November 2009 Issue
On our cover
AKIANGSI
Bendegedig Lil Wayne and Bendegedig Miss Dynamite
Mandy & Emily Cadd & Andy Sharp
Email: frenchies@three.com.au Phone: 61 (0)8 8284 997
Breed Feature
Editorial:
Such a busy month, we are crammed full of pictures of top winning dogs in this issue, Melbourne and Perth Royals, and at the World Show, and a special feature on the first Tenterfield Terrier National. At the same time there is a great deal of thought provoking editorial material, so much so that we could not fit it all in - roll on December!
As we await further developments following the BBC Programme, the Minister the report A Healthier Future for Pure Bred Dogs has been published in England, according to The Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6900266.ece.
We received this letter to the Editor,
Re: Who decided the Doberman is a Guard Dog?
I would like to share with your readers a conversation I recently had with Peter Lepage a presenter for ABC Tropical North.
As part of the promotion for Sarina Kennel Clubs recent shows on October 10 & 11, an approach was made to Peter Lepage to have an information piece on his Saturday morning program. Being show Secretary. I was contacted by phone the Friday afternoon (9th) to discuss the questions and content for the interview. It was during this briefing that Peter mentioned he had been talking to a Professor Paul McGreevy of the Sydney University and an interview with the Professor would proceed my slot of 7.20am at 6.50am. According to Peter Professor McGreevy has been doing studies on dog behaviour, and had discovered that a dog can be left or right footed, as a result of this discovery dog training may need to be modified to accommodate. Interesting! However it was the next part of may chat with Peter which set the alarm bells ringing, he said that he found the Professor's studies so interesting he was having another interview with him on Saturday 17th (I did not get to listen to it) some of the content of that interview included the following.
That Professor McGreevy wanted LAW that all show dogs be temperament tested in the ring.
I explained to Peter as a dog judge I test and assess all the dogs I judge according to the breed requirements. Peter Lepage went on to tell me that the professor wanted a 7-point assessment, which included such things as persons in wheelchairs approaching the dogs. With the need for a clearer understanding on the temperament of many of our guard/ guard-Herding breeds, I outlined that such assessments would be impractical, as some breeds are not designed for that type of contact. As an example I told Peter I had English Springers, I expect that will bark if someone enters my yard, but if I had a Doberman I would expect it to guard the yard, as that is its job. Imagine my disbelief when Peter Lepage then asked: Who decided that the Doberman was a guard dog?
Going on to inform Peter that almost all pure breeds were created for a function with a temperament to suit the job in hand, I was basically wound up! (I was not on Air).I am worried! Here we have a Professor pushing his opinions to become law, and an interviewer with no understanding of particular breeds, having the power to publicly broadcast this information with no checks of balances from those affected, us.
Don't just look over your shoulders folks look sideways because we appear to be sitting ducks for another blindside attack.
Yours Faithfully, Robyn Nicholson
And just a few of our snippets from our correspondents.
From Paul Heikkinen-Lehkonen on the World Show, President of the Slovakian Kennel Club Mr Stefik said that that during all four days the ticket sales was about 80,000.
The media noticed that this brought a lot of people here, so we have good coverage in the press and TV", he said. "But still, I don't think that we make a lot of profit out of this, I am happy if we finally break even. We let children under 15 in free of charge".
The most numerous breed was the Golden Retriever with 315 entered, then the Amstaff, 295. 287 Labradors took part, 286 Rhodesian Ridgebacks, 268 Bernese Mountain Dogs and 266 Cane Corsos. In the top ten list there were also Yorkshire Terriers with 259, Chinese Crested Dogs with 228, Beagles with 217 and exactly as many French Bulldogs.
Do read Honey Gross-Richardson's article on Possessive Aggression - It is an absolute eye opener and should be provided to every buyer of every puppy.
From Cecilie Kemp, Collie correspondent on Melbourne Royal .. This was very typey judging, as the BOB Rough and BOB Smooth were litter sisters, from a rough/smooth mating by Aust/AmCh Corjalin Blinded By the Light and Ch Kylain The Charmed Won. This must be the first time litter-mates have been awarded in Roughs and Smooths.
From Kate Hall, Samoyed correspondent The Samoyed Club of Victoria Championship Show has been and gone for another year. This year saw the introduction of a new perpetual trophy – The Kalina Kennel Trophy .... in memory of the many wonderful dogs our Patron, Mrs Yvonne Sydenham-Clarke, has imported into the country over the years; and the influence these dogs have had on the development of the breed in this country. In honour of the dogs that have gone before, this trophy recognises the value of imported dogs as well as the use of imported semen, and the hard work breeders have put in to further the development of the breed. The trophy is on offer as a special class, and is awarded to the best Imported Dog/Bitch or Dog/Bitch whose sire &/or dam were whelped outside of Australia. It was lovely to see a large number of dogs eligible for this class.
What a lovely thought!
Wendye Slatyer - Editor
Articles/Features:
- Generally Speaking - Clover Moore Bill defeated but vigilance is necessary
- A Truffle Kerfuffle
- Absorb What The Standard Means
- AKC & Italian
- Breeds in Columbus Day Parade
- Vale Mavis
- One Vet's View of Purebred versus Crossbred - Libbye Miller DVM
- AR Terrorists Lose Appeal
- Becoming a Dog Breeder in Australia - ANKC/Fail!
- Aussie Bomb Detecting Dog Killed
- History of the Tenterfield Terrier - Jane Harvey
- Tenterfield Terrier First National
- Border Collies On Display - Margaret Aldous
- Melbourne Royal pictoral
- Syringomyelia - C Rusbridge 1, SP Knowler 1, L Pieterse 2 AK McFadyen 3 1 Stone Lion Veterinary Centre, Wimbledon, UK, 3. Glasgow Caledonian University, UK/IVDD in the Dachshund, studies in Denmark
- Perth Royal
- Understanding Major Structural Faults - Al Grossman
Regulars:
- The British Scene - Geoff Corish
- Honey Gross Richardson Aggresssion Part One
- Communic8tor
- Informant