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.

We hear of interesting arrivals in Zimbabwe - a Harlequin Great Dane Dog from Portugal and a South African Great Dane Bitch who have recently produced a litter; we hope to see them at the Fun Shows in the coming months.

Zimbabwe Kennel Club:

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

Dr Graham Irvine:

"The Wake was held in Highlands, Harare, at the beginning of March for Dr. Graham Irvine, the well known Dentist and successful Dachshund exhibitor, who died in the UK last year. 2006.  The dog fraternity was represented, as were the Caledonian Society, the Masons and the dental profession.  His wife and family came from the UK for the Wake and those who knew Graham in Zimbabwe extend their sympathies to the family  "

Local Shows and Fairs

Bulawayo Combine Shows:
It is expected that the Bulawayo Championship Shows will take place, again with the Trade Fair, in Bulawayo over the weekend of 28/29 April.  For further information contact Mr. Bruce Watson,  watsonia@gator.co.zw

Working Breeds Club:
26/05 Working Breeds Club of Mash. Miss G McLaughlan CH BR/OB tba [Mr & Mrs Clive Edwards judging]

MLKA & Hatfield Shows:
30 June/01 July - MLKA & HKC Ch. Shows with Pat de Coning (South Africa) & Dave Grimbly (Zim) judging 

Mukuvisi Shows:
All sponsored by PEDIGREE and proceeds to help the S P C A  in the wonderful work they do for all animals
25 March - Dog Walk & SPCA Show for Pets Fun Show
27 May - SPCA Dog Walk & Charity Fun Show
23 June - SPCA Dog Walk & Winter Fun Show
24 June - Dog Walk/Open Breed Show [Mike Rust Judging]/Anniversary Fun Show & Pedigree Dog Parade
29 July - SPCA Winter Fun Show
26 August - SPCA Harvest Festival Fun Show
25 Nov - Open Breed Show [Mike Rust judging] & SPCA Christmas Extravaganza Fun Show

E-mail News:

Some various communications from Norris Crossland, who some of you still might remember:

MAIL no 1:

Hello Ilse, thank you so much for your lovely reply, when I first wrote to you I checked my letter page and it did not show that it had sent a letter, so I wrote the next night, if you did receive two letters from me on the same subject that is the reason why.

I keep in touch every day with my dear friends Ann and Derek Warner in Hillside in Harare, and I almost live and breathe all of the things that are happening in your lovely country, having lived there myself and have been back a few times I know the hardships and knocks that people are having. And it hurts too!! in the heart!. I returned to Harare 18 months ago for a holiday with my friends, staying with them in Hillside, and last March I attended their daughters wedding Lieca to Brett, the reception was at the Meikels Hotel and very professional too, at a price no doubt!!!!!!

I first lived in Salisbury in 1973 moving up from Jhb in South Africa, I lived with Ann and Dave Thompson in Somerset Drive, Eastlea, Dave worked with Esther's husband Basil for the telecoms dept., in Salisbury, Ann was the housewife and mother of two little girls Lieca and Kantara, and I was a elevator engineer for Schindler Lifts in Salisbury. Looking after elevators in the Monomatapa Hotel and office blocks and Sanders Stores etc;.and the grain silos in Mazoe and rural areas.

I first met Esther and Basil through a social gathering and Esther and I got talking dogs as I had a G.S.D., when I lived in the u.k previously. She took me to see Tony Ridgeway at his beautiful home and his Schloss Adler Dogs, I believe you also had Donna from his kennels?. The price was not right for the dog I selected and I left empty handed, only to go with Esther to Fort William to see some pups and on Esther's say so I chose my dog which I called Hassan, Esther was wonderful with animals, such a lovely calming manner with them and could do more with Hassan than I could, as she said I was too impatient and the dog could sense it. However we used to go to the Salisbury GSD club and it's there that I met some very nice people including Gordon Grierson and his dog Shaka, Shaka only had one eye as he lost his other one when someone shot at Gordon and Shaka took the bullet which probably saved Gordons life. I also remember Alex Mann, the head of the dog section for the Rhodesian air-force. When I saw your photo of one of your dogs walking the tightrope [this was my dog Freya. Editor] it reminded me of Alex, as he was the first person I know to teach his dog to walk a rope instead of a plank of wood. All lovely people and I have nice memories of them all.

I left Rhodesia in 1980 to return to the U.K., and kept in touch with Ann and Dave for a while, however Dave was killed in a motoring accident, Ann left Eastlea and married Derek, they moved to Hillside their present home. Her two daughters are also living there, Lieca is married and lives in a house on the property, Kantara is not married lives with Ann and Derek in the main house.

Esther's son Craig and daughter Denise were as I remember them, very well mannered lovely young boy and girl, as for Esther's dog Jason, well he just did not like strangers, but Esther had full control over him when out, he was very protective of her and he let you know it. She also had several other dogs and is really the most "doggy "person I know. If you do see them soon, please give them my regards and ask Esther to write and let me know how things are etc;, thank you for your reply and I wish you well. Regards to your family. Bye for now, Norris

MAIL no 2:

Hello Ilse, thank you for your reply, so pleased you are able to write back as so many people do not respond, and the communication you spoke about in your letter is true of us humans, I believe at times it is called "body language", and it does transmit to our animals rather like the unheard rumble from the elephant leader sending messages to others in the heard.

One story for you that reflects this is about a man at the dog training club, I believe he was at the time a police inspector, (Esther may remember him), however he used to win all the obedience class with his dog, which over the years met with resentment from some jealous people, who also had some suspicions about how he could win year after year with the same dog. Apparently at one competition the judges were placed around the course to watch out for the "hidden" commands from handler to their dog. According to the story this police inspector 's dog was doing so well as usual and on completion one of the judges made an observation that the dog had responded to a silent command. Of course all hell broke lose and evidence was called for to prove the allegations, being at the top competition made every one aware and were all eager to learn the outcome of the judges decision.

The judge in question had observed that when the handler was given a command to do this or that with his dog, and verbal commands or hand signals etc; were not allowed, the handler then "sniffed" as though taking in air with force through his nostrils, this was considered to be the "hidden signal" to his dog. There was a lot of denial and argument that followed and I believe it went to a higher level for the final ruling which was that the handler had been guilty of sending a command to his dog. The judge in question had been watching the handler and not the dog, and he stood by his conviction.

MAIL no 3:

It is nice remember the good days I had in Rhodesia with the dogs and at the GSD club, and the lovely people that I made friends with too in the short time I was there. I remember Alex Mann once telling us about his dog, he said he thought that he knew most things about dogs, but one thing that baffled him was this, how did his dog know that it was his night to be "dipped", in the house bath. Alex used to run the bath for himself, fetch the towels etc; with the help of his dog, the dog used to fetch the slippers too, sit by the bath as Alex laid there soaking the days grime away. But come the day (and this varied) for the dog to be dipped, than Alex could not find hair nor hide of the animal. Alex used to try and do things that were different, but his dog was always one jump ahead, it was as though his dog could read his mind!!, I don't think that he ever found a way to beat this little challenge as clever as he was with dogs.

As you say Ilse Alex must have sent some message to his dog that "tonight my boy you are going to be dipped." My dog Hassan was ears up as soon as I took the lead for him to go out, but that was a visual signal, and no problem to work out, but it's the silent signals we send out that the dogs pick up on which is a mystery [No mystery here at all as this is called Animal Communications Editor]. They are good at knowing sounds far away [up coming thunder Editor] like the owners car being out of sight but yet the dog "knows" the car is not too far away. It is a very interesting subject, and is also fascinating at the same time.

As a novice handler at first I also used to transmit my moods to Hassan, and that's where Esther came in, she was so calm and I was keen for Hassan to do what I told him, without really considering that he had to learn first as we all have to do, so Esther put me right, as she understood the psychology of the animals.

Anyway I must dash and will be in touch with you later, bye for now, Regards from Norris.

MAIL no 4:

I have only just finished watching Crufts dog show final on the t.v, marvellous show, for 4 day's nothing but dogs, some 22.397 entries of all breeds were recorded, with the final 7 being presented for best in show tonight. When you consider that in any breed of dog there were around 15.000 entries and 27.000 entries for terriers, that is a lot of dogs for any judge to pick a winner from.

Thank you Norris to send me all these very interesting thoughts and whish more would give me some ‘old’ stories of years gone by for us all the enjoy reading again. Editor