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Making a difference for dogs

The primary objective of the Kennel Club is 'to promote in every way, the general improvement of dogs.' It was founded in 1873 and offers dog owners information, experience and advice on dog welfare, dog health, dog training and dog breeding.

PM Invited to KC International Festival

The Prime Minister may have shown dogged determination to boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games but with China off the agenda, the PM could take the opportunity to represent the UK's sporting talent at other landmark events taking place in August like the KC International Agility Festival!

With the government adamant that the country�s obesity problem needs to be tackled and that Britain should be more active, the Kennel Club is leading the way and extending a warm invitation for Gordon Brown to come to Peterborough from 8 -10 August when the town plays host to the largest agility event in the world for our four legged friends.

The Kennel Club International Agility Festival which has already seen a record number of entries from around the globe is expected to outstrip last year�s record of 2,000 dogs competing. It is now one of the most important events in the canine calendar. The Prime Minister is welcome to come and help celebrate the sport, which is a great way to fight the flab in both humans and dogs, who may be affected as a result of our inactive lifestyles.

The Kennel Club extended the invitation to the Prime Minister on BBC Radio Four�s Broadcasting House programme on Sunday morning.

Caroline Kisko, spokesperson for the Kennel Club, has added: 'Obesity is a worrying issue for both humans and dogs but dog agility is becoming increasingly popular and is a real answer to the problem.'

'It�s much easier for people to be motivated to get fit when they are being egged on by the imploring eyes and wagging tail of their four-legged friends, and of course we would welcome the Prime Minister to come and give the sport his seal of approval at the festival!'

Kennel Club Recognised for Its Contribution to Agility

The Kennel Club has been formally recognised for all its hard work in the field of Agility, by being nominated for two awards at the Agility Club Silver Anniversary Awards.

The Kennel Club�s International Agility Festival has been short listed in the prestigious �Best Show� category by Agility Voice magazine. The annual show is one of three finalists in the category for the Agility Club Silver Anniversary Awards, with the winner being announced in February. In addition, the Kennel Club has also been nominated in the �Contribution to Agility� category.

Agility was first introduced at Crufts in 1978, and since then the Kennel Club has continued to promote this popular sport, licensing over 300 shows annually. The International Agility Festival began three years ago and with over 2,000 dogs taking part, the show has really taken off and proved itself a weekend not to be missed.

With over 12,000 entries and 16 competition rings to manage, the show requires significant levels of co-ordination and hard work. Competitors from all over the world make their way to the East of England Showground in Peterborough to attend the event in August each year.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club spokesperson said, 'This is a fantastic recognition of the achievements of the Kennel Club. So much work goes into the International Agility Festival and we are really pleased to be recognised for this. To be nominated for the festival is great, but to be recognised for our overall contribution to Agility as well just highlights how far the Kennel Club has come in promoting this sport.'

The winners will be announced at the Anniversary Gala and Awards Ceremony which takes place on 16^th February at the Stoneleigh Exhibition and Conference Centre, Warwickshire. To find out more about getting into Agility have a look at the Activities & Events section of the Kennel Club website, www.thekennelclub.org.uk

Canine Sports Science Seminar Deadline Extended

Gilbert Murray Hall, U of Leicester The closing date for the second Canine Sports Science Seminar -Part 2 has been extended to Monday, 11 February 2008. Entitled Canine Sports Science Seminar, this one will be more specifically about sports injuries and their treatments or prevention. It will be held at Gilbert Murray Hall in Leicester, on Sunday, 24 February 2008.

Peter van Dongen said, 'This time around we intend to have presentations, as well as practical demos, about sports injuries and their prevention and treatment, using a holistic approach. It promises to be a great day out, during which you will no doubt learn important information about how to best look after about your canine friend! This time there will be even better facilities and dogs are even allowed on the premises. We have even managed to keep the cost at a very reasonable �60 per person only, including a presentation hand outs, buffet lunch and all refreshments! No excuses then not to come!'

Specifically the seminar will include presentations and information on the following subjects:-

Physiotherapy
Osteopathy

Canine Acupuncture

Canine Hydrotherapy and its indications

Common orthopaedic conditions and their treatments

Canine rehabilitation and what it involves

Practical demonstrations

Open forum / Q & A session

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: 'The seminar highlights the Kennel Cub�s ongoing commitment to improving the general health and welfare of dogs. We are pleased to support the seminar and believe it is a great opportunity for people to discover more about how they can improve the health and wellbeing of their dog.'

An application form for the seminar can be downloaded from the Kennel Club website www.thekennelclub.org.uk For further information, please contact Zoe Tharmasingam on zoe.tharmasingam@thekennelclub.org.uk or tel: 0870 606 6750 (Ext 313).

Canine Sports Science Seminar 1 � Survey Results

Last February saw the first Canine Sports Science Seminar, organised by Pete van Dongen and Steve Croxford, and supported and sponsored by the Kennel Club. It was intended to give people a good idea of what is needed to get and keep a fit dog for various canine sports. There were lectures about Kennel Club Health Schemes, Biomechanics, Canine Massage, Nutraceuticals, Nutrition and much more. The day finished with a Q & A session and a promise that a second seminar would follow. About 70 people made an attempt to be there, although we had counted on many more.

The day was a great success in our opinion and we asked the people who attended what they thought. Their choices on various subjects were: excellent, very good, good, average or poor. Here�s what they thought:

97% of people thought the venue�s location was either excellent (62%) or very good (35%)
92% of people thought the quality of the facilities were either excellent (58%) or very good (33%)
90% of people thought the quality of the speakers we invited was either excellent (35%) or very good (55%)
88% of people thought the subjects covered were either excellent (38%) or very good (50%)
83% of people said they would �definitely� be interested in a follow-up seminar, 17% �maybe�.

As you can see, the results indicate that if you weren�t there, you missed a great day.

A second seminar has now been organised entitled �Canine Sports Science Seminar�, more specifically about sports injuries and their treatments or prevention, to be held at Gilbert Murray Hall in Leicester, on Sunday, 24 February 2008.

Peter van Dongen said, 'This time around we intend to have presentations, as well as practical demos, about sports injuries and their prevention and treatment, using a holistic approach. It promises to be a great day out, during which you will no doubt learn important information about how to best look after about your canine friend! This time there will be even better facilities and dogs are even allowed on the premises. We have even managed to keep the cost at a very reasonable �60 per person only, including hand outs and lunch! No excuses then not to come!'

See the advert in the Kennel Gazette or on the net, for further details.

Graded Agility Classes One Year Later

The new agility grading structure has been in place for nearly a year and, apart from some initial queries, it has been a success, with the majority of dogs competing against their peers. As expected, there are some grades with more dogs in than others but it is expected that these will even out in a few years.

this is not, in fact, the case. The perceived impression is that Grade 3 dogs have had the most classes to enter but, in reality, it is only by a small amount. As an example, Small Grade 3 dogs have had a total of 605 classes to enter whilst Grade 7 dogs have had 576 - just 5% fewer. Large Grade 7 dogs have had 293 graded classes to enter against 294 for Grade 1 dogs and 301 for Grade 4. Medium dog graded classes are even more equally distributed with 111 Grade 1 classes, 114 Grade 3 classes and 110 Grade 7 classes.

The Kennel Club would reiterate that it is up to each individual society how it runs a graded class, specifically whether it runs all dogs of one grade first, then the next grade and so on, or whether they hold a random draw for all grades. However, the class must not be closed between grades as all the dogs have been entered into one class. Therefore, if a class is a graded 4, 5 and 6 class, whilst you can run Grade 4, then Grade 5, then Grade 6, a Grade 4 dog must be allowed to compete, even if the running order has progressed to the Grade 5 dogs. Running orders should be adhered to as far as is possible, and it should be appreciated that there may be good reason for a handler not being available at the required time.

To clarify how to split classes, should entries warrant, the General Committee has approved the following Regulation amendment with effect from 1^st January 2008.

Regulation H(1)9.f.

FROM:

Where classes are split, they must be split into parts of equal numbers (to within one dog). Splits must be conducted on a random basis. Competitors entered therein must be notified of all changes.

TO:

Where combined classes are split, they must be split into parts of equal numbers (to within one dog). Splits must be conducted on a random basis. Where graded classes are split, they must be split by grade. If a subsequent grade or single grade class is split, they must be split into parts of equal numbers (to within one dog). Splits must be conducted on a random basis. Competitors entered therein must be notified of all changes. (Amendment underlined)

Another International Agility Event on the Calendar

The Kennel Club has announced that, following a recommendation made by the Agility Liaison Council, it will continue its sponsorship of GB & Northern Ireland agility teams in international competition by sending a team of up to 30 dogs and handlers to the 2008 European Open.

The Open, at which non-pedigree as well as pedigree dogs are able to compete, is scheduled to be held in Germany at the end of July, although the date and venue are subject to final confirmation. Judges will be Elke Kraul, Hans-J�rgen Kr�ger, Manuel Alff, Ton v.d. Laar and Harald Schjelderup

It is expected that in 2008, unless additional funding can be obtained, it will only be possible to send the team to the European Open due to the high cost that would be involved in sending a team to Finland, which hosts the 2008 FCI World Agility Championships. The Kennel Club emphasises, however, that this decision does not exclude the possibility of sending teams to both the European Open and FCI World Championships in future years. It will be the Kennel Club�s intention for Great Britain to be represented whenever and wherever possible at these prestigious events.

The Kennel Club has also confirmed that a joint Great Britain and Northern Ireland team will be selected for the Open from competitors put forward by the four home countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each country will conduct its own selection process prior to sending representative handlers and dogs to the qualifiers in the spring of 2008 where the GB squad will be finalised. As an investment in the future and to encourage younger handlers, two additional places for each country will be reserved for Junior handlers.

The selection process in each home country will be co-ordinated by its Agility Council Representative:-

England: John Gilbert (overall GB Team Manager) - tel. 01582 882366 or faldoagility@aol.com
Scotland: Peter Elms - tel. 01506 870810 or peterelms@tiscali.co.uk
Wales: Mike Shaw - tel. 028 9187 8298 or d.duncan@nireland.com
Northern Ireland: David Duncan - tel. 01974 202347 or somethingferal@aol.com

Details of Qualifying / Selection for the 2008 European Open GB Team
The 2008 GB squad qualifying event will be held in the Midlands in March/April 2008. In future years, this event could be offered to all the home countries to host and organise on a rotation basis. The exact date will be announced once the date of the European Open has been confirmed.

Dogs at Grade 6 or Grade 7 will be eligible for selection by their home country (see below). Handlers must live in the home country they represent. Dogs taking part will need to have been prepared for travel under the Defra Pet Passport scheme. This means that they must have been microchipped, then vaccinated against rabies at least seven months before the date of the European Open, with a rabies blood test one month after the vaccination, i.e. at least six months before the competition.

Maximum Number of Dogs Competing for GB Squad Selection

	Large	Medium	Small
England	30	10	10
Scotland	10	5	5
Wales	10	5	5
Northern Ireland	10	5	5
Plus two additional junior handlers from each country

The target number to take to the European Open will be 30 handlers and dogs - the maximum number allowed under current European Open rules - 50% of which may be Large. In the team event, four dogs may run with the best three counting. The team for Medium and Small may be a mixed team. The Kennel Club is awaiting confirmation of this and the split of Large, Medium and Small dogs has yet to be decided.

Special provision has been made in the selection process for Junior handlers, the future of British agility. In addition to the numbers above, each home country is allowed to send a maximum of two Junior handlers to the qualifying event, provided the dogs they run are Grade 6 or 7. This will allow the younger handlers to gain experience at the highest level which will stand them and agility in Great Britain in good stead for the future.

The format of the squad selection event will be published in due course. Between the squad selection day and the European Open, there will be get-togethers and training sessions, which all team members will be expected to attend. A team captain will be appointed for each height category, and they, in conjunction with the Manager, will decide the make up of each team in the Team event. One of these captains will be appointed overall Team Captain and will be responsible for any training sessions.

Because of the timescale, it would be very difficult to hold qualifying heats for 2008. With this in mind, the squad selection process for 2008 is proposed as follows:

England
Large	The top ten placed handlers and dogs from the Kennel Club Olympia Large Singles Final 2007; The top ten qualifying handlers and dogs for the Crufts Singles 2008; The top ten placed handlers and dogs from the combined placings in the British Open held at the Kennel Club International Festival in August
Medium	The top five placed handlers and dogs from the Kennel Club Medium Final at Olympia 2007 The top five qualifying handlers and dogs for the Medium Crufts Final 2008.
Small	The top five placed handlers and dogs from the Kennel Club Small Final at Olympia 2007; The top five qualifying handlers and dogs for the Small Crufts Final 2008.
N.B. Should any of the above handlers and dogs be duplicated, or not take up the squad selection invitation, handlers and dogs may be selected from lower down the order at the discretion of the co-ordinator. All dogs selected must be Grade 6 or 7.
Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland
All	Handlers of Grade 6 or 7 dogs resident in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales should contact the following representatives in the first instance to record their interest in being selected to represent their country of residence at the qualifying event:

If numbers fall short from any of the home countries� quota for the squad selection each co-ordinator may choose a maximum of 2 wild-card entries overall (not each height category).

Detailed information on the Pets Travel Scheme (PETS) passport scheme can be obtained on the Defra website: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm or the PETS helpline 0870 241 1710.

Agility Dogs Go to Work at the Kennel Club for Charity

You wouldn�t normally expect to find a Jack Russell at your local council, or a Golden Retriever at your post office, but you wouldn't be surprised to see a dog at the Kennel Club.

On Friday, 14 September more than a thousand dogs took part in The Blue Cross�s annual fundraising event Take Your Dog To Work Day to raise money for the charity�s work caring for sick and homeless animals. The Kennel Club saw a number of dogs - including three agility dogs from the WTOA Team - take their seat at its London headquarters, as if it were just another day at the office!

Now in its 12th year, Take Your Dog To Work Day is an annual event, sponsored by Hill�s Pet Nutrition, which encourages animal lovers around the country to take their dogs into work for the day.

This year, participants took their dogs to work up and down the country, stretching from Scotland to Dorset, right across to Norfolk and Leeds in a range of work places, including offices, schools, shops, care homes and councils.

Caroline Reay, chief veterinary surgeon at The Blue Cross Animal Hospital in Merton commented: 'Having a dog in the office can often be a great ice breaker, which helps to boost the team spirit at work. It might not be practical for you to always take your dog to work with you, but this event enables you to give your dog a new experience and different mental stimulus for the day. Having your dog with you at work also encourages you to take a break to walk with your pet, which means that you both get to exercise and relax at the same time.'

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary said: 'It is one of the key aims of the Kennel Club to support dog ownership and all the benefits that owning a dog brings. We hope that this experience will prove very positive for both dogs and owners, and that the Kennel Club will take part in more Take Your Dog to Work days in the future.'

The Blue Cross hopes that by taking their dogs to work for the day, dog owners will consider new ways to bond with their pet and take part in the charity�s efforts to raise vital funds for the animals in its care.

Visitors to the website www.takeyourdogtoworkday.co.uk will also find information on health and safety advice on taking dogs into the work place and tips on how to make the day enjoyable for dogs and colleagues alike. (17/09/07)

Changes to KC Canine Activities Department

In recent months there have been a number of changes in the structure and staffing of the Canine Activities Department (formerly Shows, Trials and Awards). The Department's work practices and the needs of our customers have been assessed and similar functions have now been grouped together allowing us to develop and improve our processes, systems and service to their internal and external customers and to add flexibility for general ease of seasonal workloads.

The Department now consists of five teams:

WTOA Team
Dealing with all aspects of Agility, Obedience, Working Trials, Bloodhound Trials, Heelwork to Music and Flyball with administrative responsibility for the Working Trials Council, Obedience Council, Agility Council and related Working Parties and of the Working Trials, Obedience and Agility Sub Committee. Debbie Deuchar is Team Leader with Zoe Tharmasingam and John Leslie in support.

Services Team
Dealing with all aspects of administration supporting canine activities - licensing, show diary, processing all awards, maintenance of title and annual returns of all registered clubs and societies, field officer visits and general inquiries. A new manager has been recruited to lead the team - Phil Kelly will join the staff on 17th September. Phil will be supported by Yvette Prosser & Paul Allen (Awards), Rhea Harries (Show Diary & Licensing), Pam Hill (Registered Societies admin), Janet Daly (Field Officers & general enquiries) and Lauren Lowe (general enquiries).

Field Trials Team
This team will continue to handle all specialist enquiries relating to Working Gundogs and Field Trials and support for the Field Trials Sub-Committee and Liaison Council. The Team Leader is Hilary Gould. The team also comprises Caron Moore and Anne Greeves (who organises all the KC's own Field Trials and other working gundog events).

Breed Shows Team
Dealing with all aspects of Breed Show activity - objections, biting incidents, permission to show, rules and regulations enquiries, breed show judging enquiries, nomination and approval of breed show championship judges, breaches of judging contracts, judging critiques and all administration and support for the Show Executive Sub-Committee, Judges Sub-Committee, Shows Council and Breeds Council.

A new manager has been recruited to lead the team - Angela Mitchell who joined the team on the 3rd September. The rest of the team comprises Pat Knight (Championship Show judging nominations), Semone Cooper (breed shows) and Clare Hitchcox (general judging enquires).

Education & Training Team
Led by Dorothy McIntyre, this team deals with all aspects of the Kennel Club's own seminars and educational schemes such as the Judges Development Programmes, the work of the Accredited Trainers, KC Seminars and the KC Accredited Instructors Scheme (KCAI). Dorothy is supported by Yohann Dieul (Seminars and Training Board) and Sue Evans (KCAI).

Additionally, the Canine Activities Development Manager Laura Colborn works to improve the level of service across all Canine Activities' areas of responsibility.

All Canine Activities staff are based on the second Floor of Clarges Street in London (W1). Caroline Hallett now works under Kennel Club Secretary, Caroline Kisko, but retains responsibility for the Breed Standards and Stud Book Sub-Committee, General Committee Minutes and for dispute resolution within clubs and societies. She now shares an office with Linda Branwhite, Disciplinary Manager, located in the basement.

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