive sport with the dogs they love.    In deciding to make the documentary director Rebecca Stern was motivated by her love of animals. “I came across the community of women within the competitive dog grooming world, I was intrigued by this niche and slightly wacky area of pet ownership and care. They were constantly surrounded by animals, both at their homes where all of them kept several pets, and in their work lives ruled by other people’s dogs.”

WELL GROOMED travels a year in the humorous and visually stunning world of competitive  dog grooming alongside the women transforming their beloved poodles into living sculptures. WELL GROOMED captures the creative process and traveling with four women at the center of the competition as they enrich their lives through this fascinating intersection of art and animals. From South Carolina to California, New York to Arkansas, the film follows dog groomers from their homes to dog grooming competitions. Outside the competition ring, working as professional groomers, they spend their spare time caring for their own pets and experimenting with new designs on their show dogs. WELL GROOMED is a vibrant dive into a colorful subculture of Americana.    WELL GROOMED is available on HBO on Demand. Check it out - then go buy some color dye.

Board of Directors

From the Editor

President Donna Cleverdon Vice President Sue Faber  Secretary  Martha Perkins   Treasurer  Pam Ayres  Training Director  Tom Tatham     Assistant Training Director  Janine Castorina Training Secretary  Karen Steinmeyer Trial Chair  Sandy Swinburne     Trophy Chair  Amy Scheiner    AKC Delegate  Joyce Dandridge   Obichaff Editor  Arthur Belendiuk Members at Large  Luann Korona  Julie Rovner    Shirley Blakely  New Membership Information  Shirley Blakely

Happy April Fools! With the entire area locked down because of COVID-19, to cheer us up, in this issue of the Obichaff, I added a few humorous elements. I hope you enjoy the articles and that at least one story puts a smile on your face. There is also a long article on local, pet friendly wineries, with links to the wineries web pages. As soon as this quarantine over, I plan to hit the wine trail with my dogs. Our next issue will be more serious. We will be addressing the question of how we, as dog owners, mourn the passing of our beloved pets. When a close family member passes, there are religious and social rituals that we follow. There are conventions concerning mourning and how we comfort people who have lost a loved one. Yet there seems to be a lack of consensus on how to mourn a pet and about how we should console people who have lost a beloved pet. If you have a story about pet loss, please send it to me. I would like to share your thoughts on pet loss and mourning.

From the President

Dear Friends, I miss training together!  However, as the old saying goes, there is a silver lining.  Now is the time to clean out the basement/attic/garage/shed, do the extra gardening jobs.  Catch up on your reading.  Take the dogs for a really long walk!  Find a new park to walk in.  Learn news skills for training at home.  You can get great ideas via You Tube from fabulous trainers such as Celeste Meade, the Top Dog ladies, Sylvia Bishop and many more.  Watch a few and then try them.  As we tell our students, we teach you HOW to train your dog, but YOU train your dog AT HOME.  This is the time to practice what we preach. Here is the news from here: Your Board of Directors held the March meeting as usual on the fourth Tuesday of the month.  Due to current restrictions, and facilitated by Tom Tatham, we had our meeting via computer link “ZOOM”.  We had 100% participation!  Things to note: much gratitude to Tom, being the wonderful Training Director that he is, he had us all trained in how to actually do this within about 10 minutes!  A whole new skill in just 10 minutes!  Fabulous.  Another thing to note:  I couldn’t tell how many of us were in pajamas for the meeting.  This is another bonus for distance learning/meetings!  I had a cup of tea handy, but I imagine you could just as easily have had an “adult beverage” and nobody would be the wiser.  I am not suggesting that Board meetings require that, just an observation only. You may want to look into using the ZOOM platform and familiarize yourself with it.  We may be using that to hold our General Membership meeting on April 14, so Heads Up! As you know, the current health crisis has required us to make many modifications to our plans for the future, both immediate and further away.  With regard to immediate changes, the club house will be closed until at least April 24.  This is the current date set for Maryland public schools to resume classes.  We are closed to the public until that time, but updates will always be offered in a timely fashion.  Please watch for these at any time!  Key-holders MAY NOT USE THE BUILDING until further notice.  Obviously we cannot police this lock-down.  You are on your honor to observe this restriction. In other news,  as you know, our Agility Trial for 2020 is canceled.  Our Trial Chair has negotiated with the venue to shift our payment to 2021 so that we don’t lose that money.   Our mulch delivery was canceled.  All the money donated toward that purchase is set aside for purchase later.   Another piece of Good News is that our capable Treasurer informed the Board members that our bank balance is healthy, nicely above the same date from the past two years, and that the club can stay solvent during the hiatus. Your 2020 Awards application is included here as a printable PDF, and I hope you received an email copy of same from me.  Observe the deadline please. Meanwhile, we have our CDTC Group via iogroups with which to communicate.  Join up, if you are not already on the list.  We have had good discussions in the past and now is a good time to continue in that area.  Please see the addendum to this message which is a nice description of some obedience exercises you can use at home, designed by the inimitable Sylvia Bishop and used here with her express permission.  Thank you, Sylvia! Stay well and keep training, Donna The following exercises were designed by Sylvia Bishop and are offered here with her permission, hoping to help you have a good time while using her techniques.  She says: “The more people who try this the better!”   "" NOW DOG TRAINING AT HOME ‘" Fronts is one thing to work on. Irrespective of how small your home is. So there is no excuse not to train in house. One way TO IMPROVE YOUR FRONTS AND ENJOY WHILE YOU ARE TEACHING..  Sit on the edge of a chair.  Toss a treat out, bring back with another treat, into the front for the sit Why sit on the  edge  of your chair?  If you sit too far back and have a keen dog, he can bang his legs or chest on the chair and that could create other problems. Now off center fronts. If your dog tends to sit off to the right each time he comes in put your right leg forward and tip your toe slightly towards the left. Once sitting lean back in your chair and release by tapping your right toe on your dogs back end, do not use your hands.  Why lean back?  It stops you bending in to your dog as this is one of the main reasons dogs sit off and crooked. It goes with out saying, if your dog sits to the left repeat the above with your left leg forward and toe tipped to the right. For the dogs that puppy sit or stick their feet out like a rabbit, use both feet close together. Do not rush this exercise. Once your dog sits, hold the collar with two hands for support and draw your knees and feet to each side of your dog's rear end to tighten the feet and sits up as above lean back to release. Here is another thing to do with your dogs to keep the ‘want’ to get back to you fast & to keep your dog in the right position. I use a toy but it works the same with a treat. I throw the treat/ toy out & bring back and send through my legs. You immediately turn to face your dog and have a five second game or just toss another treat.  Once I have the dog high & expecting me to throw the toy out in front of me. I pretend to throw out as the dog jumps forward I step back and call back to the present/front. I double front then step back and toss the toy/treat through my legs with two hands, NOT ONE HAND to release. Why two hands? If you toss with one hand your dog will tend to lean towards that hand and follow the hand going through your legs and that will follow on when you ask for a front. Once I have that, I start making it more difficult. As I need my dogs at times to come in at acute angles. I do part one after pretending to throw the toy, as they come back expecting to present. I do a quick right turn before they present to the front. I then move on to a left turn.  Once good at both, I do a complete about turn with them before they front up. After each session, and this is vital to keep the enthusiasm and attention, I go back to a few minutes of step one. Just throwing the toy or treat out then pretending to throw it out then call them back and throw toy/treat through my legs. Have a go!  It’s fun for you both.  Bish.

Best Places to Grab a Glass of Wine with Your Best Friend

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote The droghte of Marche hath perced to the roote,… Than longen folk to goon on pilgrimages   I trust Chaucer will forgive me for quoting lines from the Canterbury Tales for this article, but now that the weather is warmer, why not take your dog on a “pilgrimage” – to the wine country? Northern Virginia and Maryland abound with wineries and little towns for you and your dog to explore. When planning a day trip to a local winery, most folks look for great scenery, nice vintages and a place to spread out the snacks for a picnic. But, if you’re like me, you want to take your four-legged friends along.  Here's a list of 10 vineyards in Virginia and Maryland that welcome dogs. As a bonus, I include an 11th selection, a brewery in Rockville. 1.  Barrel Oak Winery 3623 Grove Lane Delaplane, VA 20144 (540) 364-6402

Barrel Oak Winery or BOW is perhaps the friendliest dog winery in the area. This is what BOW has to say about itself. “Dog friendliness is another aspect of the winery’s welcoming atmosphere. Brian and Sharon share their household with four pleasant pooches, and have included their furry presence into all aspects of the company’s branding.  From the front door, to the paw prints on the menu, to the pups on the labels, there is no questioning how dog friendly they are at Barrel Oak Winery. Why they even have a dog on staff, named Birch. The friendly Hungarian Vizsla, who ran away to the winery in the way some people run away to the circus, can be found lounging in sunny spots, playing fetch, and greeting customers. He even has his own “desk” in the winemaker’s office.” BOW holds multiple charitable events for shelters and rescues, including my favorite, DC Area Weimaraner Rescue. Dogs are welcome in the tasting room.  2. Maggie Malick Wine Caves 12138 Harpers Ferry Road Purcellville, VA 20132  (540) 905-2921 I mentioned to Karen Steinmeyer that I was working on an article about dog friendly wineries, she sent me the following note: "Maggie Malick welcomes dogs and has two swimming ponds for them - one with a dock to jump off. I have been there with my Australian Shepherd group and we've had 25 crazy Aussies running around; the owners are super. So dog friendly that they have a 'dog events' section on their website." The winery staff includes resident Wine Cave Dogs, Moxie and Jet. Maggie Malick's web site cautions: " Please remember, despite what our dogs tell you, they are well fed.  Please do not feed Moxie and Jet ." This is so my kind of place.

3. Breaux Vineyards 36888 Breaux Vineyards Lane Purcellville, VA 20132     540-668-6299          Breaux Vineyards welcomes friendly dogs on leashes. Dogs may accompany visitors to the winery, but they're not permitted at the winery’s festivals. The exception, however, is Dog Day at Breaux — an annual celebration with live music, food and dog vendors. Breaux Vineyards is located on 400+ acre estate with 104 acres planted with 17 different grape varieties. Nestled between the hills, the vineyard plantings extend up the Short Hill Mountain. Long vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains can be enjoyed from their tasting room.   4. Chateau Morrisette Winery 287 Winery Road Southwest Floyd, VA 24091 540-593-2865

Chateau Morrisette is a third generation, family owned and operated winery in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. It describes itself as the “winery that dogs built.” " Well-behaved dogs on a leash are a welcome addition to our winery estate." Dogs are welcome in the tasting room, winery courtyard, tasting patio, or the gazebos to keep you company while you taste Morrisette's delicious wines. "Your canine companion is sure to enjoy our Sunday Sounds on the Courtyard and our Black Dog Music Festivals. You can even dine with your dog on the Restaurant patio in warm weather." Chateau Morrisette shows off how much they love dogs on their wine labels; and sells dog-related artwork. The winery holds events like “Black Dog Music Festival” and adoption days where you can take a new friend home with you along with a bottle or two of wine. 5. Three Fox Vineyards 10100 Three Fox Lane Delaplane, VA 20144 540.364.6073 Not only can you bring your dog to the winery while sipping Sangiovese, you can enter your pet in a monthly drawing for dog or cat of the month. The picture of winning dog and cat goes up in the tasting room and you’ll get a bandanna for your pet, 10 percent off wine purchases, recognition on the website, a reserved table and bragging rights! There is a meadow area near the creek where your dog can play and run off-leash.  6. Aspen Dale Winery at the Barn 11083 John Marshall Highway Delaplane, VA 20144   (540) 364-1722

Aspen Dale is a great winery for animal lovers. Not only can you bring your dog, but there are miniature horses and goats roaming the property. They have a nice tasting room where you can play board games or just chat with family and friends over a glass of wine.  7.  Stone Tower Winery 19925 Hogback Mountain Road Leesburg, VA 20175 (703) 777-2797 Stone Tower Winery is a 200-acre property, with a pet-friendly indoor tasting room. Stone Tower website says: “The Harvest Barn Tasting Room is our wonderful family friendly space. Enjoy a tasting at one of our five bars on the lower level or hang out and enjoy a glass upstairs under a beautiful vaulted ceiling. The spacious terrace & front lawn are the perfect space for your picnic! Enjoy table side service and beautiful views, perfect for any gathering! Well mannered, leashed dogs are welcome to join!”

8.   Fabbioli Cellars 15669 Limestone School Road Leesburg, VA 20176 (703) 771-1197   The winery has outdoor seating where you may bring your dog, as long as he remains on a leash. The winery offers wine and food pairings, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.   9.   Running Hare Vineyard 150 Adelina Road Prince Frederick, MD 20678 443-852-5059   Running Hare offers “a little bit of Tuscany and Napa in Southern Maryland." Your dog can enjoy the experience too, as long as he remains leashed. There’s live music every weekend and tables and chairs to spread out good eats and glasses of wine or beer. Billing itself as the state’s first farm brewery, Running Hare offers craft beer and wine tastings. 10. Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard 18125 Comus Rd Dickerson, MD 20842 (301) 605-0130   Grown amid the unique microclimate at the base of Sugarloaf Mountain, the winery’s 22 acres of vines are French vinifera clones grafted on American rootstock. Tastings for Sugarloaf’s Bordeaux-style wines are held in an outdoor tent, where you can bring your furry friend. The winery, located on the border of Montgomery and Frederick Counties, puts out tables and chairs and even dog bowls, so bring a picnic and make a day of it. But dogs aren’t permitted in the indoor tasting room and store.     11.   7 Locks Brewery   12227 Wilkins Ave Rockville, MD 20852 301.841.7123  “As one of Maryland’s most award-winning breweries, we’re confident that we’ll have a beer for you!” The only thing better than sipping a cold beer is having your dog right by your side when you do it. Every Sunday, 7 Locks Brewery welcomes dogs into the tasting rooms so that you can enjoy their rotating selection of beers on tap with your furry friend by your side.  The 7 Locks taproom and brewery are housed in a 7,200 square foot warehouse in the heart of Rockville and there’s plenty of free parking. Stop in for a pint or flight, hang out with friends, watch a game, and enjoy a tasty treat from one of the food trucks.  The Bottom Line Most wineries in Virginia and Maryland allow dogs onto their property. From on-site dog parks to labels showing their love, these dog-friendly wineries are woof-tastic. Please note, not all wineries allow dogs. Also, each winery has different policies concerning dogs, so it pays to call ahead. Most of the wineries reviewed for this article are in the Leesburg – Delaplane area. If you want to do more than taste wine, Leesburg is a dog friendly city with places you and your dog can explore. Middleburg/Upperville is also in the area and well worth visiting. In Upperville, the Hunter's Head Tavern offers a Furry Foodie dinner which will be served to your dog along with your meal so you can eat together. We stopped there after a wine tour and Milo just loved the excellent service the food. Know of a dog friendly establishment? Drop me a line and I will cover it in a forthcoming article.

Shannon Hall Conducts a Seminar on How to Deal With Reactive Dogs

On March 8 th  Shannon Hall led a seminar on the subject of reactivity in dogs. The seminar was open to CDTC instructors and members. Shannon brought to the class over 17 years of experience as an instructor and dog trainer. Shannon presented valuable information concerning how best to address reactive dogs in a class setting. Participants were encouraged to share their knowledge, experience and training techniques. Instructors relayed their experience with reactive dogs and the best ways to address reactive dogs in a class situation. Each person attending the seminar left with a better understand of how to avoid or manage a potentially dangerous situation. You can read Shannon’s seminar notes here . Thank you Shannon!

The Dog A poem by Ogden Nash

The truth I do not stretch or shove When I state that the dog is full of love. I’ve also found, by actual test, A wet dog is the lovingest. Thank you Martha Perkins for forwarding this poem. Got a favorite poem? Send it my way and I will include it in an upcoming issue of the Obichaff.

Brags

Megan Hemmer writes that on February 9, Kady earned her NTD, novice trick dog and that on February 11, Baby Beans earned his NTD, novice trick dog title! Also, on Febuary 9, Nani earnes his TDCH! (Trick Dog Champion)! He is the 5th Maltese to ever earn A TDCH! We can't wait to see him do a few tricks for us. Congratulations!

Donna Cleverdon’s Arrow earned his Beginner Novice Title at the Maryland Sporting Dog Association trial on March 6,7, and 8. with a Second place and two First place ribbons. His average score of the 3 days was a little over 198.

Kimberly Quach reports that Roux earned her Rally Advanced title at Catoctin Kennel Club with all first places finishes on March 7-8). She's also recently finished her NA (Oriole, January 26) and NAJ (CAKC, February 29) titles.

Sandi Atkinson writes: "In the several years that Figaro has had (and enjoyed) his beloved cave bed, he has removed a huge amount of stuffing out of it. Here he is showing off some of his work. "Brother" Dandini looks on in dismay. HE would never do anything like that!"

The Plague, a Saint and the Dog that Saved His Life

T. S. Eliot wrote that April is cruelest month. This year March has proven itself to be the cruelest month. Schools, business and CDTC are closed. We just can’t get away of from hearing about the spread of COVID-19. We need something positive and heartwarming to focus our attention.  Meet Saint Roch and the dog that saved his life.    Saint Roch was born in 1340, the son of the governor of the city of Montpellier, France. When he was in his early 20s Saint Rocco distributed his wealth and departed on a pilgrimage to Rome.  Coming to Italy during an outbreak of the plague, he was diligent in tending the sick. Ministering in Peacenza, a city in northern Italy, Saint Roch fell ill with the plague. Banished from the city, Saint Roch took refuge in a cave. He would have died had it not been for a dog that brought him bread and licked his wounds. History does not tell us much about the dog, other than that he was a hunting dog that belonged to nobleman. One day the nobleman followed his dog and discovered Saint Roch. The nobleman took Saint Roch to his castle where he soon recovered. After being cured of the plague, Saint Roch traveled through Italy for three years performing miracles and healing the sick, before returning to his home in France. Saint Roch is venerated as a protector against the plague and all contagious diseases. He is also the patron saint of dogs. Perhaps we can expand his portfolio and make him the patron saint of dog trainers, as well. I know I sure could use his help at my next obedience trial.  Saint Roch was a popular subject for painters and sculptors of the early Renaissance. You can find paintings and sculptures of Saint Roch in many museum collections. You will know Saint Roch by his attributes: he wears a pilgrim’s hat (our modern floppy sun hat); one of his legs is bare and he is pointing to an open sore, a sign of the bubonic plague; and there is a dog next to him holding a loaf of bread in its mouth. Let’s pray that this modern plague we are experiencing passes soon and that we can get back to our daily routines. Saint Roch are you listening? The statute of Saint Roch pictured above is from the Metropolitan Museum Cloisters in New York and the painting, below, can be viewed at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia.

CDTC Annual Awards 2020 Application Form

Below is the annual Awards 2020 Application Form for all AKC titles earned in 2019. The application form must be returned by May 1, 2020. For a printable version of the form click here .

It Takes a Village to Make a Run–Thru Happen By Mary Carson

The CDTC March 1 run-thrus went off without a hitch and a good time was had by all. Jodie Jeweler lined up judges and stewards and handled the advance registrations. Amy Cook, the on-site coordinator, was there at 8 am to set up and open the doors, and took her turn serving as a judge. Sandy Atkinson reprised her role as Utility judge, Ilene Caroom and Pat Brunsletter  judged Open; Sue Faber judged Novice; Amy Cook judged Beginner Novice, and Deb Jackson stepped in where needed so our judges could work their own dogs. Pam Ayers and new student Matt Graham worked the desk. Sandy Swinburne, Selene Robinson, Valerie Slater, Anne Williams, Cindy Sanders, new student Rachel Hutko (and her mother) and I stewarded. Thanks to all who volunteered, you made the event a success!   This run-thru was smaller than most due to conflicting trials and shows. However, the club still earned over $213. So, not only do we provide a needed service to local obedience community, we help keep a roof over our heads.  Jodie Jeweler is retiring as run-thru coordinator after many years of service. Thank you, Jodie, for all your efforts and good work. However, unless someone steps up to handle future event coordination, this will be Capital’s last obedience run-thru. Please consider becoming our new run-thru coordinator. Jodie says that she will happily train someone and help get you on your feet. It is a fun and gratifying task! It is really necessary for our members, who are preparing to show their dogs in upcoming trials!

Turning a Stressful Situation into a Training Opportunity By Milly B Welsh

My partner and I are serious field trial participants. Charlie competes with and trains the older dogs, while   I work the younger dogs. Because we live in Maryland, we often send our dogs south in the winter to be trained to work in the water. Last fall I bought a young dog, Razor, from a professional trainer who had gotten her as a baby. She stayed with him in Georgia this winter. In the middle of February she came home. Since she will be going to work with another trainer in New York during the heat of summer, this seemed a good time to have her teeth cleaned and get her up to date on her vaccinations. I want my dogs to love going to every new place, including the vet's office. My pockets are always full of cookies, while my vet has jars of cookies on the counter tops. It pays off. Because my dogs walk nicely on a leash, cooperate with examinations, and are friendly, my vet and his technicians always like my dogs. The problem is the waiting room at the vet's office. It's too small, too open, and generally full of dogs and cats. Fortunately, the cats are usually in carriers, but often the dogs are on flexi-leads or   harnesses and   are totally out of control. That was the case last Monday when Razor and I went for her last round of vaccinations. Upon entering, a large shaggy beast (on a harness and flexi-lead) lunged at Razor. I'm quick and always prepared, so I was able to get between The Beast and Razor. I snarled at The Beast's owner; I snarl very efficiently. The Beast continued to be the kind of dog we all hate - lunging and snarling at all newcomers to the area, but now it was on the other side of the room from us. I picked up a jar of cookies and found a corner shared with a small lap dog who looked terrified. Appointments were running way behind because of a sick staff person. Razor was looking none too happy, but, being a Labrador, she was eager to get a cookie. One cookie turned into hundreds. Because I subscribe to the “no free lunch” philosophy, rather than simply stuffing her face, I began to teach her tricks. Razor is steady for multiple marks, can run blinds, can walk on a leash, knows sit (which means "sit until hell freezes over or I tell you something else"), but she has no knowledge of the things we teach our puppies who are destined for an obedience career.  By the time we finally went into an examination room she was ready to show off her new tricks: down, touch both hands, and twist and spin. I was pleased that a potentially scary experience had turned into a positive one for my dog. Best of all, she remembered all those new tricks the next day.

Available Classes

Basic Obedience

Puppy Kindergarten

Canine Good Citizen Prep

Basic Obedience

Puppy Kindergarten

Canine Good Citizen Prep

See All Available Classes

New Classes CDTC is currently closed because of the outbreak of COVID-19. Classes and dates may change once the club reopens. Please check this space of our website for accurate and up to date information concerning class schedules, events and activities. Puppy Kindergarten – (for puppies 10 to 20 weeks of age at class start)    Start Date: June 5, 2020 Day & Time: Tuesday @ 6:00pm Duration: 8-week class Instructor: Sandy Swinburne  Basic Obedience – (all dogs over 5 months)  Start Date: May 4, 2020 Day & Time: Mondays 2:00pm Duration: 6-week class Instructor: Robert Reinhardt  Start Date: May 4, 2020 Day & Time: Mondays 8:30pm Duration: 6-week class Instructor: Shannon Hall  Start Date: May 5, 2020 Day & Time: Tuesdays 7:00pm Duration: 8-week class Instructor: Art Belendiuk  Advanced Basic Obedience – (graduates of basic obedience or by permission of director)  Start Date: June 5, 2020 Day & Time: Tuesdays 7:00pm Duration: 8-week class Instructor: Tom Tatham  Start Date: June 7, 2020 (no class 7/5) Day & Time: Sundays 12:30pm Duration: 8-week class Instructor: Carla LaFleur  Competition Rally Class: Thursdays @ 11:00am. Contact cdtcclasses@gmail.com if interested.  Scent Work  Scent Work 1  Start Date: May 10, 2020 (no class 5/24) Day & Time: Sundays 12:30pm Duration: 4-week class Instructor: Art Belendiuk  *CDTC members email cdtcclasses@gmail.com to reserve your spot, public registration opens April 1, 2020  AKC Tricks Test ALL LEVELS: Thursday May 7, 2020 @ 8:00pm. Therapy Dog International Test at CDTC  May 31, 2020 2-4pm Contact  Shannon Hall  to register Therapy Dog International Website

Dog Scent Work: Scent Training Sport for Dogs

Dogs have a sense of smell that’s between 10,000 and 100,000 times more acute than ours! The sport of Scent Work celebrates the joy of sniffing and allows a dog to sniff to its heart’s content; turning your dog’s favorite activity into a rewarding game. It is a terrific sport for all kinds of dogs.   Scent Work, is an up-and-coming canine sport. Similar to search and rescue work, this sport involves the dog seeking out and finding different scents hidden in various environments, indoor, outdoor, containers and vehicles. Scent Work is great fun for the dog and handler. It is a hunting game, and your dog will quickly learn that searching equals tasty treats. You start by teaching the dog to search for a favorite toy or treat hidden in one of several boxes. As the dog gains skill, specific target odors are introduced and the search can be expanded to entire rooms or outdoor locations.   Benefits for the dog include physical activity, mental stimulation and confidence building. For both the dog and the handler, Scent Work is a great way to bring their relationship to the next level.    The beauty of Scent Work is that any dog can do it, including dogs who can’t take part in more vigorous exercise because of age or physical limitations. Scent Work training can increase the confidence of shy or fearful dogs, and it’s even suitable for dogs who have too much energy, because it helps them learn how to focus. The other great thing about Scent Work is that the only “equipment” you’ll need to get started is a supply of tasty treats and some cardboard boxes. Later you may add a harness and a long leash, but you do not need that to start working your dog.    The sport of Scent Work is based on the work of professional detection dogs (such as drug dogs), employed by humans to detect a wide variety of scents and substances. In AKC Scent Work, dogs search for cotton swabs saturated with the essential oils of Birch, Anise, Clove, and Cypress. The cotton swabs are hidden out of sight in a pre-determined search area, and the dog has to find them. Teamwork is necessary: when the dog finds the scent, he has to communicate the find to the handler, who calls it out to the judge.  CDTC is now offering classes in Scent Work. The first class is scheduled to begin on May 10. I hope to see you in class.

Equipment Corner: Dog Umbrella

In the equipment corner we cover everything from the silly to the sublime. This month we are definitely in a silly mood with our review of the Doggy Umbrella. But wait, it is more than just an umbrella; it is also a leash! Now you can enjoy your daily walk without your pet getting wet. Also, this cool transparent pet umbrella attracts people’s eyes. It is only for small dogs. Thought we would love to see a club member taking their Irish Wolfhound potty outside of CDTC sporting a doggy umbrella.

Heeling: A Window Into Your Relationship With Your Dog By Jennie Larkin

Tali and I do lots of things together: hiking, napping, eating pizza (the dogs get the crusts), agility, lure-coursing, and obedience.  One of my favorite parts of obedience is heeling, which puzzles some people because so many have a negative view of it. (Heeling is boring, Heeling is hard, etc…) Why is heeling my favorite part of obedience?  Because when you and your dog are working heeling together, and it is going well, nothing else exists.  Having a dog who is willing to go into that zone with you in strange surroundings is (in my view) one of the greatest gifts a dog can give you.  This is especially true if you have a dog whose natural reaction to be alert and pay attention to the surroundings, rather than to focus exclusively on their handler.  Canaan Dogs are naturally alert and vigilant, highly aware of their surroundings.  So having Tali give me, with joy, her attention, and focus during heeling is a gift I treasure.  And one I have worked hard to earn.   At the Maryland Sporting Dog Obedience Trial on February 29 th, Tali and I NQed in Open (she looked away during the command discrimination exercise so I had to give her two down commands – NQ!).  But I was frankly delighted with her performance.  Why?  She was happy, engaged, and brought her energy and whole self into the ring. Sure, I’d like to get that third leg.  But I am certain it will happen, especially if my dog continues to bring that same engagement into the ring.  I am proud to be able to step into the obedience ring with my Canaan Dog and have her put in a performance that would please almost any dog handler.  The photos featured in this article were taken at the 2019 AKC Obedience Classic in Orlando.  As you can see, Tali and I had a great time.  She also knows she always gets super-yummy treats after every performance.  (More than just pizza crusts!)

Pig Ears Still a Salmonella Risk

According to an article in the February 2020 issue of JAMA, pig ears reamain a source of Salmonella. Pig ears have been linked with illness outbreaks since at least 1999. The most recent outbreak ended in October 2019 after at least 154 illness outbreaks with 35 people hospitalized. Salmonella can also be found in raw turkey and raw chicken products.  Doctors at the CDC recommend that people wash their hands after handling pig ears and other raw products. When feeding your dog’s raw food, it is a good idea to store the food away from human food to avoid contamination.

Delegate's Corner By Joyce Dandridge

This was the AKC annual meeting which included the AKC Board Election per the AKC Bylaws and its incorporation in the state of New York. Thus, the most important meeting of the year was held. There were numerous absentees, many from the west coast, due to the current situation; however, we did have quorum. In the Companion Events Committee meeting: ·        At that time Doug mentioned the AKC National Agility Championship was still on. It has since been cancelled. ·        He mentioned the 2020 Obedience and Rally Nationals in Wilmington, Ohio on  June 26-28. Rally will be held on Friday. ·        The Alaskan Malamute parent club had requested a lower jump height in obedience and it was approved. The breed will be eligible for the three-quarter jump height and will be added to list. ·        A discussion occurred on the staff proposing numeric designations on titles for lower level classes so participants can continue if they wish to remain at that class level instead of moving on to a higher class. Staff feels this will prevent some from leaving AKC Obedience to go to another organization. The committee agreed to have AKC staff continue the development of this concept but would not vote to send it to the AKC Board for approval. ·        Doug mentioned a proposal to allow clubs licensed for obedience and rally to hold one Special Event in Obedience and/or Rally per year. This will be presented to the Board in April. An example would be to hold just open classes at a trial. The reason for this is to keep the sport fresh and fun Clubs may not change the rules and regulations for the event. The event must be open to all breeds including Canine Partners and will count towards titles. The was held by Westminster KC in February and was very successful. ·        On the My Dog’s Got Talent event, the AKC staff and two CEC committee members are continuing to work on the concept. Someone brought up a concern about having music and costumes in the ring next to you while you are doing obedience. ·        The AKC Temperament Test was launched on Nov. 1, 2019 has had 50 clubs giving the test with 1010 entries. A suggestion was made to watch videos of the test. Someone mentioned that the concept of temperament is not a well-defined concept. ·        Doug mentioned the DQ form has been modified. There must be a detailed description of the incident. ·        Steven Hurley presented his Parent Club proposal to have a Veterans Class in Rally. The Committee asked AKC staff to review and give opinion. ·        Gail, the CEC Committee Chair asked clubs to volunteer for videos and/or submit videos to be put up on AKC site. There is a form that needs to be completed and submitted. It can be used as a resource on the site. ·        Patty Sample, a CEC member presented an interesting proposal, I thought. It is a pilot program for consideration of a Fix-N-Go in Obedience. I will not give details at this time because it was presented at the end of our meeting and was not discussed in detail. ·        Patty also presented a proposal for revitalizing the A classes in the sport of Obedience. I find this to be very interesting and hope for further discussion at our next meeting. It follows somewhat the Grand Champion concept done in conformation. In the General Meeting: ·        We began the election by voting on secret ballot. This time we only needed one. Elected to the AKC Board was Tom Davis for one year, Carmen Battaglia, Karolyn McAteer and Michael Knight as the new three-year term members. ·        President Dennis Sprung presented his report and mentioned Rally was up by 18000 and he also recognized the leaving Board members William Feeney and Pat Cruz. ·        In the financial report litter and dog registrations increased. Events increased by 5% and entries by 2%. ·        The AKC Marketing Dept. presented their  branding campaign which will be an attempt to engage younger people. They will use multiple channels, social, music (Spotify).  Their slogan is If It Barks Its AKC which will be digital, audio and video. Information will be brought to the public in a light hearted way. ·        The meeting ending by a Delegate reminding us to support PAC initiative.

Pat Nolan Seminar

Fit Dog Walk By Donna Cleverdon

The Club held its second Official Fit Dog Hike on Sunday March 22 at Fairland Recreational Park in Silver Spring. A very select “group” of just two handlers with dogs took part. Roxane Bouten and Springer spaniel Ivy, and Donna Cleverdon with Standard poodle Arrow walked almost 3 miles on natural surface trails winding in and around a steep valley, crossing the stream at the bottom twice. The walkers encountered a few other dog walkers, and several runners and some bicycle riders. This is a nice park and we recommend it. Lots to see and a good time of year to study the terrain as the trees have yet to leaf out. There was also lots of bird activity, so if you are interested in birds, it is a good place to go.

CDTC Groups.io

CDTC members, if you have not done so already, please join  mailto:cdtc@groups.io . It is a great way to keep up with the day-to-day activities of our club. To sign up, go to  https://groups.io/g/cdtc  and click “Apply for Membership.”

‌ ‌ ‌ Visit our website