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, 09.00-12.00 & 14.00-16.00 CAT.

Local Shows and Fairs

26 November at the Woodlands, again the Christmas Extravaganza show [Contact Editor for booking a stall or a site, to sell your Christmas goodies etc].- we'll also have another Open Breed Show for you then, so make a note in your diaries of these dates.

All sponsored by PEDIGREE and proceeds to help the S P C A in the wonderful work they do for all animals    

To pacify you, my dear pets, I have posted the following message on our front door:

Rules for Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like to Complain About Our Pets:

1. They live here. You don't.

2. If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.(That's why they call it "fur"niture.)

3. I like my pets a lot better than 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. 

News:

Paws for Thought 1.

A three-year dog study in Sydney was made to see if dogs were either South or North Paws, or Left, Right or ambidextrous pawed dogs. The purpose of this study is to find out if dogs are successful and suitable in their working career. There are many possibilities for their career, for instance law enforcement, guide dogs for the blind, sniffer dogs for finding drugs etc.

One of the findings was that a dog without preference using either left or right paw, was more likely to be upset for fireworks. Half of the selected dogs for training for the blind were not successful and as this an expensive training it might give them a better selection to see what would be the better dog [either left or right pawed]. Laterality also could affect the dog’s progress. Dogs that were used [boxers, pugs, whippets and greyhounds] made no difference. Others were tested for their left or right pawed tendencies and were given a bowl of food, which they attempted to steady either with their left or right paw. Other studies were that flat-faced dogs have eyesight more similar to humans, than the long snouted ones. They don’t know enough about the hind legs: no preferences to cock their hind leg when having to urinate. So there you are still plenty research to be done on our dogs for the future!

Paws for Thought 2

2 Transavia for got a dog on Sicily
The dog was forgotten, which was on its way to Amsterdam. Its owner was waiting at the surveyor belt for her 6-year-old pooch. It did not come nor did it come on the next flight. After many phone calls the dog was still at Sicily’s airport. Eventually it arrived a day later, stressed, wet and thirsty according to the owner. Transavia are very upset about it all and a thorough investigation is being done.

Paws for Thought 3

3 British Police to learn to speak Dutch.
An amount of police officers have had a special course to learn to communicate with their dogs. German Shepherds are being trained in Holland, as it is more and more difficult to find the right German Shepherd dogs that are good working dogs for the Police force in England. The problem is that those dogs are used to Dutch commands and that’s why the British police had to be taught in a crash course to communicate with these animals.

Tanah Merah Kennels

Rambu is a very dark mahogany sable, hips are clear a requisite to be able to breed with him, according to Zimbabwe Kennel club rules, he has Schutzhund 1 and 2, as well as BH and all were obtained in shows in S Africa. His father [living in SA] was imported from Germany and competed many times in Working Trials TD 3, and Schutzhund 1, 2 & 3. His mother was a breed-lined bitch. I imported her from Holland and managed to get Schutzhund 1 with her here in Zimbabwe.

Bakhari is a very dark black sable, hips and elbows are both clear and she had her DNA done which is now 'proven'. Her father “Vasco” imported from Belgium, has competed many times in Schutzhund 3 and went three times to the World Schutzhund competition in Europe. Her mother was imported from Belgium too and both were living in SA. I bought Bakhari from SA and took her to live with me in Zimbabwe. 

In July obedience show was held with lots of fun and enjoyment, especially all singing Happy Birthday to Roy on that day. Roy is such a willing person to help judging these shows and he deserved a full “choir” on the day.