By Magdalene Landegent

Daily Sentinel

.

Photo: Pike, Le Mars’ police dog, trains daily with his handler and owner, Officer Mark Reed. The hard work has paid off again — on top of helping the police track down drugs and suspects, Pike, along with his handler Reed, recently was part of the first place team of police dogs at the the Region 21 United States Police Canine Association competition.

.

Even though Pike, a German shepherd, lives and spends most his time with Le Mars Police Officer Mark Reed, Pike is not like other families’ dogs.

“He’s never just a pet. He’s my partner,” Reed said.

The duo just competed in a U.S. Police Canine Association detector dog competition in Des Moines, and Pike proved his skills, helping earn a first place team finish for sniffing out narcotics.

In the April 11 contest, Reed and Pike teamed up with three other police K-9s and their handlers to seek out hidden drugs in cars and buildings.

They were competing with a total of 73 dogs.

Reed explained that each dog and its handler start out with 200 points, and judges deduct points for things like walking past the hidden drugs the first time or handler errors, like controlling the leash poorly.

Pike and Reed scored 195 out of 200, and with the other dog and handler duos on their team, that added up to a winning score.

Reed and Pike have also placed in individual competition in previous years, once going to the national competition, which was hosted in Des Moines that year.

“He’s a solid dog, a solid performer,” Reed said.

Reed has served with the Le Mars Police for 23 years and started working with police dogs in the late 1990s.

Pike has been his partner for about five years, although Reed started training the 6-year-old German shepherd when the dog was 10 weeks old.

“When he was young, everything I did with him was geared toward the work,” Reed explained.

Reed got Pike from Holtgrew’s German Shepherds in Merrill.

To be a good police dog, Pike had to show he was confident and outgoing, balancing stability and drive — even as a puppy.

Today, Pike is able to hunt down four different types of illegal drugs: heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. He can track and apprehend suspects — biting on command if needed — and can help recover evidence.

At the core of the training is agility and obedience, Reed said.

At a single word, Pike will stop everything and lay down at Reed’s feet. At another command, he will jump up and start sniffing for drugs. He will sprint into action or freeze immediately if Reed tells him to.

To Pike, the work really seems more like play — Reed explained the dog has no idea the narcotics are bad, and if he is commanded to bite someone, the dog is not angry.

Pike is very good-tempered and great around children, he said. The German shepherd loves a good scratch and makes friends with newcomers if Reed is OK with it.

“But if he goes out to apprehend a suspect and he gets hurt, then it’s personal,” Reed added.

Pike would only be asked to apprehend or bite a suspect if it involved a felony crime, a suspect fleeing custody, or to stop an assault on a person or an officer, Reed explained.

With the Le Mars Police, Pike has never had to do that, but a few times a month he is used for a building or vehicle search, and he also has helped track people and evidence.

“In the home invasion out in the country the winter before last, Pike was instrumental in knowing where to look for the guys,” Reed said. “It was a cold night, and that’s one of the things that made the track difficult. When it’s cold and windy on snow, it’s hard to scent a suspect.”

In that January 2009 attempted burglary, which involved five suspects, three fled on foot and were eventually tracked down by Pike and police officers using thermal imaging units.

“It’s a team thing,” Reed said. “Pike helped the guys be where they needed to be. He was just part of the team.”

In between police calls, Pike is never allowed to get lazy.

“I train him almost every night,” Reed said.

Sometimes, that involves Pike hunting down actual narcotics or scented items Reed hides.

“I’m constantly proofing to make sure I’m not training him to smell something else,” Reed said, explaining that at one time officers would hide narcotics in PVC pipe, and the dogs actually were sniffing out the glue used to close the pipe rather than the narcotics.

The canine nose is extremely sensitive, Reed added.

“When Pike walks into a room where stew is cooking, he smells cooking onions, he smells cooking meat, he smells cooking carrots,” he said.

That’s unlike humans, who usually just smell the stew combination.

Training also involves obedience work, tracking work and apprehensions. Reed has special padded coverings he or others can wear so Pike can practice his bites.

But Pike also gets downtime. He likes playing fetch in Reed’s back yard.

Police dogs usually live with their handlers, Reed said.

In many cases, a police department will own the dog, but it will still go home with its handler after the day’s work.

“It makes it a lot easier to take care of the dog, and it has a sense of family,” Reed said.

However, Reed, not the police department, owns Pike.

“He’s my dog, but I’m assigned as a K-9 handler at the department,” Reed explained.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“For me, it’s a dream job,” Reed said.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Associated Press

Officials are urging residents to be aware of the threat coyotes pose to pets after a family’s dog was snatched by a pack of the canines.

Debbie Melendez saw her miniature pinscher attacked by what she described as wolves after letting the dog outside late Sunday night. St. John Animal Control Officer Rick Conaway says the animals were coyotes.

Conaway tells The Times of Munster the incident is the second of its type since 2009 in the northwest Indiana town, although the dog in the first incident later was found alive.

He cautioned that pets less than 25 pounds should not be left unattended any time of day. Coyotes feed on squirrels, raccoons, rabbits and other small animals.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Nola.com

The canine unit that the New Orleans Police Department uses in the apprehension of criminal suspects has been reinstated after a suspension of about six months, Superintendent Ronal Serpas announced Monday.

The U.S. Department of Justice, which has been reviewing all aspects of the NOPD’s operations, in October recommended the suspension of the K-9 apprehension unit, concluding that dog handlers were not able to control their animals in those kind of exercises. Serpas agreed with the recommendation.

The investigators found problems in the ways the dogs and their handlers were trained, noting that the dogs often bit suspects that were trying to cooperate. The rate of dog bites was about twice what the Justice Department would expect to see.

The Justice report found that some dogs were “almost completely uncontrollable,” with some of them attacking their handlers. The K-9 unit also wrote inadequate reports when their dogs bit people, providing very little detail about the incidents, the Justice Department found.

But by last week, according to an NOPD news release, “DOJ inspectors … stated that the dogs are now exceptionally trained and will undoubtedly be more effective in tracking down suspects and sniffing out illegal drugs.”

The inspectors did seven hours of testing, the news release says, and the dogs — of the Belgian Malinois breed — “exhibited excellent obedience and control skills.”

In a prepared statement, Serpas said: “Mayor Landrieu and I take the Department of Justice’s recommendations very seriously. We are well aware there are areas of the force that require extensive repair. The canine unit was one of them.

“Working alongside the Department of Justice, we are reworking policies and practices to ensure that this becomes one of the country’s best police departments. The reinstatement of our canine unit using established best practices is a step in that direction.”

In recent years, the K-9 unit came under fire with the deaths of two dogs, including that of Primo, a Belgian Malinois who was apparently left in a hot car by his NOPD handler. The officer involved in that incident was dismissed from the agency after pleading guilty at Criminal District Court to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Monday, 04/25/11

D’Arbonne Kennel Club.

Bossier City, LA.

Judge D. Buxton.

Best In Show: Bichon Frise.

CH SAKS HAMELOT LITTLE DRUMMER BOY.

Handled by Scott A Sommer.

Owner: Barbara Weidner & Laurie Darman & Kim Griffin & Cecelia Ruggles.

Breeder: Sandra & Keith Hanson & Shirley & Richard Hamilton.

Photo Credit:

Vincent Zuniaga

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Kevin Murphy; Writing by Mary Wisniewski; Editing by Jerry Norton

Reuters

(Reuters) – The levee along the rising Black River in the area of Poplar Bluff, Missouri was breached south of the city on Tuesday morning, local police said.

To prepare for expected flash flooding, about 1,000 people were evacuated Monday. A total of 59 people were rescued from homes and cars within a 90-minute period Monday night, said Poplar Bluff Police Captain Mike McClain.

McClain said the levee along the river has been sandbagged to plug overflows in the city limits.

The storms and flooding were the latest in the violent weather that has pummeled much of the mid-South this month, killing seven people in Arkansas Monday. Two weeks ago more than 47 people died as storms tore a wide path from Oklahoma all the way to North Carolina.

Flood warnings on Monday prompted evacuations of hundreds of people in Indiana, Kentucky and Missouri following days of rain that led to rivers cresting over the flood stage, according to forecasters

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Joshua Melvin

San Mateo County Times

The Millbrae Police Department’s only canine handler is suing the city in federal court on allegations she hasn’t been paid for the time she spends taking care of the dog while off duty.

Officer Rebecca Rosenblatt alleges that federal labor law obliges Millbrae to compensate her for the time — at least 3 ½ hours per week — but failed to do so. The amount of pay owed for the “care and maintenance” of police dog Reese could reach $80,000, her attorney, Dale Nowicki, said. The officer has asked for a jury trial.

The city has received the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Oakland, but city officials declined to comment.

Reese, a German shepherd, lives with Rosenblatt, and his bathing and feeding are her responsibility whether or not the officer is on the clock. According to the complaint, the Fair Labor Standards Act says a handler must be paid overtime for the dog’s maintenance.

Nowicki said the rules for compensation can be applied retroactively only two years into the past, or three years when there are aggravating circumstances. Rosenblatt has been with the department since 2005 and has been handling Reese since 2007, according to Millbrae’s website.

The general counsel for an international police dog training organization said Millbrae won’t win if it fights the suit.

“The city’s going to lose,” said Mark Rispoli, attorney for the 2,000-member California Narcotic Canine Association,

which also has members outside of the United States. “Federal law mandates it. This is well-settled.”

He said it’s not uncommon for handlers, like teachers, to spend money out of their own pocket for dog-related expenses, and they don’t make a fuss about being reimbursed. He said those officers are aware that a pricey legal fight with the agency that employs them, along with a five- or six-figure settlement, could spell the end for that agency’s canine program.

“You can win the battle and lose the war,” Rispoli said.

Nowicki said his firm, as part of a separate case, is representing a handler from the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office on the same issue, but officers who handle five other dogs there have declined to take part for fear of what may happen.

“Handler compensation issues cause the demise of canine units,” he added.

Rosenblatt said she tried to talk to her supervisors, but they brushed her off on the topic. She claims she also attempted to strike a bargain in order to receive some kind of compensation. But again, those efforts were unsuccessful.

The situation is very different at the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, which has six canine handlers. Deputies who have a canine partner receive a 5.7 percent pay raise as well as $90 a month for care and feeding of the animal, Sheriff’s Lt. Ray Lunny said. The handlers are expected to keep their dogs with them at all times.

Rosenblatt’s attorney said the only reason his client has filed a lawsuit is the 24-hour nature of the assignment.

“If the dog wasn’t at home, this wouldn’t apply,” he said.

Contact Joshua Melvin at 650-348-4335

Share Box

Tweet

3

Los Angeles Times

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick — who served prison time on dogfighting-related charges — has come out against an Android dogfighting application.

Vick released a statement in conjunction with the Humane Society of the United States, calling the game  “a step backward.”

“I’ve come to learn the hard way that dogfighting is a dead-end street,” Vick said in a statement. “Now, I am on the right side of this issue, and I think it’s important to send the smart message to kids, and not glorify this form of animal cruelty, even in an Android app.”

But the creators of a dogfighting phone application said Monday the game was meant to educate the public on the evils of animal cruelty.

In an email to The Times signed by pitboss@kagegames.com, an official for Kage Games said proceeds from the game would benefit animal rescue organizations and the Japanese tsunami relief effort.

The official did not give his real name, citing threats of violence by animal rights activists, and said critics “are entirely missing the point.”

“We are in fact animal lovers ourselves,” the email said. “This is our groundbreaking way to raise money/awareness to aid REAL dogs in need, execute freedom of expression, and serve as a demonstration to the competing platform that will not allow us as developers to release software without prejudgment.”

The president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, Paul M. Weber, said he was unswayed by the company’s defense and believes the game should be taken off the market and the creators fired.

Weber called the game “absolutely sickening” and said it was “absolutely the wrong message to send to our children.”

The Dog Wars app for the Android smartphone operating system encourages players to “Raise your dog to beat the best” and allows players to train a virtual pit bull to fight other virtual dogs and build street cred that “puts money in your pocket and lets you earn more in fights.”

The company’s website notes that the game player has a “gun for police raids and can inject the dog with steroids.”

“Pitboss” said the game is still being developed, and the company would be incorporating suggestions from both supporters and detractors “in an effort to create a more socially conscious app that provides a net benefit to dogs, as well as humans.”

Share Box

Tweet

3

By kobtv4

You Tube

Dogs mauled her. joe vigil spent the afternoon in truth or consequences…w here he talked to a woman who witnessed the attack. joe. people are absolutely stunned over what these dogs did. and people are furious with their owners-who weren’t home when the dogs somehow escaped to the streets.
We  want to warn you some of these details are disturbing. what these three dogs did to 48 year old margaret salcedo was— without a doubt—the most horrible thing t or c resident laura russell has ever seen. “i couldn’t sleep at all last night. i still have her screams in my head. and i still have the images when i l close my eyes.” people describe salcedo as a loving person without a mean bone in her body”.

Share Box

Tweet

3

By WTNH

You Tube

(WTNH) — If you take the train or bus in Connecticut you’re getting an extra level of security today — dogs.

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Lucas Bond

Connet Mid Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, MO — Missouri lawmakers took the Monday off as part of their Easter holiday weekend, but starting Tuesday they’ll have a busy week ahead of them.

One of the hottest issues is the rewriting of the puppy-mill law.

At issue is whether the governor will sign a re-write of the voter approved Proposition B,or the puppy mill law.

The house and senate approved the revision which replaces key parts of the bill, like how many dogs breeders can have.

The bill is sitting on Governor Nixon’s desk, but he is now urging for lawmakers to write another bill; one that pleases more groups.

Nixon brokered the bill with agriculture interests and several state-based animal welfare groups, including the Missouri Veterinary Medical Association.

“The Missouri Humane Society, the Pet Breeders Association, the Governor’s office, the Department of Agriculture, and the Missouri Farmers’ Care Coalition are all on the same page. I think that’s just a great group to decide what is best on this issue,” Executive Director of MVMA Richard Antweiler said.

Antweiler said the bill Nixon wants, already being the called “the Missouri Solution”, would protect dogs, and farmers.

“We will be going after the dog breeders that are the bad apples, and we will be able to do some good for the dogs in the state by increasing enforcement. Also it is allowed the farming community to be assured that this is not going to be something that affects them in the future,” Antweiler said.

Antweiler said the compromise bill would give dog breeders more time to comply with the regulations.

Republicans said the governor should first sign their bill, and later work on a compromise.

In a letter to the governor Monday, one lawmaker said it would be a “serious setback” if Nixon vetoes their bill.
Nixon hasn’t said one way or the other if he’ll sign it.

Tell us what you think. Do you think Governor Nixon should sign the re-write of the voter approved puppy mill law?

Share Box

Tweet

3

Monday, 04/25/11

Catoctin Kennel Club.

Timonium, MD.

Judge R. shreve.

Best In Show: English Springer Spaniel

GCH CH Wyndmoor Champagne Supernova

Handled by Robin L Novac.

Owner: Florence & Fink & McWilliams & Kerfoot & Streng.

Breeder: B & E & C Kerfoot & C Hawkins & R Kirby.

Photo Credit:

Vincent Zuniaga

Share Box

Tweet

3

Saturday, 04/16/11

The Atlanta Kennel Club.

Perry, GA.

Judge Dr. Danna Ann Smith Massey.

Sporting Group Results:

G1 -25  CH Casablanca’s Thrilling Seduction.

G2 -25  CH Mich’s MT Ready Aim Fire.

G3 -29  CH Trailsend Twill Be Or Not Twill Be.

G4 -43  CH Nani’s Crosswinds First Look.

Photo Credit:

Vincent Zuniaga.

“Click on thumbnails to enlarge and see next photo”

Share Box

Tweet

3

The Press

Search and rescue dogs which helped search for trapped people in rubble after the Christchurch earthquake will be among the canine heroes recognised at this weekend’s national dog show.

All New Zealand dogs that have behaved in an outstanding way will be celebrated as part of the 125th New Zealand Kennel Club National Dog Show in Feilding from April 29 to May 1.

The dogs being recognised include police dog Gage, killed in the line of duty in Christchurch last year, and the urban search and rescue (USAR) dogs.

Kennel Club director and secretary Richard Brown said having the USAR dogs that performed so dutifully after the earthquake would be extra special.

“It seems the opportune moment to celebrate and focus on the urban search and rescue dogs when we also present a Canine Heroes certificate for Gage.”

This year 2500 dogs are set to take the stage at the show for the judged events including breed, agility and obedience competitions.

The overall winner of the main show goes to the world’s premier dog show in England.

This is the third year the show has been held at Manfeild Raceway.

The shows are traditionally staged in October, but this year’s event was moved forward to April to avoid a clash with the Rugby World Cup.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Saturday, 04/15/11

By Dog Post Daily

The Atlanta Kennel Club.

Perry, GA.

Judge Mr Carl Gene Liepmann.

Herding Group Results:

G1 -53  CH Dalarno Nite Song At Mornigstar.

G2 -38  CH Myshara’s Dream Girl.

G3 -7  CH NE Orangeux’s Al Capone.

G4 -11  CH Leeason Rock My Soul.

Photo Credit:

Vincent Zuniaga.

“Click on thumbnails to enlarge and see next photo”

Share Box

Tweet

3

MSN News

Bing Videos

Whatever you do mom, don’t stop blowing those magical bubbles.

<br/><a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&#038;vid=fbadcd2f-91b4-41c0-b6e1-1c1221fc31a7&#038;src=OverlayPlayer:embed:&#038;fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Bubbly Baby Laughs At Bubbles">Video: Bubbly Baby Laughs At Bubbles</a>

Share Box

Tweet

3

By BigCatHaven

You Tube

The tiger and dogs have grown up together and are great friends. The video shows their morning play sessions.

Share Box

Tweet

3

By ilovethatstory

You Tube

Day 2: Jango thinks he is enough puppy for two places

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Irma Widjojo

Times-Herald

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Leigh Peterson

Cuyahoga Falls Patch

.

Photo: Claudio is just one of the many friendly, lovable Pit Bull dogs available for adoption at the Humane Society of Greater Akron. Credit Humane Society of Greater Akron.

.

Dog fighting is a serious problem against innocent animals who have no voice. But now, everyone can run a virtual dog fighting ring right from their Android phone.

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Kevin Brady

Brandon Patch

Five years ago, Hillsborough County Animal Services saw more than 36,000 animals. At a holiday themed event April 23, with egg hunt and bunny hop contest, animal advocates talked about why that number has dropped and ways to bring it down even further.

Yelps, yaps and the occasional meow greeted hundreds of visitors to the “Help Our Pets” (HOP) adopt-a-thon and holiday themed event at Hillsborough County Animal Services on April 23.

“Red Ruff” and “Blue Mew” from PETCO and more than 30 rescue groups and shelter partners were on hand for the family friendly — and free — activities that included an egg hunt and a bunny hop contest as well as opportunities to learn more about pets from vets.

Several dogs and cats were adopted at the event, which was aimed not only at spotlighting the pets up for adoption at the animal services shelter on Falkenburg Road, but also highlighting the dangers of giving animals as Easter gifts.

“Many of the animals adopted at this time of year are on impulse but we see a lot of people ending up returning them here,” said Marti Ryan, spokesperson for animal services.

With an open-admission policy, the county shelter never turns away an animal. Five years ago, more than 36,000 animals came through the doors of animal services, Ryan said. Last year, that number dropped to 22,000 and Ryan credits four factors:

• More spaying and neutering,

• More outreach and education,

• More adoptions, and

• Greater enforcement. Hillsborough County law enforcement has the highest rate of enforcement in the state, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Ryan said. “That says something about the level of commitment this community has to this issue,” she said

Ryan credits people like Dave Melton of Florida Shar Pei Rescue with helping to educate the public and helping to find homes for cats and dogs.

Shar Pei Rescue was one of many animal rescue groups with booths at the April 23 event. While each group is devoted to a different animal or breed, they all usually gets their animals from animal services.

Melton early on at the event had two inquiries about adopting one dog and hoped to have at least one animal adopted by the end of the day.

But, like Ryan, Melton also endured the muggy outdoor event in hopes of educating the public. Ryan’s advice for those looking for a pet is simple: stop in at animal services.

“You don’t know what you are getting at a pet shop. It could be the product of a puppy mill,” Ryan said. Puppy mills are commercial dog breeding centers operated with an emphasis on profits above animal welfare. “But if you come to any of the rescue groups or to animal services you know the animal has shots, is neutered or spayed, is microchipped and has seen a vet.”

Once the decision to adopt has been made, finding the right match is next hurdle to overcome. Volunteers Jackie and Joe Osborne said they can help make that match between person and pet.

“We can help match up the right dog with the right person,” said Jackie Osborne. “Not everyone is a good match for a Rottweiler or pit bull [terrier].”

As for Ryan, efforts such as those on display April 23 have one goal in mind:

“We hope to send some animals to new homes today and even if not everyone adopts, at least the people who came here today will know what we do and where we are,” he said. “We have to stand up for these animals.”

Hillsborough County Animal Services is at 440 Falkenburg Road in the Greater Brandon area of Tampa. Call: (813) 744-5660.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Geni Wren, Editor, Bovine Veterinarian

Dairy Herd Network

A new HumaneWatch billboard was put up in New York City’s Times Square last week that criticizes the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) for its deceptive fundraising practices. The billboard features a collie telling his owner, a young boy, that HSUS gives less than 1% of its money to hands-on pet shelters.

The billboard is located at Seventh Avenue, between 48th and 49th Streets and its unveiling was to coincide with HSUS President Wayne Pacelle’s scheduled April 21 New York City appearance to promote his new book, The Bond. The billboard was put up by HumaneWatch.

Read more and see the billboard here.

Click to enlarge

HumaneWatch.org is a project of the nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF). Its message on this and previous billboards is that despite most Americans’ belief to the contrary, HSUS is not a national umbrella group that represents community-based humane societies, and it shares less than 1% percent of its income with underfunded pet shelters at the local level. The billboards use the same tactics as HSUS ads do — use images of puppies and kittens to get the attention of consumers.

“HSUS is an animal rights group that uses heart-wrenching images of dogs and cats to guilt the American public into donating. But it’s sharing less than one percent of the proceeds with the hands-on shelters that actually care for these animals,” said Rick Berman, CCF’s executive director. “HSUS’s millions support a huge staff of lawyers and lobbyists, bloated executive pension plans, exorbitant fundraising expenses, and bankroll an animal rights agenda that attacks modern farming.”

HSUS raised $97 million in 2009, mostly from Americans who thought their donations would filter down to local pet shelters. According to Opinion Research Corporation polling, 59% of Americans falsely believe HSUS “contributes most of its money to local organizations that care for dogs and cats.”

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit watchdog organization that informs the public about the activities of tax-exempt activist groups. It is supported by American consumers, business organizations, and foundations.

CCF and those involved with HumaneWatch have worked tirelessly to bring the message to Americans that HSUS does not support pet shelters, and that donations would be better spent to a person’s state or local Humane Society or animal shelter.

Share Box

Tweet

3

By ANGELIQUE SERRAO

iol News

Dog owners are being asked to get their dogs to vets if they show any signs of being ill – after 12 dogs died last week from eating contaminated pet food.

The dogs died between Sunday and Wednesday, and they were found to have eaten pellets from three different brands of dog food found to be contaminated with a toxic fungus.

All three brands – Hi-Pro, Buddies and Legends – have factories in Brakpan and Roodepoort. The dogs died in the Pretoria area.

Barry Hundley, the executive director of the Pet Food Institute of Southern Africa, said the dogs died of aflatoxicosis, which is caused by a fungus.

He said the toxin attacks the liver and breaks it down. All the dogs admitted for the poisoning died. The toxin can cause vomiting and bleeding and is usually fatal.

The Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital sent out warnings to vets asking them to look out for any cases of aflatoxicosis.

Glenn Alexander lost three of his dogs to the contamination at the beginning of last week. On Twitter he spoke about how his three dogs died within two days. His Dalmatian died after being admitted to Onderstepoort.

Alexander described his dogs’ deaths as a major shock to the family.

“Three of our family dogs passed away within two days thanks to contaminated HiPro dog food,” tweeted Alexander. “Had two of the dogs for 14 years and the other dog four years.”

He posted pictures of his Dalmatian Demi and said he had been told of the nine other dogs who had died.

Hundley said the particular fungus that caused the deaths was commonly found living on oil seeds, like groundnut oil, or on maize.

“But the fungus could be in the food itself. If, for instance, the food gets wet or is heated up, the fungus could grow on the food.”

He said inspectors from the Department of Agriculture were being sent to the pet food plants to inspect the premises and were taking samples for testing.

“We have been sending warning letters to these brands asking them to join the institute so we can make sure things are safe,” said Hundley. They are small operators.”

He said the three brands were from small operators, but they still needed to establish whether the problem came from the pet food plant, or whether it was a retailer that was not storing the food properly.

“We are desperate to find out what is going on,” said Hundley. – The Star

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Cesar Millan

Fox News Latino

.

Photo: Courtesy Cesar Millan

.

Puppy mills have been back in the news over the past couple of weeks as Missouri lawmakers look to soften legislation that would crack down on some of the country’s most notorious.

In November of last year, voters approved the measures proposed to place tougher regulatory standards on breeders and agricultural industries. Now some elected officials are attempting to make the proposed laws less strict. Through my work with my non-profit organization, The Millan Foundation, I meet people all the time who are either unaware of what a puppy mill is, feel helpless to improve the situation, or just don’t understand why it matters.

A puppy mill is a breeding facility with the sole purpose of churning out the most dogs for the least money – and to make the most profit. I have seen, first hand, the devastating conditions of puppy mills, witnessing the horrible state of these dogs, being confined and restricted to cages, raised to produce litter after litter after litter. Most of them were unable to live out their true potential as fulfilled and balanced dogs.

By supporting puppy mills, knowingly or unknowingly, people are allowing these practices to continue, which leads to substandard breeding conditions and inbreeding that can then lead to health and behavioral problems. It is also a major factor in the pet overpopulation crisis we have in this country with 4 to 6 million pets euthanized every year.

Substandard breeding conditions and inbreeding can lead to health and behavioral problems in the puppies bred there. Since the 1980s, the Humane Society of the United States has been fighting to shut down these facilities. You can do your part by making sure to research before you adopt and by keeping yourself informed! Here are some tips to avoid adopting from a puppy mill:

Avoid pet stores, newspaper or journal ads, and great deals on the internet! Many puppy mills supply local pet stores, and ads in newspapers or on websites can easily falsify information. In season two of my show Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan I worked with a dog named Bandit. Bandit’s website said that he was from a licensed breeder, but he turned out to be the product of a puppy mill, costing his new family thousands of dollars in vet bills and heartache over his life-threatening health and behavioral problems.

If you are looking to get a dog from a breeder, be sure to do some thorough research. You want to avoid any potential problems and make sure you are using a reputable one. Visit the breeder and ask questions! Ask to see the entire facility where the dogs are bred and kept. Is it clean? Spacious enough? Ask to see the parent dogs as well. Does the breeder show hesitation to let you see the facility or to let you meet the other dogs who are being kept there? Or is the breeder willing to just sell one of his puppies to anyone who walks in off the street, sight unseen? Reputable breeders will want to make sure their puppies are going to good homes. Beware of all these red flags.

Adopt from a shelter or rescue instead! This is the simplest solution. Rescues and shelters most often have the best interest of the animal at heart, and many of them are last chance adoptions. Remember that dogs live in the present – your feeling sorry for the dog and showering him with affection right off the bat can cause behavioral problems later on. Adopt a dog compatible with your energy level and lifestyle.

The puppy mill situation saddens me deeply, as it’s been my lifelong dream to see humans and dogs living together in harmonious relationships. It is my hope that we can one day eliminate all puppy mills and find good homes for the millions of homeless pets that live in shelters right now.

CESAR MILLAN is a best-selling author and star of the hit TV show “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan,” airing on Nat Geo WILD in the U.S. and over 100 countries internationally. He is President of The Millan Foundation, a non-profit organization that is credited with re-homing and rehabilitating thousands of dogs across the world.

Share Box

Tweet

3

By John Spieser

Ann Arbor

I bet a lot of people are going to click on this article simply because the word pit bull is in the title. Frankly that fact sickens me and gets directly to the root of why I’ve decided to write it. I have generally chosen to steer clear of the ongoing pit bull controversy and, with all due respect to those who are passionately engaged in the debate, my reason is that the discussion is riddled with ignorance, insensitivity and flippant assumptions that I find unsavory at best.

But I’ve reached my breaking point.

Personally I would like to see the conversation take a more productive trajectory, or just end altogether. In an effort to support a constructive debate, I will tell you why I think the topic is being grossly perverted by the media and, in my opinion, becoming more dangerous with each passing day.

Nation’s hero? 

Photo courtesy of pbrc.net

Pit bull — the term

The word “pit bull” is now used by many as a term, not a breed.

Although there is an exact pit bull pedigree and various breeding campaigns have produced relative breeds from those bloodlines, these days, especially in the news media, the term is used liberally to describe a range of dogs with similar physical characteristics — whether those doing the describing are aware of it or not.

Perhaps part of the reason is that original pit bull bloodlines have been used to produce various extensions of the breed (Staffordshire terrier, bull terrier, American pit bull) and in many instances, for a variety of reasons, the characteristics of these subsequent breeds have been altered by a myriad of other breeds.

The interesting thing about the “real” pit bull is that it is a longstanding breed, and despite the fact that it has been wildly popular for quite some time in many different parts of the world, including the U.S in the early 1900s, the breed has never before been regarded as overtly aggressive toward people.

Not until fairly recently.

Historical statistics confirm that there aren’t too many dog breeds that can boast a cleaner record than the pit bull in the department of aggression towards humans.

So, first question: Who is this contemporary pit bull, making atrocious headlines? What is the dog we are talking about?

This is the question that eats at me.

Breeding, and the results thereof

When I was a kid living in Detroit, German shepherds and Dobermans were the big scary meanies, and yes, people did get bitten by them. Both breeds were very popular and easy to come across, as they were often used for home security.

Honestly, in those days, if I came across a dog that looked like what everyone today is calling a pit bull, it didn’t trigger the fear that folks nowadays associate with the breed. But a Doberman, whoa! I’m outta here.

In the case of the German shepherd, the popularity and controversy surrounding the breed eventually resulted in a virtual washing-out of healthy bloodlines and re-establishing the strength of the breed is a work still in progress today.

You don’t need to understand that much about “line breeding” to get the idea that, in order to create a breed (or intentionally transform one) you must first know what you want. The vast majority of recognized breeds were envisioned first in the mind’s eye for a specific purpose.

With patience and a gene pool to work from, humans have demonstrated their clever ability to create a stupefying array of breeds and alter the confirmations of existing ones.

Ironically, the effort to resurrect the American bloodlines of the German shepherd, including, in part, the introduction of lines from other breeds to correct genetic imperfections, a process which is intended to save the breed, is the very same process (in reverse) that is playing out in our collective “mind’s eye” and threatening to decimate the bloodlines of the pit bull — an inherently trustworthy breed.

A search through history doesn’t seem to suggest that the pit bulls making bad headlines are a demon risen from our past as much as a product of the present and a promise in our future. It doesn’t take long for a cultural obsession to alter the genetics of any breed, usually for the worse.

If I only make one thing clear in this article it is this: We are creating the breed we fear through our portrait of the situation in the news, and it’s not a pit bull.

We’ll wish we had the pit bull back.

A dangerous replacement is up for election!

The psyche of a fighting dog breeder

The practice of fighting dogs has evolved from a sport (if you can call it that) to a business. It isn’t about who has the scrappiest little pit bull anymore. Not unlike many of our own professional sports, it’s about the biggest, toughest, most aggressive — and money, of course. Cultural infatuation with danger doesn’t help matters.

So if you want a pit bull, I’ll make you one. A dog that looks like your idea of a pit bull is every bit as formidable and tenacious, will fight if you put it in the ring, and, although having some on hand wouldn’t hurt, I won’t need one drop of pure pit bull genetics to do it.

Breeding a dog that is difficult to control isn’t hard —  it just takes a little bit of focused stupidity. If I want to breed a dog that will fight and fits the profile of the current cultural candidate, all I have to do is get on the Internet, start reading news articles, blog posts and comment streams, look at photos, and then create the dog that everybody is freaking out about and arguing over. It’s that simple.

There are plenty of breed combinations that would almost certainly render a percentage of pups that look like the dogs everyone is raging about and fight just as well, or better. I could then cull out the best, or worst if you prefer, and sell them for good money, maybe holding a “perfect one” back for my next litter.

Here are some likely breed matches…

Jack Russell terrier/Australian cattle dog

German shepherd/Beagle

Rottweiler/Dalmatian

American bulldog/Rhodesian ridgeback

Boxer/Manchester terrier

Bull Mastiff/Doberman

If it is big, strong and athletic enough for your liking, you’ll buy it and do with it what you will, even if it is the product of leaving my sister’s and cousin’s dogs in the yard for a while. If you think it’s a pit bull and you want to call it a Pit bull, go right ahead. Maybe, someday, you’ll even breed her to a real pit bull and get one of those dogs that I saw on TV.

So the story goes …

Have you ever noticed how just about every smooth coat, muscle-bound, blocky-headed dog that bites someone is referred to in the news as a pit or pit mix, instead of a Boxer mix, a Ridgeback, a Mastiff or a Rottweiller mix? If it’s a mix, it’s mixed with something right?

This media debate isn’t about a bad breed — it’s about bad breeding and poor judgment on both sides of the fence!

Bite frequency

I often hear the argument, “Maybe pit bulls don’t bite as frequently as some small dogs, but when they do, it is more damaging; therefore, they are more dangerous dogs.”

I think this is dangerous thinking.

Of course larger dogs do more damage. Nevertheless, a bite is a bite, one that was fueled by a behavioral imbalance, whether it was inflicted by a big mouth or a small one, a wide one, a long one.

Actually, if a small dog is willing to bite, that is pretty alarming! Dog’s aren’t dumb. If a 4-pound Chihuahua is confident that it can control a 150-pound person with aggression, just imagine what the 60-pound “pit mix” is thinking!

Every bite should count, if nothing else but for the fact that it is pertinent information. Every time a dog bites a human, there is a chronology that led up to that moment — that is what needs to be looked at.

If, as a society, we are producing, marketing and raising little dogs who bite with alarming frequency, regardless of what the weak link is, there is a likelihood that a similar scenario is occurring somewhere with larger more formidable breeds.

We would be wise to search for the parallels.

How we can change

I realize that, if you dig around, most of what I’ve said so far has been covered in the plethora of comment streams generated by dog blogs everywhere. So the least I can do is offer some helpful suggestions to be hopeful solutions for a threatening trend.

I’ll be the first to raise my hand and take the pledge to maintain an accurate, open-minded discussion with regards to pit bulls and their current status in society.

I would like to see …

• The general and casual use of the term “pit bull” cease, across the board. If we’re going to talk about a dog, tell everyone who the dog is you are talking about. If you are using the word “pit bull” as a term to describe physical attributes shared by a variety of breeds, be clear in your statement/s. If you don’t know the difference, find out before you speak.

• The news media make an obligation to accurate reporting when covering breed-pertinent issues and not making breed an issue when it’s not relevant. It would make a big statement if …

• The Humane Society set a precedent by further underscoring the need for breed specificity and by exemplifying it in their intake/adoption programs and related educational materials.

• A broader documentation of bite statistics that includes all breeds, degrees of injury, information about dogs’ owners and status of the people who have been bitten.

• The more extensive application of genetic identification technology in cases of catastrophic aggression to (to the best of our ability) determine the breed recipe present in dogs who commit the act.

• Increased effort/resources geared toward advancing the education of animal shelter staff, operators of rescue programs and foster care providers in the area of breed identification and related behavioral tendencies.

• Pit bull advocates embrace the reality that the dog they love so dearly and its historically commendable reputation is transforming rapidly with not just the help of meddlesome breeding, but also news hype.

• Pit bull opponents understand that their angst toward the situation needs to be directed (hopefully in a productive manner) at people, for their overall lack of responsibility/skillfulness with regards to dogs, not a breed or dogs themselves.

I am begging, along with the pit bull, for a change in dialogue…

That’s it. Pit bull, for the last time.

Share Box

Tweet

3

BY ELINOR J. BRECHER

The Miami Herald

.

Photo: Cowboy, a golden retriever, wandered away from home and died in the county shelter as his owner searched for him.

.

The bereaved owners of Cowboy, a 10-year-old golden retriever mistakenly killed at the Miami-Dade county shelter in 2005, were awarded $860 in damages this week.

Anays Rodriguez-Porras sued Miami-Dade Animal Services for gross negligence after workers euthanized her family’s pet as she was trying to reclaim him from the county’s Medley shelter.

After a three-day trial in Circuit Judge Valerie Manno Schurr’s courtroom, a six-manjury this week found Animal Services guilty of simple negligence and awarded Rodriguez-Porras $14,000: $2,000 for the retail value of a purebred golden and $12,000 for pain and suffering.

But in Florida, pain and suffering for the loss of a pet can only be awarded with a finding of gross negligence, said Rodriguez-Porras’ lawyer, Rod McNeely, so his client can’t collect the $12,000.

The jury also found the owner had been 57 percentnegligent, based partly on Cowboy’s lack of a collar, and reduced the compensatory damages accordingly.

Rodriguez-Porras said she was shocked by the verdict, because “everyone expected something else.’’

In her lawsuit, Rodriguez-Porras, of Southwest Miami-Dade, claimed that Animal Services failed to follow its own procedures after officers picked up Cowboy up on Aug. 5, 2005 about a block from home.

He’d gotten out of the house the day before, “agitated and frightened by stormy weather,’’ the lawsuit says.

At first, Rodriguez-Porras was told Cowboy was not at the shelter when in fact he was.

Despite shelter policy to scan animals for identifying microchips when they first arrived, Cowboy, who wasn’t wearing a collar, wasn’t scanned for three days.

When Ricardo Porras went to the shelter to pick up his wife’s dog, he was told because he wasn’t the owner of record, he needed to come back with a notarized affidavit.

He returned the next day, but staff could not find the dog. Porras searched for several hours, until the shelter closed.

The next morning — a full week after Animal Services picked up Cowboy — Rodriguez-Porras came to the shelter for the pet she’d once dressed in Halloween costumes and lavished with Christmas presents.

As she searched through the kennels, a staff member told her the dog had just been euthanized.

Rodriguez-Porras, the 37-year-old mother of a 6-year-old, a 1-year-old, and 3-year-old triplets, was “devastated.’’

“If the county would have followed policy, Cowboy never should been at the shelter,’’ said McNeely, of Tallahassee. “He was one scan and two phone calls away from going home.’’

At the time, Animal Services was transitioning from police department management to its own department, a step recommended in a 2004 scathing report by the Humane Society of the United States on the high-kill shelter.

Dr. Sara Pizano, a veterinarian, had been on the job as director for five weeks.

In an e-mail Friday, Pizano, who cried on the stand while testifying, said, “We are heartbroken about the loss of Cowboy, and the county has admitted negligence regarding the mistaken euthanasia from the beginning…Immediately following Cowboy’s euthanasia, Animal Services strengthened a myriad of standard operating procedures to prevent a mistake like this from happening again.’’

A similar event happened once more, in 2008.

Only Florida and Hawaii allow pain-and-suffering damages for an animal, but McNeely believes that will change as the culture understands more about the human-animal bond.

“There are cases throughout American history that are ahead of their time, and this is one,’’ he said. “I hope people look back on this horrified that the jury didn’t award damages.’’

He said his client won’t appeal.

“This is evolving,’’ he said. “It’s absurd that a pet is considered the same as a couch, and everybody knows that.’’

Rodriguez-Porras said her family never got another dog, and won’t as long as they live in Miami-Dade.

“Things have not changed’’ since Cowboy’s death, she said.

“Cruella De Vil is outside your door waiting to skin your dog,’’ she said, referencing the puppy-murdering villain of 101 Dalmatians, the book and movie. “That’s the way the system is made up.’’

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Karina Gonzalez

Wausau Daily Herald

Photo: Lena, a Great Dane, survived the April 10 Merrill tornado. The dog is pictured at her Appleton foster home with 4-year-old Sidney Pollock. / Photo courtesy of Steve Pollock

MERRILL — Brent Scantlin and his 12-year-old daughter brought their newly adopted dog, Lena, home April 10 and did what any other family would do.

They got her used to her new home. Played with her. Grilled out in the evening, giving Lena a few morsels from the grill.

Then the tornado came.

“I could hear glass shattering. (The dog) ran out (of the basement) and literally got sucked (out of the house),” Scantlin, 44, said, recalling the night of the storm. “I thought she was gone forever.”

There was good reason to believe that. After the tornado passed, Scantlin and his daughter, Alisha, emerged from the home’s basement to find their Aspen Boulevard home all but gone.

A block away, Scantlin caught a glimpse of the dog’s favorite blanket in a pile of debris. He climbed the brush to retrieve the only reminder he had of Lena’s brief time with the family.

“I didn’t anticipate her surviving,” Scantlin said.

But 6-year-old Lena, a 135-pound Great Dane, did survive. She was found by police wandering the streets and was taken to the Lincoln County Humane Society. And now she and her owners are being reunited.

“It was very impressive that, with all the trees coming down in her area, that she was OK,” said Liz Friedenfels, Humane Society manager.

Lena wasn’t the only dog separated from a family during the storm. Friedenfels said a collie mix dog named Buddy and a chow mix named Keisha both have been reunited with their families.

But Lena still is waiting to see her adopted owners as Scantlin is working to secure a temporary feline-free home where he can stay with his daughter and Lena. Scantlin is now staying at his parent’s home in Merrill where a cat lives. The cat is afraid of dogs — particularly 135-pound dogs the size of small ponies.

Appleton residents Steve and Melissa Pollock are caring for Lena in the meantime. The Pollocks serve as foster parents for the Upper Midwest Great Dane Rescue, the group from which Scantlin’s dog was adopted.

The Pollocks offered their home after hearing of the devastation.

“Lena has been a real treat to have,” Steve Pollock said Friday. But the dog obviously hasn’t forgotten her ordeal during the storm.

“She is a little skittish,” Steve Pollock said.

Share Box

Tweet

3

KSAX-TV ABC

GOLDEN, Colo. (KSAX) – The man accused of slitting a dog’s throat and leaving it for dead will finally face his charges in Minnesota after pleading guilty to burglary charges in Colorado.

Stavaas plead guilty April 21 to one felony burglary charge and was sentenced to two years probation according to Jefferson County Court administrators. They said he will be transferred to Minnesota where he will serve his probation and face his animal cruelty charges. A court date has not been set in Otter Tail County.

Benjamin Stavaas allegedly slit a dog’s throat and left it to die in June of this year.
Stavaas, 23, was charged with animal cruelty, but he did not show up to his Otter Tail County court date in July.
On Oct. 5, his alleged girlfriend’s car was found abandoned in Colorado.
The woman said she was no longer dating Stavaas and didn’t know where he was, but investigators said they thought he might have been in the area.

“He’s just been living a free man, while meanwhile Star is the one that’s living behind bars here at the shelter and I just would like to reverse those roles,” Otter Tail County Humane Society Manager Ericka Stoltenberg told KSAX in November, while Stavaas was missing.

“Everybody was pretty pleased, you know, they’re glad that finally he’s gonna have to face what he’s done,” kennel worker Laura Rovang said Wednesday.

Star, the dog, survived the attack, and has completely recovered physically, but after spending the past few months in the Otter Tail County Humane Society and a foster home, was taken to a rescue home to recuperate psychologically.
“They’re just trying to get her adoptable,” Rovang said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done with her … A lot of separation anxiety, she did not like to be left alone at all and, it’s hard on her.”
“This is not something we like to see but this is our chance to speak out and make it known how we feel about these things,” Stoltenberg said in a July interview.
“Dogs are not just an inanimate object that you can do whatever you want with. So hopefully other people will think before you do that,” Rovang said Wednesday.
Following Stavaas’s arrest, a conviction and substantial sentence could send that message.

Stavaas was arrested and is in custody in Jefferson County, Colorado on burglary, theft, criminal mischief charges along with fugitive from justice charges from Otter Tail and Wadena counties. Authorities said he will remain in colorado until the new charges are dealt with and then will be extradited to Minnesota to face the charges from crimes that happened earlier.

“Just about everybody loves dogs and no one wants to see something like that happen, so when he’s finally brought to justice, I think everyone has a certain sense of satisfaction,” Otter Tail County Sheriff Brian Schlueter said Wednesday.

Written for the web by Joe Nelson and Laurie Stribling.

Share Box

Tweet

3

By Morieka Johnson

CNN

(MNN) — I’ve been reading about bloat and realized the existence of this condition is not common knowledge — yet it can be fatal. Fortunately, there are measures that pet owners can take to help protect dogs from bloat, also known as gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV).

Bloat occurs when a dog’s stomach fills with gas or air and flips on itself, cutting off circulation. Typically, this life-threatening condition occurs with large dogs.

But Dr. Jennifer Monroe of Eagle’s Landing Veterinary Hospital in Georgia notes that any dog can be affected by bloat. Here are a few tips from Monroe to help reduce the chances of your dog suffering from bloat:

Know the risk factors

Doctors don’t know what causes bloat, but Monroe says that certain attributes can increase your dog’s chances of developing the condition.

Large-breed dogs with deep chests — such as Great Danes, Dobermans, German shepherds, standard poodles and your beloved boxer — particularly are at risk. She also notes that the condition also is more prevalent among older, male dogs.

Since gulping down food can contribute to gastric issues, dogs that eat one meal a day or tend to inhale their kibble face a greater risk of developing bloat, Monroe says. Elevated food bowls also may increase risk.

If you have invested in a fancy elevated set for your pooch or if your pet has a tendency to inhale its food, Monroe suggests placing a tennis ball in with the food bowl.

“You are trying to prevent them from gulping air while eating quickly,” she says. “Also, try feeding the dog small meals several times a day rather than one large meal.”

Slow-feed dog bowls also make it harder for dog snouts to dig in, so scan your local pet store for variations on the theme.

Recognize early warning signs

Head to the veterinarian if your dog’s abdomen suddenly appears larger or if your pet has unproductive retching, Monroe says. Other warning signs include pale gums and excessive drooling.

Initial treatment involves stabilizing the dog, administering IV fluids and decompressing its stomach to remove some of that gas.

MNN: What you need for a pet first aid kit

Veterinarians also perform a procedure called gastropexy, which involves tacking the stomach to a wall of the dog’s abdomen. This helps prevent the stomach from flipping.

“Twenty years ago, the survival rate was 25 percent,” Monroe says. “With surgery and care, especially if treated early, about 80 percent do pretty well.” Post-surgery, dogs require limited exercise for about two weeks.

Take precautions

If you have an at-risk breed, Monroe suggests that dog owners take proactive measures and opt for the gastropexy during a neuter or spay procedure.

“It can really save the dog’s life.”

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/24/11

The Baltimore Kennel Club.

Timonium, MD.

Judge Houston Clark.

Best In Show: Scottish Terrier.

GCH CH Lomondview Clementina

Handled by Ernesto Lara.

Owners John & Daphne Eggert.

Breeder Carol Annan.

.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/24/11

Bloomington Indiana Kennel Club.

Terre Haute, IN

Judge R. Ennis.

Best In Show:Black Cocker Spaniel.

GCH Casablanca’s Thrilling Seduction.

Handled by Michael Pitts.

Owner: Bruce Vandeman & Carolee Douglas & Mary Walker & Cindy Cassidy & Linda Moore.

Breeder: Linda Moore.

Photo Credit:

Vincent Zuniaga.

.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/24/11

Angeles Canyon DC.

City of Industry, CA.

Judge J. Becerra-Hernandez.

Best In show: Harrier.

Ch. Downhome HiTech Innovator

Handled by Korge Oliveira.

Breeder/Owner Susan Lowder.

Co-breeders Ken & Miriam Nell.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/24/11

Cahaba Valley Kennel Club.

Montgomery, AL.

Judge A. Gomez.

Best In Show: Australian Terrier.

GCH CH Kamara’s Zebulon.

Handled by Kellie Dahlberg.

Breeders Anne Mitchell & Craig Mitchell.

Photo Credit:

Vincent Zuniaga

.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/24/11

Central Ohio Kennel Club.

Columbus OH.

Judge Gloria Geringer.

Best In Show: Golden Retriever.

GCH CH Summit Emery Its In The Bag.

Breeder/Owner/Handler Beth Johnson.

Owner Patty Wedding.

.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/25/11

The Lewis-Clark Kennel Club.

Lewiston, ID.

Judge Edd Bivin.

Best In Show: Irish Water Spaniel.

GCH CH Poole’s Ide Got Water

Handled by: Stacy Duncan.

Owned By: Stacy Duncan, Colleen McDaniel, Cathy Shelby and Greg Siner.

Bred by: Greg Siner – Poole’s Ide IWS and Debbie Patterson.

.

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/24/11

Heartland DC of Florida

Zolfo Springs, FL.

Judge C. Brosssard.

Best In Show: German Shepherd Dog.

GCH Winsome’s Love Remembears

Handled by Lenny Brown.

Owner: Frank & Kris Fasano

Breeder: Frank & Kris Fasano.

Photo Credit:

Vincent Zuniaga

Share Box

Tweet

3

Sunday, 04/24/11

D’Arbonne Kennel Club.

Bossier City, LA.

Judge Jon Cole.

Best In Show: Pharaoh Hound.

GCH Northgate’s As You Like It.

Presented by: Brian Livingston.

Owned by: Jennifer Mosing, Jenny Hall, & Annica Lundqvist.

Photo Credit:

Infocus By Miguel

.

Share Box

Tweet

3