The writer of the article also comments on receiving the Kennel Club breed records supplement which shows up a case of a bitch being born, mated and having a litter all in the same year!! I know that the British Hungarian Vizsla club has a code of ethics that includes "Members will not allow their bitches to whelp more than once in every twelve months or before two years of age or over the age of seven". I am reasonably sure that the Vizsla club of America has a similar clause in their code of ethics. Your opinions and letters about this are welcomed. And on the same line of thought - did those of you who are members of the NZKC you see the proposed Code of Ethics? I hope you all sat down and put your submissions in. A bit like voting - you can't really complain if you haven't exercised your right to have a say!
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Editor's Comments: Thanks to Kay Slow who sent us a
clipping about Hungarian Vizslas from her English Dog Newspaper. Much of the article was
taken up with a discussion about Australia and the fact that they are looking at whether
they should retain the UK breed standard or adopt the FCI standard. If you have an
opinion about this send us a letter to the editor!
Internet and AwardsA couple of weeks after you have all received your Newzsletters we put most of it (minus some material such as names and phone numbers that we don't need the world to know about) onto our home page on the Internet.The really good news is that we have won three awards for excellence!!!! Those with access to the Net who want to check it out the address is:
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Breeder's ListingBARAT Kennels; Steve & Jenny Peacocke, R.D. 1, Puriri, Thames; Ph.. (07) 868-1007, Fax (07) 868-1047Why only us?? There are other kennels out there!
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Rio's First WeekendKept meaning to write this weekend, but little Rio kept us pretty busy! And even when she wasn't, I could hardly tear myself away from her.What can I say? She's is a WONDERFUL puppy. We picked her up from the breeder Thursday evening, and she bid farewell to the litter and embarked on her new life with humans. She slept in my arms during the 40 minute drive home, pressed up against my chest and snuggling alternately in the crook of my arm and against my neck.
 Two puppies at play She had a fun time meeting Hedda the elkhound when we got home (look, a big furry chew toy!) and avoided any major mishaps with Louie the cat. The kitchen was fun and she chased her tennis ball and played with her canvas fetching bumper. She had dinner. She inspected and approved her sleeping box. We snuggled in my lap and in Sara's lap and engaged in a lot of kissing. We finally all got tired and went to bed. One or two whimpers (sleeping box was placed next to my side of the bed, so I could reach her easily), but some strokes and talking got her settled down. SLEPT ALL NIGHT (wow), woke up early and was ready to go! Friday was big fun - time to explore the big backyard in the warm sun (thank goodness for some really nice, mild weather this weekend!). Mom stayed home from work to bond. Rio got braver with Hedda and began harassing her in earnest (she really IS a big furry chew toy! Esp. that curly tail). Chase dead leaves. Chew sticks. Bother Hedda. Nap. Run around. Ride in the car to City Park and eat goose poop by the lake. Oh, boy! Take a major nap. Full day, woke up a couple times during the night but went back to sleep after some petting. Whew! Saturday morning Mom and Sara take a puppy break and go out for breakfast and to pick up some more toys at PetsMart. Rio survives time in the crate and is rarin' to go. She loves her tug rope with the rawhide chew donut around it! More big fun. Another big day. A LONG walk with a make-shift collar and leash (light-weight cord) and she's a champ. So much to see! So much Hedda-harassing that need to be done! Poor Hedda. We're nominating her for sainthood. Another good night. Sunday is the best. We're all starting to relax, and Rio is really enjoying her time outside. She likes having our company and we eat breakfast and read the Sunday paper on the back patio while Rio amuses herself endlessly and takes little puppy-naps on Hedda's blanket, up against the warm brick wall. Sigh. Life is good! We play. We nap. We chase Hedda. We get in the flower beds. We subdue dead leaves. It's a big job. We watch some football on Mom's lap and get some quality cuddle time. We meet new people: Uncle Jon and Aunt Ann. Puppy gets lots of adoration and attention and does her best to be unbearably cute. We give Mom and Sara a nice break and sleep all the way through The X-Files. Another successful night, with a 3:30 am wake-up for a potty run and a little play-time, then back to sleep until 6:30.
 A Gaggle of Barat puppies!
 Vizsla meets Newfoundland.Newfoundland meets paddling pool! With thanks to Mom Terry, Sara the co-mom, Louie the slightly-disgusted cat, Hedda the Patient, and RIIIIIIIIIIIOOOOOOOOO! (Chasing Hedda this morning, she let out her first RoooooRooooooooo!)
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Clicker TrainingHere is the third and last of our series on clicker training. Many thanks to Kathleen and the clicker association. Copyright 1995 by Kathleen WeaverUse of Secondary Reinforcers - Part III There are several obedience exercises which are based on behaviours that the dog may not normally exhibit. These may prove too difficult, or too timeÄconsuming by using shaping techniques alone, then we can use targeting. Targeting using the dog's natural instinct to investigate items with their nose and their ability to focus on objects. Many people have been using targeting in obedience, to teach exercises, but have complicated the process somewhat by using food. Some dogs are not motivated by food, and others are too distracted by food. I'm going to tell you how to use a neutral device to avoid some of those problems. I use a collapsible wand a little over two feet long. You could use a dowel, or even a riding crop. First you must teach the dog to touch the item. I use the command "touch", and use shaping techniques to get the dog to touch the item wherever it may be. Before you can use the target as a teaching aid, the dog must be capable of reaching both up and down to the floor to touch the target. They also need to be able to get up and follow the target, and to circle around in order to reach the target. To begin with, show the dog the item, and reinforce every time he touches it. Keep it very close to his nose, and his natural curiosity will lead him to touch the item. Add the command after he has begun to consistently touch it. Continue shaping until you have the dog following the target in a full range of motion. After you have a consistent touch command, you can use it to teach any number of exercises. It can facilitate the sit, in a breed that doesn't naturally sit or find it difficult (like greyhounds). If you wish to teach the dog, a headÄdown prone position, it is much easier with targeting. Teaching the finish, heeling, fronts, jumps (especially directed jumping) and go-outs become very easy by using the target. Let's look at teaching the finish, an exercise difficult to teach using shaping alone. Since you know have a dog that will follow the target anyway, you merely sit the dog in front of you, and have him follow the target stick to heel position. Use the command touch, and reinforce with a click, once the dog is sitting in heel position. Eventually you'll extinguish following, and just move the target from front to heel position, and the dog will follow. You'll add the command "Heel" once your dog offers the behaviour without following the stick on a constant basis. As always, you're only limited by our imagination. One of the things, that I find most fun about using this method of training, as opposed to traditional methods of training, is that there are many different ways to achieve your goals, and if one path isn't leading you to the desired results, just drop it, and go a different route.
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Ochre & Friends - The Agile Vizslakby Sue McKee
 Ochre doesn't know that you don't need to wear the hat when you are inside on the couch! Ochre and I have been fairly busy lately. We are part of an agility display team and have so far taken part in two displays for school gala's. A recent Sunday was hectic with a spot of field trial training thrown in before we did our display. We travelled out to the field trial practice and were fortunate to be able to run first so that we could get away early. Ochre normally sleeps quietly in the van as we travel, but as soon as we turned off and she caught sight of our trainer she was wide awake and ready to go. We just had time to find and point two pigeons before heading back into Nelson for the gala. Ochre was a little unsure at first with all the noise and chaos of a school gala, but she soon settled down when she caught sight of some of her friends (including a Staffordshire bull terrier and a border collie). Many people came and saw her and gave her a pat, including several children that were normally scared of dogs. Ochre sat there like an angel, quietly and gently, letting them pat her and stroke her ears. Occasionally some lucky person would get a gentle little kiss. People seem fascinated by the fact that Vizsla's noses and toenails are brown to match, rather than the usual black of other breeds.
 Agasvari Gyongy Virag (Cheska) showing that a Vizsla has no problems jumping whatever age they are! Nelson has just hosted the National Dog Obedience Assembly and we are all now in a state of recovery. Five Vizslas competed in Agility, three of them owned by Judy Young and Anne McMaster. They were Wynyard Voriz Zsaylem (Zsaylem), Agasvari Gyongy Virag (Cheska) and Agasvari Super Star (Sarkoz). The latter two just happen to be Ochre's parents so it was a bit like a family reunion.
 Agasvari Super Star (Sarkoz) 
It was Zsalem's swan song , his last agility event as Judy is retiring him from
agility now due to his arthritis. He has been a wonderful agility dog, gained ADX and
would surely have been a champion if such a status was
available in agility. Sarkoz came 5th in Novice, he is just starting to really find his
feet in agility and shows real potential. Ochre managed a Clear Round in starters and
came about 14th, not bad out of 59 entries. (Our honorary Vizsla , Kura our GSP came a
very respectable 8th in Senior, and gained several Clear Rounds, and helped bring the
inter-club teams trophy to Nelson).Picture on right - Wynyard Voriz Zsaylem I also managed to catch up with the other Vizsla entered, Wynyard Lord Zsylow (Shiloh). This boy's owners are away in the UK for a couple of years and he is on "loan" to Peter and Karen de Wit, both of whom run him in agility. Peter describes him as "the coolest dog he has ever met", nothing is ever a problem and he has adapted well to his new surroundings. Peter also says under his original owner/handler they were easily the top Zone 3 dog/handler combination, however he is still finding his way with his new handlers.
 Wynyard Lord Zsylow (Shiloh) Ochre had a busy weekend entertaining her family and some other friends, several English Springer Spaniels, so has spent this weekend recovering.
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By ChanceWritten by Kim & Mike Murray
All glimmering gold in morning sun
The scent of game stops Chance midstride
Time is short, but gun at ready,
As the pheasant now took flight,
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Tux Wonder DogsThe Hungry Hounds
Well now most of you will have seen our wondrous display. Shall I tell you about Spud's drawer full of agility clear round certificates PROVING she can easily do these courses (except on National TV)? Or about how Aaron told us all weekend that Briar would do the water retrieve no problem and was almost right until she decided that the dog sausage didn t smell right and that she would just prefer a swim in the water lilies? Or that Kez who was the only "non professional" (in that she has been trained for field trialing, not this obedience retrieval work) and the only one who succeeded in her quest (once she chased that pesky cameraman away)? I think that one thing I should tell you is how we didn t take the best chance of showing off our wonderful dogs - when Briar left the dummy in the water we had three desperate Vizslas dragging on their leads to leap in the water and get the dummy. We should have let them go - it would have been a wonderful "photo opportunity". And the main thing to tell you all is - if you have the chance go for it. We had fun and would happily do it all again!
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Vizsla "Giftware"available from: Cats & Dogs1/313 Barton St, Hamilton Ph/Fax (07) 839-6674 Note for our overseas readers: Prices are in New Zealand Dollars
Figurine: Sandicast Original $149.00 The Vizsla (Cold Cast Bronze)
Other Vizsla things
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The Hungarian Vizsla Club Of Victoria Inc.
To be held at Royal Melbourne Show grounds, Dog Center, Epsorn
Road, Ascot Vale. Sunday, 16 March, 1997. |
The Value of the brood BitchBy Marion Coffman The success of every dog breeder centres primarily around the selection of the proper brood bitch. A single producing bitch may be, and has been, more often than not, the cornerstone of a successful line for any breeder regardless of how many big-name stud dogs they may own or use.Let me say emphatically, when I use the word breeder I mean a person who is interested in improving the breed - not someone who breeds dogs while seeking a short cut to the blue ribbons. Why do I think the brood bitch is so important to breeders and why do I think that more careful research should be given in selecting your brood bitch than the stud dog? The bitch is the fixture of the strain. She contributes one of the two chromosomes which determines each zygote, or embryo, and at this point she (genetically speaking) contributes exactly one half.
 Maggy with her seven puppies and some help from Aunty Spud and Uncle Mathew But while the stud dog is through with the puppies at the break of the tie the bitch is not. Her over-all health and skin condition can affect the puppies. Her diet will affect the puppies - so will her parasites, her general care, but most of all her type and temperament. While temperament is genetic as well as an environmental problem, the temperament of the puppies is more dependant on the bitch than the stud dog. The temperament of the bitch while she is carrying the puppies affects the puppies. Her temperament while she nurses them, while she cleans and cares for them just about fixes them for life. Any temperament problem can be reduced more than one half if we recognise it for what it is - a brood bitch problem. Selecting a really good brood bitch is more difficult than selecting a good producing stud dog. The main reason being that the bitch is only capable of producing a small amount of offspring in comparison to the stud dog. Realising that absolute perfection is hard to find and a brood bitch MUST come close to it, her whole conformation must be without one serious fault. Her eyes should have proper colour and so must her coat. Her bite must be perfect and her head and breed type must be excellent. And, of course, her temperament must be perfect. She need not be a top winner but it is best that she has proven herself by finishing her Championship title. She must have good hips and be everything that you would want to also see in her offspring. Then, when you have this individual that impresses you so much, look under the hood at the pedigree. The ability to read and interpret a pedigree from a breeders viewpoint is absolutely essential. The word pedigree comes from a word that means literally crane s foot . This is due to the resemblance of the long spreading toes of a crane. The words family tree expresses the idea somewhat better.
 Feeding time at the Peacocke's place. But Purple Boy is interested in what's happening outside. By analysing the family tree do not count he number of big name stud dogs. Instead study the genetic gene bank. In a five generation pedigree you will find 32 individual dogs of which 16 are dogs and 16 are bitches. Those 16 bitches, genetically speaking, are one half of the gene bank but they could possibly constitutes too many bad genes in making up their mathematical one-half. This study is more difficult than the research on stud dogs because the bitches do not have the number of offspring as does the stud dog. And so her pedigree must show that she comes from great producing families, not just a scattering of known kennel names and champions. Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones who know personally almost all the dogs in your bitches pedigree. In that way you would know exactly which are the poor whelpers, poor eaters, whether you liked their size or not, and which ones had little idiosyncrasies or mannerisms. The foundation of all things must be strong and free from any faults or the structure upon which one builds will crumble. The same is true of the foundation brood bitch and each one that follows.
Merry christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!
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