December 2021 Magazine

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President’s Report

Hi everyone,

It is wonderful to see we can recommence dog events across Victoria and as predicted in my November column, everyone who wants to participate will need to provide evidence that they are double vaccinated. So please, don’t give the entrance marshals a hard time when they ask for your verification. Remember, they’re just trying to make the event safe and enjoyable for everyone. Best wishes to the Bairnsdale and Echuca Committees who were the first cabs of the rank. Please regularly check our Facebook page and website noticeboard for updates as they arise.

From Management Committee

The following agenda items were discussed in the last management committee meeting:

Effective date for new regulations

Management committee resolved that new/amendments to regulations approved by them become effective as of the 15th day of the month following the month they are approved by management committee and published on the website. Such new/amendments of the regulations will be printed and circulated in the next available hard copy Gazette that is sent to all members.

New Regulation 3.5.17.1 COVID-19 Compliance at Dogs

Victoria Events and Grounds - Effective 15 November 2021

Management committee endorsed new regulation 3.5.17.1 that authorises all affiliates, committees and officials to endorse COVID-19 compliance at Dogs Victoria approved events and grounds. This new regulation is published in full in this month’s Gazette.

Conformation Judges Committee Group Leaders

We would like to congratulate the conformation judges committee that have been reappointed by management committee for 2022. We thank Matthew Morse for his time as leader of the aspiring program for 2021.

KCC Park and Office Closure in November

I would like to take this time to thank our members for their patience during the office and Park closure that took place at the beginning of November due to storm damage and power outages.

ANKC Ltd Conference

The ANKC AGM and annual conference was held via Zoom on the weekend of 16 & 17 October 2021. Here are some highlights for your information:

Mr Hugh Gent OAM was re-elected as president for a further term and Ms Pam Campbell (WA) was elected as vice president.

Two new Australian breeds were officially recognised; the Murray River Retriever and the Australasian Bosdog. The recognition of the Murray River Retriever was particularly satisfying as the recommendation had been sponsored by Victoria. Well, done to Ken Jelbart (President of the Murray River Retriever Club) and the club for their efforts.

It was agreed that in future the designation Natural Bob Tail (NBT) and Legally Shortened Tail (LST) from 1 July 2022 will appear not only on the dog’s pedigree but also in show catalogues.

The official Gazette of the publishers, The Victorian Canine Association Inc. Reg No. A00223882W. ABN

Trading as Dogs Victoria. 655 Westernport Highway, Skye 3977. Postal Locked Bag K9, Cranbourne, 3977 Office hours 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday Telephone number (03) 9788 2500 Fax number (03) 9788 2599 Office email office@dogsvictoria.org.au www.dogsvictoria.org.au

A full summary of the outcomes of the meeting will be published in a forthcoming Gazette.

Applicable Organisation (AO) and Dog Obedience Training Organisation (DOTO) Certification

We are happy to announce that Dogs Victoria has again gained certification with Animal Welfare Victoria as an “Applicable Organisation (AO)” and “Dog Obedience Training Organisation (DOTO)”.

This is a great result. Special thanks to the clubs, committees, staff and to Animal Welfare Victoria who helped gain the certification and protected our ability to continue to operate and benefit from our AO and DOTO status.

Final Thank You for 2021

Thanks to everyone. Members, Dogs Victoria staff, management committee members and all our volunteers on committees for their extraordinary efforts to make our association prosper through 2021, despite the challenges posed by a pandemic. All your efforts mean that Dogs Victoria will emerge even stronger and more resilient in 2022.

I wish everyone a super Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. Here is hoping 2022 is prosperous and fulfilling.

Vin McPhee Dogs Victoria President

Breed Spotlight

For information on Portuguese Podengo please contact Dogs Victoria Tel: (03) 9788 2500 Email: office@dogsvictoria.org.au www.dogsvictoria.org.au

ANNEVAN

Bred by Jean Evanoff (ND)

Imported and campaigned by Jan Cooke, Jansilk Kennels

Photographer: Sally Stasytis

Dogs Victoria Badges

Congratulations to those members listed below who have reached their 50, 40 and 25 year membership status. Dogs Victoria would like to acknowledge these members and thank them for their ongoing commitment to our organisation.

25 years

Mr Alan Tee

Mr Joseph Bennett

Mrs Sharon & Mr Terence Donaldson

Miss Ebony Wright

Miss Michelle Dacey

Ms Ann Statham

Miss Vicki Pettigrove

Ms Jane Godfrey

Mrs Ruth Eyers

Mrs Terri Gibson

Mrs Glenys Cochrane

Mr James Ganson

Ms Helen Weedon

Ms Frances Hammer

Mrs Sandra Gillingham

Miss Roz Buckley

Mrs Wendy Ganly

Mr Graham Eades

Mr Richard Carr

Mrs Lorraine MacKinnon

Mr Peter Fitzgerald

Mrs Maree Johnson

Mr Jeffrey Taylor

Mrs Peta Journee

Ms Angelika Pulvermueller

Mr Peter Buykx

Mrs Isabelle O’Connor

Mr Phillip Worobez

Ms Elizabeth Sleigh

Mr Neil Haslett

Miss Janet O’Donnell

Mrs Aileen Dibble

Mrs Mary West

Mr Paul Gavin

Mrs Margaret Gallagher

Mr Bharat Vyas

Mr Stan Kruzenga

Mrs Yelena Mostovoy

Ms Kimberley Azzopardi

Mrs Jennifer MacKenzie

Mrs Diane Cole

Mr Gary Horwood

Mr Stephen Edmonds

Mr Theo Horchner

Ms Christine Howard

Mrs Lesley Fairhall

Ms Jennifer Sharrock

Mrs Jessamy Morrissey

Mrs Jane Dowdy

Mrs Jane Leeder

Mrs Geire Heaton-New

Mr Greg Green

Miss Sheridan Hicks

Mrs Michelle Guala

Mrs Helen Bourke

Mrs Susanne Timperley

Miss Michelle Petterd

Miss Rhonda Shearer

Ms Sue Walker

Miss Rhonda Williams

Mr John & Mrs Bridget Clow

Miss Tracey Coyle

Ms Jennifer Currie

Mr James & Mrs Nicola Clarke

Ms Elizabeth Monahan

Mrs Margaret Anderson

Mrs Katrina Dourley

Ms R Foster

Ms Susan Hunt

Ms Linda Johnson

Mrs Suzanne Arthur

Mr Paul & Mrs Gabrielle Simmonds

Mrs Robyn & Mr Rodney Carter

Ms Eunice Congress

Mrs Wendy Seng Hpa

Ms Louise & Mrs Katherine Ray

Mrs Lynette Burrage

Mr Terence & Mrs Gail Buckley

Ms Lee Petering

Mrs Sandra Nelson

Mrs Heather & Mr Adrian Tilley

Miss Marie Woods

Miss Rebecca McGroarty

Mr Shane & Mrs Sharelle Humphrey

Miss Joy Dubberley

Mr D & Kim Houlden

Miss Vivien Davis

Ms Darlene Fennell

Mr David McCullough

Mrs Raewyn McCullough

Mrs Judith & Mr John Strachan

Dr Monica O’Kelly

Mr William Coggins

Mrs Margaret Coker

Mrs Agnes Pali

Mr Peter & Mrs Shani Leicester

Ms Necia Lynch

Mrs Lorraine Green

Miss Nicole Green

Mrs Marilyn Warren

Mr Anthony Volpi

Mrs Sue Hatfield

Mrs Michele Edwards

Mrs Jennifer Toma

Mrs Josephine Mee

Miss Jan Frederickson

Ms Janice Kelly

Miss Michelle Moore

Miss Shelly Johnson

Ms Marta Mc Kenzie

Mrs Jenny Joseph Dr Ian Terrill

Mrs Mary Moore

Mrs Eunice Morgenthaler

Mrs Karen Ewing

Mrs Joan Morse

Ms Glenice Black

Mr Robert Bell

Mrs Cathy Scotton

Mr Edwin Cleave

Mrs Sybille Kerr

Mrs Marilyn Pollard

Mrs Cindy Craig

Mr Frank Grigons

Ms Claire Gray

Miss Ann-Maree Burrell

Mr Peter Renwick

Mrs Sandra Price

Miss Shelley Hancox

Ms Lynda Zajac

Miss Diane Townshend

Mrs L Padfield

Mr John Wilders

Ms Linda Vaughan

Ms Elaine Longshaw

Miss Katrina Adams

Miss Joy Wangler

Ms Kay Sheridan

Mrs Sheryl Heatlie

Mrs Julie Urie

Mr Peter Howard

Mr Reginald Ayton

Miss Susan Bennett

Mrs Alida & Mr Terry Wilcox

Mrs Robyn Davidson

Mrs Patricia Mattingley

Mrs Audrey Ripper

Mrs Robyn Youl

Mrs Doreen Duffin

Mrs Valerie Kitto

Mrs Emily Manning

Mrs Esther Joseph

Mr Colin Grimes

Mrs Wendy Boce

Mrs Christine Szczygielski

Mrs Isabel Mundy

Mrs Edwina & Mr Peter Neale

Mr Michael & Mrs Elizabeth Pedersen

Mrs Christine Begbie

Mrs Jan Cooke

Mr Les Mathieson

Mrs Rosina Brace

Ms Jeanette Lees

Mr Bernard & Mrs Beryl Rohde

Miss Lindsay Bolden

Mr John Wishart

Mrs Lorraine Harrowfield

Ms Sandra Creighton

Ms Lisa Williams

Ms Kim Elliott-Ball

Mrs June Ellis

Mrs Lynette Almond

Mr John Strachan

Miss Lorraine McKay

Ms Sheila Davies

Norma Kimber

Mrs Leslie Wilson

Mr Wayne & Mrs Gwen Fleming

Mrs Margaret Keil

Mrs Marina Scotton

Mrs Rae Mitchelson

Mr Peter Austin

Ms Diane Miller

Mrs Gloria Cincotta

Mrs Noreen Harris

Miss Marilyn Schmidt

Mrs I Tabbitt

Mrs Denise Humphries

Mrs Oliver Singer

Ms Kim Elliot-Ball

Mrs Pia Kirke

Mrs Judy Bacon

Mrs Maree Wakelin

Mrs Helen Watson

Mrs Lyn Jenkin

Mr John & Mrs Kerrie McMahon

Mr William Allison

Mrs Lyn O’Neil

Breed Spotlight

Portuguese Podengo

Brief History

The Portuguese Podengo was developed long before written records of dog breeding were kept. This means that very little of this breed’s ancestry is known with certainty. There is evidence of dogs of a similar style existing very long ago around the Mediterranean, being used as hunters of small game and as companions and these may have been the forebears of the breed. The Portuguese Podengo is the national breed of Portugal. This breed comes in three varieties differing in size; small, medium and large and there are two coat types (Smooth and Wire) found in each size.

The largest, or grande, is extremely rare even in Portugal, and the medium is not very numerous. The small is the only variety in Australia.

Average Life Span

When considering a dog please realise that you are taking it on for its lifetime. The average life span is 10 to 15 years of age.

Temperament

Lively, active, intelligent and friendly.

General Breed Description

All Podengos are very fast, agile and extremely durable dogs. They are similar to many other primitive hunting breeds in that they tend to form close attachments with their family and are known for their great loyalty. Some breeds have a tendency to become one person dogs, but most will form equally strong attachments to all members of a family. These breeds vary tremendously in terms of affection level. While some are very openly affectionate, most are more reserved and those that have not been exposed to children from a young age may or may not be tolerant of them.

All varieties are used for hunting, as watch dogs and are also great companion dogs.

The most common colours are yellow and fawn in all shades from light to dark, either with or without white markings or white with patches of these colours.

Coat and Care Requirements

The two coat varieties are smooth or wire, both of medium thickness. The smooth haired coat is short and those dogs are more adapted to a rainy climate because they dry quickly. However, the wire-haired coat is a bit longer. These dogs need a drier climate so as not to accumulate water inside the hair. Both coats are very easy to groom. They require brushing once or twice a week and should be bathed infrequently to preserve natural body oils, ideally once every three or four months. Other than that, this breed only needs the routine maintenance procedures required of all dogs such as nail clipping and teeth brushing. This breed is an average shedder that will regularly leave hair on furniture, clothes and carpets.

Breed Spotlight

Size

Small: Height: 20 to 30cms (8 to 12ins).

Weight: 4 to 5kgs.

Medium: Height: 40 to 54cms (16 to 21ins).

Weight: 16 to 20kgs.

Large: Height 55 to 70cms (22 to 28ins).

Weight: 20 to 30kgs.

Health

All breeds have individual health issues. When speaking to breeders it is recommended you enquire about the breed’s health and what health testing the breeder does. Because the Portuguese Podengo is a rare breed outside of Portugal, there is almost no data available on the breed’s health. It does appear that this breed is very healthy.

Suitability

They are well suited to suburban family life with a fenced in yard. The small Podengo adapts easily to city and country living.

ANKC Activities

Conformation Dog Shows

Obedience

RallyEarth DogLure CoursingAgility

In Conclusion

Now you know a little more about this breed. If you have decided this is the dog for you and wish to investigate further, please contact the breed club or Dogs Victoria. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog events where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way, you will gain a better perspective of the breed and its needs. With any breed of dog, it is important to research and determine suitability for your lifestyle before committing to a puppy which will be a part of your family for many years to come.

Whilst many breeds are recommended for families, it is imperative that when children are with dogs they are supervised at all times. Basic obedience training is a vital part of dog ownership.

Dogs Victoria is about the responsible ownership of all dogs and in particular the preservation of pure breeds.

Link to ANKC Breed Standard http://ankc.org.au/Breed/Detail/76

Building a Better Park KCC Park Facilities Committee Update

Written by: Chris Moore

It is wonderful news that we are now moving out of lockdown. Much has happened here at KCC Park. The horrific storms in Melbourne inflicted some damage at KCC Park including one of our gums on the Westernport highway frontage falling over and taking out the main power line. This resulted in the closure of the Park and no power for nine days at the grounds. As a consequence, the storm water pumping system was inoperable and the office car park was under water after several days of rain. The water found its way onto event area one and a large proportion of the gravel car park. Several other trees were damaged and blown over which also made the grounds unsafe. The groups two and seven canopy covers on area one were ripped off and two of the large canopies in the Classic Courtyard were destroyed. As a result, there was a lot of debris all over the grounds. The winds were up to 120km an hour. New covers have been ordered for the area one canopies. A fire pump was used to reduce the water level in the office carpark.

Tree Audit - We had engaged an arborist to assess all the trees on the property. This was undertaken in September. The audit highlighted the removal of some trees and the reduction and pruning of many others. There are over 120 trees on the site. This work is now being reviewed to action the high priority work this year and the remainder will be completed in 2022.

General Maintenance - With restrictions lifting, on Monday 25 October, building maintenance works commenced on the Lyndhurst room, administration building, library and pavilion. This has been planned for some time and it will be wonderful to see our main buildings brought back to life. It is sad to think that this is the first coat of paint on some of our buildings since they were created 25-30 years ago.

Work will take about 4 - 5 weeks, so if you are in attendance at KCC Park, please keep clear of tradesmen. It is hoped the work will be completed by the end of the month.

We also received a grant to replace some of the lighting with LED lights which has enabled us to upgrade the bulk of lighting on our buildings including all the toilets. This will provide improved lighting and savings in energy usage.

New Sound System – As the weather improves, we plan to have the sound system completed for use at the Summer Spectacular shows. This is an exciting project for the Park.

Nursery & Garden Industry

Victoria Mid-Week Trade Day - The amendment to our planning permit is progressing with Frankston City Council.

Building a Better Park KCC Park Facilities Committee Update

Written by: Chris Moore

West End Dirt Pile - Modified plans are in the process of being completed. A letter has been sent to the EPA reiterating that we require removal of the PFAS from our site.

Future Member Projects & Donations

- We are always keen to meet with members, affiliates and sponsors to build and improve member facilities at KCC Park for future generations. We have many projects that we would like to undertake but sadly, these have to be prioritised as funds become available. We are always happy to chat. Investment in the facilities provides benefits to our members and our dogs for current and future generations.

Park Photo Archive - We are keen to start building an archive of old photos of when KCC Park was built along with the projects have been completed over the years. Many long hours have been put in by volunteer members over the years. If you have any photos that you can give or lend us, please contact the office.

Our hardworking committee meets monthly and now the grounds are open, we hope to run a working bee prior to the end of the year.

If you have any questions, queries or ideas, please contact the KCC Park facilities committee.

OTEC Notes

Written by: Dawn Howard

This year during lockdown six, we weren’t able to offer the judges lectures in person, but we were able to use Zoom. We have never had so many participants. They offered heaps of advice and positive reinforcement.

The lecture topics were decided by the list of trainee judges. The first topic was open obedience where we have two trainees, Maribeth Murphy and Gaye Todd. Kim Houlden was the class leader and led the lecture. It was a great lecture with relaxed and friendly discussions which were very welcome. Kim did a fabulous job of leading the group into a very productive discussion. Everyone present contributed in a positive manner. Congratulations and thank you, Kim.

The next presenter was Denise Chrystal who did the track and search (TSD) lecture. She was the class leader. Lots of interesting discussion items were raised and Denise provided a very descriptive presentation. Again, the lecture was well attended. All the TSD trainees are regional, so Zoom was a good friend for them. Congratulations and thank you, Denise.

Ross Carlson used his expertise as an experienced and trained teacher to go through the art of judging. He used great examples and went through judging protocols very thoroughly, concentrating on method rather than detail. For rally, we had Lisa Sinclair and Gaye Todd, plus Anita Cochrane, Helen Evans and Tara Collins who started training this year. Our five trainees were welcomed to the team. Once everyone has found a mentor, they can get started online. Congratulations and thank you for a great lecture, Ross.

Thank you to everyone againespecially the lecturers who did such a good job. Zoom is our friend for lectures like this. We discuss topics we know and new materials

we need to learn. I got a lot out of these lectures and I hope everyone who attended did as well. Even while we were in lockdown, OTEC judges training has been able to operate.

On the trial scene:

As I write this, there have been a few trial changes. The Frankston Obedience Dog Club has postponed their trial to 12 December 2021. The state obedience and rally trials along with the winners of both top dog competitions, were rescheduled to be on 1 and 2 November 2021. There was no certainty that they could go ahead, so they have been transferred to Easter next year and will be called the “better late than never” state titles.

At this stage all triallers, judges, stewards and club officials will need to show evidence of vaccination and wear masks where required. Be aware that details can change at a short notice. The best way to keep informed is to actively check the Dogs Victoria website noticeboard and Facebook pages as the state government changes restrictions regularly.

We have to applaud the efforts of those clubs who have managed to keep their events up and running to keep in touch with their members. Some clubs have held e-classes as well.

One trial that was able to go ahead was Bendigo. The Bendigo Obedience Dog Club (BODC) held their 15th track and search trial over three days on 15 - 17 October 2021. A special mention to trial secretary, Denise Chrystal and her team for organising yet another great trial in these difficult Covid times. Denise’s dedication to ensure that this trial and the 14th BODC TSD trial three weeks prior were able to go ahead is appreciated by all. Unfortunately, due to lockdown our metropolitan trialling friends could not participate. However, a total of 44 regional competitors made

the trip to Bendigo for the trial. Additionally, 16 track ons were also offered to eligible competitors. Over the three days there were many successful teams with an 86 percent success rate overall. Many titles were also achieved with 11 x track & search dog; 4 x track & search dog excellent; 4 x track and search dog champion and 6 x track and search grand champion titles gained - a fantastic effort.

The weather was relatively kind on most days with some frosty mornings then cool days. However, on Friday by mid-afternoon the heavens opened up and torrential rain started to fall which caught a few of us without our rain gear ready. A random act of kindness was experienced when a lovely nurse from Bendigo Health drove around the corner and saw the team getting drenched and gave us an umbrella.

Thank you to Kerryn Buckley for providing the above information. Kerryn also provided the photo of Denise Crystal recovering from a track where she had to run uphill.

We all look forward to a normal tracking and track and search season in 2022 where we can all get out and have fun with our dogs.

Keep safe everyone

OTEC Committee:

Chair: Lynn Klecka klecka@ncable.net.au 0418 333 312

Deputy: Melissa Ferabend ferabend@bigpond.com 0414 640 402

Dawn Ayton keldoone@bigpond.com 0408 375 526

Sue Collier collierpaulsue@gmail.com 0431 270 214

Sue Crankshaw scrankshaw@tycab.com.au 0408 126 550

Dawn Howard killarakennels@gmail.com 0412 088 055

Agility on the Move

Written By: Jessammy McKinnon

Agility Champion Owner ProfileSandy Stockman

1. Handler Name: Sandy Stockman

2. Owner name: Sandy Stockman

3. Dog call name, registered name and titles: AG 500 Jeti Knight ADM JDM JDO GDX SPDM SDX PT

4. Dog breed: Australian Kelpie

5. Age of dog at time of getting AGCH: Nine and a half years

6. Are you a member of any agility clubs? Agility Dog Club of Victoria

7. Name and date of trial where AGCH obtained: Berwick Dog Club, KCC Park – 7 October 2018

8. Name of judge for the run where AGCH obtained: Annette Claughton

9. Describe the run that got your dog the points necessary to become AGCH: After walking Annette’s course, I knew we could work well together and get around pending the second to last obstacle, the dog walk. Sitting on clear as Jet headed up the dog walk, I did my best to hold it together. Then Jet let out his bark which generally indicated he was going to leap. As he took a leap, I noticed his rear foot on the contact zone. We took the last obstacle and I turned to Annette who had the thumbs up, oh my gosh what a relief. We finally did it! It felt like those last five points took longer than the previous 95 points!

10. How did you feel when you realised you had got the points? Did you know during the run that it was one that would get you AGCH, or did you realise later? Coming up to the start line, I knew we only needed five more points to obtain our AGCH title.

11. Did you have any struggles getting AGCH? With only five more points required, it took forever to obtain. We had six rounds of just one fault, which I am sure is where Jet was just testing my patience.

12. Is this your first agility dog? No, I had a Kelpie and three Shelties previously.

13. Describe how you started doing agility: A friend in New Zealand got me hooked with my first Sheltie.

14. Describe your dog’s personality: Friendly, lovable and loyal. Jet is my rock who is my shadow and is always with me when he can be.

15. Does your dog have any funny quirks? He enjoys sleeping on top of the BBQ table and does frog legs stretching his back legs out fully extended.

16. What is your dog’s favourite piece of agility equipment? A Frame so he can bark at me and tease me about getting his contact or not.

17. What is your dog’s favourite toy or treat? Chicken, roast lamb or kangaroo.

18. What do your friends / family / work colleagues say about you doing agility? They can’t understand why it takes so long to train a dog before you start competing, then the amount of training that is required each week and giving up weekends to compete or attend seminars.

Library Notes

Written by: Clare Hodges

As you read this we are heading towards Christmas, New Year, and the usual flurry of activity that this time of year brings. While we await the completion of the new ceiling, the committee are hard at work scanning more items and creating lists of our sale books which will hopefully be accessible to our members shortly.

Some of our generous members are also currently attempting to raise funds to help complete our set of Kennel Club gazettes. For this, we are very grateful. This involves quite a substantial investment but would fill a large gap in our nearly complete collection.

In the meantime, the committee hope you have weathered the last twelve months well and wish you the best for the coming year.

Management committee and staff wish our members a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.

Dogs Victoria Fact Sheet Heat Stroke and Heat Stress in Dogs

Every summer, all across the country, veterinarians see animals affected by heat stroke and heat stress. Although most owners take extra care with their pets when the weather is particularly hot, many are unaware that their pets may be at risk of suffering from these conditions even when the ambient temperature is not all that high.

As humans, we understand that when the weather is particularly hot, we need to do things to keep ourselves safe and cool – avoid strenuous exercise, drink plenty of fluids, and stay in the shade or air-conditioning. Our pets also need special consideration as they are just as likely to suffer from the heat as we are, and some breeds (and mixes of some breeds) are particularly susceptible to the effects of heat and require extra care and attention.

Maintaining a Stable Body Temperature

All animals need to maintain their internal body temperature within a relatively narrow range for normal body function to occur. The body has mechanisms in place to help cool and warm the body should the internal temperature rise or fall. Outside of this ideal temperature range, functions and processes begin to shut down or no longer work properly, and permanent damage to organs or even death can occur.

In humans, when our core temperature rises beyond a certain point, sweat is released by glands in our skin. Small capillaries dilate, and blood is pumped to our skin surface, where the evaporative cooling effect of the sweat helps disperse excess heat. Because we produce sweat all over our body, we have a large surface area available for cooling our bodies.

Our dogs only produce sweat through glands in the pads of their feet and nose, so they rely

on evaporative cooling via their respiratory system. We have all see our dogs pant. Panting moves air very quickly across the moist respiratory surfaces in the dog’s nose and lungs, having the same evaporative cooling effect as sweat does.

All evaporative cooling systems have limitations. The level of humidity in the surrounding air determines its effectiveness. If the humidity is high, less evaporation, and hence less cooling can occur. This is why you often feel hotter and sweatier at lower temperatures in tropical environments than you would in dryer climates. Luckily, here in Victoria, we generally have lower humidity through the hotter months than the more northern states.

Of course, humidity can be very different in a confined space where evaporated water from the body or panting cannot escape due to lack of airflow. Confined spaces include things such as cars, dog trailers, transport cages or kennels. Body temperatures can rise very quickly in these small spaces, as the ability to cool down is drastically reduced.

Evaporative cooling causes significant loss of fluids and salts from the body. These changes and losses are nearly impossible to see, so maintaining adequate hydration on hot days is critical. In our pet dogs, there is also an increased exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs due to panting, causing other changes within their bodies.

Head Shape In Dogs Can Affect Cooling

Our dog breeds come in many shapes and sizes. Obviously from an evaporative cooling standpoint, the larger the surface area available for cooling, the more efficient the cooling mechanism is going to be. Dogs with shorter muzzles or ‘flat’ faces are certainly at a disadvantage when trying to cool the body down.

Brachycephalic dogs (brachy=short, cephalic = head) are at particular risk of overheating, even at low ambient temperatures. Anatomical changes that may be associated with this head shape, such as small nostrils, an elongated soft palate, or a narrowed windpipe can potentially reduce the animal’s ability to move air effectively – even at rest. The shape of their head also means that there is far less space for evaporative cooling to take place.

Brachycephalic breeds (and their mixes) are very popular as pets. If you have a dog with a shortened head or muzzle, you need to take extra care to ensure they do not over-heat. Make sure you ask your vet about what to look out for and take extra care on hot days.

What are the Symptoms of Heat Stress and Heat Stroke in Dogs?

The terms ‘Heat Stress’ and ‘Heat Stroke’ indicate different stages of elevated internal temperature. Heat Stress symptoms occur as the normal mechanisms fail to provide enough cooling, and the internal body temperature starts to move outside the normal range. Heat Stroke symptoms are more severe, and occur as the internal body temperature moves further and further into the danger zone for permanent organ damage and death.

Symptoms include:

Heat Stress – panting that has become harder, faster and louder than usual, salivation or drooling, whining or other forms of vocalisation, increased heart rate, listlessness (the dog cannot settle)

Heat Stroke – panting that has become loud or excessive, saliva that is thick, wobbliness or inability to move properly, strange behaviour, vomiting, diarrhoea, collapse, seizures and death.

Dogs Victoria Fact Sheet Heat Stroke and Heat Stress in Dogs

What should you do?

Heat Stress

If your dog looks to have the beginnings of Heat Stress, you need to act quickly to help your dog’s cooling mechanism function better and to prevent additional heat buildup.

Strategies may include:

• Stopping any exercise

• Moving your dog into a shaded area, or an air-conditioned space

• Making sure your dog is in a cleared space where there is adequate airflow and ventilation

• Providing plenty of cool, fresh water

• Provide additional cooling – sit them on a wet towel, wipe them down or gently hose them with cool water.

• You can stand your dog with its feet in cold water

• Ice packs covered with a damp cloth to prevent cold burns can be placed either between your dog’s thighs or in its armpits provided you check the skin in these areas frequently for irritation or redness. Avoid using ice, ice packs or iced water on the dog’s skin in other places as this can cause surface blood vessels to contract. If the blood flow to the skin is reduced, the effects of evaporative cooling will be slowed.

Heat Stroke

Any dog with a rectal temperature of more than 41.6 degrees is considered perilously hot. If you think your pet is moving into Heat Stroke, you need to act quickly – begin the cooling process and call your vet immediately!

Internal body temperatures that cause Heat Stroke can cause permanent organ damage and, even if the body is cooled down, there can be delayed complications (such as brain swelling and shock) that are just as life-threatening. There is also a risk that rapid cooling could lead to hypothermia (an internal temperature that is too low) which can have additional consequences.

The quicker you can get your dog to the vet, the better. Your vet can administer medications to reduce the risk of complications, and can use intravenous fluids to assist with cooling. They are in a better position to monitor the core body temperature and to address the more complicated side effects of Heat Stroke on the body.

Preventing Overheating in your Dog

During Travel:

• Avoid transporting your dog on hot days and, if you have to, always ensure the transport vehicle is cool before loading your dog.

• Plan trips in the cooler parts of the day and make sure there is plenty of air circulation in the vehicle to allow humidity to disperse

• NEVER leave your pet locked in a vehicle, even for a short time, if the weather is warm.

During Exercise:

• During hot weather, only exercise your pet in the cooler parts of the day and avoid hot surfaces like pavements or roads, which can radiate heat well after the sun has gone down.

• In the warmer weather, avoid high-intensity activities like chasing a ball, and instead opt for a calmer on-leash walk.

• If your dog is panting heavily, take a break from whatever you are doing, go and sit in the shade.

• If your dog does not look interested in exercise on a hot day, simply let them rest.

At Home:

• Make sure your dog always has access to shade and adequate cool, fresh water

• Make sure water containers cannot be accidentally tipped or spilled by the dog

• On hot days, check your dog regularly. You may need to change your routine and allow your dog access to cooler areas – remember kennels or confined places such as sheds or garages often have very poor airflow and maybe hotter than being outside.

Remember: if you use a ‘Cool Coat’ or wet towel over the dog’s back it must remain moist and cool to the touch – it relies on evaporative cooling too! If there is inadequate air movement, or if it dries, it will act like a blanket holding the heat in.

• If you travel your dog in a ‘petpack’ or crate, ensure that there is adequate ventilation to prevent heat building up within that space.

• Take extra care travelling with Brachycephalic breeds in warmer weather.

• Provide additional cooling and airflow when your pet is hot – bring your dog into the air-conditioning, use fans to increase air movement, provide cool, wet towels to lie on, or add ice to water bowls. You might even consider a small ‘kiddy’ pool for your dog to splash in if it is safe to do so.

From the Scent Work Committee

Submitted by: Judy Pillinger

Around midday on Wednesday 29 September, the Tracking Club of Victoria posted a call out notice on their Facebook Page seeking assistance for a tracking dog to locate a missing German Shepherd in the Toorloo Arm region in East Gippsland. We moved to Lakes Entrance several years ago and sadly, our best tracking Dobermanns have all passed on. I initially declined the request as we now only have a young Dobermann with less than six months tracking experience and a puppy who has not yet commenced tracking, though both are actively involved in scent work.

Trevor and I have taken five of our Dobermanns through tracking champion level and onto grand champion track and search dog titles, and have handled several dogs for other people over the years. Lexie had passed her tracking 1 & 2 levels recently, and only last weekend, passed both TSD levels 1 & 2. I am also a licensed tracking, and track and search judge, so I did feel some moral obligation to assist.

The family had moved to Toorloo Arm from Melbourne only three days earlier. Their property is 450 acres – 250 acres of which is cleared land and the other 200 acres is dense bushland. Their two year old German Shepherd Dog, Hera, went missing on Tuesday morning. They had spent 24 hours searching the cleared land and any accessible bushland, exhausting all avenues prior to contacting the Tracking Club of Vic Inc.

We commenced at about 2.30pm, working from the house to the area that Hera was last seen on the track to the house. We used a sheet from Hera’s bed to give Lexie the scent. She immediately responded and headed off down the track. After about 200 metres, she took a sharp left into the bushland and moved rapidly through the scrub so I had to trust her.

I had the Dog Tracks app on my mobile phone (so that I would not get lost) and maintained radio contact with Trevor. The son was also ready with the quad bike to assist where possible. Lexie worked for about 45 minutes until we came to a very dense area where it was difficult to tell which way the dog had gone. I radioed to ask for the son to bring the dog’s bed sheet to re-scent Lexie and after a short rest, she was back into it. After almost two hours, I had to rest Lexie. She was panting heavily and I recalled from scent work training that dogs can not pant and sniff at the same time. I was having some difficulty also!

Lexie was quite excited to get back to the search. Not long after we had resumed, Lexie lifted her head and started to wag her tail. She dragged me to a bracken fern area and stood wagging that tail even faster. I worked my way up the lead because I was not sure what she had found, but then I heard a low growl. Such joy! I called Trevor on the radio to get the family down to Hera. It was great that she had worked her way through the bush, almost reaching a track which made it accessible for the vehicles.

Hera was happy to see her family, lifting her head and wagging her tail but could not get up. Trevor assisted the family to move her into the vehicle while I called our vet in Bairnsdale. By phone they told us what to check for; snake bites, ticks and any other injuries. When she was taken to the clinic, the vet found some injuries under her armpit and paralysis in the front leg. The vet says the injury was caused from being staked or caught up in bush/ branches where she has struggled for some time to free herself, causing serious damage to the muscles and nerves in the leg. She also had a high fever and very tender foot pads with some injuries between the toes.

The good news is that Hera is responding well to treatment and is expected to recover fully as she is only a young dog. Whilst I, of course, believe that our Lexie is a superstar. I also believe any dog, with some tracking training, a confident and experienced (and fit) handler, a calming and reassuring partner as back up, a phone and radio reception, and the right environmental conditions, could do the job. We are so pleased that we could find Hera and see the smiles and tears of this lovely family.

Hera back home safely Judy and Trevor’s Doberman, Lexie

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Written by: Michael Bell

How is the Syndrome Diagnosed?

CONGENITAL RESPIRATORY TRACT DEFECTS IN BRACHYCEPHALICS

What is Brachycephalic Syndrome?

The most common congenital respiratory disorders result from breeding that selects for shortened facial features. Overall English Bulldogs appear the most compromised, but other brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs, Shar Peis, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, and Pekinese also are affected to some degree.

The brachycephalic syndrome is a result of several anatomical abnormalities that cause narrowness of the airway in multiple locations. Stenotic nares, compressed turbinates, caudally displaced upper jaw with a resulting caudally placed soft palate (“overlong soft palate”), everted laryngeal saccules, and hypoplastic trachea. Not all brachycephalic dogs suffer obvious clinical signs despite having a degree of these features, but it appears that all brachycephalic dogs have subclinical increased upper airway resistance. Studies have shown that because of this respiratory compromise, bulldogs (and probably other brachycephalics) need compensatory hyperactivity of the upper airway dilating muscles to maintain upper airway patency. Over a period of time these muscles have been shown to become damaged and fibroses as a result of this chronically increased workload which in turn has lead in some cases to an inability to dilate the airway.

All brachycephalics have the potential for clinical upper airway obstruction as a result of the predisposing anatomical features. It is a question of the degree of the abnormality. If the dog presents with acute signs the aim should be to elicit the triggering factors such as overheating, excitement, or increased exercise. Heat is especially dangerous because the panting needed for heat dissipation in dogs often produces some oedema and associated further narrowing of the airway. This in turn, causes the body temperature to further rise which can cause anxiety and initiates a vicious cycle.

It should be noted that problems with ingestion are commonly part of extreme respiratory distress. Affected dogs may have problem swallowing because the necessary occlusion of the respiratory system compromises ventilation. In some cases, this uncoordinated swallowing can result in aspiration pneumonia. Also, the gastrointestinal system may also distend with air, and vomiting and diarrhoea may accompany severe hyperthermia. A side radiograph of the head and neck is often helpful to evaluate the extent of the upper airway obstruction, in particular the thickness and length of the soft palate. However, an assessment of palate elongation and of laryngeal cartilage collapse is best carried out under anaesthetic.

What Treatment is Available?

Both initial management and the long term treatment of brachycephalic syndrome is directed at relieving the upper airway obstruction.

In the case of mild cases of obstruction, or when owners do not wish to pursue surgical

treatment, treatment of any of the exacerbating factors should be performed. A steroid injection to reduce the oedematous swelling of the larynx and pharynx is often useful to provide temporary relief of the swelling. Cooling the dog down with cold compresses and fans and providing oxygen whilst the dog calms down, can assist in stabilising the dog. Sedatives to reduce anxiety are not often a good idea as most sedatives also relax the upper airway that dilates muscles. Hence why soothing the dog or leaving it alone to reduce the anxiety, are more viable options. In cases where the owner is happy for surgery to be performed, the laryngeal and pharyngeal areas should ideally be examined under anaesthetic.

The confirmation and latency of the laryngeal opening should be quickly assessed before the dog is intubated (to avoid or overcome any upper airway obstruction). Once done, any mucosal lining of the laryngeal ventricles that has everted into the airway is removed and the palate and nares are resected. This will give assistance to the dog’s breathing long term, but the breathing will rarely be perfect as there will always be airway narrowing due to the distorted facial and pharyngeal structure.

After surgery, some bulldogs may require positive-pressure ventilation for up to a week post surgery. This is due to respiratory muscle fatigue as a consequence of the chronic overload. Steroids are often administered for one-two days after surgery to minimise the swelling associated with the surgery. Food and water are withheld to prevent trauma to the pharynx and reduce the risk of aspiration for one-two days. This is why intravenous fluid support is provided during this period.

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Book Review

Reviewed by: Clare Hodges

Competitive Dog Obedience – Training Guide

Written by: Mark Murray

There are only a few precious books written by Australians for our own branch of obedience, which isn’t all that surprising when you realise the small pool of competitors there are now. This is a shame as obedience can be incredibly rewarding as well as great fun, it is all in how you approach it. As far as training books for Australia by Australians, there are only a handful and a few of those are written exclusively for either instructors or for tracking. Mark’s compact A5 sized book is a gold mine. Aimed at the two entry level classes of obedience, CCD and CD, it is a really useful tool for new and experienced people alike. The two classes are broken down into the individual components of each exercise and it is made clear what building blocks are needed to succeed. These are then worked through with a strong reward based training approach. The training guide also covers the handler, handling in training and in the ring, and the mindset of the handler for a successful trial. All in all, it is a little gem and very much worth a read. The library is fortunate enough to have the author donate a copy of this fantastic little book and I am sure it will be popular.

From the Author:

I am passionate about competitive dog obedience. This training guide was written with the aim of inspiring more trainers to consider ANKC obedience trialling as their preferred competition format. Success in the trial ring brings an enormous sense of achievement and enjoyment to both dog and handler. It’s a challenge that I hope more trainers undertake.

This guide is the culmination of 45 years experience both as a competitor and now as a coach. It’s designed as an easy to read and practical reference book. It will help trainers prepare their dogs and prepare themselves for trialling. It may just improve your training outcomes and give you that competitive edge.

From the Herding Committee

Written by: Pia Butcher

So what is really involved in running a herding trial?

We are lucky to have a number of great herding trial venues in Victoria and in 2021, we added one more in Chiltern, in north east Victoria.

Setting up a new venue is no easy task as herding is a sport with a lot of moving parts such as people, dogs and sheep, and some essential nonmoving parts too including fencing, holding yards and obstacles.

First things first, the trial arena. With the luxury of 30 acres to work with, we built an A course arena that is approximately 50 percent larger than any other course in Victoria, suiting dogs that enjoy having room to move and adding a few challenges for competitors. It can feel like a lot of ground to cover. We also created a 15m x 15m instinct test yard and a 25m x 25m herding test yard. Portable panels served their purpose as obstacles.

We also needed holding yards for the sheep. In Chiltern, these are luxurious as yards go, having a concrete floor which means no mud. We however, put straw down for the comfort of the sheep. They are also undercover with a clear view of the course. Whether rain, hail or sunshine (and we had most of those on the trial weekend), this ensured the sheep and stock handlers were as comfortable as possible.

An old horse shelter was repurposed into an undercover judge’s and trial secretary’s station. This added a comfort factor for those hardworking people, as they well deserve it.

Let’s not forget the most important factor in running a herding trial and that is the sheep. You need easy moving, non-combative stock and plenty of them. On the day, the sheep behaved beautifully and provided an honest barometer of the dog’s ability.

Our inaugural trial was initially scheduled for July but was shut down due to Covid restrictions like so many trials this year. This was probably a good thing as we were underwater like most of the state that month. It was rescheduled for October and while metropolitan Melbourne and some rural shires unfortunately remained in lockdown, thankfully we were able to go ahead. Everyone pitched in to make it a success. We have a great herding community in Victoria and the greatest thanks goes out to everyone who helped on the day. We couldn’t have done it without you.

While entries were small, we had a good mix of working breeds. The breeds included Kelpies, Border Collies, Smooth Collies, Australian Shepherds and a Rottweiler (who the sheep treated just like a slightly larger Kelpie). There were some high scores posted and some hard luck stories as well, but that’s herding.

We plan to run a couple of trials in Chiltern next year so consider adding a visit to the beautiful north east to your trial calendar!

Hannah Barry Herding trialer, Herding trainer, Herding Judge, and Herding trial venue owner.

Sunday October 10.

Thomas working sheep with Outlaw Yvie High In Trial Victorian Herding Association Trial at Chiltern Saturday October 9

Hannah Barry with Somerset Freya P.T, Stockmans Revel HSAs and puppy Gavin. Revel was High in Trial Victorian Herding Association Trial at Chiltern

Rottweiler (Kelpie) RO CH Rakaaz Vasco CDX RAE TKs HNAsc HSMAs HSBs aka Vasco.

Raft Notes

Written by: Noel Eltringham

Elections for RAFT committee were held during 2021. There was a reasonably stable RAFT committee membership for the year. RAFT members for the year were Noel Eltringham, Diane McCann, Tony Palmer and Kate Eltringham (Retrieving), Russell Thomas and David Blacker (Utility Gundog Field Trials), Darren Smith (Spaniel and Retriever Field Trials) and Joe Camillieri (Pointer and Setter Field Trials). Two vacancies remain on RAFT one for the Pointer and Setter FT delegate and one for the Spaniel and Retriever FT delegate.

Retrieving Ability Test for Gundogs

In 2021, there was one retrieving ability test for gundogs (RATG) conducted by the Weimaraner Club of Victoria. All other RATG have had to be cancelled due to Covid restrictions. We look forward to a full year of RATG competitions in 2022. Dean Furnell was granted his judging licence for RATG.

Retrieving Trials for Gundogs

A total of 31 retrieving trials for gundogs were scheduled to be conducted in 2021. Due to Covid lockdowns, only 16 trials were able to be conducted. A report on the state championship, which was held late November will be in the January edition of the Dogs Victoria Magazine along with the winner of the Victoria retrieving trial dog of the year, Jack Montasell Trophy.

During 2021, Tony Palmer and Russell Whitechurch were accepted into the trainee judges scheme. Paula Davidson was granted her novice judging licence. Three dogs obtained their RTCH titles, four their RRD titles and eight NRD.

Utility Gundog Field Trials

A total of eight utility gundog field trials were conducted in Victoria for 2021. There was a total of 15 on the utility gundog field trial calendar, including the GSP club exotic field trial scheduled for July, and the addition of two novice field trials conducted at the end of the season by Club L’epagneul Breton.

Remaining events were cancelled due to Covid or the lack of a suitable paddock. The Victorian utility gundog field trial championship was cancelled due to Covid restrictions. 2021 saw the upgrading of two utility gundog field trial judges. Robert Baranello was upgraded to open and Marco Pagliaro was upgraded to novice. Two dogs obtained their novice field trial titles, David Blacker’s Saetta Elan (GSP bitch) and Robert Baranello’s Stedipoint Are You Serious (GSP bitch).

Spaniel & Retriever and Pointer & Setter Field Trials

No spaniel and retriever field trials were conducted in Victoria in 2021

Pointer and Setter Field Trials

A total of two pointer and setter field trials were conducted in Victoria in 2021 from a total of eight on the pointer and setter field trial calendar. Events had to be cancelled due to Covid restrictions and a lack of game in some instances. The state pointer and setter field trial championship had to be cancelled due to Covid restrictions and the lack of dogs

A total of five online RAFT meetings were conducted in Victoria in 2021. These meetings were conducted on 10 March 2021, 12 May 2021, 7 September 2021 and 10 November 2021. Two meetings were attended by seven participants (complete committee) and two meetings were

The Hungarian Vizsla Club of Victoria

The Story of Zippy

Recently, the Hungarian Vizsla Club of Victoria received a donation of $2500 for the club’s rescue service from the Hungarian Vizsla Club of NSW.

It was money that was left to the club because of a rescue dog, Zippy who was rehomed through the joint efforts of both clubs.

Zippy’s Story:

Zippy was found by Carmel where he was dragging three ropes down the road. When she contacted his owners, she was told just to bring him back and tie him to the fence. Unhappy with how he was being looked after, she convinced his owners to let her keep him, which they did. Unfortunately, Carmel already had five dogs and was unable to keep another one so contacted the Victorian Hungarian Vizsla Club to help find him a home that was more fitting for this beautiful older gent; he was about six years old at the time.

With the help of the Hungarian Vizsla Club of NSW, Zippy went off to live with Carmen who lived in NSW. It was love at first sight for the both of them and the start of a new and happier life for Zippy (or the Zipster as he became known). Tragically, not long after settling in to his new home with Carmen, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She said she was going to beat it for Zippy, but sadly she could not. Zippy had been staying with friends of Carmen’s, Carol and Paul whilst she was getting treatment. After her passing, he continued living with them until his death some years later. Carmen had left a sum of money to Carol and Paul for Zippy’s wellbeing. After his death, they kindly donated what was left of these funds to the Hungarian Vizsla Club of NSW and they in turn, donated half of this to the Hungarian Vizsla Club of Victoria. This was Carol and Paul’s second rescued Vizsla. They are members of the Hungarian Vizsla Club of NSW and often donate to the club’s welfare and trophy fund.

Both clubs very often collaborate to find suitable homes for rescue and rehomed dogs. With the clubs working together, they have managed to place many dogs in suitable homes, even when some have been quite challenging to find the right fit.

It’s reassuring to know that there are people out there who are willing to take on a dog that either has some special requirements or is a bit older in years than is ideal, and that we have the funds to make it happen.

Written by Cinnamon Clark President of Hungarian Vizsla Club of Victoria

Zippy and Carmen