THANKS!! To Our DEMO TEAM

On Sunday July 29th the Superdog Spectrum Demo Team proudly represented us at the Allstars Benefit Baseball Game at the Foothills Stadium.

The Allstars Baseball Benefit Tour stars CFL Pro Player Hall of Famers such as Terry Evanshen, Herm Harrison, Tony Gabriele, Willie Pless plus other notables such as Pee Wee Smith, Rocco Romano, Jamie Crysdale Alondra Johnson, Todd Storme and more. The tour includes games in over 31 cities from coast to coast in Canada.  In Calgary, The CFL Pro Players played the Calgary Fire Department Slow Pitch Team to raise funds for Calgary’s Burn Unit.

We would like to thank all those who participated in the demo, held after the 6th inning, to give the fans a taste of some of the fun things that dogs and their handlers can accomplish with proper training. Our thanks goes to Kari & Ed with “Chip” & “Sneakers” the Border Collies, Bob & Elaine  with Cocker Spaniel “Taz”, Megan with the lovely “Bella”, Sherry & Jerry with Superdogs “Chicklet” & “Deja”, Chris with “Milkshake” & St. Bernard “Wannu”, Melanie with Staffordshire Bull Terrier “Willow”, and Tam with “JD” the Jack Russell Terrier.

A BIG, special Thank You to Kari Kerr for organizing the demo, to Siobhan Boyle who was an excellent Dog Holder, and to Lori Boyle, owner of Superdog Spectrum, who looked after the Announcing duties for the demo.

Canine Message Therapy

Superdog Spectrum is fortunate to have someone very special on our staff. Kristin Harrigan has been working with dogs for nearly two decades in capacities ranging from being an Emergency Clinic Veterinary Technician to a Dog Sport trainer & competitor. She is an experienced Pet Dog Instructor who has studied dog behavior and has owned and trained many different breeds of dogs. Prior to moving to Calgary from Toronto, Kris received her certification as a Canine Massage Therapist and brought with her a talent for providing comfort and relaxation to our canine companions.

All this knowledge and experience is what has qualified Kris to be the Team Leader in Superdog Spectrum’s Dog DayCare. However that is not the only position Kris fills at the Spectrum; she also offers an in-house Canine Massage service to dogs in need of relief. Whether she’s working on dogs who are training and competing in Agility, Flyball, Disc Dog, and other sports, or dogs with aches due to advancing age, fearful dogs with emotional issues, dogs recovering from minor injuries, or dogs just need to relax awhile, Kris has a healing touch. She has been a member of the illustrious SUPERDOGS for more than 16 years and she knows how to keep her own dogs, as well as others on the team, in top physical condition.

Kris’ Canine Massage office is at the Superdog Spectrum facility where she is available by appointment only. If you are interested in speaking to Kris about the ways your dog could benefit from Canine Massage Therapy, you can reach her at 923-6991 or you can call Superdog Spectrum on weekdays at 21-SUPER (217-8737) to arrange a consultation with Kris.

NEW FACES at the Spectrum

Dante Camacho - Ten years in the world of dogs makes Dante a relative newcomer to dog sports, but in Brazil, where Dante is from, the relatively few people who are involved in Agility take their dogs, and their training, very seriously.

Dante came to Calgary last year for a visit with friends Shannen Jorgensen and Lisa Bailey (both who are trainers at Superdog Spectrum) and to compete in some Canadian Agility trials with his world class Sheltie, Cuica. He enjoyed Canada enough to return this summer, bringing Cuica as well as his 3 Border Collies with him, and he plans to spend a year based here in Calgary.

Listening to Dante describe how he came to be a four time competitor on the Brazilian Agility Team at the World Trials in France, Italy, Spain & Switzerland respectively, you can hear the passion for his dogs in his voice. His journey began 10 years ago with his 2 Labrador Retrievers who he thought might do well in the Conformation Ring. After being disappointed in the training methods he encountered, he began to look for other ways and other disciplines for which to train dogs. Reading books and doing research led him to more positive methods of training and the clicker proved to be a most valuable tool for him. His fascination for training not only his own dogs, but dogs owned by his friends and neighbors, led him to become a trainee in a Sao Paulo dog training school. After 2 years, Dante began teaching seminars and private classes on his own and 4 years ago he opened his own school. There he taught Basic Obedience, Canine Freestyle, and his personal specialty, Agility, to many dog lovers...from people with much loved house pets to people with world class aspirations. Pfizer Inc., a pharmaceutical company, became Dante’s sponsor leading him to host a series of Canine Freestyle and Agility demos and commercials for Brazilian TV over a 3 year period.

All the while, Dante was preparing his own dogs for Agility competition. His first Agility dog, a Master’s Level Scottie, is now 8 years old and has been retired in Brazil. Many State and National championships followed with his Sheltie...3 times Brazilian Champion...regional & state championships...South American team & individual championships...all in a quest to compete at the World Championships.

Norway in 2007 could mark Dante’s 5th trip to the Worlds. In the mean time, this gifted Brazilian dog man will be competing at the 2007 Agility Association of Canada National Championships in Toronto August 16-19th. He then plans appearances with the SUPERDOGS in Vancouver and in Toronto, followed in September by seminars he has been booked to teach in Quebec, Manitoba, and Alberta.

In the following months, Superdog Spectrum will be offering seminars and classes with Dante including Basic Competitive Obedience, Advanced Agility, and Canine Freestyle. Spaces are expected to be booked very quickly so reserve your spot early. As well, Dante is pleased to offer a limited number of private training sessions at the Spectrum. Call Superdog Spectrum weekdays at 21-SUPER (217-8737) to schedule your session.

Canine Freestyle - Dancing with yourDog

Freestyle is a new canine sport with roots in obedience, but requiring many more movements from the dog and handler, in a routine set to music. It is a competitive dog sport in which training, teamwork, music, and movement combine to create an artistic, choreographed performance. Canine Freestyle is built upon the foundation of a positive working relationship between a dog and handler team and it clearly illustrates the training and joyful relationship of that team. It highlights the canine partner in a manner that celebrates the unique qualities of each individual dog. In Freestyle the performance of every team will be different, presented to different music, with every movement accomplished through the subtle use of verbal cues and body language.

Obedience training is essential to Freestyle. Obedience provides the foundation for developing the dog’s athletic and training potential. In an obedience class, you will learn to teach your dog such things as heeling, fronts, finishes and recalls. You will also teach your dog to work with his attention alertly and keenly focused on you. With these basics, you can start teaching your dog more unusual moves...moves that are lots of fun for your dog and which have potential as elements of a Freestyle performance.

Are you intrigued? Your fun is just beginning. We will be offering Freestyle classes this fall at the Superdog Spectrum with renowned Brazilian instructor, Dante Camacho.  Enroll your dog in a Canine Freestyle class and you’ll be surprised at the wonderful relationship you will develop with your dog. The possibilities are endless.

Tailwind - Superdog Spectrum's Flyball Team

Flyball, a team sport for dogs invented in California in the late 70's, is essentially a relay race with 4 dogs on a team. The course consists of a starting line, 4 hurdles spaced 10 feet apart and a spring loaded box that shoots out a tennis ball. The first hurdle is 6 feet from the start line and the box is 15 feet from the last hurdle for a 51 foot overall length. Each dog jumps the hurdles, steps on the box, catches the tennis ball, and then runs back over the 4 hurdles. When the dog crosses back over the starting line, the returning dog is then passed by the next dog in a well timed sequence. The first team to have all 4 dogs run without errors wins the heat. The hurdle height is dependent on the height of the shortest dog on the team…4" below the shoulder height of the shortest dog. There is an 8" minimum height and 16" is the maximum height that the jumps can be set.

Agility News

The Paws 'N Effect Agility Group (www.pawzneffect.com), who train at the Superdog Spectrum are experiencing another stellar year headed up by respected Agility coach, Shannen Jorgensen. We expect to have results from several trials for the next newsletter.

DIVORCE - Who Gets the Dog?

When a couple is in love and purchases a dog together, it’s hard to imagine that the happy union could ever turn bitter. But what happens when happily ever after doesn’t go according to plan? Who gets custody of the dog? Recently, pet custody battles have become popular in courtrooms across America.

For some people, the bond that they share with their dog is almost as strong as the bond that they share with their children. Some couples opt not to have children and instead get a dog to pamper; buying the chosen canine lots of treats and toys and creating a loving home for them.
If the marriage doesn't last, that’s when bitter battles over the family dog can arise. Neither partner is willing to give up the dog so what can a couple do? Well, go to court of course. In a court of law, a pet is still considered to be "property". However, it seems that recently the courts are looking at pet custody in a different light. In many cases judges are treating the custody of a pet the same way they would that of a child. In some cases, judges have opted to grant a divorced couple joint custody. Just like with joint custody of a child, each party gets to have a certain amount of visitation time with their pet.

But does it end at joint custody? Well, that doesn't seem to be the case. It seems some divorced couples are paying hefty legal fees to hire some of the top lawyers in order to get full custody of their beloved pooch. In fact, pet custody is becoming so big in the United States that some law firms have hired individuals who specialize in these kinds of cases.

DOG FACTS

• A dog's heart beats 70 to 120 times a minute... a human heart beats 70 to 80 times a minute.
• The largest breed of dog is the Irish Wolfhound. The Chihuahua is the smallest, while breeds like the St. Bernard and Mastiff are among the heaviest.
• Dogs and men are the only animals with prostate glands.
• There are about 700 types of pure breed dogs.
• Dachshunds were bred to fight badgers in their dens.
• The most intelligent dogs are said to be Border Collies, Poodles and Golden Retrievers.
• A Bloodhound can identify several smells simultaneously.
• Dalmatian puppies are usually pure white when born.
• The smallest dog in history was a tiny Yorkie from Blackburn, England. At two years of age and fully grown, this little canine was an amazing 6.35cm tall by 9.5cm long, and weighed only 113grams!
• Most domestic dogs are able to reach speeds of 30.5kms per hour, when running flat out. The greyhound, the king of canine speedsters, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 64kms per hour!
• The oldest dog on record was an Australian Cattle Dog named Bluey. He was put to sleep at the ripe old age of 29 years and five months!
• All dogs, from the German Shepherd to the tiny Poodle, are technically of the same species and can breed together and produce fertile offspring.
• The world's heaviest (and longest) dog ever recorded was an Old English Mastiff named Zorba. In 1989, Zorba weighed about 155kg and was 3.1m long from nose to tail!
• A survey revealed that at least 63 per cent of dog owners admitted to kissing their dogs. Of these, 45 per cent kissed them on the nose, 19 per cent on the neck, 7 per cent on the back, 5 per cent on the stomach and 2 per cent on the legs.
• The tallest dog on record was named Shamgret Danzas. He was 1.06m tall, at the shoulder, and weighed 108kg.
• A frightened dog puts its tail between its legs to cover the scent glands in the anal area. Since the anal glands carry personal scents that identify individual dogs, this behaviour is the canine equivalent of insecure humans hiding their faces.
• Dogs can very easily regurgitate. In fact, after eating, wolves can travel significant distances back to their dens and regurgitate their food at will to feed their pups!
• Surveys show that 62 percent of dog owners admit their dog owns a sweater, winter coat or raincoat.
• Dogs can see color but it is not as vivid as the color humans see. Dog color is similar to what we see at twilight.
• The average city dog lives three years longer than the average country dog!
• Chocolate kills dogs! Chocolate affects a dog's heart and nervous system; a few ounces are enough to kill a small dog.