THE PACK LEADER
May 2000 Newsletter

Gympie Trail 13th (Ross Allan)
 The Gympie trail on the 13th of May saw Monica and Tony in the novice ring, and Michael in his first open competition. The stars of the night Monica and Eddie not only took first place in the CD ring, they were also awarded the Helen Hamlyn-Harris Memorial Shield for the highest score of the trial. Congratulations to both from the pack.
Results:
CDX Mike Maynard & GSD "Atom" 2nd place - 188 pts.
CD Monica Krueger & Standard Poodle "Eddie" lst - 197 pts.
CD Tony Collins & GSD "Beau" - 180 pts.

In-House Competition 20th
Level 2 Mariska Herbert & Border Collie "Tajah" - Pass
Level 3(c) 1st Tony Collins & GSD "Beau" - 184 pts and level 3 title
Level 3(b) 1st Jeffrey Allan & GSD "Ray" - 194 pts.
Level 3(b) 2nd Christa Kauffmann & GSD "Yarna" - 188 pts.

Logan Trial 27th
CD. Tony Collins & GSD ?Beau?. 1st place - 193pts. CD. Monica Krueger & Standard Poodle ?Eddie? 2nd -187pts

New Title 
Monica and Eddie have now achieved our 2nd title for the year. They competed in two sweepstakes and three trials with an average score of 190pts. Great work.

The Australian Shepherd Dog 
(Monica Krueger’s breed info) 
No, despite its name this is actually an American breed and very new to Australia. It was bred as a stock dog capable of herding and guarding sheep and other live stock, from ducks and geese to cattle, horses, goats and pigs. It originated around 1800 -1900 in the United States. Its ancestry and how it got its name is unclear though it probably came from a mix of European herding breeds that came to America with the early settlers some perhaps travelling first to Australia and then to America during the gold rushes. The German Collie and English Shepherd both look similar to the ?Aussie? and may feature in its heritage. Jay Sisler; a talented dog trainer whose trick dogs appeared in rodeo shows and movies did much to promote the breed. In 1957 the, Australian Shepherd Club of America [A.S.C.A], was formed to offer a standard registrar and competitions in conformation obedience and stock work for owners. However the breed didn?t become official with the American kennel club [A.K.C] until 1991 as many of the ASCA opposed this move fearing the breeds working instinct would be lost and it become another ?pretty show dog?. For those who like to train, the breed is said to be highly intelligent and responsive and is popular in America for all dog sports including obedience agility , flyball and Frisbee competitions. It is also used for search and rescue service and therapy work. The Australian Shepherd is described as athletic, affectionate, playful, devoted to its owner and very protective. Despite maintaining a basic working instinct they are said to make superb companions and family dogs to those who realise that this high energy dog requires stimulating activity, strenuous daily exercise and training otherwise the dogs instinctive drive to work can turn to destructive behaviour and other problems! 
CLASS - Herding /working 
SIZE -  Medium to large 46-58cm
WEIGHT - 16-32kg with a bobtail born naturally or docked 
COAT -  Medium length thick and silky, requires daily brushing and is prone to frequent shedding.
COLOUR - Black, red [liver], blue merle (black, grey, silver), red merle (brown, red, rust, sorrel) all of which can be offset with copper and white trim. (the merle colouring is most sort after and a feature of the breed but it is wise to avoid dogs with predominantly white markings particularly around the head as these dogs may sometimes become deaf or blind) 
EYES - These can be a feature of the breed as like huskies they can be blue, brown or amber of any combination, variation, flecked or marbled.

Sniffer dogs go bananas
  A pair of happy honeymooners caused a stir at Brisbane International A irport recently when sniffer dogs went crazy at their baggage. Quarantine officials thought the Asian couple might have been trying to smuggle in fruit or other fresh produce. After some uncomfortable shuffling, an embarrassed new bride was forced to admit that what the dogs had discovered was condom?s, BANANA FLAVOURED. Who could imagine the embarrassment.

Car sickness 
Dogs generally become sick in the car because they are frightened, not because they have real motion sickness. It is necessary to reassure your dog that these fears are groundless (which might be hard depending on how you drive). You need to get your dog used to the car by taking trips that are short enough that your dog does not exhibit the typical signs of sickness - drooling, vomiting, etc. It may be necessary to start out by just sitting in the car together and giving your dog a treat after a few minutes. Then take very short rides followed by a treat - even if you can only make it to the end of the driveway. Gradually increase the length of the trips until your dog enjoys the car rides. If you don?t want your dog in the car, but find it necessary on occasion, you can use tranquillisers to control the nervousness with good success in most dogs. Your vet will have one that works well for him or her. Some dogs really have motion sickness. It is possible that Dramamine will work in these dogs but even in these dogs tranquillisers like ace promazine that also have anti-emetic properties usually work well. The administration of ginger is known to work well. Also placing a thick covering of newspaper under the dog sometimes assists.

A special day
Congratulations to David and Melanie Flaye on the special occasion of their wedding from all the pack.

Books (Michael)
I am lost for words to find many still have not acquired Ross Allan’s book, ”Dog Obedience Training” Published by T.F.H. Publications Inc. Some seem content to have instruction by the Author yet miss much from the textbook of the course. The book is well presented with valuable training techniques covering much more than the beginner course and is well worth adding to your library.
Another excellent book full of useful information is ?Who Is The Boss?? By Val Bonney, This book covers many aspects of the dog, what makes a dog tick, pack structure, body language and much more. All helpful information we should all now to assist in training our dogs.

Ross’s Kennel
The trialers excelled themselves again this month with Monica taking a 14 month old Standard Poodle through to its title in 4 months with 2 scores of 197. Tony?s very nice 193 at Logan and Michael's first effort in CDX with 188pts. The interesting thing with Mike is that he commenced training Atom 14 months prior to the trial, with a dog that he couldn?t take for a walk due to it?s extraordinary dog aggression.
We also have 3 titleholders in our own comp?s - Michael & Atom, Monica & Eddie, Tony & Beau. They have all passed level 3 which includes routines with food on the ground, people in the ring acting as posts offering food to the dogs, working under excessive noise distractions such as amplified music, party whistles and starting guns discharging. For any young dog to pass this standard is a credit to the owners who are so very dedicated.

Book review
I?m pleased Mike mentioned Val Bonnie?s Book, ?Who?s the Boss?. Val and her husband Bruce own and run a private dog obedience training school, ?Bonnie?s Dog Obedience & Care Centre? at The Gap, Brisbane.  
Val, a senior obedience judge, senior dog obedience trialer, and certificated behaviourist is also involved with an organization that utilizes her services in the training of Japanese both in Australia and Japan.
A few years ago Val wrote a book on dog psychology in a simple format that a child could understand, covering the basics of understanding the dogs mind. It is in my opinion, essential reading for all dog owners, particularly those involved in training their dogs. I have always believed that dog psychology is at least 80% of training and this book puts together the understanding of the mind of the dog beautifully.
I strongly urge the purchase of this book and it can be obtained from the Mountain. View Vet. Surgery, Buderim or by phoning Val direct on 3300 9787.

Diet
My students, particularly those who have come to me with problem dogs are aware that I place a lot of emphasis on the dog’s diet. Dog’s lacking in certain nutrients exhibit behavioural problems such as irritability or undue aggression, hyperactivity, tiredness or even timidness. The old saying that we are what we can equally applies to dogs.
There is a huge array of prepared dog foods, (Canned, dry or sausage) available along with an advertising push that the alcohol companies must envy. For many years I was a convert to the so called benefits of prepared dog foods, and as a result of my experiences with the effects of diet, I believe that one of the greatest evils man has placed on our canine friend is the cooked or processed foods.
During the course of working with behavioural problems with dogs, and witnessing the positive effects of feeding dogs on natural foods, I have come to vehemently oppose the use of these foods in the dog?s diet. Almost without fail dogs on natural diets have bright white clean teeth, healthier coats and happier dispositions.
A product I encourage people to include in the dog’s diet, particularly when the dog is a puppy, or when the dog is being introduced to the natural diet, is a product called ”The Missing Link”. This product is a powered formula of freeze dried foods including a new substance designed to prevent arthritis and similar ailments common to dogs. The Missing Link balances the dogs diet making sure it gets all the necessary nutrients required.
Two very good references on dog diet that may be of interest are:
1) ”Give your Dog a Bone” by Dr. Ian Billinghurst obtained from P.O. Box 703. Lithgow, NSW 2790.
2) ?Natural Pet Care? by Pat Coleby and published by Grass Roots. This book is available through book shops, pet shops and health shops.

Display
The display at the Sunland Shopping Centre was particularly successful. A big thank you to Mike, Jeffrey, Tony, Monica and Mariska for participating. Bronwyn from Pet Affair, Sunlands arranged the display. Thank you Bronie.