Southland Weimaraner Club

The premier Weimaraner Club for Southern California.

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2018 Southland Weimaraner Club Match and Weim Festival

December 1, 2018 by swc

24th ANNUAL WEIMARANER  FESTIVAL

Southland Weim Club 2018 Sanctioned Match

Thank You – To all who came and shared the day with us – and enabled us to make our 24th donation to Weimaraner Rescue, www.friendsforpets.org

Saturday, November 17TH at Woodley Park was another day of perfect weather!  Cool, sunny and no wind!  The set up crew consisting of myself, Mary McElwee, Louise Brady, Dona Tanaka & Sue McMahan showed up bright and early at 7am to set up the canopies & tables & the ring, to unload all the raffle prizes and trick dog equipment, and cordon off our picnic tables for lunch.  Stephanie Schuster & Linda D’Alessandro arrived soon after with more equipment & prizes – and help with the raffle and entry tables.

Once the raffle table was organized, the signs were posted and our dogs were walked – we sat down to wait –and wait – and wait.

Guess what – NOBODY SHOWED UP FOR THE MATCH!  So we had a nice long 3-1/2 hours by ourselves at the park.  We did have our General Meeting, so we were able to use the time.

Around 10:30am the Friends For Pets crew showed up to set up their booth and the Weim owners and their dogs began to arrive.  Unfortunately the attendance was much less than previous years, while we can’t be sure exactly why we speculated that the fires in the Thousand Oaks to Malibu area and the subsequent travel difficulties must have had an impact on those who might have come.

In spite of that – those of us who were there had a great time!

The Rescue Parade had a good number of participants and we had a MARRIAGE PROPOSAL!  Yes, that’s right – he got down on one knee right there in the middle of the Rescue Parade.  Dona took lots of pictures and we all got teary eyes.  The newly engaged couple met after having adopted Weims from Friends For Pets, and their love grew with their love of Weimaraners.

What a great day.

After the yummy potluck lunch, we had Trick Dog evaluations.   And 5 dogs earned Novice Trick dog titles, 4 were owned by club members and 1 was a FFP adoptee!

SWC Member Novice Trick Dog Title Earners:

Touchstone’s Hook N’ Hollow, TKN (Zipper) – owned by Sue McMahan,

Star’s Electrical Output, TKN (Amp) – owned by Dona Tanaka

CH Silversmith Chiquita Bonita, CD RN JH SD TKN (Fin) – owned by Dona Tanaka

CH Hat’s Off N Heirlooms Abbey Road, RN TKN (Abbey) – owned by Gina Grissom

THANK YOU!         To the SWC CREW who provided the elbow grease (plus canopies, tables and rings) to make the Festival & Match possible.  A small but mighty group!   Special Thanks to Mary McElwee who hauled a lot of stuff (including a very stinky canopy) – as she has done each year for 24 years.

AND THANK YOU!   To everyone who contributed Raffle Prizes.  The prizes and baskets that all of us who came, club members and rescue volunteers alike, were able to provide enabled us to put on another fabulous raffle!

AND OF COURSE THANK YOU!         To Diane Monahan and her terrific volunteers who help those lucky dogs we see at the Festival find their forever homes.

 

Gina Grissom

Festival & Match Chair

Filed Under: SWC Events

Losing Destinee

December 1, 2018 by swc

LOSING DESTINEE

A Mushroom Horror Story

We wrote this in May, 2003, after losing our precious Destinee, CH Silverado Cosmopolitan.

I remember vividly every detail of those two horrible days. With Spring approaching, which to me will always be “Mushroom Season”, I am prompted to revisit the events in the hopes that this may save someone’s beloved dog.

It seems like once a month, we get an e mail from someone who finds this article tragically too late.

Dear Dog Lover,

Here’s a short quiz on natural elements dangerous to dogs: Which is more dangerous, rattlesnakes or mushrooms? Surprisingly, at least in our experience, mushrooms are much more dangerous. Although we do not have autopsy confirmation yet, let us relate a painful story in the hope that other dog lovers can avoid the devastating loss we just suffered. We had lived on our property for almost 3 years. We bought it for our Weimaraner kids as a safe place for them to romp; 18 fenced acres with no access to roads and isolated enough that if someone did get out, there is little danger of getting run over. We are behind a security gate controlled by a remote & gate code. Service people, PG&E, etc., cannot drive onto the property unless we give them access. We thought we had the perfect safe environment for our family. Then the rattlesnakes came. We came from property where we encountered the occasional rattlesnake; it is California, after all. After a visit to emergency with Destinee and Ryan and their tangle with the first rattlesnake, then a July 4th weekend that resulted in 5 dogs being bitten, we fenced in a smaller 2 acre area within the 18 – aviary fencing, the works. Last year we only had 1 rattlesnake bite & man­aged to raise our 2 babies by keeping them inside yet another fence all last summer. The Northern Pacific Rattler, while very toxic, is a manageable threat. They warn if you are too near, they don’t al­ways inject venom and the bite is survivable with the proper care. Our dogs that have been bitten are now very snake averse.

Saturday evening after the Camellia Capital KC show, I fed the kids dinner. Destinee refused. This has happened to us several times. Someone has eaten a dumb thing, lizard, half of a bird, whatever. Destinee had no visible symptom-no vomiting, diarrhea or elevated temp. Destinee & I spent the afternoon together on the couch watching TV, snuggling with a steady stream of other gray kids, usually her daughter Trinitee or her Mom, Vanity. I even went as far as trimming her nails getting her ready for the show the next day, which was Mother’s Day. I planned to take her to the dog show & take photos of her with her 2 one-year old babies. The contrast of how we spent Mother’s Day & how different it was from the one that I planned is still such a painful thought.

We took Destinee with us to a neighbor’s house and she slept in her crate while we visited. We checked on her a few times…just resting. That night she decided to sleep on the couch while we all went to bed upstairs. She does this a lot, as she loves her spot on the couch. Michael & I both checked on her at different times during the night…still resting and in no apparent distress. At 5:45 AM the alarm went off for us to get ready for the Sunday show. Destinee was in a coma. We spent the day in emergency & in the evening took her to UC Davis. Her liver was destroyed. Everything, according to the emergency clinic vets and the specialist at UC Davis pointed to a poisonous mushroom, either the Death Cap or Destroying Angel. If one gram of either is ingested, by the time you see any symptoms, it is too late. The only recourse is a liver transplant, which is not done with dogs yet. The course of the damage caused by the liver being destroyed & wreaking havoc on every other organ is too painful to relate. We combed the property & found 4 mushrooms within the inner fence; one had been bitten. It’s a miracle we didn’t lose more than Destinee. We could have easily lost everyone. The conditions that made this environment conducive to Death Cap mushroom growth are very wet spring and sudden warmth. If you have deciduous trees, particularly Oaks, you may also have these lethal mushrooms. Comb your grounds for all mushrooms and compare them to the mushrooms found on this website:

http://members.aol.com/basidium/deathcap.html According to the veterinarians involved, the only chance of your dog surviving this is vomiting the mushroom. This is providing that you are lucky enough to witness your dog in the act. If this is the case,

“The Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook”, suggests inducing vomiting by these methods:

  • Syrup of ipecac (1 teaspoonful per 10 pounds body weight)
  • Hydrogen Peroxide 3% (1-3 teaspoonfuls every 10 minutes, repeat 3 times)
  • One half to 1 teaspoonful of salt (placed at the back of the tongue).

I URGE YOU TO INDUCE THE VOMITING & GET TO EMERGENCY AS FAST AS YOU CAN.

If you suspect your dog ingested a mushroom, but it is too late to induce vomiting, take your dog to the vet to get their liver values checked!

Forty-eight hours after Destinee’s death, and with all the introspection, soul-searching and guilt, I’ve had some realizations. We have had our share of emergencies & tragedies. Our message to the caregivers in these situations has always been the same, be as aggressive as you can be, do whatever you think makes sense. The money is not an issue. To hear the veterinarians at UC Davis say this is hopeless no matter what you do is just about as devastating as it gets.

Our plans to move are already in the works since, unlike the snakes, the threat to the rest of our be­loved pack from these mushrooms is too great. One bite of this killer is 100% lethal. We will be looking for a flat piece of land with no rocks or trees. We’ve had enough Jurassic Park.

Shiffra Steele & Michael Ayers

Silverado Weimaraners

Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook

By Delbert G. Carlson, D.V.M. and James M. Giffin, D.V.M.

PS – Since this was written we have received necropsy results, which point to a mycotoxin, aflatoxin or blue green algae. Even though the diagnosis is not 100% conclusive for Death Cap Mushroom toxicity, Dr. Smarick, of UC Davis stated, “If you ask me for a diagnosis right now, I would say mushroom, mushroom, mushroom. If you ask me for a diagnosis beyond that, I’d have to think about it.”

Filed Under: Articles, Health

Health Implications in Early Spay and Neuter in Dogs

October 1, 2018 by swc

Reprinted from AKC/Canine Health Foundation  02/25/2013

 

Recent results from research funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation have the potential to significantly impact recommendations for spaying and neutering dogs in the United States. Most dogs in the United States are spayed or neutered, and for years the procedures have been completed prior to maturity. The study, published in the prominent, open access journal PLOS One, suggests that veterinarians should be more cautious about the age at which they spay and neuter in order to protect the overall health of dogs.

A team of researchers led by Dr. Benjamin L. Hart at the University of California, Davis has completed  the most detailed study performed to date that evaluates incidence of cancer diagnoses and joint problems in one breed — Golden Retrievers — by neuter status: early (before 12 months old), late (12 months or older), and intact. Consistent with previous studies on the topic, the results showed increased likelihood of hemangiosarcoma, lymphoma, mast cell tumors, and canine cruciate ligament (CCL) rupture in neutered dogs.

The most profound observations were in hip dysplasia in male dogs when comparing early and late-neutering. The risk of development of hip dysplasia doubles, and disease occurs at a younger age in the early-neuter group compared to both the intact and late-neuter group. No occurrence of CCL disease was observed in intact male or intact female dogs, or in late-neutered females. In early-neutered dogs, the incidence of CCL was 5.1 percent in males and 7.7 percent in females, suggesting that neutering prior to sexual maturity significantly increases a dog’s risk of developing CCL disease. With respect to cancer, cases of lymphoma were 3-fold greater in the early-neutered males. Interestingly, incidence of mast cell tumors (male and female dogs) and hemangiosarcoma (female dogs only) were highest in the late-neuter group.

“Dr. Hart’s landmark study is the first to provide evidence for when to spay or neuter dogs. For years the veterinary community has been aware that early-spay and neuter may impact orthopedic health in dogs. Through a very detailed analysis and inclusion of body condition score as a risk factor, Dr. Hart was able to show that timing of spay and neuter does indeed have health implications,” said Dr. Shila Nordone, Chief Scientific Officer for the AKC Canine Health Foundation.

“CCL disease is painful, debilitating, and costs dog owners $1 billion annually to treat. The AKC Canine Health Foundation is committed to funding research, like Dr. Hart’s study, that can lead to evidence-based health recommendations. Armed with prudent guidelines for when to spay and neuter dogs we will have a significant impact on the quality of life for dogs,” continued Dr. Nordone.

Importantly, the task at hand is now to determine if the observations in this study are indeed true across all breeds and mixed breeds of dogs. Dr. Hart is interested in continuing his work by studying Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, and Dachshunds. Additionally, gaps in knowledge continue to exist concerning the complex relationship between sex hormones and cancer.

Last summer the AKC Canine Health Foundation released a podcast interview with Dr. Hart on his early-spay and neuter research as part of a series dedicated to the health of the canine athlete. To listen to the podcast visit www.akcchf.org/canineathlete

The publication “Neutering Dogs: Effects on Joint Disorders and Cancers in Golden Retrievers” is available online through the open access journal PLOS One.  The work was funded by the AKC Canine Health Foundation with sponsorship from the Golden Retriever Foundation, Schooley’s Mountain Kennel Club, the Siberian Husky Club of America, and the Vizsla Club of America Welfare Foundation.

 

The above was Reprinted from AKC/Canine Health Foundation  02/25/2013

Filed Under: Articles, Health

2018 SWC Show Specialty

August 1, 2018 by swc

RECAP OF THE 2018 SOUTHLAND WEIMARANER CLUB OF LA’S SPECIALTY

Some things old, Some things new……..

Some things Old:  Same hard working club members came out to put on another great specialty, a BIG THANK YOU to Rachel Aguilar for being our leader and Show Chair, this never would have happened without all of Rachel’s hard work and attention to what needed to be done, and her ability to see to it that it got done.  Jo Ann Rosenberg for bringing the tents, table covers, hospitality shade, organizing the pot-luck, getting the sandwiches, ordering the trophies and hauling it all in.  Dona Tanaka for helping Jo Ann with trophies and hospitality and basically keeping us all sane and organized!  Jo Ann, Dona, Bob Margolis, Rachel, Louise Brady, Lou & Linda D’Alessandro, Gina Grissom, Mary McElwee, Walt Freshour and Yours Truly for setting it all up the day before and tearing it all down when we were done.  Gil, we missed you there for set-up, but so happy you were able to join us later during the weekend, it wouldn’t be the same without seeing your big smile, and laughing at us all for doing this year in and year out!  Linda Millstone, didn’t mean to leave you out, another helpful hand in setting things up, and as our ring steward for both shows, I know sometimes getting us all in and out of the ring can be a lot like herding cats!  Another big thank you to all that brought delicious salads, sides and best of all…desserts!  We always seem to eat well, don’t we?

Some things New:  Well, it was a completely new site!  Gorgeous grounds, beautiful green grass at a historical old venue with an interesting history.  For those that thought this was always a UC Campus, well, up until 1997 this was a state mental institution, and has been used as a setting in many movies, music videos, and TV shows including (but by no means a complete list) The Snake Pit staring Olivia de Havilland, ‘N Sync’s set for “I Drive Myself Crazy: video, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, The Ring, Magnum P.I, and The Big Bang Theory.  Many of the original buildings are still there in all the 1930’s mission-style glory.

Yes, there was some confusion as to what we could and couldn’t do, some complications with loading/unloading, parking, and yep, the heat…We had record breaking heat for this weekend, and to say it was hot is just an understatement and we’ll leave it at that. There was plenty of water and ice available for handlers and dogs and it was much appreciated!

While there is nothing any of us can do about the weather, the Bench Committee did solicit your input to what issues you perceived, and what might be done to help eliminate those issues and help make this venue work better for us going forward.  I hope you all took time to give Dona your thoughts!

In the end, it was another great weekend kicked off by the SWC Specialty, lots of grey dogs, lots of talking, catching up with old friends and fanciers of the breed, meeting new members and those new to the breed, and just enjoying our beautiful Weimaraners.  Best of CONGRATULATIONS to all those that won trophies and ribbons, but in the end, each one of us took the best dog home.  I think I can safely say the Board, and the Bench Committee thanks each and every one of you for your support.  Can’t wait till next year!!

– Dona Tanaka

Filed Under: SWC Events

The Value of Long-Time Breeders

June 1, 2018 by swc

I was asked to relate a recent experience Bob and I had.  As many of you know, long time breeder and Weimaraner lover Joan Valdez suddenly lost her sight.  We have known Joan for 38 years.  Joan has been breeding top winning Weimaraners since the 1960s (don’t’ believe me? Look in your pedigrees and I’m pretty sure you will see at least 1 Valmar dog and that dog will be a Bench Champion, and possibly even a Dual Champion).  Her list of accomplishments in the breed are numerous and too many to list here.  Over the years we became close friends and for the last 20+ years we have co-bred some litters with Joan under her kennel name “Valmar”.  We watched her grade 100s of puppies during these years (some of her breeding, some with nothing to do with Valmar, some not even Weimaraners), we watched, asked questions and learned.  Eventually we began breeding under our own kennel name.  We recently had a litter of 1.  This was going to be the first time we had a litter that Joan wasn’t going to be able to “see”.  At some point we started to realize this little puppy was nice…very nice (sure she has faults and flaws, but every one does).  We really wanted an opinion that we valued, someone that has graded more puppies of different breeds than we will ever be able to.  I contacted Joan and asked if we could bring this little thing up to her for her to “look at”.  In typical Joan fashion, she replied “I can’t see!”.  Yup, I said, you can’t see with your eyes, but I’ve watched you grade 100s of puppies and watched your hands and your face, you my friend see more with your hands than most of us will ever realize with our eyes. We contacted another mutual friend and successful breeder of Weims, and Bouviers, Terry Burian-Creel.  Terry agreed to also meet up at Joan’s.  So when little Ms Stinklefits was 8 weeks old off we went.  Brought the grooming table in, Terry stacked, Joan began examining with her hands.  And just as we suspected, she “saw” things, made comments, pointed out things both positive and negative about this puppy.  After a bit, puppy tired of this and needed to get down and let off some steam which she did.  After a bit she came back to Joan, tried to climb up and bite her.  Joan reached down plucked her up, gave her a firm puppy correction for biting, puppy promptly laid down and fell asleep snuggled up next to Joan (I wish I would have gotten a picture of this).  The next few hours were spent talking dogs and pedigrees..  Dogs we all knew or had seen first-hand but knew in different contexts.  No bashing, no one was right or wrong, just frank, honest discussion about the dogs, not just structure, but also personalities, quirks, strengths and weaknesses.  It was a fun, wonderful afternoon/evening, and I want to thank these two amazing breeders/friends who have a passion about the breed and about breeding dogs in general.

The point of this story?  Well, breeding dogs is not a science you can learn from reading a book.  Grading a litter or a single puppy isn’t about stroking an ego or determining the “Pick Puppy”.  It’s the experience and knowledge from those experiences exchanged that is more valuable than any book or FaceBook post you might read.  No matter how long you’ve been breeding or how much success you have had or what you think you know about this breed there is always someone who has valuable knowledge and insight they will happily share with you.  Breeders and others that knew or have seen many of the dogs in your dog’s pedigree that have first hand knowledge of these dogs should not be ignored.  You would be wise to seek them out, ask questions and be willing to listen and learn from their first hand experiences.

– Vickie Margolis

Filed Under: Articles, General

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