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cesky connection

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PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

Dear Fanciers:

Hoping all members and their fur babies are enjoying the beautiful

weather we are having on the East Coast. Old man winter has finally

moved on.

I’d like to remind all about Purina Farms and CeskyFest. Plans

sound exciting with quite a few Ceskys attending and great prizes

available. Nick and his committee have done a great job. This will

be a wonderful chance to meet Ceskys, their people and just talk

Cesky.

We have ironed out all the verbiage that AKC wanted changed on the

Constitution and By Laws (CB&L). In the next few weeks, this will be

going out via Survey Monkey to the General Membership for a vote to

accept.

The verbiage in the Breed Standard has been approved by the AKC

Board of Directors and will be published by AKC for comment in

June. When this is done and we receive it back, it will be sent to the

General Membership via Survey Monkey for a vote to accept this as

our new Standard.

The National Specialty is being held on October 8th at Montgomery

Kennel Club in Blue Bell, Pa. This year in Sweeps, we will be

allowing Professional Handlers to handle dogs. Also, if you have a

spayed or neutered pet and would like to show him/her, please know

that these dogs can be shown in Veteran’s group. The Judges for the

show are John Constantine for all regular classes and Joan Murko for

Sweeps.

the

APRIL—JUNE 2017 EDITION 4, VOLUME 2

What’s inside?

President’s Message pgs. 1&2

Cheesy Egg Recipe pg. 2

NPDD pg. 3& 4

ACTFA Website pg. 4

Cesky Fest pg. 5

Pamper your Cesky pg. 6

Thank You pg. 7

Leptospirosis & Your Dog

pgs. 7&8

Donations requested pg. 8

Midwest Member Fun pg. 9

Oklahoma Cluster pg. 9

Petition Results pg. 10

From the editors: Submissions are

greatly needed. Photos, articles

and ideas are all welcome. We

strive hard to bring you an

informative and fun newsletter

each quarter and are asking for

your help!

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Doreen Fletcher and Beth Luebbers are working on

prizes, and I think all will be very surprised and

happy when the results of their work are revealed.

Julie Gritten is working on the gift bags for the dinner

and is doing a wonderful job.

Lonny and I will not be able to attend CeskyFest this

year, but please know that we will be there with you

in spirit. You will all be in our thoughts.

Have a wonderful spring & summer season,

Barbara Hopler

ACTFA President The New & Improved Lississippi Cesky Kitchen

The Cesky Connection is the newsletter of and

copyrighted by the American Cesky Terrier Fanciers

Association, Inc. (ACTFA). Opinions expressed in the

Cesky Connection are those of the authors and may

or may not reflect the opinions of ACTFA, Inc., its

Board of Directors, the editor(s) of the Cesky

Connection or ACTFA membership.

The editor(s) reserves the right to reject any

submission deemed unsuitable for publication by

the editorial staff for reasons to include poor

sportsmanship or inappropriate content.

Contact the Editors

NEWSLETTER POLICIES

Lissa Preston 309.558.8092

Kathy Loy 201-247-6767

Cheesy Egg Scramble

1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 cup rice 2 cups water 2 eggs

Eggs are especially good for dogs who have been having stomach issues such as vomiting or diarrhea. Combine the rice and water, bringing it all to a boil, then simmering it until the rice is cooked. Whisk the eggs, then cook separately and combine cottage cheese, rice, and scrambled eggs together. Set aside to cool before giving to your dog. Makes 2 servings.

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National Purebred Dog Day (NPDD) by Lissa Preston

CESKY TERRIER DEBUT, March 15& 16th, 2017

If you aren’t following the Cesky Terrier on social

media or Facebook, I would like to tell you about the

recent fun our club had.

Susi Szeremy, creator of National Purebred Dog Day,

was kind enough to bring the Cesky Terrier to her

Facebook page spotlight of 55,000+ followers.

This came about from a collaboration of a few

ACTFA members who shamelessly tried to lobby

Ms. Szeremy to plug our wonderful yet “unknown to

many” breed. To our surprise, Susi found the Cesky

fascinating and was pleased to feature the whimsical

Cesky and it’s history.

The experience was both enlightening and heart

warming. The online feature was highlighted by

history using well chosen photos, different types of

Cesky art and gifts, Czech stamps— even a Cesky

covered bus. All pieces accentuated a fun discussion

and I felt special to be a part of it. When Susi asked

for us to share puppy pics for adoring fans, we posted

in droves! Many stories were shared from friends

about things you never knew. Most of the varying

comments and photos made the reader smile. Some

were sad, as when reminded about the state of war and

the fate of Mr. Horak’s friend at the gas chambers. At

the end, I couldn’t help but wipe away fresh tears

when fanciers were asked to share something about

our Ceskys that have gone before us.

To give you an more of an idea about what went on

during this special 2 day feature, here were a few of

the questions and some of my favorite responses…

(Please be sure to go to the next page for a special

message from Susi Szermey!)

NPPD: Cesky friends, is your breed suitable in a

household with children and/or senior family

members? Can you recommend the breed for first

time owners? Do they get along with other dogs,

cats, birds or rodent-type pets?

Julie Gritten: Cesky Terriers get along very well with

other dogs. Mr. Horak wanted to breed a dog that is

amiable with others and able to hunt in packs.

Dennis Loy: The Cesky is a WONDERFUL breed for

ALL ages. They LOVE to sit in laps, play tug-of-war,

and are GREAT with a tennis ball (easily trained to

fetch.) A GREAT dog for apartments: they are short/

small with a deceptively low bark making people on

the other side of the door think you have a LARGE

dog for protection. They are shy at first with any

"new" person but quickly warm up and share their

love. A TRUE companion dog for ANY age.

NPPD: Cesky friends, what would surprise most

people about your breed?

Sandra Bridge-Chase: They can always make you

laugh. They always will love you. They always will

take a treat. What surprises me most is they are always

there for you. They know the good times and the bad

and they will never let you down

NPPD: Cesky Terrier friends, what is the one

question you wish people would ask you about

your breed, but almost never do?

Linda Comer: People never seem to ask about their

hunting capabilities. They are described as a well

muscled short legged hunting dog in their Standard.

These dogs are very multi-faceted and should be

credited with their hunting capabilities. While rabbit

and fox are their standard hunting delight, they do not

back away from larger prey.

NPPD: Cesky Terrier friends, we've been asked to

ask you about your breed's topline. The breed

standard reads, "The Cesky is longer than it is tall

and has a topline that rises slightly higher over the

loin and rump." Why? What is the thinking in

having a topline slightly higher over the loin and

rump, or put another way, in not having a level

topline?

Sheila Atter: The topline must be flexible because the

Cesky needs to be able to twist and turn in a narrow

space when working underground. A level topline,

Susi Szermey with her Puli pal

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with no musculature over the loin, means that the dog

cannot maneuver as easily.

NPPD: It might be the most important question we

ask during a Purebred of Interest feature: We

steadfastly believe that there are no bad qualities

in carefully bred purebred dogs, only poorly

matched owners and dogs, and that fewer dogs

would end up as "rescues" if potential owners fully

understand the "good, the bad, and the ugly" of a

breed. Cesky Terrier owners, who should NOT

own a Cesky? What quality could be a "deal

breaker" for the owner who didn't do their

homework?

Roslyn Miller: Ceskys need socialization through

their whole life; they need to constantly be exposed to

as many aspects as possible to develop into well-

rounded terriers. I think an only outdoor, kennel dog

would not do well as these guys love and crave family

and people.

NPPD: Cesky Terrier friends, let's lighten the

mood by having you complete this sentence: You

might be a Cesky Terrier owner if… Gregg Bridge-Chase: …if your lap is warm and your

heart is full.

A Letter From Susi Szeremy & NPDD "Administering a Facebook page and website that

honors purebred dogs offers a unique vantage point

from which to learn about the glorious diversity of our

breeds, and to observe the people who love them. As

the creator of National Purebred Dog Day, it’s been

my honor to invite the owners and breeders of (thus

far), 131 breeds, and over time, I’ve noticed that each

breed brings with it, for lack of a better word, a

“mood.” Are the owners friendly and enthusiastic

about sharing the marvels of their breed? Are they

entrenched in club politics and more interested in

correcting each other than in highlighting what

attracted them to the breed? Are they “gun shy” about

talking about their breed because its tail is docked, its

ears are cropped, its structure is misunderstood, or its

character has been sullied by animal activists? I’ve

encountered all of the above. Cesky folks know all too

well that one doesn’t encounter many of their breed,

so when it came time to feature the Cesky as a

“Purebred of Interest,” I fully expected to have little

participation from its owners, if not have to extract

information about their breed with the skill of an brain

surgeon. Instead, I was, in a word, gobsmacked at

the passionate participation of the owners of this

marvelous little dog. Cesky owners seemed to me to

have a camaraderie that was familiar to me, and only

later did I realize that it comes from having a rare,

uncommon breed in the early days of its acceptance as

an AKC breed. Never lose this. There are as many

way of identifying type and correctness as there are

people doing the identifying, but at the root of it all is

a wonderful breed. If the stewards of the Cesky stay

true to its original purpose and the breed standard, the

breed should be fine. It was my unabashed pleasure in

working with the Cesky people. You have something

special going on – don’t let it go!"

New Look for our ACTFA Website

By Wendy C. Turgeon/turgeon@optonline.net

I would love to introduce myself. I am the webmaster

of our club page. I have one Cesky, Hector, who is

nearing 12 years old. And that is hard to believe. It

seems like just yesterday he was a puppy, pulling the

legs out from under our elderly Stafford. I will confess

to not being a web expert, and, in many ways, I learn

as I go.

I have two important points that I would like to bring

up here. First, the ACTFA club web page is OUR

page. Please send me suggestions you may have for

improving it. It should be the place for members to

find information about the ACTFA -- from minutes of

meetings to show information to info on who to

contact for specific club information-- and for

information about our wonderful Cesky breed. I hope

you presently find it useful, and I would LOVE to

work with you to make it an even better resource.

Please let me know any suggestions you may have for

improving our website. My email address is provided

above.

Second, one thing that is very important to me is

getting pictures from the ACTFA members of their

Ceskys being Ceskys. The header (photo) image on

our website can (and should) be changed. I would

really like to feature different Cesky Terriers. If you

have an image of your dog centered in the foreground,

that image works best. Our header is not for formal

show shots. I would like to demonstrate the

wonderful personalities and skills of our dogs, in all

of the various ways this might be exemplified. So,

please, consider sending me a jpeg image if you think

your picture might fit our intent of showing the best of

our wonderful Ceskys. I would LOVE to have the

problem of receiving so many photos that changes will

continue far into the future!!

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ACTFA CeskyFest • 2017

June 1 through June 5th, 2017 The first ever “CeskyFest” is planned for the first weekend in June at Purina Farms in Gray Summit,

MO. There will be two ACTFA National Roving Specialties along with a ACTFA Sweepstakes and

an All Terrier show. ACTFA will be providing some keepsake trophies for both Specialties and the

Sweepstakes.

The Purina Farms show site is a spectacular venue for dog shows and social events on site and this

year there is an incredible panel of judges, from Canada, Australia and the USA.

An ACTFA Cesky Fest Dinner is being held at Purina Farms on Saturday, JUNE 3, 2017. Please

make your reservations by May 20th. Please provide Linda Comer with the following:

1. Number Attending.

2. Check made payable to American Cesky Terrier Fanciers Association for $35.00 per person.

3. Mail checks to Linda Comer, 419 W Mansion Street, Marshall, MI 490684.

4. If you have specific dietary requirements please let Linda know so that appropriate menu items

can be prepared. Linda must have these items no later than May 20th.

Any questions please call Linda at 269-781-4618 or e-mail: actfa-recsec@hotmail.com We are

looking forward to a great and exciting first CESKY FEST for exhibitors and fanciers.

Hope to see you there!!!

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Pamper YOUR Cesky! By Kathy Loy

Because all dogs are different and have different

“things” that stimulate and calm them, we thought our

newsletter could offer some interesting options for our

ACTFA readers that they might try with their own

Cesky.

In this regard, I reviewed different websites that

offered relaxing/fun/entertaining options for your dog.

One website I reviewed was DogRadio.com.

According to the website, Canadian, British and Irish

studies have shown that dogs and cats are calmed by

sounds (dog music), so they offer, free of charge,

sounds that you can play while your pet is alone.

According to the website, leaving DogRadio playing

while you are away helps ensure that your dog

primarily hears sounds that are relaxing and calming

instead of only hearing sounds occurring naturally

(doorbells, loud outside voices, knocks, etc.).

DogRadio also offers a CD that you can play while

you are away that your dog/cat can both listen to and

watch. If you are interested in purchasing a CD for

your Cesky, look at the following website: http://

welovepets.com/dogradio.html. From what I

understand, DogRadio is free and available online.

And, talking about a CD which your pet can both

listen to and watch, that option struck a responsive

chord in me: our Cesky Ishy is an avid TV watcher.

That is, he ALWAYS barks and runs to the TV when

a dog, cat, or horse appears. People who visit are

amazed that Ishy can actually “interpret” images he

sees on the TV as something interesting, familiar, or at

least worth calling attention to. Because he always

barks at horses, which to our knowledge he has never

seen up close, we don’t know if it’s actually the horse

or the dark moving image that stimulates him. But,

whatever the reason, horses always seem to gain

his attention, as do ALL pictures of dogs and

cats. And, although these images don’t produce a

calming effect, they do stimulate him and cause a

reaction. So having the TV on helps ensure

that little Ishy doesn’t just sit around and

lethargically “laze-away” his alone time.

As I was reviewing other websites, especially

one that offers a variety of dog wash options and

a dog blueberry facial (such an interesting

concept!!), the promises of this website

prompted me to share with ACTFA readers a

special bar soap that I ALWAYS use with Ishy. I

bought it originally at a dog store in Greenville,

SC, while visiting my niece. We SO LOVE the soap

that I found on the internet where I can purchase it.

The name of the bar soap is Creamy Coconut and I

found it on Amazon. For a $5.00 soap bar, Ishy can

luxuriate in a creamy bath that gets out dirt and leaves

his hair silky smooth. During and after his bath, I am

able to comb him out easily, and his resultant hair is

soooo wonderful. And a single bar, used with

moderation, lasts for many baths. And my nose is able

to detect a very pleasant scent when we are finished.

Because I was so impressed with this soap and knew

that I wanted to share “my find” with others, this

article presented the prime place for me to share my

pleasant experience.

And, that lead me to consider asking our newsletter

readers if anyone has a similar love they would like to

share with our ACTFA readers. If you have special

information that you would like to share, be it a

website, a product that you make, know or use, please

send your information to my special email:

ceskyinfo@gmail.com. I promise to share your

information as well as any questions you may have

with The Cesky Connection readers. Your name and

the information/question that you send to this email

can easily be made known to our newsletter readers

Although the premise of this article is NOT to

publicize publically held companies, this newsletter

would LOVE to share products or materials that our

ACTFA members make and/or make-available to

other dog lovers. The information/websites/products

that you use or know about that may be of interest to a

number of our newsletter readers can transmit a

goldmine of information. Many of you travel to dog

shows or have opportunities to see what is of interest

to dog owners, let’s try to share some of your

knowledge with other Cesky owners.

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Club Sponsors Thank you to all the following below for your

generosity. Your extra contribution will help our

club succeed in educating judges, supporting our

specialties, rescues and other activities as we go

through 2017.

Platinum

Denise Lowe

Pamela Bale

Jean Hester Kyttle & Gary Kyttle

Barbara & Lonny Hopler

Virginia Melich

Margaret Douglas & Richard Splitstone

Cristyn Tantilla

Silver

Sandra & Gregg Bridge-Chase

Beth & Phil Luebbers

Tim Smith & Holly Million

Glenn & Harriet Dorsey

Doreen & Nick Fletcher

Bronze

Jane Pyne

Michael Barnes

Denise & John Gill

Bob & Linda Comer

Charlotte Kinskey

Ginger Robinson

George Scouten

Joan Murko

What Is Leptospirosis And Should

You Be Concerned?

Dr. Jerry Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer of

AKC June 13, 2016

Leptospirosis is a disease that affects dogs, as well as

many other kinds of animals. The organism that

causes leptospirosis is a spirochete bacteria and is

found throughout the world. There are a very large

number of Leptospira; about 230 of them have been

identified.

In the United States,

Leptospirosis is in

the environment

because it is carried

in rats, wildlife, as

well as domestic live-

stock. More cases are

seen in late summer

and fall and often

after heavy rainfalls.

Leptospira is known

to exist in standing water, dampness, and mud.

Winter conditions tend to lower the risk because

Leptospira do not tolerate freezing temperatures.

Pets can become infected through contact with urine

of infected animals such as raccoons, skunks, rats,

feral cats, dogs, and other animals. Often, dogs

contract the disease by swimming in stagnant water

or drinking contaminated water in puddles.

Not all dogs that are exposed to Leptospirosis become

visibly ill. In a 2007 study, 25 percent of unvaccinated

healthy dogs had antibodies to Leptospirosis. This

indicated to researchers that they had been previously

exposed to Leptospirosis without their owners

noticing a problem.

When Leptospirosis does cause disease in dogs, it

tends to be most severe in unvaccinated dogs that are

younger than 6 months of age. It takes about 4-12

days after exposure for a dog to start to feel ill.

Signs of illness vary, but usually include lethargy,

poor appetite, fever, vomiting, increased thirst or

urine production. Jaundice may also be seen. Blood

tests will show changes in kidney values or liver and

kidney values.

Diagnosis is made through blood and urine tests that

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look specifically for Leptospirosis. Antibiotics are

typically used to treat Leptospirosis; not only can they

treat the active infection, but also may prevent dogs

from becoming carriers of the organism.

Prevention is best accomplished by stopping your

dog’s access to contaminated water. Also, try to

sanitize your dog's environment by eliminating food

and garbage to reduce the attraction of rats, raccoons,

or feral cats.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease. In other words, it

is contagious to humans. The most likely way humans

contract Leptospirosis is via exposure to dog or rat

urine. However, any bodily fluid, including vomit and

saliva, can transmit the disease. If your dog is infected

with Leptospirosis, it is very important to observe

proper hygiene even after he has recovered (wearing

protective gloves when cleaning up after your dog,

preventing face licking, etc.)

Vaccination for leptospirosis is an option to consider

if your dog is at high risk of contracting the disease.

The American Animal Hospital Association considers

Leptospirosis a “non-core” vaccine for dogs. That is,

they do not recommend it unless there is a good

chance your dog will be exposed to Leptospirosis.

The efficacy of the vaccine is variable: short lasting or

limited. There have been reports of reactions to the

vaccine that vary from minor to severe.

Vaccination does not always prevent infection, but it

tends to make the disease much milder if infection

occurs. There is the potential for vaccinated dogs that

do become infected to become long term carriers of

Leptospirosis. Some long-term carriers have more

frequent incidence of reproductive failure and

stillbirths.

As with all vaccinations, you should discuss the

vaccine for leptospirosis with your veterinarian. This

decision will be based on you and your dog’s life

style, if your community is experiencing cases of

Leptospirosis, and the other pros and cons your

veterinarian has experienced with the vaccine.

Hello! We hope this finds everyone enjoying a glorious Spring! With our second

National Specialty at Montgomery on the horizon it is now time to begin the process of planning for the

prizes and rosettes that will be presented to our Specialty and Sweepstakes winners.

To this end, we are now soliciting donations for our Prize Fund.

This year rather than having individual donors for dedicated classes , we plan to simply have two levels of

donors with all names proudly included in this years Montgomery County Kennel Club Show Catalog.

Donations of up to $75 will be listed in the Show Catalog as "General Trophy Fund" donors and those

contributing $76 or more will be included as "Class Dedication Sponsors". Class Dedication Sponsors

may also note a special dedication of their choosing in their catalog listing.

Please contact Beth Luebbers by email liz1230@aol.com to

make your donation pledge no later than June 1st 2017.

Checks should be made payable to ACTFA and sent to:

Sandra Bridge-Chase

24719 71st Ave North

Port Byron Illinois 61275

Our sincere Thank You in advance for your participation.

Respectfully,

Beth Luebbers and Doreen Fletcher

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Oklahoma Kennel Club Summer Classic Cluster June 28—July, 2107

Oklahoma State Fairgrounds

ACTFA Supported Entry on Saturday, July 1, 2017

For information, contact Holly Million 405-210-0976

Judges:

BREED NOHS

Brad Jenkins Michelle Scott

Clay Coady Paula Nykiel

Elizabeth Muthard Nancy Liebes

Michelle Scott Garry Newton

Anne Katona Gary Sacket

Cesky Fun In The Midwest

Showing at the NIU Convocation Center in Northern Illinois, Linda & Bob Comer pose

with 2 of their Ceskys on the left. Next, Sandra Bridge-Chase is kneeling next to her

granddaughter, Kiley Preston. Far right, friend and first time dog handler Lindsay Inman

also joined in for some fun in the ring. Happy spring everyone!

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Petition results to Amend ACTFA CB&L By ACTFA Vice President Dennis Loy

2017 started out impressively: with a membership voting action. A petition had been received in late 2016 to

amend the ACTFA Constitution and ByLaws (C&BL). And the early 2017 voting process witnessed a new

voting format for the ACTFA: use of Survey Monkey.

The Petition proposed changes to the ACTFA C&BL re: ACTFA’s Annual Meeting and the National Special-

ty Location. The Petition, the Majority Board Response, and the Membership Ballot were emailed to eligible

ACTFA voting members on February 1, 2017, and members were allowed to vote, again via email, through

February 16, 2017.

Results of the membership vote: 86% of the eligible ACTFA membership voted in the Petition process,

with 77.6% of the membership voting against acceptance of the Petition. I, as a Board Member, consider

this 86% number a TERRIFIC response rate and thank ALL members who took the time to read all of the ma-

terial and then vote on this important matter.

As with all ACTFA activities, the please know that the Board always appreciates hearing from you. If you

would like your opinion heard on any matters of interest/concern, please contact me or any Board member and

express details of your issue. The Board member you speak with will present your name and your issue at the

next scheduled board meeting.