Welcome to our new members who joined us in November.  We hope you will enjoy the training sessions and programs offered by our trainers!

 

Our club opens for training on Saturday, 9th January 2021, at 2pm.  Gates open at 1.30 pm.

 

CLUB ACTIVITY

November seemed like a whirlwind month – so much happened: new members, problem dogs, birthdays, functions, yes and training!

 

Our club closed on Saturday, 28th November 2020 with our annual prize-giving and braai.  An apology came from our President, Mr Walter Binder, who is unwell.

 

Martin from Bonzai Photography attracted many shining stars to his studio under the tree in front of the club house.  Dogs and owners dressed up in photo booth Christmas gear and looked SO cute! The beautiful photos are now on our Face Book page.  Thank you, Martin, for always being there for us.

 

Pete and John with several man work dogs gave a tidy demonstration of our club dogs’ capabilities.  None of the dogs disappointed, and impressed gasps of “ooo’s” and “ah’s” were continuously heard.  The crowd were suitably impressed when Rex won the Best Man Work Trophy!  Unfortunately, Arya was not at the club to show off her excellent ability!

 

Samantha and Juan’Ri worked tirelessly putting together gifts commemorating the dogs in our club who had gone to the rainbow bridge – 12 in total.  Stoney presented the beautifully arranged gifts to each member who had lost a canine pet in 2020.  Stoney thanked Tania for her zealous commitment to the club over the past several years and in turn Tania thanked her trainers for volunteering their personal time every Saturday to train budding champions or encourage despondent handlers.  And in Tania’s words, “I believe we have the best club and team EVER!!!”

 

Our club cannot run successfully without the assistance of our committee, trainers and several club members.  Gifts were handed to our helpers for their assistance throughout the year.  Thank you to Juan’Ri who skillfully chose and wrapped the beautiful gifts.  Thank you also to Samantha who chose Tania’s gift – No. 3 potjie pot – just what she wanted!  Volunteers, don’t run away, we’ll definitely call on you again next year! 😊

 

Prize-giving ended with a mouth-watering braai.  Thank you to Stoney and his team who put together an enormous feast.  Braaiing for 50 people requires absolute braai master expertise!  Our members did not disappoint, and this year we had an assortment of succulent dishes, enough to feed an army of dog trainers!  Puddings were delectable, and one must point blame at the extra kilogram or two in pre-holiday weight firmly towards the desert table.

 

Every year the club presents the coveted Obedience and Man Work awards.  Members work hard towards earning these trophies which have been handed out since the early 1970’s, and we are proud to announce the 2020 winners as follows:

 

TROPHY WINNERS

 

Best Obedience Dog – Edward with Rex

Best Obedience Bitch – Samantha with Arya

Best Man work Dog – Edward with Rex

Best Man work Bitch – Samantha with Arya

 

Most Improved – Annatjie with Buddy

Perseverance – Louiza and canine family

 

2021 FEES

We are pleased to inform you our fees have remained the same.  There is no increase in fees!

 

Little education on the worm spirocerca-lupi is done on the public in South Africa.  This is an extremely dangerous worm that is often responsible for many fatalities.  Please read the articles to familiarize yourself with this problem.

 

https://www.greensidevet.co.za/spirocerca-lupi-dogs/

http://www.sava.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Understanding-spirocercosis.pdf

https://www.greensidevet.co.za/worm-not-know-spirocerca-lupi/

 

 

PET SITTERS

Chris Herbst, dog club member – 079 191 3625 – recommended by Tania Quarmby

MC Housesitting – 082 440 0453 – recommended by Lisa van der Merwe

Barbara – 071 801 2876

Caitlin – 063 994 0497

Herman – 079 437 4200

Rene – 082 577 8393

Michiel – 071 016 0913

Yva – 063 071 6898

 

Summer causes parasites like ticks, fleas, and flies to predate.  Please take the necessary precautions like dipping, tick, and flea collars and parasite sprays.  There are new products on the market, and you can keep up to date with the latest information brochures, which we keep in the clubhouse.

 

We train with treats and comfortable branded waist treat bags are available from Ruben for sale on Saturdays.  They are R110 each and the small treat bag is R90 – there is limited stock.

 

COLOURED TAGS

All member’s dogs are issued with different coloured tags.  Your dog must please wear the tag at each training session.  If you lose your tag, please get a new one from the trainers at R30 each.  BLUE = PUPPY, GREEN = FRIENDLY dog, YELLOW = NERVOUS dog, ORANGE = NO DOGS (not dog friendly), RED = CAUTION (do not touch the dog).   Please be aware of the colour of the tags, as it is a clear indication and warning to you and your dog to either befriend the dog or stay a respectful distance away.

 

Preparing for dog club: We know how busy everyone is, but the last thing you want to do is RUSH to the dog club.  Your dog will be rattled, and you will probably waste an entire lesson being jittery and shouting at your poor, innocent dog.  So, get yourself a bag or basket, fill it with your training equipment like collar/working check chain, leash, dumbbell/throw toy, treats and treat bag (sold at the club). Just lift and leave!  Don’t forget your dog, hehe!  Gates open at 1.30 pm.

 

 

Our medical aiders are Sam and Chris.

 

PUPPY CLASSES

We have Puppy Club for pups between the ages of 3 months to 6 months on a Saturday afternoon.  Socializing your puppies from a young age can be the best show of love, which you, their human parent can give!   Your trainer is Juan’Ri and she will lovingly guide you towards training a happy puppy!

 

 

 

CLUB EVENTS

7th November – new intake of dogs

28th November – trophy hand-out and year-end braai

December – club closed, except for Puppy Club

7th January 2021 – club opens

 

INTERESTING WEBSITES

https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951991

http://www.nonlineardogs.com/100MostSillyPart1.html

http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com

https://www.ted.com/talks/carl_safine_what_are_animals_thinking_and_feeling/up-next?language=en

 

INTERESTING BOOKS

Yin and Yang Nutrition for Dogs – Judy Morgan

Why should you prepare food for your pets? It’s simple. The pet food industry has let you down. You have depended on them to provide wholesome nutrition to keep your pets healthy. They advertise ingredients as holistic, natural, and human grade; in reality, ingredients are often waste products from the human food industry or rendered meals from diseased animal carcasses. The pet food industry has spent millions of advertising and teaching dollars to convince veterinarians and the pet-owning public that the only way to provide a complete diet is to feed processed industrial food.

Unfortunately, since the advent of processed food for pets, the pandemic of degenerative health problems has escalated in dogs and cats. Veterinarians continually treat inflammatory and degenerative diseases, yet they fail to see any correlation between the highly processed diets and disease. The profession has been talked into believing that industrial food cannot possibly be a causative factor in disease. In fact, they have been taught by the major pet food companies that the only way to treat chronic disease is to prescribe more processed industrialized foods.

Dr. Judy Morgan has a passion for healing her patients with whole foods, minimizing medications and chemicals, allowing the body to heal from within. In this book she explains, in understandable language, how to utilize Traditional Chinese Medicine food therapy to keep your dog naturally healthy. Making food for your dog doesn’t have to be complicated; it can cost less than buying prescription diets and medications to treat disease. The path to good health is good nutrition. Show your dog some love with a home cooked meal!

 

Herbs for Pets – Mary Wulff

Pointing the Bone at Cancer in Dogs, Cats and Humans – Ian Billinghurst

Where Dogs go to LIVE – Jeff Allen

 

WEBSITE AND GOOGLE REVIEW

Thank you to everyone who has sent testimonials – they’re on the website and Google Review!  This is a powerful and easy way of advertising your club, so please make full use of it – www.pretoriashepherddogclub.co.za.  Our Face Book page also has some interesting photos and information!

 

 

MAINTENANCE

Fortunately, we have had no problems to report.

 

PRETORIA DOG RESCUE

Ruben, Marissa, and Samantha do a lot of wonderful work with Pretoria Dog Rescue.  It is a worthy cause to support.  Please put the word out that they have many, many dogs up for adoption.  Check out their Face Book page for more information. Dogs bought from Pretoria Dog Rescue qualify for one month’s free training.

 

SPCA AND WETNOSE

Dogs bought from SPCA or Wetnose qualify for one month’s free training (excluding the R320.00 club membership fee).  Just bring along your receipt of purchase.  The SPCA Newsletter has put out a request for more volunteers, so if you have any spare time, please consider donating it to a worthy cause.  Please contact Celestie Mathews who is a volunteer at the SPCA.  She has some wonderful fundraising ideas. Celestie also has a volunteer Whatsapp group that you can belong to, where she advertises the SPCA’s wish lists – 082 825 8442.

 

ANIMAL CHARITY

Our adopted animal charity is the South African Veterinary Association’s community project called Community Veterinary Clinics (CVC).  They look after the primary healthcare of dogs and cats in disadvantaged communities and offer vaccinations, de-worming, dipping, and sterilization at a reduced fee.  Please get involved in their MySchool card project – http://www.communityvet.co.za/

 

SATURDAY – gates open at 1.30 pm

OBEDIENCE – new intake the first Saturday of every month at 2 pm

Beginners – please arrive at 1.30 pm and visit our Treasurer, Ruben in the clubhouse – please bring a 1.2m cotton leash, slip collar, and throw toy or dumbbell.

Obedience training – R220.00 per month, payable 3-monthly in advance. PLEASE BOOK WITH US BEFOREHAND. This is not a course, but ongoing training.

PUPPY CLUB – 3 pm – 4.30 pm- Annual club membership – R320.00

R900.00 for the 6-week course – Puppies are welcome to join every week!

This class is for puppies between the ages of 3 months and 6 months.  The puppies must have had their 2nd vaccination and been de-wormed.  Appropriate tick and flea control must be administered before participating.  Please bring your vaccination books.  The members will have a lecture in the clubhouse and thereafter learn the basics in puppy obedience, e.g. retrieve, heelwork, sit, down, and stand.  And of course, lots of socializing.  Bring along a 1.2m cotton leash, slip collar, or collar and throw toy. If the dogs advance well before the age of 6 months, they can join Beginner training. PLEASE BOOK WITH US BEFOREHAND.

 

CONTACT

Secretary – Beverly – 083 272 1014

Chairperson and Chief Trainer – Tania – 082 430 1456

Treasurer – Ruben Muller – rubenmuller1959@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

Kind regards

 

 

TANIA QUARMBY

CHAIRPERSON

PRETORIA SHEPHERD DOG CLUB

082 430 1456

www.pretoriashepherddogclub.co.za

Check us on Face Book!

 

 

 

 

WE’RE NOT IN IT FOR THE INCOME, WE’RE IN IT FOR THE OUTCOME