GZ BREED COLUMNS

Radiological Sciences. Some pups need help in getting their ily remove tape of any kind, use a very g Dr. Verstraete was kind enough to ears up. Longtime corgi breeder Gayle small amount of nail-polish remover on a n

i discuss the issue of missing premolar Garvin provides some information on cotton ball, or saturate the tape area with

d teeth in a telephone interview. His her method. cooking oil, and gently peel away the tape. r comments can be condensed into two —L.M. ] e main points: What Works: Taping Ears More recently, I have begun using h 1. “Missing premolar teeth would not Some years ago, while visiting a medical-appliance glue combined with impact the ’s working ability or Cardigan kennel, I watched the breeder moleskin for reluctant ears. For this appearance and are not likely to lead to do an ear-taping on a puppy. It was dif - method, clean the inside of the ear first changes in the structure of the jaw.”* ferent than any taping technique I had and let it dry. Use the glue to apply the 2. “However, missing premolar teeth seen to date on my Pembrokes. moleskin to the ear. Leave the moleskin are a marker that indicates excessive Cardigans in general have a very large on the ears for a period of a week or inbreeding. Thus, if there are missing base to their ear, and the ear-leather is more before taking it off. Medical- teeth there may well be other health thicker and heavier than found in appliance glue remover is used to take issues that are not immediately obvi - Pembrokes. off the moleskin. I’ve had great success ous.”* The breeder proceeded to cut four with this method as well. —G.G. In conclusion, anyone considering squares approximately the same size of Thanks, Gayle! for a breeding program would do standard silver duct tape, two inches Our national specialty will be held well to check dentition. Fortunately, wide. The squares you cut should be September 21–28 at the Purina Events one does not have to count teeth per - the width of the puppy’s ear, plus Center. Check the club website for sonally. The Orthopedic Foundation approximately one inch. (You will not complete information. for Animals (OFA) has now initiated a need to use moleskin.) Do not over- —Lynda McKee, full dentition registry, mainly at the cup or pinch the ear together, as is tra - [email protected] urging of the Rottweiler people, for ditionally done. Pembroke Club of whom this is a big deal. To check on a Place the tape at the base of the America website: pwcca.org particular dog, simply go to the OFA inside of the ear—as in the old method, website and click on Old English trying to keep the ear in a natural Pulik Sheepdogs and then the dentition reg - standing position. Fit the tape inside Corded-Coat Basics istry. Be sure to check for VPI, which the ear and allow it to affix to the pup’s ntil your puppy is 8 to 10 months means the veterinarian doing the dental ear. There will be an edge of tape stick - Uold, you will have no grooming to examination verified the dog’s perma - ing over the outside of the ear-rim; it is do except for regular bathing, cleaning nent identification. To enter your dog the extra inch on the square. Then take eyes and ears, and grinding toenails. in the registry, go to the OFA website, the other square, and fit and stick it to If you plan to let the coat cord, do print the form, and have your veteri - the back of the ear. Next, attach it to not brush your puppy. Brushing frizzes narian fill it out. the tape rim from the front piece. Take the coat and hides the separations that *Dr. Verstraete has reviewed and your hands and mold the ear to a natu - help you locate the cords. approved these statements. ral standing shape. This method results When the undercoat begins to come —Joe Schlitt, [email protected] in the tape becoming a “cast” for the in, the coat will begin to feel thick and Club of ear. I very seldom need to add a strip of matted to your fingers. Your fingers are America website: oldenglishsheepdogclubo - tape across the head and between the your most important tools; with them famerica.org ears to hold the ears erect (a “bridge.”) you will begin to feel natural separa - With this method the puppies tions in the coat where the hair seems Pembroke Welsh seemed to use their ears more. to clump together close to the skin. Corgis Surprisingly enough, the duct tape was This is the beginning of a cord. At this ong ago I read an article in a dog no harder to remove than masking tape time, separate these soft clumps from Lmagazine that said you could tell a and was much easier to remove than each other by pulling them apart with dog’s breed simply by his ears and ear- pulling the moleskin off the inside of your fingers. Cords are simply “orga - set. I took the quiz and found the the baby’s ear. nized mats” that have tightened up assertion to be true! Be sure to leave the tape on for a with time. The ears of the two corgi breeds are week or longer. You can get duct tape Bathing will also help you cord your not the same. The ears of both are large in several colors. puppy. A damp coat is easier to work and erect, but the Pembroke has a more I have found that the littermates with, as the moisture defines the sepa - pointed ear, whereas the Cardigan has a don’t chew on black tape as they will rations between the cords and water rounded ear-tip. on masking or silver duct tape. [T o eas - tends to tighten them.

AKC GAZETTE • 30 • JUNE 2013 GZ BREED COLUMNS

At first, you will think you are get - Pyrenean Shepherds lem-solving skills also appeal to Kelly g ting nowhere, as the coat will appear to Watch Out! Pyrenean Maier, who lives in Monroe, n

i be going right back together where Shepherds Can Be Addictive Washington, and concentrates on agility

d you just separated it. Don’t panic! This e prepared: If you open your heart and conformation with her dogs. Maier, r is where patience pays off. You may to a Pyrenean Shepherd, you’re apt who competes in agility at the national

e B want to wet it down routinely with a to end up with more than one of these level, also appreciates their athleticism h spray-bottle filled with diluted coat engaging, very bright herding dogs, and attentiveness. conditioner before separating the cords. especially if you’re interested in dog Like many Pyr Shep owners who This process will be repeated over a sports. enjoy their dogs’ responsiveness, Maier period of time. Each time the cords will Their busy, devoted natures, which has found that some can be very sensi - be easier to find, until they don’t seem lead them to enjoy hanging out with tive to their environments. That trait, to get lost again in the frizz and you can their humans and sticking their helpful most likely a natural offshoot of the actually begin to see them distinctly. noses into whatever’s going on, often breed’s long history of working with Don’t make it difficult. Remember, this cause hapless owners to accumulate large flocks of sheep and just one shep - takes time and patience more than any - one little French herder after another. herd in the Pyrenees Mountains of thing else. A beautiful corded coat does - They tend to be physically fearless France, can include wariness or shyness n’t happen overnight. and sure-footed, thanks to their her - with strangers. Puppies and young In the beginning, don’t make the itage of herding in rough, mountainous adults require thoughtful and ongoing cords too small; you can always split terrain, and they are extremely quick socialization to help them be comfort - them later if they are too big. They will both physically and mentally. Those able in complex environments. tighten up with age and bathing, and if characteristics make them a natural Whatever their jobs may be, these they are too small to start with, you end choice for dog-sport enthusiasts. speedy and serious little workers are up with little “strings” that are fragile Agility aficionados are particularly willing to put their hearts and souls and may break off at the skin. A good drawn to the breed, in large part into it. They excel at herding, size for a cord is about the diameter of because of the Pyrenean Shepherd’s and obedience as well as agility. Puck a kindergarten pencil. success in agility rings around the and Valentine, who run agility and track The ends of the cords should be country and overseas. Californian with this columnist, both earned tapered, with a few long strands of hair Ashley Deacon’s notable Luka is both a Tracking Dog Excellent titles at very reaching out toward the ground. If the national and international agility star. young ages. Valentine was just six days ends get balled up or “closed,” the cord Not only did multiple U.S. national- past his first birthday when he com - grows back into itself so that it looks champion Luka and Deacon win the pleted the advanced AKC tracking title. stumpy on the end. To prevent this, use Medium Dog category at the 2011 The breed’s late obedience star, a small slicker brush on the ends of the World Agility championships in France, UDX8 Chica, who died in November cords, but do not brush the entire cord— but Pyr Sheps swept all four top place - 2010, enjoyed obedience so much that only the clumped-up end. Another ments. Their final scores, as a group, she took her owner and handler, remedy is to scissor the end at an angle were separated by less than a second. Marilyn Abbett, to the AKC to make it tapered. You can then brush Such spectacular success means the Obedience Invitational five times and out this angled end to make it more breed continues to grow in popularity qualified to go more often than that. As natural looking, and in a few days you for agility. Deacon also competes with they continued to compete at the high - won’t even be able to tell it was cut. Luka’s up-and-coming housemate, est levels, Abbett expected Chica to Once the coat has distinct cords, all Dash, his second Pyr Shep. start goofing off in the ring, but she you do is bathe the dog when needed Kay Johnson, who lives in Shelton, never did. Instead, she just kept getting and separate the cords while you are Washington, and has three Pyr Sheps, better. watching TV and need something to finds her dogs so intelligent that it can And, of course, Abbett has a second do with your hands. be scary. She said that their quickness to Pyr Shep. Lucy joined her household If the coat gets away from you and learn sometimes is accompanied by while Chica was still alive, making gets really matted, call your breeder or a strong opinions that their way of Abbett yet another fancier who groomer experienced with corded coats accomplishing a task is better. They like couldn’t stop at just one. before you do something drastic like cut - to figure things out, and if they’re not Don’t say you weren’t warned … ting it off. The only coat that can’t be sure what to do next in training or per - Columnist Kathleen Monje lives with corrected is one that isn’t there! forming, they’ll quickly take what they three Pyrenean Shepherds in the Oregon —Sherry Gibson, [email protected] think should be the next logical step, countryside. Puli Club of America website: puli - such as going over an off-course jump. —Kathleen Monje, club.org The breed’s intelligence and prob - [email protected]

AKC GAZETTE • 31 • JUNE 2013 June 2013 Volume 130, Number 6

INNER W BEST ONLINE MAGAZINE 2 01 2

Table of Contents AKC News 2 President’s Letter • 3 Updates • 7 Times Past • 8 Dog People • 33 Secretary’s Pages BREED COLUMNS Toy s Non- Sporti ng Herding 9 Affenpinschers 16 Bichons Frises 24 Australian Cattle Dogs 10 Brussels Griffons 17 Boston 25 Bearded 10 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels 17 25 Belgian Sheepdogs 11 Chihuahuas 18 Chinese Shar-Pei 26 Belgian Tervuren 11 English Toy Spaniels 19 Chow Chows 26 12 Havanese 19 Finnish 27 Canaan Dogs 12 Italian 20 French Bulldogs 27 Collies 13 Japanese Chin 20 Lhasa Apsos 28 Icelandic Sheepdogs 14 Papillons 21 Löwchen 29 Norwegian Buhunds 14 Shih Tzu 22 29 Old English Sheepdogs 15 Silky Terriers 22 Shiba Inu 30 Pembroke Welsh Corgis 15 Toy Fox Terriers 23 Tibetan Spaniels 30 Pulik 16 Yorkshire Terriers 23 Tibetan Terriers 31 Pyrenean Shepherds 32 Swedish Vallhunds C K A ©

M O

Links to AKC Parent Clubs appear following Secretary’s Pages O L B

* * Y R A

BREED COLUMNS SCHEDULE M / D N U

Sporting and Working and Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding O H

H

January, April, July, and October February, May, August, and November March, June, September, O A R A

and December H P