PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Wow, what a weekend for our specialty. For the most part, the weather held up nicely and the shows went off without a hitch. We had a great entry for all shows. The all breeds had counts of 51 for Thursday, 55 for Friday, 71 for Saturday, and 68 for Sunday. Our specialties had 14 for puppy sweeps, 1 for veteran sweeps, 71 for Saturday, and 69 for Sunday. This is up roughly 17 from last year. The quality of the dogs shown was once again top notch making this a very competitive specialty. Congratulations to all the winners.
First off, a very huge thank you to Linda who donated the Saturday prizes as well as the judges' gifts (she had each personalized for the judge), and to Tammy Cousins for donating the Sunday prizes. Also, thank you to the many club members and non-club members with sponsored our major winners and some that just made general donations to help offset the cost of the shows.
Thank you to a very strong judging panel of David Frederick (Sweeps), Mark Smith (Saturday), and Mark Sedgwick (Sunday).
The weekend started off with Friday night set-up which usually goes off without a hitch. Linda, Sharon, and I seem to get quicker at this each year and this year we had to set up without Susan’s help as this dragged into well after Best-in-Show due to the ring still being used after lunch.
Saturday started off with Linda and Sharon working as a tag team to get the prizes and ribbons set up and displayed for a very nice presentation. I have been to many shows and observed various clubs' (all breeds) presentations at their specialties and I will argue we are second to none. The two of them have it down to a science and any third person trying to help just gets in the way (learned this from personal experience). I saw lots of people taking pictures and videos each day of the display.
We had put a hiatus on the exhibitor bags the last couple of shows but re-introduced them this year. They were mostly filled with snacks for the exhibitor and some other items. These always go over well. Thanks to Alice, Carolyn, and Ashley for pulling them together, and thanks to Beth Lassiter and Susan Kent for making sure everybody got a bag.
Also, a huge thank you to Beth and Susan for supporting the table steward making sure they got the ribbons and the correct time, and thank you to Sharon for coaching them both. Beth was a great addition to this process this year.
Saturday and Sunday were filled with other events besides the show itself. We had the raffle baskets. We had several baskets donated by club members and a couple of businesses. Every basket was of high quality and while glancing in bags the tickets (which we did well in selling) appeared to show that there was a basket of interest to many people as they all seemed to have roughly the same number of tickets. Thank you to all that donated baskets and to Ashley, Carolyn, and Alice for selling the tickets. We also had a live auction at the evening social that was a huge success. Thank you to Linda, Josh, Susan, and Kevin for their winning bids. Three of the four items were donated by Sonya Thompson’s estate (she was a prior member of the club) and the fourth was donated by Tammy Cousins.
The Saturday social went extremely well. Thank you to Lavada for coordinating all the moving parts to pull this off and to her husband John for his help through all of this. There were a couple of issues with the food that LaVada did a great job managing and no one else knew about it because it got taken care of. Thank you to LaVada, Linda, Ashley, Carolyn, and Alice for sponsoring the cost of most of the meal. We ended up adding some last-minute food due to the expected turnout that the club funded. Even though the turnout was lower than expected, other than salad and breadsticks there wasn’t a lot of food left (we provided to-go containers that people used). We did have two of three ¼ sheet cakes go untouched, but we put them out at the show on Sunday and all that remained at the end of the day was a small sliver from one of them. We also had a small gift for all attendees with the club logo on it to help them remember the experience.
We also had enough people staying at the host hotel (Drury Inn – Morrow) and were able to use this year's comp nights plus some from prior years to cover our judges' rooms and have three left over that we had a drawing Saturday night and were able to give three of our exhibitors a free night on the club.
And how about our host hotel? For those of you staying there, you got to experience this wonderful staff firsthand. From the front desk to the food staff to the housekeeping staff. Whoever you interact with during your stay truly get how to make their customer interactions special each and every time. The folks cooking and serving the morning breakfast, the evening drinks, and evening food are very proud of what they do and are friendly to all ends. Thank you LaVada for leading us down this path.
Many people approached me throughout the weekend to tell me what a great show we put on and in many instances, these interactions were multiple times from the same individual. As president, I get to hear this directly, but I know that it is all the board, the club members, and non-club members that support this show with donations, with their entries, and with their time that really makes this show week SPECIAL. You are the people that make people put these dates on their calendars in pen making this a can’t-miss show for future years. Thank you all so very much for making this show what it is.
Now onto the Puppy picnic coming up on Sunday, March 26th. Please mark your calendars and respond to the invitation sent out several weeks ago. We have many fun events planned and I look forward to seeing you all.
Thanks
Jim
EDITOR'S MESSAGE
2023 MEETING SCHEDULE
These functions could be subject to change. All dates are the 2nd Tuesday of the month unless otherwise
March - No meeting
March 26, 2023 – Annual Puppy Picnic at the Whitmire’s Field of Dreams 11am to 4pm
April 10 - Board meeting at 6:30 pm; Regular meeting at 7:30 pm - with floor nominations for board
May 9 - Regular meeting 7:30 pm (election); No board meeting
June - TBA - Puppy Social at Paula Ayers' home; Board meeting TBA
July - No meetings
August - Board meeting TBA
September - TBA - Puppy Social at Jim & Sharon Utych's home
October - Board meeting TBA
November - Regular meeting TBA
December - Holiday Luncheon TBA; Board meeting TBS
2023 WINTER SPECIALTY
We cannot thank all the members who volunteered their time, their donations and their efforts in making the weekend a success! We were so very fortunate to have BOTH Saturday and Sunday major prizes donated by Linda Whitmire and Tammy Cousins and everyone who donated to sponsor a placement. Because of you, we had no expense for our prizes this year! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Our trophy table looked fabulous!
Our basket raffle baskets that were ALL DONATED were a big hit this year! These baskets are all high-quality baskets well worth between $50 to $125! A HUGE thank you to our club members who generously donated these baskets along with Lindsey Purple Armoire and Oliver Bentley Biscuits.
Thank you to everyone who donated items for our much-appreciated exhibitor bags!
Our Saturday evening social was a big hit and well attended! Thank you to LaVada and John McCosh for organizing the room and food!
We held our live auction at the social and there was some very serious bidding on our four items! We had such positive feedback on our shows and social and several exhibitors indicated that our club provides the best hospitality
NONINATING COMMITTEE
Paula Ayers – Chairperson
Pat Lander, Maureen Miles – Committee Members
Ashley Powell, Victoria Babcock – Alternates
If you would like to be considered for the Committee’s slate, please contact Paula Ayers.
All office positions are up for election at the May meeting. A formal email will be sent to the membership outlining the By-Laws process.
PUPPY PICNIC
We will be holding heart and eye clinics and you can avoid the payment line by paying online at our secure, safe website: https://ckcscatlanta.org/puppy-picnic-health-clinic-online-payment-payment-form Clinics are $50 each per dog.
We will have AKC CGC testing (free), Fun contests ($1 each), Fun Match ($5 each), food, beverages, Junior Showmanship fun class, and a few other surprises!
Come and join us! More information can be found on our website at: https://ckcscatlanta.org/2023-spring-puppy-picni
THE LEARNING CURVE
This month we continue a series of educational articles concerning all aspects of dog showing and breeding. Many of our members are not in the show/breeding world and have shown great interest in learning about both areas. Through this series of articles, hopefully, you will be able to learn and also determine if you might wish to take the step towards showing or breeding. if there is any specific topic you would like addressed, please let me know at Fitchpatrick@Earthlink.net. Mark Fitchpatrick, Newsletter Editor
The information below is shared from AKC.org
Did you know that more than 80% of show dogs are handled by their owners? The AKC National Owner-Handled Series celebrates the dedication and enthusiasm of owner-handler exhibitors and allows them to compete head-to-head against one another in the conformation ring.
The AKC National Owner-Handled Series occurs after Best of Breed judging in each breed ring. Dogs that rank in the top ten for their breed during the qualifying period are allowed to compete in this competition. The top-ranked dogs are posted on the AKC National Owner-Handled Series Points Ranking page. See the Point Schedule here.
- Get Started—
Start by finding a show that offers the AKC National Owner-Handled Series competition, which are listed here.
Then download the entry form which has an Owner-Handled eligible “check box” located below the lines for signature and telephone number. You must check the box on the entry form prior to the closing of the event. There is no additional fee required to enter this competition.
- Eligibility—
You may compete in the AKC National Owner-Handled Series as long as you are not a professional handler as described here. Professional handlers, household members, and current assistants to professional handlers in conformation are not eligible to exhibit in this competition. Current assistants that are eligible to compete in Junior Showmanship (meet age and amateur status requirements) may participate in NOHS. But dogs who are co-owned by a professional handler or members of their household (as described here) are eligible.
NATURAL REMEDIES
BAD BREATH IN DOGS
Bad Dog Breath — 8 Home Remedies
Bad dog breath isn't normal — it's a sign of an unhealthy mouth. Try these home remedies for bad dog breath to turn those puppy kisses from smelly to sweet.
1. Prevent bad dog breath by brushing your dog's teeth regularly.
It isn’t normal for your pup to have bad dog breath. In fact, bad dog breath is actually a sign of an unhealthy mouth. Left untreated, sick teeth and gums quickly lead to life-threatening health problems. So please, brush your dog's teeth regularly— at least once a week. Ply your pets with treats to help them associate tooth torture with tasty treats, and use toothpaste made just for dogs. Pick a paste with a flavor you actually like — vanilla-flavored Triple-Pet toothpaste with tea tree oil is a great choice.
2. Dental chews help keep bad dog breath at bay — just know which ones to choose.
Dispensing a delicious dental chew lets your dog help you do some of the work to stave off bad dog breath. Not all dog dental chews are created equal, however: Look for one that contains breath-freshening chlorophyll, cinnamon, and clove. (Don’t freak out when you notice your dog's poop is a bit on the greenish side — that’s just the chlorophyll doing its green thing.)
3. Speaking of chlorophyll, wheatgrass is another good home remedy for bad dog breath. Clip off some of the fresh wheatgrass and add it to the dogs’ food. That raw source of chlorophyll is an excellent remedy for bad dog breath.
4. Dogs can also drink bad dog breath away.
Your dog’s bad breath can also be solved with what you put in his water, too.
Chewing isn’t the only way pets can polish up their own teeth. Dogs can also drink their way to fresh-smelling breath with Healthy Mouth Dental Water, an all-natural cocktail made of enzymes, chlorophyll, and other ingredients designed to blast away bad dog breath. Simply replace your pup’s regular drinking water with Healthy Mouth-spiked wet stuff, and you’ll notice a difference within days, as the active ingredients work to kill bad bacteria in the mouth.
5. Probiotics are another line of defense against bad dog breath.
Speaking of bad bacteria, you’ll want to be sure that your dog’s mouth is populated with beneficial bacteria that way outnumber the harmful, halitosis-causing kind. That’s where probiotics come in. Use a probiotic made especially for dogs, and you’ll notice a big difference — not just in keeping that bad dog breath at bay, but in your dog’s overall well-being.
(Helpful hint: Probiotics are also great for keeping human breath smelling sweet — take them every single day and you’ll swiftly see results. Oragenics, maker of EvoraPet, is a great brand for both pets and people.)
6. Coconut oil can help with bad dog breath.
Ah, coconut oil. It doesn’t just boost the digestive, immune system, and metabolic functions — it also helps to combat bad dog breath. Put a lovin’ teaspoonful over your dog’s food every single day, and you’ll soon sniff sweeter breath— plus dogs love the taste; for them, coconut oil is a sweet treat. Some dog lovers even brush their pets’ teeth with coconut oil, making the chore an offer even ornery canines can’t refuse!
7. Neem is another good home remedy for bad dog breath.
Like coconut oil, neem (an extract of the neem tree) is one of those brilliant botanicals that have many positive effects on dog (and human) health. Besides being great for the skin and coat, neem is also excellent for promoting oral health in hounds and humans. Your dogs can take Supercritical Neem Leaf Extract by Organix-South; add one little black capsule to their food twice weekly and take one every day yourself.
8. Cinnamon is another common household item that will freshen up dog breath.
You can add a sprinkle of breath-sweetening cinnamon to your dogs' meals at every feeding.
RECIPE OF THE MONTH
Freshen Doggy's Breath With This Easy DIY Dog Treat Breath Mints
Rachel Youens, 13 September 2017, PetCube.com
Our dogs love to give kisses, but unfortunately, they don't always have the freshest breath. Since dogs can't chew minty gum, dog-friendly breath treats are the perfect way to keep their mouth smelling fresh. Both parsley and mint have overbearing scents that mask the odor, and the chlorophyll in the green leaves acts on bacteria and eliminates them.
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats,
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- 1 large egg (see tip below for dogs with allergies to chicken products)
- 1/4 cup of water, plus 1 teaspoon
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil (unrefined extra-virgin is best)
Preheat the oven to 325° F.
Add oats to a blender and pulse to a flour-like consistency.
In a large bowl whisk together diced parsley and mint, egg, water, and oil. Add oat flour and stir to combine.
Knead dough a few times then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Using your hands or a rolling pin, flatten the dough to about 1/8″ thick. Using a cookie cutter or knife cut out approximately 40 (1-inch mints) mints. Place mints about 1/4-inch apart on a parchment lined or non-stick cookie sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
Allow mints to cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.
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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
The newsletter is only as good as the information shared with the editor. Please be generous with the sharing of your brags and any additional information you would like to see in the newsletter. That information can be sent to me at Fitchpatrick@Earthlink.net
THE CAVALIER CHRONICLE
CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL CLUB OF GREATER ATLANTA
Mark Fitchpatrick, editor