Welcome To My View

        MERRY   CHRISTMAS

Canadian Kennel Club Answers Questions

I asked questions that I believe many of you are looking for answers about our CKC IT issues and upgrades.  Here are the questions and answers from Lance Novak, Executive Director.

What is being done to improve CKC IT and bring our systems up-to-date?

We submitted a business case to the board for a significant investment in our finance, website and backend system and it was approved. The investment will be over three years.

What time frame are you looking at for the system to be completed?

Tangible results will be realized during the three-year investment. The first item being delivered is a new website in the first quarter of 2014. It will be easier to navigate and will have more information. Additional features, such as better and more online forms will be delivered throughout 2014.

Replacing our 28-year-old customized backend system will take longer. Work will begin in 2014 and will be ready in 2015.

Will the membership see improvements in service at all during the upgrade?

Yes. After the new website is launched improvements to current functions, new content and services will be launched throughout the three year period. Improvements that require our new backend system will likely be rolled out at the earliest in Q1 2015.

What service improvements or changes will the members enjoy with the upgrade?

We want to increase the opportunities for members to be able to have more self-serve options. We are also aware that we need to improve the time it takes to register and process event results. We want our website to be easier to use and develop content for members and the public that best serves their needs. We will be forming a committee made up of a balanced matrix of breeders, exhibitors/competitors, junior handlers and public pet owners to assist with determining the right content.

One of the biggest complaints is not being able to register dogs online.  Will

that be happening in the near future?
Currently dogs can be registered online by logging in and visiting the Membership Services -Application Centre and selecting the “Dog Registration” option on the left hand side. It is integrated with the Litter Application. We will be working towards having a clearer process and a greater variety of dog registrations that can be done online.

Second complaint is not being able to have a timely points tracking system online at the CKC.  Will this be something coming in the near future?

CKC recognizes that event results should be timelier.  We will begin to deliver improved event results in 2014.

It took almost a year for the CKC to announce 2012 Top Dog points.  Is this going to improve for 2013 points?

Our aim is to have the results out by March.

I was noticing as I drove around the Juravinski Cancer Centre, where Zachary has been treated for cancer since March this year, that there are still people that have not caught on that smoking kills.  We typically park across the street from the main entrance and must climb a set of stairs from the street to the entrance.  I am always amazed how many people, including the hospital's employees that gather at the bottom of the stairs to smoke.  They gather there because it is technically off hospital property where smoking is not allowed.  I'm sure most people would say that I'm a nice person that doesn't look for trouble, but I must tell you that I've got to where I say something nasty to these people every time we pass them.  I say something like, "You'd rather be a patient than an employee" or "What you don't see enough suffering, you want to see your family suffer, too"!  Or I say something as simple as, "that is revolting, we are here to save a life, please don't smoke in this area"!   

People have become insensitive to others.  Either they don't care if they are disrespectful, or we are failing to teach respect. I don't just see disrespect at the hospital.  I see it at the grocery store, in parking lots, at the movie theaters and dog shows. There is a southern saying, "You can't teach Class, either you have it or you don't".  I hope to see more respect at the dog shows.  Perhaps the list below will give all of us some guidelines to follow and we will be more classy.  

Lyle, Zachary and I wish you and your family the happiest of holiday season.  Make it a season to remember.  Be safe and joyous.

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                                                   XXXOOO

Welcome To My View

Ms Virginia Lyne

Talks about Judging

I am thrilled that Ms Lyne has contributed to my blog.  This is indeed is an honor to have such an esteemed judge like she to take the time to answer my questions.  

Background in dogs – Virginia L. Lyne

                  

I came from a family that always had dogs from the time I could remember, primarily Cocker Spaniels, but I had occasional connections with Dachshunds and Wire Fox Terriers as a child. No one, however, had been involved in the exhibiting side of the sport until I bullied my parents in 1953 into a black Cocker Spaniel and the start of dog shows in my life, a passion which has grown from there. I am totally committed to purebred dogs and the conformation events – it is a passion and an addiction.

In 1960 following University I spent a year in England and returned home with a black and white English Cocker and the start of the Ranzfel English Cockers.  Initially I was very active in Obedience and am still approved to judge all Obedience classes. Under the Ranzfel prefix I have bred numerous Canadian and American Champions with National and Specialty winners in both countries.   In 1969 I started judging with the Sporting breeds and am currently approved to judge All Breeds.

Judging has been a passion for me. I have the privilege of getting my hands on a group of quality dogs and being allowed to ‘sort’ for the best is exciting, challenging and demanding.  I am a strong believer in learning as much as one can about the history and development of a breed. Who has been involved in the development of the breed?  What, characteristics are the ‘drags” on the breed? How has the breed evolved over the decades? What is the function and purpose of the breed?  What is the ‘essence’ of the breed? It is the possibility of putting my hands on that ephemeral ‘goose bump’ dog that keeps me coming back to the show ring.

I am still actively breeding English Cockers and also live with a wonderful family of Whippets. Highlights in the Ranzfel breeding program include Am. Can. Ch. Ranzfel Newsflash and Am. Can. Ch. Ranzfel Ambassador who were Group and Best in Show winners in the USA and Canada. Probably the standard for many judges and breeders of the essence of breed type in English Cockers, Newsflash won the National under Anne Rogers Clark from the Veterans class, the Sporting Group at Santa Barbara Kennel Club, the breed at Spaniel Club and many Best in Shows. He is the sire of over 30 Champions.  Ambassador finished his title at the National the year after he went Best Puppy in Sweepstakes at 6 months. We still finish dogs, primarily around Specialty competition but we are not campaigning dogs any more.

My life work was in Education, and I retired in 1996 after 35 years in secondary education teaching English but working primarily as a Guidance Counselor and Student Services Co-coordinator. Probably as a result I am totally committed to quality judges’ education and have been active in seminar presentations and participation in judges training programs for many years.  I was a presenter at the first AKC Advanced Judges Institute for Sporting Dogs in California, and have given presentations to the English Cocker Spaniel Club of America on numerous occasions.  For the past 12 years I have been mentor and leader of a Judges Study Group on Vancouver Island and have been proud to watch many of the original group go on to achieve Group level status in their judging.

Currently I am Past President of the Canadian Dog Judges Association, have worked as dog show representative, on Canadian Kennel Club Advisory Committees, and on the CKC Ethics Committee, was previously on the Executive of the English Cocker Spaniel Club of America and a past President of the English Cocker Spaniel Club of Canada. At the present time I am chairing a committee for the review of the Canadian standard for the English Cocker.

I have been privileged to judge internationally on numerous occasions and have judged in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand, Finland, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Colombia as well as regular assignments in the Canada and the USA where I have been so very privileged to judge at many of the outstanding shows including Santa Barbara, Westchester, Eastern, Westminster, and other special occasions.  Perhaps the judging I am most proud of are the National Specialties that I have done. In the Sporting breeds these include Golden Retrievers ( 3 times)  English Cockers ( 3 times) Clumbers, Irish Water Spaniels, German Wirehaired Pointers, Pointers, Flat Coated Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Irish Setters as well as major specialties in most of the other Sporting breeds.

10 Questions Answered by Ms. Lynes

1.  What is the quality of dogs being bred and exhibited today?   

 I think that our best dogs of today are truly outstanding and comparable with the best of any previous decade. That said, I do find that we have too many dogs being shown that are lacking in breed type and the essentials of sound movement. I am not sure of why this is happening but perhaps there is a need to better educate the breeders and provide more opportunities for judges to do

education while they are judging. Judges really need to be able to guide the exhibitor with regard to the quality of the dogs they judge.

2. What is your opinion of using enhancements?

I will fault anything that is going to come off on my hands, stick to my fingers or attract my attention to the detriment of the dog. Done skillfully with a ”natural” appearance I am not going to get excited. Artificial does not appear in any breed standard that I have read. I do not like extreme 'fan' topknots with painted black lines on Shih Tzu, tied ears in Yorkies, and extreme painted faces in any breed. 

3. What advice do you give to new exhibitors to Confirmation?

This question could be a book topic.  I would try to guide them to be patient and learn as much as possible about the breed they have chosen especially to read the standard and watch the dogs that are being judged. Too many novices exhibitors are discouraged because they don't have a good mentor to guide them and they jump in the deep end of exhibiting. I would tell them that they need

to decide what their goal is. Do they want to enjoyed the friendship of people who love dogs and want to learn more about their breed and its purpose? Do they want to become involved in the performance events where the training and competition is exciting and challenging? Or do they want to become a breeder

of outstanding Group and Best in Show dogs?  Do they have a long term goal to eventually become a judge of performance events or conformation? There is so much to learn that after 5 years in a breed you really don't have any idea what you do not know. After 10 years you start to know what you really need to know!

4.  What one thing would you like to see changed in our sport?                   

I think it is probably summed up in one piece of advice.   Play nice and be kind to each other!

5 .  What is the one handling mistake that you see most often?

Probably moving dogs at the incorrect speed both for the breed and the dog being shown. Dogs have an ideal speed that they move best at according to their structure.  The trend to one speed - fast - fits all is very frustrating.

6. How do we attract more people to the dog fancy?

I guess see the answer to question 4. I think we drive the new person away when they encounter some of the back biting and denigrating of people and dogs that goes on around the shows. I also thinks that the experienced dog people need to make it their responsibility to encourage the obvious novice who asks

questions and clearly wants help. I know it is often at the wrong time but at least offer to talk to them when it would be convenient. Dogs shows are an expensive and sometimes confusing avocation. Making them more fun and more meaningful to the beginner might help retain those who come to a show.

7.  Do you think judges get proper training?

Generally I think Canadian judges get adequate training but do not get the feedback on their performance that helps them to grow and improve. We move our judges forward quite rapidly compared to other countries which is a necessity because of our geography and the size of our shows.  When you examine the depth of training that is mandatory In the Scandinavian countries we are

definitely not doing the job.  I think we need a really well thought out and meaningful mentoring of our judges. Senior judges should be required to do interviews and assessments of provisional, beginner judges. These interviews and assessments should be part of the requirements for advancement. I do not believe that a person should move forward to a new application to judge until

they have done a minimum of 5 assignments where they have feedback from designated Senior judges. 

8. Have you ever disallowed or dismissed an exhibitor from your ring.

I have dismissed dogs for menacing and or biting, for faults that are DQ 's under the breed standard, for being so uncontrolled that I could not examine them, for lameness, and withheld awards for Lack of Merit.

9. Is poor sportsmanship a problem in our sport?

I have really not observed a lot of blatant bad sportsmanship though I know it happens.  I have also seen examples of exceptional behavior shown by the owners of a defeated dog. Being classy is such a good feeling!

10.  Has being Best of Breed lost to the need for Top Dog Points

I have long said that training of judges should start with approval to judge Best in Show where the judge sees dogs of quality and trains his eye of the best. Then the learner judge should be allowed to judge a Group in the group of dogs that they aspire to judge.

Finally they should be allowed to judge the breed. It is only North America where the Group and Best in Show awards have taken on such importance. In Europe and the UK the breed win is what the exhibitors value the most.  Because of the emphasis in North America on the Top Dog rankings we have lost the appreciation of what matters, the winners results at breed level. 

Originally established in 1994 under the name "The Aids Assistance Fund", Best friends/Meilleurs  amis was conceived, developed, and operated by founding members who included Bob Boxma, Dick Meen and Tom Touzel. They, in turn engaged others to  become members of this Canadian Nationally Registered Charity formed to support and provide assistance to the members of the Dog Fancy who were HIV/AIDS positive and requiring emergency financial help.

During these early years, little was understood about the disease or the social impact it would have on our community. Through generous support and many fund raising initiatives, Best friends/ Meilleurs amis was able to distribute assistance to individuals who required help.

There have been many advances in research and also the long term treatment of HIV/AIDS, and many organizations have evolved to support those whose lives have been affected.   With this in mind, today the mandate of Best friends/ Meilleurs amis has been broadened to encompass the more diverse needs of our community.  Their mission now is to provide help to any individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the sport of pedigree dogs,

and who find themselves requiring emergency support during times of extreme personal devastation, either due to illness, or other life changing events.

They are setting up at various shows and hope people will come by our booth to learn more about who we are and our goals to help others.  I know that  dog show people will be generous in their support of the purebred dog community.  If you want to make a donation, you can can by their booth at the dog shows or contact Joanne Griffith, Peter Laventhall or Joy Huntley.  Here is their contact information as well:

Contact: JoAnne Griffith       jogriffith@idirect.com
               Peter Laventhall     peter@laventhall.com
               Joy Huntley            rhuntley@bell.net

We are still in the jaws of cancer in our family.  You may remember that our 24 year old autistic nephew lives with Lyle and me and he was diagnosed with Lymphoma in March.  He has completed his chemo treatments, but as it turns out he is chemo resistant.  We have now started radiation which is daily treatments.  Please keep Zach in your thoughts and prayers.  We surely could use some good news at this address.

I apologize for my blog not being weekly of late.  As you can imagine, it has been chaotic in our family.  I appreciate each and every one of my readers and I love hearing from you, yep, even when you don't agree with me. :o)  

This show year is almost over and I hope to see as many of you as we can before the end of the year.  If not HAPPY HOLIDAYS and GOD BLESS!

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                                                   XXXOOO

Welcome To My View

She makes it look so easy, you may be fooled into thinking it is easy!!!!

I have wanted to write about this lady for a long time.    She has helped me out more times than I will ever be able to repay.  You have a question about show procedures, rules and regulations, upcoming shows and entry information, Vickie is the go to person at the show site.

Vickie is a woman that wears a lot of hats.  She may very well be the busiest woman in

The Busiest Woman in Dog Fancy, Vickie Barrett

Canada.

Vickie has been in dogs for thirty years, starting with Chows.  In fact she still has three Chows.  She currently owns and shows a Newfoundland.

In addition to owning MJN Show Services, Vickie has worked for the Ontario Government for 30 years. She currently works 40 hours a week as IT support for the provincial government.  Vickie is a member of Chow Chow Fanciers of South Central Ontario, where she met Joey Nattrass, the original owner of MJN.  Vickie went to work part-time at MJN in 1990 until 2005 when she took over MJN’s ownership when Joey wanted to retire.

MJN has seven employees that process entries, performs graphic design and assist at the show sites managing the show secretary’s functions.  By the end of 2013, Vickie will have worked 40 different shows.  Vickie makes sure the clubs she works for meet all CKC requirements.  Under Vickie’s guidance, MJN processes entries, provides the premium list, designs and prints the show catalogs, prepares the judges schedules, prints armbands and records and submits the show results to CKC.  The mark of Vickie’s success with MJN is all the repeat business she enjoys.

I asked Vickie what is her one complaint about her job and she said, Entry Forms.  She’d like to ask people to be more careful when they complete their entry forms.  She said, please take the time to look over the entry for accuracy and legibility. 

The one aspect of her job does she love?  The people.  For the most part, exhibitors have a good time at the show and enjoy their dogs.  The dog show atmosphere is fun.

If Vickie could change one thing it would be that the CKC would move into the Electronic age. Currently she has twenty one days to submit the hard copy of the show’s results.  She wishes they would make it possible for her to electronically report the show results.  This would be easier for her and the exhibitors would be able to get their show and point results almost immediately.

Vickie is generous with her time for exhibitors, and she is a friend to the Junior’s program by providing prizes and ribbons.  When your results are listed on Canuck Dogs website, many times it is due to the time Vickie has taken for Canuck Dogs volunteers to go through her paperwork to send the results in for timely publishing.  She is a real friend to the Dog Fancy and deserves kudos for all she does for the exhibitors and many clubs during the year.

Purebreds are for the Rich, Not for the Average Person

BIO: SW is on a leave of absence from her graduate studies after being diagnosed with advanced stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma in March 2013.  Her major symptoms were swollen lymph nodes under her left collarbone and in her underarm and itchiness for several months.  She underwent 6 months (12 treatments) of chemotherapy at Juravinski Cancer Centre and recently had a PET scan to determine if radiation will be needed.  She is currently applying to medical schools for next year and taking care of her new puppy, Copper.  Happy to report that SW is currently in remission and doing well.  She has asked that her picture and name not be used because she fears that having cancer could jeopardize her chances at finding employment.  We wish her all the best in her long, healthy and successful future.

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About fifteen years ago, my family got my first dog when I was ten years old.  My parents were worried that my dad had allergies so one of the main reasons we chose a cocker spaniel/poodle mix (cock-a-poo) was because they apparently didn't shed.  We didn't know anything about temperament or puppy mills, so when we went to the pet store, we just picked one out and bought him.  We also were under the impression that purebred dogs were unhealthy (with recessive genetic defects) so we thought it would be better to buy a mixed-breed dog.  Unfortunately, Buddy had health problems his whole life, which included many ear infections, itchy paws that he would bite, and an obsession with food (and eating non-food items like toilet paper).  After he passed away two years ago, my parents said we would not get another dog.

However, last March I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  During the week of waiting for the lymph node biopsy appointment and then the two weeks of waiting for the results, my parents took time off work and I basically stopped going to school.  It was a miserable month.  We were all stressed (and I was itchy from the lymphoma), and I was stressed out even more because of how my parents were stressed.

Then, a day after my biopsy result came back with my official diagnosis of Hodgkin’s, my parents told me that we could get another dog.  I thought that this was the best idea ever: it would give my parents something to worry about more than me, and it would give me something to do and think about during my chemotherapy treatments.

I tried getting a dog from a shelter this time, but my dad said he wanted a puppy and I couldn't find any.  I also decided I wanted an active, smart breed of dog that we could go jogging with, and that I could play fetch with.  And we decided to get a medium-sized dog and we didn't mind if it shed (by this point my dad’s allergies were better).  We still thought that purebred dogs had more health issues, and I didn't want to wait much longer, so I turned to Kijiji.  I found some puppies that were a German Shepherd/collie mix from a house in Hamilton that bought them from “out in the countryside” and then sold them in Hamilton.  So we went a few days later, and I picked out a brown one.  In the few minutes I looked at the puppies, he seemed slightly calmer than the other two puppies, which I thought would be good.

           It turned out to be such a great idea!  My parents and I focused on house-training Scout and I started doing a lot of research on training dogs, which we knew very little about even after our last dog.  In between my chemotherapy treatments and injections and doctor’s appointments, my parents and I took him to puppy socializing class and two levels of puppy-training classes.  We learned so much about training and we were trying really hard to be good dog owners. 

Scout turned out to look very much like a Nova Scotia duck-tolling retriever and when I asked the place where we bought him about that, the lady had no information she could/would give me.  And we didn't realize this then (we thought it was normal behavior , but he drank and peed a lot, would get in bad moods and had red eyes sometimes, and wouldn't jump up into the back of the car (we had to lift him).  We think now he had kidney issues.

I brushed Scout almost every day, brought him to my uncle’s so he could play with their dogs, and bought him a new toy after every chemo session.  After my last chemo session in September, I was excited that I was going to be able to take care of him all of the time, not just during the non-chemo weeks.  However, on Thanksgiving Monday when we were visiting my grandparents, Scout ran outside their fenced-in area and was hit by a car on the highway and died before I could find out where he went.

I missed Scout so much, and we decided to get another dog.  The shelters didn't have any puppies, so we went on Kijiji again.  This time on Kijiji, we at least made sure that the puppies were well socialized and that we could see their parents first.  We found a golden retriever puppy and so far he has been wonderful!  We don’t think he has any health issues.

The other option was always to get a registered purebred, but along with our persistent idea about their health issues (never mind that our two dogs from sketchy sources both had health issues), we thought that registered purebred dogs were for rich people.  A purebred dog owner seems like they would be someone in a mansion with a huge property or someone who has owned many dogs before and shows them at dog shows.  On Kijiji, one puppy can cost $300 and can be bought immediately whereas a purebred puppy can cost $1200.  What is the reason for this price difference and what are the advantages of buying from a breeder?  There are breeder websites, but sometimes there isn't a breakdown of what’s included in the price of a puppy, what the breeder wants in an ideal prospective dog owner, or information on why buying from a breeder is better than Kijiji.

I met Donna when both Zachary and I were getting PET scans to see if our chemo-therapies had been successful in eradicating our lymphomas.  While she and my mom were waiting, they talked about breeding dogs and my mom told me everything Donna said on the way home.  We now understand that reputable breeders are people who love dogs and are looking for them to be healthy and have healthy puppies so they can all have healthy, happy lives.  Our next dog will be a registered purebred but in the meantime we will train our new puppy and hopefully do agility, dock diving, or rally obedience with him!

SW would like to get involved in fun activities with Cooper.  She is interested in learning more about rally obedience, flyball, and agility.  If you can help her find these activities in the Burlington/Oakville, Hamilton area, please contact me via email with the details and I will pass them on to her -  djenkins@shaw.ca

Submitted by: Angel Wagner, Canadian Dog Fancier Magazine

I would like to suggest a person for your nice deeds - Lisa Wysminity of Jumpstart Imagery. 

Canadian Dog Show Fancier Magazine includes an editorial profile on a breeder/owner/handler and a professional handler in each issue.  The people asked to participate in these features do not always have high resolution photos to include.  On more than one occasion Lisa has come to the rescue and has provided some of her lovely photographs to be used.  Lisa is a terrific photographer and is never too busy to help out and for that the we would like to say  - thank you Lisa for your Nice Deeds !

Lisa is also a Manchester Terrier Breeder/Exhibitor under the kennel name, Jumpstart Manchester Terriers located in Alberta, Canada.  She started in dogs at the tender age of 9 as a junior handler.

You can visit her website http://www3.telus.net/amstaffmanchester/index.html  or  http://www.jumpstartimagery.com/

Lisa is another example of the good deeds happening all around us in the Dog Fancy.  We should all strive to perform at least one nice deed per show.

There is more to Dog Shows than Competing and Dogs

We make life-long friends through dog shows.  We get to know each other's families, we know about the children's achievements and when someone is going through an illness or a family death.  Just like family, we get together for meals, we share hotels or campers.  We share tips and grooming space and tools.  Sometimes we have spats or get on each other's nerves, but we get over it.  One thing you can say about the Dog Fancy, we will look after each other when the chips are down.  So many friends have passed away recently, it serves to remind us that time can be short.  We should try a bit more tolerance, offer a hand more often and give encouragement when needed.

Thanks to everyone that has shown a kindness to Lyle and me throughout the year.  We genuinely appreciate it and won't forget.

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                     XXXOOO

Welcome To My View

Some show weekends it just feels like nothing you do will get the richly deserved win.  You show up with a wonderfully correct dog that is well groomed.  Your dog is animated and eager to show.  You are dressed professionally and are doing all the right moves in the ring.  So, I was thinking last weekend, what it would take to add an advantage to winning.  I have never been a superstitious person, but what the heck.  I'm open minded if nothing else!
So, I started researching the best  Good Luck Charm for dog showing.

I had no idea how extensive the subject is.  There is something for every situation.  There are websites where you can order lucky charms and spells.  I didn't know that it takes a Supreme Psychic to cast spells.  But if you are feeling frisky, you can order a Spell Kit with instructions.

First, let's talk about what people have used for lucky charms through the ages. One that has always been carried by the men in my family, is a Buckeye.  Buckeyes look very similar to Chestnuts, but are very bitter to eat and part of the nut is believed to be poisonous. Men will carry it in their pockets for good luck, like a talisman.  The native Americans believed it was good luck and that it cured Rheumatism and Arthritis.  They called it a buckeye because it resembles a Buck Deer's eye.  When my son turned 12 years old, my grandfather gave him his first Lucky Buckeye which was to be carried in his pocket at all times.  I don't recall any of the men being especially lucky, so not sure how valid the Buckeye charm is.

There are four leaf clovers, mustard seeds, wishbones, horseshoes, and rabbits foot.  I remember spending hours on end outside on my tummy combing through clover to find a four leaf clover.  I have found several in my life.  How many times have you stopped to pick up a lucky penny?


An amulet is a lucky charm you wear as a necklace or as jewelry.  Religious items such as crosses, saint medals, mustard seeds, even the buckeye has been worn by women as an amulet.   Anything that you believe that is a symbol of good luck can be used as an amulet.  I wear my son's dog tags along with other meaningful items that belonged to him just to feel comfort.

There are Wagna Dolls and Voodoo Dolls both having their origins in Africa.  Both dolls are about 6 inches long and they summon the supernatural to do your bidding.  Voodoo means "Spirt of God".  It flourishes in Brazil, Trinidad, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and New Orleans.


Spells may be just what I need.  Seems there is a spell for every person, need and requirement.

The Spell to Defeat Your Rival If someone is standing in the way of your happiness, this spell is designed to neutralize them, to get them out of the picture.

The Cash! Spell

Need Money? Need it Soon?

The Luck Spell

You can change your luck instantly! If you need good luck to happen today, ask for the Luck Spell.

Lady LuckWhen you keep Lady Luck by your side, the whole world smiles at you.


Witch Doctor Spell Kits

These do-it-yourself kits should only be used in the direst of emergencies. Witch Doctor Spell Kits are for one time use and must be discarded within 24 hours after the spell is cast. Instructions are simple and take only minutes -- but they must be followed to the letter.

  You could enjoy an extended lucky streak, and hit it big in all aspects of your life! 

   Very popular with heavy gamblers and Dog Show people. May win big in lotteries, sweeps, bingo, dog shows.

          Could solve a lingering problem, fulfill a great dream such as a lasting spell on the judges this weekend.


So this weekend, I am going ringside with my rabbits foot, 4 leaf clover, wishbone, horseshoe and buckeye.  If I can find a High Priestess of Psychics, I plan on having spells cast in every direction.  

You may not want to get close enough to feel my aura this weekend.  I believe my heels will be shooting sparks as I walk and my dog may be farting rainbows!

BEST IN SHOW - MAX!!

Someone that didn't need Spells, Potions or Lucky Charms this past weekend to go Best In Show was Kishinga's HMS Maximus (Max) owned by Cynthia Crysdale, Ed Shirley and Richard Meen.

Ed showing off BIS Rosette to Max

It was thrilling to witness this wonderful win by this fabulous Skye Terrier.  Now that the first BIS is under their belt, I'm sure there will be many more in this dog's future.

A Skye in the Sky
Photo taken by Rhonda Cassidy

         

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

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CONGRATULATIONS!!







        

Welcome To My View

What The Heck?  You Have To Be A Freaking Millionaire In This Sport?

That is what I’m beginning to believe.  I just made my entries for a fairly local show and it cost $318.00.  That entered one special for 4 days, and 2 class dogs for 2 days.  Then we will have gas and lodging and food for the weekend.  It is a long weekend, so there was an extra day of entries, but even so.  We will be traveling to the USA for a show this weekend, so our expense is even higher for that 3 days.   We absolutely love showing dogs.  There is nothing we would rather be doing.  But this year, we have spent on average of $500.00 per weekend and we have shown almost every weekend.  $20,000 is approximately what we have spent on showing our dogs this year so far, not counting advertising and other miscellaneous expenses.  I am sure that there are others that spend more than us.   

All we have to do to discourage young and enthusiastic people or families with children that are looking for a family activity or older folks that are looking for something new and fun to do in their retirement, give them an idea of what they will spend in this sport.  Ok, young people most likely won’t trade off vacations with friends and their gym memberships to get into Dog Fancy.  Families will probably pass because the cost is too high without sacrificing school uniforms, college fund and kids birthday gifts.  Are older folks willing to cash in their RRSPs and sell the family heirlooms to have enough disposable income to pay for the dog fancy?  All that said tongue in cheek, but you know there is some truth in what I’m saying.

I know someone that won the lottery and decided to use some of her winnings to campaign her dog with a professional handler for one year.  That is the only way she could ever afford to do that.  I know Alliances have been made between owner/handlers to help show each other’s dogs, so they won’t have the expense

of a professional handler.  I feel sorry for professional handlers, too.  There can’t be that many doctors, lawyers and oil or cattle barons left in this world that can afford to pay $50,000 a year to have their dogs professionally housed and shown.  Obviously, participating in any sport is a choice.  But if enough of us can’t afford it any more, then we take the choice away from the rest.  It will get to be where you won’t have enough people participating.   You won’t need to rent a venue, you can just hold the much smaller and intimate dog shows in someone’s backyard.

How then do we get the cost down so it will be attractive across the spectrum? I have no idea!!!  I wish I did know how to make our sport more affordable.  I would be sitting up high on the throne as the All Mighty Dog Fancy Poobah!  But don’t we have enough brains among our sport to gather a forum to figure it out?  Let’s lock them in a room for a long weekend and not allow them to see their beloved dogs until they come

up with a solution.  There needs to be fact sheets, lists of shows, financial statements, charts, graphs and a mindset that this is a solvable problem.  Approach it like a business.  Offer advice to the Kennel Clubs on how to provide a show that brings more exhibitors, lowering their cost but improving the Club’s bottom line.  Where are the great minds in our sport?????

I bet USAS and Peta are rolling on the floor holding their bellies from laughing till it hurts.  They aren't our worst enemy.  WE ARE!  We don’t care enough to find solutions to solve our problems.  We just like to point fingers!

She Said What?   No He’ Didn’t!   We voted Her Out!  Don’t Trust Anything They Say! Watch Her In The Ring, She Plays Dirty!

Admit it.  You have either heard these comments or said these comments and probably said or heard worse than these examples. 

Shame on all of us.

We keep our sport smoldering at its core with these mean spirited comments.  It’s like a smoldering fire that just sits between the floor joists doing unseen damage.  It’s dangerous, it can be deadly.  

Most of us learned how to get along with others when we were three years old.  We learned “Do Unto Others What We Want Others To Do Unto Us” and “If You Can’t Say Nice, Don’t Say Anything At All”.  Then why as Adults we can’t get along? 

I find myself moving farther away from negative people ringside.  I don’t want to leave the ring feeling like my stomach is in a knot.  Feeling tense and in knots isn't fun.  How do the comments I hear over and over about others improve anything?  If you are overheard by me, then you have probably been heard by many others.  Really, do you want to be that kind of person?

There was a lady that was typically disliked by everyone.  People had a nasty name for her.  I admit, she scared me a bit.  Lyle and I were hosting a cookout at a show, and I made the decision that I was going to invite her.  Several of my friends thought I had taken leave of my senses.  I approached her and told her how happy I would be if she came to the cookout.  She looked extremely surprised, but she said she would try to make it.  Sure enough, she showed up.  She was very pleasant.  She joined into the conversations with ease.  She was happy and engaging.  It turned out she had a sense of humor and was completely different than I thought.  I am so glad I invited her.  Now, we can speak to each other without tension at ringside.  It’s hard to call someone names when you get to know them in a different light. 

I didn’t tell the story to make Lyle and me look like angels.  Holy Crap, you know we are not.  We are human and sometimes slip and say things that should have been filtered.  Lyle and I have an agreement that we help remind each other to not say hurtful and negative things.

Again, this sport needs a huge positive attitude infusion.  We aren’t helping ourselves by causing friction, forgetting that we are all different and we may not always agree.  Ganging up on others can feel like bullying.  Backbiting says more about those doing it than the ones it’s happening to.  Always grumbling about other people, judges, venues, weather, club politics and other exhibitor’s dogs, etc. only serves to keep putting more nails in our sports coffin.

If you are talking about Lyle and me, good Lord, stop it.  Oh unless you are saying nice things, Carry On!  We aren’t perfect and we may say or do something mindless. 

Dang, I feel like I’m preaching.  Can I have an AMEN?  Now, if you will turn to page 419 in your hymnals, we will all stand and sing, “You Don’t Walk Alone”.

Where are you on this chart?  Do you recognize anyone you know? 

Lyle Jenkins – Husband Extraordinaire, Dog Enthusiast, Amateur Dog Handler and Damn Nice Man

A person sent me a nice deed this week, and when I was reading the email, I realized she was talking about

my husband.  I wrote her back that I couldn't print something about us doing a nice deed, but then I realized that l should tell you wonderful people about my man.

I married this wonderful man 15 years ago this coming January.  It is probably the best thing that has happened to me, only tied with adopting my son, Tom.

Lyle is from Nova Scotia and is a real family man and thinks that families should do things together.

I come from a huge dog family, but Lyle did not.  When we got married, he had to take me and my dog.  In the 15 years, he has tolerated us getting more and more into dogs.  He stepped in and learned how to handle our Standard Wirehaired Dachshunds in the ring.  He has proved to be a wonderful student and willing to take advice.  He has earned a lot of respect for his ability to learn and to laugh at himself when he has made mistakes.  Lyle believes that we should have fun and when we have fun the dogs enjoy it more and present better.

Lyle believes in respect for all people.  He wants those around him to have fun, too.  Lyle does so many nice things for others for no other reason than it makes him happy to help others.

The particular nice deed Lyle did that was the subject of the email I received was he knew of a person staying in a unheated converted van with her small dogs when the temperature turned off very cold at night.  Someone told Lyle about her situation and he went straight away to Wal-Mart and bought her a small ceramic heater.  She offered to pay him for the heater and her gave her a hug and told her not to worry about it.

This is just one example of the nice things he does for others at the shows.  I am a very lucky woman to have such a dreamboat hubby!  

Be sure to go to Canuck Dogs, http://www.canuckdogs.com, to see all the upcoming events and to check stats.  You should  bookmark it.  That's where you will find my blog. 

                                                                     XXXOOO