Print and on-line

News stories from and about agility in print, in the cinema, on the small screen or the box.

Online Magazine for Agility Action

Agility Action Online Magazine, a new concept in agility magazines designed for pre-novice through intermediate competitors, is now available at http://www.AgilityAction.com. 

Agility Action, a monthly publication, is delivered in an electronic format that can be read online or printed. The magazine highlights informative and straightforward articles about agility training and trials that appeal to readers who are newer to the sport or interested in a less technical approach. Each magazine includes video clips that illustrate key concepts in training. Each issue also includes numerous opportunities to share humor about the sport of agility.

Up until this time, there have been agility magazines, agility videos, and agility web sites. Agility Action is the first publication to merge these three worlds. Bud Houston, a American agility guru writes, 'An ‘interactive’ electronic magazine is an interesting concept.'

Publisher and editor, Laurie Leach, said she began the magazine after seeing many novice and intermediate students in agility struggle to find interesting reading on topics that address their unique concerns. 'Agility doesn’t need to be as technical as it is becoming. It is about running, climbing, weaving, and jumping. We want to keep this great sport simple and fun.'

Agility Action writers include agility judges, teachers, and veterinarians. In addition, agility competitors from world team members to novices contribute their insights.

Reactions from readers have been enthusiastic. Pat Engel wrote, '…well-written, practical, easy to understand.' Francine Lorts said, 'I think that anyone from novice to expert in agility could find something of value and interest. Even as I learn and progress in agility I believe that I would always find articles of interest. I like the tone of the entire magazine, informative, helpful, but not a textbook on agility.' Paula Mayes wrote, 'I've checked out many other agility websites and publications in the last few years. Agility Action is by far the best I've seen. Useful information presented in a straightforward yet slightly humorous way gets my vote for sure. It really emphasized the point that agility is supposed to be FUN!'

Agility Action Online Magazine includes several regular features:

• Agility Workshop – Training instruction focused on building a canine team mate that love 'the game'

• After School – A series of monthly agility exercises to play at home

• Judge’s Forum – Information from different judge’s perspective about how novice and intermediate handlers can improve their skills

• Conquering Ring Nerves – Training tips to teach handlers how to stay cool, calm, and collected

• Vet Clinic – Practical advice about keeping dogs healthy while doing agility

• Spotlight on Juniors – Tales of junior handlers and their dogs

• The Truth About Dog Breeds in Agility – A humorous look at how different breeds play the game of agility.

The magazine offers two types of subscriptions, one appropriate for dial-up Internet service and one best for high-speed connections.

About Laughing Dog Press, LLC
Laughing Dog Press, the publisher of Agility Action, is a dog humor web site that publishes The Truth About Dog Breeds and The Truth about Dog Sports (http://www.laughingdogpress.com).  In 2003, the Dog Writers Association of American named The Truth About Dog Breeds the best dog-related series on the Internet.

Clean Run Exploding with

It is not just the flowers which are blooming. Clean Run, the American agility magazine has gone full colour. Colour was  introduced to the covers and a couple inside pages several years ago. It was very popular and really made those agility photos jump off the page so it was only natural that the next step would be going full colour.

The editors decided to at a UV coating to the cover to give the magazine a little protection as so many of their subscribers say that they take their magazines outside.

Publisher and Executive Editor Monica Percival said, 'Now they're worried that the magazine is too pretty to go out! We're hoping that the new format will attract more advertisers. We're particularly excited about the May issue which just went to the printer -- it's an 80 page issue dedicated just to training puppies.'

Clean Run started as a weekly newsletter that was produced at a local copy shop. It was xeroxed on 8.5" x 11" paper and stapled in the corner. Monica pleaded with her business partner at the time, Bud Houston, to at least go to mailing it every two weeks as it was a lot of work just getting those initial 90 or so issues out every week.

The circulation eventually grew to over 1,000 subscribers and by then Linda Mecklenburg had joined the editorial staff. Linda and MonicaI had a vision of a monthly magazine format, and they took that plunge in 1997. Since then Clean Run has continued to evolve.

The nature of magazine production is that it costs the same amount of money to get the magazine to the printer whether you have 12 subscribers or 12 million! But once you're at the printer, it actually costs you less per copy to make more of them. So as subscriptions grew, the printing cost for the magazine went down and each year they have put that money back into improvements in the magazine. They have now reached a size - over 9,000 subscribers - where they can move from a sheetfed press to a web press that specializes in "short run" magazines i.e.those printing 10,000 to 70,000 copies.

Click here for more information about Clean Run

Bigger Glossier New Look Voice

The Agility Club is constantly striving to produce a magazine that is good to look at as well as good to read. Although keenly aware that you cannot please all of the people, all of the time, they have taken the decision to make the magazine larger and bring it's format and design up to date, making it look more like the kind of publication you would see in booksellers and newsagents with a cover price of £3.50.

The content remains the main focus, of course. Over the coming season The Voice will be bringing readers lots of new features, focusing on the issues that concern agility handlers in the UK.

If you would like a free sample copy of the new look Agility Voice magazine,
email your name and address to editor@agilityclub.co.uk 
 

The KC Gazette - A Must Read

The flagship publication of The Kennel Club, The Kennel Gazette, keeps its readers abreast of developments within the canine world every month and is the essential guide to what’s happening in the world of dogs today.

From the most ardent canine fan to the newcomer in the world of canine activities. There is something for everyone in this colourful publication and for a yearly subscription of £15.00 no dog owner need miss out on this wealth of information.

Plan ahead
Each month, the Gazette contains a free pullout guide detailing forthcoming licensed events within the dog world from show dates to field trial listings. All these key dates are united in an easy-to-read month by month section.

Keep informed
All announcements issued by the Kennel Club about areas which affect dog owners - whether it be a change in the rules for a licensed event, a development to a breed standard or new legislation being introduced by government, the Kennel Gazette endeavours to keep its readers informed.

Junior All-Stars
Each year, approximately 500 Junior Warrant certificates are issued to dogs between the ages of six and eighteen months for their achievements in the show ring. Each and every one of these dogs is listed in the Kennel Gazette with pictures of some of the winning dogs.

Judge's choice
In March 2003, the Kennel Gazette welcomed the return of the popular feature Judges’ Choice. Each month a breed is featured and Championship Show Judges are asked to select their three greatest dogs of all time. Judges are given the opportunity to pick dogs from the past or the present and from anywhere in the world and a fantastic selection of dogs old and new are represented.  A must feature for any breed enthusiast.

Features
Complementing the wealth of information within this newly redesigned publication, readers have the opportunity to catch-up on all the happenings in the canine fraternity with regular reports on those important events in the dog diary such as Agility, Field and Working Trials. There are also features on many other canine topics from Assistance Dogs to Art, Crufts to Westminster, there is always something of interest to readers.

Those interested in controversy and debate, will not be disappointed. With ‘From Clarges Street’ from the Kennel Club Secretary, highlighting relevant issues in the canine world, From the Chairman, in which the Chairman of the Kennel Club voices his views on canine issues and, last but not least, the anonymous Viewpoint, where no holds are barred in what may be discussed, the Kennel Gazette secures itself as a unique publication that all dog owners should read!

The Kennel Gazette is available to anyone who is planning to run an event hosted by a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer. This listing provides the opportunity for extra publicity for any relevant seminar and the Kennel Gazette welcomes information on any of the below subjects for the diary.

• Show Regulations and Procedures

• Show Conformation and Movement

• Show Ring Stewards

To have your event listed contact Jennifer Ricketts on tel.020-7518 1024 or jricketts@the-kennel-club.org.uk .

Make sure you don’t miss out by subscribing to the Kennel Gazette now! Subscription is £15.00 for 12 months or just £13.00 for Kennel Name/Affix holders. You can subscribe by simply downloading a subscription form from the web site http://www.the-kennel-club.org.uk or by contacting the Publications Department at The Kennel Club on 020-7518 1012.

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