Poodle Papers Fall 2007

The Poodle Papers Official Quarterly Newsletter of The Poodle Club of America

Fall 2007

Poodle Club of America Regional 2007 Queen Mary Events Park Long Beach, CA

CH RANDENN TRISTAR AFFIRMATION Breeders: Dennis McCoy, Randy E. Garren. and J and J Lacey By CH Eaton Affirmed -- CH Randenn Tres Chic. Owners: Toni & Martin Sosnoff . Handler:. Tim Brazier The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Coming Specialties

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P.C.A. AFFILIATE CLUB SHOWS * Note this listing comes from Michael Knight

JUDGE-JOHN REMIRIERZ POODLE OBEDIENCE OF NY-APRIL 5 JUDGE-J.LANDIS ML MCCLASKEY W. DIELIL TIDELANDS PC OF VA-MAY 24 JUDGE-ELAINE MATHIS

2007 PC OF OKLAHOMA CITY-NOV .1 JUDGE:DONNA BUXTON PC OF SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN-NOV. 30 JUDGE:LORENE VICKERS SMITH HUB PC OF ORANGE CO.- DEC. 8 JUDGEORLANDO POODLE CLUB-DEC. 13 JUDGE-MARIA AIZCORBE PC OF LEHIGH VALLEY-DEC.14 JUDGE-ZELL VONPOHLMAN 2008 TAMPA BAY PC JAN.7 JUDGE: MICHAEL DACHEL TAMPA BAY PC -JAN 8 JUDGES:BILL CUNNINGHAM SAN BERNADINO/RIVERSIDE PC-JAN 4 JUDGE-JANET ALLEN JACOBSON TWIN CITIES PC-JAN 4 JUDGE-RICHARD BAUER PC OF CENTRAL INDIANA- FEB. 8 JUDGE- BETSEY LEEDY VALLEY OF THE SUN-FEB.28 JUDGE-DR HARRY SMITH GREATER MILWAUKEE POODLE CLUB FEB 29, JUDGE: DR. ROGER PRITCHARD OBEDIENCE JUDGE: MS JULIANNE CEPULIS PC OF SAN ANTONIO-MARCH-5 JUDGE-JOHN BOOTH BLUEBONNETT PC-MARCH 14 JUDGE-JORDAN CHAMBERLAIN PUGET SOUND PC-MARCH 21 JUDGE-WM HOLLBROOK WATCHUNG MT PC- MARCH 22 JUDGE- FRANCESCA CHRISTINA GREATER WICHITA PC-APRIL 3 JUDGE-MICHAEL DACHEL PC OF LAS VEGAS -APRIL 3 JUDGE-NORMA STRAIT PC OF LAS VEGAS-APRIL 4

* Note: If your show is not listed, please contact Michael Knight, [email protected]. I list only the shows that he sends me the information on. If the listing is not complete, please contact Michael. Leslie

Tampa Bay Poodle Club

will hold two specialties back to back in January 2008. Come to Florida for a "Winter Thaw" The dates are Monday and Tuesday, January 7 and 8. These dates immediately follow the long weekend in Deland, and give everyone a day off before the Brooksville Cluster starts on Thursday, January 10.? Our inside venue is the Ballroom at the Red Rose Inn, located right off I-4 in Plant City, FL. Our confirmation judges are Michael Dachel for January 7, and Bill Cunningham for Janaury 8. For additional details, please contact the Show Secretary, Jordan Chamberlain at 813.349.2497, or at [email protected]. Looking forward to seeing you in January!

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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The Poodle Papers Official Quarterly Newsletter of The Poodle Club of America

Fall 2007 2006-2008 OFFICERS & COMMITTEES President:Doris Cozart 1st Vice Pres.: Michael Wahlig 2nd Vice Pres.:Michael Knight Corres. Sec.: Peggy McDill [email protected] Record. Sec.: Sandy Marshall Treasurer: Connie Green Variety Representatives Toy:Nancy Hafner Mini: Luis Aizcorbe Stand.: Glenna Carlson Publicity: Del Dahl AKC Delegate: Scott Olund Show Committee Chairperson: Glenna Carlson Performance Events Obedience Chairperson-Susie Osborn Performance Events Agility Chairperson-Jan Hopper WC/WCX Working Certificate Chairperson- Joyce Carelli Public Education Coordinator Arlene Scardo Judges Education Bill [email protected] Affiliate Club Council: Michael Knight PCA Foundation: Exec. Director Tom Carneal Genectic Anomalies Committee: Director Michael Wahlig PCA Poodle Rescue Central: Sally Poindexter [email protected] Poodles in America: Editor:Betsey Leedy Breeder Referral: Poodleclubofamerica.org PCA Home Page Mia DiBenedetto & Leslie Newing [email protected] www.poodleclubofamerica.org PCA Information Hal Kinne [email protected] The Poodle Papers Layout & Graphic design Editor: Leslie Newing Email: [email protected]

President's Letter, Fall 2007 It seems hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost here. We are fortunate and have much to be thankful for. We sometimes forget to appreciate what we have. In this newsletter, you will find lots of information about PCA. Betsey Leedy has news about the upcoming volume of Poodles in America. One big request she has is that she is asking for all corrections to previous volumes to be included in this volume of PIA. Individuals need to send her corrections, documentation, and information. Hers is a huge task and a very important one. We need to have accurate information in these volumes, and we know that there are corrections to be made. We have started a Yahoo list for PCA members and one for Affiliate clubs. This should be a great way to improve communications. Michael Knight is the moderator on the Affiliate Club List. The PCA Member List is moderated by Peggy McDill and the PCA Board. Sally Poindexter is the moderator on the PCA Poodle Rescue list. We have Leslie Newing to thank for setting up these lists. Glenna and her committees are working hard to put together the April National. Our performance-event chairman's are working hard as well. They all can use volunteers. Please call and offer them your help. There is information about the PCA Foundation in this newsletter. The PCA Foundation board is working hard to keep on top of all the health issues involving Poodles. I wish to congratulate Tom Carneal as new Chairman of the Foundation. Sally Poindexter is Chairman of the PCA Rescue Foundation, this is another big job and she makes it look easy. The ground work has been started and soon it will be in full swing. We are lucky to have so many talented people donate their time to make PCA the organization it is. if there is any area where you would like to volunteer to help, please contact me or someone on the board. I would like many people to contribute to the club. Enjoy Thanksgiving and your Poodles.

Doris Cozart President

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The Poodle Papers Official Quarterly Newsletter of The Poodle Club of America

Fall 2007

What’s Where News from the Regional

5

Dogs shall not live by bread alone, by Joann Neal

15

Thyroid Disease and Autoimmune Thyroiditis, by Dr Jean Dodds

18

Affiliate Club News

26

P.C.A. Foundation News

29

Celie, Polymicrogyria, By Curtisy Briggs

31

Poodle Epilepsy Project Announcements, byBarbara G. Licht, Ph.D., Linda L. Hyson, B.A., and Kathleen M. Harper, DVM, Ph.D. 37 A letter from a potential adopter, by Madeline Patterson

39

Researchers Begin to Study Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Poodles, Purina Pro Club

42

Ch. Smash JP Win A Victory breaks Toy Poodle BIS Record

46

In Memorium

48

PCA is not responsible for any statements or claims made by its contributors. PCA reserves the rights to edit all copy and make editorial comments where necessary and deemed appropriate by the editor. PCA reserves the right to refuse items submitted for publication. Written permission must be received and granted by PCA in order to reprint any editorial material. Contributors reserve all rights to their articles and permissions must be granted by them for reprint purposes. © 2007 Poodle Club of America

Poodle Papers! Deadline for the next newsletter is January 15h. Please get your articles to me by that date. Anyone who has an interesting topic that they would like to see in the newsletter, please feel free to email me at [email protected] Leslie Editor of The Poodle Papers

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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Regional News under Randy Garren. Miniature Poodles were POODLES BEFORE day judged the first day by Randy Garren and his choice of Best of Variety was Ch. Ch. Zelon Driving Miz Daisy Crazy owned by Denise Wilson and Kathleen Poe and THE QUEEN Poodles made a Command Performance before the Queen in Long Beach. The Queen being the famous ship in Long Beach harbor. Amid the beauty of the Queen Mary and the lovely ocean harbor in Queen Mary Events Park, Poodle lovers from all over the continent came to see some of the most beautiful Poodles being shown today. The large breed rings were covered by huge tenting and the exhibitors had another huge tent to groom their dogs. No one was disappointed with the quality of the large entry received by the Poodle Club of America and the host club, Poodle Club of Southern California. Poodle Club of Southern California is the oldest affiliated club of the Poodle Club of America and was founded in 1939 by the likes of famous Poodle breeders and owners, Ernie Ferguson and Lydia Hopkins. There were exhibits from as far away as Switzerland and Japan and our friends to the North, Canada plus all over the United States. A large wooden sign that once hung over the famous Challendon Kennels of Tom and Ann Stevenson was visible at the Poodle Rings each day in honor of Tom and Ann Stevenson. Tom was past president of Poodle Club of Southern California. They both became well known and distinguished international judges. The catalog cover was designed by Mr. Michael H Faulkner of Center Cross, VA. Michael is a well know Sporting Group judge, writer and artist with many books to his credit. The design was of a standard poodle coming out of the smoke stack of the Queen Mary and it was beautiful.

shown by Martin Gregory. The second day the winner was a lovely black class bitch, Bar King’s Cinbren Buttonwillow, from the Bred by Exhibitor class owned by Kathleen Poe and Beva Wahl and shown by Kathleen Poe. The judge was Daniel Augustus. The third day was won by another lovely bitch from the Open Bitch class, Escata’s Santa Fe Ree At Jaroz, owned by Roslyn Maner and D Kaufmann and shown by Rachel Corbin. The judge was Luis Aizcorbe. Standard Poodles were judged on the first day by Janice Pardue of California who was substituting for Dr. Jacklyn Hungerland who was unable to be there due to illness. We were very happy to have Janice Pardue to step in for Dr. Hungerland. Everyone wishes Dr. Hungerland well and our thoughts and prayers are with

“Yes and Tim” on to BIS at the Regional.

The first day, Wednesday, was Poodle Club of America Regional and the judges were Mr. Daniel Augustus of Bethlehem, PA, judging Toy Poodles. His choice for Best of Variety was a white puppy male Smash JP Moon Walk, owned and bred by Yukiko Omura and shown by Toshinori Omura. This lovely puppy won Best of Variety from the 9-12 month class at the following Poodle Club of Southern California shows the next two days under Randy Garren of North Carolina and Maria Aizcorbe and won Best of Breed the last show to finish his championship on Fri-

her. Mrs. Pardue’s choice for Best of Variety was the lovely black bitch, Ch Randenn Tristar Affirmation, owned by Toni and Martin Sosnoff of New York and bred by Dennis McCoy, Randy Garren and J and J Lacey, and shown by Tim Brazier. This lovely black bitch went on to win Best of Breed on the first day under Luis Aizcorbe and the following day under Judge Maria Aizcorbe. Best of Variety on the third day was a

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 6. lovely black bitch, Ch. Canisy Shop Till U Drop AT Poof, owned and bred by Sally Roberts and shown by Antonia Fillingham. Agility classes and Rally and Obedience classes were also offered and lots of smart Poodles completed to make this a very special time for our Performance Events. Judges for the events were Betty Ribble and Rosalie Alvarez and Shirley Indelicato for Obedience and Rally. Agility classes were judged by Robert Long and Patti Davis. Susie Osburn of Las Vegas was the wonderful and dedicated show chairperson for the Performance Events hosted by Poodle Club of America. The banquet was held on Wednesday night at the lovely Coast Long Beach Hotel with a view to die for of the lovely Long Beach harbor with all the lights of the city and the boats in the harbor. Entertainment was provided by noted Bulldogger, Shane Twamley, whose lovely singing of some Elvis songs and oldies by goodies was very well received by the over 100 Poodles lovers that attended. A special award and recognition was presented by President of Poodle Club of America to two outstanding members of the Poodle Club of Southern California for their many years of dedication and hard work on behalf of the club and Poodle Rescue. Those wonderful people are Dr. Bradley and Madeline Patterson who have dedicated many years and lots of time to the Poodle Club of Southern California and the crowd gave them a standing ovation in their honor. As everyone knows that puts on a show….it does not

Fabulous……Charlene Smutny, Robin Green, June and Ron Thompson, Susie Osburn (chairman of the Performance Events), Michelle Mixon, Pam Woods, Patricia and Bud Moulthrop(who along with June and Ron Thompson and Beverly Jean Nelson made up loads of beautiful Poodle Bags for the exhibitors), Velma Matthews, Norma Strait, Judge Edward and Grace Davenport, Dorothy Cangson, Bradley Odagiri (who worked so hard with flowers to decorate the rings and made the show so beautiful plus center pieces for the banquet tables), Ray Stevens, Bill Cunningham, Doris Cozart, Vickie Holloway, Lisa Runquist, Peggy McDill, Madeline and Brad Patterson, Sandy Thompson, Brandon Melanese, Peggy McDill, Beverly Jean Nelson, Patty Stabler, Susan Chusid (who created the beautiful Judges Baskets and the wonderful Poodle houses that were auctioned off and made lots of money to support the show), Catherine Gouse, Kathy Essex, Richard Kortes and Barbara Aleck. We had some wonderful ring stewards that did a great job! They were Glenna Carlson, Doris Grant, Sally Vilas, Scott Olund, Linda Strike and chief ring steward, Jerry Roszman. Many of the performance stewards also came from long distances to help with the Performance Events headed by Rex Mincheff. As show chairperson I was very proud to be part of this wonderful event to honor and showcase our lovely Poodles. I am sure the Queen would be very happy that so many came to show before her….. John Shoemaker Show Chairman, Poodle Club of America Regional and Poodle Club of So. Ca.

happen without the wonderful help and hard work of lots of people. Recognition is given to the following hard workers who made this Regional so

* photos by Vicky Holloway

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Poodle Club of America Regional 2007 Queen Mary Events Park Long Beach, CA

SMASH JP MOON WALK Breeder: Yukiko Omura. By CH Smash JP Talk About -- Smash JP Jubilant. Owner: Yukiko Omura . Toshinori Omura, Agent. BOV- Toy

CH ZELON DRIVING MIZ DAISY CRAZY Breeder: Denise Yvonne Wilson & Kathleen E. Poe By Cinbren Barking Buckaro Banzi -- CH Bar King's Ebony Daze. Owners: Denise Wilson and Kathleen Poe Martin Gregory,Agent. BOV - Miniature

CH RANDENN TRISTAR AFFIRMATION Breeder: Dennis McCoy, Randy E. Garren. and J and J Lacey By CH Eaton Affirmed -- CH Randenn Tres Chic. Owners:Toni & Martin Sosnoff . Tim Brazier, Agent. BOV-Standard BISS

* photos by Vicky Holloway The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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* photos by Vicky Holloway

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* photos by Vicky Holloway

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AA big Thank You to Vicky for the wonderful photos from the Regional.

* photos by Vicky Holloway

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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MINIATURE POODLES AT THE REGIONAL

WOOD RIGHT ON, owned by Rosemary and Noel Wright and Mary Ellen Fishler and shown by Antonia Fillingham, was awarded Best of Opposite Sex.

Luis Aizcorbe Miniature Representative The Poodle Club of America

The color of the winners was not previously reported as every winner in this variety, at each of the three shows, was black.

The City of Long Beach, its harbor and the Queen Mary ship made a fabulous backdrop for the PCA Regional and the PCSC shows held at the Queen Mary Events Park on September 19 through September 21. A wonderful collection of Poodles, the beautiful venue, ideal weather, and a cloudless deep blue sky combined to make these shows as enjoyable as any I have participated in. The Show Chairman, Johnny Shoemaker, and his staff deserve our appreciation and congratulations for their hard work and creativeness, without which these shows would not have been such a success.

I heard that Maxine Beam, who judged Miniature Poodles at PCA this past June, expressed her satisfaction with the quality of the entry presented to her. Although clearly the quality of Miniatures at the 2007 National was superior to the previous year, especially in the classes, it was difficult for me to determine the degree of improvement from ringside, especially since I was unable to sit through all the Miniature judging. That is why I welcomed the opportunity to judge miniatures at one of the PCSC shows in Long Beach held in conjunction with the PCA Regional, as it gave me the opportunity to put my hands on a large entry for this variety.

The Miniature variety at the Poodle Club of America show was judged by Randy Garren. He awarded Best of Variety to CH. ZELON DRIVING MIZ DAISY CRAZY, a dog owned by Denise Wilson and Kathleen Poe and handled by Martin Gregory. Winners Bitch, Best of Winners and Best of Opposite Sex over several specials, from the Bred By Exhibitor class, went to BAR KING’S CINBREN BUTTONWILLOW, owned by Kathleen Poe and Beva Wahl and handled by Kathleen Poe. LUNA’S KIYARA SOLO LAUNCH, a puppy also entered in the Bred By Exhibitor Class, was Winners Dog. He is owned by Karla Sovonick, Nancy Meyer, William Jividen and Michael Lamb; handled by Michael Lamb. The following day, at the first of two Poodle Club of Southern California shows, Daniel Augustus officiated in the Miniature Poodle ring.. Winners Dog and Winners bitch were the same as the day before; however, the Winners Bitch was carried all the way to Best of Variety over several specials, while the Best of Variety winner at PCA had to settle for Best of Opposite Sex.. I judged Miniatures at the PCSC the last day. The Winners Dog the previous two days garnered the same award on this day, which made it a clean sweep for him. Winners Bitch, Best of Winners and Best of Variety over a number of specials went to another puppy, this one entered in the Open class. ESCATA’S SANTA FE REE AT JAROZ is owned by Roslyn Maner and D Kaufmann and handled by Rachel Corbin. CH ROSE-

As it is usually the case, bitches were much more competitive than dogs. This is by no means only a problem in Miniatures. I judged Standards the previous day and was also disappointed in the quality of class dogs in that variety. For some reason, our Japanese friend, who regularly participates in PCA shows, keeps bringing as many, if not more, top quality dogs as bitches, even when he has to adjust to a breed standard that limits size to one inch less than the standard in his own country requires. The lack of strength in dog classes is bothersome, because although(brood) bitches are rightfully considered the foundation of a breeding program, ( stud) dogs are the foundation of a breed or variety as they can be bred so much more frequently, therefore having a wider impact on that breed or variety than bitches. Obviously, I digress. Going back to my comments on miniatures, the Winners Dog was beautiful, but he was not seriously challenged. The quality in bitches was better than expected. Several were considered for the points. Both puppy classes, the bred by and the open classes were competitive. I was favorably surprised by the preponderance of good to excellent feet. A few that had flat splayed feet had to pay the price. There were two or three entries that I was almost unable to examine, as they were completely shy. I can understand an entry having a bad experience that requires socialization, but shyness is atypical of the breed and cannot be accepted in the show ring. As a

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

cont. on page 12

Page 12. cont. from page 11

From Peggy McDill

whole heads were satisfactory. Few had coarse skulls, but I had difficulty finding the chiseling and strength of underjaw that I like. There also were some that had weak forefaces when viewed from the front, which caused the muzzle to be out of balance with the width of the skull. I have never been one to concern myself with a tail carried somewhat over the back, but when tails are carried over the back to such a degree that they are almost flat on the back, the typical poodle outline, with head and tail carried high, is lost. This is atypical of the breed and a couple of entries with this fault failed to win classes which would have otherwise been theirs.

PCA_on_LINE

There are some beautiful Miniature Poodles in this country. The question breeders of this variety need to ask themselves is whether their best compares favorably with the best other breeders within the variety are producing. If the answer is no, then they need to try harder. If the answer is yes, then they have to ask themselves whether or not their best compares favorably with the best in other varieties. If the answer is no, then they need to try harder. If the answer is yes, then objectivity went out the window and the chances of the quality in miniatures being raised to be at least on par with other varieties are diminished. This need not be the case. Some of you bred miniatures that were as good as any in other varieties. Others breeders are capable of being just as successful. Just like AVIS, you need to try harder.

Poodle Papers next Deadline is January 15th! Winter Issue This will include all the information for the National in April 2008.

Dear Members, We have a new and exciting yahoo news group for PCA Members only. To join the discussion, please send an email request to Peggy McDill, corresponding secretary, [email protected]. This will be a closed discussion group for Poodle Club of America members.This list is not for selling dogs or show brags.This list is to create better communication among the members of PCA. With this list it is our goal to have our members better informed about club events and issues that effect our breed. Only posts that are marked"permission to cross post" maybe sent to other lists.No post maybe reprinted without the consent of the person who posted it on the list. This list will be monitored by a PCA Board Member or Officer. Keep in mind: The purposes of The Poodle Club of America, Inc., are to create, foster and promote interest in Poodles by encouraging their breeding in accordance with the Standard of the ideal Poodle. To this end, to endeavor to make the Standard of the ideal Poodle better known so the best interests of the breed may be advanced. Also, to encourage the exhibition of Poodles at all-breed and Specialty Shows and at Obedience Trials.(from the PCA Membership files) Anyone who wishes to receive official PCA correspondence by email please send a request to: [email protected] That will include membership roster updates and all other official correspondence. Thanks, Peggy McDill

[email protected]

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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Obedience, Rally, and Agility at the Regional PCA sponsored the obedience, rally, and agility at the Regional in Long Beach, September 19-21, 2007. We had approximately 20 entries per day in obedience and also in rally. We had approximately 60 dogs entered in agiltiy each day with 100 runs, as we offered standard, jumpers, and fast. The rings were just a few feet from the water's edge, with the Queen Mary in the background. It was one of the most beautiful show sites a performance trial could ever have. I wanted to take a minute and thank the many people that it takes to put on a trial of this size. The agility was organized and run by Lisa Runquist and Cindy Parish. A year and a half ago, they came to me and asked me if I would chair the agility for the regional as there was no one else to do it. I was already chairing obedience and rally and didn't think that I could take on anymore work at that time. They promised me that they would do the majority of the work, and they would help with obedience and rally too. I reluctantly said yes but guess what? They actually did the lion's share of ther work for agility, and helped with obedience and rally too. Thank you, Lisa and Cindy, for without you both, there wouldn't have been agility at the regional. I also wanted to thank the Poodle Club of Las Vegas for providing most of the stewards for obedience and rally. They came from Las Vegas to Long Beach at their own expense to work for the regional. A few stewards were also provided by the Los Angeles Poodle Obedience Club. Everyone working together make this a great experience for all of the exhibitors. The obedience winners were as follows: Wednesday Sept 19th: High in Trial: Janco Mark Of Excellence CDXStephanie & Robert Gomez-199+ High Combined: Nobody qualified Thursday Sept 20th: High in Trial: CH MACH Songbird Sandstorm Saketumi UD-Joann Neal-197 High Combined: same as above

UDX4-Carol Brook-196 High in Trial: same as above And here are the rally winners: Wednesday Sept 19th: High in Trial Champion: Nobody qualified High Combined: Lidos Peanut Parfait CD RE-Susie & Betty Osburn Thursday Sept 20th: High in Trial Champion: CH Harptime Amazing GraceRoxie Pipho High Combined : CH Kallista's Silver Sails Aloft VCD2 MX MXJ-Suzi Cope & Marlene Miller Friday Sept 20th: High in Trial Champion: CH Praver's Vagabond RAE CD-Shirley Indelicato High Combined: same as above Once again, I wanted to say thank you to all those that helped make these trials a huge success! Susie Osburn Agility, Obedience, and Rally Chairman

Regional? Is your club interested in hosting a Regional? Contact Michael Knight at [email protected] (972)226-2837

Friday Sept 21st: High in Trial: OTCH Ash's Mystical Bilbo Baggins

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The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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DOG SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE Poodle owners from around the country often contact me with questions about training classes. They find that all that is available to them locally is clicker training classes. Due to a variety of reasons, they are not finding clicker training effective in solving their training problems and helping them to progress toward their goals. For anyone who does not know what clicker training is, I will enlighten with a short and simplistic explanation. Clicker training is a system of modifying behavior by positive reinforcement using food rewards. A Halloween noise-making device, a “clicker,” is used to “mark” the desired behavior, and food rewards follow the sound of the clicker. The principles of clicker training were developed to manage zoo animals and marine mammals. Due to their size or danger to humans, these animals could not be physically manipulated to get them to move from one enclosure to another, or to allow themselves to be examined by caretakers. Since many people work with each animal, and the sound of a single person’s voice could not be reproduced by other people, a mechanical noise-maker such a clicker or a whistle was used. As “clicker training” began to be commonly used, it was found that complicated behaviors could be taught to a variety of animals using these principles. Elaborate shows of marine mammals have become common, and these tricks are generally taught using these methods. For purposes of this article, the term “clicker trainers” refers to that puritanical group who will ONLY use clicker training, and no other methods, to train a dog. I am not speaking of those who use clicker training as one of an arsenal of training methods, or those who use food rewards, but use their voice to mark desired behavior. The term “clicker training” has become synonymous with a “purely positive” approach, meaning never correcting a dog. The most extreme will not even physically position a dog with collar and leash or hands. They simply wait for a behavior or any approximation of a behavior to occur so that they can “click and treat.” Others might use the food as a lure to get a behavior, such as sitting or heeling, started, and then fade its use

to a reward only. Many of these aficionados of clicker training have taken on an air of arrogance and political correctness, and decry all other methods of training, labeling such trainers as cruel and heartless abusers of animals. The evangelical zeal and blind allegiance exhibited by its followers carries clicker training to the level of a religion rather than a training method. Disciples of clicker training use the following selling points for this method of training. Dogs often learn new behaviors very quickly. The method does not require the owner to correct or “punish” the dog for inappropriate behavior, and this aspect appeals to almost everyone with the exception of Michael Vick. Clicker trainers say that stress in the learning process is avoided, and dogs taught by this method are happier, although this is not reflected in the show-ring performances I have observed. Clicker trainers also say that most people are not able to be unemotional about the delivery of praise and rewards, and for that reason, the clicker is better than using other methods of “marking” or encouraging correct behavior, such as telling the dog a word, such as “good,” to perform the same function as a “click,” or praising it. Another selling point used is that this method can be used to successfully teach anything, or get rid of any unwanted behavior. To hear clicker trainers talk, it is the only method that is needed, regardless of what one wants the dog to do or not do. Unfortunately, few things in life are so simple. My purpose here is not to belittle anyone who enjoys clicker training and wants to use that method exclusively. The nice thing about training dogs is that practically any method works when applied with skill to a willing subject, and one should be free to make her own choices. My purpose is to dispel the myth that clicker training is a panacea, especially if one wants to train for performance competition. One problem with clicker training is that most dogs being trained are not hungry. Most get at least two good meals a day without being required to do a single thing. Moreover, many of the clicker training fanatics are also practitioners of the raw diet, so that not only are the dogs getting two good meals a day, they are getting fresh meat, poultry, and fish that half the world’s human population does not have access to. This would be a little like giving one’s child a $1,000 a day allowance, then telling him that he will get 25 cents if he will take out the trash. Whereas in the wild, an animal

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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Page 16. cont. from page 15 modifies its behavior to eat and therefore survive, and at Sea World, the fish given out as rewards in a porpoise show might be all the porpoise gets to eat, most people are not willing to let their pets go hungry to increase their “food drive.” Many poodles are picky eaters, especially when young, and do not have a particularly high food drive when compared to, say, a Labrador retriever. Many dogs are intimidated by the strange surroundings and noises of training facilities and dog shows, and will not take treats when there. A fair number of dogs will not even eat their meals when “on the road.” The clicker trainer’s answer to this is to search farther and wider to find treats that the dog is eager to get. Many clicker trainers spend more time (and money) shopping for exotic treats than they do training, and still many dogs will not put out much effort to get a treat. Few clicker instructors give the owner the obvious answer that if they starve the dog, it will develop a keen food drive, as this would not fit in with the image of the “only” HUMANE training method! Another problem with clicker training as a sole training method is that it largely ignores the fact that dogs have many drives, or pleasures that motivate them, other than the food drive, and that many of the other “drives” are stronger than the food drive in an otherwise wellfed pet. For instance, if a male dog had a choice between a bitch in season (or its enticing aroma) and a treat, it would likely go for the bitch, or at least work to locate and stake his claim. There are always bitches in season at a dog show. Many dogs such as terriers like to explore, and find this behavior to be more rewarding than eating. Many dogs like to attack other dogs, and apparently get quite an adrenalin rush out of it. They like their treats “still moving.” There are not many dogs that would choose a treat over chasing a running “varmint,” or perhaps a toy poodle running by in the next ring that looks very much like that squirrel or rabbit that they chase at home. Many dogs enjoy barking, as barking apparently does something great for the dogbrain’s pleasure center, judging from the number of dogs that bark for hours at nothing. And some dogs simply enjoy being king--playing the role of alpha over their humans, and don’t plan to give up the power trip for a lousy treat. So, although complex behaviors can be taught using treats, the actual conditions at a dog show offer a smorgasbord of other sensual enticements. Clicker training may be great for quickly teaching a

dog to do something it has no aversion to. But if a dog is genuinely afraid of doing something (like banging down a teeter-totter in agility), or simply does not want to do something (like picking up a metal scent article), a clicker trainer must wait for the dog to make the choice to do this thing, and the wait may be long indeed. If the training process takes longer than the dog’s natural lifespan, it might be considered to be of no value to the competition-minded person. One of the complaints I hear from people involved with clicker instructors is the inordinate amount of time—often years—required before the instructor deems the student ready to enter a trial. Another problem that poodle owners have with clicker classes is that, whereas most poodles are not aggressive to other dogs, they are often the target of aggression. In traditional training classes, students are generally given instructions for correcting their dogs immediately and effectively for any aggressive behavior (aggressive staring, growling, barking, lunging, hackling, etc.). In clicker classes, they are told to ignore the behavior, or wait patiently for the behavior to play out so that the dog can be clicked and rewarded for dropping what is left of the poodle. The owner of the aggressive dog is told to work toward substituting and rewarding another behavior, such as sitting, for the “unwanted” behavior. This might be fine for the aggressive dog, but not too fine for the poodle. I have heard from many poodle owners that have quit going to clicker classes because of the danger to their dogs. Clicker trainers in general seem to believe that their dogs’ aggression and barking is YOUR problem, not theirs. Clicker trainers blithely say that physical corrections do not work, or that they cause an aggressive dog to become more aggressive. Thousands of years of dog training history say otherwise. It is generally thought that dogs have been doing useful work for man almost as long as man has existed, and clicker training is of my generation. It would be safe to say that most if not all obedience trial champions have been trained using some physical correction, as well as a plethora of rewards including food, play, and praise. Field dogs are almost universally trained using a “force fetch.” Herding dogs are routinely corrected for helping themselves to the mutton. I’m sure there are at least some agility champions that have never been physically corrected in the course of their training, but they are in the minority. When I speak of physical correction, I am not talking about “punishing” a dog. I am including such

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actions as pulling or jerking on a leash, pushing a dog into a sit or a down position, placing a dog on a piece of agility equipment or leading it over a low jump, placing an article to be retrieved into a dog’s mouth, or restraining a dog such as is done to groom poodles. Clicker trainers often talk about the method’s success in “extinguishing” undesirable behavior. But their idea of success is a REDUCTION in the occurrence of the undesirable behavior. The reduction that can register as a “success” can be as much as 80% or as little as 10%. If my dog bites my child even 80% fewer times than before, I would not consider the process to be a “success.” If my method resulted in 20% less nuisance barking than before, I would not consider the method to be a “success,” and I wager that my neighbors wouldn’t, either. If an owner’s two dogs fought with each other 20% less than before, one of them might still be dead. So these glowing reports of “success” in dealing with problem behavior must be examined closely. I am not suggesting that other training methods necessarily offer 100% solutions, but traditional trainers will usually be a little more realistic in advising an owner that some problems cannot be satisfactorily solved with training. Those rare trainers with perfect timing, excellent dog training sense, time to burn, and the patience of a saint, can do marvelous things with clicker training. But the average clicker trainer teaches her dog that the more it resists, the more treats it gets. For example, I have seen many clicker trainers trying to get their dogs to pay attention heeling. The dog looks away, the person says “watch,” the dog looks back, and the person clicks and treats. The dog finds that looking away is the key to the chain of events that ends with a treat. If the trainer were true to the method, she would just wait for the dog to pay attention before clicking and treating, but practically no one is patient enough to do this, especially if the dog only glances her way once a week. She bought those high-dollar dried venison treats, and by gosh, her “baby” is going to get them---ALL of the ones she put in her $20 quick-fire treat pouch!!! So she either says “watch,” or runs the treat by the dog’s nose to lure his gaze, then clicks and treats. These people can be seen marching around obedience rings in all parts of the country saying “watch,” clicking, and treating. As soon as they put their food away and walk into the ring, the dog reverts to gazing about, sniffing the floor, strolling along the ring barrier looking for greener pas-

tures, or running out of the ring and high-tailing it to the bait bag. At agility trials, woe to the poor fool or her poodle that steps into the path of a clicker trainer exiting the agility ring and being dragged by her big dog at a dead run back to the bait bag. The average clicker-trained dog learns how to get treats rather than how to obey commands. I once attended a clicker class as an observer. The instructor had a “trained” standard poodle that she was attempting to use for demonstration. The poodle was busy strolling around, totally engrossed in cleaning the mats of crumbs and examining the treat pouches and training bags of all the students to see who had the best stuff. After calling the dog numerous times, the instructor finally walked over, grabbed the dog by the collar, hauled it back to the center of the room, lifted it skyward with the collar before dumping it into a sitting position, then clicked, and treated! An hour-long class was not enough time for the instructor to either wait for the desired behavior to occur, or to go shopping for more delectable treats. I also attended a clicker training seminar given by a famous “purely positive” trainer a few years back. Unfortunately, I missed most of what was said, as her large dog barked incessantly throughout the two days, even though she kept interrupting her presentation to try to find a moment of silence to click and treat. My advice to people looking for an instructor or training classes for performance events is to find out what that instructor has accomplished with her own dogs, what her students have accomplished, and see if their collective dogs work as you would like your dog to work. Don’t be intimidated or fooled by rhetoric. Joann Neal

Active Rescue list on line for those involved in Poodle Rescue Contact Sally Poindexter For more information [email protected]

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THYROID DISEASE AND AUTOIMMUNE THYROIDITIS W. Jean Dodds, DVM 938 Stanford Street Santa Monica, CA 90403 (310) 828-4804;FAX (310)-828-8251 www.hemopet.com; [email protected]

Introduction Hypothyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder of dogs, and up to 80% of cases result from an autoimmune disease that progressively destroys the thyroid gland (autoimmune thyroiditis). Once more than 75% of the gland is destroyed by this process, classical clinical signs of hypothyroidism appear. Because the condition is heritable, it has significant genetic implications for breeding stock. Accurate diagnosis of the early stages of autoimmune thyroiditis offers important genetic and clinical options for prompt intervention and case management. However, it is often difficult to make a definitive diagnosis. As the thyroid gland regulates metabolism of all body cellular functions, reduced thyroid function can produce a wide range of clinical signs (see Table 1). Many of these clinical symptoms mimic those resulting from other causes and so recognition of the condition and interpretation of results of thyroid function tests can be problematic. Baseline Thyroid Profiles A complete baseline thyroid profile is measured and typically includes total T4, total T3, free T4, free T3, T3 autoantibody (T3AA) and T4 autoantibody (T4AA), and can include canine endogenous thyroid stimulating hormone (cTSH) and/or thyroglobulin autoantibody (TgAA) (see Table 2) . The TgAA assay is especially important in screening breeding stock for heritable autoimmune thyroid disease. Affected dogs should not be used for breeding. The normal reference ranges for thyroid analytes of healthy adult animals tend to be similar for most breeds of companion animals. Exceptions are the sighthound and giant breeds of dogs which have lower basal levels. Typical thyroid levels for healthy sighthounds, such as retired racing greyhounds, are at or just below the established laboratory reference ranges, whereas

healthy giant breeds have optimal levels around the midpoint of these ranges. Similarly, because young animals are still growing and adolescents are maturing, optimal thyroid levels are expected to be in the upper half of the references ranges. For geriatric animals, basal metabolism is usually slowing down, and so optimal thyroid levels are likely to be closer to midrange or even slightly lower. Genetic Screening for Thyroid Disease Most cases of thyroiditis have elevated serum TgAA levels, whereas only about 20-40% of cases have elevated circulating T3 and/or T4 AA. Thus, the presence of elevated T3 and/or T4 AA confirms a diagnosis of autoimmune thyroiditis but underestimates its prevalence, as negative (non-elevated) autoantibody levels do not rule out thyroiditis. Measuring TgAA levels also permits early recognition of the disorder, and facilitates genetic counselling. Affected dogs should not be used for breeding. The commercial TgAA test can give false negative results if the dog has received thyroid supplement within the previous 90 days, thereby allowing dishonest owners to test dogs while on treatment to assert there normalcy, or to obtain certification with health registries such as the OFA Thyroid Registry. False negative TgAA results also can occur in about 8% of dogs verified to have high T3AA and/or T4AA. Furthermore, false positive TgAA results may be obtained if the dog has been vaccinated within the previous 30-45 days, or in some cases of non-thyroidal illness. Vaccination of pet and research dogs with polyvalent vaccines containing rabies virus or rabies vaccine alone was recently shown to induce production of antithyroglobulin autoantibodies, a provocative and important finding with implications for the subsequent development of hypothyroidism A population study of 287,948 dogs was recently published by the MSU Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. Circulating thyroid hormone autoantibodies (T3AA and/or T4AA)) were found in 18,135 of these dogs (6.3%). The 10 breeds with the highest prevalence of thyroid AA from their study were: Pointer, English Setter, English Pointer, Skye Terrier, German Wirehaired Pointer, Old English Sheepdog, Boxer, Maltese, Kuvasz, and Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. Prevalence was associated with body weight and was highest in

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dogs 2-4 years old. Females were significantly more likely to have thyroid AA than males. A bitch with circulating thyroid AA has the potential to pass these along to the puppies transplacentally as well as via the colostrum. Furthermore, any dog having thyroid AA may eventually develop clinical symptoms of thyroid disease and/or be susceptible to other autoimmune diseases. Thyroid screening is thus very important for selecting potential breeding stock as well as for clinical diagnosis. Thyroid testing for genetic screening purposes is less likely to be meaningful before puberty. Screening is initiated, therefore, once healthy dogs and bitches have reached sexual maturity (between 10-14 months in males and during the first anestrous period for females following their maiden heat). As the female sexual cycle is quiescent during anestrus, any influence of sex hormones on baseline thyroid function will be minimized. This period generally begins 12 weeks from the onset of the previous heat and lasts one month or longer. The interpretation of results from baseline thyroid profiles in intact females will be more reliable when they are tested in anestrus. In fact, genetic screening of intact females for other disorders such as von Willebrand disease (vWD), hip dysplasia, and wellness or reproductive checkups (vaginal cultures, hormone testing) is best scheduled during anestrus. Once the initial thyroid profile is obtained, dogs and bitches should be rechecked on an annual basis to assess their thyroid function and overall health. Generation of annual test results provides comparisons that permit early recognition of developing thyroid dysfunction. This allows for early treatment, where indicated, to avoid the appearance or advancement of clinical signs associated with hypothyroidism. Canine autoimuune thyroid disease is very similar to Hashimoto’s thyroiditis of humans, which has been shown to be associated with human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) tissue types. A similar association with canine MHC genes in hypothyroid dogs has recently been reported in Doberman Pinschers, English Setters and Rhodesian Ridgebacks, who share a rare dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) class II haplotype which contains a unique DLA-DQA1*00101 genetic determinant. While the presence of this determinant doubles the risk of a dog developing hypothyroidism, it was not found in boxers affected with thyroiditis, nor

was it found in the Shih Tzu, Yorkshire Terrier, or Siberian Husky, although more studies are needed in these and other susceptible breeds to establish their true status with respect to this marker DLA antigen. This exciting finding of a common genetic determinant associated with thyroid disease in several breeds hopefully will lead to development of a genetic marker test to identify affected breeding stock and allow for selective breeding to reduce disease incidence in pure-bred dogs. Polyglandular Autoimmunity Individuals genetically susceptible to autoimmune thyroid disease may also become more susceptible to immune-mediated diseases affecting other target tissues and organs, especially the bone marrow, liver, adrenal gland, pancreas, skin, kidney, joints, bowel, and central nervous system. The resulting “polyglandular autoimmune syndrome” of humans is becoming more commonly recognized in the dog, and probably occurs in other species as well. The syndrome tends to run in families and is believed to have an inherited basis. Multiple endocrine glands and nonendocrine systems become involved in a systemic immune-mediated process. This multiple endocrinopathy often occurs in patients with underlying autoimmune thyroid disease (hypo- or hyperthyroidism) and concurrent Addison’s disease, diabetes, reproductive gonadal failure, skin disease and alopecia, and malabsorption syndrome. The most common nonendocrinologic autoimmune disorders associated with this syndrome are autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), chronic active hepatitis, and immune-complex glomerulonephritis (systemic lupus erythematosus; SLE). The most commonly recognized polyglandular endocrinopathy of dogs is Schmidt’s syndrome (thyroiditis and Addison’s disease). Examples of breeds genetically predisposed to this disorder include the Standard Poodle, Old English Sheepdog, Bearded Collie, Portuguese Water Dog, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and Leonberger, although any breed or mixed breed can be affected. Our study cohort of 162 cases of autoimmune blood and endocrine disorders in Old English Sheepdogs (1980-1989) included 115 AIHA and/ or ITP, 99 thyroid disease, 23 Addison’s disease, 7 vaccine reactions, 3 SLE, 2 diabetes, 1 rheumatoid arthritis and 1 hypoparathyroidism. The group comprised 110 females (15 spayed) and 52 males (3 neutered). Seven of the most recent 103 cases had two or more

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Page 20. cont. from page 19 endocrine disorders, and 101 of the 108 cases where pedigrees were available showed a familial relationship going back several generations. Data from surveying the Bearded Collie breed reported 55 hypothyroid, 17 Addison’s disease, and 31 polyglandular autoimmunity (5 were hypothyroid). Aberrant Behavior and Thyroid Dysfunction The principal reason for pet euthanasia stems not from disease, but undesirable behavior. While this abnormal behavior can have a variety of medical causes, it also can reflect underlying problems of a psychological nature. An association between behavioral and psychologic changes and thyroid dysfunction has been recognized in humans since the 19th century. In a recent study, 66% of people with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder were found to be hypothyroid, and supplementing their thyroid levels was largely curative. Furthermore, an association has recently been established between aberrant behavior and thyroid dysfunction in the dog, and has been noticed in cats with hyperthyroidism. Typical clinical signs include unprovoked aggression towards other animals and/or people, sudden onset of seizure disorder in adulthood, disorientation, moodiness, erratic temperament, periods of hyperactivity, hypoattentiveness, depression, fearfulness and phobias, anxiety, submissiveness, passivity, compulsiveness, and irritability. After episodes, most of the animals appeared to come out of a trance like state, and were unaware of their bizarre behavior. The mechanism whereby diminished thyroid function affects behavior is unclear. Hypothyroid patients have reduced cortisol clearance, as well as suppressed TSH output and lowered production of thyroid hormones. Constantly elevated levels of circulating cortisol mimic the condition of an animal in a constant state of stress. In people and seemingly in dogs, mental function is impaired and the animal is likely to respond to stress in a stereotypical rather than reasoned fashion. Chronic stress in humans has been implicated in the pathogenesis of affective disorders such as depression. Major depression has been shown in imaging studies to produce changes in neural activity or volume in areas of the brain which regulate aggressive and other behaviors. Dopamine and serotonin receptors have been clearly demonstrated to be involved in aggressive pathways in the CNS. Hypothyroid rats have increased turn-

over of serotonin and dopamine receptors, and an increased sensitivity to ambient neurotransmitter levels. Investigators in recent years have noted the sudden onset of behavioral changes in dogs around the time of puberty or as young adults. Most of the dogs have been purebreds or crossbreeds, with an apparent predilection for certain breeds. For a significant proportion of these animals, neutering does not alter the symptoms and in some cases the behaviors intensify. The seasonal effects of allergies to inhalants and ectoparasites such as fleas and ticks, followed by the onset of skin and coat disorders including pyoderma, allergic dermatitis, alopecia, and intense itching, have also been linked to changes in behavior. Many of these dogs belong to a certain group of breeds or dog families susceptible to a variety of immune problems and allergies (e.g. Golden Retriever, Akita, Rottweiler, Doberman Pinscher, English Springer Spaniel, Shetland Sheepdog, and German Shepherd Dog). The clinical signs in these animals, before they show the sudden onset of behavioral aggression, can include minor problems such as inattentiveness, fearfulness, seasonal allergies, skin and coat disorders, and intense itching. These may be early subtle signs of thyroid dysfunction, with no other typical signs of thyroid disease being manifested. The typical history starts out with a quite, well-mannered and sweet-natured puppy or young adult dog. The animal was outgoing, attended training classes for obedience, working, or dog show events, and came from a reputable breeder whose kennel has had no prior history of producing animals with behavioral problems. At the onset of puberty or thereafter, however, sudden changes in personality are observed. Typical signs can be incessant whining, nervousness, schizoid behavior, fear in the presence of strangers, hyperventilating and undue sweating, disorientation, and failure to be attentive. These changes can progress to sudden unprovoked aggressiveness in unfamiliar situations with other animals, people and especially with children. Another group of dogs show seizure or seizure-like disorders of sudden onset that can occur at any time from puberty to mid-life. These dogs appear perfectly healthy outwardly, have normal hair coats and energy, but suddenly seizure for no apparent reason. The seizures are often spaced several weeks to months apart,

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may coincide with the full moon, and can appear in brief clusters. In some cases the animals become aggressive and attack those around them shortly before or after having one of the seizures. Two recent cases involved young dogs referred for sudden onset seizure disorder shortly after puberty. Both dogs were found to have early onset autoimmune thyroiditis, which was clinically responsive to thyroid supplementation, to the extent that anticonvulsant medications could be gradually withdrawn. The numbers of animals showing these various types of aberrant behavior appear to be increasing in frequency over the last decade. In dogs with aberrant aggression, a large collaborative study between our group and Dr. Dodman and colleagues at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine has shown a favorable response to thyroid replacement therapy within the first week of treatment, whereas it took about three weeks to correct their metabolic deficit. Dramatic reversal of behavior with resumption of previous problems has occurred in some cases if only a single dose is missed. A similar pattern of aggression responsive to thyroid replacement has been reported in a horse. Tables 3-4 summarize results of complete thyroid diagnostic profiling on 634 canine cases of aberrant behavior, compiled by this author in collaboration with Drs. Nicholas Dodman, Linda Aronson, and Jean DeNapoli of Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, MA. Ninety percent (568 dogs) were purebreds and 10% were mixed breeds. There was no sex predilection found in this case cohort, whether or not the animals were intact or neutered. Sixty-three percent of the dogs had thyroid dysfunction as judged by finding 3 or more abnormal results on the comprehensive thyroid profile. The major categories of aberrant behavior were aggression (40% of cases), seizures (30%), fearfulness (9%), and hyperactivity (7%); some dogs exhibited more than one of these behaviors (Table 2). Within these 4 categories, thyroid dysfunction was found in 62% of the aggressive dogs, 77% of seizuring dogs, 47% of fearful dogs, and 31% of hyperactive dogs. Outcomes of treatment intervention with standard twice daily doses of thyroid replacement were evaluated in 95 cases, and showed a significant behavioral improvement in 61% of the dogs. Of these, 58 dogs had greater than 50% improvement in their behavior as judged by

a predefined 6-point subjective scale (34 were improved > 75%), and another 23 dogs had >25 but <50% improvement. Only 10 dogs experienced no appreciable change, and 2 dogs had a worsening of their behavior. When compared to 20 cases of dominance aggression treated with conventional behavior or other habit modification over the same time period, only 11 dogs improved more than 25%, and of the remaining 9 cases, 3 failed to improve and 3 were euthanized or placed in another home. These initial results are so promising that complete thyroid diagnostic profiling and treatment with thyroid supplement, where indicated, is warranted for all cases presenting with aberrant behavior. Our ongoing study now includes over 1500 cases of dogs presented to veterinary clinics for aberrant behavior. The first 499 cases have been analyzed independently by a neural network correlative statistical program. Results showed a significant relationship between thyroid dysfunction and seizure disorder, and thyroid dysfunction and dog-to-human aggression. Collectively, these findings confirm the importance of including a complete thyroid antibody profile as part of the laboratory and clinical work up of any behavioral case.

References _ Aronson LP, Dodds WJ. The effect of hypothyroid function on canine behavior. Proc. Int. Vet. Beh.Med, 2005. _ Aronson LP and Dodman NH Thyroid function as a cause of aggression in dogs and cats. Proc. Deutch Vet Gesellshaft 1997, p. 228. _ Beaver BV and Haug LI . Canine behaviors associated with hypothyroidism. J Am An Hosp Assoc 39: 431-434, 2003. _ Cameron DL, Crocker AD. The hypothyroid rat as a model of increased sensitivity to dopamine receptor agonists. Pharm Biochem Behav 37:627-632, 1990. _ Denicoff KD, Joffe RT, Lakschmanan MC, Robbins J, Rubinow DR. Neuropsychiatric manifestations of altered thyroid state. Am J Psych 147:94-99, 1990. _ Dewey CW, Shelton GD, Bailey, CS. Neuromuscular dysfunction in five dogs with acquired myasthenia gravis and presumptive hypothyroidism. Prog Vet Neurol 6: 117-123, 1995. _ Dixon RM, Graham PA, Mooney CT. Serum thyrotropin concentrations: a new diagnostic test for canine hypothyroidism. Vet Rec 138: 594-595, 1996. _ Dodds, WJ. Thyroid can alter behavior. Dog World 1992, 77(10); 40-42. _ Dodds WJ. Estimating disease prevalence with health surveys and genetic screening. Adv Vet Sci Comp Med, 39: 29-96, 1995. _ Dodds WJ. Autoimmune thyroiditis and polyglandular autoimmunity of purebred dogs. Can Pract 22 (1): 18-19, 1997. _ Dodds WJ. What’s new in thyroid disease ? Proc Am Hol Vet Med Assoc 1997; pp 82-95.

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Page 22 cont. from page 21 _ Dodds WJ. Behavioral changes associated with thyroid dysfunction in dogs. Proc Am Hol Vet Med Assoc, 80-82, 1999. _ Dodman NH, Mertens PA, Aronson, LP. Aggression in two hypothyroid dogs, behavior case of the month. J Am Vet Med Assoc 207:1168-1171, 1995. _ Feldman EC, Nelson RW. Canine and Feline Endocrinology and Reproduction. Second Edition. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Co, 1996. _ Frank LA. Comparison of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) to thyrotropin (TSH) stimulation for evaluating thyroid function in dogs. J Am An Hosp Assoc 32: 481- 487, 1996. _ Hall IA, Campbell KC, Chambers MD, et al. Effect of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole on thyroid function in dogs with pyoderma. J Am Vet Med Assoc 202:1959-1962, 1993. _ Happ GM. Thyroiditis - A model canine autoimmune disease. Adv Vet Sci Comp Med 39: 97-139, 1995. _ Happ GM, Ollier W, Kennedy LJ. Genetic determinants of susceptibility to hypothyroid disease in dogs. AKC Research Foundation Report, Sept 2005. _ Hauser P, Zametkin AJ, Martinez, P et al. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder in people with generalized resistence to thyroid hormone. N Eng J Med 328:997-1001, 1993. _ Henley WN, Chen X, Klettner C. Bellush LL, Notestine MA. Hypothyroidism increases serotonin turnover and sympathetic activity in the adult rat. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 69:205-210, 1991. _ International Symposium on Canine Hypothyroidism, University of California, Davis. Can Pract 22 (1) : 4-62, 1997. _ Iverson L, Jensen AL, Høier R, et al. Biological variation of canine serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentration. Vet Clin Pathol 28:1619, 1999. _ Jensen AL, Iversen L, Høier R, et al. Evaluation of an immunoradiometric assay for thyrotropin in serum and plasma samples of dogs with primary hypothyroidism. J Comp Pathol 114: 339-346, 1996. _ Kaptein EM. Thyroid hormone metabolism and thyroid diseases in chronic renal failure. End Rev 17:45-63, 1996. _ Kennedy LJ, Quarmby S, Happ GM, Barnes A et al. Association of canine hypothyroid disease with a common major histocompatibility complex DLA class II allele. Tissue Antigens 68:82-86, 2006. _ Kennedy LJ, Hudson HJ, Leonard J, Angles JM, et al. Association of hypothyroid disease in Doberman pinscher dogs with a rare major histocompatibility complex DLA class II haplotype. Tissue Antigens 1-4, 2005. _ McGregor AM. Autoimmunity in the thyroid - Can the molecular revolution contribute to our understanding? Quart J Med 82 (297): 1-13, 1992. _ Nachreiner RF, Refsal KR. Radioimmunoassay monitoring of thyroid hormone concentrations in dogs on thyroid replacement therapy: 2,674 cases (1985-1987). J Am Vet Med Assoc 201: 623629, 1992. _ Nachreiner RF, Refsal KR, Davis WR, et al. Pharmacokinetics of L-thyroxine after its oral administration in dogs. Am J Vet Res 54: 2091-2098, 1993. _ Nachreiner RF, Refsal KR, Graham PA, et al. Prevalence of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin in dogs with nonthyroidal illness. Am J Vet Res 59:951-955, 1998. _ Nachreiner RF, Refsal KR, Graham PA, Bowman MM. Prevalence of serum thyroid hormone autoantibodies in dogs with clinical signs of hypothyroidism. J Am Vet Med Assoc 220:466-471, 2002. _ Overall KL. Clinical Behavioral Medicine for the Small Animal. St. Louis, Mosby, 1998

_ Panciera DL, Johnson GS. Hypothyroidism and von Willebrand factor. J Am Vet Med Assoc 206: 595-596, 1995. _ Panciera DL. Clinical manifestations of canine hypothyroidism. Vet Med 92: 44-49, 1997. _ Panciera DL. Thyroid-function testing: Is the future here? Vet Med 92: 50-57, 1997. _ Panciera DL. Treating hypothyroidism. Vet Med 92: 58-68, 1997. _ Panciera DL. Hypothyroidism in dogs: 66 cases (1987-1992). J Am Vet Med Assoc 204: 761-767, 1994. _ Paradis M, Pagé N, Larivière N, et al. Serum-free thyroxine concentrations, measured by chemiluminescence assay before and after thyrotropin administration in healthy dogs, hypothyroid dogs, and euthyroid dogs with dermatopathies. Can Vet J 37: 289-294, 1996. _ Peterson ME, Melian C, Nichols R. Measurement of serum total thyroxine, triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and thyrotropin concentrations for diagnosis of hypothyroidism in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 211:1396-1402, 1997. _ Schmidt MA, Bland JS. Thyroid gland as sentinel: Interface between internal and external environment. Altern Ther 3: 78-81, 1997. _ Scott-Moncrieff JCR, Nelson RW. Change in serum thyroid stimulating hormone concentration in response to administration of thyrotropin-releasing hormone to healthy dogs, hypothyroid dogs, and euthyroid dogs with concurrent disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc 213:1435-1438, 1998. _ Scott-Moncrieff JCR, Nelson RW, Bruner JM, et al. Comparison of thyroid-stimulating hormone in healthy dogs, hypothyroid dogs, and euthyroid dogs with concurrent disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc 212:387-391, 1998. _ Scott-Moncrieff JC, Azcona-Olivera J, Glickman NW, Glickman LT, HogenEsch H. Evaluation of antithyroglobulin antibodies after routine vaccination in pet and research dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 221: 515-521, 2002. _ Surks MI, Sievert R. Drugs and thyroid function. N Eng J Med 333: 1688-1694, 1995. _ Thacker EL, Refsal KR, Bull RW. Prevalence of autoantibodies to thyroglobulin, thyroxine, or triiodothronine and relationship of autoantibodies and serum concentration of iodothyronines in dogs. Am J Vet Res 53: 449-453, 1992. _ Thacker EL, Davis JM, Refsal KR, et al. Isolation of thyroid peroxidase and lack of antibodies to the enzyme in dogs with autoimmune thyroid disease. Am J Vet Res 56: 34-38, 1995. _ Tomer Y, Davies TF. Infection, thyroid disease, and autoimmunity. End Rev 14: 107-120, 1993. _ Uchida Y, Dodman NH, DeNapoli J, Aronson LP. Characterization and treatment of 20 canine dominance aggression cases. J Vet Med Sci 59:397-399. 1997. _ Vajner L. Lymphocytic thyroiditis in beagle dogs in a breeding colony: findings of serum autoantibodies. Vet Med Czech 11:333338, 1997. _ Williams DA, Scott-Moncrieff C, Bruner J, et al. Validation of an immunoassay for canine thyroid-stimulating hormone and changes in serum concentration following induction of hypothyroidism in dogs. J Am Vet Med Assoc 209: 1730-1732, 1996.

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Page 23 Table 1. CLINICAL SIGNS OF CANINE HYPOTHYROIDISM Alterations in Cellular Metabolism lethargy mental dullness exercise intolerance neurologic signs polyneuropathy seizures

weight gain cold intolerance mood swings hyperexcitability stunted growth chronic infections

Neuromuscular Problems weakness stiffness laryngeal paralysis facial paralysis “tragic” expression incontinence

knuckling or dragging feet muscle wasting megaesophagus head tilt drooping eyelids ruptured cruciate ligament

Dermatologic Diseases dry, scaly skin and dandruff coarse, dull coat “rat tail”; “puppy coat” hyperpigmentation pyoderma or skin infections

chronic offensive skin odor bilaterally symmetrical hair loss seborrhea with greasy skin seborrhea with dry skin myxedema

Reproductive Disorders infertility lack of libido testicular atrophy hypospermia aspermia

prolonged interestrus interval absence of heat cycles silent heats pseudopregnancy weak, dying or stillborn pups

Cardiac Abnormalities slow heart rate (bradycardia) cardiac arrhythmias cardiomyopathy

Gastrointestinal Disorders constipation diarrhea vomiting

Hematologic Disorders bleeding bone marrow failure low red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells, platelets

Ocular Diseases corneal lipid deposits uveitis infections of eyelid glands

corneal ulceration keratoconjunctivitis sicca or “dry eye” Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada syndrome

Other Associated Disorders IgA deficiency loss of smell (dysosmia) loss of taste glycosuria chronic active hepatitis other endocrinopathies: adrenal, pancreatic, parathyroid

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 24 Table 2. DIAGNOSIS OF THYROID DISEASE C Complete Basic Profile — (T4, T3, FT4, FT3, T4AA, T3AA) C Additional Tests — (TSH, TgAA) C Older Tests (T4, T4 + T3) Serum T4 and/or T3 alone are not reliable for diagnosis because: — overdiagnose hypothyroidism — underdiagnose hyperthyroidism — fail to dectect early compensatory disease and thyroiditis — influenced by nonthyroidal illness and certain drugs

C Newer Tests Free (Unbound) T4 Less likely to be influenced by nonthyroidal illness or drugs Valid — equilibrium dialysis — solid-phase analog RIA — chemiluminescence solid-phase Less reliable — liquid-phase analog RIA

Endogenous Canine TSH In primary hypothyroidism, as serum free T4 levels fall, pituitary output of TSH rises. — elevated TSH usually indicates primary thyroid disease — 20-40% discordancy observed between expected and actual findings — published normal ranges may need revising upwards — affected by concomitant chronic renal disease

Canine TgAA Thyroglobulin autoantibodies are present in serum of cases with lymphocytic thyroiditis. — positive results confirm diagnosis; false negative results can occur — 20-40% of cases have circulating T3 and/or T4AA — allows for early diagnosis and genetic counselling

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 25 Table 3. CANINE ABERRANT BEHAVIOR * ___________________________________________________________________ Total No. Purebreds Mixed Thyroid Euthyroid Cases Breeds Dysfunction ____________________________________________________________________ 233 634 568 66 401 † ____________________________________________________________________ * Mean Age, 3.7 years ( Range 0.5-12 years ). Median Age, 2.5 years. Table 4. MOST COMMONLY REPRESENTED BREEDS WITH THYROID DYSFUNCTION AND ABERRANT BEHAVIOR * _________________________________________________________________________ Breed† Thyroid Aggression Seizures Fearful Hyperactive Dysfunction 401/634 251/634 189/634 55/634 42/634 (63%) (40%) (30%) (9%) (7%)_____ Golden Retriever

50/73

12/16

22/30

4/6

1/6

German Shepherd

34/53

10/22

14/16

3/7

2/2

Akita

27/38

24/33

0/1

0

0/2

Labrador Retriever

8/30

6/11

12/16

2/15

0/3

Shetland Sheepdog

14/25

3/6

2/3

2/4

3/3

Collie

8/9

0

7/7

0

0

English Setter

4/6

1/1

0

1/3

217/334

89/135

72/93

10/15

Other Purebreds

1/2

5/16

Mixed Breed 39/66 11/27 16/23 4/5 1/8 ______________________________________________________________________________ Totals

401/634 156/251 145/189 26/55 13/42 (63%) (62%) (77%) (47%) (31%)___________ * Some dogs had more than 1 abnormal behavior. Numerator = Thyroid dysfunction Denominator = Aberrant behavior † Total 634 cases; 72 dogs breeds represented. *Thank you to Dr Jean Dodds for giving us pernmission to use this article in the Poodle Papers! Leslie Editor of the Poodle Papers

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 26

Affiliate Club News: TOY POODLE REPRESENTATIVE:

Happy Poodle Days to All!

Your collected email survey has been received by the PCA Secretary and myself concerning the TOY size DQ within our Breed Standard at the Regional Board Meeting. This has been sent to the Breed Standard Committee for there study and review.

Standard Poodle Breeders: As a Standard breeder myself and Standard Poodle Representative for the Poodle Club of America, I am interested in you responses to the following:

At the Regional a Japanese White Toy Breeder won WD ,WB, BOW, BOV as a breeder owner handler in the Toy Variety!! CONGRATULATIONS Should you have any other issues for the Boards knowledge, please let me know. Give me a call, send an email or see you at the shows. Have a great HOLIDAY SEASON, TRAVEL SAFE . HOPE to see you at our National in APRIL!!!!

What is your opinion of crossing Standard Poodles with Miniature Poodles? What do you feel is gained by cross-variety breeding? What do you feel is lost by cross-variety breeding? What other comments would you like to make regarding this subject? I prefer signed e-mails, but you may comment anonymously.

Nancy Hafner

Reminder:

Responses to: Glenna Carlson [email protected] (Until 11/1/2007)

If you have puppies available or need information [email protected] or help with your variety contact your Variety Rep. (After 11/5/2007)

Toys :Nancy Hafner 256-381-5744 email [email protected] Miniatures:Luis Aizcorbe 305-233-8491 email [email protected] Standards: Glenna Carlson summer-

Please let me know if you have pups for sale - testing information is required. Calls seem to be on the slow side - but please let me know. Perhaps PCA needs to implement a better breeder referral system as I know internet sales are a problem as are "designer dogs". Have a great winter! Glenna Carlson Standard Poodle Representative

[email protected] (Until 11/1/2007) [email protected] (After 11/5/2007) Winter-956-973-0927

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 27.

Seminars and WC WCX Tests in the Carolinas a Recipe for Success in the Field Submitted by Claudia Straitiff

In March of 2007, a group of Poodle owners from within and around the Carolinas gathered for a WC WCX Seminar sponsored by the Central Carolina Poodle Club (CCPC). As a result of the enthusiasm created by that event, a core group of participants planned for and participated in a second seminar and the first of what we hope will be many WC WCX tests in North Carolina in September!

lar Stakes Class where owners could test the natural instincts of their Poodles in a non-competitive environment! This is a model that really seemed to work for the CCPC. First, people got to see if their dogs had the “instinct” for the work by participating in the seminar. Then, those that were interested focused on developing the instinct over the summer. And finally, they had the opportunity to gauge progress by participating in a follow up seminar and ultimately the tests. Most important is the fact that, pass or fail, 20 new folks got involved with their Poodles in yet one more performance venue. If you or your club would like to hold your own seminar but don’t know where to start, feel free to contact Jan Gray of the Central Carolina Poodle Club. She’s worked to refine the core materials to get you started and would be happy to put you in touch with people that helped her during the planning process. Those who passed at the September WC WCX tests are: Working Certificate Excellent Passes “Chip” Ch Carlyn’s Neon Moon JH WC WCX owned/handled by Joyce Carelli “Walker” Paradigm Walkn the Wild Side CD JH WC WCX owned/handled by Margaret Fox “Jamie” Ch Ascot For Your Eyes Only RN WC WCX owned/handled by Dana Stewart “Rio” Finesse All Jazzed Up CDX RAE MXP MJP JH WC owned/handled by Carol Stone “Ruby” Valentine’s Ruby ‘N The Rough CDX RA OA NAJ JH WC owned/handled by Linda Miller “Sassy” K. C.’s Sassafras of Weilerbach UD RAE AX AXJ WC WCX owned/handled by Carol Stone

An amazing 21 Poodles (including 2 Miniatures) entered the Working Certificate (WC) test and 9 Poodles entered the Working Certificate Excellent (WCX) tests. Even more amazing is the fact that 17 of the 21 WC Participants and their Poodles passed the WC and 6 of the 9 Poodles entered in the WCX passed the tests. Seventeen (17) Poodles entered the non-regu-

Working Certificate Passes “Dandy” Locksper Yankee Pudel Dandy owned/ handled by Mary Ann Eustis “Rico” Glorias-Baywind Answer To Love owned/ handled by Beth Warren “Andy” Ch Platinum’s the Answer CD owned/ handled by Beth Warren “Y” . CH La Marka Litilann’s Y Not CD RE owned/ handled by Beth Warren “Walker” Paradigm Walkn the Wild Side CD JH WC WCX owned/handled by Margaret Fox

cont. on page 28 The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

cont. from page 27

Page 28

“Rio” Finesse All Jazzed Up CDX RAE MXP MJP JH WC owned/handled by Carol Stone “Sassy” K. C.’s Sassafras of Weilerbach UD RAE AX AXJ WC WCX owned/handled by Carol Stone “Chip” Ch Carlyn’s Neon Moon JH WC WCX owned/handled by Joyce Carelli “Ruby” Valentine’s Ruby ‘N The Rough CDX RA OA NAJ JH WC owned/handled by Linda Miller “Dash” Valentine’s Splash ‘N Dash owned and handled by Linda Miller “MC” Tudorose McCheers NA NAJ WC owned/handled by Mary Ruth Calhoun “Cooper” Southern Standards Red Calhoun handled/owned by Rich Louter and Angela Louter “Rye” Ballad’s Catch Her In The Rye owned/handled by Jan Gray “Murphy” Moonstone’s Island Boy owned/handled by Susan Parsons “Drew” Platinum Once In A Blue Moon CGC owned/handled by Carol Hamblin “Dunbar” Dunbar’s Trust-N-Justice owned/handled by Jenni Lough “Ghillie” Tudorose Dreamcatcher Daventry CDX owned/handled by Jean Bedenbaugh

2008 -- 2009 Grooming Space Reservation Guidelines To benefit The Poodle Club of America, the first twenty grooming spaces for 2009 will be auctioned to the highest bidder Wednesday, April 23, 2008. The auction will take place immediately prior to the Parade of Champions. Spaces 1 thru 20 will be auctioned to the highest bidder; each space will be auctioned separately. Spaces are approximately 8' by 10'. For 2008, all setup requests for number reservations must be mailed to Margaret Tauzin,1507-G Kaliste Saloom Rd.,Lafayette, LA 70508 by March 22, 2008. Reservations will only be accepted through US Mail. Reservations delivered by courier, overnight , express mail, or any other form of delivery other than US regular mail will not be accepted. As soon as practical after MARCH 22,2008, ALL requests for set up reservation numbers will be put in a drawing and names will be selected randomly by the set-up selection committee. Once all set up requests have been given numbers, all other requests for set up numbers that are received after March 22, 2008, will be numbered as they are received. Only one request per exhibitor; any duplicate names will be thrown out! One name per envelope.(Names submitted for set up reservation numbers, must be names of Exhibitors and or Agents exhibiting in the show in 2008.) Spaces from number 11 on will be drawn by this process in 2008, in 2009 it will start from number 21 and on. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you all at PCA in April.

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 29.

P.C.A. Foundation News OptiGen OptiGen is happy to share the following information with the PCA for Poodles being tested for PRA the 3rd quarter of 2007 (July 1, 2007-September 30, 2007):

Countries testing this quarter include US, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, South Africa & the UK.

Total Poodles tested - 309 Normal - 204 Carrier - 95 Affected - 10

Sincerely, Becky Iddings Administrative Support Associate

Miniature Poodles tested - 153 Normal - 107 Carrier - 39 Affected - 7

********************************************** OptiGen, LLC Cornell Business & Technology Park 767 Warren Road, Suite 300 Ithaca, NY 14850

Toy Poodles tested - 156 Normal - 97 Carrier - 56 Affected - 3

phone: 607-257-0301 fax: 607-257-0353 email: [email protected] web: www.optigen.com

PCA Foundation Start the Fall off with a donation to the PCA Foundation. You can contribute to this worthy cause by simply filling out the form below. The Foundation acknowledges all contributions. I wish to contribute $ ________________ to the Poodle Club of America Foundation, Inc., in the name of ______________________________________________________________________. This contribution is made in memory/ honor of _____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ I wish this contribution to be used for _________________________________________ (Please specify a specific area, i.e. PRA, Hips, SA, vWD, or to the General Fund)

Mail your check to : (note Donations are Tax Deductible) The Poodle Club of America Foundation, inc. 208 Crosbytown Rd, Quitman, Ga 31643 The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 30.

Lots going on in Maryland - April 2008 Before P.C.A. join us for the April 18 - Washington Poodle Club Specialty Judge: To be Announced April 19 - All Breed Old Dominion KC of Northern Va. Judges: Poodles Maxine Beam Toy Group Michele Billings Non Sporting Group Jane Kay BIS Joe Gregory April 20 - All Breed Baltimore County KC Judges Poodles : Michele Billings Toy Group: Jane Kay Non Sporting Group: Betty Leininger BIS Michele Billings April 21 - All Breed Catoctin Kennel Club Judges Poodles:James Reynolds Toy Group: James Reynolds Non Sporting Group:Ken Buxton BIS: Robert Hall

All Shows are judged indoors Maryland State Fairgrounds 2200 York Road Timonium, MD Electrical Available for a fee Motorhome parking available for a fee with limited electrical hook ups. then its on to the 76th National in Salisbury , Md. Saturday April 19 & Sunday April 20: Retriever Trials Sunday April 20: WC/WCX WC/WCX Medallion Awards Dinner Monday April 21: Agility (INDOORS ON TURF) Tuesday April 22: Obedience & Rally (INDOORS ON TURF) Wednesday April 23 : All Dogs Jr. Showmanship Thursday April 24 : All Bitches Veterans Sweepstakes Friday April 25 : Intervariety General Meeting & Dinner The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 31.

Celie Polymicrogyria By Curtisy Briggs I want to tell you about Celie, my black Standard bitch who died in late September, three days shy of her fifth birthday, due to a congenital brain defect called polymicrogyria. I want you to know a bit about her, her struggles, and this disease, which is showing up more frequently in Poodles (both Standards and Minis). My hope is that everyone—especially Poodle breeders who have had a blind puppy in a litter—will support a new research study at University of Missouri aimed at finding the genetic marker for this disease. Celie was born blind; a rescue dog that I adopted at 10 weeks. I learned that her eyes were normal, and the blindness was “something neurological,” which I assumed meant some small disconnect in the sight wiring. I was told a neurologist had been consulted, but no one could explain why she was blind. From the beginning, she was an odd mixture of behaviors: smart in many ways, yet sometimes unable to put things together. The night she arrived, I watched her run out in the snowy yard, and every time she was headed for a tree or fencepost, I instinctively yelled “Watch!” and she changed her course. I thought she was amazing. I named her Celie after the character in The Color Purple, because I hoped she would be strong and able to overcome adversity. She was full of energy, bold, and fearless. When she smacked into obstacles with her head, she never cried, just shook her head and kept going. Her bravery touched me. I cut down all the low-hanging branches of trees and shrubs in my yard, put carpet squares at the tops and bottoms of all stairs, and put orange oil on the corners of walls to help her learn the path through the house. I realized quickly that she was not completely blind. She seemed to see shapes, and could follow my other dogs unerringly in a chase. I sometimes saw her avoid obstacles in her path that she had never encountered before. She seemed to see better in bright light. She would sit in front of the glass storm door and look out into the bright sunlight, as though she were watching the trees or the sky. I wondered if maybe her eyes were seeing,

but her brain could not organize the picture. Right in front of her face, she apparently saw nothing. Apart from her vision, Celie was physically perfect, and exquisitely beautiful, from her perfect mouth to her perfect tail set. Her hair was jet black and silky; she could easily have been a show dog in terms of conformation, coat, and movement—except that she carried her head tucked, like a horse doing dressage. She had the typical Poodle high energy and playfulness, and always carried her tail up. Only one of my other dogs tolerated her in the beginning; Celie stood in the yard, head cocked, listening for him or for me (the other dogs snarled at her any time she stumbled on them). She adored jumping on the friendly one, biting him on the back, and chewing his collar off. She loved playing tug and “reverse fetch” (I helped her find the tennis ball and then chased her around). She also loved running around in circles in the yard, and whenever I would come outside, leaping on my legs, nibbling on my knees, and hanging onto my jeans with her teeth. I had holes in both legs of all my jeans; she used them to get a better grip on the human tug toy that was me. She learned to go up and down stairs by herself during the first two weeks. Going down was particularly challenging: I was asking her to step out on the air on faith. However, many tries with a harness, one step at a time (as well as a plate of hot chicken) helped her learn this skill. The night she went down the stairs by herself (partly on her belly), awkward but determined, I felt like Annie Sullivan at the water pump, in “The Miracle Worker,” as Helen Keller first understood words. Helen Keller was actually an apt analogy (picture that scene in the dining room with Helen crashing into people, grabbing food off plates, and throwing it around). As I watched Celie careening around the yard, barking wildly and grabbing onto things with her teeth, I began to think of Helen before she had language; I also thought of autistic children. Celie had to learn that food she dropped was somewhere on the floor or ground near her, and had not fallen into some abyss. She could not find the tennis ball that was inches away from her, and never seemed to feel or perceive the ball when it was at her back feet. She had to be shown where her food dish was. I assumed her sense of smell was poor, too. And then I saw that she

cont. on page 32 The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 32 cont. from page 31 knew before my other dogs when a new person was in the house: she came flying in from the yard, clambering up the stairs to the front door, nostrils flaring. Although as a baby she had much cuddling and holding (I held her in my lap and sang to her throughout her first few months, changing the lyrics so the songs were about her), you could not, in the beginning, grab her around the midsection in a playful hug—doing so made her rear up with a sudden loud, explosive bark as she whirled away from you. Being groomed elicited a similar reaction, although she eventually became completely comfortable with this, as she did with fullbody hugs and kisses. Feeding her anything from your hand meant risking getting bitten, and hard, as she lunged at the food, unable to perceive where it stopped and the human hand began. She did learn bite inhibition eventually, but it was a lesson she would lose sometimes when she became excited. She became sure-footed around the house, except during a stressful or excited moment, when she would lose her way and bump into things she previously avoided. She became extremely reactive to sounds, and gave that explosive bark whenever there was a new one she didn’t recognize (nail clippers being used, wire hangers in the closet, the espresso machine, a motorcycle out on the street). When a song came on unexpectedly from an unknown source, she barked and circled. I instinctively began to sing along in the same key, and she quieted immediately. I thought she was brilliant. As she grew, her excitement level in the yard increased. Originally I thought her running in circles was an orienting device, something a blind dog would do to feel where she was in space. But I began to see that there was a pressured urgency to her running circles, as though she were in the grip of something, and not playing or orienting at all. She wouldn’t come in the house and would keep circling, sometimes barking wildly, scattering wood chips and grass and waking up neighbors. Getting her in became a daily battle of wills. Treats did not work, nor did corrections or distractions like a shaker can.

We worked for several hours each week with an expert behaviorist and trainer. Celie also stayed with him twice for two weeks at a time. When she returned, she was much calmer, but that calmness did not last long once she was back at home among three other dogs. But Celie learned how to walk straight on a leash (rather than crisscrossing my path), how to “place” at my side, how to sit and lie down, and eventually, how to jump on and off my bed and in and out of the car. Some lessons were not only hard for her, but painful to watch. When she attempted a new behavior like jumping, she would hurl herself into it frantically, rather than slowing down to figure it out (this meant bumping and scraping her knees, and sometimes, flying straight out of the back of my station wagon, as she had no sense of heights). She launched herself at everything, and never quite lost her awkwardness on the stairs, or her talent for tripping people.

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

cont. on page 33

Page 33 cont. from page 32 Taking her to strange places like the vet’s office was an ordeal for both of us. She was also distressed by slippery floors or other new surfaces under her feet. As she became stressed, I noticed she would smack her lips a bit and shake her head. I saw her do this riding in the car, even when she was just a few months old. I figured it was the way she expressed nervousness. Celie’s spirit and beauty charmed everyone, although her exuberance was always a bit over the top. What Celie wanted most was to play her tug-of-war or reverse fetch games. But eventually, these games had to be stopped altogether, because play aroused Celie to the point where she could not think, had no impulse control, and no sense about stopping. I began to think of these as her “fugue states.” She would run in faster and faster circles, even in 90-degree heat, and the more she ran, the more pressured her running seemed. Once she came back into the house panting so hard that I thought her heart would explode. I bundled her in ice wraps to help her calm down and cool off. In her “fugue states,” she slammed into obstacles that she knew how to avoid otherwise—as well as people in her path. When she was calmer, she avoided everything. As Celie grew out of puppyhood, it became clear that she had a special, spiritual quality unlike any dog I had ever known. A kind of sweet, angelic spirit that she exhibited, whenever she was calm. She was affectionate and tender, and she craved closeness. When I lay down on the living room floor, she lay down behind me and draped her front paws and muzzle over my neck. She would come and rub her face all over me, like a cat, or lean into my legs wherever I was standing. Once it was safe for her to share the bed without falling off, she would sleep with her muzzle in the hollow of my throat, or sometimes, laid gently on my cheek. She wanted to be touching, all the time (the exact opposite of what she wanted in the yard, which was not to be caught or intercepted). When she heard me go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, she would stagger in, half asleep, and sit in front of me to be hugged and kissed. After she came home from emergency surgery, she put her muzzle in my hands and let out a long sigh, relaxing her whole body down onto the floor, as if she were saying, you are my safe place, and I am home. I was pretty sure that no human deserved this level of trust. It was a trust she never lost, in spite of our battles in the

yard and my attempts to get her to calm down there. My struggles to control her arousal level and yard behavior took me down to my last nerve, and sometimes I got so frustrated I yelled or dragged her back into the house (after tackling and catching her). Corrections and time-outs never fazed her, although closing the back door and leaving her outside for several minutes when she refused to come in eventually did work (usually after about the tenth time). Apart from wrestling sometimes with my two male dogs, she could not be part of the pack, but remained separate. In the house, she began to spend most of her time upstairs in my bedroom, next to my bed. But any time I returned home, she was there at the door with the other dogs—sometimes ahead of them. When I came into the living room where the other dogs lay sprawled out, she was often sitting at the top of the stairs, with her back legs turned out, frog-like, on one step, front legs planted one step below, head down and ears cocked, listening. She reminded me of a girl on the sidelines at the dance, looking down into her lap, waiting and wanting to be asked to dance. Her vulnerability, along with her sweetness, touched me and everyone who knew her. Our days were punctuated by the ups and downs of Celie: sweet, affectionate, and tactile in the house, and a wild banshee in the yard. When she went out the back door, she would always turn back and wait, tail wagging, to see if I was coming out. It was clear that she wanted me to come out and play with her (and the other dogs didn’t play with her much anymore). It was also clear that the idea of play with me set her off: the moment I stepped out, she was like a tight spring released, spinning off into a place where I couldn’t reach her, physically or mentally. I tried putting her on a leash and doing training exercises, but the minute I released her, off she spun again. Eventually I gave up and decided I simply would not walk out into the yard when she was out there, or else I would take her out on a leash. Once in a while I wondered if she would do better with a quiet, retired lady who had no other dogs and no deadlines to meet, and who would adore having such an affectionate dog to sit by her as she knit in the evenings. But then I thought of the little old lady with her kneecaps broken. Celie was not placeable. There were some days I resented this and simply wished she would go away. I felt that Celie and I were both imprisoned

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

cont. on page 34

Page 34 cont. from page 33 by her compulsive behavior. I was tired of it, and I wanted out. But then, inside the house, she would come and rest her head on my knee or my shoulder, or rub against my legs, sigh, and then slip down onto the floor next to me, totally relaxed. And I would feel the sharp tug in my chest: she was part of me, and that was that. She bloated a month before her fourth birthday. The biggest clue (after she retched once and nothing came up) was that she walked out of the house with me and stood there perfectly calmly. Then I knew that something was terribly wrong. My vet offered me the option of putting Celie down. I thought what a relief it would be not to have to deal any more with her hyper-arousal or her bursting through doors or running in dog dirt, or barreling into me all the time. But then I pictured her bravely trundling up the stairs, shoulder against the wall to feel her way, or coming in to find me in the bathroom in the night, or sitting listening at the top of the stairs. She deserved better. After the surgery, I asked the vet to give her something to calm her down. He prescribed Clomipramine, which, miraculously, took the edge off her behavior a bit. She was even calmer in the house, and less reactive generally. It seemed she could listen a bit when outside (though she still circled all the time) and she stopped trying to irritate my 14-year-old bitch. She spent more time up in my bedroom. But after almost a year on Clomipramine, the drug seemed to be losing its effect. Celie seemed more stressed, and I saw her smack her lips and shake her head more often—I kept getting up to see if she had something in the back of her teeth. The manic circling in the yard, and the crazy figure-eights she spun around me when I walked out, were getting worse again. One day I walked out into the yard to clean up, and she lunged forward and bit me, hard, on the leg. I could feel the puncture go through my jeans and into my flesh, and sure enough, there was a small hole, and blood running down my leg. I yelled, grabbed her, shook her, and dragged her into the house, giving her stern admonishments along the way. In spite of the force of the bite and the fact that it was unprovoked, I knew that it was somehow an attempt to play, to engage with me, rather than an aggressive act. I understood this

about Celie, and the fact that her greatest desire was to play with me, but I had to avoid play to keep her calm. We returned to clicker training, which seemed to have some good effect. She was more willing to come in the house when called and sat, head down and ears cocked, to get her treat. But she was poking or nibbling on my knees when I walked downstairs to let her out, playful again in the way she had been as a puppy. She bit or nipped me several more times out in the yard—not hard enough to break the skin, but hard enough to bruise. In one of her spinning circles, she ran over to bark and give me a quick bite above the knee, and as I yelled, she spun out and slammed into one of my friends, almost knocking her over. Once I turned around to find her a few yards away, hunched over and about to spring toward me, and for the first time in my life, for a split-second, I was afraid of my own dog. Through a friend in Poodle Rescue, I learned that Dr. Gustavo Aguirre, the renowned ophthalmologist from University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital, was coming to a Poodle Clinic in New Jersey. My friend told me that he had written an article on neurological blindness in Standard Poodles and I should come up. Dr. Aguirre examined Celie’s eyes and said that the problem with her vision was a genetic defect in her brain called polymicrogyria. I raced home to search medical sites for information on polymicrogyria. I learned it was a “defect of neuronal migration” in the developing brain that caused multiple, small, irregular folds on the surface of the brain, instead of the smooth, large folds that are found in normal brains. It was a disease that occurred in human infants, as well. In humans, there were different kinds of polymicrogyria, and it was usually associated with mental retardation. I told Aguirre that Celie was not retarded—she was very smart in a lot of ways— she just had this problem with arousal states in which she lost her impulse control and couldn’t think. He said that mental retardation presented differently in dogs than it did in humans. He described the Standard Poodles they had studied previously who were born with this condition, but most of them had gait abnormalities and epilepsy, as well as blindness. They had all been euthanized before they were a year old, and Celie was almost five. I couldn’t believe she had the same problem.

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

cont. on page 35

Page 35 cont. from page 34 I continued to do more research, finding that some autistics, including high-functioning ones with Asperger’s, had polymicrogyria. Maybe it was the same with dogs, in terms of the ability to function well and have normal intelligence. I knew Celie could not be retarded—she just had a couple of loose screws. At the same time, the idea that she was a canine version of an autistic seemed more credible. I took her for a neurology consult at Penn—maybe there was a new, calming medicine we could try. Dr. Carrie Jurney, the neurologist, watched Celie circling around, smacking her lips, and shaking her head, and told me she was having ‘partial complex seizures.’ I was dumbfounded: although I had taken care of a dog with epilepsy, I did not know about this kind of seizure, which also occurs in people, including people with polymicrogyria. I decided to have an MRI. The MRI confirmed the polymicrogyria. The images showed Celie’s “multiple small disorganized gyri,” but no enlarged ventricles or hydrocephalus (which some of the previously studied dogs had). I learned that Clomipramine lowers the seizure threshold, so she needed to be tapered off that. As she was tapering off, she still seemed to be having seizures. As I watched her out in the yard, so much now made sense. If what I had called her fugue states were really seizures, she really was not quite “here” at all when excited or stressed. It explained why she could not change her behavior, and why, sometimes when I called her in and came out to get her, she seemed to be lost, and I had to show her the way back into the house. I wondered what Celie really did perceive, and how much she knew about where she was and what was going on around her. I wondered how frightening it was to be in and out of these seizures. Most of all, I thought how hard Celie had to have worked to cope in the world around her. I was sick at the thought that, had I known about this diagnosis earlier, maybe I could have done more to help her. Had I had the MRI and neurology consult at Penn much earlier, I would have found out about the seizures, and maybe they would have been treatable then. But that was speculation. Dr. Jurney informed me that researchers knew of no other dog, apart from Celie, who had lived this long or been as functional for so long with this disease. They

wanted her test results to be included in the new study at University of Missouri, led by renowned neurologist Dennis O’Brien, to find the genetic marker in Poodles. The study was welcome news, but Celie’s condition was not. Celie had now tapered down and was completely off Clomipramine for three days before the next tests. During these three days, she was wilder, and now spun around inside the house, too. Dr. Jurney reminded me that seizures caused brain damage, and told me it was unlikely they would get the kind that Celie had under control with medicine. I could not bear the thought of putting Celie down, and yet that seemed to be the inescapable conclusion from all that we knew. I thought of a favorite quote, from dog trainer Suzanne Clothier: “We are accountable for what we know.” I knew that Celie had to be suffering in some ways I could not even fathom, and that my other dogs had also paid a price for her living among us. I knew that there was no hope for her to get better. What I did not know was how I would survive, not only losing her, but understanding how hard her life had been. I was holding her head in my hands when she died. In her last breaths, I heard a softer version of her familiar sigh. I was pretty sure the message was the same one I had heard before: you are my safe place, and I am home. "Curtisy Briggs is a writer who lives with several Standard Poodles in Pennsylvania. [email protected]"

Donations for research on polymicrogyria in Poodles may be given directly to University of Missouri (please indicate that the donation is for the Neurology Support Fund), c/o Dr. Dennis O’Brien, VMD, Ph.D, at College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri,900 East Campus Drive, Columbia MO 65211. They may also be given to the PCA foundation, which will be supporting this research. In either case, they should be designated as donations to support polymicrogyria research.

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Page 36

Polymicrogyria (Blind Puppy Syndrome) By Dennis O’Brien, VMD, Ph.D In 1995, Dr. Tom vanWinkle and his colleagues reported a new hereditary disease in standard poodles, polymicrogyria. The normal surface of the brain consists of a series of folds called gyri which gives it the wrinkly appearance that everyone recognizes as a brain. The term gyri is derived from the same original Greek word that gave us gyrate and gyroscope. In polymicrogyria, the normal folding of the brain during development is disrupted. Instead of forming the normal, large folds, the surface of the brain becomes folded into many (poly-) small (-micro-) folds (-gyria). The normal fluid filled spaces in the brain may also be enlarged by this malformation producing the appearance of hydrocephalus. During the formation of the folds in a normal dog’s brain, the connections between different layers and areas of the brain are also formed, and in polymicrogyria these connections are also disrupted. Thus the affected areas both look and function abnormally. The brain is not affected evenly in polymicrogyria. The frontal lobes, the area at the front of the brain, appear to be spared in polymicrogyria. The frontal lobes are primarily involved in controlling movement and some higher brain functions. The back of the brain, the occipital lobes, are primarily involved in vision and are the most severely affected in the disease. Thus the most obvious sign is typically problems with vision. The mechanics of vision still function. The pupils will constrict and the affected pup will squint and turn away from a bright light. However, the ability of the dog to understand and respond appropriately to what his eye is telling his brain will be as disrupted as the surface appears. Thus while they may appear to have some vision, it will not be normal. The area below the occipital lobe is the temporal lobe. The temporal lobe is involved in emotional responses and may also be affected in polymicrogyria. Thus some affected dogs have personality issues. They may resist being touched and could lash out aggressively. This type of malformation in the temporal lobe in children is also frequently associated with intractable seizures and some dogs with polymicrogyria have seizures when they get

older. While polymicrogyria does not appear to be a fatal condition, affected pups typically have a poor quality of life, thus most are euthanized when the signs are recognized. Polymicrogyria differs from neonatal encephalopathy, another neonatal disease we recently described in Standard Poodle, though both produce signs in very young dogs (neonates). Pups with neonatal encephalopathy are abnormal from birth. Pups with polymicrogyria may appear normal until they reach the age when they begin more actively exploring their environment and their vision problems become apparent. Pups with neonatal encephalopathy develop severe seizures and die before weaning, whereas pups with polymicrogyria can live to be adults and seizures are not a consistent problem. Because polymicrogyria is an early-onset disease, the prospects for finding the gene responsible are good.

Poodles in America Past Errors? If there are errors in Poodles In America that you wish to correct please send them to me by email if at all possible and we will try to correct them. I have no one to help open mail and answer letters so email is really easier. As I have said before this is a volunteer project and there will be mistakes, but we will try to akjnowledge them in the next volume. If you wish to help we can use proof readers. It is a monumental task. Editor, Poodles In America oklapoodle@sbcglobal 6147 S. Victor Ave. Tulsa, OK 74136

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Poodle Epilepsy Project Announcements Barbara G. Licht, Ph.D., Linda L. Hyson, B.A., and Kathleen M. Harper, DVM, Ph.D. We are pleased to announce that we have joined the Canine Epilepsy Network at the University of Missouri. The lead geneticist is Gary Johnson, DVM, Ph.D., and the neurologist is Dennis O’Brien, DVM, Ph.D. This group is highly committed to finding the genes that cause idiopathic epilepsy in all varieties of Poodles, as well as all other breeds. Drs. Johnson and O’Brien were the ones that discovered the gene and developed the test for Neonatal Encephalopathy in Standard Poodles. Although it is not possible to predict how long it will take to discover the epilepsy gene (or genes) in Poodles, we know that with this new collaboration, progress toward our goal will move forward at a much faster pace. As always, we depend on the cooperation of Poodle owners, and particularly Poodle breeders, to provide us with information on Poodles with seizures (even very mild or infrequent seizures). As always, all data we collect is kept confidential. The only change in procedures is that blood samples will be shipped to the University of Missouri instead of to UCLA. If you have not done so already, please contact us (see contact information below) about Poodles with seizures, and we will provide further instructions. If you have already talked with us about your Poodle’s seizures, but have not yet provided any blood samples, please contact us. As always, Barbara Licht will be available to provide guidance with respect to your Poodle’s seizures. However, for general background on the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, we encourage you to see the Canine Epilepsy Network website for excellent information. Go to www.canine-epilepsy.net and click on Canine Epilepsy Basics. You may also wish to check out their moderated Canine Epilepsy Forum. We also are very pleased to announce that some of our research will be published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA). This article, which will appear within the next couple of months, demonstrates that the mode of inheritance for idiopathic epilepsy in a large family of Standard Poodles is simple autosomal recessive. This means that for a Poodle to inherit epi-

lepsy, both the sire and dam must be carrying the mutation. We are continuing our work on affected bloodlines to determine if the same mode of inheritance is found in other bloodlines as well. Our preliminary work suggests that it is, although there may be additional genes that play a role as well. We know that many of you have participated in the UC Davis study on epilepsy in Poodles. It is to the benefit of Poodles that there are two research groups actively working to find the epilepsy genes in the breed. We hope that even if you have provided data for the UC Davis study, you also will provide data for our research. The more DNA samples from Poodles that we receive (from both affected dogs and their non-affected relatives), the more likely we are to reach our goal of finding the epilepsy genes and developing a test for breeders. Please help us reach our goal!

Barbara G. Licht, Ph.D. Florida State University [email protected] Department of Psychology (East) (850) 644-6272 145 Convocation Way PO Box 3061270 Tallahassee FL 32306-1270

Looking for information! Two Bronze Sculptures Mr. J. Sherman Hoyt, son of Mrs. Hayes Blake Hoyt, is looking for the two bronze sculptures which once graced the gateposts of Blakeen Kennels in Stamford,CT. They are finished in a light green patina and were likenesses of Ch Blakeen Jung Frau and Ch. Blakeen Eiger. Anyone with information should contact him at 908-391-5378.

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Page 38.

POODLES IN AMERICA VOLUME XI DOGS WHO HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BY THE AKC AS HAVING FINISHED THEIR AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS FROM JANUARY, 2004 THRU DECEMBER 2007 WILL BE INCLUDED IN VOLUME XI. THOSE DOGS FINISHING BETWEEN THOSE DATES WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED IN THE TOP PRODUCING TOTALS OF THEIR SIRES AND DAMS. KENNEL PRESENTATIONS MUST BE AS BEFORE, NO MORE THAN 2 PHOTOS PER PAGE WITH A LIMIT OF 3 LINES OF COPY PER PHOTO. THE COPY MAY BE EDITED BY THE PIA EDITORS. REMEMBER THESE ARE NOT ADS, BUT RATHER PRESENTATIONS OF THE RESULTS OF YOUR HARD WORK. THE PRESENTATIONS WILL BE $275.00 PER PAGE IF SUBMITTED BY MARCH 15, 2008 OR $300.00 PER PAGE IF SUBMITTED AFTER MARCH 15 AND BY APRIL 15, 2009. WE OFFER A 10% DISCOUNT FOR THOSE USING 2 OR MORE PAGES SUBMITTED BY THE MARCH 15 CUTOFF. WE CAN TAKE MONEY ORDERS, CASHIER CHECKS, VISA OR MASTERCARD. OUR CANADIAN FRIENDS MUST REMEMBER TO SEND THEIR PAYMENTS IN U S FUNDS. NB: IN THE PRESENTATIONS WE WILL ACCEPT ONLY 1ST GENERATION PHOTOGRAPHS, DO NOT SEND COPIES OR TRY TO EMAIL PHOTOS. THE PHOTOS DO NOT REPRODUCE WITH SUPERIOR CLARITY IN THE BOOK IF THEY ARE NOT 1ST GENERATION QUALITY. TOP PRODUCERS DOGS MADE ELIGIIBLE FOR TOP PRODUCER STATUS FROM GET FINISHED BETWEEN JANUARY, 2004 AND DECEMBER, 2007 HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO A PHOTOGRAPH IN THE HONOR ROLL SECTION OF VOLUME XI FOR A COST OF $10.00. PLEASE SEND A 2X2 PHOTO IF YOU WISH TO PARTICIPATE. THE PHOTO MUST BE PRINTER READY AT 2X2 OR WE CAN NOT USE IT . DEADLINE FOR THESE PHOTOS IS APRIL 15. THIS IS FOR POODLES WHO HAVE REACHED TOP PRODUCER STATUS BETWEEN JANUARY 2004 AND DECEMBER 2007. TO QUALIFY STANDARD MALES WHO HAVE SIRED 10 OR MORE AKC CHAMPIONS MINIATURE MALES WHO HAVE SIRED 8 OR MORE AKC CHAMPIONS TOY MALES WHO HAVE SIRED 5 OR MORE AKC CHAMPIONS STANDARD BITCHES WHO HAVE PRODUCED 5 OR MORE AKC CHAMPIONS MINIATURE BITCHES WHO HAVE PRODUCED 4 OR MORE AKC CHAMPIONS TOY BITCHES WHO HAVE PRODUCED 3 OR MORE CHAMPIONS SEND ALL PHOTOS WITH DOG IDENTIFIED ON BACK OF PICTURE TO: BETSEY LEEDY POODLES IN AMERICA 6147 S. VICTOR TULSA, OK 74136 PHONE: 918 712 8622 E-MAIL: [email protected]

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

Page 39 From Madeline Patterson & Johnny Shoemaker

A letter from a potential adopter Ok, so I've been looking for dogs and cats for a while now, and already have adopted a cat from the Berkeley E.B. Humane Society. I was originally going to adopt a dog, but found myself in a ratherfrustrating experience. The problem is that the shelters, and these local "NonProfit RescueGroups" are charging crazy amounts for the adoptions of dogs. The ASPCA/PETA animal shelter in Oakland, the cost for a dog, adult is $225.00. This is the PETA people, the ones who are really supposed to be out there trying the hardest for dogs. Never in my life, in any other part of the United States (and I've been far and wide over this country) have I seen something so outlandish as this. The most I have ever seen a dog up for adoption through a shelter or society is $75.00 (and thats for a puppy). Adult dogs are usually less that that even. And they are all spayed, microchipped, vaccinated, etc. So I don't think that is a very viable excuse. Besides that, they usually have vets on staff so it's even cheaper for these things to be done. Plus, they have state funding. You call yourself animal caregivers? You are perpetuating the risk of euthanasia, what you are all complaining about all the time. I see people on here that adopt the dogs and then try to re-home them themselves for as little as $20.00! So these individuals know how to get dogs adopted, why can't the organizations provide the skills to do so in an efficient manner? And what's worse is that you would turn away hundreds of dogs because there isn't any space left, or you put them to sleep which costs more then handing over a leash to somebody with an open hand. Just because someone doesn't want to pay $225-250, $300 for a dog does not mean that they cannot care for it and provide it with love and attention, be it love or medical. If the shelters are overflowing, then have a $20.00 "sale" on dogs. They came to you free of charge, you did some work, and now they are almost $300? You people are crazy.

Wake up and see that the love of animals is not your way to make $1,000,000.00. Maybe you got in way over your head? Solutions are easy, money grubbing is selfish. Make the decision for the lives of the animals. Not your pocketbooks. Dear Potential Dog Adopter. You say you are having a frustrating experience adopting a dog. But you don't say why you have not just gone to your local shelter or SPCA and adopted one of the thousands of dogs who will end up being euthanized each year. City run shelters charge anywhere from $75$125 for a dog. My guess is that you don't enjoy that depressing trip through the shelter looking at all the faces begging you to get them out of there, knowing you are only going to be able to take one. And you probably don't want to bring a filthy, potentially diseased dog into your life with no knowledge as to temperament except what you might be able to assess within the barking chaos of most shelters. That's why you have been looking into the private non-profit rescue groups. I am one of those. And I for one charge the "outlandish" prices you mention because I want to make sure that the poodles I adopt out go to people who have enough money to pay for the $40-$100 monthly grooming and have the money to spend should a real veterinary issue come up. Unfortunately to many people, the value they place on their possessions is directly related to what they have invested in them. If I were to hand over the leash to just anyone with $20 and an open hand, as you suggest I would undoubtedly see many of those dogs right back in the shelter again. But beyond all that, the single biggest reason to charge at least $300 for a rescue, is that I want my rescue dogs to cost the person more than they could get if they happen to be buying dogs to resell for medical research, and more than they would have to pay for a dog at the shelter in case they're buying little dogs to use to train their pit bulls how to kill. You obviously don't know what it takes to care for a dog in rescue. Here are a few things to consider: Most rescues come in deplorable condition--filthy, matted, fleas, ticks, ear infections, rotten teeth, fox tail abscesses, skin sores, kennel cough, intestinal parasites and if you're lucky they don't have Parvo or Distemper.

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Page 40 cont. from page 39 Many of these things require lab costs to diagnose and veterinary products to treat. They require intensive grooming---often it's the first time in their lives and that requires a caring gentle professional with lots of experience and lots of time. Most rescues aren't brought to your door. They require that awful trip to the shelter or other horrible place and that takes driving time and of course gas for the car.

drudge, let me say that there is nothing more gratifying than to see a dog who couldn't even be touched, begin to trust you and then to look forward to your touch and become a dog that can be integrated into someone's home to begin a whole new life. And when you receive letters signed with the dog's paw print, or Christmas cards with the family photo and their new poodle member proudly included, it makes everything worthwhile. Madeline Patterson

The time it takes to care for a healthy dog is one thing, but when you're giving medications and treating infections, often two or three different medications several times each day, it can be pretty time consuming. That's beyond the regular feeding, cleaning and care time. The money that is left over (when there is some) goes into the "kitty" to be used for the dogs with broken bones, tumors, fight wounds, hit-by-car dogs, and to repair knees and hips on the backyard bred or puppy mill dogs which make up the largest percentage of the poodles we rescue. Then there was that poodle we got from a shelter in Mexico whose head had been cut almost off with a Machete. She required eleven surgeries and months of intensive aftercare to make her whole and adoptable. Anyone who thinks I'm making this up is free to Email me privately and ask for photos of Frankie. Named that because she looked like Frankenstein for months! But I digress.... Then we have the hours downloading and studying adoption applications to try and match the right dog to the perfect people. Some dogs can't go to homes with kids, some not with other dogs, some without cats. Hours spent on the phone screening prospective adopters. You can only imagine the phone bills as the people ask you every question under the sun that you've already heard and answered one thousand times. They want to tell you about their last dog that they recently lost and are trying to "replace." Then you have to nicely turn down the people who work 10 hours each day and want a well trained, housebroken dog (nothing over a year please) that will behave perfectly and wait patiently without accidents, for them to return. Then the phone calls after they adopt to try to solve problems of dogs with abandonment issues, separation anxiety, can't seem to be housebroken, destructive behavior, health problems. What is our time worth?

National April 2008 Plans are quickly being made to make PCA 2008 as huge a success as our 75th anniversary show was last year. An added bonus this year is that we are 2 month's earlier in the year for the first time so the heat will not be a factor as we are trying to ship our dogs by plane. So make plans now to join us on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008, at the Wicomico Civic Center in Salisbury MD for a fun day of obedience and rally featuring poodles only. The 2008 judging panel is as follows: Mr. Kent Delaney-UTILITY B & OPEN A Mrs. Nancy Glabicki-OPEN B Mr. Jerry Iermiero-ALL RALLY CLASSES Mr. John Landis-NOVICE B Mrs. Nancy Withers-UTILITY A & NOVICE A We will also offer the following non-regular classes: Pre-novice Grad-novice Grad-open Brace Team Versatility Veterans We are planning to have our own separate Parade of Titleholders this year to be held on Tuesday so make plans to enter that too. And remember to stay for our delicious dinner afterwards, where you can enjoy good food with friends and the judges and talk about the day's accomplishments. Susie Osburn Obedience & Rally Trial Chairman

But in case you think that rescue is just a thankless

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An Open Letter To Poodle Club of America As a long time Toy Poodle breeder I have always felt that we were very fortunate to have a very clear, concise breed standard to use as a blueprint and the more breeds that I have become involved in through owning and judging the more I have appreciated our Poodle standard for compared to some others ours is an easy read.. Several months ago I became aware of a petition being circulated to increase the size of the Toy Poodle to eleven inches ,This being circulated by a breeder of twenty (?) years. who has finished a number of Toy champions. Since I still show and finish poodles myself I am well aware that many of the Toys that finish their Championships today are significantly over the ten inch limit so I am not sure what this change would accomplish.. If you have been to England where the limit is eleven inches for a Toy Poodle you will see that many of those dogs are well over that limit and so they have Toys that are considerably larger than our dogs, also many with more bone weight. I have bred Toy Poodles since 1963 and have finished over sixty to their Championships, many of them owner handled and have managed to show ten inch dogs so I would urge you to consider that many of us do not want to change our breed standard to make it easier to finish more poodles, rather I would encourage breeders to try a bit more to breed to the current standard that has worked very well for a very long time And last I would like you to consider that an oversized eleven inch Toy (should the standard change) would simply be another Miniature! Those of us in any breed who have been involved for decades know that breeding a top quality animal within the confines of any breed standard is never easy THAT IS THE CHALLENGE! Thank you for your time and I do hope that you will give this considerable thought should this issue require a decision on your part.

PCA welcomes new Members The following poodlers were voted in as PCA members at our Regional in California: Martha Doerner 302 368-2144 308 Deerfield Rd. Newark, DE 19713 Tomar Miniatures Linda Miller 302 738-4548 10 Rudolf Ct. Newark DE 19702 Valentine Standards Joanne & Bob Steele 513-697-8585 1867 Cole Farm Lane Loveland, Ohio 45140 Banner Standards Jan Steinhour 719 386-3008 525 W. Cheyenne Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Anne Stokes 336 855-1514 4014 Duplin Dr. Greensboro, NC 27407 Dreamquest Standards Pat Forsyth 503 621-9601 19924 NW Gilliham Rd. Portland, OR 97231 Sauvie Island Standards Respectfully, Peggy McDill

Respectfully, Joan P. Scott, Ch. Breed Standard Committee

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Researchers Begin to Study Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Poodles “Rufus” is a happy, active black Standard Poodle who enjoys frolicking with his owner. Watching Rufus today it’s hard to believe he was once critically ill. Born with a congenital heart disease, known as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), his condition went undiagnosed until he was 12 months old. “Rufus was one of a litter of puppies born to my parents’ Standard Poodle, ‘Sophie,’” says Laura FoxClipsham, a graduate student at the Animal Health Trust in Kentford, United Kingdom. “He seemed to be in perfect health until the day he collapsed while running in our garden.” While Rufus howled in pain, Fox-Clipsham and her parents bundled him in blankets and rushed him to the local veterinary hospital, fearing the worst. Veterinarians immediately began conducting a series of tests. They suspected that Rufus suffered from a heart problem. “They couldn’t confirm his diagnosis, so they kept him under close observation until he could be seen the next day by a veterinarian who specializes in cardiac conditions,” Fox-Clipsham says. After a number of tests and scans, it was confirmed that Rufus had a hole in the heart between the left pulmonary artery and the aorta that had begun to progress toward congestive heart failure. Patent ductus arteriosus is one of the most common canine congenital heart defects. It occurs in all three varieties of Poodle, Keeshonden, Cocker Spaniels, King Charles Cavalier Spaniels, Portuguese Water Dogs, and Border Collies. Understanding PDA PDA is a congenital defect in which the ductus arteriosus, a blood vessel that communicates between the aorta and pulmonary artery in the womb, fails to close after birth. The purpose of the ductus arteriosis is to allow blood to bypass the non-functional lungs before birth. Instead, the heart pumps blood directly to the aorta after the blood is oxygenated and cleansed by the dam’s circulatory system. The aorta then directs blood out into

the body. After birth, the ductus arteriosis should close as pressure changes in the chest when a puppy takes his first breath. When the ductus arteriosis closes, blood is pumped from the heart to the pulmonary artery, and then into the lungs to be oxygenated and pumped back through the heart to the aorta and sent to the body for energy. If the ductus arteriosis is still open after birth, some of the blood is shunted back into the bloodstream without being oxygenated by the lungs. As time goes on, the heart and blood vessels can become dilated due to increased blood pressure and eventually result in congestive heart failure. Clinical signs of congestive heart failure include exercise intolerance, coughing, respiratory distress, lethargy, weakness and eventual collapse. PDA can be detected before it progresses to congestive heart failure, if the veterinarian detects a heart murmur or swishing sound that results from the turbulence in the blood flow caused by the shunting of the blood in the abnormal vessels. Once the murmur is detected, an echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, will determine if the source of the turbulence is from patent ductus arteriosis or other heart defect. The majority of PDAaffected dogs, about 70 percent, are females. In Rufus’ case, veterinarians recommended immediate surgery to close the hole in the heart. For the next few months following surgery, he experienced a slow recovery. Medica_tions to decrease high blood pressure and help the heart function more efficiently and a limited exercise regimen helped him to eventually bounce back. Follow-up scans allowed the veterinarian to check to be sure the hole had been fully closed. “It was hard to keep such a young, fun-loving dog from running around, but thankfully after several months, Rufus regained energy,” Fox-Clipsham says. “He’s now 3 years old, has made a full recovery, and is expected to live a full life.” Despite her work as a graduate scientist at the Centre of Preventative Medicine at the Animal Health Trust, Fox-Clipsham was surprised to learn that PDA is a growing health concern among Poodles and other breeds. Her experiences with Rufus prompted her to begin researching PDA in Poodles.

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cont. from page 42 In Rufus’ litter of eight puppies, only Rufus and his sister, “Lottie,” were diagnosed with PDA. “I’m working with my colleague, Cathryn Mellersh, head of canine genetics at the Animal Health Trust, to study the genetics behind PDA,” Fox-Clipsham says. “We are looking at how prevalent the condition is and have begun collecting DNA samples from breeders and owners of Poodles.” Testing Poodles for PDA Christine Scruggs, V.M.D., a Water_ford, Conn., veterinarian who breeds Standard Poodles, agrees that PDA has become an emerging health problem in Poodles. In a litter of puppies born in 2001 to Scruggs’ sire and dam, one female puppy was diagnosed with PDA. “The puppy didn’t have a detectable heart murmur when she left our house but three weeks later was diagnosed with a murmur during a routine veterinary visit,” Scruggs says. “It’s likely that PDA is carried through a recessive gene, either single or polygenic in nature, which explains why only certain puppies in a litter are affected and why it can skip generations before appearing in a bloodline.” Scruggs has bred Standard Poodles for the past 16 years and has only had the one case of a puppy born with PDA. Still, she has seen a number of cases in her veterinary practice and believes breeders should have echocardiograms performed on sires and dams prior to breeding. “If an abnormality exists in one parent, there is a greater chance of it being passed on to the puppies,” she says. Some breeders have started providing dog owners with a one-year congenital health guarantee. This ensures that the breeder stands behind his breeding and helps to guard against the possibility of puppies developing PDA or other genetic conditions. As Fox-Clipsham and Scruggs both discovered with their Poodles, most puppies with PDA show no early clinical signs. Generally the first signs are a continuous heart murmur or bounding pulse that is detected when a veterinarian examines a puppy between 6 to 12 weeks of age during the first round of vaccinations. Other puppies, such as Rufus, may go undetected until developing acute heart failure or experiencing difficulty breathing during exercise.

“The diagnosis of PDA is normally determined by the characteristic murmur,” says William Herndon, D.V.M., DACVIM, a veterinary cardiologist at California Vet Specialists in San Marcos, Calif. “An echocardiogram is recommended to both confirm the diagnosis and to test for concurrent cardiac birth defects. Surgical ligation, or a vascular implant placed through the groin, is required to correct PDA and should be done as soon as possible to minimize secondary damage to the heart and lungs.” Fortunately, of all the congenital cardiac malformations in dogs, PDA is the one that is most easily treated. One option is a thoracotomy, or open chest surgery, to identify the abnormal vessel. Once the abnormal vessel is identified, the surgeon can tie a ligature around the vessel and permanently close it. After the vessel is ligated, the murmur is eliminated and the physiological abnormalities associated with the shunt are cured. A temporary chest tube is used to evacuate air from the thorax and re-establish negative pressure for the dog’s lungs to expand normally. Another option is a “coil procedure.” This involves feeding a coil through a large vessel that is catheterized with a guide mechanism. Most typically the coil is guided through the jugular vein down into the heart and into the patent ductus arteriosis. Once the coil is in place, it can be manipulated to close the abnormal vessel. Occasion_ally, more than one coil needs to be placed. This option is not available to every patient, as the success rate depends on factors such as the size of the abnormal vessel, the condition of the heart, and the health and size of the patient. If the procedure is successful, it is the least invasive technique for correcting the defect. After surgery dogs are treated for pain. If a thoracotomy is performed, the chest tube is usually removed within 24 hours. After completing surgery at a young age, dogs generally experience a greater than 90 percent success rate and go on to lead a long, full life. If PDA is left untreated, puppies typically don’t live beyond the first two years. Practicing Selective Breeding “Dogs with a congenital heart problem such as PDA should not be used for breeding,” Herndon advises. “Both parents and siblings should be screened for PDA and other diseases before producing puppies.”

cont. on page 44 The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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Page 44 Poodle Owners Can Contribute to PDA Research

To help breeders improve the health of their breed and diminish the incidence of genetic disease, Herndon notes that many board-certified veterinary cardiologists offer discounted diagnostic services to breeders so they can rule out potential genetic health problems such as PDA. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine studied PDA in Poodles and first published a report in 1971. Recently, a report on nonPoodle dogs was published. “Morphologic abnormalities were observed in seven of eight dogs with PDA and essentially were the same as those in dogs known to have a hereditary form of PDA,” Herndon says. “These findings suggest that sporadic PDA is caused by a genetic defect in the structure of the ductus arteriosus that is similar or identical to that in the Poodle.” The University of Pennsylvania researchers encourage breeders and owners of dogs with PDA to screen relatives, particularly parents, offspring and siblings, for evidence of PDA. These dogs should not be used for breeding since PDA could potentially be passed on to offspring, they say. “It’s a good rule of thumb to breed only dogs that have been cleared of all congenital heart disease,” Herndon says. Meanwhile, research continues at the Animal Health Trust to learn more about PDA in Poodles and other breeds of dog. Once more information is available about the genetic mutation that causes PDA, breeders can make more knowledgeable breeding decisions that potentially will help to reduce the incidence of PDA in the breed. N Recognizing Signs of Congestive Heart Failure Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a congenital heart defect affecting all three varieties of Poodle. The defect eventually progresses to congestive heart failure, but can be caught early if a veterinarian detects a heart murmur. Clinical signs of congestive heart failure include the following. Owners who notice these signs, should take their dog to the veterinarian immediately.

Better health screening methods plus more knowledge about canine heart conditions have helped to increase understanding about patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a congenital heart condition that affects all varieties of Poodle. Researchers at the Animal Health Trust in Kentford, United Kingdom, aim to learn more about the prevalence of PDA in the breed and the mode of inheritance. To advance the research, owners and breeders of Poodles are encouraged to submit DNA samples in the form of buccal cheek swabs from affected dogs and their relatives. For information, please contact: Laura Fox-Clipsham, B.Sc. Graduate Research Assistant Centre of Preventative Medicine Animal Health Trust Lanwades Park, Kentford Newmarket, Suffolk, United Kingdom CB8 7UU + 44 8700 50 24 24 [email protected] Used with permission from the Purina Pro Club Poodle Update, Nestlé Purina PetCare.

Judges for the National 2008 Toys ... Mr. Norman Patton Miniatures ... Miss Betsy Leedy Standards ... Mr. Jack MacGillivray Veteran Sweeps ... Mrs. Gina Wisner Juniors ... Mrs. Norma Strait Intervariety ... Mrs. Maria Aizcobe

• Exercise intolerance; • Coughing; • Respiratory distress; • Lethargy; • Weakness; and • Eventual collapse.

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Agility at the National

Eukanuba

The agility judge is Dr. Sam Banks.

The American Kennel Club and Eukanuba announced today that the seventh annual AKC/Eukanuba National Championship will premiere as a simulcast on Animal Planet and Discovery Channel Saturday, February 2, 2008. Check your local listings to confirm air times.

We will have the agility Champion parade on Monday between Standard and Jumpers classes. Respectfully, Jan Hopper

Dogs on TV. Animal Planet Dog Championships - Houston Saturday, November 10, 2007 8PM-11PM, 11PM - 2AM EST on Animal Planet Thursday, November 15, 2007 12AM - 3AM, 8PM - 11PM EST on Animal Planet Sunday, November 18, 2007 3PM - 6PM EST on Animal Planet The National Dog Show - Kennel Club of Philadelphia Thursday, November 22, 2007 Immediately following the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Topeka Kennel Club Sunday, December 9, 2007 2:30PM - 4PM EST on ESPN Wednesday, December 12, 2007 4:30AM -6AM EST on ESPN2

The event will once again be held in Long Beach, CA in conjunction with the AKC Agility Invitational and the AKC National Obedience Invitational, showcasing a multitude of canine talents under one roof. In total nearly 3,000 of the world's top dogs will vie for honors on December 1 and 2, 2007. The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship awards a total of $225,000, including $50,000 to the Best in Show winner. This year the event will also feature the inaugural Eukanuba World Challenge. This exciting new international competition will feature the top dogs from 40 countries and is the first event of its kind. "This Super Bowl weekend air date is appropriate considering that the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is the Super Bowl of dog shows within the world of dog sports," said Michael Canalizo, Director of AKC Event Management. "With the top show dogs plus the nation's most athletic and obedient canines -- and now the top international competitors -- we are gearing up for the most exciting event yet." The AKC/Eukanuba National Championship will repeat multiple times following the premiere.

Monday, December 17, 2007 10:30PM - 12AM EST on ESPN2 2008 AKC Eukanuba National Championship PREMIERE - Saturday, Feb 2, 2008 - 8PM-11PM and 11PM to 2AM Sunday, February 3, noon to 3 p.m. Thursday, February 7, 8 p.m. to11 p.m., 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, February 9, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, February 17, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, February 23, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m., 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Salisbury Maryland Kennel Club Agility Salisbury Maryland Kennel Club will have a 3 day agility trial on April 18, 19 and 20th (Pending AKC Approval).

All airings of the AKC Eukanuba National Championship are EST on Animal Planet.

Judges will be announced later.

Airtimes are subject to change. Please check your local listings for most current show times.

Location is Crown Sports Center, Fruitland, MD ( short distance from Civic Center)

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Ch. Smash JP Win A Victory breaks Toy Poodle BIS Record!

At Somerset Hills Kennel Club, September 8,Vikki made history, she broke the previous record of 80 Bests in Show to become the top-winning Toy Poodle in breed history under judges Mrs. Barbara D. Alderman for her 80th Best In Show.

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Hi Poodle Friends! Poodle Club of America Regional was beautiful and great fun. It was total trip fulfillment to stand on the balcony of our room and look out over Long Beach harbor to the City of Long Beach – and then take a slight turn and view the Queen Mary. What a show site! Johnny Shoemaker, Peggy McDill and all committee members did a great job making us feel welcome! Beverly Jean Nelson gathered a wonderful welcome bag of goodies – and the bags were handmade of the most cleaver materials – this arranged for by Johnny. Little details make shows so memorable. I attended the Board meeting, PCA’s dinner, PCSC’s Affiliate Club meeting with Dr. Sondra presenting a very interesting program on alternate health approaches to healing. Additionally I stewarded the three days for Mrs. Pardue, Mr. Aizcorbe and Mr. Augustus – the three Standard Poodle judges. Dr. Hungerland was missed – she is in our thoughts and prayers. A couple of things that were discussed and implemented at the Board meeting: AKC has raised their per dog fee for Clubs, our entry fees will have to be raised. All entry fees will increase $5.00 with the exception of Junior Showmanship which the Board wanted to hold at the lower price for our Juniors. A few participants in our Field Performance days – Saturday and Sunday – have become PCA members (congratulations Linda, Dana and Claudia). We are able to give Joyce Carelli some help with those two days that have become much bigger and more work since the inception of WC/WCX – too much for one person with only volunteer help. Toward this end, the two days have more PCA members sharing with the work load as described below. Joyce will remain chairman of WC/WCX. One of our new members, Linda Miller, will be Hunt Test Chairman. New member Dana Steward will become Working Poodle Program Coordinator overseeing the events and details of the two days. Claudia Straitiff will Chair the committee on National Certificate, Medallion, Ribbon and Education Administration as well as judges’ hospitality. With these four members working to make our field performance days a success – with, of course, the help of volunteers and the full support of PCA’s Board and membership, our opening two days of PCA field events are going to be better than ever.

Our judging slate is complete with Mrs. Norma Strait, PCA member from California, judging Junior Showmanship. Poodle’s delightful friend, Gina Wiser (former professional handler - now AKC Rep) joining us to judge Veterans Sweepstakes. What a great group of judges we have. We have new PCA members – Linda Miller, Jan Steinhour, Pat Forsyth, Martha Doerner, Joanne and Robert Steele, Anne Stokes – welcome and congratulations to all. As new members, it is important that you call me to let me know what area of the show you wish to be a member volunteer. PCA’s National takes the time and energy of so many. Contact information for Glenna Carlson, National Show Chairman: 11/1/2007 at 715-635-2776 and after 1//5/2007 in South Texas at 956-73-0927. Cell phone always is 715-2229615. [email protected] until 11/1 and [email protected] after 11/5/2007. Gathering in April instead of June will be different for all. Please remember the reason the Board of Governors made the date change. High temperatures are dangerous for animals and humans – we have scheduled PCA before the airline embargo is effective (5/15/2008). Our goal is to provide temperatures suitable for shipping and for travel of all. Please – let’s have an open mind about the date change. See you in Salisbury in April. Here is a very early wish for Happy Holidays for each and for every Poodle on Earth! Enjoy your dogs! Glenna Carlson National Show Chairman

Updated Member info Phone Number change! Fatima & David Crump Our new phone number is 316-755-0031 .

Address change Adrienne Dorland 10229 Paintbrush Drive Keller, Texas 76248 Home 817-379-0250 Cell 402-525-5138 e-mail [email protected]

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In Memorium Peggy Hogg Friend, Mentor, Handler Extraordinaire The first time I saw Peggy was about 45 years ago. I lived in South Carolina and she was showing on the Tar Heel Circuit. I was showing , ineptly, a little black Toy Poodle bitch in rather scraggly hair.. she was showing a big boned silver bitch with short legs that was shaped like a shoebox, but was presented beautifully in big hair and trimmed to the nines. Percy Roberts sent me to a corner where I remained by myself. He sent Peggy to a corner and lined up the rest of the class behind her, with me bringing up the rear. The next time I saw her was 5 or so years later. I had learned a lot more but I was to learn even more from Peggy. I was looking at miniatures then and saw Del Dahl’s “Wysteria” being shown by Peggy and I was hooked. I bought a puppy from Del that was from the last litter that Wysteria’s dam produced. Through “Laurie” (my puppy) I became better acquainted with Del and Peggy and they became very dear friends. I traveled with Peggy and did a lot of driving and brushing and she would show my minis for me. We traveled from Coast to Coast and I did a whole lot of night driving. Peggy was dedicated to the health and well-being of the dogs in her charge and to their owners. She worked harder than her assistants to make sure the dogs in her charge were presented as well or better than any others in the ring, and won accordingly from hard work and no tricks. Many is the night we both spent all night brushing out dogs that were matting and stuffing dogs that were too thin so they would be perfect to show the next day. I remember 2 times in the many years we traveled together when she did not speak to me for several hours. Once she had 10 or 12 dogs to show and we were really hustling. She raced back to the set-up, grabbed the Shih Tzu (#1 dog in the country) and grabbed the hair spray and sprayed his beautifully set top-knot. Only one problem, it was a water spray. The Chrysanthemum look became a Silky terrier look. Unfortunately, I laughed hysterically.

The second time silence prevailed was when my Penchant Pay Attention beat Wysteria, from the classes, and went BISS. I was the only one smiling. Peggy finished many, many Poodles in all 3 sizes, including Penchant Paladin and Campbell’s Raz Ma Tazz. I think her top winning Poodle was Wysteria, Del Dahl’s miniature. She was probably best known for Maya Dancer, the Maltese, and Gatsby, the Shih Tzu. Both were, at some point, top dog in the country. Probably the most breath taking competition I ever saw was the year at the garden when Teddy Young with Tacoa the cocker, Frank Sabella with Command Performance the Standard Poodle and Peggy with Maya Dancer the Maltese were in the BIS line-up. It was the show of shows. In her last Poodle judging assignment she gave a 6 month old puppy sired by my young stud dog a major, not knowing who it was. She was pleased when she learned who it was and I was thrilled that my friend and mentor approved of him. I didn’t see a lot of Peggy during the last few years since she remarried and moved to a different area, but we kept in touch, When we did meet we just picked up the conversation from the last time we met, like you do with dear friends. I knew she was around, like Del, and I would see one of them soon and catch up on the other one. The sport has lost another icon. I will miss her, as will many others. Submitted by Betsey Leedy, Penchant Miniatures

New Poodle Judges Sue Goldberg- Warren, NJ

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Sharon Bittner-Graves Sharon Bittner-Graves died September 1, 2007 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan from congestive heart failure. She was 54 years old. She bred Labrador Retrievers and Miniature Poodles under the Sharona prefix. She was president of the Labrador Retriever Club of Canada from 1995 to 1998, bringing the membership from 40 to 400 in that time. She was also a member of the Canadian Kennel Club and the Poodle Club of Canada, as well as a founding member of the Shamrock Kennel & Obedience Club in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Increasing health problems due to severe rheumatoid arthritis forced her to give up breeding Labrador Retrievers in 1998, but she remained active with Miniature Poodles for the rest of her life. Her dogs have earned titles in obedience, agility, and conformation. She never compromised on quality or testing in her breeding program, believing that each generation should be better than the last. The limitations of being in a wheelchair did not slow Sharon down. She remained active in the dog world, helping out wherever she could, even ring stewarding a week before her death. She was a very special person. Our deepest sympathy to her beloved husband Derry and her many friends. Submitted by Sue Bowering, Subria Miniatures

Gloria Kyle Gloria Kyle who bred standard poodles under the Cherod prefix died in a car accident on Oct 11th 2005. Fortunately her 4 poodles were at home. Gloria Kyle thoroughly enjoyed the companionship of her poodles. She raised and showed blacks and whites during the late 50s through 70s all relatives of Am Can Eng CH Bibelot’s Tall Dark & Handsome CDX and Am Can Dutch German Lux World CH Bibelot’s Clean As A Whistle CD. I believe ten finished their Canadian championships. She was a member of the Poodle Club of Canada. Then tragedy struck. A fire whipped through her home and the majority of the dogs perished. It wasn’t until the mid 90s when Susan Fraser presented Gloria with a bitch to breed that her interest in poodles quickly revived. From the first mating Gloria and Susan chose to keep the silver, Bibelot’s Cherod Tinsmith whom Gloria called Thinker for he was exceedingly bright and quickly learned to do so many things to help an older person around the

house. Tinsmith has sired 5 champions and many more talented pups in various performance endeavors. Gloria was now looking forward to working with Thinker’s daughter SilverJoy. Gloria was a lady who enjoyed quietly helping others and sharing the knowledge she had gained. Her cheery attitude will be missed by all. Submitted by Susan Fraser

Pamm Hall Many years ago, Richard Bauer showed my first standard a bit. I had contacted him for a show and he said yes and later realized that he had already made a commitment for that show. He asked if it would be alright if his assistant Pamm Hall showed Orca. Well it was more than alright with me. I had admired Pamm on many occasions. She was tall, beautiful, talented and elegant. She had a natural hand with a dog and they just flowed when they were with her. I had wondered how one could ask The Handler if the assistant could show your dog and here he was offering. Pamm and I just hit it off. She not only finished Orca, she won groups with her, but this is not about about the poodle. At first the only thing Pamm would let me do was to wash and dry her, then she became my teacher, and a good one at that. Pamm grew up in a sheltie household, so she knew dogs from all sides. As a High school student, she saved her lunch money to buy an English Cocker, I think from the Kenobo family of cockers. He became top winning if not the top winning English. She was competitive and good at what she did. She worked for Bob and Jane Forsyth for a time and was valued because she could "do hair". I think that Afgans factored in here. The first time I remember seeing her was with a big win at the Garden with a white standard poodle called Winner. Very impressive, and perfectly put down and shown. She and Sam and Mary Peacock connected. Pamm was actually a coowner of Ch Bel Tor Blissful who had quite an impressive Best in Show record with Pamm. She told me a funny story about Blissy's first Best in Show out on Staten Island. Bliss had won the Breed and Pamm was pleased, but she had hoped to maybe get to the beach that day and here she had to stay for the group, Bliss was quite young and just starting out. Well Bliss won the group and here was Pamm thinking that now they would get caught in the beach traffic to get home, all worth it of course cause they went Best. For a show carreer there was planning, strategizing,

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J Fuzzie who would live with him for may years.

and also having a nice day with your dog . Pamm also knew where all the Baskin and Robbins and Friendly's were on the way home from any show. At some point she went to work for Richard and thats where I actually got to meet her. We traveled together on and off for several years and I learned alot about coat care, trimming, showing, etiquette and general comportment, not that she said anything, but you could learn just from being around her. Also I learned where all the ice cream was.

Tom handled many Poodles along with other breeds that brought him many top honors. In 1961 he was named Ken-L-Ration's handler of the year with the Top Winning Pekingese, Ch. Bettina’s Kow Kow and later he went on to handle of the first Weimaraner to win the Sporting Group at Westminster Ch. Val Knight Ranck..

Pamm and I used to take my girls to the beach and other places, She is my youngest daughter's godmother. After a while showing dogs wasn't enough for her. What did it mean, what did it help. She had become increasing interested in religion and music and was able to combine both talents by going to work for the Arch Diocese of Greater New York as part of a team of people, missionaries who would go out into the different communities and try to bring the community together through music at the masses and programs at the schools. They also had great masses, retreats and parties at their home base in Suffern,NY. Eventually she decided to go back to school to become an interpreter for the deaf and she moved to south Jersey. We kept in touch for some time, but time and distance kept getting in the way. For quite awhile I would see her if I could get to the Bucks show in the spring. It was always just like old times, the laughs and tears, and now the memories. God Bless those who stayed in her life and helped her through this final journey. Submitted by Debbie West, Westsong Standard & Miniature Poodles

THOMAS J. CROWE 1917 - 2007

Kathy Aure May 14, 1946 - July 26, 2007 Many Poodle fanciers lost a dear friend on Thursday, July 26, 2007 when Kathy Aure died while vacationing in Hawaii. A long-time Poodle and Afghan Hound owner and breeder, Kathy's involvement in both breeds started in the 1960s. Kathy, with her husband Jack Marks, lived in Oakland, California and bred Poodles on a very small scale under the "Salute" prefix, and finished several champion Miniatures and Standards. A brilliant lawyer, for the last 10 years Kathy was Vice-President and Assistant General Counsel for Kaiser Permanente’s national labor and employment practice. Kathy may be best remembered for her unique ability to make each person whose life she touched feel special and cared for. The cause of death was listed as heart failure, but for those who knew her, that is an unlikely end, because Kathy’s heart never failed. She had a great heart and gave back to the world and her friends more than she ever took. In the end, her heart really didn’t fail, it just wore out after working overtime for others. Submitted by Paul Lepiane

Tom Crowe, Chairman of the Board of MB –F, Inc. passed away October 9, 2007 He was almost 90 years old at the time of his death. His kennel in Ohio housed many Champion poodles. Many of the Poodles were from the Highland Sand Kennel. One of his favorites was a miniature named Ch. Highland Sand George. He was shown and specialed by Tom and lived with him till his death at 19 years of age. After the loss of that dog Tom did not have a poodle for many years till he got a toy named T

Christina Campbell Long time member, John Campbell, Dhubhne, Regd. and poodle judge recently lost his wife, Christina, to complications following a stroke. Christina first bred under the kennel name, Montawent, and finished several Australian, Canadian and American Champion black standard poodles. Our deepest sympathies go out to John and his family. Submitted by Peggy McDill

Corresponding Secretary The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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PCA Rescue Rescue is up and running with many changes on the horizon. Rescue will now be it's own 501(C)(3) foundation. The paperwork is in the works and hopefully it will be complete within 60 days. At that time, all donations to rescue will be tax deductible. We now have a new Yahoo group compiled of all affiliate and non affiliate rescue groups and are working to network and save the dogs throughout the country. I emailed all affiliate rescue contacts but got many of the emails returned. If your rescue affiliate will get in touch with me at [email protected] I will send an invitation to join our list. All of the new rescue plans would not have been possible without the full support of the PCA board and my heartfelt thanks go to the board for supporting and standing behind all the rescue efforts. I would love to see PCA rescue one of the strongest in the country. I would personally like to thank Mike Wahlig for his constant support, he has been super. My biggest thanks go to Jan Steinhour, one of our newest members of PCA, for her work on the rescue foundation. Jan is overseeing all the paperwork for our 501(c)(3) status and is currently setting up our rescue board and legal issues. Jan has worked so hard and all of it behind the scenes and she deserves much praise. I could not have done any of this without her. I would also like to thank Leslie Newing and Nancy McGee for all of their fabulous ideas. They are both a great support and have such wonderful input. There are so many good things to come. We will have a rescue website complete with forms for download for all the rescue groups and all the happenings in the country regarding rescue. We will start our fundraising campaigns. We kicked off our first fundraising at the Regional in Long Beach with our new Microchips. I will need committee members to help make our rescue one of the best and if anyone is interested in a committee to do fundraising, to work on the website, or to help in any way please contact me. There is room for everyone. More information will follow as things get up and running. Thanks, Sally Poindexter Poodle Club of America Rescue

PCA April 2008 Saturday April 19 & Sunday April 20 Retriever Trials Saturday April 19 WC/WCX Sunday April 20 WC/WCX Running Order: Hunt Test & WC/WCX WC/WCX Medallion Awards Dinner Monday April 21 Agility Parade of Agility Title Holders (INDOORS ON TURF) Tuesday April 22 Obedience & Rally Parade of Obedience and Rally title Holders (INDOORS ON TURF) Wednesday April 23 All Dogs Jr. Showmanship & Parade of Champions Drawing for set up number 1-20 before Parade of Champions Thursday April 24 All Bitches Veterans & Sweepstakes Friday April 25 Intervariety

Reminder ALL information for the newsletter is due by January 15th! Email all information to [email protected] no faxes please! Please do not type your articles in all caps!

Do you have your reservations for The National in April 2008?

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

The Poodle Papers /Fall Edition

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