Southland Weimaraner Club

The premier Weimaraner Club for Southern California.

Rescue Update

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If you’ve read your minutes in past Graymatters, you will know that due to personal reasons, Diane Monohan needed to close Friends For Pets, the longest running Weimaraner Rescue organization here in Southern California.  Over the years FFP has done much to rescue, love, care for and place Weims that for whatever reason no longer had a home.  No doubt this has left a huge hole in the Weim world for dogs that have been displaced, and her tireless work will certainly be missed.

The closing of FFP leaves a huge gap in rescue here in SoCal.

Fortunately for our grey friends, there is CALWEAR, which is a fairly new (started in 2014) Weimaraner rescue here in our area (well, the driving force behind CALWEAR has moved out of state, but Kim still provides support for misplaced Weims here).  What is needed from you?  Well, I know we have members that for many reasons no longer have a Weim, or don’t want a puppy, or maybe would love to have a Weim, just not full time (lol).  CALWEAR could use your help if you are willing to foster or adopt one of the many Weims that find their way into the rescue system.  Please give it a thought, and if you can help give back to the breed you love, contact CALWEAR at www.calwear.org

Raw Honey for Pet Health

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The following is reprinted with permission from the HemoPet Newsletter

Raw honey: A sweet food for the health of your pet

September 12, 2019  |   By W. Jean Dodds, DVM

Who doesn’t love honey? The golden, sweet, gooey nectar seems to enhance the taste of just about everything. But although you may love a generous slathering of honey on a piece of toast or a dollop in a cup of tea, why on earth should you give honey to your animal companion? Well, it turns out there’s much more to honey than meets the eye (or, more appropriately, the sweet tooth). Let’s take a closer look.

WHAT IS HONEY?

Honey is a part of the honeybee’s beautiful symbiotic relationship with flowers—a relationship that results in pollination, or sexual fertilization, and plant reproduction. Pollination is vital to all life on earth. Honey is comprised of simple sugars — mostly glucose and fructose — manufactured by honeybees from the nectar of flower blossoms.

But if simple sugars are bad for you, then why eat honey for health or give it to our companion animals? The answer lies with the type of honey you choose, as this will determine its health benefits.

NOT ALL HONEY IS CREATED EQUAL

You can either purchase honey in its raw, unprocessed state (which is typically thick and “milky” in appearance) or you can purchase a pasteurized (heat treated), filtered version. This processed commercial version typically looks clear and smooth and may even be so thin that you can pour it. The healthful, nutrition-packed honey that can benefit you and your pet originates from wild, raw, unfiltered honey—not from the processed honey contained in the likes of those bear-shaped plastic bottles found at the supermarket!

Raw honey contains many beneficial properties, including:
• Alkaline-forming food
• Antimicrobial effect against a number of fungi and bacteria
• High in antioxidants
• Natural enzymes and nutrients
• Powerful antibacterial and antimicrobial properties

Pasteurization compromises these beneficial properties.

Medical studies have identified raw honey’s ability to help heal ulcers, manage diarrhea and soothe sore throats. And, since it becomes alkaline and does not ferment in the digestive system, it is also useful in counteracting indigestion.

Raw honey is also beneficial in treating topical wounds, an ability that arises from a chemical reaction that occurs between the glucose in honey and an enzyme added by honeybees called glucose oxidase. When the honey comes in contact with the skin, the right conditions occur that enable the glucose oxidase to break down the glucose into hydrogen peroxide, which is antibacterial. Honey also retains moisture, drawing it away from the wound. Pasteurized honey, however, is not a viable wound care treatment.

Some common uses for raw honey include:
• Healing minor wounds
• Healing ulcers
• Managing diarrhea
• Soothing indigestion
• Soothing sore throats
• Treating sunburn and mild burns

LOCALLY GROWN HONEY MAY HELP PREVENT SEASONAL ALLERGIES

Both canine and human anecdotal evidence suggests that eating locally grown honey may help prevent seasonal allergies. The theory is that locally grown honey contains local pollen spores picked up by the bees, so consuming it can slowly build immunity to the pollen.

A study published in 2011 supports the anecdotal evidence. The study followed 44 patients diagnosed by their physicians with birch pollen allergy. The purpose was to evaluate the effects of the pre-seasonal use of birch pollen honey on the patients’ allergy symptoms and medication use during the birch pollen allergy season. The participants consumed incremental amounts of birch pollen honey from November 2008 to March 2009 and then recorded their daily allergy symptoms and medication use during the birch pollen allergy season, from April 2009 to May 2009. An additional 17 patients serving as the control group took only their usual allergy medication. The results were highly encouraging. During the 2009 birch pollen allergy season, the patients who consumed the birch pollen honey reported:
• A 60% lower total symptom score
• Twice as many asymptomatic days
• 70% fewer days with severe symptoms
• 50% less antihistamine use compared to the control group

MANUKA: THE “KING” OF HONEY

While all types of raw honey are beneficial, the “king” of honeys — celebrated for its super health benefits — is Manuka honey from New Zealand. Made from the nectar of flowers from the medicinal Manuka bush, Manuka honey has been shown in clinical trials to kill more than 250 strains of bacteria, including:
• MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
• MSSA (methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus)
• VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci)
• Helicobacter pylori (which can cause stomach ulcers)

In addition to the hydrogen peroxide antibacterial activity contained in most honeys, some strains of Manuka honey have additional healing antibacterial properties known as UMF (Unique Manuka Factor), which is indicated by a rating on the jar; the higher the UMF rating, the more potent the honey’s antibacterial strength. The lowest recognized UMF is 10. Manuka honey is so effective in fighting infection that in 2007 the FDA approved its use for treating wounds and burns in the Unites States.

SOME COMMON-SENSE HONEY CAUTIONS

If your pet is diabetic, consult with your holistic veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist before feeding honey, since its high sugar content can increase insulin levels. Also take care when feeding honey to overweight pets; at 64 calories per tablespoon, it can contribute to packing on unwanted pounds! Since raw honey can potentially become contaminated with a botulism-related toxin, we advise against feeding it to very young pets (or children under one year) because their immune systems are not yet developed enough to defend themselves. Adult pets and people are not affected.

Raw honey in moderate amounts can serve as a nutritious, and delicious, addition to your pet’s diet. Try mixing in a tablespoon with some fresh blueberries, or just letting him lick it right off the spoon. He’ll love the taste!

References
Benefits of Honey, 2012, www.benefits-of-honey.com.

Mercola, J,  2006. The Healing Properties of Raw Honey, viewed 10 September 2012, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/12/19/the-healing-properties-of-honey.aspx. 

Mercola, J,  2009, This Bee Product has Enormous Benefits for Your Health, viewed 10 September 2012, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/11/17/This-Bee-Product-Has-Enormous-Benefits-for-Your-Health.aspx.

Mercola, J, 2011. Fresh Evidence… Could 1 Teaspoon per Day Tame Your Allergy Problems, viewed 10 September 2012, http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/27/can-eating-local-honey-cure-allergies.aspx. 

Puotinen, CJ, 2007, “Bee products have a special meaning for dogs.” The Whole Dog Journal, viewed 12 September 2012, http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/10_9/features/Bee-Honey-Products-Help-Canines_15967-1.html. 

Saarinen, K, Jantunen, J and Haahtela, T, 2011, “Birch pollen honey for birch pollen alergy — a randomized controlled pilot study.” Int Arch Allergy Immunol, 155:160-166 (DOI: 10.1159/000319821)

Wolf, D, 2009,  Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, CA.

The Value of Long-Time Breeders

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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

The Truth About Pet-Friendly Hotels

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By Carol Bryant

If you’ve ever taken a trip with your dog and checked into a hotel that claims to be “pet friendly,” there are a few things to keep in mind that might not be advertised.

As a pet traveler of 20 years, I have encountered mostly amazing experiences at pet friendly hotels and bed and breakfasts, but occasionally one falls through the cracks. Pet friendly does not mean red carpet in all cases, so keep these pointers in mind the next time you book a room for you and Fido:

  • Fees are usually imposed on travelers who are staying with pets. Always ask ahead if there are fees involved, how much, and if there is a fee for each pet or a one-time deal. Often, hotels will hold a security deposit and then refund it or not charge your credit card prior to checking out.
  • Pet friendly has its pets allowed limits. You can bring three kids, just not three dogs, as an example. Ask first how many dogs are allowed. Nothing ruins a trip or vacation than hearing, “sorry ma’am, but three dogs are not welcome here, only two.”
  • Ask about their pet policy and what exactly it entails. Most pet-friendly establishments have a policy in writing and will ask you to sign it upon check in. Read the fine print carefully and if it isn’t, ask where you can find whatever they have as it pertains to rules of pets staying there.
  • Breed restrictions may apply, so ask ahead. I am hearing more about this but I’ve yet to encounter it. I personally would not stay somewhere that had a problem with my “breed” of dog. Better to be safe than sorry, so question the policy before making a reservation.
  • You can be asked to leave if your dog barks and is disturbing other guests. I understand this. I never leave my dog alone in the room. If a fire occurred, who is worrying about the dog in room 204 and if he gets out safely? Chances are, no one. Some hotels have a concierge service or can recommend a pet sitter/dog walker if you want to leave Fido behind while sightseeing.
  • Pets may not be allowed on beds, couches, furniture in general. My dog is allowed on all of this at home, so I travel with sheets and lay them across everything when I travel. I am sure at some point, whether child or adult, sockless feet have jumped on the same bed/the same furniture in the hotel, but pet travelers get the warning. I respect it and my dog’s paws never touch the fabric.

Why Join a Club

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By Vickie Margolis

Something that has been on my mind for quite some time:  Why there is little participation from our membership.  And in researching, it is not just SWC, but many dog clubs, car clubs, gardening clubs…you name it.  It seems more and more the questions from prospective and former members is WHY SHOULD I JOIN A CLUB?  WHAT CAN A CLUB DO FOR ME?

I’d like to share my thoughts on that.  The reasons are many….Our lives are busier and more hectic than ever, we have more and more choices as to what to do with the little leisure time we have, traffic (especially here in So. Cal) is horrendous, options for social interactions without ever leaving home are greater than ever before.  I think people have lost sight of the reasons clubs/organizations exist.  Clubs were formed to bring together those with like interests in something, whether it be a car club, a golf club, a sports club or a dog club.  Breed specific dog clubs like Southland Weimaraner Club bring together those in a relative local area that have a love of a particular breed, enjoy talking about, and doing various activities with their dogs.  It really makes no difference if your dog came from rescue, or a successful long time breeder of conformation or field trial lines, they are all Weimaraners.  Specialty breed clubs like Southland Weimaraner Club are there to support and help us all realize the potential locked inside our dogs and provide a local community for us to exchange information about health issues that affect all our dogs, and ask each other for help when needed.  Local clubs are a resource for their members to learn how to start your dog in conformation, obedience, field, retrieving, agility or just being a better family member. Clubs like SWC provide organized activities such as dog shows, field trials, obedience trials, hunt tests, field and retrieving ratings.  These activities provide a way to let our dogs do the things they enjoy doing.

SWC is Southern California’s local club that is a regional member club of the  Weimaraner Club of America (also known as the WCA or the “Parent Club”)   The WCA is the keeper of the standard, the force behind health related research specifically in Weimaraners being done, a network of members across the country and even beyond our boarders with members all over the world.

The WCA is the guardian of our beloved Weimaraners.  The WCA upholds the standard by which all Weimaraners in the USA will be judged (not just conformation judging, but the essence of what a Weimaraner is).   Remember, there is a reason you choose to have a Weim. in your life, and not a different breed, or mixed breed. The WCA donates funds to research health related issues with the breed, is a central location to find information for breeding issues, then passes this information on to it’s members (and member clubs) who also pass the information on to their veterinarians.  These things benefit all Weimaraners from conception into old age.  The WCA and the regional clubs like Southland sanction and put on events for Weimaraner enthusiasts across the country.  The WCA keeps records of outstanding achievements of dogs, breeders, and individuals that have had an impact on the dogs we have today and hope to have in the future.  Through programs and committees like the Health Committee, we have the ability to learn more about the latest tests, and health issues that affect our dogs, we have a Breeders Education Committee to help spread information about the latest in what breeders need to know to help both our bitches and stud dogs continue producing happy, healthy puppies.

Clubs like SWC and the WCA need members to make these programs move forward, clubs are made up of volunteers who love the breed, and work hard to impart information and hold events that we all can participate in.  These events also contribute to keeping the Weimaraner that we know and love consistent with the standard, honing and evaluating hunting skills, and keeping them active in our modern world. Whether you have a budding Field Champion, Bench Champion, a Master Agility Dog, Hunting Companion, or a sweet lovable family dog, it is in part due to those that gave of their time and knowledge and helped spread information, years of experience, and thoughts to others that love the breed that produced that puppy you brought home.

In this months newsletter you will find your renewal form for the 2018/2019 year.  Please take a few extra moments to think what you can do to help keep SWC and all it’s history a viable club, check one of the boxes asking which area you would be willing to help with, or even attending meetings to offer up suggestions and thoughts.  As I’m finishing this up, the club has obtained a conference call number to hold our meetings.  It is hoped this will allow more members to attend the meeting through the conference call allowing easier access to attend the meetings and offer insights and suggestions.

Thank you for your attention for the minutes it took to read this, and I sincerely hope you will give thoughtful consideration to how you can help.

VM- Graymatter Editor & Membership Chair