Youngstown All Breed Training Club

February 2010

Brags       FYI       Welfare       Health       Class Schedule          In the Vicinity          Youngstown Presents         

Debbie Sacerich Seminar

Saturday, Jan 9th several brave YABTC members and a few others (15 in all) battled through the cold and snow to come to the club for 2 agility seminars given by Debbie Sacerich. Debbie is a popular seminar presenter from the Cleveland area who runs two rescued Belgian Malinois and has been a lead instructor and training director at Cleveland All Breed Training Club.

The first seminar was titled "Distance and 2 X 2 Weaves."  In this seminar handlers worked on increasing distance between them and their dogs when running an agility course.  Debbie demonstrated with her dogs that it could be done by standing in one area on the course and directing her dogs to different obstacles and jumps.  She discussed training cues for increasing distance and provided a great chart for running "Obstacle Focused" or "Handler Focused." Then the teams took the floor and practiced.

Each seminar included a great hand-out to remember key points. Several people also came to audit the seminar and learned much by watching the dog/handler teams work through problems and taking notes. 

Debbie then gave a brief overview of Susan Garrett's training method (with some additions of her own) to train dogs to gain correct entry to any set of weave poles from any angle.  This method can be trained in 3 weeks with daily practice and is currently being incorporated into the curriculum at YABTC. 

The afternoon session, "Plan to Cue and Q" concentrated on cueing your dog so that it knows the next direction to take on a course before taking off for a jump.  We all learned that we are not giving verbal or body cues quickly enough in most instances.  Watching ourselves on video proved to be insightful and entertaining! 

And of course YABTC put on a spread for the luncheon with enough to feed probably 20 more people!     THANK YOU to all who brought food and items for the seminar.  There were SO many choices and I heard favorable comments on all of it.  You probably even had some left over for supper - an added benefit of not having to cook after a long day!  I couldn't have done this without you. You always come through!  I just wanted you to know I appreciate you all! 

All in all it was a tiring day, but well worth braving the weather on a cold Saturday in January.

If you have suggestions for an agility presenter we could invite for next year, please let Sandy Irish know. 

The next seminar at YABTC is the Massage Seminar with Maria Duffy on Sat., Feb 14.  Please contact Rae Rinehart if you are interested.

~ Sandy Irish
Agility Seminar Coordinator

 

Brags       FYI       Welfare       Health       Class Schedule          In the Vicinity          Youngstown Presents         


Brags

 

 

 

 

This is a picture of my 10 year old sheltie Sprise.  UROC UCDX JANREM SURPRISE ENDING CDX RAE8  GN CGC ASCA CDX  finished her Graduate Novice Title under Ted Walshesky at the Westmoreland County Obedience Training Club trial on November 14.  She had scores of 188 2nd place, 184 1st place, and 189 4th place. 

~ Janet Moore

 

 

 

It’s a new

C-ATCH for Sally & Rowdy Payne  

Sally Lee Payne and Delrae’s Rootin’ Tootin’ Cowboy (Rowdy), her Australian Shepherd, completed their C-ATCH, CPE’s Agility Trial Championship, at Four Seasons K-9 Athlete Center on January 2. Sally and Rowdy entered CPE at Level 3 in May 2007 because they had AKC excellent titles. Dog and handler teams also enter in Levels 1 (no teeter or weaves) and 2 (fewer obstacles than level 3) as well.

To complete the C-ATCH, Sally and Rowdy had to complete a number of Standard, Handler Games (Colors and Wildcard), Strategy Games (Snooker and Jackpot) and Fun Games (FullHouse and Jumpers) in Levels 3, 4, and 5. More qualifying scores are required in each level, and the times and faults become more exacting.

At Level 5, the team needs qualifying runs in ten standard classes and five qualifying runs in each of the six games (Colors, Wildcard, Snooker, Jackpot, FullHouse, and Jumpers). A C-ATCH is a great achievement. Congratulations, Sally and Rowdy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~ sent in by Jay Wooten

 


Top of Page      Brags       FYI       Welfare       Health       Class Schedule          In the Vicinity          Youngstown Presents        

Enroll for Agility Classes

Contact Nancy Ventresco

At (330) 482-1661

March Schedule

Enroll for Obedience & Rally Classes

Call or E-mail 330 398-9270

Registrar@yabtc.com

 

Type

Class

Time

Begins

Ends

Instructors

Mon

A

AG1 & 2

9:00

Mar 15

May 03

Carol Kershner, David Beach

 

A

AG3 & Advanced

10:30

Mar 15

May 03

Carol Kershner, Lotta Shafer

 

A

Intro to agility

11:45

Mar 15

May 03

Carol & Lotta

 

A

Beg Agility

6:30

Mar 15

May 03

JoAnn F & Lynda T Cancelled

 

O

Rally

6:30

Nan 25

Mar 01

Mary Mignogna

 

O

Rally

7:05

Mar 22

May 10

 

Tues

R

Rally Run Thrus

6:00

Mar 02

Mary Mignogna

 

O

Obed. Run-Thrus

6:00

Mar 09 & 23

Kim Burrier

 

C

Conformation

6:00

Mar 02

Mar 30

Lisa Walters & various

 

O

Beg 01

6:00

Mar 09

Apr 27

 

 

O

Novice

7:05

Mar 02

Mar 30

Tammy Hunt

 

O

Puppy

8:10

Mar 30

May 04

 

 

O

Beg 02

8:10

Jan. 12

Mar. 02

Becky Onuska

Wed

O

Pre-Novice

6:00

Mar 03

Mar 31

Sharon Phillips

 

O

Beg. 01

6:00

Jan. 13

Mar. 03

Dale Burrier

 

O

Beg 01

6:00

Mar 17

May 05

 

 

O

Doodle

6:00

Mar 24

Apr 28

 

 

O

Puppy

7:05

Feb. 10

Mar. 17

Tracy Deems

 

O

Open

7:05

Mar 03

Mar 31

Dale Burrier

 

O

Doodle/Adv Rally

8:10

Jan 27

Mar. 03

Bill Allen; combo

 

O

Beg 01

8:10

Feb. 17

Apr. 07

 

 

R

Adv Rally

8:10

Mar 31

May 19

 

 

O

Utility

8:10

Mar 03

Mar 31

Jeff Showman

Thurs

A

AG1

6:30

Mar 11

Apr 29

Lynda Tushar & JoAnn Fedyski

 

A

AG2

7:45

Mar 11

Apr 29

Lynda Tushar & JoAnn Fedyski

Friday

A

AG3

6:30

Mar 12

Apr 30

Pat Goodwin

 

A

Adv

7:45

Mar 12

Apr 30

Pat Goodwin

Sunday

A

Fun Runs

10:00

Mar 07

Mar 28

Cindy Zeisler

 

4H

4H

12:30 – 3:00

Tail Waggers

John Monte, Shari Yuhas

 

4H

4H

4:00 - done

Pampered Pups

John Monte, Shari Yuhas

No agility classes on Mar 19 & 20 1

For instructor or free ring info, contact TrainingDirector@yabtc.com

Members’ Rates

For Obedience & Rally: Beginning classes (Puppy, Beg1, and Rally 1, Doodle) are half the published rate. Beg2 & Advanced classes are free. (CGC test: $5). Please arrive 15 minutes early for rally class to set up your crate. Pre-Novice thru Utility classes do not require pre-registration. To enroll in any other obedience or rally classes, call 330 398-9270 or E-mail Registrar@yabtc.com.

For Agility: All classes require pre-registration. .Intro, Beginner & Ag1 are half the published rate. Ag 2, Ag3, & Advanced classes are free. If you only enroll 1 dog, you cannot participate with more than 1 dog in that class. Please arrive 1/4 hour prior to class to set-up crates. To enroll in an agility class, call 330 482-1661

 

 

 

YABTC Run Thrus

$5 for first run; $3 for second run (w/same dog)

Sign-Ups 6:00 - First Dog at: 6:30  

Instructors and Assistants
We need you. Agility and obedience classes are in need of instructors. If you would like to get started by training to be an assistant, let Dale Burrier (obedience) or Lotta Shafer (agility) know. You can be the 3 rd wheel until you become comfortable enough to be the assistant.


 

 

 

 


Top of Page      Brags       FYI       Welfare       Health       Class Schedule          In the Vicinity          Youngstown Presents            


Health

 

Color and Acuity Differences
between Dogs and Humans
by Jennifer Davis
Copyright © 1998

Most humans have the ability to see all the different colors of the electromagnetic spectrum, and consequently perceive all its' colors. [The color that is perceived is a result of the visual system, and not the spectrum itself.] Animals, such as the dog, are often thought of as being at a disadvantage by not being able to see all the hues of the spectrum. Evolutionarily however, the dog and the human each developed the visual system that worked best for them. Humans have depended on their diurnal ability and a sense of color throughout time to help them find food. Dogs on the other hand, were not originally diurnal animals, until humans domesticated them. Consequently, the ability to see at night was originally more important to the dog than color. After all, their prey is often camouflaged with the surroundings, so they are unable to rely on color vision cues as heavily as humans do to find food.

The retina of the eye is lined with both rods and cones in humans and dogs. The rods are much more prevalent in both species, but even more so in the dog than the human. The rods are adapted to work best in low light and are used for motion detection. The central retina of the canine eye contains about 20% cones, while humans have an area of 100% cones called the fovea. The cones work best in mid to high levels of light and have the ability to detect color.

Humans are believed to have three different cone types, a trichromat, while dogs have two, a dichromat. Each cone contains a photopigment that is maximally sensitive to a separate wavelength of light. These photopigments are what makes color vision possible. A human's three cone types are maximally sensitive at 445 nm, 535 nm, and 570 nm respectively. The canine cones are maximally sensitive at 429 nm and 555 nm.

The fact that dogs have two different types of cones does not mean that their brains have the ability to interpret the information that the rods and cones send. To determine what colors a dog can see, behavioral studies can be done. One such study conducted by Neitz, Geist and Jacobs involves three colored squares being placed in front of a dog. By training the dog to pick the odd colored square of the three, the researcher is able to guess what colors the dog can see. The question that then arose was if the dog was choosing the panel for it's color or due to it's brightness. It was found by use of different brightnesses for the squares that the dog was indeed choosing the square for the color and not brightness cues. Through these studies it has been suggested that an average dog sees similar to a human deuteranope, a person that is red-green colorblind. Consequently, the dog's world consists of yellows, blues, and grays. When a human perceives a red object it appears as yellow to the dog, while a green object appears as white, a shade of gray. This white region, also called the neutral point, occurs around 480 nm in visual spectrum. According to the electromagnetic spectrum, 480 nm would appear as a greenish-blue hue. All wavelengths longer than the neutral point are indistinguishable from one another to the dog and would all appear as yellow.

Figure 1 shows two electromagnetic spectrums (from Dr. Plonsky, 1998). The top spectrum is what the dog is able to perceive, and the bottom is what a human would perceive in the visible spectrum (wavelengths from 380 to 760).

Figure 1 (color view of this drawing available online)

Figure 1

The dog's ability to see detail, also termed acuity, is around six times poorer than an average human. Acuity, measured in cycles per degree, is how many lines that can be seen as distinct entities in the visual field. Humans have the ability to see about 30 cycles per degree while dogs can see about 12.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Figure 2 shows the differences in acuity between a human, top, and a dog, bottom (from East, 1998). To a dog, the top pattern would appear as a uniform gray blur. To see the individual lines, each line would have to be thicker. If it were possible to test a human and a dog using an eye chart, and the human had 20/20 vision, the dog would be between 20/50 and 20/100, making them nearsighted. This measurement of the dog's vision, and acuity, can be estimated by use of a retinoscope, which measures the refractive ability of the eye.

Acuity is affected by the size of the pupil, size of lens and cornea, and the arrangement of the rods and cones on the retina. The pupil, controlled by the iris muscle is able to expand and contract to let in different amounts of light. An animal that is active in dim light, dogs, tends to have a large pupil. The larger the pupil the more the field depth decreases. The optics of the eye for an animal found in dim light includes a larger thicker lens for greater light gathering ability and a larger cornea that refracts light. The arrangement of the rods and cones on the retina affects the acuity by the number and location of the rods and cones, and presence or absence of a fovea.

Acuity is poorer when only the rods are stimulated versus when only cones or a mix of the two are stimulated. This is so because each cone has its own intermediate neuron, while a group of rods share a single neuron to the brain. This meeting of the neurons for the rods into a single neuron results in lower acuity, but a higher sensitivity. The lower acuity is due to the stimulus information being grouped into a single neuron, consequently reducing the information that any single rod gives. On the other hand, when the cones are stimulated, they have their own line to the brain that delivers information to help distinguish the details of the object. This allows each cone to be independently stimulated increasing the ability to distinguish detail. The fovea, being made up of only cones, therefore is the area that is extremely significant to detailed vision. Since the dog has no such area of concentrated cones, it would make sense that they have a significantly lower visual acuity than a human would have.

Humans may have the ability to perceive a more colorful detailed world than the dog, however this does not mean that the dog is disadvantaged. Evolutionarily, the dog has not needed these surface characteristics to survive. Instead, they developed the ability to see in dimmer light and to detect motion that aids in their survival. Humans on the other hand, are visual creatures that heavily depend on both color and acuity to go about our everyday lives.

 

~ Sent in by Barb Wilson

The newsletter deadline is the 25 th . Send all of your news, photos, and brags to Newsletter@yabtc.com, or, leave your information in the mailbox at the Club Please let us know if you experience any problems with the Web site, or if anything needs to be added. Contact Webmaster@yabtc.com.

 

February Happenings: Maria Duthie massage seminar on the 14 th and agility run through on Saturday, the 27th

 

 

 

 

 

Wag-N-Tales Online

 

 

 

 

 

Welfare

If you have any welfare information to report, please contact Kathy Taleos at LabLady1020@aol.com .

Best wishes on a speedy recovery to:

 Our condolences to:

 

Our congratulations to:


FYI

AKC Changes Mixed Breed Rules
This is a reminder of recent changes that may affect your Obedience, Rally and/or Agility trials.

On Jan. 11, 2010, the AKC Board of Directors made some significant changes to the AKC Canine Partners program for mixed-breed dogs.

YABTC Update: Our October Rally & Obedience trial applications were submitted to AKC on January 20. Youngstown All Breed is holding steadfast in the decision to not allow mixed breed dogs to compete in our Club events.

In June, our agility trial will allow mixed breed to compete in our trial, head to head against pure bred dogs.

Club Directories
The Club directories were passed out to those present at our January meeting. Please take note that there are mistakes regarding some of the dates on the inside cover of this booklet.

If you were not at the meeting, your directory, with your name on the envelope, is in a basket on the kitchen window ledge.

An Auction at YABTC
Congratulations to Lynda Randall for your winning bid on the weaves and to Beki Blackson for your winning bid on the dogwalk. Total raised $940

Lighting
After failing in our request to our landlord to replace or share in the cost to replace our older and failing light fixtures, we purchased new fluorescent fixtures for the building. Ed Newsome & Pete Dunlap installed the lighting during our December break. The lighting was purchased from Granger for a cost of $3,183.02. Pete was able to sell the old lighting fixtures.

Snow Day
If you are wondering if we are closed due to bad weather, look online at YABTC.com. We will post building closures by 5:00. If you instructor decides to cancel your class and the building is open, this will also be posted.

Instructors are encouraged to contact
trainingdirector@yabtc.com or webmaster@yabtc.com to report individual class closures. They are also encouraged to take home their class rosters and to call their students in the event of class cancellations.

 

Trial Donations

Agility Trial (March 17 & 18)
We will be accepting:

 

Obedience Trial ( April 8, 9, 10, 11)
We will be accepting

Form more information, contact the individuals listed above. Leave raffle items in the Board room. Leave food & beverage donations in the kitchen on the dates listed. Look for sign-up sheets for both trials near the kitchen window.

 

YABTC Run Thrus

$5 for first run; $3 for second run (w/same dog)

Agility
Saturday, February 27
Registration: 1:30-3:00
Runs Start at: 2:00
Order: small to tall
Fee $5 first run, $3 2 nd run, same dog.
Nested courses.
YABTC contact person/s: Sandy Irish or Debbie Harper

Rally
When: The first Tuesday of every month
Sign-Ups 6:00 - First Dog at: 6:30

Obedience
When: The 2nd & 4th Tuesday of every month

Conformation
When: Every Tuesday at 6:00

 


Youngstown Presents

Agiilty Run Thu
Saturday, February 27

YABTC contact person/s: Sandy Irish or Debbie Harper

 Fun Match
Our 6th annual Match will be held on March 07. The building will open at 7:30. Classes offered will be Junior puppy, Senior puppy, and Junior Showmanship. Puppy & Junior entry fees are $5. We will start at 9:00.
YABTC contact person: Diana James .

 Jane Jackson Seminar
April 2010
Flyer available in building and online
YABTC contact person: Perri Graf

 The Maria Duthie Massage Seminar
Sunday, February 14, 2010

Learn 15 massage techniques, a general massage routine and pre- and post-event basics to warm up and cool down your dog as well as learning the routine to maintain your dog .

For information about Maria go to Annisage.com

(Entry form)

YABTC contact person: Rae Reinhart

 


 

In the Vicinity

Four Seasons K9 Athlete Center
Check out Four Seasons K9 for:

http://www.k9athletecenter.com/trials.htm

 

Animal Welfare League

Your click daily to this Web site http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com helps to raise money for the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County.

 

Cleveland All Breed Training Club
Betsy Scapicchio & Linda Brennan

March 27 & 23, 2010
Working Spot $200, Audit $100

www.cabtc.org

 

Beaver County Kennel Club

George Alston Conformation Seminar

Our Next George Alston Seminar will be May 8, 9 2010.

Contact: Johnette Dinello (724)375-0837

 

Keystone Canine

412-833-2211

info@keystonecanine.com

Keystone Canine Training Club
PO Box 921
Bethel Park, Pennsylvania  15102-0921

The physical location is 2942 Industrial Boulevard.

 

All Breed Training Club of Akron

2010 Run-thru Schedule
January-July

Obedience
6:00pm

($5 initial/$3 subsequent per dog)

1/25/10

 

2/08/10

 

2/22/10

3/08/10

 

3/22/10

 

3/29/10

4/12/10

 

4/26/10

 

5/10/10

5/24/10

 

6/14/10

 

6/28/10

7/12/10

 

 

 

 

Agility
6:30pm ($10 per dog)

2/01/10

 

3/01/10

 

4/05/10

5/03/10

 

6/07/10

 

7/05/10

Conformation
Every Wednesday

Except 7/14/10, 7/21/10 & 7/28/10

7:30pm ($5 per handler)

 

 Columbus All Breed Training Club
Obedience, Rally & Agility OC Match

Saturday, February 06

2164 Williams Road, Columbus, OH 43207

www.columbusallbreed.com

 


Adoption Options
If you have your heart set on adopting a specific breed of dog, check out local rescue groups.

Animal shelters and pet rescues are both great places to find another canine companion. Rescue organizations are often breed-specific, so they may be able to offer you a selection of your ideal breed. If you are open to any kind of dog, animal shelters can give you a selection of almost any breed, size, or age. Take time to visit several sites to find a dog that's just right for your family.

 

Bitter Sweets
Sugar-free sweets are no treat for your dog.

Xylitol, a sugar-free sweetener commonly found in candy and gum, could quickly cause low blood sugar, impaired muscle coordination, and seizures in dogs. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect your dog has ingested this substance. To avoid a trip to the vet, keep bags, backpacks, and the other places you stash xylitol-sweetened treats out of reach.

 

Long-Distance Call
Your dog's unique eyesight can improve your long-distance communication.

Although your dog can't see small details over long distances, dogs have a unique ability to detect motion, which helps them evade predators. You can use your pet's innate motion sensitivity for long-distance visual commands. Tie your commands to hand signals and use dramatic gestures to improve communication over long distances.

 

 

Running, Fetching, and Walking in a Winter Wonderland

 

Sure, winter brings its share of yucky weather, but it's still important to make every effort to get Rover out of the house on a regular basis for walks and exercise. Here are a few ways you can help your pup get acclimated to the colder weather so he can still enjoy his outdoor playtime:

Bootie up. Donning a pair of canine booties will protect your pooch's paws from chilly ice and snow and the harsh chemicals used to melt snow and ice on the roads and sidewalks. There are also some wax-based topical products you can apply to the pads of his paws that will provide some buffering.

Consider new clothes. Most dogs, especially those with short hair and puppies who have less insulating body fat can benefit from having a cozy sweater to help them stay warm outdoors.

Focus on favorites. The quickest way to lift your pup's spirits (and his body temperature) is to stick to his favorite outdoor activities, like playing catch with a best-loved toy. The more passionate he is about his play, the less he'll mind the cold.

Take along to-go treats. Go ahead and slip your pup a few treats now and then to help him stay motivated and keep him on course during long walks on especially chilly days.

Be calorie conscious. During the winter, your pooch's body has to burn more calories to keep warm, so ask your vet if you should add a little extra fuel to your pet's furnace by upping his food intake a bit.

 

 

 

 


Enter your E-mail address to receive monthly notices
when the next newsletter is available