ISSDC Newsletter - May 2006

Shiloh Shepherd Times, MAY 2006

PUPPY ACTIVITIES
by Heather O'Connor

Activities for your Puppies and Dogs:
Many of you are looking for companion dogs. Some of you are looking for show or competition dogs. Here are a couple of areas you might investigate further for you and your puppy:

Conformation – If you want to compete in shows, the puppy needs to be as close to breed standard as possible. You need to look at the placement of all features of the dog as they pertain to the breed standard. You need to do a lot of research into the genetic pool of the puppy. You need to familiarize yourself with the rules of showing and where they can be shown – Shilohs are Rare Breeds and can only be shown in Rare Breed shows

Obedience – Obedience competitors opt for dogs who work energetically and with precision. Obedience not only gives you a chance to compete with your undersized dog or dog with an overshot jaw but also gives you a very well-behaved pet. This is something you can work on with your dog anywhere and at anytime. And best of all, any puppy can compete in this arena.

Agility – Agility is like canine Olympics; leaping, jumping and climbing. Dogs and humans love it. It keeps both of you in shape and uses up extra energy some dogs seem to have in abundance.

Herding – Herding is a great sport for the driven dog with lots of energy. Perfect for the type of dog that has to be moving and herding his human flock at all times. There is special testing at herding schools that can help you to determine if your dog would make a good herding candidate.

Tracking, agility and obedience are for all breeds. Another popular activity is Flyball, a team competition in which dogs jump hurdles, catch a ball and return to the handler. In addition to these activities, certain groups or dogs were developed for specific jobs –like scent work, search and rescue, drug enforcement, protection, police work, etc.

As you can see, these are just a few of the many activities that you and your puppy can participate in together. This was meant to only scratch the surface of what is available and give you a taste. Talk to your breeder about what you might be interested in and what they might recommend. Talk to your local dog clubs and friends who are active with their dogs. And most importantly, check out your ISSDC and your local chapters for upcoming events where you can try many of these different activities in a caring supportive environment!

A great quote from a breeder, Chris Walkowicz: “I don’t charge anything for my pet puppies. My price is for the genetic tests and health guarantee, a lifetime of advice, and a home at any time if the dog needs to be placed. It also includes body parts: a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen to brags and complaints, and a heart to break when a buyer loses a beloved pet. The extra I charge for show prospects is for the guarantee that the doge will be the quality necessary to win. I am lucky if I break even on a litter. I don’t breed dogs to get rich. I do it because I love my breed and want to provide for the best possible pups for others to love.”

Ideas for future newsletter articles are greatly appreciated. Contact our newsletter staff today.

The following is a record of the ISSDC Board of Directors Activities for the above period.

On April 15, 2006, notification was made to Pres. Vaneman that Vice President Schaefer wished to resign her position due to personal reasons. This resignation was Accepted by the Board with regret.

On April 16, 2006, Susi Ramstead was unanimously Elected to the Position of Vice President.

On April 16, 2006, Gale Peluso was unanimously Elected to the Position of Treasurer.

On April 20, 2006, Past President Fullerton expressed her desire to return to the board in the position of "Past President" for the balance of her term. This was Approved without vote as per the Constitution.

On May 12, 2006, it was unanimously Approved that Heather O’Connor and Jacki Wilde be appointed as advisors to the Board.

During the month of May, the Board discussed, in depth, the topic of outcrosses showing in the May Show. This item was tabled, due to Rarities existing policy on the matter.

Our Members Only website now has limited access. The Stud Books have recently been updated with several new boys.