Futurity Entries
- Puppy dog entries were mailed Monday, October 5
- Puppy bitch entries were maile Wednesday, October 7
So puppy bitch entries will arrive a few days after the puppy dogs.
RV Parking
GDCA 2009 National RV parking is completely booked. If you wish to be placed on a waiting list or need more information, contact Jean Dinkins, RV Chairperson at 865 207-6816 or email mjdinkins@tva.gov.
Health Screenings
WE NEED YOUR BLOOD...this is NOT your AKC DNA. The DNA Repository Collection Clinic is bacically a way to store blood DNA for future research; a bit of paperwork but well worth the effort...for any age Dane. See DNA Repos. on menu for specifics. Still have time slots available for DNA Repos. and Cardiac Clinic.
Seminars - space still available...see menu to register.
FINAL DEADLINE FOR HEALTH SCREENINGS AND SEMINARS...SEPT. 23, 2009
WE’VE COME A LONG WAY BABY
Most of us aspire to own, exhibit, and eventually breed beautiful and healthy Great Danes. Prior to 10-15 years ago our only tools were what we could see and/or remember - silhouette, balance, proper temperament, head shape and planes, eye shape and color, dentition, coat color, disqualifying faults, etc., all things we continue to see and evaluate. However, more and more technology is offering us the ability to “see” beneath the skin of our dogs, not to exclude but hopefully to be able to include based on knowledge; to make better educated decisions regarding what to exhibit (in Performance and Conformation) and ultimately what to breed. These decisions very much affect the quality and length of life of every puppy we bring into this world, whether they live as strictly companions or are exhibited.
At this year’s National we continue to offer these tools: seminars re. giving our puppies a head start, evaluating our dogs and exhibiting in the conformation ring and understanding how to use health research to help plan future breedings. We are also offering Health Clinics which will get as many of our Danes as possible “enrolled” in our future. We are able to offer Cardiac Echos at a discounted price due to the support of our Charitable Trust. The DNA Repository Collection Clinic is being offered for the first time And it is VITAL. The blood DNA that you submit on the dogs you currently have will be available for research projects for years to come. Please support this effort.
We have planned our Nat’l Schedule for a minimum of conflict for you – our membership. Seminars will not be in conflict with Judging. We expect to complete Futurity Judging around noon Tues. Health Screenings will be scheduled primarily on Wed.- Education Day. ; all will be scheduled in 15 min segments, due to pre-registration, for easy in/out and return to a Seminar. If pre-registration indicates the need based on numbers to be scheduled we will also schedule HEALTH screenings on Tuesday. We hope that you will participate, learn, grow and share – as you have at previous National Specialties.
LET’S STAY ON TRACK AND CONTINUE THE JOURNEY !!!
Margaret Shappard Education and Health Comm. Chair mswtrwd@bellsouth.net