Articles published in this Newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editor. Nothing may be copied unless the Editor grants permission. 

Dates & News:

ZimDog News, can be accessed from: www.vanerp.net.

Zimbabwe Kennel Club:
The Zimbabwe Kennel Club office will now only be open on a Friday each week, 14.00-16.00 CAT. 

NEWS

In memory of so many but this time it is about Mana

Tanah Merah Mana, [sister to Tango who was put to sleep 4 months ago] at the age of 12 years and 3 months: 26-07-1996 to 18-10-2008. She was already bad on her hind legs for about 2 years, but today it was suddenly very bad, as well as holding her head to one side, which suggests a brain hemorrhage? No more suffering my dear Mana of so many wonderful years together.

Rainbow Bridge

There is a bridge connecting heaven and Earth. It is called Rainbow Bridge because of its many splendid colours. Just this side of Rainbow Bridge there is a land of meadows, hills and valleys with lush, green grass…..

The rest of the poem is in previous news letter [Editor] 

PUPPIES:

KRUGER KENNELS since 1971 – Breeder Helen Clarke

IRISH SETTERS FOR YOU

Killian (RSA) and Kayler (UK) are the Proud Parents of a new litter of Irish Setter puppies. 3 males left at 06/10/08 Gun dogs or PETS

496961 - 496664, 0912 257 004 e-mail: djclarke@zol.co.zw 

Dear Jan Cashel

This is a real combination of symptoms that spells out EMERGENCY. These are the classic symptoms of a condition referred to as "bloat" - a dog that is pacing, restless and has unproductive attempts to vomit. This is a common problem in large breed deep-chested dogs but can also occur in smaller dogs. Basically what happens is this - the stomach twists causing the blood supply to the stomach to be compromised then leads to tissue death. As tissues are damaged, toxins are released and a sequence of events occurs that if left untreated, leads to death. If you ever notice these symptoms in your dog, call your local veterinarian or emergency clinic as soon as possible. This is a condition that is fairly common and often occurs in the evening or night time hours. It is also a very expensive condition to treat.  I was at a local emergency clinic the other night and they had two dogs with bloat there at the same time. One dog named Buster - an 11-year-old mixed breed, was euthanized because his owners didn't have the money to treat him. The other dog was a 6-year-old German shepherd and she was treated and saved with surgery. She was doing well when last I talk to the clinic. 

From Norris: “some way back memories”

I remember when I lived in Eastleigh, Salisbury, now they were the days !!,, my dog Hassan and Ann's bitch Zara used to lay under the porch and get bitten by the flies especially on the ear tips, all would be nice and quiet then without a second to waste they would both make a dash for the gate to bark at any passing African, but never at a European, now they were never trained to do that, it was just something that they did when ever a local would walk past the gate. The garden man used to say about Hassan, "too much dog boss" "Aye man, too big that one!", they were more frightened of a GSD than they were of a gun.

[why would they choose like this? My thoughts are: either they lived with Europeans, or was it the smell of their skin, which could be different because of the persons diet? It works exactly the same when the dogs live with Africans. They then bark at Europeans. Anybody any other thoughts about this? Editor]

Teaching ‘The Wait’

Some dogs will do whatever their owners want them to just to have a little playtime. Find the reward that best motivates your dog to learn and stick with it. Work with your dog daily in 5 to 15 minute sessions. Keep training fun, and end sessions on a high note with reward for a job well done. If you feel yourself getting frustrated or tired, quit and try again later. The objective when teaching your dog to WAIT is to keep him from charging through doorways, into cars, or across roads before you are fully ready for him. The command is similar to STAY, but is used in relation to doorways, other thresholds, and crossings. Teaching your dog to WAIT can be challenging. Dogs are curious, animated, and easily distracted. WAIT is a command that requires inaction, a circumstance your dog may have trouble understanding. When we give them the command to WAIT, it doesn't take long for dogs to become figedgety and bored. Work with your dog on the lead first. It will give you better ability to control him when he moves out of the WAIT position. Begin by walking your dog to a door. A screen door is best at first so you don't lose visual contact with your dog. Give him the command to SIT. A dog will hold still in a sit position a little longer than he would if he were standing. With your fingers pointing upwards, show the dog the palm of your hand and give the command WAIT. Begin to open the door. As soon as your dog moves, close the door. Continue this opening and closing of the door until your dog does not try to walk through the door when you open it. The purpose of the repeated opening and closing is to teach the dog that he cannot anticipate if the door will open completely or not. Eventually, you should be able to open the door and your dog will remain seated. Make sure to reward your dog every time he does not try to bolt through the door. Once the door is open, give your dog a release command (e.g. Okay!) and allow him to cross the threshold. Soon, you should be able to walk through the door to the other side while your dog waits. Once your dog has mastered WAIT from the SIT position, try it while he is standing. It's tougher, because he will want to walk around or even go into a SIT. Once he has learned to WAIT while sitting and standing, try the commands off leash. Soon you will no longer have a dog that goes flying out the door every time it is opened or gets under foot when you are entering or leaving. Continue to train this trick over and over again. Always use a happy singsong voice when praising and lots of positive reinforcement. Eventually, your dog will understand what you want and will wait patiently at doorways or at the roadside until you give him the release word. The keys to success in teaching your dog tricks are patience, practice, praise, and persistence. When training your dog, every step he takes in the right direction should be rewarded as though he had just won the lottery. Tricks are fun – and learning how to do them should be fun, too.

KCH Dog jumping

All weaving -pole attempts went well with the owners help
A link to lots of information is very interesting “German Shepherds in Herding”: www.geocities.com/heartland/rang/5093/

Hi Jan Cashel,

Ever wonder why dogs chew on things? Even better, why do they chew on expensive things (like the $10,000 cherry wood dining set or the $150 pair of dress shoes or $250 purse)? Well...there are several reasons for dogs chewing on things.

1. Puppies and juvenile dogs learn about their environment by mouthing and gnawing on objects. Typically the targets are random, and may include shoes, books or bedposts. Investigational or "play-related" destructiveness of this kind is a normal behaviour for a growing dog.
2. Some adult dogs chew out of boredom or because they are upset when "abandoned" by their owners each morning. In frenzied efforts to escape the house or find her owner, a dog of this persuasion will dig and chew at doorways, windowsills and curtains. She may also search for shoes, pillows, purses and other personal items to chew on.
3. Other dogs may chew because they have a nervous personality or they have some phobia. If your dog suffers from thunder phobia, she can cause dramatic damage to your house on stormy days.  In addition to thunder, your dog may develop fears of fireworks, wind, and a variety of other noises.
4. Finally, dogs chew because it is "FUN". The solutions to stop chewing will vary based on the dog and the reason for the chewing. But one simple time tested solution is to give them something to chew on. There are a number of excellent "chew toys" in the market. I like the Kong® brand toys, that are durable and strong. They come in a variety of sizes and shapes (you can even hide treats in many KONG toys).