NEWSLETTER

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MARCH 2009
NEWSLETTER
UP COMING EVENTS IN 2009 28th March One
Day Agility Jumping Trial 7th   June   
Morning Obedience Afternoon Agility/Jumping
Trial 4th   July         Endurance Test 10th
11th Weekend Agility Jumping
Trials October 
To participate in any trial, members and their
dogs need to be registered with Dogs Victoria 
(www.dogsvictoria.org.au)   Speak to any
Instructor or Committee Member if you have any
questions about entering competitions.
"Did you ever notice when you blow in a dog's
face he gets mad at you? But when you take him in
a car he sticks his head out the window.

• A FEW REMINDERS FOR 09
• Please remember to wear your name badge, if there
  is not one on the board please speak with
  Natalie-Kodas Mum
• Please sign in the book provided every Sunday for
  insurance purposes. It is located on the table
  near the name badge board
• Please make sure you pick up after your dog!
  There is a bin provided for all your garbage and
  dog poo. Please make sure that poo is in a
  plastic bag before it goes into the bin.
• Tea and Coffee is free for members all that is
  asked is that you clean up after yourself.
• Soft drinks in the fridge are 1 ea. Chocolates
  are 0.50 each. Help yourself. There is a money
  tin in the fridge. This all runs on an honour
  system.

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WHAT IS AN ET?
         The Endurance Test is an enjoyable
activity that you can enter with your Dog.  Any
dog pedigreed or not may enter.  You must be a
member of the VCA (Victorian Canine Association)
and the dog must be VCA registered.   The ET is a
twenty kilometre run for the dogs to test their
endurance.  The run is broken up into three
sections 8ks, 6ks and 6ks with a fifteen minute
rest break between each section.  Handlers may
ride a bike or jog.  The whole exercise takes
roughly two hours and 35 minutes and when
completed, your dog gains the title ET after
his/her registered name and you will receive a
lovely sash from the Club.    You do not need to
be superlatively fit (though it helps).  You need
to train your dog to run beside your bike without
pulling or lagging.  You need to make sure that
dogs pads are conditioned and hard and that it
is accustomed to running on the different
surfaces required.  Prior to the commencement of
the run, the dogs must undergo a simple obedience
test.  This is really basic, and the dogs do not
have to perform to obedience trial standard and
can be kept on lead.  The purpose is to ensure
that the dog is capable of listening to you and
following directions.  The same obedience test is
conducted again at the completion of the 20 k
circuit.  A veterinary team on hand checks the
dogs for temperature, heart rate and pad
condition prior to the commencement of the test,
during each rest period between the three
sections of the run and again on completion of
the run.   The Club will be holding our Endurance
Test this year on Saturday 4th July 2009 around
picturesque Lake Guthridge.
  If you would like to enter the event, have any
questions or would like to help out on the day
please see Sue with the Hungarian Vizsla, (the
red dog) at the Club or you can call her on 5144
1639.  Your instructor can also answer any
questions you may have.
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WHAT ELSE HAS BEEN HAPPENING AROUND THE CLUB?
On Saturday the 21st of February some of the
clubs dogs and owners involved in the pet therapy
program were invited to go and visit the Elderly
residents of McDonald Wing Nursing Home in
Maffra. Involved in this visit was Crystal, who
brought along her owner Beryl, Ace who thought
Mavis would enjoy herself although he did try and
book her in whilst he was there.
Bella couldnt get away from Pam, so both came
for a visit. Bella later mentioned that Pam was a
bit of a drag kind of like a little brother or
sister always following her around. And finally
the newest member of the group attending her
first visit was Koda and not far behind was her
owner Natalie. The idea behind this program is
to enrich the lives of some of the elderly
residents who are no longer able to have there
own pets or whom enjoy the company of the dogs.
So these 4 dogs happily volunteered there time to
do some hard work (getting lots of pats and
treats). The dogs were in there element walking
around visiting lots of new friends, enjoying the
pats and treats as well. All the dogs were very
well behaved but some owners need more training!
It was intended to be an hour visit but it soon
turned into a 2 hour visit and still couldve
gone longer. The group tries to stick to a hour
of visiting as it takes a lot of mental
concentration for the dogs to be so settled and
docile as there new friends can be very fragile
and sometimes ill. After all the pats, treats and
meeting all there new friends it was time to go.
So the 4 owners decided to have a coffee and a
chat this also turned into a few hours. We would
like to thank everyone at Jo Jos Cafe as they
made it a very easy and pleasant visit for all 8
of us! All the dogs were very tired and just laid
down and went to sleep whilst the owners all gas
bagged. It was a lovely morning and afternoon and
fun was had by all. If you would like to get
involved in this program please speak with Mavis.
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INTERESTING THINGS ABOUT DOGS THEIR OWNERS
Dogs are found in 38 of Australian homes and are
frequently regarded as part of the family.
34 of the women in a survey agreed with the
statement "if my dog was a man, he'd be my
boyfriend".
Nearly 90 of people in a survey - find at least
one quality in their dog that they'd like to see
in their significant other.
When it comes to meeting women, 58 of men said a
puppy is a foolproof babe-magnet in the park.
Rules for Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to
Complain About Our Pets1. They live here. You
don't.2. If you don't want their hair on your
clothes, stay off thefurniture.3. I like my pet
a lot better than I like most people.4. To you,
it's an animal. To me, he/she is an adopted
son/daughter who is short, hairy, walks on all
fours and doesn't speak clearly.5. Dogs and cats
are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask
for money all the time, are easier to train,
usually come when called, never drive your car,
don't hang out with drug-using friends, don't
smoke or drink, don't worry about buying the
latest fashions, don't wear your clothes, dont
need a gazillion dollars for college, and if they
get pregnant, you can sell the results.
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The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you make a
fool of yourself with him, and not only will he
not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself
too.
When dogs leap onto your bed, it's because they
adore being with you. When cats leap onto your
bed, it's because they adore your bed.
Make sure your mate's feelings for you are
genuine! 14 admitted they might continue dating
someone they didn't like all that much, just to
spend time with their dog.
Dogs have such a strong bond with their owners
that between thirty-five and forty-five percent
of dog owners talk to their dogs on the phone or
through the answering machine.
Before you date a dog lover, make sure you like
their dog too! A whopping 66 of dog owners said
they wouldn't even consider dating someone who
didn't like their dog.
Dogs are so important to their owners that they
can, in many instances, make or break a
relationship. If you really want to please your
partner this Valentine's Day, you might be better
off buying chew toys than chocolate!"
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In a survey participants were asked Do you know
your dogs birthday? 80 said Yes 9 said No
11 said they new the month but not the
day
In a survey participants were asked How do you
celebrate your dogs birthday? 19 said With a
doggie party 67 said By buying them a new toy,
or giving a special dinner 8 said They don't
celebrate 6 said Other
In a survey participants were Asked What
furniture do you allow your dog
on? 10 said There Bed 8 said The
Couch 3 said A Chair 61 said All of
above 18 said Not allowed on furniture
The following ad appeared in a newspaper SINGLE
BLACK FEMALE SBF Seeks Male companionship,
ethnicity unimportant. I'm a svelte good looking
girl who LOVES to play. I love long walks in the
woods, hunting, camping, riding in your pickup
truck, fishing trips, cosy winter nights spent
lying by the fire. Candlelight dinners will have
me eating out of your hand. Rub me the right way
and watch me respond. I'll be at the front door
when you get home from work, wearing only what
nature gave me. Kiss me and I'm yours. Call
555-2121 and ask for Daisy. (The phone number
was the Humane Society and Daisy was an eight
week old black Labrador Retriever.)
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MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS/COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Janice Vanatta Cedar Janice is our Club
president and also an instructor
Due to having a very nervous German Shepherd, I
went along to the very first obedience classes
held in Sale.  The local RSPCA saw a need in the
community and started classes operating in the
late 70s.  Heidis greatest achievement was to
be able to stay in a group drop stay while an
instructor stepped over her.  I was thrilled that
she had gained enough confidence to not break the
stay.   By the time I got my next German
Shepherd, the ban on importing the breed had been
lifted and dogs with sounder temperaments were
being introduced into the gene pool.  Elke came
into my life and I began serious obedience
training.  By now the club had moved from the
RSPCA umbrella and was affiliated with what is
now Dogs Victoria.  I commenced training at
Morwell to be an instructor.  Even though we had
a young family at the time I managed to trial
Elke and she gained her CD.   At the time I was
training Elke, my eldest daughter was training
our Miniature Schnauzer, Lucy.  It was great
having dog club as a family affair.    Shilo was
born in 1983 and by now I was well and truly
addicted to dog obedience.  She was a very keen
worker, always eager to please and a pleasure to
train.  I trialled Shilo through CDX level. 
Obedience trials were huge in those days as the
sport of agility had not been introduced onto the
Australian dog scene.  East Gippsland held its
trials at the Canal Reserve and we had numerous
rings to accommodate the competitors.    
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When Shilo produced a litter of six puppies we
kept one and our youngest daughter began her dog
training involvement.  The pair had great
success, and at the age of ten, Samantha became
the youngest member of the club to gain a
title.   In 1989 I was honoured to be given life
membership to the EGDOC. I was absent from the
club for a few years while my daughters were
heavily involved in the Pony Club movement.  In
1999 I returned to the club with my German
Shepherd, Shiraz.  In 2003 I became passionate
about Positive Reinforcement Training when I
attended a workshop with Jenny Judson and made
the decision that this would now be my primary
method of training.  Agility training was now
offered at club so I became involved with that as
well as training obedience.  Shiraz gained titles
in obedience, endurance and agility.   After
owning German Shepherds for over 30 years we
switched breeds and a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling
Retriever, to be known as Cedar, arrived in the
Vanatta household.  It was very different having
a Gun Dog as part of our family.  Cedar has been
a joy to own and train and has gained numerous
titles in her short 41/2 years.   At the end of
2007 an Australian Shepherd, Snickers, joined the
family and has fitted in beautifully but that
is Franks story!