vccne newsletter march 2014 vizsla club of central … · some of our members have spent the winter...
TRANSCRIPT
cue activities, and fundrais-
ing initiatives.
Please be on the look out for
updates on the rescheduled
Red Hearts Red Dog Event,
our 50th Anniversary cele-
bration, as well as info on
upcoming Fun Days. You
can always find updates on
our Web site as well as our
Facebook page.
Thank you for your interest
and support of VCCNE. Hap-
py Spring to you and your
Vizslas!
Cheers,
Britta-Lena Lasko
VCCNE Board of Directors
Dear VCCNE members,
Here in Vermont we have had
a few days of unexpected
warmth, where the smell of the
soil and the heat of the sun
has given a hint of what’s
ahead. The maple sap is run-
ning and folks are rigorously
taking part in a right of Spring
that is so well known here in
New England.
For Vizsla owners, and all dog
owners, this means warmer
days ahead, and most espe-
cially, more time outside for
our canine companions. To
reflect on the long winter, we
decided to focus this newslet-
ter on cooking for you and your
dog—activities that many of
our members have been doing
over the past several months.
In other news, the VCCNE
board has started to look at
what lies ahead in 2014,
which marks our 50th Anniver-
sary. We are placing a call out
to our members and welcome
all suggestions as well as any
help that you may want to give
in planning such a gathering.
All volunteers are welcome!
The rest of the Board and I
would like to thank you for
your continued support and
also apologize for the cancella-
tion of the February Red
Hearts Red Dogs Event, which
was canceled due to poor
weather. We promise we are
working hard to reschedule
this event in the very near
future.
As we move forward, please
know that we are always open
to hearing from our members.
If you have any good ideas for
future events, or simply ques-
tions relating to breed, we
welcome your input. We are
also always looking for volun-
teers to help with events, res-
A n t i c i p a t i n g S p r i n g S P E C I A L
P O I N T S O F
I N T E R E S T :
Anticipating
Spring
Wild Fowl Recipes
Tails of Success
Vizsla Treat
Recipes
My Dog
Events Update
from Carol Phelps
Thoughts for
Spring
Member Photos
Benefits of Coco-
nut Oil for Dogs
VCCNE Numbers
Vizsla Club of
Central New England
March 2014 VCCNE Newsletter
Hungarian rescue, Enzo
and his favorite stuffed
animal, submitted by
Britta-Lena Lasko.
N e w s l e t t e r s u b m i s s i o n s
Do you have a good story or a stunning photo of your Vizsla?
We are always looking for new submissions, updates, and
good stories to share with our members. Please e-mail
Britta-Lena Lasko at :
For the avid hunters in our club, the ultimate question of “how best to cook the birds” after a day in the field,
might elicit several different answers. VCCNE Vice President, Anne Corrigan, offered up this pheasant recipe.
For those who are hunting woodcock, here is another recipe provided by one of our members in Maine.
Pheasants Stewed in White Wine
Ingredients:
4 pheasants
1 bunch of celery, chopped fine
3 chopped onions
8 minced garlic cloves
3/4 cup olive oil
½ cup chopped parsley
2 Tablespoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper to taste
Approximately 4 cups white wine
I start by sectioning the birds, cutting legs
and splitting the breasts. (There is little
meat on the rest of the bird so I discard it.)
In a Dutch oven lightly brown the bird parts
slowly in olive oil. Add celery, onions, garlic
and parsley. Sauté until veggies are soft.
Add salt, pepper & thyme. Pour wine over
all the ingredients, enough to cover with
liquid. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stir-
ring often. Uncover and simmer for 20
minutes to reduce liquid and thicken broth.
I serve with French bread for dipping.
New England Baked Woodcock
Ingredients:
6 Woodcock, split
1 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons sweet butter
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly-ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup sour cream
Dip birds into milk, then roll in flour. Melt butter
and brown birds in it. Remove birds, dip again
into milk, then dredge with bread crumbs. Season
with salt, pepper, and paprika, and place in a cas-
serole. Add sour cream and cover dish. Bake at
350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until tender. This
recipe yields 2 servings.
VCCNE Vice President, Anne Corrigan, recently sub-
mitted these photos of her newest Vizsla family
member, ‘Cape East’s Cash is King’ aka “Cash” who
was born on Christmas Day.
W i l d F o w l R e c i p e s
P a g e 2
V i z s l a C l u b o f
C e n t r a l N e w E n g l a n d
Some of our members have spent the winter working hard to
please their Vizslas in the kitchen. Here is a recipe that one of our
directors, Cheryl Mielcarek, submitted for the newsletter. Please
note that the Italian dressing could be substituted with other
dressings or olive oil and vinegar.
Turkey Jerky
Ingredients;
1 lb. ground turkey
1 Tbs Italian Dressing
1. Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees
2. Using a mixer, blender or food processor, puree ground turkey
with Italian dressing until thick paste
3. Spread mixture over greased cookie/jelly roll pan to about ¼
inch thick
4. Bake for 2 hours with oven door open slightly to let moisture
escape
5. Remove from oven, flip jerky over and cut into 1 inch squares
with knife or pizza cutter
6. Put squares back on cookie sheet return to oven and bake for
another 1-2 hours until treats are dry and leathery
7. Remove from oven, let cool thoroughly and store in airtight
container in fridge.
VCCNE Treasurer, Deadra Doku-Gardner submitted this recipe to
achieve weight gain for finicky pups. She says that this one works
really well for her youngest pup.
Fat Balls
Ingredients:
1 dozen egg yolks
1 lb. jar crunchy peanut butter
1 small container of oats
1 jar of wheat germ
1 lb. hamburger
1 package of hamburger
1 package of cream cheese
Some versions of this recipe say to soak the oats in milk or cream
first. Put all ingredients in a big bowl and mix with your hands.
Form into balls and put in zip lock bags and freeze. Yes, you feed
the hamburger raw!!
V i z s l a T r e a t R e c i p e s
P a g e 3 V C C N E N e w s l e t t e r
work in progress, but has come so far
and we cannot imagine life without him.
He is definitely a Velcro dog, (some-
thing) which we all love most about
him! “
Max came into rescue in December of
2012 as a result of a divorce. He was
very shy and especially shy around men.
Max can be a total mush ball once he
trusts you but he can be very standoffish
until he knows you. He was adopted into
a family with another Vizsla and two chil-
dren, however, the situation did not work
for Max. Max returned to Rescue and
fortunately he went back to the same
foster home so it was not too difficult for
Max to readjust. At this point we knew
that Max needed a special home that
understood Max’s issues and were will-
ing to make a difference in his life. Along
came the Travaglini family. Donna, her
grown children, and her husband Paul
understood Max’s (renamed Jax) needs
and opened up their home to him. Don-
na recently reported that, “Jax has been
such a lovely addition to our family. He
is a fast learner and is slowly overcoming
his fear of men. He truly loves playing
with other dogs and going in the ocean in
the summer. Jax is the most lovable dog
and never runs out of kisses. He is a
To find out more about the
VCCNE Rescue Program or to
make a charitable tax-deductible
donation, please visit our Web
site, www. vccne.net
T a i l s o f S u c c e s s : J a x
For this newsletter we are profiling Diesel or to be official
‘Champion Sergeant Pipers Diesel Fuel JH NA NAJ NP NPJ CD’
owned by VCCNE Vice President Anne Corrigan
Diesel was born Feb. 17, 2004 in Chatham, MA. He is the product
of a breeding between my stud dog, Sarge (Sergeant Piper CDX OAJ
NJ) and my former bitch ‘Dixie Chic’. He was from a litter of 11 pup-
pies, (which I thought was ironic because I’m the youngest of 11).
Diesel had big shoes to fill as I competed hard and successfully in
many venues with his dad. Little did I know he would surpass his
dad by leaps and bounds. Diesel earned his hunting title at 20 months, his show championship at 22 months
(finishing in 4 shows with 5 point majors!). I started hunting him at 8 months old and he has become a hunting
dog many hobbyists dream of. At the time I was instructing students in agility competition, so like his dad, Diesel
was also trained in the agility ring, which he thoroughly enjoyed. After a long struggle from my back injury, I found
agility too taxing on my body so we turned to obedience as a sport, where Diesel quickly earned his CD. Diesel
has always been a fast learner and eager for our next adventure. Now at the age of 9 he has sired 11 beautiful
litters of puppies and continues to eagerly go bird hunting every fall. Having raised and bred Vizslas for over 30
years, my fondness for the breed has only grown stronger with each success, whether it be my own dogs or my
fosters. We are a lucky bunch to have such a breed.
Anne Corrigan
If you would like your dog to be featured in the next newsletter, please submit a brief article and photo to
Britta-Lena Lasko at [email protected]
M Y D O G
P a g e 4 V i z s l a C l u b o f
C e n t r a l N e w E n g l a n d
and lighting, but overall this was a
very nice show venue. To see the
results of these shows, go
to www.raudogshows.com.
An entry of 37 champion Vizslas and
2 class dogs were entered at
the Garden (the Westminster Kennel
Club in Manhattan, NY) on Tuesday,
February 11, 2014 (7 of the champi-
ons were absent). For a full marked
catalogue with results of the show
and to view the once live-stream
video of the complete one-hour long
Vizsla presentation & judging, go to
www.westminsterkennelclub.org.
New England Sporting Association
will be hosting a weekend of dog
shows limited to sporting breeds on
Saturday, March 15, 2014 and Sun-
day, March 16, 2014 at the BIG E in
West Springfield, MA. Each day there
is a puppy and veteran sweepstakes
as well as regular classes, so at least
two opportunities each day to expose
your puppy to the ring. At the Sunday
show, there will also be a 4 to 6 month
old puppy competition for the ba-
bies. Note that this is a NEW VENUE
for these shows, which in the past
have been held in Fitchburg, MA (a
venue no longer available for dog
shows). Entries for these shows closed
at noon on Wednesday, February 26,
2014.
Carol Barry Phelps
Please visit us at www.szizlin.com
Advocating for the Purebred Vizsla!
Spring is around the corner!
Soon, the snow will thaw and disappear. (Yes, it really will!) That
opens the door to a lot more outside activities! Here are a few
things to consider for spring, and anytime really!
1. Spring cleaning? Our furry kids are like human kids, they get
into everything! Keep your spring cleaning supplies out of reach or
in a cabinet. Think about pet and environmentally friendly prod-
ucts. If your V ingests anything – call your vet or the ASPCA Animal
Poison Hotline (888-426-4435).
2. Aaaachooo! Sneezing? Itchy watery eyes? Dermatitis? Not
you! Your V! This may be a sign of a seasonal allergy. Check it out!
3. Slacked off on your flea and tick regimen over the winter? If
you have – vets recommend getting tested before restarting. If
you have a checkup coming, ask for it!
4. What? No CHOCOLATE?!? The Easter Bunny is coming with a
load of chocolate treats – but NOT FOR DOGS! Remember, choco-
late is not good for dogs. What you might not know is artificial
sweeteners can also be upsetting and sometimes deadly.
5. NO BULLYING! – just like in a school playground – dog parks,
trails, and runs are opportunities for bullying by more aggressive
dogs. If you think playtime is getting out of hand, it probably
is. Trust yourself – you and your V should make tracks to some-
where else.
6. Spring thaw can be hazard-
ous, especially on streets, can
contain ice melt and salts which
can cause stomach upset and sometimes be life threatening.
7. Keep away from sprouting new plants – though grass is prob-
ably ok (beware of chemically treated grass!) chewing on other
plants may cause vomiting, diarrhea or worse! If you are concerned
– internet search on toxic plants for dogs.
8. Working in the driveway? Don’t let your V lap up puddles of
car wash, lick the car wax container, sample the antifreeze,
etc. Some of these things taste sweet to dogs, but it is not sweet
for them!
9. DON’T shake a stick at it! Bring toys to the park or on your
run. Springtime reveals a lot of sticks that seem to be ‘nature’s
toys’ however – pieces of stick can cause choking and injuries.
10. When you get home – wipe down your V. While you are, pay
attention to their feet and body for cuts, abrasions and ticks. Plus,
it will keep your furniture cleaner! (Less spring cleaning!)
Happy Spring!
Submitted by VCCNE director, Charlie Mielcarek
E v e n t s U p d a t e f r o m C a r o l P h e l p s
T h o u g h t s f o r S p r i n g
P a g e 5 V C C N E N e w s l e t t e r
This is a "relatively" quiet time of year
for dog shows in New England. The
BIG E in West Springfield, MA was the
venue for the Merrimack Valley KC
dog shows on January 4-5, 2014 and
the Great Barrington KC shows on
February 1-2, 2014. To see the results
of these shows, go to
www.infodog.com.
Vizsla Club of Long Island (VCLI) and
Connecticut Valley Vizsla Club
(CVVC) each hosted an independent
specialty show the weekend before
the Garden, on February 8, 2014 and
February 9, 2014 respectively. These
shows, previously held at the Meadow-
lands in Secaucus, were held at a new
venue, the Hilton Hotel in Rye Brook,
NY, and were very well attended.
There were minor issues with parking
Carol Phelps of Szizlin Vizslas submitted these pho-
tos L to R of Zee (age 14) with her dad Frank; puppy
Chance out for a run; and puppy Phelps with a live
pet cockatoo.
M e m b e r P h o t o s
P a g e 6
VCCNE member Debra Steele of
Sondela Vizslas in Needham,
MA, submitted these photos of
her dogs. L to R are Poppet,
Cricket, Summer and Baron;
Cricket and Summer; Poppet
with “birthday cake”
V i z s l a C l u b o f
C e n t r a l N e w E n g l a n d
olive oil—the oil comes from the first
pressing of fresh, raw coconut. There
are pesticide-free organic brands as
well. With so many choices and price
points, reading the labels closely is
highly recommended.
There are many healthful benefits to
adding coconut oil to your dog’s diet.
The unrefined type has a taste that
most dogs immediately love. You can
incorporate it directly into your
dog’s meal by adding a 1/4 tea-
spoon to 1 teaspoon, depending
on the size of your dog. As with
any added fat to a diet, you will
want to start slowly so your dog
can properly absorb and process
the oil and avoid diarrhea.
Why it’s Good for the Inside of a Dog:
Virgin coconut oil contains fatty
acids such as lauric acid, which is
also found in breast milk. Lauric
acid has natural antibacterial
properties.
The anti-fungal properties of coco-
nut helps prevent and treat Can-
dida and other yeast infections.
It improves digestive system func-
tion and enables better absorp-
tion of nutrients from the foods
your dog normally eats.
Coconut oil is also known to stimulate
the thyroid gland which in turns helps
maintain a healthy weight and activity
level.
How it Can Help the Outside of a Dog:
Coconut oil is a great moisturizer when
applied to your dog’s skin, healing hot
spots and rough cracked foot pads.
You will notice overall improvement in
your dog’s coat
Inflamed and itchy skin from flea bites
or sores benefit from this oil applied
directly.
Add it to your dog’s shampoo or rinse
water to add a nice smell, and take
advantage of its antioxidant proper-
ties.
Coconut oil just may be the miracle we’ve
all been looking for. From cooking benefits
to health benefits for you and your dog,
you’ll want to clear an entire shelf in your
pantry for this magical elixir. For further
information and a list of 101 Uses for Co-
conut Oil, check out:
http://wellnessmama.com/5734/101-
uses-for-coconut-oil/
B e n e f i t s o f C o c o n u t
O i l f o r D o g s
P a g e 7 V C C N E N e w s l e t t e r
Borrowed from lifeanddog.com
Coconut oil is rapidly growing in popular-
ity. No longer found in health food stores
only, large grocery store chains have
begun to carry multiple brands in re-
sponse to the increased demand. Peo-
ple have discovered the health benefits
from cooking with it, baking with it and
even using coconut oil as a hair condi-
tioner. Now even our dogs can experi-
ence the health
benefits inside
and out from coco-
nut oil.
The Science:
The fat in virgin
coconut oil is largely made up of medi-
um-chain fatty acids (MCFA). This type of
saturated fat is easily metabolized and
turned into energy. There are two types
of coconut oil, refined and unrefined.
Refined usually is tasteless, because it
is refined to the point that you are able
to fry with it or bake with it without im-
parting any coconut flavor or taste into
your food. However, the refining process
may include harsh solvents and chemi-
cals. If possible, look for a slightly more
expensive brand that uses a chemical-
free cleaning process. On the other
hand, unrefined coconut oil is typically
virgin and extra virgin, and similar to
On the left is
Kukla owned by
VCCNE Treasur-
er, Deadra Doku
-Gardner and on
the right is
Teak, owned by
Pat Fanning and
her family. Teak
and Kukla are
sisters.
The Vizsla Club of Central New England (VCCNE) is the oldest
regional chapter of the Vizsla Club of America (VCA), the na-
tional parent breed club of The American Kennel Club
(AKC). Originally founded in 1964, the VCCNE continues to
dedicate itself to protecting and advancing the interests of
this dynamic breed by sponsoring hunting tests, confor-
mation shows, training days, and versatility testing, in addi-
tion to operating a highly successful Rescue program.
WWW.VCCNE.NET
Vizsla Club of Central New England
President, John DeSantis
Vice President, Anne Corrigan
Secretary, Debra LaRocca
Treasurer, Deadra Doku-Gardner
Rescue, Nancy Tarbox
Board Member, Cheryl Mielcarek
Board Member, Charlie Mielcarek
Board Member, Britta-Lena Lasko
Direct Inquiries can be made to
Celebrating Over Four Decades of the Versatile Vizsla
V C C N E n u m b e r s
Nobody likes to get caught up on statistics, but we
must share some recent numbers that quite frankly,
reflect the good work of our club members and the
efforts of our new board:
Rescue: Since last September we have placed 6
Vizslas in new homes.
Treasurer’s Report: As of March 6, 2014 we have
$5,966.25 in the general club account and
$5,047.37 in the Rescue account.
Membership Status: Our current number of mem-
bers is holding strong at 56, including 31 family
memberships! We also have 22 past members who
have not yet renewed. If you are one of the 22 former
members, we would certainly welcome your renewal
and voice in club activities.
Szizlin’ Sabrina La Vie en Rose, submitted by VCCNE Treasurer, Deadra
Doku-Gardner