Pure Dog Talk

The Ancient Breed Believed to Predate all European Hunting Dogs The Bracco Italiano is depicted in the fourth and fifth centuries BC. Dating back 2500 years, the Bracco Italiano is one of the world’s oldest hunting dogs. Host Laura Reeves is joined by Bracco Italiano Club of America member Marilyn Vinson to learn more. Braccos are frequently compared to the Spinone Italiano, but Vinson said the similarities are more in country of origin than in appearance. “The Bracco is a breed of angles,” Vinson said, “the Spinone a breed of curves.” And while the Bracco may have a very houndy look, Vinson said, they are a versatile hunting dog, designed to hunt, point and retrieve. Hot Knife Through Butter Vinson said the breed’s characteristic trot is one of its most identifying features. While the Bracco may sometimes appear to be “put together with rubber bands,” Vinson said the trot “is like a hot knife through butter, so smooth.” The breed’s enormous 10- to 12-foot long stride is designed to keep them working efficiently all day in the hunting field. The Bracco Italiano is a "breed of angles," according to enthusiast Marilyn Vinson. Braccos came to the attention of enthusiasts in the US in the late 1990s, with the first dog registered with AKC’s Foundation Stock Service in 2001. According to Vinson a teenager in the Midwest formed original club, with help from other fanciers. Dual Dogs a Must The priority for the Bracco is to be a dual dog, Vinson said. The standard is the description of dog best able to hunt all day. “I don’t care how well your dog hunts, if it doesn’t look like a Bracco I don’t want it,” Vinson said. “And I don’t care how pretty my dog is, if it doesn’t hunt I don’t want it.” Currently working its way from FSS to Miscellaneous, and eventually regular group status, the Bracco has become popular with exhibitors for their easy-going disposition and “Gumby-like” properties, Vinson said. The breed currently competes in AKC pointing breed hunt tests, agility and more, as well as in FSS/Open conformation shows. Health Considerations The breed is generally long-lived, but can encounter issues with skin allergies, kidney problems caused by amyloidosis and is affected by bloat. For more information, visit: https://www.thebraccoclub.org/

Jason Hoke: "Just Judge the Dogs & Be Nice to People" Second generation dog breeder Jason Hoke grew up with German Shepherd Dogs. His family acquired Great Danes in the mid ‘80s and he now owns Whippets. “I think when I judge dogs, I’m very much a purist,” Hoke said. “I think handlers revert back to being even harder and more like a breeder judge. Because we were handlers, we know the value of showmanship, but also realize flash and dash doesn’t make a good dog. Jason Hoke judging at Westminster Kennel Club “Just judge the dogs,” Hoke said. “That’s the best thing we can do.” Breeder judges and handler judges "As handlers, we have the opportunity to put our hands on so many more breeds," Hoke said. "To be a successful handler, you have to learn what a good dog is in every breed you show. But at the core, we’re still breeders. We care about the breeds. “I don’t care if it moves on the table, stands like a statue, comes back and does the pose heard round the world, if it’s not a good dog, just being a good show dog doesn’t make it a good dog,” Hoke said. Pet peeves “Running like a maniac around the ring is ridiculous,” Hoke said. “It defeats the purpose. It takes away from the dog’s silhouette and ruins every part of the outline. Showing a dog like a generic dog is incorrect.” Encourage new people “We have to be accessible, open to talking to new people,” Hoke said. “Encourage new people. Be members of clubs to volunteer. We have to teach people what our breeds are all about.” BIO, from Petcha: “Jason M. Hoke, a resident of Madison, Wis., began his longstanding involvement in the sport of purebred dogs in the late 1970s exhibiting German Shepherd Dogs in Junior Showmanship. In 1984, he and his parents purchased two Great Danes, which became their passion. They bred Great Danes under the Jamara prefix, producing numerous champions and one of the top Great Danes in the breed’s history. Mr. Hoke continued his involvement by apprenticing as a young adult with noted professional handlers such as Leroy Stage and Wood Wornall. He then went on to become a successful professional handler, winning Best in Shows from many groups, and presented dogs to the highest rankings in their respective breeds.” Quote of the Day, From Great Dane Review: What advice would you give owner handlers just getting started in the ring? Since I started as an owner handler I think the biggest suggestion is first to study the breed. Learn the Trends and Lines. Then while you are in the ring and outside, observe all the dogs. Be objective and try to see where your dog falls in the mix. Be fair when thinking about your own dog. Know it’s strong points and it’s weaknesses as well. Always try to accentuate the positive of your dog. Listen to others for tips as well. Most people will try to give you constructive advice. Mentors in the breed are invaluable from a breeding and a handling standpoint. Practice handing and go to handling classes. I used to go to classes 2 times a week for years. It’s a great training tool for your dog as well as yourself.

Lost dog found… Today host Laura Reeves visits with Allison Foley of Leading Edge Dog Show Academy about some of the important steps to quickly and successfully find a lost dog. The following is a partial reprint of Laura's As the Wheels Turn column originally published in September 2015 for the online magazine Best in Show Daily. Many of us have lived this nightmare. Here are tips on how you can be prepared in case of emergency. Lost Dog Story Ours is a story to which every single dog lover can relate. Either you have lost a dog or you live in perpetual fear of the day it happens to you. TiMI, the light of my life and last year’s #1 GWP, had gone to visit my friend and Spinone client in Carson City, NV in early August to get ready for the fall hunt tests. Since her husband had run TiMI for the first two legs of his JH this spring, it made perfect sense for him to go back there to finish up his title while I was busy running around the country showing dogs. Stacey took TiMI out every weekend to refresh his training and ran him off the quad four miles a day to get him in condition for the hunt tests and the coming GWP national. I talked to Stacey Friday night and she was pumped. They were ready for the big double-double hunt test the next morning (two tests a day for two days). Saturday morning, before the crack of dawn, in the excitement and confusion of getting ready for a weeklong elk hunting trip, Stacy's husband let their young Spinone, Adele, and TiMI out and forgot to put on their invisible fence collars. What WERE they thinking? We can only guess from there, but I would assume the doggie conversation went something like this: Adele: Hey, TiMI, guess what, the Mister spaced our zippy collars….. TiMI: Dude, how ‘bout we go check out that bad rabbit down at the end of the driveway. I bet we can catch him today… Adele: Right on big guy… Let’s hustle before they holler at us… (Trot, trot, trot…. ZING off goes the bunny, but today, instead of jigging right, he jigs left… Two hunting dogs in hot pursuit in the wee dark hours of the pre-dawn, skirting yards and sleeping barns, off to the northeast…) Pant, pant, pant…. Adele: Whoa, that bunny was sure fast this morning…. TiMI: Wait, what’s that? Hmmm…. <Sniff, sniff> Something smells good up here… Let’s go check it out for a minute. Adele: Well… OK, but we’re going to get in trouble… TiMI: Yeah, yeah, this smells like a foxy lady just waiting for some company… Adele: You are such a BOY…. (doggie sigh) (Trot, trot, trot… OOOOOOPS! Out of the gloom rise a half-dozen scraggly, doggy looking animals…. Coyotes, including a female ready to breed, and her mate…) TiMI: Adele, we are in big trouble. You stay behind me and I’ll try to scare them away… Adele: whimper…. TiMI: (Standing as big and tough as he can) RAWR… (Coyotes charge.) TiMI: Discretion is the better part of valor, girl! RUN!!! (Dogs run, coyotes chase into the mists…) That sinking feeling Meanwhile, Stacy steps outside to load the dogs at 5:30 a.m. and finds nothing. She calls and calls. Then comes that sinking feeling in your stomach that leaves your ears ringing and bile at the back of your throat. Stacey searched for several hours Saturday morning by herself, driving and calling and whistling. She contacted me in Oregon once it became obvious that the dogs were not going to reappear. Critical first steps From that point forward, the machine went into overdrive. Since I was a six hour drive away, I was the communication center, media center and public information center. I threw together a lost dog flyer from an existing templ...

Purebred Dogs Get Their Own Super Hero Movie Super Power Dogs producer Daniel Ferguson, with host Laura Reeves. Host Laura Reeves, live at the AKC National Championship brought to you by Royal Canin, visits with Daniel Ferguson, producer of the new super hero IMAX film -- Super Power Dogs. An exciting joint effort with corporate sponsors including Mars Pet Care and Wisdom Panel, Super Power Dogs is a story about the heroic achievements of dogs, Ferguson said. “This movie is like the doggie avengers,” Ferguson said. “If features five breeds with different, specific abilities.” Ferguson said he wanted sort of a “James Bond opening” to the movie. The opening scene of an avalanche shows Henry, the Border Collie, danging from a helicopter on the way to the rescue. Henry is actually the movie’s narrator, Ferguson noted. “It’s the voice of Dog.” An eclectic background in film gives Ferguson perspective and creativity for the project. Ferguson has produced, written and directed films for National Geographic Studios, the National Wildlife Federation, History TV, Smithsonian Networks, France Television and Discovery Channel. His IMAX®/giant screen credits include Lost Worlds: Life in the Balance, Wired to Win: Surviving the Tour de France, Journey to Mecca and Jerusalem. His most recent film is the feature documentary, Last of the Elephant Men. "Cat" Labrada, Halo and Ferguson at the AKC National Championship in Orlando. “You’re talking about an IMAX film, the screen is multiple stories tall,” Ferguson said. “The screen holds so much promise, you have to do it right. Getting the science right is important. There are so many stories to tell of dogs involved in helping people.” Halo, a Dutch Shepherd, handled by Fire Captain ‘Cat’ Labrada of Miami Dade County, Florida is the “star” of the movie. The film crew followed Halo and Cat for three years as they developed the bonds they’d need for the emergency work they do. Joining Henry and Halo are, Reef, a Newfoundland lifeguard with the Italian coastguard; Ricochet, a Californian surf legend helping people with special needs; and, the Bloodhound brothers, Tipper & Tony, who are leading the fight to save endangered species in Africa. Super Power Dogs is set to debut at IMAX theaters around the country this spring. Check local listings for more details. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=ehQsKtLrKzg      

Winter workouts: Keep your dog fit in January Kristin Sandstede, certified canine conditioning coach. Kristin Sandstede, certified canine conditioning coach, says winter workouts featuring mental stimulation will help keep your dogs sane during dreary weather. Sandstede offers concrete projects you can do to have dogs use their brains, when it is rainy, gray, cold or nasty, without having to brave the winter elements outdoors. Scavenger hunt for dinner Snuffle mats like this one allow owners to hide a dogs entire meal in a "game" that makes them earn their supper. Meal time offers lots of ways to multitask for brain time, Sandstede said. Meal puzzle toys make the dog work for food, she noted. The Boggle ball and buster cube are two options Sandstede recommends. These toys force the dog to push them around to get food. The toys makes a lot of noise, Sandstede said. The upside is she can hear where the dog is in the kitchen and know she is safely occupied. Sandstede said shaping behavior is a great tool, but it requires more patience than even she has on a regular basis. She uses it for very specific behaviors, including the retrieve. Perhaps fetching the Kleenex box? All of the games and jobs activate the problem solving part of the dogs’ brains, Sandstede said, so they spend less time in the reactionary part of their brains. Lazy dog trainer workouts Streeeetch.... Sandstede says, strengthen the core... A competitive triathlete, Sandstede insists she is a “lazy” dog trainer and has a million lazy winter workouts to exercise your dog. One of her favorite options is the “101 uses for cardboard boxes.” Sandstede suggests saving all the cardboard boxes from the holidays, tossing a few kibbles in each one and asking your dog to search for their dinner. She also incorporates stretching exercises into her routine, using what’s in the house… step stools, couches, cushions, etc. “We all need to strengthen our core,” Sandstede said. “People and dogs. It helps prevent injury with low impact exercise.” For more information, check out: http://www.bigmoosedogtraining.com/ “Kristin Sandstede has been teaching obedience since 1998. Kristin spent 15 years working in the pet care industry, 2 of those years as a Veterinary Assistant. She has a very good understanding of not only dog handling, body language, & behavior but she has a medical background as well. Since 2002 Kristin has designed and taught such classes as: Puppy Kindergarten, Basic Obedience, JV Puppy, Intermediate Obedience, Rally 4 Fun, Advanced Games, as well as developing and customizing behavior modification protocols for individual trainers ranging in topics from new puppy manners to dog-dog aggression. Kristin is a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator for the American Kennel Club, which not only allows her to perform Canine Good Citizen testing, but also allows her students who have dog less than one year of age, no matter the breed, who participate in her basic obedience class to be automatically be eligible for the AKC S.T.A.R. Puppy Program. Kristin is certified through the Certified Counsel for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), an internationally recognized certification program for pet dog trainers, as a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA). To achieve and maintain this designation she met and exceeded stringent criteria that include experience, education, testing, business practices, code of ethics and references from each of the following: a client, veterinarian, & dog trainer. Ongoing pre-approved continuing education is required to re-certify every 3 years. Kristin was a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA )from November of 2005 until December of 2011 re-ce...

Jackie and Terry Stacy on the Affenpinscher, Breeding and Mentoring Terry Stacy, master breeder and master of many roles in purebred dogs. Jackie and Terry Stacy, of Tamarin Affenpinscher fame, bring a lifetime of experience to the sport. Terry started as a teenager and finished his first Cocker Spaniel in 1955. His career spans the breadth and depth of roles available to purebred dog enthusiasts. From professional handler to superintendent; from AKC vice president, to the head of breeder services for the Mars Corporation, to well-known judge, Terry has literally done it all. Jackie Stacy winning the national specialty with Ch. Yarrow's Lucy in the Sky, the top winning bitch in breed history Today, Jackie is an all-breeds judge. Twenty years ago, she successfully showed their original Affenpinscher, acquired from Beth Sweigart, to multiple Best in Show awards and a national specialty win. Monkey Dogs Often called the monkey dogs for their inquisitive and mischievous expression, Affenpinschers hail from Germany and are believed to date back to the 1600s, Terry said. The Stacys praised the foresight of a breed standard which allows the dogs to be cropped and docked, or shown “natural.” Their very successful foundation bitch, they said, helped lead the transition to more dogs being shown uncropped/docked. The “shaggy but neat” outline of the Affenpinscher is a challenge to create and maintain, Jackie said. The coat doesn’t grow quickly and it’s easy to get carried away with pulling coat and be left with not enough furnishings. Breeding for the Future Breeding within a family of dogs, the Stacys said, while using judicious “phenotype” outcrosses to create the dog or bitch they want to have carry the program forward has been their secret to success. Health testing, they noted, is imperative, as is maintaining proper temperament. Jackie’s sister is the president of the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and Terry sits on the Board of Directors, so this is a front and center issue for both of them. Stay Involved As active, popular judges, Jackie said that she argues in favor of them “staying involved” in the sport with breeding and exhibiting dogs. “It keeps you grounded,” Jackie said. “I think it makes us better judges because we know firsthand what it takes to get a dog on the ground and in the ring.” Mentoring new and dedicated owners is a prospect the Stacys enjoy, as well as offering private mentoring to aspiring judges. Listen to the podcast to hear more from a couple with decades invested in the sport.

Suzanne Clothier Talks Relationship Building Suzanne Clothier has developed a training and assessment system built entirely around relationship building with our dogs. “Animals have been my whole life,” Clother said. “It’s a lifelong passion, that has informed a fascinating journey.” Clothier’s seminal book, Bones Would Rain from the Sky, was published in 1998. Her warm, down to earth, compassionate nature shines through as she shares her journey and what she’s learned. Relationship building “If you have a trusting relationship,” Clothier said, “it’s then about what you enjoy doing together.” Training show dogs is a skill like any other, Clothier noted. She added that not all dogs have “the Sandra Dee gene” that makes them enjoy being the center of attention. “We’re like crazy stage moms,” Clothier said, “asking our dogs to be on stage.” For dogs who train well at home but don’t give us the performance we’re expecting at a show, “It’s like singing in the shower,” she noted, “It’s not the same as auditioning for The Voice.” Clothier’s goal is to evaluate all interactions with a dog through the prism of “How does this affect the relationship with me and the animal.” Tools for the job Her training goals are to stay humane, fair, loving and respectful, Clothier said. She has developed tools for trainers to help diagnose both handlers and dogs. Her Relationship Assessment Tool helps clarify “which end of the leash is contributing to the problem,” Clothier said. “What do I need to fix. And where’s the good stuff. What can we build on.” She’s also created an ap, to be released this month, that enables owners, handlers and caretakers to literally track exactly how a dog is feeling on a given day. This Functional Assessment Tracking program provides feedback using the dog’s behavior, activity, food intake etc to determine, literally, “how are you today.” For more information, visit: https://suzanneclothier.com/

Prostate Problems, Prevention and Solutions Dr. Marty Greer gives us the low down on male dog prostate and reproductive issues. Additional discussion on emergency semen collection, dogs whose semen doesn’t extend well and more. “This is an area that is often misunderstood by the general practitioner vet,” Greer said. Symptoms Symptoms of a prostatic complication include blood in the urine or ejaculate, straining to pass stool, blood dripping from the penis, Greer added. Diagnosis Prostate cancer, benign prostatic hypertrophy, prostatitis are the most common complications. Dogs over five years old are the most commonly affected. Greer advises that neutering is not absolutely necessary for dogs with non-cancerous prostate disease. Dogs with a prostate infection are very sick, typically run a fever and clearly don’t feel well, Greer said. Prostatic cancer manifests in two different forms. Which type the dog has needs to be confirmed with a biopsy. “Both kinds of prostate cancer are quite serious,” Greer said. “Counterintuitively, it is almost always a neutered dog that has these cancers.” Treatment Benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate) is a hormonal disease, Greer noted. Dogs don’t need antibiotics, neutering isn’t required. The condition can be successfully treated with hormone therapy. “Neutering will cure BPH and prostatitis. However, it is very difficult to breed neutered male dogs, unless they have had semen frozen. The best time to freeze semen is when a dog is between 2 and 5 years of age. The dog should be healthy and producing great quality semen. It will cost you a lot less money to freeze a canine’s semen when he is young. If he later turns out to have a disorder that you don’t want in your breeding program, you can either wait until a DNA test is conducted to determine how you can use him in your breeding program or discard the semen.” -- Dr. Marty Greer

Elliott Weiss is Looking for the Dog that Makes the Picture Elliott Weiss, BIS judge for the 2018 AKCNC. In 1956, Elliott Weiss attended his very first dog show, Westminster Kennel Club, as part of an art class project. Weiss spent 24 years as a top professional handler from 1969 through 1993. Among his big accomplishments, he handled the Irish Setter, Ch. Meadowlark's Anticipation, to a Sporting Group win at Westminster in 1984. He started judging in 1994 and has judged all over the world. A native New Yorker, he now lives in Eagle, Idaho. His initial breed was Cocker Spaniels. Make the Picture “I want to please my eye,” Weiss said. “The first thing I’m looking for is a picture. I have a picture in my mind of every breed I judge.” Weiss also noted that too many people bait the dog in such a way that their hands are in the way of the judge seeing the dog’s expression. Amateur vs Professional The Owner Handler-Professional Handler battle is nothing new, Weiss observed, it has been a big thing forever. “If you look back, there are always top winning owner handlers. The cream always comes to the top,” he said. “I think of Walter Goodman, Pat Craige (Trotter)… Sunny Shay.” Mentor the Future “I think we don’t do enough for junior handlers,” Weiss said. “We need to teach them conformation, have them join clubs, offer Junior workshops. I think we should start thinking how we can increase the sport in 5-10 years, not tomorrow.” That ONE Dog After 60 plus years in the sport, the dog who stands out, to this day, in Weiss’ mind is George Alston’s English Foxhound, Winslow (Ch Mr Stewar’s Cheshire Winslow, hound group winner in 1984). “I watched this dog walk into the ring and I froze. I put down my brush and just looked at him. Everything flowed into the next piece.” Watch Weiss judge Best in Show at the nation’s largest dog show on national television. AKC National Championship presented by Royal Canin will be broadcast New Year’s Day, at 6 p.m. ET/PT on Animal Planet. Learn more: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/meet-the-best-in-show-judge-for-the-2018-akc-national-championship/

Commonalities and Differences in Sighthounds LIVE seminar hosted by the Saluki Club of Greater San Francisco Live from the Harvest Moon Cluster, your host Laura Reeves talks sighthounds. The seminar was sponsored by the Saluki Club of Greater San Francisco. Watch and listen to the entire seminar here. Temperament and showmanship are part of breed type. Our job as handlers is to showcase our breed’s character and personality accurately, not make our Wolfhound show like a Doberman. For breeds with less “flash” that might be overlooked in group competition, it is incumbent on us as handlers to provide an engaging, effortless back drop. Pretty Hands Our hands tell a story in the show ring. How and where we place our hands on the dog is part of the presentation. Sighthounds specifically call for soft, quiet, elegant hands. Holding the collar, placing the feet, should be done gracefully. Quietly drawing the judge’s eye to our dog’s finest features while using our hands as a “frame,” we actually can “talk with our hands” and subtly communicate with the judge. Dog handling in general is best done when we are judicious and smooth with our hands. The unique nature of sighthounds means than keeping your hands on the dog at all times will help steady the dog and allow him to be balanced on his own feet. While showcasing our dogs involves a bit of “sleight of hand” in terms of maintaining emphasis on the good and not the faults, Laura shares her 1-2-3-4-5 hand stacking method as a refresher course. Hear more in depth discussion on this topic in episode 2, “How to Stack Your Dog” or in our new audio book, debuting in January. Give Your Dog What it Needs: Confidence and Focus All dogs take their cues from us as the handlers. Sighthounds are particularly in tune with their people and draw their confidence from us. Be sure you are relaxed and enjoying spending time with your dog for your best result. Moving Gracefully – Float with Your Dog Drive from the hip and a gradual and collected acceleration are keys to showing the judge your dog’s best movement. Don’t let your dog look like “an octopus on speed” by following these suggestions. More discussion in episode 3 and in the audio book. Ears and Tails Each of the sighthounds, and really all dogs, have a correct ear and tail carriage to “make the picture” for the judge. Learn how to work with your dog’s attitude to get the best results.

Christmas Dinner and How that Applies to Dog Shows Now that most of us are home for a couple blessed weekends, we can all, even the most diehard of competitors, relax, restore, rest and recharge. The Christmas and New Year’s holidays give us a chance to take stock of the year past and plan for the one upcoming. Christmas and Thanksgiving are my very favorite holidays of the year. To me it is all about the food and the family and friends who become family. Which, of course, includes our dogs, usually a plethora of them underfoot while cooking and eating. We exchange a few small gifts at Christmas, but mostly we hang out and eat good food. JUST like dog shows, the profusion of cable cooking shows, and dog shows, have turned chefs and dog handlers into celebrities, but the reality is, ANYONE can do this!!! Just to give you encouragement in this area, I'll give you a brief tour of my own "cooking history." I have many friends and family who are trained professional chefs. I, on the other hand, learned at the school of "well, hell, the dog won't eat it either".... It's not WHAT's under the tree that counts, it's WHO's under the tree that truly matters. Growing up in Southern Oregon in the '70s and '80s in a one-earner household of four, meant Mom had to be very creative in her food budget. I was raised on home-cooking, home-canning, wild game and garden produce. Chicken, from the store, was a special treat. Lamb chops were a once a year birthday dinner. Mom and Gramma were the cooks. I was shooed out of the kitchen. Milk came from a friend down the road in gallon glass jars with three inches of heavy cream on top. My kitchen skill was to "skim the cream" from the milk using my tin baby cup. Mom used the cream to make butter as well as the richest, most amazing sauces you have ever tasted. I was proud of my ability to get all the chunks of cream, leaving just the whole milk for drinking with dinner. Mom was ridiculously good at this sort of pioneer lifestyle, particularly considering she'd been raised in a very urban setting. She also made her own soap from rendered lard and lye; butchered, trimmed and cut all our wild game meats; made Chinese food, including homemade egg rolls; taught us how to use chopsticks, even before a fork; and, canned anything that you could name. But that's another topic for another day. Fast-forward to life right after college. My refrigerator typically contained pickles, ketchup and beer. Maybe peanut butter and bread. I was working for a weekly newspaper as a reporter. My before-tax income was $1000 a month. My father literally laughed at me. He said a college education meant I was supposed to be able to eat something other than PBJ…. Hah! That was all I knew how to cook! As life trundled on, I had more money and less money at times. I ate out, ate in. Mastered scrambled eggs. And tuna salad sandwiches. I learned to cook by doing it. I had a definite ace in the hole, though, since I could call Mom anytime and ask her what to do. One of my most treasured possessions is a cookbook of her old recipes, food I grew up eating. Mom hand-wrote each of these recipes. I've added to it over the years with recipes cut out or printed out or made up. I would rescue that book from a house fire. During the "lost years" spent in Nebraska, where good meals at restaurants were both very difficult to find and impossible to afford, I did a LOT of cooking. It was during this time that most of my trial and (lots of) error occurred… I'll never forget the carrot cake that had baking soda instead of baking powder…. Oh, dear Lord… At any rate, the point I'm rambling toward here is that *anyone* can learn to make simple, healthy, fresh, whole food meals. Literally, if I can do it, YOU can do it!! AND you can learn to show your dog!

Meet the Researcher Who Discovered the MDR1 Gene Herding dog owners everywhere should know their dogs may be sensitive to ivermectin, the powerful antiparasitic drug common in most worming medication. Now you can hear directly from the researcher who discovered the MDR1 gene mutation that causes this reaction. Dr. Katrina Mealey, Ph.D, DVM, WSU Researcher, who discovered the MDR1 gene mutation. Washington State University’s Dr. Katrina Mealey, Ph.D., DVM discovered the gene literally by serendipity. While studying for her advanced degree, she encountered a journal article from the Netherlands. The article discussed treatment of a routine case of mites in laboratory mice, some of which had been engineered to remove the MDR1 gene. All of the mice who were missing the gene died from the treatment. This caused Mealey to begin research to locate the gene in dogs. From the WSU Foundation: “Mealey had barely graduated from high school when the antiparastic drug ivermectin came on the market, which quickly became known as a super-weapon for animals and humans against parasites, such as mites, heartworms, and lice. In a small percentage of certain dog breeds, however, veterinarians found an ivermectin treatment could prove fatal. While the antiparastic could cure a poodle, it might kill a collie. Based on those results, veterinarians followed the guideline, ‘White feet; don’t treat.’ But, no one really understood the why behind the differing responses.” Mealey also invented the cheek swab that tests whether dogs carry the MDR1 gene mutation or not. “Seventy five percent of Collies have the MDR1 gene mutation that makes them susceptible to fatal reaction to antiparasitic drugs like ivermectin,” Mealey said. “Whereas, Shelties only have 10 percent of the population affected.” Dominant mutation The MDR1 mutation is a dominant trait, Mealey added. If a dog has one copy of the gene, it will have drug sensitivity. If it has two copies, it will have more severe sensitivity. Mealey’s ongoing research has indicated that dosage is the critical component to sensitivity. The low-level dosage of ivermectin contained in heartworm treatment is generally safe, she said, but the super high doses required to treat mange, for example, can be deadly. Mealey has found the mutation in Silken Windhounds and even a very small number of Boxers. Early effect of popular sire syndrome According to extensive research at UC-Davis, Mealey said they have concluded that the MDR1 mutation originated in a herding dog before specific breeds were established. “They theorize this was a dog particularly good at herding sheep, that became a popular sire. By the time breeds were established in the British Isles, they all carried this mutation,” Mealey said. Researchers have not identified the mutation in herding breeds that originated in other parts of the world. It is seen primarily in Collies, Shetland Sheepdogs, Old English Sheepdogs, Australian Shepherds, etc. For more information on Mealey’s work, check out: https://foundation.wsu.edu/2018/04/03/dogs-best-friend/

Saturday Symposium: Words of Wisdom from Judges Panel Judges Stacey Davis, Fred Bassett, Darryl Vice and Doug McFarlane joined our panel at the Southern Oregon Kennel Club shows for a PureDogTalk Saturday Symposium discussion on mentoring the future. Each of the judges shared their history in purebred dogs. From Davis who was born into the world of purebred dogs, to McFarlane who began his passion later in life, each laid out their own paths to help exhibitors understand they “weren’t hatched from an egg.” Amongst the topics of discussion on the evening were match shows, 4-6 months puppy competition, junior showmanship and encouraging junior membership in kennel clubs. Other important ideas included: * Community outreach to public school students, * encouraging exhibitors to consider performance and companion events * dog shows that offer a fun atmosphere and variety of participation options Join us for this great, moderated discussion, audience questions and encouragement for the future of the sport.

Hemangiosarcoma Strikes Quickly and With No Warning Canine Health Foundation (CHF) CEO Dr. Diane Brown talks with me about the most current research into hemangiosarcoma. CHF is funding a major initiative dedicated to moving the needle on this deadly disease. Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive, silent killer, Brown said. This particular cancer is specific to dogs and originates in blood vessels. Primary sites in which hemangio will present are the spleen and heart, Brown noted, owing to the abundance of blood vessels in those organs. "These cancers grow quickly and quietly," Brown said. "Once people know the dog has hemangio, generally the tumor has ruptured and the dogs bleed internally." No definitive genetic connection Removing the cancer doesn’t cure the disease, Brown said. She added that all of the treatments tried over time have not improved overall survival time. Hemangio is a cancer seen often in large breed dogs, but Brown noted veterinarians are seeing it more and more frequently in all sizes and mixed breed dogs as well. "There are higher risk breeds," Brown said "but there is no direct, definitive genetic connection." She added that research has so far not been able to identify a "hemangiosarcoma gene." "What we really need is a way to do an earlier diagnosis," Brown noted. To that end, CHF is spending resources investigating early diagnosis options -- whether a blood test, liquid biopsy, genetic test. They are trying to find a way to diagnose the disease when it is at a "low cellularity." A major matching grant from AKC for $250,000 last year has been met with additional funds from the Golden Retriever Foundation, Flat Coated Retriever Foundation, American German Shepherd Dog Charitable Foundation and more. Study participation opportunities Owners and breeders who are interested in participating in various CHF studies are encouraged to visit the website and peruse the active studies currently seeking participation. Join CHF in supporting these important research initiatives by attending Canines and Cocktails Thursday, 12/13 at the Rosen Center hotel in Orlando, FL. Tickets available at the CHF booth at the dog show. Listen to previous episodes with Dr. Brown on epilepsy, tick borne diseases and theriogenology residencies

Import/export tips and tools for success Marlene Weiss is a “pet escort” who flies with dogs internationally, for a fee, to ensure the dogs' safe transport. This is a listener requested topic on the question of import/export recommendations. Weiss said one of the most important points is to start the import/export process as early as possible. In most cases, the earliest you can transport a dog is four months of age, at which point they need an international (ISO) microchip and a rabies vaccination. “International travel is pricey,” Weiss said. There is no easy way around that. Dogs coming from Europe must have a European “pet passport” which is the equivalent of a shot record. Dogs traveling internationally can go in the cargo hold or in a carrier on the plane, size dependent, just like flying domestically. It will cost twice as much to have Weiss or another “escort” travel with the dog. But the price ensures a designated individual is keeping track of the dog, managing any flight changes, travel delays, etc. Weiss strongly recommends shipping to and from major airports. Part of her service is to know which airlines and locations will best serve her clients’ needs. “You cannot take every airline for every breed, or every airport,” Weiss said. Do's/don’ts * Don’t feed dog right before you ship it. They’ll be ok for eight hours without food… * Have them used to a crate… * Make sure they are well exercised and pottied * Check references of potential escorts * Communicate, communicate, communicate “I get it. People want a bargain. But this is an instance that you don’t want to go cheap,” Weiss said. “Demand is high and there are a lot of scams out there.” Red flags * Lack of communication * Asking for money without a contract * No purchase contract Contact Weiss for more information at: Apexpetescort@gmail.com Stick around for Allison Foley, from the Leading Edge Dog Show Academy as she joins us to talk about pretty feet!