Seattle Waterfront at night
Pacific Northwest
Gordon Setter News
Volume 6, Issue 3
May/June, 2013
Inside this issue:
Deming HT
1-2
President’s Message
1-3
Freestyle
4-5
Spiders
6
Helpful Websites
7
Dance in the field
8
In Case of Disaster
9
Canine First Aid Kit
10
Toenails and Health
11
Dog Park Safety
12
Frankenstein
13
Puzzle
14
In Memoriam
15
Wags and Brags
16
Club Officers
Pres.– B. Young-Tompkinson
V. Press-L. Burns
Secr’y– J. Larkin
Treas.– J. Tiano
Bd. Of Directors–
C. Clark J. Barnts S.Pratt
Membership Chair–
S. Hanneman
Field Chair– A. Lutz
Show Chair– J. Larkin
Recue contact– C. Ulness
Newsletter Editor-J. Larkin
[email protected]
PNWGSC Hosts Hunt Test in Deming
Mid-May is a little too early to
expect perfect weather for a
Hunt Test we found out, but
the dogs didn’t mind one bit!
After a solid week of dry
weather, Mother Nature
dumped several inches of rain
on the HT grounds in Deming
the night before the event
making for a very wet weekend. The PNWGSC soldiered
on and hosted its first Hunt
Tests as a licensed AKC club
in spite of it.
Cont’d p. 2
President’s Message….
This has been a very busy
May June July. ….and … I
am sure August will be the
same for everyone.
One thing I would like
everyone to please
acknowledge is the changes we have done to our
constitution as we require
a vote on this by the
membership and there is
a time element involved
with getting it to AKC.
Judy has posted this on
our website for you to
view.
Field Trial and Hunt Test
were completed dates need
to be confirmed for the
2014 calendar. The Highland Games are looking
very festive for this year.
Barb and Mike do a wonderful job with all the
plans. The Specialty at
Shelton has come together
nicely. IF ANY MEMBERS
WOULD LIKE TO HELP
WITH ANY OF THE
ABOVE EVENTS PLEASE
Cont’d on pg. 3
Notice of General Meeting (third Saturday of every
other month)...July 20, 2013 in Marysville at noon.
Place and Map on the website, www.pnwgs.org
P a ge 2
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
Hunt Test cont’d….
As this is the first time that these grounds
were used, we found that there were things we
liked and those we didn’t.
The grounds themselves were very good,
though wet, according to the entrants. There
was good cover and the scenting was also fine.
The parking left something to be desired and
there wasn’t a place for overnighters on site.
Because it was private grounds, hunting after
the event was not permitted
which was disappointing for
some of the hunters in the club.
There were several things we told
the owner about which would
need to be changed if we were to
use the grounds again...a rickety
bridge being one of them.
Remarks from the entrants were
very positive. The fact that it
was held in the “north” was very
much appreciated. The Canadian entrant remarked that if we
were to hold another event in the
north, more Canadians would enter. We
needed to establish a date and advertise in
advance.
Many of our club members entered for the
first time. Several received their first leg of
their Junior Hunting title. Names of qualifiers will be on the website for all to see should
they wish.
Thanks go out to the committee members
for all their hard work. Special thanks to
Tom Tompkinson for his hard work before the event getting the grounds prepared and for marshaling the events.
Thanks to Mike Thompson and George
Joyner for gunning and Bruce Ulness and
Jim Tiano for bird planting. George and
Kathy Joyner were our outstanding hospitality chairs. Delicious food was prepared for all of us.
All in all ...this was a successful event
which we hope to repeat next year!
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r Ne w s
P a ge 3
President’s Message cont’d...
LET US KNOW. Linda Drake has donated a huge Basket for the raffle value
$200.00!! thank you Linda and we will
be looking for items for our Auction
….donations greatly appreciated.
There is a supported entry in August at
the Enumclaw Sporting Dog Event in
August. We (Sunrunner)) will be in
Colorado and will not be able to attend.
If you are planning to go I would check
to see if a Gordon entry can be made
prior to entering.
We are still searching the Portland
OR area for suitable grounds for a
possible 2016 National Specialty
Site. This event would be cohosted
with the Golden Gate GSC, making
the work and financial load much
easier than going it alone.
We have some new members joining the club and I look forward to
meeting everyone at one of our
events. Continue enjoying your
summer…the weather gods are
being so good to us this
year…..please make sure your dogs
are kept cool and watch out for hot
pavement…that can burn your
kids pads very quickly.
Barbara
Yahoogroup Registration-ALL Members Should Be On Site….
You will need a yahoo sign in to access this because the site is maintained by Yahoo. If you do not
have one, follow the directions.
Go to the site [email protected] :
1. Under the find a group window enter PNWGSC click search
2. Under search results you should see PNWGSC click on join this group
3. In the Yahoo window either sign in with your yahoo ID & Password or click on create new account
4. When signed in, follow directions to sign up for PNWGSC
5. When replying, try not to use reply too much it sends the entire group of messages to everyone in the
group.
6. You won’t get instant access as your membership has to be verified. You will be notified by email.
Summer-induced stupidity.
That was the diagnosis!
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
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P a ge 4
The Gordon Setter to Music: Musical Freestyle...by Laura Burns
Canine musical freestyle is a
sport of
growing
popularity,
with competitions
across the
globe, in
Japan and
many countries in Europe. It’s so popular in Great Britain that Crufts devotes a night to
the freestyle finalists, amid glowing
spotlights and cheers from an
enormous and appreciative audience. Numerous U.S. organizations
offer freestyle competitions
throughout the country, and
demonstrations of freestyle are in
demand in fairs, city events, nursing homes, and dog shows. It’s a
tremendous crowd-pleaser, and for
those of us who demonstrate and
compete in it, it’s possibly the most
demanding dog sport around.
So what is musical freestyle? In
short, it is dancing with your dog in
a choreographed performance that
might combine tricks, obedience
and rally moves, and whatever you
can come up with to highlight your
dog’s abilities, all set to music! Musical freestyle has a long history in
the horse world, with freestyle performances now required in top
dressage competitions and at the
Olympics. In the dog world, you
might have
seen the
YouTube video
featuring Carolyn Scott and
her Golden Retriever Rookie
dancing to the
Grease number
“You’re the One
That I Want.”
This is musical freestyle at its very
best by one of the top teams in the
country (sadly, Rookie has now passed
on). A well-done musical freestyle performance is breath-taking, engaging
and entertaining. Just a few Gordons
that I know of compete in freestyle.
My Gordon “Vita,” now passed away,
earned her WCFO Beginner titles to a
piece from the movie Gladiator some
years ago, and another team, Karen
McCarthy and “Vienna,” compete in
Great Britain. My current Gordon,
“Gael,” is practicing her first routine
that we’ll demonstrate at our local
Highland Games this summer.
Numerous national organizations
sponsor freestyle competitions. The
one most prevalent in my area on the
West Coast is WCFO, or World Canine
Freestyle Organization, found at
www.worldcaninefreestyle.com. They
offer live as well as video competitions. They have four levels: Beginner,
Novice, Intermediate and Advanced.
To give you an idea of how the levels
progress, at Beginner, your routine is
required to show that the dog can
work effectively on two sides of your
body. By intermediate, all four sides of
your body must be used, which means
the dog must work in some fashion on
your right, left, front and back! As you
progress through the levels, the
amount of time on the floor is lengthened, and the complexity of your dog’s
moves must increase. Furthermore, all
the typical cues you might use—the
hands between the legs for the weaves,
or the hand motion for the spins—
need to be faded or somehow turned
into “musical” movements.
More attention and precision of
the dog is expected as the level
increases. There are also two
major divisions: one is “musical
freestyle,” which incorporates
any number of tricks and
moves; another is “heelwork-tomusic” which should still be a
musical routine, but calls for
the dog to work closely with the handler in some form of heel position. By
the way, you can talk to your dog
throughout the levels, although the
commands need to be less obvious as
you move up. You and your Gordon are
judged in two categories: “artistic” and
“technical merit,” much like artistic
gymnastics or
figure skating.
One very fun
aspect of freestyle is its creativity: you
choose the music and you
choose the routine, and as
long as it fits
within the
guidelines of
the class level,
you can do whatever you wish to highlight the abilities of your Gordon. You
don’t have to be a great dancer; many
very successful routines have been less
dance or more like a skit that tells a
story or shows off the dog’s tricks. For
Vita, I tried to show off her elegant
lines and flowing movement, so we
worked with classical pieces. She was a
beautiful heeling dog, so that formed
the basis of our heelwork-to-music
routine to Gladiator. With Gael, I’m
currently working on an energetic,
bouncy Gaelic piece from Riverdance,
as her strengths veer less to the elegant
side and more to the athletic.
You don’t have to compete in freestyle
to gain some of its benefits. There are
some fun basic moves you can teach
your own Gordon using treats or toys.
These freestyle moves can provide
breaks from other obedience training,
or can simply be a creative way to
teach them mobility, coordination and
enjoying working with you. Quite honestly, my very first routines were created using just these moves!
P a ge 5
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r Ne w s
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
Freestyle...cont’d.
1. Weave through the legs: you
can teach this easily by stepping
forward on one leg and luring
your Gordon through the space
between your legs with food. Try
not to bend down, and as soon as
you can, eliminate the food from
your hand. If your Gordon is bigger than you are, this might be a
more challenging move; it’s okay
to lift one leg up in the air!
2. Circle around you clock-wise
and counter-clock wise: again,
use food to lure the dog around
your body in circles. Since Gael
already knows “around,” it was
easy to teach her the clock-wise
circle. We’re having more trouble
with counter-clockwise.:-)
3. Spin: spins are done in front
of you or at either side. Use
food to teach the dog to create a tight circle. Ideally give
the clock-wise and counterclockwise spin a different
name. I say “spin” for one
direction, and “twist” for another. By the way, spinning is
a good way to help a dog loosen up, especially if you’ve just
been heeling a lot with your
Gordon on the left side, or
gaiting him/her on that side.
Try a spin in the opposite direction.
4. Heel on right side: most
freestyle organizations require
you to work your dog on multiple
sides. Heeling on the right side is
also another excellent way to
“balance” your Gordon if you do a
lot of left-hand heeling or gaiting.
You would teach right hand heeling the same way you teach it on
the left side. Do give it a different
name. My command word is
“dance!”
5. Back is another great way to
get your Gordon to learn about
different parts of his/her body.
Many young Gordons are really
not aware that they have a rear
end. The “Back” teaches them
to think about it! You can
teach “back” with food at their
muzzle, and simply pushing
the food backward. Do it slowly at first; one or two steps
and then praise and feed. I
usually start with the dog perpendicular to me, with a wall
on the other side, as you want
to keep the dog straight. Later
you can work on them backing
from front position or in heel
position, but remember to
keep them straight! Typically
this move in its final form has
the dog backing away from
you in front position.
6. Want a lovely picture of what
musical freestyle looks like with a
Gordon? Here’s a recent routine
performed by Karen McCarthy
and her Gordon, “Vienna” in their
Heelwork-to-Music competition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=tkznQsn1fs8. I hope her performance and this article will inspire
you to give freestyle a try!
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r Ne w s
P a ge 6
Spider Bites Not So Deadly...
Spiders...just the word makes us,
excuse the expression...crawl. Although we may be frightened of
them, most spiders do not cause
reactions in our Gordons.
According to “Most Dogs Tolerate
Even Black Widow and Brown Recluse Bites” by Susan Chaney posted in: Canine Health, Learn!, Right
Now! , “two things are in dog owners’ – and their
dogs’ – favor.
First, the bites
of only two spiders in the United States typically can cause a
reaction sufficient to warrant a trip to the veterinary clinic: the black widow and
the brown recluse. Second, most
dogs won’t have a problem after
being pierced and injected with
venom by either of these. Why
Don’t
some dogs do have
serious reactions is
unknown. It may
depend on how
much venom is injected, or it may be
that dogs with compromised immune
systems are more susceptible.
A third spider, the hobo spider, has not
been officially identified as a threat to
dogs. “There is essentially no information regarding hobo spiders in veterinary textbooks,” (Dr.) Thoen says.
However if you search the Internet,
many suspected cases are mentioned.
Again, because the type of bite can’t
usually be identified, the dogs cited
could have just as easily been bitten by
a widow or recluse.”
“According to the CDC, the hobo spider
is most at home in the Pacific Northwest. Brown with a “distinct pattern of
yellow markings” on its back, it’s a
large spider without dark bands on
its legs. Hobos’ webs are quite different from the widow’s or the recluse’s,
being funnel-shaped and placed in
holes, cracks and recesses. Outdoors,
you’ll find them in “retaining walls,
and in foundations, window wells,
and stacks of firewood and bricks.
Indoors, they can
nest between boxes
or other storage
items, on window
sills, under baseboard heaters or
radiators, behind furniture, and in
closets.” They run, rather than climb,
and, the CDC reports that they are
“much more likely to attack if provoked or threatened.”
sit under the apple
tree with anyone else
but me...anyone else
but me...anyone else but
me….
Micah Larkin and Gael Burns
spend a Spring afternoon together
“under the apple tree.”
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
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P a ge 7
Helpful Websites for Dog Owners...by Barbara Webb
By Betsy Brevitz, D.V.M. Submitted by
Barbara Webb
Hound Health Handbook OESCGS
Health and Research Chair
As anyone who has ever typed the word
“dog” into a search field knows, the
Web contains innumerable sites devoted to our canine companions. The following list is limited to only the most
authoritative, reliable, and useful
sources of information on canine
health care.
The American Kennel Club
www.akc.org
Information on choosing, finding, and
caring for purebred dogs, including
breed-related health concerns, tips on
finding good breeders, and links to
breed rescue organizations.
Care for Animals
www.avma.org/careforanimals/
default.asp
The American Veterinary Medical Association’s Website for animal owners.
Information on animal adoption, health
care, training, pet loss, kids and animals, and becoming a vet.
Healthypet.com
www.healthypet.com
The American Animal Hospital Association’s Website for animal owners. Sections include a Pet Care Library, Tell Us
About Your Pet, and Recommended
Reading.
Healthy Pets Healthy People
www.cdc.gov/healthypets/index.htm
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center
www.aspca.org/pet-care/poisoncontrol
Authoritative information from the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention on diseases that can be
transmitted from animals to people.
Lists of poisonous and nonpoisonous
plants, tips on poison-proofing your
home, and more.
PetEducation.com
www.peteducation.com
Doctors Foster and Smith have
cumulated a database of expert
information for all types of pets
on most any given subject. Articles include FAQs, Medication
information, symptom checker,
medical dictionary, poison information, description of Tests and
Procedures, Alternative Medicine, and much more.
VeterinaryPartner.com
www.veterinarypartner.com
Health care information for animal owners that’s written by
veterinarians and other professionals. Veterinary Partner is
run by Veterinary Information
Network,
a comprehensive database and
learning center for veterinarians. The dog section of Veterinary Partner includes a Pet
Health Care Library; drug information; a Pet Nutrition Corner;
Canine Behavior Series; Dental
Care Series; and a First Aid and
Emergency Section.
Awwwww…
Puppy love!
Sam gives his sister Charli a big sloppy Gordon kiss….
Both are owned and loved by Sheryl Jardine.
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a ge 8
Mamba...A Dance in the Field...
Okay...you watch Dancing with
the Stars….admit it; even if
you just tune in at the end to
see who wins. For some of
us...it’s the only thing on so we catch it. The PNWGSC has it’s
own Mamba...This one dances in the field.
Mamba (Someday’s Silky Mamba) loves her birds! After a little pep talk from her “Dad,” Dr.
Blake Bostrom, she flies out to find those critters in the field. Her dance moves brought her
first place in the Walking Puppy, American Field, Irish Setter Club Field Trial at Anderson
Ranch in Sunnyside, WA, in April.
Not bad for a cute little field dancer, huh?
FYI…….Did you know that microchips can shift?
There are several theories about why...here are a couple:
1) It is best to wait until age 6 months to have a puppy microchipped so that there is less skin movement and growth of
the dog, allowing for less migration of the chip.
2) According to an AKC microchip rep, it is not the age that matters as much as that it is extremely important to have
the puppy/dog crated for 24 (or 48) hours after the chip is first put in to allow for scar tissue to form to hold
the chip in place.
No matter what...be aware that they can migrate in the dog’s body and scan places other than the neck to find it.
P a ge 9
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In Case of Disaster...
From floods and tornadoes
to fires and earthquakes, among other
catastrophes, disasters can strike at
any time and whether you’re going to
stick it out at home or have to evacuate, having an emergency plan that
includes your pet can save their lives.
lists of
that
should
be in
it, or if
you
don’t
want
to
make
one
yourself,
There are a number of easy things you
you
can
can do to help ensure you’re ready
buy a
readyfrom having a stash of supplies on
made one from number of places, inhand to a plan for what will happen
cluding the ASPCA
with your pet if you have to leave
quickly. It should probably go without (www.aspcaonlinestore.com)
saying that you should bring your pets See pg. 12 for what should be
present in all survival kits by
inside, but in case it’s not obvious,
member Barb Webb.
make sure your pets are inside …and
please don’t leave them behind! Here’s
a quick list of other easy things you
3. Have Supplies Ready
can do ahead of time to be ready.
Having a bag or container of supplies
1. Alert Rescuers to Pets in Your ready to go can obviously save time if
you need to leave in a hurry and will
Home
also be useful if you get trapped at
home. Does anyone really want to
If you don’t already have one, get a
window alert sticker (can be found on spend time looking for the can opener
or trying to remember what your pet
this website (www.entirelypets.com)
will need for
so emergency responders know there
is an animal in your home that needs two weeks
when there’s
to be rescued.
a tornado
You can find
coming?
these decals
Survival kits
for different
like this for
types of anidogs and
mals at pet
cats
stores or other sites like
Amazon.com,
(www.survivalkit.com) are also availaor you can
ble from a number of stores if you
make your
don’t want to put your own together.
own. If you
leave and have the time, please note on Otherwise, some essential items to
have on hand include stored water,
them that your pets have been reextra cat litter, newspaper and trash
moved from your home so rescuers
bags – in case it’s not safe to go outdon’t waste time needlessly looking
side – crates, carriers and cages,
for a pet that isn’t there.
bowls, toys, treats, extra food and
medications.
2. Make a First Aid Kit
Having a first aid kit handy for your
pet is never a bad idea. To make your
own, you can go to any of these websites: Catster (www.catster.com), the
Red Cross (www.redcross.org), Petco
(www.[petco.com), and the Humane
Society of the U.S.
(www.humanesociety.org) all offer
handy
items
4. Update Tags
Having up-to-date tags with the correct contact information is probably a
given, but having extra, or temporary,
tags with the contact information for
where you’ll be staying if you know
ahead of time, or a backup person’s
contact information, will be useful in
the event that you should get separated from your pet, or are otherwise
unreachable.
5. Keep Records Ready
Along with your supplies and first aid
kit, keep records in a waterproof container that include copies of your pets
medical history, information on food
and any current medications, special
needs, contact information for yourself, your vet and anyone else who
should be contacted as a backup in an
emergency if you are unreachable.
Also be sure to include photos of your
pet, and of yourself with your pet to
help prove ownership.
6. Know Where to Go
Unfortunately, there are many places
that will not allow pets during a disaster, including Red Cross shelters.
However, you can check in advance to
see if there are hotels/motels in your
area that allow pets, or ones that will
make exceptions to allow them in an
emergency situation. There are also a
number of websites that list petfriendly accommodations, including
(www.petswelcome.com) and
(www.petscanstay.com). Shelters,
boarding facilities, vet practices or other animal-related businesses may also
be willing and able to take pets on a
temporary basis during a disaster.
7. Have a Long-Term Plan
In the event that you won’t be able to
return to your home for a while, or in
that worst case scenario that leaves
your family with no home to return to
at all, you may need a long term plan
for your pet, which could involve
boarding or having a trusted friend or
relative keep agree to keep them until
you can get settled again.
In order to go to any website
listed, you must cut and paste the
URL into your browser. No links
can be clicked on to go there.
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a ge 1 0
Canine First Aid Kit….by Barbara Webb
Seminar - First Aid & CPR
OESCGS Health & Research Chair
The summer holidays are here, and many of us are traveling for camping, playing on the beach, visiting family, or hiking. We usually pack a first aid kit for ourselves, and it’s a good time to make sure
we also have supplies for our four-legged companions. This is not a complete list, but hopefully will
help guide your preparations.
Plastic toolboxes make good first aid kits.
Items to include in your kit:
·
Absorbent compresses (gauze squares) in assorted
sizes
* Adhesive tape, hypoallergenic (no rubber bands!)
·
Pet first aid book
·
Penlight
·
Antibiotic ointment (triple ingredient formula)
·
Rectal thermometer (non-mercury, non-glass)
·
Blanket (emergency or “space”)
·
·
Cold compress (release cold when opened)
Vet wrap or sports wrap 3-inch width. Stretches
and clings to itself.
·
Buffered aspirin (no aspirin substitutes) About 6
mgs/pound.
Give no more than 3 doses w/o direction from a
veterinarian.
·
Benadryl (containing no other cold/allergy ingredients)
Dosing: <30 lbs.
10 mg.
30-50 lbs. 25 mg.
>50 lbs.
50 mg.
·
Duct tape
·
Emergency phone #’s
·
Expired credit card (scrape away stingers)
·
Do not use Ace bandages on dogs.
·
Roll gauze, 2-inch width, cotton (can also be used
as a soft muzzle)
·
Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl)
·
Scissors, small, with blunt end
·
Sterile, water-based lubricant (such as KY jelly)
that washes off easily.
For lubricating thermometer, and can be placed in
and around a wound you are treating.
·
Sterile eye lubricant (saline)
Gloves (disposable, non-latex, powder-free)
·
Sterile saline eye wash (without preservatives)
·
Glucose paste or corn syrup (If pet is diabetic)
·
·
Hydrogen peroxide: wound cleaning, or to induce
vomiting
Dosing: (1-2 Tbsp./40 pound dog if conscious)
Stethoscope (simple, inexpensive ones can be
found online and in most shops that sell hospital
uniforms)
·
Styptic powder (to stop broken nail bleeding)
·
Muzzle
·
Telfa pads (various sizes of non-stick pads)
·
Nail clippers
·
Towels
·
Needle-nose pliers (for removing wire, or porcupine quills)
·
Tweezers (for splinter, grass awn, and tick removal)
·
Nylon leash (at least one)
·
Rolled magazine – splints
Wooden spoon – splints
·
Wire cutters, small (to cut barb off embedded fish
hooks)
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P a ge 1 1
Why Long Toenails Are Harmful to Your Dog’s Health ...
This article was written by Bridget
Wessel an owner of Italian Greyhounds. This was on the Wisconsin
Italian Greyhound site. Whether an
Italian Greyhound or a Gordon Setter, this is very important information for all dog owners and lovers
of their “best friends”. Please take
heed….This is article is printed with
the permission of the author….Ed.
Some dogs hate nail trimming, others
merely tolerate it, almost none like it.
Some dogs need tranquillizers to make
it through the process without biting,
while others sleep through the procedure without a care. No matter what
your dog’s personal take is on nail
clipping, it is something you should do
for your IGs regularly to keep from
harming their skeletal structure.
A dog’s nails are important parts of
their anatomy. Unlike cats, dog claws
are not weapons, but are used when he
runs to grip the ground when accelerating and turning corners. Outdoor
dogs run around enough over different
surfaces and wear their own nails
down. But our house-bound companions don’t get that natural wear from
carpet, hardwood, or vinyl flooring. ...
Having long nails changes the way a
dog carries himself. The diagram below shows how a long nail causes the
bones in the foot to flatten and the
Metacarpal, Phalanx I and Phalanx II
bones to sit more angled every time
the dog walks or stands. The different
angle of the bones when pressure is
applied causes joint stress and can
lead to joint pain and arthritis. It also
leads to dropped wrists which make
the dog look flat footed. Women reading this article can probably relate if
they think about wearing high heels all
the time. Long toe nails essentially do
the same to dogs by changing the natural alignment of leg bones which
adds torque or twisting to the joints.
Personally, high heeled shoes wreak
havoc on my knees and I suffer from
knee joint pain for days after wearing
them. I can’t imagine the pain a dog
goes through whose owner never trims
his nails or doesn’t trim nails often
enough.
Changing the natural alignment also
makes the dog less steady on his feet
and can contribute to an increased
probability of broken legs. If the dog’s
joints are out of whack, he can’t catch
himself from falling or landing as well.
Again, if you compare how steady you
ladies are in sneakers compared to
high heels you can relate to how a dog
with long nails might feel all the time.
..
not more often. Frequent walking
(daily, fast paced, long walks) can help
wear down nails and increase the time
between trimmings. For our dogs, nail
trimming is a two person job and my
husband holds dogs on his lap with
their feet sticking outwards while I
clip. The red line in the diagram to the
left shows where to cut the nail. The
nail comes straight out, and at the
point where it starts to bend downward, you should cut at a 45 degree
The image shows how the bones of the
angle. It’s always a good idea to have
paw and wrist angle back when a dog
Kwik Stop or another blood stopping
has long nails, but the damage doesn’t
product on hand in case you hit the
stop there. All the bones in a dog’s
quick. If trimming nails is not your
body are connected and the leg bones
forte, groomers or vet clinics are good
connect all the way up to the spine.
alternatives to keep your dogs’ nails
Some of you might relate to how an
well groomed.
injury on one part of our body can
cause us to carry ourselves differently
and create pain in another part of our Some dog owners prefer to grind down
(commonly using a Dremel tool) their
body.
dog’s nails. For comprehensive instructions on how to Dremel your
dog’s nails, please refer to Tia
Resleure’s article “The Importance of
Proper Nail Grooming to Dogs, especially Italian Greyhounds!”.
The image on the left: proper
alignment with short toenail.
Right: angled alignment because
of long toenail. Image provided
by Dr. Lisa Kluslow
Unfortunately, our dogs can’t tell us
when they have a headache or shoulder ache and many times we miss the
slight signals that they are in pain.
Since dogs can’t trim their own nails,
it’s up to us to make sure this dog
maintenance is performed before the
pain sets in.
(Dogs) usually need their nails
trimmed every two to three weeks, if
Unfortunately, it is easy to overlook
this basic grooming. Many of the dogs
we take in to rescue, regardless of
what their situations were before,
need a nail clipping when they arrive.
Similarly, I’ve noticed at playdates
there are always a couple (of dogs)
with very long claws. Remember
though, that trimming claws is not
merely a cosmetic issue, but it is also a
health issue. You and you (dog) may
dread biweekly trims, but it is one of
the most basic things you can do to
take stress off your pups’ joints as they
age.
About Bridget Wessel
Bridget Wessel lives with her husband
Erik and four dogs: Simon, Brodie and
Sophie (Italian Greyhounds) and Caina
(mixed breed). She has been fostering for
IG rescue for almost seven years and
loves to see her former fosters bloom in
their forever homes. An advocate for
training and dog sports, her own dogs
(all rescues) enjoy obedience, agility,
and lure coursing. Bridget teaches agility classes at The Feedbag in Mequon, WI.
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a ge 1 2
How to Make YOUR Dog Park Time Safe...
To make the most of your dog park
experience this summer, here are a
few words of wisdom.
1. Conduct a dog-free scouting
mission
Check out nearby dog parks before
bringing your pets. Familiarize yourself with park rules and make sure those gates
function properly. It also
helps to identify multiple exit
routes in case things get
crowded.
Observing the dog park ahead
of time will make you feel
more comfortable and prepared for your first visit and
will help determine whether
or not that particular dog park
is right for your dog.
If your dog tends to prefer
more low-key play time, visit
early in the morning, around 7 or 7:30
a.m. Avoid the 7 to 8 p.m. window,
which tends to be popular among dog
owners.
3. Pay attention to your pooch
All too often, people unleash dogs and
then pull out mobile phones to connect with friends, oblivious to their
pet's bad behavior.
Take a proactive approach by being
Pet owners can protect their dogs’
health by taking proactive measures
before hitting the park.
Dog parks are a breeding ground for
fleas and ticks, especially in the high
flea and tick season from April to October. To ensure your dog
will not come home fleabitten - or spread fleas to
other dogs while at the park
- always administer a
monthly dose of flea and
tick medication."
In addition to vet-grade
flea and tick formulas, keep
dogs up to date on vaccinations. Dogs that frequently
interact with other dogs - at
dog parks or even dog daycares - should request the
kennel cough vaccine to
aware of your dog's location at all
protect dogs against an upper respiratimes and monitoring any problemat- tory infection that spreads easily.
ic or aggressive behavior. If your dog
makes friends at the park, chat with
4. If dogs do tussle, intervene
the owners. Find out their names as
with care
2. Prepare a dog park kit
well as the dog's name. This will help
It is inherently dangerous to interBe sure to carry plenty of water, a
if you need to get the dog's attention
vene in a dogfight. When an owner
travel water bowl, and poop bags, just quickly.
tries to pull dogs apart they typically
in case the park runs out. An air horn Many [dogs] will run through the park will clamp down even harder. Graband a canister of citronella serve as
and state their dominance by barking bing your dog's collar during a doggood go-to items for quickly resolving or growling loudly, but most do not
fight only increases the chance of getskirmishes among dogs.
result in a serious fight and these usu- ting bitten. Cesar Milan's approach:
ally do not need intervention by own- Identify the dog with the greater inBe prepared and mindfully aware if
ers. In fact, many owners can poten- tensity and apply force to its rib cage.
the environment is safe for your dog
tially make things worse by screaming Often the dog will open its mouth and
to play off leash.
or yelling at the dogs, which creates
let go.
more distress amongst them."
Oh we are Gordon
Doodle Dandies..
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a ge 1 3
“I Released a Frankenstein…” In his own words...
(DOGS) The Labradoodle, a
mix between a Labrador and a
standard poodle, was originally
bred for a woman who needed
a non-allergenic guide dog.
Now, the man responsible for
the breed’s creation says he regrets creating a new breed –
and all of the problems that
came along with it. – Global
Animal
nobody would take them; everyone wanted a pure-bred.
And that’s when Conron came
up with the name labradoodle.” I went to our PR team
and said, ‘Go to the press and
tell them we’ve invented a new
dog, the labradoodle.’ It was a
gimmick and it went world-
Sydney Morning Herald
If Wally Conron had known
what was going to become of
the labradoodle, he wouldn’t
have bred the dog in the first
place. It was 22 years ago and
Conron, now 81, was working
as the breeding manager for
the Royal Guide Dog Association of Australia when his boss
set him a tough task. A blind
woman from Hawaii had written asking if they could provide
a guide dog that would not
shed hair, because her husband was allergic to it.” I said,
‘Oh yes, this will be a piece of
cake. The standard poodle is a
working dog, it doesn’t shed
hair, it’ll be great.’ I tried 33 in
the course of three years and
they all failed. They just didn’t
make a guide dog.”
Conron decided there was one
possibility left: take his best
labrador bitch and mate it with
a standard poodle. They created three cross-breed puppies
that needed to be boarded out
to be trained and socialized but
“When the pups were five
months old, we sent clippings and saliva to Hawaii
to be tested with this woman’s husband. Of the three
pups, he was not allergic to
one of them. In the next litter I had, there were 10
pups but only three had non
-allergenic coats. Now, people are breeding these dogs
and selling them as nonallergenic and they’re not
even testing them.”
“All these backyard breeders
have jumped on the bandwagon and they’re crossing
any kind of dog with a poodle. They’re selling them for
more than a pure-bred is
worth and they’re not going
into the backgrounds of the
parents of the dogs. There
are so many poodle crosses
having fits, problems with
their eyes, hips and elbows;
a lot have epilepsy. There
are a few ethical breeders
but very, very few.”
wide. No one wanted a crossbreed but the following day we
had hundreds of calls from
people wanting these master
dogs.”
The labradoodle proved to be a
brilliant dog for the blind and
the woman in Hawaii was happy. So what was the problem?
It’s how the dog has been used
and abused and sold under
false pretenses, Conron says.
Conron says that despite the
fact the dogs have helped so
many blind people, he regrets creating the first crossbreed.” I released a Frankenstein. … People say ‘aren’t
you proud of yourself?’ and
I say, ‘not in the slightest.
I’ve done so much harm to
pure breeding.”’
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a ge 1 4
Just For Fun!!
Well boys and girls, let’s have some fun! Here is a scrambled word puzzle about all
things Gordon.
Unscramble the words to find the right Gordon word. All the answers will be
found on our website
Www.pnwgs.org . You’ll find them on the newsletter page. Have fun!
1. AELYSCPIT
_________________________________
2. UYPP
______________________________________________
3. CNIBEODEE
______________________________________________
4. KNLEEN
______________________________________________
5. TERSTE
______________________________________________
6. AQLIU
______________________________________________
7. TASOCLDN
______________________________________________
8. ROOGDN
______________________________________________
9. ONMRCOAFOTIN
_________________________________________
10. MGOGNROI
______________________________________________
11. ROMO
______________________________________________
12. OOAIPNNCM
______________________________________________
13. ARTATN
______________________________________________
14. AEPNSAHT
___________________________________________________________
15. NAENCI
___________________________________________________________
In the spring, at the end
of the day, you should
smell like dirt.
~Margaret
Atwood
Oh Boy!
A Puzzle!!!
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
In Memoriam...
It came to me that
every time I lose a
dog they take a
piece of my heart
with them, and
every new dog who
comes into my life
gifts me with a
piece of their
heart. If I live long
enough all of the
components of my
heart will be dog,
and I will become as
generous and loving
as they are.
~Anonymous
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a ge 1 5
Am/Can Ch. Four Season’s Diamond
Lilyth
“Lily”
A piece of my heart went with my sweet girl, Lily, above
at the age of 12, in May. Lily was my first show dog, my
first champion, my first “mommy-dog”, and a BIS Brace
Champion with her sister Abby, Am/Can Ch. Four Season’s Amethyst Abygal, who went before her. I have
her children and her grandchildren to keep her alive in
my heart. She is so missed.
Lily’s son, Jack...Snowbound’s Jacca MacFisher, greatly
loved by the Fisher family of Gig Harbor, went to join
her a week after her death. She and Abby will take good
care of him and will meet us at the Bridge.
~Judith Larkin
P a c if i c N o rt h w e st G o r d o n S e t t e r
V o l u m e 6 , I s su e 3
P a ge 1 6
Wags and Brags
Rhett, FC/CanFC/AFC Someday's On
the Edge had a great Spring. He won
the Amateur Gun Dog stake (17 dogs)
at the British Columbia All Breed
Pointing Dog Club in Princeton, BC on
June 1st, placed second in the 18 dog
Amateur Gun Dog and won the Open
Limited Gun Dog, 13 starters, at the
Oregon Brittany Club trial at Sauvie
Island on June 15th and 16th. Rhett
was handled by owner George Lutz.
Rhett added another win. He won the
Open Limited Gun Dog at the Williamette Weimaraner field trial this
past weekend at Sauvie Island. He
placed second in the Amateur Gun
Dog.
George Joyner and his boy, Blue, Someday’s
Make ‘Em Sing the Blues, Blue getting his JH
after passing his two remaining hunt tests on
June 8th and 9th , courtesy of the Washington
Brittany Club. Eights across the board with at
two finds and points per run. Blue got his
first two Q's at our hunt test in Deming, and
the other two at the WA Brittany Club hunt
test in Fall City.
Looks like Blue took it all in stride….no big
deal, Dad.
Pacific Northwest Gordon Setter Club
Judith C. Larkin, Editor
3232 Whistler Drive,
Ferndale, WA 98248
Phone: 360-366-3112
Fax: 360-366-0396
Email: [email protected]
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Material from the newsletter may not be printed, reproduced or posted on any website with permission from
PNWGSC authorizing each one. Direct your inquiries to
the editor. The opinions expressed herein are those of the
authors’ and do necessarily constitute endorsement by
the club.
“I stuck my head
out the window
this morning and
Spring kissed me
bang in the
face!”
-Langston