the greater gainesville dog fanciers association, inc.indoor dog and part of the family. we put in...

GGDFA Newsletter — April 2019

The Greater Gainesville Dog Fanciers’ Association, Inc.

April 2019 Newsletter for Dog Lovers

G.G.D.F.A. P.O. Box 358332

Gainesville, Florida 32635-8332

www.ggdfa.org

General Meeting Dates: 2nd Tuesday each month

PINE GROVE Baptist Church 4200 NW 39th Ave

7:30 pm Gainesville, FL

Board Meeting Dates: 4th Tuesday each month

Club Officers

President — Denise Gaboury 1st VP — Pam Rice 2nd VP — Kathy Davis Secretary — Sarah Wingfield Treasurer — Doris Horton

Club Directors Carol Lamb

Claire Hedrick Marge Saucier Linda Graham

Newsletter Editor

Claire Hedrick

Membership Chair Kathy Davis

Happy Easter!

APRIL TO DO LIST

Pay Dues—If you haven't already!!!

$ 12.00 individual

$ 15.00 family

Awards Needed Each year we acknowledge AKC

Titles won by our members fur-children.

Copy the Certificate and send or give copy to Denise

Gaboury.

Special plaques will be awarded later this year. will

be sometime after April


News From AKC Published www.akc.org

The Lab Rules Once Again – For Record 28th Straight Year!

Published aaa.akc.org

By Ranny Green Mar 20, 2019

There just seems to be no stopping the Labrador

Retriever!

For a record 28th year (2018), the versatile

sporting breed reigns supreme on the American

Kennel Club registry list, a run like no other breed

has seen in the record books.

Changes in the Top Ten

Little changed in the Top Ten standings from 2017.

Following the Lab are: 2, German Shepherd Dog;

3, Golden Retriever; 4, French Bulldog; 5,

Bulldog; 6, Beagle; 7, Poodle; 8, Rottweiler; 9,

German Shorthaired Pointer; 10, Yorkshire Terrier.

All remained in their same spots from the previous

year other than the last two, which swapped

positions

Breaking into the Top Ten ranks as a monumental

move for the German Shorthaired Pointer, which

has been quietly edging its way up the popularity

list the past decade. The ninth-place position is its

highest since becoming recognized in 1930.

Conversely, the Yorkie dropped from No. 2 in

2008.

While Labs aren’t No. 1 in all major U.S. cities,

here are a few where they hold the top spot:

Austin, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland,

Dallas, Denver, Fort Worth, Kansas City

(Missouri), Jacksonville, Milwaukee, Nashville,

Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland (Oregon), Raleigh-

Durham (North Carolina), San Antonio, St. Louis,

Salt Lake City, and Seattle.

The 1970s marked the first appearance of the

Labrador Retriever in the country’s Top Ten, and it

has remained there since.

If you like statistical comparisons, here’s another

good one: The No. 1 breed of the 1940s, the

Cocker Spaniel, enjoyed a renaissance in ’80s,

climbing back into the top spot from 1983-1990.

That feat meant that it held the No. 1 position

historically – 23 times – more than any other

breed. Beginning in 1991, the Labrador Retriever

began its uninterrupted reign atop the registry.

So What Makes the Labrador Retriever so

Popular?

Three longtime breeders, Linda Maffett, of

Bellingham, Washington; Judy Heim, of Turlock,

California; and Erin Henlon-Hall, of Villa Ridge,

Missouri, cite versatility, stable temperament,

friendliness, trainability, and athleticism as just a

few of its special qualities.

Maffett, a breeder since 1987, adds, “The qualities

I focus on when placing my puppies in pet homes

are the same as I am in looking for in a pup to keep

for myself – temperament, temperament,

temperament, and, of course, overall health and

breed type.”

Heim, who started in Labradors 49 years ago,

concurs, “We want a dog that is going into a home

as a family dog. Hence the importance of

temperament. Canines are social animals and will

always live in a pack. If they are not living with a

pack of dogs, their humans become their pack. It’s

horrible for a dog to be put in the backyard to live

its life in solitude. So we require that the dog be an

indoor dog and part of the family. We put in our

contract – and have the buyer initial the sentence

that should he/she find the need to rehome the dog

that it be returned to us.”


And there was movement afoot by some of the rarer

breeds, too, in 2018. Pumik jumped 11 spots (162 to

151), Ibizan Hounds rose 13 positions (165 to 152),

and Finnish Lapphunds moved up 12 notches (173

to 161). Following years of decline, four terriers

moved up: Rat Terriers (97 to 86), Border Terriers

(92 to 88), Bedlington Terriers (151 to 141) and

Dandie Dinmont Terriers (181 to 176).

What Dog Owners Need to Know About the

FDA’s Grain-Free Diet Alert Published aaa.akc.org

By Anna Burke May 07, 2019

The FDA launched an investigation into potential

links between canine heart disease and diet —

specifically grain-free diets. We’ve compiled the

information you need to know to understand this

recent development.

What is the FDA Investigating?

It is easy to jump to conclusions anytime we see an

FDA headline about pet food. After all, our dog’s

health is essential to us, and we know that diet can

make a big difference in a dog’s well-being. We

reached out to Dr. Jerry Klein, the Chief Veterinary

Officer of the AKC, to hear his thoughts on the

investigation.

“The FDA is investigating a potential dietary link

between canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and

dogs eating certain grain-free pet foods. The foods

of concern are those containing legumes such as

peas or lentils, other legume seeds, or potatoes listed

as primary ingredients. The FDA began

investigating this matter after it received reports of

DCM in dogs that had been eating these diets for a

period of months to years. DCM itself is not

considered rare in dogs, but these reports are

unusual because the disease occurred in breeds of

dogs not typically prone to the disease.”

After the advisory, 149 new cases of DCM were

reported to the FDA.

The Lab Rules Once Again (Continued)

A Labs enthusiast since the ’70s, Henlon-Hall,

adds, “This is a do-everything breed that needs to

be with its humans. It personifies the definition of

versatility – hunting, showing, family, dock

diving, tracking, obedience. It’s as American as

baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie.”

Ironically, while the American public has

continued to show its love affair with the

Labrador Retriever, the popular breed has never

won a Best in Show in the Triple Crown of dog

shows – Westminster, The National Dog Show,

and the AKC National Championship.

Other Movers and Shakers

It’s no surprise that the Labrador Retriever,

German Shepherd Dog, and Golden Retriever are

America’s top three breeds for yet another year,

positions they have held steady since the turn of

the century. But the intriguing mover and shaker

in the Top Ten in recent years is the French

Bulldog, which has been ensconced in the No. 4

slot the past two years. It’s also the top dog in

Honolulu, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New

York City, Oakland, Orlando, Sacramento, San

Diego, San Francisco, Tampa, and West Palm

Beach (Florida). The Frenchie entered the Top

Ten in 2014 at No. 9 and has maintained a

standing in that elite group since.

Five breeds that have made pronounced jumps in

the past decade are the No. 13 Pembroke Welsh

Corgi, from 24th; No. 14 Siberian Husky, from

23rd; and No. 15 Australian Shepherd, from 29th;

No. 22 Bernese Mountain Dog, from 40th; No. 24

Havanese, from 36th.

The Miniature American Shepherd presents one

of the most eye-popping stories of all. Introduced

to the Herding Group in July 2015, it is already

34th in popularity, one step up from its 2017

ranking, a feat seldom matched by new breeds

who tend to gradually ascend the popularity

ladder.


What Dog Owners Need to Know (continued)

What is Dilated Cardiomyopathy?

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a type of canine

heart disease that affects the heart muscle. The

hearts of dogs with DCM have a decreased ability

to pump blood, which often results in congestive

heart failure.

Some breeds, especially large and giant breeds,

have a predisposition to DCM. These breeds

include Doberman Pinschers, Great Danes,

Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds, and Saint

Bernards. While DCM is less common in medium

and small breeds, English and American Cocker

Spaniels are also predisposed to this condition.

When early reports from the veterinary cardiology

community indicated that recent, atypical cases in

breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers,

Whippets, Bulldogs, and Shih Tzus all consistently

ate grain alternatives in their diets, the FDA took

notice.

Should you be Concerned About Grain-Free

Diets?

According to Dr. Klein, “At this time, there is no

proof that these ingredients are the cause of DCM

in a broader range of dogs, but dog owners should

be aware of this alert from the FDA. The FDA

continues to work with veterinary cardiologists and

veterinary nutritionists to better understand the

effect, if any, of grain-free diets on dogs.”

In the Dec. 1 version of the Journal of the American

Veterinary Medical Association, Lisa M. Freeman,

DVM, Ph.D., DACVN, provided an update to the

research on DCM and emphasized the issue is not

just grain-free diets. She calls the suspected diets

“BEG” diets (boutique companies, exotic

ingredients, or grain-free diets).

“The apparent link between BEG diets and DCM

may be due to ingredients used to replace grains in

grain-free diets, such as lentils or chickpeas,

but, also may be due to other common ingredients

commonly found in BEG diets, such as exotic

meats, vegetables, and fruits,” Freeman wrote.

Freeman emphasizes that although there appears to

be an association between DCM and BEG diets,

the relationship has not yet been proven, and other

factors may be equally or more important.

As a general rule of thumb, the best thing you can

do for your dog’s dietary health is to consult your

veterinarian, not the internet. Together you can

weigh the pros and cons of your dog’s diet and if

necessary monitor your dog for signs of DCM.

Cases of DCM in dogs related to a specific diet can

be reported to the FDA via their Safety Reporting

Portal.

DOG QUOTES

Properly trained, a man can be a dog's best friend.

~ Corey Ford

Don't accept your dog's admiration as conclusive

evidence that you are wonderful. ~ Ann Landers

Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about

puppies. ~ Gene Hill

Scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job. ~

Frank P Jones

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy

licking your face. ~ Ben Williams

A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you

more than he loves himself. ~ Josh Billings

Dogs need to sniff the ground; it's how they keep

abreast of current events. The ground is a giant dog

newspaper, containing all kinds of late-breaking

dog news items, which, if they are especially

urgent, are often continued in the next yard. ~ Dave

Barry


How Stress effects your Dogs Health

By Diana Bocco PetMD.com

Change of any kind-like disruptions to routine or a

new home-can bring about a lot of stress for dogs.

"Dogs become accustomed to a routine and changes

increase stress-even if the change is for the better,"

says Dr. Julie Brinker, a full-time shelter medicine

veterinarian at the Humane Society of Missouri.

"However, if the change is an improvement in the

dog's situation, the body's stress response will

return to its normal status much sooner."

Some other common stressors may include loud

noises (anything from thunderstorms to fireworks to

construction), boarding or kenneling, and even

travel. Meeting new family members (whether

people or animals) can also cause stress in dogs,

Brinker says. "They have to figure out if the new

arrival is a friend or enemy, then they have to learn

how to get along with it."

If your dog is stressed for a long period of time, you

might

start noticing changes in his health or behavior,

some of which can lead to serious problems if not

addressed quickly and properly. Here are six ways

stress can affect your dog.

Loss of Appetite

Any type of stress can cause a loss of appetite, but

prolonged stress can cause

weight loss from decreased food intake, Brinker

says. "This is dangerous for all dogs, but even more

so for those that started out medically

compromised. For example, dogs that are

underweight, young, experiencing other medical

problems, or eating a poorly balanced diet."

In addition, some dogs suffering from stress may

start chewing or even eating non-food objects.

"This can include obsessively chewing toys, doors,

and window sills, or licking themselves, even to the

point of injury," Brinker says.

Weakened Immune System

When dogs are stressed, the body releases the

hormone cortisol as part of the fight-or-flight

mechanism. Cortisol helps the body respond to a

stressful event-for example, by directing blood flow

to the muscles-but when stress becomes a chronic

problem, cortisol also causes problems, such as a

weak

immune system. According to Emmy Award-

winning veterinarian Dr. Jeff Werber, "With stress

and, ultimately, immune suppression, dogs are

unable to fight off infection or disease. So it's

important to minimize dogs' stress levels; otherwise,

over time, a mild problem can potentially become a

major problem."

A good example of this is demodectic mange, a skin

disease caused by mites. "Demodectic mites live on

the skin of almost every dog without causing harm,"

Werber says. "However, when the body becomes

stressed, the mites multiply in certain parts of the

skin, causing an obvious infection." Demodectic

mange is also commonly diagnosed in puppies, in

large part due to their immature immune systems.

Diarrhea

In stressful situations, the body also releases

adrenaline, another fight-or-flight hormone. Like

cortisol, adrenaline can help a dog survive an

immediate threat. For example, adrenaline increases

heart rate and blood pressure, but these temporary

benefits also come with downsides. "Adrenaline

causes a decrease in blood flow to the intestines and

stomach, which can result in diarrhea in many dogs,"

Brinker says. Stress-induced diarrhea often comes

on suddenly and is typically not accompanied by

other symptoms (no fever, no vomiting).

Behavioral Problems

The aforementioned fight-or-flight response actually

involves four Fs: Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fidget,

according to Brinker.


How Stress effects your Dogs Health (continued)

"Most dogs will try to run away from something

that scares them, but if they aren't able to escape, or

if they have learned that aggression can get them

out of a situation, they may behave aggressively

instead," she says. "Freezing happens where a dog

spends a few extra moments deciding whether they

want to fight or flee."

Finally, fidgeting is perhaps the most common

reaction we see in dogs who are stressed. "Fidgeting

is a way for dogs to work off their excess energy

without running away or attacking something,"

Brinker says. "They may pace, pant, shake their

body, lick or scratch themselves, yawn, dig, or do

another behavior that doesn't quite make sense in a

particular situation."

Exacerbate Illness

For dogs who are already sick, stress can slow the

healing process, according to Werber. "Cortisol has

an anti-healing effect," he says. "That's why we try

not to use corticosteroids [medications that act like

cortisol in the body], because they slow down the

healing process; cortisol affects our ability to fight

disease." In addition, disease increases stress in

dogs, creating a vicious cycle that is hard to break

out of, Werber says.

Issues with Urination

Stress very often causes inappropriate urination in

pets. A clear example of this is urination that occurs

in response to fear. The immediate release of stress

hormones will relax the bladder sphincters and

urination will occur, Brinker explains. "Defecation

and anal gland expression may also occur," she

says. "In the wild, urination, defecation, and anal

gland expression are all defensive mechanisms that

(hopefully) might make a predator back away and

give a stressed animal the opportunity to escape a

scary situation."

Chronic stress can also lead to changes in a pet's

urinary habits, but so can a long list of medical

problems. If your dog develops any unusual

symptoms, it's best to consult with your veterinarian

before assuming that stress alone is to blame.

January Show Special Thank Yous

Marj and Michele

Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog

Susan and Cynthia

Basket Raffle


April Dog Holidays

Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals Month

National Pet First Aid Awareness Month

National Heartworm Awareness Month

National Pet First Aid Awareness Month

April 10 National Pet Day.

April 10th National Hug Your Dog Day

April 11 - 17th Animal Control Appreciation

Week.

April 18 - 24th brings National Pet ID Week.

April 14-20 Animal Cruelty/Human Violence

Awareness Week

April 23rd National Lost Dog Awareness Day

April 26 National Kids And Pets Day!

April 28th National Pet Parents Day

April 30th Adopt a Shelter Pet Day

Poem For A Loss

You came into my life one day

So beautiful and smart,

My dear and sweet companion,

I loved you from the start.

Although we knew the time would come

When we would have to part,

You'll never be forgotten,

You left paw prints on my heart.


GGDFA Newsletter c/o Claire Hedrick 514 NW 127th Street Newberry, Fl 32669

Secretary’s Notice of GGDFA Meetings

The next General Meeting of the GGDFA will be Tuesday, Apr 9th, promptly at 7:30 pm PINE GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH, 4200 NW 39TH AVE, Gainesville, FL

The next Board Meeting will be Tuesday, Apr 23rd.

Training Classes

LOCATION: OAK HALL SCHOOL - Covered and lighted

Tower Road , Gainesville

Obedience/Rally classes— Thursdays 6:00 pm With Denise Gaboury 316-4543

Conformation classes—Club is not offering at this time

Newsletter

The views and opinions in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the Newsletter Editor or those of the GGDFA Officers and Board of Directors.

The editor reserves the right to edit or withhold copy that which may be detrimental to the standards of this publication. The deadline for submission of articles, announcements, and brags to the newsletter is the 15th of each month. Materials received after that date will appear in the following month’s publication, depending upon space availability.

You can email the editor at [email protected].

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

mailto:[email protected]

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