Think it through

There is a website currently being targeted at people who have Irish Breeds; Glen of Imaal Terriers, Wolfhounds, Irish Terriers, all of the dogs of Ireland. Indeed this site offers to sell you all of the breeds (including the Kerry Beagle) and ship it over to you. Internet shopping is all the rage now but before committing thousands of dollars-yes it is currently aimed at the American market but that could change-consider a couple of things. The animal in your shopping cart; did you want a dog or a bitch and what colour? There is no way of specifying. Also when you hit checkout the secure page it takes you to doesn’t seem to recognise the transaction.

National Terrier closes today

Postal entries close today for the National Terrier Show on Saturday April 2nd at Stafford Showground.. The Glen of Imaal Terrier judge is Nick White and twelve classes are on offer.

Looking forward

The following proposal (asked for by over 20 members of the Glen of Imaal Terrier Association)

“GOITA to lobby the Kennel Club to only register Glen of Imaal Terrier puppies from parents where (at least) one is DNA tested CLEAR for GPRA-crd3; or (at least) one is known to be hereditarily clear i.e. both its parents have been DNA tested CLEAR for GPRA-crd3.”

was passed by the Association Committee last November.

Anne Hardy (Secretary of the Association) would like what is below to be put to the widest audience possible                                                 Anne Hardy invite all Glen of Imaal stud dog owners to a meeting at St. Philip Neri School, Mansfield on the 6th March. The meeting will be planned for a 3-3.30p.m start.
The topic under discussion will be –
A voluntary scheme implementing the recommended breeding policy with regard to gPRA/crd3 by stud dog owners.
If you are unable to attend, but would like to participate, please send or email your views to Anne and they will be fully discussed at the meeting.
Anne would like to stress that this is for all stud dog owners and not just for Association members. If you wish to attend, contact Anne on her email, anmeha@aol.com or ring 01777 703417.

It doesn’t take Holmes (Sherlock, of course) to deduce that one probably begat the other so, even though it is the weekend before Crufts, do try and support by either attendance, letting your thoughts be known or asking for the minutes of the meeting afterwards. This meeting is about looking forward for the health of the breed so think forwards; you may not own a Stud Dog now but you might own one in the future, you might have owned one in the past and be interested in how things are going forward. Indeed you may never own an actual Stud Dog but if you are thinking of breeding a litter at anytime you will certainly need contact with a male so would probably like to know what will be going on.

LET’S GO FORWARD TOGETHER!

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If you happen to be in Kentucky!

KENTUCKY EARTHWORKERS UNLIMITED RICHMOND (I) WPULL
(Held in conjunction with Glen of Imaal Terrier Club)
May 7; Leo Williams WPULL Wheels-B Entries 11:15-12:15 pm Weigh in 11:45-12:15 pm Pull 12:30 pm NLC: Total Dog (Held in conjunction with Glen of Imaal Terrier Club)
May 8; Leo Williams WPULL Wheels-B Entries 11:15-12:15 pm Weigh in 11:45-12:15 pm Pull 12:30 pm NLC: Total Dog (Held in conjunction with Glen of Imaal Terrier Club)
DOS $25; PE $20 received by April 30, 2011
Madison County Fairgrounds, 3237 Old Kentucky Hwy 52 (formerly Old Irving Rd) 40475 (859) 369-0005; FROM I75 NORTH take exit 90B (Richmond-Irvine). Stay on bypass until 52 EAST. Turn left onto Hwy 52 until 52 EAST. Turn left onto Hwy 52 for 6.5 miles. Fairgrounds on the left. FROM I75 SOUTH: Take Exit 87 (Richmond/Lancaster). Turn right on KY 876 (Bypass). Stay on Bypass for 0.8 miles. Turn right onto Hwy 52 EAST for 6.5 miles. Fairgrounds on left. Watch for signs. www.earthworkers.com
Chairperson: Anne Kieffer (270) 616-7015
Event Secretary: Jackie Craver.13636 Hwy 421 N, McKee KY 40447 (606) 965-7399

This DOES need reading…all of it.

We know that a lot of people read what is written on here. We are pleased that after the winter break emails were received saying that now the blog is back we’ll know what is going on again! Today you’ll know what is going on in Holland and hopefully all Glen of Imaal Terrier people will fully appreciate what it actually is.

A few years ago the boot was put into pedigree dogs in the UK by a television programme called Pedigree Dogs Exposed. PDE was a glorious piece of uber sensationalism. It was truly masterful in the way it portrayed certain things and as there were some bits that couldn’t be denied the slick cutting, editing and sometimes poor standards of journalism where totally ignored, or not even realised, by a rather gullible, certainly naive in the way of dogs and animal rearing, general public. Even now the PDE effect, as it is known, is still being felt in this country with 15 breeds being singled out by the Kennel Club.

Such a piece of noticed television in one country was bound to attract attention by other “documentary makers” but as the months passed it appeared nothing had come to fruition but last December the Netherlands experienced their own PDE moment. Once again the Cavalier and Bulldogs were victims and once again extreme judicial editing was the order of the day. In January the Dutch Kennel Club made final their Breed Specific Instructions(BSI), this is how it begins:-

INTRODUCTION

The task of a show judge is to preserve the characteristics of each breed – within the approved breed standard. In other words, the judge’s main task is to judge and evaluate dogs, according to the breed standard and to consider them as potential breeding dogs for future generations. This must never be done at the expense of the welfare and wellbeing of the dog. It is therefore the responsibility of the judge to be acquainted with the breed standard as well as the health problems occurring in the breed. A judge must particularly pay attention to those specific breed characteristics, which have a tendency to exaggeration, so can creep into a breed and could have a negative effect on the health of the individual dog. It is important that tendencies to exaggerations are noted before they are allowed to give rise to unsoundness.

These instructions are a result of an inventory made possible through extensive collaboration between dog show judges, breed clubs, other dog clubs and veterinary surgeons. The views and facts contained in this document are also a result of available statistics on dogs’ health,carried out in the past for each individual breed. Scandinavian countries have taken the initiative. Netherlands has used this document as a base for describing its own concerns regarding the breeds which are regularly presented at dog shows in ourcountry. Thanks to the Scandinavian countries for their contribution in this. Dog Show judges from home and abroad, judging at our shows, being (inter)national shows,(Championship) club shows and all other activities, where judges are asked to qualify, are obliged to judge according to the breed standards as approved by the F.C.I. In addition we ask the judge for the preservation and the development of a breed, apart from the breed specific characteristics, to also take into account, to their best, the health and welfare aspects of the breed and to express this clearly in the written critique on the dog. These aspects are clearly stated in the Breed Specific Instructions

The BSI goes on to list 44 breeds that are to be monitored for a specific listed problem and forms, at the end of judging, must be filled in accordingly. And there in FCI Group 3 is listed the Irish Glen of Imaal Terrier.

Your thought can be heard; the Glen’s achrondraplasic so it was bound to be listed, why have I had to read this? The structure of the front of the breed is not why it is included. Neither is it included for having a different topline or possible eye problems. The Glen of Imaal Terriers is listed because of “Aggressiveness, inappropriate behavior towards other dogs” and note the comma-two different things are being referred to!

It has been queried at all levels as to why ONLY the Glen has been singled out in the Terriers, the only other mentioned for aggressiveness is Dachsunds, and there has been no reason given. The introduction to the document mentions help from the Scandinavians but they don’t seem to know of any problems but the breed now has a big one. Aggressiveness to humans must never, ever be tolerated but responsible breeders worldwide have always told prospective owners that a mature Glen will never back away from a problem; it was never intended to and still doesn’t turn down an insult. For a Glen that is appropriate behaviour but the Dutch Kennel Club BSI doesn’t mean that. At one stroke it has created a situation that means Dutch breeders must lie by omission if they ever want to sell a puppy again.

Puppy Power!

Glen of Imaal Terrier puppies aren’t known for often hitting the heights as one moment they look wonderful and the next they look horrible but over the weekend more than one was at the “wonderful” stage. Winni Wanna Make Music at Jeonty took Puppy Group 1 (from the Not Separately Classsifieds) and over in Finland Abberann Fagan took a Puppy Group 2. Also slightly belated news of an American Puppy Group 1 with Cross Stone Copa Xavi at Castlerock.

Great going kids!!!

Another EFG supporter

Have you been watching One Man and his Campervan on the television and did you notice the number plate?

Illustrated Breed Standard Book

The Kennel Club have just bought out a new Illustrated Breed Standard Book. The title is self explanatory so what should the Glen of Imaal Terrier show? The people who own it (and judge it) know that there is confusion on the topline and run in, the proportions of the dog aren’t really understood, how should it be presented for the showring, what exactly is the front and shoulder? It’s a long list so who picked this?

It’s a lovely picture but if anybody with a knowledge of Glen of Imaal Terriers picked this as the ideal dog to illustrate the above we’d love to hear from them!

The year is running away…

Not even Crufts yet and Blackpool schedule is the latest to come through the door. It’s very efficient to send them out so early but how many people can find them in ten weeks time? And the answer isn’t to send them off immeadiately because who can say what coats etc. will be like by June. We’ll try and remind you when closing dates are approaching but it works both ways….you’ll have to remind us!

Docked and Denied

The Docked and Denied campaign is to point out to people that genuine working dogs can still be docked by the law of the land. The law also states though that if a dog is docked it cannot be exhibited anywhere that an admittance fee is charged. Crufts wildly advertises they only want “fit for function” dogs attending but because an admission fee is charged some of the fittest dogs in the country are unable to.

The Kennel Club are happy to have vets in attendance to check dogs over to ensure they are healthy and that they “fit the breed standard” and are not “over exaggerated”  but yet they are depriving the very core of the best and the “proven healthiest” breeds by way of the docked working HPR’s, docked working Spaniels and any docked working Terriers and Glen of Imaal Terriers do still have dogs in that category!

Dog World is running a feature Crufts’ week (available at Crufts) to bring the above to the attention of the public and advertising is incredibly reasonable. A full colour space 7 x 8cm is only £25.00 but it MUST be there by Monday and wendyoxman3@hotmail.co.uk is the lady to contact to reserve your advert. At that price breed clubs and individuals can also show their support.