THE BARKCAIRNS CITY KENNEL CLUB

Issue 22 May – June 2014

The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the editor or committee members of the Cairns City Kennel Club

From the Editor

I am resurrecting The Bark which will again live or die depending onyour involvement. This is Issue No 22 because I have kept the numbering. Some of the features will become regulars. Needless tosay any feedback would be welcome BUT more useful would be any interesting articles or tips on doggy subjects.

I shall be asking other club committee members to write an article for inclusion in the newsletter about their role in the club so you get an idea of what work goes on, often behind the scenes of running Cairns City Kennel Club.

My email address is marilyn_mckee4870@yahoo.com

woof woof

Marilyn

I cannot train my dog today...

the sky is overcast and gray,

the air's too damp. I've got a cramp,

and the dog's just eaten anyway.

Can't find the leash, got home too late,

I'm due somewhere tonight at eight.

I've got a rash, a gash, and bumps.

Too tired now to get the jumps.

Traffic's made me tense and strained.

I have to lose this weight I've gained.

How can we work when it's just rained?

The dog's too hyper. My mood is blue,

I must be coming down with the flu,

I cough, I sneeze, and wheeze and choke.

Darn! My only dumbbell broke!

Too cold outside - my feet are numb.

There's a sliver in my thumb.

The house needs cleaning - it's a sight.

I'm working overtime tonight.

I need a nap. Had company.

Lawrence Welk is on t.v.

My toe is sore - it might be gout.

I think my hair is falling out.

I ate too much. My day's been rough.

I think my dog has had enough

of this daily training grind,

we need some time off to unwind.

-Author Unknown

NOW IT'S GETTING COLD

• Well-nourished dogs are better prepared to withstand the rigours of winter, particularly if they are kept outdoors. Outdoor dogs normally need more food to generate enough energy to cope with the cold. Provide your pet with fresh water during the day.

• An outdoor dog's shelter should be insulated, elevated, protected from prevailing winds and watertight. The shelter should be small enough to preserve the dog's body heat.

• Dogs living primarily indoors may require less food to maintain a good body condition than dogs that spend a lot of time outside. Short-haired dogs, seniordogs and dogs with health problems may need the protective warmth of a dogjacket when they go outside.

• If you’ve been out in the rain with your dog, check the dog's fur and if it it wet dry with a towel making sure to wipe the paws thoroughly, otherwise moisturecan be trapped and cause sores. Don't forget to dry under the belly.

• Because of its sweet taste, dogs are attracted to antifreeze and lap it up whenit’s not properly disposed of. Antifreeze is highly toxic, so store it out of reach. If by any chance your pet does come into contact with the liquid, go straight toyour vet.

Handling 360 workshop with Susan Garrett

As we all know agility courses have changed a lot over the years. Courses have become more challenging for both dog and handler, especially coming from the European circuit, where not 2 jumps are going in the same direction. Although we may not experience the degree of difficulty in course design at our local trials, they certainly are more challenging at national events.

New challenges have seen manymodern agility handlers adapt to thisand succeed at the highest levels ofcompetition. Not because they are thefastest runners, but because they arethe most efficient handlers, who traintheir dog to physically and mentallywork together with their handler usinga handling system that has evolvedwith the demands of modern coursedesign.

One such handler is Susan Garrett,multiple Canadian and WorldChampion title holders. Many mayknow Susan Garrett’s DVD’s fortraining Crate Games, Success withone Jump and 2 x 2 Weave training.I have become an admirer of Susan’s incredible skill as a dog trainer when I first attended a 5 day workshop with her a number of years ago. It changed everything for me! My dog training changed, my understanding of dogs’ drives and my relationship with my girl Luna improved greatly. It was after implementing the training tools I had been shown that I was able to achieve much better outcomes with Luna in both, agility and obedience, bearing in mind that she is not aneasy dog to train.

Since then I have participated in the on-line Contact Success course with Susan, which I have shared with other handlers at our club. Our club is far away from clubs where the country’s top handlers train and we are very isolated up here in the far north. Travelling down to Tamworth and participating at the ADAA agility championship, Tricia, Jean and I have been able to watch some of the top handlers at work and it was clear that we need some inspiration and guidance to improve our handling.

With that in mind Tricia has this year signed up for the online Handling 360 online course with Susan Garrett. With Tricia and I having young dogs at a similar age and working towards enteringcompetition this year, we have worked together and combined our knowledge to work on our dog’s foundation skills.

So when the opportunity came up to take part in a workshop with Susan in Brisbane, we both jumped at it. It was a fantastic full on 2 days, watching some of the best handlers with a variety ofdogs and different levels of training.

This is what I learned:

Susan: “It is not about the sequence – it is about the skill”. So when working on a sequence and something does not work, do not finish the sequence. That is not what it is about. Work on what did not work. Think about it, train this move and get it right. You may need to back chain to get the skill right.

Lots of communication is giving your dog information about what his job is on course. So earlyand specific cues are required. This means we need to train our dogs to understand many more cues than just ‘jump’. In fact Sue has 3 different commands for a jump. For a jump where the dog needs to accelerate and take at full extension, a jump where the dog needs to collect and curve, and another for a 180 degree turn.

The timing of cues is crucial and the cue needs to be given very early so the dog is able to perform a task and knows where to go well ahead of the obstacle. So a ‘jump’ cue does not only tell the dog the next obstacle but actually the line of direction.

Susan trains her dogs to perform a task independently – she never baby’s her dogs! She gives a cue and fully expects her dog to do the job, while she may be moving in a different direction. This requires a lot of foundation training and constant testing of your dog’s understanding of a skill.

Not being such a fast runner these days, Susan now uses new handling moves also, like Early body rotation front cross, blind crosses, K-turns. All these moves require training on the handler’s part. That means the handler has to train these moves, and this may be good to do in front of a mirror so you cansee what you look like to your dog.

Reading a course correctly and find out the best line for your dog is important. So take your time whenwalking the course. Check out what the dog sees, find out the best turns for your dog etc., this is nothing new, of course. I have realised that with all the new commands I am now using for my dog Shelby, I need to concentrate a lot more when walking the course and work out in my mind what I need to cue and where and be much more precise about it.

I also learned that absolute control over my dog is necessary. Challenges like letting your dog run towards a tunnel and make him drop just before, is such a task. For some dogs this can be very motivating, much like a restrained recall.

It is important to warm up your dog before his runs and also cool down – really just like a human athlete, we should treat them with the same respect.

If a dog runs away in between doing an exercise, there is only one course of action: “I don’t think so” get the dog and put him back in the crate. If possible take out another dog. This is not acceptable behaviour and should not be rewarded with ongoing exercises.

Keep rewarding on the hip – never in front of your body

Susan: “Every time your dog makes a mistake it is a cry for help”. Check his understanding of the exercise. Break it down and fix the problem!

Tricia and I came away knowing how much work we have to do, but also having a plan of how we can train to acquire some of the tools that we need to be competitive in higher levels of agility.

All in all – it was inspiring and highly motivating. We are happy to share our knowledge and training methods with everyone on Thursday nights.

You know you have waited too long to find a mate when ..... ..... you "people watch" at the mall by making mental lists of the conformation faults each passerby has to contribute to the gene pool

..... you start using operant conditioning techniques to get what you want from your boyfriend, and you won't let him readyour copy of "Don't Shoot the Dog"

..... when you lament to your friends about chronic yeast infections, they don't know you're talking about your dog's ears

..... you spend 8 hours grooming your dog for a show the day before, and 1.25 minutes pony-tailing your hair the morning of

..... you think that people with bad bites shouldn't be allowed to breed

..... your mother's worst fear is that you'll have a child and make it wear a pinch collar

..... your mother's second worst fear is you'll get married and your dog will be in the wedding party

..... you actually have friends whose dogs have been part of the wedding party

Congratulations to an Exceptional Team

Mel and Indy

Mel Henley and TCH NORDENSTAMM UDO CDX

The journeyIt was clear from the start that there was something special about the partnership between the young Belgian Malinois and his handler from the moment they stepped onto the training ground.

Indy was only 5 months of age when he first joined a class at the Cairns City Kennel Club. He was in a class with much older dogs and performed like a champion. He was not distracted by the strange dogs or the strange place.

Kesley Court, a senior obedience judge, on seeing Indy for the first time commented “There is obviously aspecial rapport between this wonderful high drive dog who has been fortunate enough to be paired with such an insightful partner - a terrific combination. I do remember thinking when I first saw Indy working with Mel that he was just the kind of handful needed in a dog to succeed at the highest level. I know he'll continue to succeed at UD and beyond - he was made for Obedience trialling.”

Mel says “It was very apparent early on that Indy was special. The speed with which he learnt new things and the speed of his reactions was something I had never experienced before when training dogs. He had incredible motivation and drive right from day one but not in a manic way that couldn't be switched off. He was always clear in the head and never destructive as some high drive dogs can be. These highly desirable traits are attributed to his breeding and in particular to his breeder, Jens Kollenberg from Nordenstamm kennels.”

The beginning

Mel began training Indy for obedience when he was only 8 weeks old. By 5 months of age when they first joined the Cairns City Kennel Club, Indy was already demonstrating his exceptional capabilities. What is more amazing is that Indy is the first dog Mel has trained for competitive obedience. She did however have a wealth of knowledge and experience in handling dogs in her ‘day job’ as a detector dog handler with the Department of Agriculture, formally known as the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). Although the skills are somewhat different to those required for obedience competition Mel was able to apply her experience of 12 years as a detector dog handler and transfer that knowledge to her work with Indy.

Mel says “I believe it is important to start puppies early as they are like little sponges and soak up knowledge and training very easily. By the time Indy was just 12 weeks old we had established a close synergy and Indy was confidently working off lead and heeling with focus, could sit, down, stand, stay andrecall. By the time he was 16 weeks old he was able to track an unknown person for about 250 metres”.

Mel entered Indy in his first competition on 31st March 2013, this was a tracking trial held in Townsville. He was just 18 months of age. By July he had achieved his T7 Tracking Champion in just 8 attempts! He is an absolute natural and loves every minute of it. The speed with which he tracks has earned him the nickname 'The Indy Express'!

Melinda Henley with Nordenstamm Udo: ‘Indy’

Mel was awarded her T7 Championship qualification

and Ribbon in Townsville, North Queensland on 23rd July 2013 after

being judged an Excellent by Tracking Judge Mal Holland.

The terrain was dense scrub and quite heavy going but the

‘Indy Express’ made light work of the situation and indicated on all articles finding the bait

with little effort.

Mel & Indy then returned to Cairns and Indy obtained his

second CDX qualification with a score of 189 that same evening.

Outstanding!

The quest for the Golden Dumbbell

Indy’s first obedience competition was in April 2013 when Mel entered him in Novice. By the following month Indy had gained his CD and was ready for open. He gained his first qualification in Open on 16th June 2013 with a score of 190 and had attained his CDX title by 10th August.

Indy was then ready for UD as Mel had already been training for the exercises. His first UD competition was in September 2013. This meant that Indy had gone from Novice to UD in less than 5 months and he wasn’t even two years old yet!

Although Mel was training for UD and had started entering at the UD level, she had heard about the ‘elusive’ Silver and Golden dumbbells and decided to try for one. Indy had already received two scores of 190 plus so was well on the way to a silver dumbbell. On 7th September Indy was awarded his third 190 plus score and he had reached the ‘Silver Dumbbell’. Mel decided to keep going and try for ‘Gold’, all the time still entering UD competitions as well. For the remaining three weeks in September Indy achieved another 3 scores of 190 plus and had achieved the six he needed for the ‘Golden Dumbbell’, all in just over 3 months and under 4 different judges with his highest score being 198.

Indy is the first dog in Cairns to be awarded the ‘Golden Dumbbell’ and the youngest dog in NorthQueensland to receive one.

Finding Indy

When asked why she chose a Malinois to start her foray into the world of competitive obedience and tracking Mel says “A few years ago I attended a dog training seminar in Brisbane, as part of my work which was being conducted by celebrity animal trainer Steve Austin, himself a previous National Trainer with AQIS. He had recently returned from a trip to Europe and had several videos from various agencies like the Czech Police demonstrating searches and protection work they were doing with Malinois. I was fascinated, I had never heard of Malinois. When I got home I started researching the breed and breeders as I had decided I wanted to compete with a dog and was keen to do tracking as well as obedience. I read both good and bad things about the breed but was sure I had the skills and ability to manage one. After about 2 years of extensive research I decided to contact Jens and Alison Kollenberg’s Nordenstamm kennel. Jens has 50 years of expertise in breeding working dogs and has himself been the recipient of many awards in the working dog arena. After meeting both Jens and Alison at their Gold Coast Kennel I made an informed decision to purchase my first Malinois from Jens and haven't looked back.”

Indy's father is a two times Australian Grand National Champion in IPO (FCI International Trial forWorking Dogs), a German State Champion, a Tracking Champion and also a Champion and multiple High in Trial recipient in three countries, including his recent win of Best Obedience at the NZKC Nationals. His grandfather is a 3 times World Champion in IPO. Jens and Alison Kollenberg’s Nordenstamm kennel have produced world class working dogs found in 29 countries on all five Continents. The Kollenberg's are certified as preferred breeders in the RAAFMilitary Working Dog program; dogs from their kennel have excelled at a wide range of conformation, hobby eventing and sporting dog activities as well as military and security work. Given Indy’s high performance skills he is proving himself as a great ambassador for the breed and a chip off the old block!

The results

Mel and Indy progressed from Novice to UD as well as gaining a Tracking Championship in just one trialling season which (for Far North Queensland) only runs for 6.5 months between April and October. Since his first qualifying score in CDX, Indy obtained his six qualifying scores for the Golden Dumbbell in only 16 trial days.16/06/201

3 INGHAM 1ST 19010/08/201

3 CAIRNS 1ST 198

7/09/2013 INGHAM 1ST 19221/09/201

3 TABLELANDS 1ST 19728/09/201

3 INGHAM 1ST 19129/09/201

3 INGHAM 1ST 196

Season Statistics & Awards Mel and Indy competed in 28 trial days. Indy qualified 13 times with twelve 1st placing’s and one

3rd. CD average score 179 CDX average score 191 Overall qualifying average 188 Cairns City Kennel Club Highest aggregate score Obedience Trophy April 2013 Cairns City Kennel Club Highest aggregate score Obedience Trophy May 2013 Cairns City Kennel Club Highest aggregate score Obedience Trophy September 2013 Cairns City Kennel Club Open dog of the year 2013 Cairns City Kennel Club Tracking dog of the year 2013 Dogs Queensland Golden Dumbbell Award 2013

The futureAs for the future, Indy has already shown great promise in the UD ring and we can be sure to see more of Mel and Indy’s successes. At only 2 years of age it is surely only a matter of time before he attains his Grand Obedience Championship.

Smell is an important part of how dogs communicate and identify with each other,

which may explain why most dogs don't like to be washed that often! Healthy dogs need little

washing. Dogs are most often washed so they smell better for their owners. But washing

your dog is also a great way to give your pet a nice massage.

In tick areas, using a special tick shampoo will help protect your dog against ticks.

Washing Your Dog:

You'll need some dog shampoo, water (preferably from a hose), and a large enough space for

washing. You'll also need a dog!

- Remember to always use dog shampoo - dog skin is different from human skin, and human

shampoo can irritate your dog's skin.

- First, gently hose and wet the dog down.

- Next, rub on shampoo and work through the fur all over the dog's body.

- Make sure you rinse all of the shampoo out of your dog's coat when you bath him, and he will

love it!

- Lastly, dry your dog off with a rag or towel. Let him shake any excess water off himself if he

needs to.

- Dogs behave better if you use gentle handling and a firm commanding voice while they are

washed. The younger you can train your dog how to behave at bath time the easier it will be for

everyone.

- Give your dog a treat or two while he's being washed so he stays interested.

If you are treating your dog for fleas, make sure you do it a couple of days after you bathe him.

This is because flea treatments work through the oils in a dogs skin, and most of these oils are

removed when a dog is washed.

Remember to clean your dog's bedding as well, this will help him stay fresh and keep fleas away.

Glenn's Brownie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (250ml) brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup (100ml) oil or melted butter

½ cup (100ml) plain flour

½ cup (100ml) cocoa

1tsp (5ml) vanilla

½ tsp (2ml) baking powder

½ cup (100ml) walnuts or rice bubbles or choc chips

METHOD

Cook in a greased medium square pan at 180°C for 20+ minutes or until firm onedges but soft and fudge like in the centre.

The End