Newsletter of the Dog Obedience Club of Las Cruces, Inc.
Nancy Chanover, Editor
4210 Sotol Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88011
(505) 522-0812
chanover@zianet.com
DOCLC Club Phone Number: 527-3983
November 2005
Next Meeting
The next meeting of the Dog Obedience Club of Las Cruces will be on Thursday November 3 at the new Sweet Indulgence location at 523 E. Idaho (in the old Henry J's building). If you plan to eat, please come at 6:30, otherwise the meeting will start at 7 pm. Hope to see you there!
Dues are Due
All club members must pay their annual dues before being eligible to vote in our elections at the November meeting. As a reminder, the dues are $10 for individuals and $12 for families. Please give your check to Treasurer Charlene Curry or mail it to her at P.O. Box 291, Mesilla Park, NM 88047.
Elections in November
The Nominating Committee presented its slate of officers and Board members for 2006 at the October meeting. At that time there was a call for nominations from the floor; there were none. Thus, the slate that will be voted upon at the November meeting is as follows:
Club Award Information Due
The time has come for all people interested in club awards to submit their information. It needs to be submitted to Pam Smith by November 15th. Please submit info on all AKC titles earned during the time frame of Nov. 1, 2004 - October 31, 2005.
Tell Us What You Think!! Club Survey Attached
The Board is interested in hearing your ideas about the future of the club. To that end, we are conducting a survey, which we would REALLY like you to fill out and return. We will compile the results and try to organize a planning meeting in January 2006 to discuss how we can achieve our most important goals as prioritized by you, our members. If you receive a hard-copy of this newsletter, the survey will be attached along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please fill out the survey anonymously and return it by 30 November 2005. If you receive this newsletter electronically, click here for the survey, print it, and return it to Nancy Chanover (also by 11/30/05), 4210 Sotol Dr., Las Cruces, NM 88011. Thanks in advance for your participation!
MEMBERS PRESENT: President Vic Villalobos, Vice-President Nancy Chanover, Secretary Marjorie A. Henson, Treasurer Charlene Curry. OTHER MEMBERS: Julie Goodrich, Shannon Murray, Gayle Treakle, Paul Westbrook, Erica Voges VISITORS: Monica Bracht, Sue Klima, Roy and Elaine Million
President Vic Villalobos called the meeting to order at 7:07. Introductions were made.
The minutes were approved as presented in the newsletter.
The Treasurer's report was made. Because of the obedience trial there was a loss for the month of September.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
NOMINATING COMMITTEE: The nomination committee presented the slate of officers for 2006. President: Nancy Chanover, Vice-President: Vic Villalobos, Secretary Marjorie A. Henson, Treasurer Charlene Curry. At large Board members Pam Smith, Erica Voges and Paul Westbrook. Dues will need to be paid for members to vote at the November meeting. Nominations from the floor were invited & there were none.
OBEDIENCE CLASSES: Classes have finished. Gayle Treakle reported that her class went well with very few dropouts. Shannon Murray reported that the Puppy class went well with only 2-4 puppies in it. The final night they worked with Vic Villalobos' Beginning class. Vic's class went well also. Steve Stochaj & Vic had 10 students & had good feedback from the class. The class was fun. Gayle reported that the training field needs work, as there are stickers all around the edges of the field as well as some in the middle.
AGILITY CLASSES: The agility classes are on hiatus until the first Wednesday in November since the field was wet from the rain. Paul Westbrook suggested that we try to expand the classes since the same people are participating and there is no room for new students. Perhaps we look into having classes at C. D. Parks. The insurance wouldn't be a problem since the insurance is for wherever the club says it would be.
SPRING CLASSES: The classes will be set up as soon as Branigan Memorial Library sets its appointment for next year. Julie Goodrich will set up the sign-up dates as soon as she can. We'll have at least 1 Spring, maybe 2 with a fall class & perhaps an additional late fall class. The twice a week class that we tried this summer was hard on the instructors, hard to get prepared for & hard to get instructors to give up 2 days a week to teach. Most of the feedback was negative, as there wasn't enough time to practice between classes.
OBEDIENCE TRIAL: The obedience trial went well even with the low turn out. The paperwork is in & the paperwork for next year is ready for us to start. Paul Westbrook suggests that matches would be a way for us to raise money so that we don't lose as money on next year's trial. We need to hold rally with our obedience trial next year. So we also need to teach a Rally class. It's a fun way to get people involved in obedience. Nancy Chanover says that we need to order the book on how to teach Rally. Julie Goodrich would help teach Rally if we could find someone to teach. It was suggested that maybe Kim Ramsey or Brian Owen could teach the class. Kim is probably too busy so it was suggested that Julie talk to Brian & see if he would be willing to teach a class. It was suggested that we see if there is a video that club could watch to help us see what rally is about. Charlene will order the book on teaching Rally & the video so we can find out what Rally is about. The other problem is if we have Rally with our obedience trial is that it is so hot in September when we have our trial. It was suggested that we look into having our trial with Rally in November even though it conflicts with various shows in Tucson. Marjorie A. Henson will check corresponding dates to see if there is a date that would work for us.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
Nancy Chanover has a card for everyone to sign to give to Gene Forsythe to go with his picture.
SHIRTS: Paul Westbrook didn't get the shirts checked out. He will get it done before the next meeting.
LIGHT REPAIR: The club had agreed to replace all the lights at the agility-training field. The electrician said that it would be better to replace all of them now since if he had to come out again it would cost an extra amount. The lights have been replaced.
NEW BUSINESS:
PET EXPO: The people sponsoring the Pet Expo asked the club at the last minute to participate & when people were asked via e-mail who could participate only a few people were able to help. The club needed more notice. The sponsors thought that different people had asked us to participate and no one had. Only got 2 people last spring from the demonstration we gave last year. Perhaps we could have our own fun day before our classes start. Show an agility & obedience demonstration at Yappy Hour. (Yappy Hour is being held at the Blue Teal Winery and appetizers are being brought in by the sponsors)
AWARDS: If you have earned any titles in obedience or agility since last October, you need to get the information (scores) to Pam Smith by November 15. Only active club members are eligible for the traveling trophies so everyone needs to update their attendance & participation records. Nancy has the notebook so people can update their information.
HEELING CLASSES: Barbara Horn is teaching a heeling class on Thursday night. There were only 3 participating last week. There are 4 more classes.
AGILITY TRIAL: The agility trial is coming up in December so the November meeting will be when jobs are assigned (volunteered for) so be sure to attend the meeting which will be November 3 at SI bistro. Nancy will check into getting a scout group to help with the bars; that would be easier since the trial is not on the weekend after Thanksgiving like it has been the last few years.
HOLIDAY PARTY: Be thinking about when & where we will have our holiday party.
SURVEY: Charlene Curry has made up a survey that will be going to every member in the next newsletter. A self-addressed envelope will be included so that people will return them and have the opportunity to tell what the club would like to do in the coming year. We'd like to have a common understanding of what the members think. Paul Westbrook has volunteered to be head of a committee to get the club information out into the community. Shannon Murray & Vic Villalobos will help.
GIFT CERTIFICATE: It was decided to get a $50 gift certificate for Kat and her husband to thank them for their donations of treat bags in the last year.
Sue Klima brought up the fact that there is no where to take your dog to play in the shade. Also we can no longer take our dogs to the various fiestas & other programs that the city puts on. Perhaps with the CGC identifications we'd be able to get the fiesta etc opened up to responsible dog owners. The CGC has to mean something.
Erica & Nick Voges are going to Albuquerque to participate in a 5K run & 2-mile walk as a fundraiser for the Albuquerque humane society.
There is a lure-coursing event in Stanley, NM on October 29.
Brags were made.
The meeting was adjourned.