Anybody who doesn’t know what soap tastes like, never washed a dog.
-Franklin P. Jones
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President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
Training Director
Assistant Training Director
Training Secretary
Trial Chair
Trophy Chair
AKC Delegate
Obichaff Editor
Members at Large
New Membership Information
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I can't wait until CDTC reopens. I have been training my dogs at home, but I miss seeing my friends. I miss teaching classes and I miss the fun I have when I am working with a group of people. Hopefully, we can start getting back to something that approaches normal in the next couple of months. Until then my basement and my backyard must serve as my training facility.
In this issue, I have included an article on dog friendly beaches. Some are still closed, but the beaches are slowly opening up again. Also in this issue is an article about Ken Nagler celebrating his hundredth birthday. If you can, please take a moment and send him a card.
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Dear Friends,
I hope you have been receiving my emails that keep you posted on planning and discussions we are having within the club meetings - General and on the Board. I know you have noticed along with me that nearly ALL news coverage is being devoted to the state of the world because of the Covid-19 virus. That includes all the posts on the various social media! If you are reading this and have NOT been getting my emails, please send your correct/preferred email address directly to me so that I can fix my contacts list to include it.
clvrdog@verizon.net
Meanwhile, as those of us who “attended” the May general membership meeting know, the ZOOM format for the meeting was a great success. I hope you will all be looking in your inboxes for the information to attend the June general membership meeting via ZOOM.
Here are the latest topics and progress discussed at the May meeting of the Board of Directors.
The Board has suspended any plans to hold an Awards Dinner in July. If you have been following the directives from Gov. Hogan’s office and directives from Montgomery County Executive Elrich’s office, you will understand that even if the state and county achieve progress so that we can enter Phase I of economic and social gatherings, our attendance at awards dinners is always over the top number permitted by the guidelines. We hope to be able to organize an awards dinner later in the fall. Our July General Membership meeting that constitutes the Awards Dinner will be held via ZOOM. Details for that meeting will arrive in your email inbox at the appropriate interval.
We have ordered supplies for sanitizing the equipment used once members are permitted to use the club house again. We will post sanitizing protocols in prominent locations to make it easy for all to keep the environment clean and safe for everyone who chooses to come in to train. Obviously it will be impossible to police behavior at the club house. This means that all club members are on their honor to respect these important procedures to protect all of our friends in our training community.
Your Director of Training, Assistant Director of Training, and Training Secretary, Tom Tatham, Janine Castorina, and Karen Steinmeyer respectively, have been working over-time developing plans and means for holding classes as soon as practical after we enter Phase I of re-open in Montgomery county. Watch for further and more specific information on that coming to your inbox soon.
I don’t know about you, but these days I am approaching hypochondriac status, plus drinking more alcohol, and eating more ice cream. The result is not pretty. I am also aware that I have less energy for fun things. Is this depression? When the Lock-Down began I looked upon it as an opportunity to do things I would usually avoid - cleaning, and projects put off for “later.” However, I have been finding it hard to settle, read, or concentrate. My efforts at training my dog have suffered. While I am not exactly socially isolated, the activity landscape is devoid of concerts and movies and going out to restaurants, and perhaps most important, training opportunities with friends. This is a time when mental discipline is required. I have always thought dog trainers possess an abundance of that quality. I know we are all desperate to impost order on chaos, and control on an uncontrollable problem. We must have faith and use all our discipline, and know, as anybody who has had a kidney stone knows, this too shall pass.
Yours truly,
Donna
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Here by the sea and sand
Nothing ever goes as planned
Sea and Sand – The Who
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It’s summertime and you want to take your dog to the beach. Where are the best places for you and your best friend go have fun in the sea and sand? This article reviews a few local beaches where you can take your dog for a walk or go for a swim. A link is provided to each area’s web site. There you can find more information, including rules for bring your dog, whether dogs can be off leash and hours of operation. All the dog friendly beaches have their own rules and hours of operation, so it pays to check the website before you go. This is by no means an exhaustive list of dog friendly beaches, but rather a sampling of what is available in our area.
Situated on the Chesapeake Bay, Downs Park offers a variety of natural and recreational activities throughout it 236 acres. Ann Arundel County parks are all canine friendly. For dogs that love to swim, Downs is the perfect stretch of off-leash heaven. After a long swim, you and the dog can dry off by taking on the park's perimeter trail, play a game of catch along one of the grassy areas or let loose in one of the large wooded natural areas.Mariah Stover writes that
she has been to is Downs Park and while its very nice, "the last few times we were there last year we were attacked by biting flies."
Bob Reinhardt has also visited Downs Park, He writes that "I’ve been to Downs Park Dog Beach- it’s fully fenced on the land side with a gate and then a stair down to the beach. The first time I took Ben, I had to let go of his leash or he would have pulled me down the stairs. He was so eager to get to the water that you would think he had absolutely no obedience training whatsoever.
The first time we went was on a weekend and it was crowded. After that, I’ve only gone during the week and met 2 or 3 people each time. Close to the beach are rest rooms with places to hitch your dog’s leash and a hose."
Located just south of Annapolis, Quiet Waters Park is situated between the South River and Harness Creek. Visitors can enjoy trails winding through forests and past grassy fields, children’s playground, or picnic among 340 acres of beautiful park land. The park has a dog beach with access to the South River.
About Quiet Waters Bob Reinhardt writes:
"Karen and I went to Quiet Waters on the south River once for a Lab Rescue fund raising dog walk.
While we walked a lot in the woods on paved paths, we never made it to the beach."
While Assateague National Seashore is known for its wild horses, dogs are welcome. Do not confuse the National Seashore with Assateague State Park, which is not dog friendly in the summer months. As with any national park there are specific dos and don’ts when you bring your dog. Dogs must be on a six-foot leash at all times. Dogs are allowed on the beach along the Maryland portion of Assateague National Seashore but are not permitted on the nature trails or anywhere within the Virginia portion of Assateague Island, including inside the car.
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Delaware State Parks
They all have areas where pets can swim and walk on the beach. Each park has a pet access map so it is easy to determine where and when your dog can visit the park. Delaware even has a handy
Pets in the Parks Brochure
.
Located near Kent Island, Matapeak Park is a lovely spot where you and your dog can go for a swim.
A winding trail through the woods ends at the Dog Beach, on the sandy banks of Chesapeake Bay.
The dog-friendly section of the beach allows dogs to roam off leash. While your four-legged pals cool off, you can enjoy views of the sparkling bay. Matapeak is close to a number of dog-friendly restaurants, so everyone can enjoy a delicious meal together after a fun-filled day at the beach.
At Terrapin Nature Park, the beach is only one part of a dynamic dog-friendly nature area. Enter the park through the entrance near Log Canoe Circle, then wind your way through tide pools, marsh and woodlands, as well as along the dynamic sandy shores of Chesapeake Bay. Most areas along the beach allow you to let your dog off leash. This award-winning 276-acre nature park features a 3.25-mile oyster chaff walking trail, which meanders through wildflower meadows, wetlands, tidal ponds, woodlands and sandy beaches. The trail provides a unique vantage point for viewing an incredible variety of waterfowl, wildlife and plant species. A gazebo and wheelchair-accessible boardwalk, located along the beach afford a spectacular view of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
Located outside of Chester (near Chestertown and Kent Island as well), this park is a quick 44 miles from the center of Washington, D.C., so even the most citified of dogs (and humans) will find this natural area accessible.
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Ken Nagler to CelebrateHis
Hundredth Birthday
By Joan and Sandy Adler
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On June 26
th
Ken Nagler, a fixture in the dog training community, will be 100 years old. It would be wonderful if he could get a hundred cards from dogs on his birthday. Please take a moment and have your furry friend send him a birthday card.
Kenneth Malcolm Nagler
23 Wallace Manor Rd
Edgewater, MD 21037
Ken has lived a full and interesting life. He was a Naval Officer (1942-1946) during World War II, working as a meteorologist for the Navy. At the end of the war he was sent to Germany to help make an assessment of Germany’s technical knowledge relating to rockets and weather prediction.
After the war he attended graduate school, and from 1948 to 1977 he had a distinguished career as a government meteorologist with the National Weather Service. In 1959 he was awarded a Silver Medal from the Commerce Department for his work on fallout predictions for Atomic and Hydrogen bomb tests.
In 1970 he received a Meritorious Service award from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He designed a synoptic weather photography experiment for the Gemini 5 mission, which provided high-resolution pictures of meteorological phenomena.
In 1973 he was awarded a Gold Medal from the Commerce Department for leadership in support of the NASA Manned Space Flight Program. Ken served as the Chief of Space Operations Support Division of the National Weather Service from 1960 to 1976 and headed the meteorological team that worked on all of the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and Skylab missions for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Ken has had a long and distinguished avocation as a dog breeder, trainer, and obedience judge. He has been an AKC obedience judge since 1971. In 1982 he was elected President and Training Director of the Canine Training Association in Beltsville, MD, and has served in that capacity for 36 years.
Ken and his recently deceased wife, Nan, owned and trained 10 Dalmatians, 9 Poodles, 2 Shelties and a Miniature Pinscher, with a combined total of 7 championships and 45 obedience titles. Ken and Nan also breed 11 litters of Dalmatians and 2 litters of Standard Poodles.
In his spare time Ken has published a book titled,
Long and Short: Some stories, Verse, and Articles
, which contains a unique combination of poetry, short stories about general truths, actual events, and summaries about his travels. He has recently completed, in August 2019, an autobiography,
Weathering a Century: A long and Happy Life
, available on
Amazon
.
Happy birthday Ken!
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Little Dog's Rhapsody in the Night
A Poem
Read my Mary Oliver from her collection of poems,
Dog Songs
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Jensen Blair
by Mariah Stover
Circa 2006 - May 13, 2020
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On May 13, I had to say goodbye to my best friend, Jensen. I knew he was on borrowed time since his hospitalization for congestive heart failure last July, but it was still a shock. After 10 1/2 years of having Jensen right by my side, its a nearly impossible adjustment to now be without my constant companion.
I adopted Jensen from Lucky Dog Animal Rescue in December 5, 2009. He had been rescued from a puppy mill in Pickens County, South Carolina. For anyone who hasn't had the experience of adopting a puppy mill survivor, they usually come with their own challenges. Jensen had been used as a stud dog at the puppy mill for approximately 3 years. He was shy and hesitant around strangers. After I'd had Jensen almost two years, I read a book about a man who enrolled his puppy mill survivor in agility class and the dog blossomed. I decided to give it a try with Jensen.
We had our first agility class at CDTC in November 2011. From then on, we never missed an agility session until Jensen retired in January 2018 at the age of 11. It was clear that agility was something Jensen really enjoyed. His little nub tail never stopped moving when we were running agility. And agility did just what I hoped it would - it brought him out of shell and made him more confident. We found a community of like minded dog lovers at the club. Every Sunday we would see the same people (instructors, assistants, and other handlers). They accepted us into their group and when I adopted wild man, Tenley, this same group of agility friends welcomed him just as they had Jensen and me many years before.
My favorite memory of Jensen in agility class is the time he jumped 20 inches. A jump bar got missed, but no one noticed until Jensen was in the process of jumping over it. Boy were people stunned. It didn't surprise me though - for a dog who was on the short side for a cocker spaniel, he could jump spectacularly high.
Jensen had two modes in agility class - obstacle focused or focused on running around the room ignoring me. I'd often use my version of touch, which I called Paw Five, on days when he was less than focused. I'd stick my hand out by the floor and he would run up and jump slapping my hand with his paw. When I stuck my hand out, he would always come running no matter what - whether he'd then go right back to running around the room or focus depended on the day. Another preferred method of getting Jensen to focus in class was often used by Shannon. She would go up to him stomping her feet and that would usually get his attention enough that he'd come back to me. There was no in between with Jensen - he was either running great taking my cues or he was on running around the room and I was irrelevant. Either way, he clearly loved being there and that's what was important to me.
I grew up with dogs, but Jensen was my first dog on my own. He was loved and he knew it - loved by me, loved by my family, and loved by anyone who got to know him. Jensen wasn't just a piece of my heart - he was my whole heart. He was my family and I can't imagine my life without him because he has been my life ever since the moment I adopted him. There are no words to thank Jensen for everything he has given me over the last 10 1/2 years. And I'm so grateful for the time Jensen and I spent running agility together and for the memories we made at the club. I will love you forever, Jensen Blair (aka Bugs / Stud Dog #37). A part of me will always be missing without you here.
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Sandi Atkinson sent along memorials of her dog
Romeo (1983-1997) and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel which are in her backyard and reminder of her dogs.
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Bob Reinhardt and Art Belendiuk took their dogs for a walk and a swim at the Izaak Walton League. Cole and Tess, the two black labs, had great fun swimming. Magic, Art's Weim, got into the water, but did not feel comfortable enough to swim. No doubt, she will be swimming by the end of the summer.
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Dogs of the Rich and Famous
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I am starting a new feature, Dogs of the Rich and Famous. Each month, I will feature a famous person and their dog. This month it is Grace Kelly and her Weimaraner.
It was the act of becoming that princess that got Grace her Weimaraner, a gift from Grace's’s brother, Jack, who gave her the dog as a wedding gift when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956.
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Book Review: Travels with Charlie
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“A dog, particularly an exotic like Charley, is a bond between strangers.”
“Charley is a mind-reading dog. There have been many trips in his lifetime, and often he has to be left at home. He knows we are going long before the suitcase has come out, and he paces and worries and whines and goes into a state of mild hysteria.”
“Sir, this is a unique dog. He does not live by tooth or fang. He respects the right of cats to be cats although he doesn't admire them. He turns his steps rather than disturb an earnest caterpillar. His greatest fear is that someone will point out a rabbit and suggest that he chase it. This is a dog of peace and tranquility.”
Quotes from
Travels with Charlie
In September 1960, John Steinbeck embarked on a journey across America, accompanied by a distinguished French poodle named Charley; and riding in a three-quarter-ton pickup truck, Rocinante, which Steinbeck named after Don Quixote’s horse.
His course took him through almost forty states: northward from Long Island to Maine; through the Midwest; onward by way of Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, and Idaho to Seattle, south to San Francisco and his birthplace, Salinas; eastward through the Mojave, New Mexico, Arizona, to Texas, to New Orleans; finally, on the last leg, through Alabama, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey to New York. Along the way, he and Charlie meet numerous and exotic individuals and had many adventures.
The publisher describes
Travels with Charley in Search of America
as “an intimate look at one of America’s most beloved writers in the later years of his life—a self-portrait of a man who never wrote an explicit autobiography. Written during a time of upheaval and racial tension in the South—which Steinbeck witnessed firsthand—
Travels with Charley
is a stunning evocation of America on the eve of a tumultuous decade.”
I first read
Travels with Charley
many years ago while on summer break from college. I thought what a wonderful experience it would be to take your dog and go roam America. I reread the book a couple of years ago and still think it would great to get a small camper, name it Rocinante for the benefit of those who would get the reference, take my dogs and just head out to see America. Someday.
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Download the the full brochure in printable form by clicking
here.
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New Classes
CDTC is currently closed because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Please check this space or our
website
for accurate and up to date information concerning class schedules, events and activities.
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Teaching Command Discrimination
With Top Dog's Linda
Brennan
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Social Distancing
By Polly Welsh - a good and brave dog
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On April 13th I had major surgery on my right rear leg as I had a torn ACL tendon requiring a repair. After my overnight at the hospital, the vet told Milly I had to be confined to my crate for two weeks - with only short trips outside to potty on a leash.
Milly reconfigured the dining room into my new lodging. She folded down the table leaves, pushed the table to the side of the room, and set up an x-pen. Really it isn't too bad. I have a mattress pad on top of an Oriental rug, which is on a rug pad, and I have a fleecy bed on top of that. Another Oriental rug is between the gate of my x-pen and the rug in the family room. The dining room has a skylight, and sun comes into it in the morning and the afternoon. I do enjoy a sunbath.
My potty area is just a few feet outside of the garage, which is only one step down from the family room. Years ago Milly taught me what "go pee" means, so I know the purpose of our visits outside. Four times a day! There I was in solitary except for four potty trips. No hugs, no laps, no cuddles on the sofa, no car rides, no co-sleeping.
Because of the meds, at first I got breakfast as well as dinner. It's a known fact that meals become the most important item of the day for someone in jail. (We've all read about food fights in prisons.) Can you believe I am given my meager ration last -- last, after the other dogs are fed. So, what's a girl to do? Scream. I can seriously scream. I know Milly is too soft to chastise me with anything more than "quiet" since I am recuperating from major surgery.
Immediately after the surgery, just to make my life more solitary and miserable, I had to wear a lampshade at night. In the daytime I was allowed to wear something that looks like a human's cervical collar. I could have been trusted not to tear out my sutures, but I was given a speech about The Rules.
On April 29th Chris Fritsch, my physical therapist, took my sutures out and we had my first work session. I like Chris; she gives me good cookie, lots of petting, and she says nice things to me. Because of social distancing, Milly was not allowed to come into the building. Life improved a little after this visit. I no longer have to wear the lampshade, but I no longer get breakfast. And, best of all, I am now allowed to have four walks each day for five minutes. During those times I have to stand on my right leg for 15 seconds and back up five steps. Can you believe that Chris was astounded that I know what "stand" means? And that I know how to heel backwards? What kinds of stupid dogs must she treat!
I'm bored. Really bored. Charlie gave me some deer antlers to chew on. I have some nylabones. I get a bit of string cheese, my favorite treat, each time I go in my x-pen. I spend the day alone - no training, no car rides, no laps, no co-sleeping. One day when I was out for one of my trips, one of the other dogs went into my x-pen and stole my antlers. Well, I told them all. Now any time one of those vile beasts comes near me, I give them the old killer dog routine.
I think I'm going to have to live in this x-pen for 10 weeks altogether. All I have to say to you humans is that, yes, I know exactly what social distancing, stay-at-home, and lockdown are all about. And I hate it.
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Delegate's Corner
By Joyce Dandridge
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I hope this column finds everyone safe and healthy.
I have sent out a list of Best Practices sent to me from AKC. There is a list for Conformation, Obedience, Rally, Agility and Tracking and CGC. If you did not receive this list or can’t get access to it on line, let me know.
The June Delegates meeting has been cancelled.
The following are topics that delegates have been discussing during the month of April and May in reference to the situation that exists today:
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How clubs can hold their annual meetings legally when bylaws require in person meetings
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Who to contact at AKC for meeting approval and AKC’s position on how various meetings are held
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Best Practices lists that was sent out by AKC
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Safety of Judges, Exhibitors, Dogs and Spectators in venues outdoors and indoors
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AKC’s position on virtual meetings
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Financial solvency of clubs and currently what is happening with some clubs
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What clubs with mortgages are doing since they are not having classes.
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Training clubs starting up again and using guidelines from the state and AKC
A member asked me to look into seeing if AKC will accept videos for Novice Brace and the reply was no. If you have any concerns or questions feel free to contact. I have direct contact phone numbers at AKC. Do check the updated AKC cancellation list on events which is located on their website.
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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.”
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