Back to Top

The Continental Kennel Club is excited to welcome 4 new clubs to the CKC Family.  If you are looking for ways to spend quality time with your canine companion, we invite you to contact one of the canine clubs below. For information on starting your own Canine Performance Event Club, please contact Crystal at the Continental Kennel Club.  Crystal can be reached via email at crystal@ckcusa.com or via phone at 1-888-252-8042.  The CKC Performance Events are a great way to get you and your canine involved in activities that promote good human and canine relationships. A complete list of ALL CKC Affiliate Clubs can be found by Clicking Here.

Back to Top

Profile Dog Food - Understanding Animal Nutrition
The CKC would like to offer a special thanks to Profile for their
nationwide support of CKC Performance Events and Competitions.

Back to Top

Back to Top

Canine Care and Training Basics
"Teaching the 'Sit' Command"

The "Sit" command is a very important, and probably, the most courteous command that you can teach your dog.  It is a simple command that can be taught in one to three training sessions; however, it should be repeated and associated with several different situations. If taught to be executed properly, this command will prove itself useful in many situations. 

To start with the "Sit" command, as with any training session, be sure to use an enclosed area free of distractions.  You can substitute the verbal commands with words that you are more comfortable using.   To add a little fun into it and make it educational for both of you, try using another language to train in such as German, Dutch, French or Czech.  Be sure you try to use one syllable commands, no more than two.  Dogs don't naturally communicate verbally.  They respond better to short and simple commands, such as "Sit" rather than "Sit Down" (telling a canine to "Sit Down" will later confuse it when you are trying to get two separate commands from it such as "Sit" then "Down").  Accompany all verbal commands with a visual command.  In the long run you can command your dog just by doing the command jester without having to verbally tell it.  Keep your training sessions short and repetitive.  You can have a session as many times a day, as long as you keep them short, interesting and positive.  Getting frustrated and shouting only discourages your canine.  You want him or her to become eager to learn.  Dogs won't always get it on the first try.  It may take a few training sessions before your canine catches on to what it is you are asking from him or her.  Be sure you have a sort of reward waiting for him or her once she has done what you have asked.  You can use food, favorite toys or games as rewards but be sure you accompany each with a super dose of praise.  Some dogs respond to one thing better than another, and most dogs respond to praise. 

Decide which visual and verbal command you are going to use.  (We will use the verbal command "Sit" and the visual signal of holding your left hand out in a fist in front of you.)  Call your canine to you with the "Here" command and get his or her attention with the "Watch" command.  Then, when you have his or her attention, give your verbal and visual command to "Sit."  Gently push their bottom to the floor and repeat the command "Sit," make a big deal out of it with lots of praise and give them a reward.  Tell them "Good Sit!" and "Good (Name)."  Then walk to a different location and do the same thing.  Do this a few more times (about 3-4 more times), each time giving the reward and tons of praise (the praise may be seemingly unnecessary to you, but your dog will understand that you are happy and pleased with them by demonstrating the praise).  When you are confident that your canine has an idea of what you are asking, call them to you, get their attention, and give the "Sit" command.  Let them attempt to execute it with no help from you.   You may need to show them the reward as a means of a little extra motivation.  You may also need to wait a second or two.  Sometimes, when learning a new command it takes a little longer to register in their minds.  If it takes them over 5 seconds, help them out with it as you did earlier.  As soon as your dog executes the command on its own, make a huge stink about it, more than normal.  Give extra rewards and praise.  Your dog will think, "Was that all they wanted me to do?  Gee, this isn't so hard!"  Take a break and pick it up again later.  Don't get frustrated if your dog doesn't get it in one or two sessions, some dogs get it quick, some dogs don't.  That doesn't mean your dog is smarter or dumber than other dogs.  It has a lot to do with dominance levels (Is your dog respectful enough of you to want to listen to you, or does he or she think they're the boss?); breeds (Is your dog more of an instinctive breed, like a scent hound, or more of a thinking breed, like a collie or shepherd?), and your ability to with stand being looked at like you're a nut!  Remember, your dog isn't used to you talking to it and telling it what it should do; you have to be patient.  You can learn as much from your dog as it can from you.   

Once you have had several sessions where your canine sits without the help of you, start introducing your dog to situations in which sitting will be helpful.  This can include situations such as before you open a door or gate, when someone knocks at the door and walks in, when waiting for food, or while you are trying to put on a collar or harness on him or her.  This may take many sessions.  This is where you come in.  You may even need a little help from a friend setting up the scenarios for the training.  The reward is an impressively, well-mannered dog patiently awaiting your next command.  Not a hooligan mowing over a guest to run outside and down the street, causing a level 5 code red lawless panic in your neighborhood. On a more serious and realistic note, this training reduces the chance of the dog getting abducted or run over by a car.  

Back to Top

The Jack Russell Terrier

ORIGIN:  Great Britain
GROUP:  Terrier
COAT:  Rough and Wiry or Smooth
COLOR:  Mostly White (at least 51%) with black, brown, red or tricolor markings.
HEIGHT:  9-15 inches
WEIGHT:  10-18 pounds 

Today's Jack Russell Terrier is a modern day favorite amongst dog fanciers.  Their kind, fearless, devoted and loving characters make them admirable amongst even the pickiest of dog breeders.  However, as small as they may be, they have a big history behind them.  The Jack Russell Terriers were developed in England in the 19^th century, to hunt and extract small game, primarily fox.  Being the multi-talented little dogs that they are, they proved that they could do much more, by hunting and extracting other animals, such as rats, cats, rabbit and just about anything else that will try to evade capture.  They were bred to be swift enough to keep up with hounds and tenacious enough to go to ground after a fox.  However, this presented a problem.  If they were to keep up with the hounds, they had to have a bit of length to their legs.  If they had to go to ground after a fox, they had to have shorter legs.  Experimentations were done with a litter from a Jack Russell Terrier and Bull Terrier-type Bitch, bred back to a Jack Russell Terrier Sire.  The result was the production of shorter, egg-shaped headed pups.  This is how the two builds of Jack Russell Terrier had come to be.  The draw back of these shorter legged dogs was they had to be carried on horseback to the fox den and the tenacity received from the bull terrier-type caused them to sometimes silently kill the fox, which spoiled the hunt. 

As with any terrier breed, Jack Russell's are high-spirited, high energy little guys ready to take on the world daily!  This is because their ancestors were bred to be so daring in order to detain game larger than themselves.  In addition to being such active little dogs, they are also very intelligent.  This makes these small fries especially appealing to people who live a more active and involved lifestyle.  They need adequate exercise both physically and mentally.  If not challenged, they will make their own challenges, games and even hunting packs.  Toys are a favorite to the Jack Russell Terrier so anything you leave out is fair game to them.  They have a natural love to chase, wonder and dig, so they should never be let off of the lead in an open area.  They are also very active indoors, wanting to play all the time.  Jack Russell Terriers should be introduced to other people, dogs and other animals at a very early age if being kept with them as pets (especially smaller animals, as they will see them as hunting game if not socialized with them at an early age).  Jack Russell Terriers are relatively hearty dogs, needing regular vet check ups and baths (some more than others depending on their want to dig). 

Click here to view Jack Russell Terriers for sale on the CKC website
 

Back to Top

CKC would like to see your canine buddies in action! Each month we will pick a theme and ask you to submit photos of your dog(s) relating to the theme of the month. You can e-mail or mail your snapshot ATTN: Snapshot of the Month, PO BOX 1450, Walker, LA 70785.

March's Theme of the Month
is
"Kids & their dogs"

Get those cameras out and have some fun.

Congratulations.....

The winner of February's Theme of the Month, "Am I the CUTEST puppy or What?",
was too hard to decide, so we give you the top 6 finalists.

 Note: All pictures submitted become property of Continental Kennel Club
and may be used at our discretion

Back to Top

Below is a small sample of some of the dogs owned by CKC employees.

Back to Top

Did you find this month's newsletter helpful?
Do you know someone who would like a FREE copy?

Click Here for an easy way to share this information with them.
 

Back to Top

If you would like to submit an article for an upcoming issue or have a question for the editor, you can submit it via email to editor@ckcusa.com or mail it to:

Continental Kennel Club, Inc.
PO BOX 1450
Walker, LA 70785

Note: All articles submitted become property of Continental Kennel Club
and may be used at our discretion.

Back to Top

Copyright© 2004 Continental Kennel Club, Inc. - No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission by the publisher.