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.

Condolences:

Shirley Campbell-Smith, the long serving Secretary of the now defunct Terrier Club of Zimbabwe, died in South Africa recently after moving down there from Harare.  She was a devotee of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier for very many years and her numerous friends will sadly miss her.    

Can anyone Help? From one of my website readers:

“Would you remember a breeder of shepherds many moons ago called Moira Wood they were country members of the gsd club she had two sons that I know of Keith and Douglas. I met Douglas last night at a friends house nice chap, he seemed familiar but we both cant place were we have met before but we know it was not at the gsd club he seems to vaguely remember your name [Ilse van Erp] and Rosemary Drydens name. It’s amazing what a small world we live in.

1 1: Balancing while the boogie is pushed down one side so she has to push up her right fore and back leg. 2 Boogie held up so she has to push back legs up to stay even

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3 3 Boogie is now pushed sideways so she has to push her left fore and hind leg up. 6 Boogie is held up the other way for her hind legs

 

4 4 In between normal swimming but as Chelito did not use her hind legs properly, each leg had a sock attached with a piece of plastic, this resulted in friction and she is now kicking very well.

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6 5 The harness is helping to hold her up at times in case she goes too far down. The plastic on right hind leg is pulled under with her much better way of kicking.

Last month I wrote about: ”Gone were the days were a mere walk in the park was enough. While some pets are treated for medical reasons".

Chelito was a rescue dachsie with a hunched up back and she would jell when picked up. An MRI was done on her  but no defects were seen in spine or neck. Her picture was then send on to Sheila a “Dog Reader”. Her finding was that she had a sore left leg and Chelito was put on a daily swim exercise with the help of a boogie board. In the first place it were very short sessions and now she is on at least a 15-minute exercise on a boogie board and swim program with resistance [back legs]. Her front legs are stretched as well, holding her in the water and doing it very gently. More than 3 month later this dog is a much happier dog and hardly ever jells when picked up, her spine is now practically normal and not hunched up when walking in the garden.

Next month some exercises for hindlegs which need strengthening. Who is prepared to help with their swimming pool?

The WUSV Board resolution:

That all WUSV member Clubs hold National Sieger shows each year.

2. All dogs presented in the working dog classes at Sieger Shows will have to pass a working dog test.

Of the 76 member clubs affiliated to the WUSV and eligible to vote, a majority of 45 responded. This is over 60% and therefore provided the management board with the authority to proceed with the matters in the resolution.

97% of respondent clubs hold an annual Sieger Show. 89% of these give the "V-A" rating. 82% have set pre-conditions for awarding "V-A" title. 71% have requirements for courage (TSB) testing at their shows. All Sieger Shows have compulsory hip status requirements. While about 40% have requirements for elbows, with a lesser amount requiring DNA testing.

The explanation of the exact requirements is as follows.

This protection work must be according to the guidelines of the "Korschutzdienst" (the same test as that of the Breed Survey) as practiced in Germany. The show rating "V-Auslese" (VA) can only be granted if this protection work has been passed successfully. The judging of the protection work has to be done by an SV judge or a recognised SV foreign judge. Dogs entered for these tests must have a minimum of SchH1 or a comparable IPO.1 degree. There will be no immediate need for a change to the requirements necessary for the awarding of "V" Excellent grades.

This resolution was promoted as a recommendation up until the end of 2007 and as an established rule from the year 2008 onwards.

It will be obligatory to prove the "a" stamp for "V-A" from the year 2008 onwards. Until that time it will be recommended. Also recommended are ratings from "Normal" to "noch zuglassen" for the elbows (ED). Also included in these requirements shall be mandatory DNA testing.

The above-proposed resolution of the SV Management Board was passed with almost unanimous approval, with only one country (Australia) asking to have their position recorded as "abstaining". 

The friend, who had slapped and saved his best friend, asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand, and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand, where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away, but when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.

Learn to write your hurts in the sand and to carve our blessings in stone.

From one of my website readers:

"Not quite Crufts, but interesting none the less.  An Open Show hosted by the West of England Dachshund Association was held on 9 October and ex-Zimbabwean Cheryl Russell-Cargill was one of the judges.  Open Shows in

England differs from those in Zimbabwe in as much as entries are submitted beforehand (like our Championship Shows) and a catalogue is produced. Cheryl judged all the mini dachshund classes and had entries of 22 mini smooths, 37 mini longs and 33 mini wires.  Sigh!  It would take a real Veteran of the dog world to remember when there were 22 mini smooths in the ring in Zimbabwe, although I know that it did happen in the Good Old Days. Cheryl found some lovely dogs amongst her winners, and her judging met with general approval from the ringside (always an important point.)  She also managed to judge to type, and placed 3 generations of the same family in different classes in the mini longs (grandmother, mother & daughter) - naturally, without any prior knowledge!   of their breeding!  The President of the Association is Jane Hosegood, who came to judge in Zimbabwe many years ago. A Vice-President is Pam Sydney,

who also visited us and was great friends with the late Sheila Barry and Aussie and Yvonne Hosgood, (she owned Bonsai in partnership with them.) There were a lot of fond reminiscences around the ringside.  They are all sad to hear of the problems being experienced at present and wish everyone well in the future.

Cheryl has recently moved to Torrington, Devon, and her e-mail address has changed. If any one would like to contact her send your letter to me and I will forward it to her new address {ED}

Avian Influenza

There is a chance that Avian Influenza may enter Zimbabwe.  Please be on the lookout for dead birds, especially groups of dead birds and water birds.  If you find any dead birds, please USE GLOVES, put it in a plastic bag (do not

freeze/refrigerate) and take to the Wildlife Veterinary Unit on the Borrowdale Road - Attention Dr Chris Foggin, Dr Varaidzo Mukorera or Mrs. Jane Chambers - for immediate post mortem.

The Wildlife Veterinary Unit (Zimbabwe Government) has asked us to give all our members this instruction.

From one of my website readers:

Two obedience shows in October were held in Harare. Very disappointing as only a few were there. Only worth mentioning was that Kelly with Ursula qualified in class C. One of the Sectra dogs qualified in class A and now has to compete in class B. There were 6 in beginners with Maryanne Pittman wining the class.

Sunday training classes are also very poorly attended and sometimes only one person is there, this all because of the fuel situation.

The next weeks show also very poor attendance, and even 3 or 4 less than the week before. Samantha Fernanades came first in Novice and John Armstrong second. It was an unbelievable hot day. Sheila with Gail came first in class A, which was nice for them, as they will be moving to Natal soon..