Greetings! ,
As the winter cold finds us curled up with our favorite Newfoundland, it is a good time to pause and reflect upon our wonderful breed and the good they have done for us during the year. News stories have abounded in recent days of Newfoundlands working in tandem with their humans to pull carts and sleighs with Christmas trees and children, raising much needed funds for rescue and other worthy charities. Many Newfoundlands work hard all year bringing joy to the elderly and hospital patients as therapy dogs. "Reading with Rover" and similar programs find our Newfoundlands working in literacy programs around the country with children. We are fortunate to love a breed whose founders developed a dog whose sole job involved working alongside man, who honed the instinctive sensitivity of these dogs to create water rescue dogs unmatched in the canine world. We are the beneficiaries of these founders' hard work and dedication and as we enter the new year we should take time to rededicate ourselves to the mission of the Newfoundland Club of America, to be responsible for the preservation, protection and welfare of the Newfoundland Dog.
Please share the latest news about the club and the breed with your fellow Newfoundland dog friends by forwarding this newsletter- just click on the "Forward to a Friend" button and enter email addresses of your friends to send on the news. |
Technical Resources - NCA Database Update
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 The committee has been working hard to fix many of the issues with the online database. Award data from 1980-2009 has been received from the AKC and will be imported by mid-January 2010. OFA data has been re-imported and is now current and we are receiving regular data reports from the OFA for all new clearances. Flip Young has generously provided data from prior to 1989 to use as a secondary verification. The committee has also partnered with Dogfish Software to address the user interface issues, the engineers at Dogfish are working pro bono to assist the NCA in creating a simple search layout with clear easy to understand results that we hope the membership will be pleased with. Phase 2 of the User Interface should be online in early 2010. All 2009 data has now been received from AKC and the Working Dog Committee; we will be working on ROM and VN titles as soon as this data is loaded in the database.
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Make Plans to Attend the 2010 National Specialty
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 The Specialty Information Packet is available on the
Specialty Website.
A hard copy will be mailed
only upon request and will not be included with the 4th
quarter Newf Tide as it has been
in the past.
We hope many of you have already had the opportunity to read
the Information Packet and are making plans to attend. Dates to Remember are listed on every page of the Specialty Website and are highlighted on p. 13 of the packet, and one of
those important dates will be here soon. January 11th is the earliest postmark date for acceptance of hotel reservations, reserved grooming,
and reserved handler parking. (NOTE: Those who made hotel reservations last May before leaving
the 2009 National should receive a room confirmation by December 31st.)
It's not too early to register for the National. You will save money if you register by
February 1st.
New information will be posted on the Specialty Website as
it becomes available. For example, click on the Health Clinic link for
information on the Cardiology Clinic and other health offerings that have been
posted since the Information Packet went to press.
As you make your plans, if you are willing to volunteer some
time to help at the National, there is a list of opportunities listed on the
Volunteer Form. Your help
would be very much appreciated.
We're
looking forward to another great National as "NCA Lights the Way" May 3-8, 2010 and hope that you
will be a part of it. Please
contact me with any questions or suggestions, Sandee Lovett, Show Chair.
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Celebrate Longevity
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 Each year the NCA recognizes the oldest living Newfoundland as of December 31 at midnight. If you would like to apply for this recognition of your dog please snail mail nominations to Ingrid Lyden, Awards Chair between Jan. 1, 2010-Feb. 10, 2010 (30206 118th Ave. S.E., Auburn, WA 98092)
You must include:
-copy of AKC registration
-letter from veterinarian verifying that the dog was alive as of midnight 12/31/09
-all owners' names (at least one must be a NCA member)
Winner will be notified after 2/10 via mail, and recognized at the Annual Meeting.
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DNA Clinic Manual Online for Regional Clubs
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 The Health and Longevity Committee has compiled a manual for clubs wishing to hold DNA clinics. Grants are available from the NCA to offset costs related to holding clinics. There are currently 909 Newfoundlands listed with the CHIC DNA Databank - is your Newfoundland among them? Holding clinics in conjunction with Regional Club events is a great way to include many more dogs at a substantial cost savings for the owners. Newfoundland Club of America is encouraging all Newf owners to store DNA on their dogs with OFA/CHIC. Blood is needed from all Newfoundlands: healthy, sick, pet, breeding or show. The cost is $20 per kit (bar code labels, survey and sample processing), but rebates are available to owners through Newfoundland Charitable Trust for the full cost of the kit. NCA will also assist Regional clubs by funding clinics where blood is drawn. These clinics are quite beneficial to owners. The cost of the DNA banking is rebated, blood draw personnel and shipping are provided by NCA or the Regional club. Download a clinic manual for your club today.
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From the AKC - Canine Influenza Update
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 Cornell's Dr. Edward J. Dubovi reports on the latest in precautions, testing, and treatment. Influenza virus was first identified as an infectious disease of dogs in 2004. The first isolation of the virus was done at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center at Cornell, in conjunction with a study conducted by the University of Florida on respiratory disease in racing Greyhounds. The virus was sequenced at the CDC. It was determined that the virus was related to the H3N8 equine virus then circulating in horses in the United States. Specific genetic differences between the equine viruses and the virus from canines defined the virus as a unique canine influenza virus (CIV). Read More.
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New Year's Resolution
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Has your Newf put on a few pounds over the winter - extra holiday treats and less exercise can sneak some weight onto any of our dogs.
Resolve to start the New Year and get your Newfoundland fit and trim
Read about Newf weight loss programs a part of Newf Know How - featured on the NCA Website.
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 Support NCA Charities
Donate Online Today
NCA Health Challenge
NCA Rescue Network
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Board of Directors Elections
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Election packets have been mailed to all NCA members. If you have not received your ballot and candidate statements, please contact Mary Lou Cuddy, membership chair.
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WRDX Survey Now Online!
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Click Here to Take the WRDX Evaluation Survey
Your comments are needed by January 15, 2010. Please take the survey today!
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