AKK9 - Alaska Dog News - Everything Alaska Canine

AAHA Vaccine Recommendations

"The 2006 American Veterinary Hospital Association canine vaccination guidelines single out four vaccines that are 'musts' for every puppy: canine hepatitis (the adenovirus-2 vaccine), distemper, parvovirus, and rabies.The guidelines recommend that the first three vaccines in that list be administered in a three-part puppy series, boostered at one year, then re-administered no more than every three years.

Schultz notes that 'no more than' could also be interpreted to mean 'never again.' He points to studies that show that dogs properly immunized in puppyhood maintain lifetime immunity to canine hepatitis, distemper, and parvovirus.

"They list non-core vaccines (optional):

• leptospirosis
• lyme
• para-influenza
• bordetella

And not recommended:

• giardia
• adenovirus-1
• coronavirus
• rattlesnake
• periodontal
  

Canine Vaccination Guidelines 2006

 

Streeper is Fur Rondy champ

Link: adn.com | sports : Streeper's pedigree makes him Fur Rondy champ.

Streeper's pedigree makes him Fur Rondy champ

By KEVIN KLOTT

Anchorage Daily News

Published: February 26, 2007
Last Modified: February 26, 2007 at 11:07 PM

With a pair of Canadian flags flapping in the cool Alaska air, pinned to the brush bow of his sled, Blayne Streeper crossed Fourth Avenue and D Street on Sunday a Rondy champion.

But after proudly accepting a gold pan for winning the 57th Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship Sled Dog Race, the 25-year-old from Fort Nelson, British Columbia, stepped off a flat-bed trailer, which doubled as a podium, and took on the role of sprint mushing ambassador.

"Let's build this thing up to what it used to be," he told the Fourth Avenue crowd that watched Streeper win his second Rondy title in dominating fashion.

In three days of racing the 25-mile course that runs along the Anchorage streets and trails, Streeper and his German short-haired pointers won all three heats and $7,700 of the $35,000 purse.

"That team performed so well today," he said. "We've been raising dogs for 30 years to build championship-quality teams."

Streeper drove 75 miles superbly, finishing in 4 hours, 15 minutes, 49 seconds and beating Bill Kornmuller of Willow by more than 10 minutes.

Kornmuller, 54, finished in 4:26:08 and earned his best showing in 11 years of Rondy racing to take home $6,212.50.

Four-time champion Egil Ellis finished 46 seconds behind his Willow neighbor for third in 4:26:54. The Swedish 35-year-old finished second in two of three heats and finished strong to earn $5,250.

In Saturday's second heat, Ellis dropped from second to third overall after stopping his team three times to load dogs.

"We had to get a decent finish after that mess," he said.

Streeper never stopped to untangle his team, load a dog or change leaders. Three perfect runs was almost overwhelming.

"I wish we could run another day," he said. "They were running so hard, it was just a thrill to be on that team."

Streeper posted one of the fastest Day 1 runs in Rondy history on Friday. His team blazed the course in 1:23:36 with Dee, his superstar female, in lead.

The 6-year-old was his leader in the 2004 Rondy when he knocked off Ellis.

But Streeper was so confident of his 6:32 lead heading into the final heat, he used Donna, a 3-year-old female, in lead for the first time, along with Miya.

"She (Dee) got me around the first two days, so it was time to move forward," he said.

Traveling long distances in search of victory runs in Streeper's blood.

Three weeks ago, he won the Isle aux Coudres in Montreal -- more than 3,000 miles from Anchorage. Though he won the three-day, 36-miler, snow conditions in Quebec weren't ideal.

But in Anchorage, conditions were perfect.

"Anchorage said, 'We're having a race,' " Streeper said. "So we pointed the truck north and never stopped driving for 10 days."

Streeper and his father, Terry, practically live in their well-traveled black-and-yellow Ford F-450 that has "Streeper Kennels" written in bold green letters above the dog boxes. They stay at hotels and eat restaurant food three times a day.

But now the Streepers will catch their breath by staying in Alaska for the next six weeks, awaiting the Open North American Championship in Fairbanks next month and the Arctic Circle Championship in Kotzebue in April.

"This is my work, and I'm a professional," Streeper said.

But seven years ago -- when Streeper was fresh out of high school -- he wasn't sure if professional sprint racing was his calling, despite the family's involvement. His father, at one time, was one of the top- rated sprint mushers in the world. So was his uncle, "Fast" Eddy Streeper, who won Rondy in 1987 and 1985.

In addition to racing dogs, "Buddy" grew up playing golf. Terry manages a golf course in Fort Nelson and his son became so savvy on the links, he earned a scholarship to a community college in Texas, he said.

He was on the team with four other Canadians, but soon he realized his true passion wasn't driving golf carts.

"My heart was with the dogs," he said.

He traveled back to Canada and has raced professionally ever since. Competing against golfers and mushers was drastically different, he said.

"Golf, you're out there on your own. It's just you, and there's no coaches," he said. "Here (mushing), it's a group effort. It's way more satisfying because you get the team camaraderie.

"Each (dog) has strengths and weaknesses, but when you can get everything together and make a unit, that's when teams perform their best."

Though Streeper once represented Canada in golf internationally, he prefers to represent sprint mushing -- the lesser-known sport.

"Summertimes are a little fun with the golf," he said. "But it's our breeding and raising the pups that makes this team as strong as it is today.

"My business and my lifestyle are the dogs."

Daily News reporter Kevin Klott can be reached at kklott@adn.com or 257-4335.

Degerlund claims Junior Iditarod title

Link: adn.com | Degerlund claims Junior Iditarod title.

Micah Degerlund of Fairbanks surged past Rohn Buser Sunday morning to win the Junior Iditarod Sled Dog Race by five minutes.

Degerlund, 17, has worked as a dog handler
for Ray Redington, Jr., the last six years. He finished in 22 hours, 59
minutes in his third Junior Iditarod.

Degerlund and Buser waged a tight battle over
the final miles of the 138-mile race that runs from Willow to Deshka
Landing, where mushers cruise the Susitna River to Eagle Song Lodge and
Yentna Station. After a layover there, mushers return to Willow.

Buser, the son of four-time Iditarod champion
Martin Buser, left the final checkpoint at Deshka Landing, 10 miles
from the finish, with a five-minute lead on Sunday morning. No more
than 15 minutes separated the top two mushers leaving any checkpoint on
the second half of the race.

Degerlund finished fourth last year in a race
won by Melissa Owens of Nome, with Rohn Buser second. In 2004, he was
sixth, again two spots behind Buser.

Both Degerlund and Buser finished with the same 10 dogs they started with.

1) Micah Degerlund, Fairbanks, 22 hours, 59 minutes
2) Rohn Buser, Big Lake, 23:04
3) Ellen King, Denali Park, 23:20
4) Daniel Wilbert, Wasilla, 23:43
5) Melissa Owens, Nome, 24:04
6) Nikolai Buser, 24:14
7) Jessica Klejka, 24:23
8) McKenzie Brooks, 24:45
9) Jeff Deeter, 24:55
10) Robert Tikium, Jr., 25:18
11) Richelle Horner, 25:24
12) Alyssa Quaile, 25:58
13) Michael Miller, 26:37
14) Cain Carter, 26:57
15) Katrina DeLoach, 27:00
16) Mark Ruzicka, 27:31
17) Dustin Regar, 27:54
18) Cassia Condon, 28:00
19) Garry McKeller, 29:35
20) Amanda Olson, 30:07
21) Charlie Allison, 31:00
22) Patrick Mackey
23) Charlotte Matheis

AKC Mixed Breed Participation Survey

Link: American Kennel Club - Mixed Breed Participation Survey.

Mixed Breed Participation Survey AKC is seeking the input of the Fancy on the subject of possibly expanding mixed breed dog participation in AKC programs. Staff is researching the possibility of creating a listing service for spayed and neutered mixed breed dogs. In addition, we are exploring the possibility of enrollees in this service being eligible to compete in separate classes at Companion Events (agility, obedience, rally, tracking). We want to give the Fancy ample opportunity to give feedback before proceeding with forming any program proposals.  As a starting point, we would appreciate your response to the AKC Mixed Breed survey. We have prepared an informational packet that contains background and facts regarding mixed breed dogs and AKC’s interest in mixed breed dogs. This material may be useful to you as background information in thinking about your answers to the survey. We ask that you complete the survey by March 31. Thank you for your participation and input.

 * Mixed Breed Informational Packet   pdf

* Mixed Breed Survey

2007 Serum Run - Sled Dog Race

Canine Athlete and Family Symposium - April 8

Canine Athlete and Family Dog Symposium
April 8 - 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Sheraton Anchorage Hotel
401 East 6th Ave.

Hear speakers, see live demonstrations, and visit with vendors offering a variety of products and services all relating to dogs. Topics include canine behavior, disaster preparedness, acupuncture and chiropractic treatment, assessing common injuries and nutrition.

Sponsored by Chugiak Dog Mushers Association
Obedience Training Club of Chugiak
Cost, $50 before March 31
$60 at the door
Phone 688-8411
www. chugiakdogmushers.com

PUPPY CLASSES!

Beginning March 8, 2006

Thursdays 6 pm, 8 weeks, $100.00

Pat Randall, Instructor

http://www.thedogsden.info

Protect Your Dog's Paws in the Cold

Link: Protect Your Dog's Paws in the Cold.
Now that winter is here, be mindful that street salt gets wedged between pads of dogs, and it stings. It seems that the colder it is outside, the more it stings. Making matters worse, dogs can get stomach ailments by licking the salt off their paws.

If there's snow, little ice balls form with the salt between your pet's pads...which has to feel something like walking with marbles between your toes. It's not fun.

You might prevent this by wiping the paws with Vaseline or applying PAM cooking spray, before you let the dog out. However, a better answer is the B word: Booties.
Men, especially, tend not to like their big, tough-guy dogs in booties because it's not "macho." Anchorage, Alaska, veterinarian Dr. Todd Palmatier, who often treats those sled dogs, points out, "Yes, even sled dogs wear booties. And these dogs are obviously well-trained and accustomed to being in the elements. Certainly, by living the good life indoors their foot pads get soft, and they're not used to the harsh realities of winter -- this is even true in Anchorage."

If grandpa visits and laughs at your dog in booties, saying, "Back in my day..." -- well, he might be right, to a degree. After all, dogs no longer live in the dog house out back; they're curled up on a doggy bed next to the vent that blows warm air on them. Maybe they have gotten a little "soft." But hardened to the elements or not, street salt remains an issue. Booties keep the salt and also those little ice balls from embedding in the pads.

Among toy breed dogs, keeping warm is an issue, too, and booties can help. But you can't just stick booties on a dog and expect him to like it --or even to walk in them.

Begin the bootie experience by making it a fun one. Offer treats while putting just one bootie on indoors. Let your dog eat a meal or play a game wearing one bootie. Day by day add another bootie until all four paws are covered. Then take the bootie games outdoors.

The biggest issue with some booties is that they can easily fall off as dogs step into snow drifts. Their feet come out, but the booties get trapped in the snow. In general, booties attached with Velcro straps stay on the paws better than those that are tied. However, different booties fit different dogs differently. Certainly, if the booties seem like they're going to fall off when your dog wears them indoors, there's no way they'll stay on outside. If your dog is seriously chewing at the booties, talk with a dog trainer or resign yourself to the fact that your dog is one of the few that just won't tolerate them. (In that case, make sure to wash your dog's feet thoroughly with warm water whenever you come in from a winter walk.)

In general though, once they become acclimated to them, most dogs seem to actually appreciate the booties -- even macho dogs.

Fun Match - Hounds Only!

All Hound Breeds Are Invited!

The newly formed Alaska Hound Group Association is holding their first fun match
March 18, 2007 at the The Dogs Den in Eagle River, Alaska

Sign up will be at 10AM with judging starting at 11AM.
(List of classes and costs will be announced later.)

If you have any questions contact one of the following people:
Monica Alvarez- mmalvarez@hotmail.com
Mary Hermon -- blkmrble@mtaonline.net
Judi Rideout --- rideout@mtaonline.net
Holly Lewis ---- aklewis@akd1.com