Daneen and Masher won the Grand Prix and the Steeplechase at the USDAA  NW Regional!!!!

Masher also earned his MAD title this weekend.

On the trip home we stopped to let the pups play in the river. It was beyond beautiful! It was all fun and games until the bird of prey showed up…. We scooped all the little dogs up and that pretty much was the end of our fun on the river.

Grinder was quite brave!

Harmony is such a little poser!

Giddeon had lots of fun and enjoyed the water too.

Aiden was such the little billy goat… jumping from rock to rock….

                                                                                        June 28, 2009

To Tom Coen and Standard Review Committee Members

Questionnaire from the Sable Merle Advocacy for Change Group

1) The term "ballot" is used in the instructions; the term "survey" is used for one portion of this document; the term "poll" is used for another portion; and the word “vote” is used concerning your document. Is this document considered an “official CCA ballot?  If so, which parts?  Please point to the specific CCA bylaws to help clarify.
 

2) You have said that this survey/poll/ballot/vote will “count.”  Which parts will “count,” and           
what will they “count as”?

3) How does this survey/poll/ballot/vote information specifically relate to the “one statement, yes or no ballot” being collected now by the Teller’s Committee with the July 8, deadline?
 

4) Is the survey/poll/ballot/vote intended to supercede the “one statement, yes or no ballot”?
 

5) Since tellers are used for the purpose of accuracy & secrecy, what exactly will the Teller's Committee roll be in the survey/poll situation? i.e. Will they count the "yes" & "no" votes on all poll questions, and will the TC tabulate all the answers to the survey?
 

6) What is the purpose of the information in the survey? How would, for example, number of champions bred be related to the core question of standard revision?
 

7) After the Teller's Committee tallies the poll/survey, would the SRC have access to the actual individual documents? Usually, the TC keeps everything for a specified period and then disposes of it in keeping with a secret ballot. This procedure is in our bylaws.
 

8) Will the SRC have access to all of the raw data including the signatures, and what is the purpose of the signature? Will the poll responses count if the member does not sign?
 

9) How will all of this information be used and presented and by whom will it be used and presented?
 

10) Has the plan all along been for the entire membership to receive a ballot from the SRC by mail? If so, then what will happen to the survey/poll sheets that were filled out and mailed or turned in by members earlier at the national and elsewhere? How will these votes be counted?  Who has these documents? Have each of these members been contacted and instructed to revote and send to the Teller's Committee?
 

11) When did the original purpose of the SRC change from a group created "to investigate and assess the situation including surveying the membership" into one with the authority to require a "vote"?  When was the change made that would validate the SRC's calling for a vote?  Was there a special meeting called using one of the 4 means required by CCA by-laws allowing the change in the SRC purpose and allowing the SRC to call for an official vote?  Does the SRC feel that their survey/poll meets the CCA's constitutional requirements for an official vote? If yes, please explain using the bylaws as support.

Update…. As of July 1st, we still have no response from the SRC or Mr. Coen.….Most of the questions are Yes and No…..

Upate 7/1/09   from Tom Coen

Thanks for your question regarding joint members. On the ballot, right above the signature line, it says "Joint members please mail separate signed ballots". Both ballots can be mailed in the envelope that is provided.  The Tellers committee will have a current membership list and all names will be verified against that list.  The Tellers Committee will detach the survey portion at the top and will count the ballots at the bottom only. The survey responses will go to the Standard Review Committee for educational analysis.  Since I am not on the DD list, I'll address several other concerns that have come up and ask that you post this to the DD list for me. There seems to be confusion concerning the survey portion at the top. This is included to give all members an opportunity to answer some of the key survey questions that were originally put to the Breed Mentors.  If the survey is too confronting or confusing in any way, it’s not necessary to answer it.  It is not our intention to make anyone uncomfortable, fearful or angry.Any member who answered a survey as a Breed Mentor, at the So. Cal. show or at CCA does not need to answer another survey. The results of those surveys have already been reported.  The current mailing is the only one from the SRC that has a ballot included. The SRC ballot can be identified by "The 2009 Standard Review Committee appreciates your input" toward the bottom.In an effort to keep costs down the material from the SRC was sent out bulk mail from Wisconsin. All members will receive this mailing and the deadline for votes to be received is August 1. 2009.  The Standard Review Committee requests that you please cast your vote so we can determine the wishes of the membership.The reason that we are using the Tellers Committee is because of the current atmosphere of distrust in this club.We have learned that it's not possible to please everyone….you can only do your best.Tom

This was sent to the DD list to crosspost….. This response was not to the SMAC list of 11 questions.

I am concerned that there are many good people who are choosing not to volunteer again and while I  share their feelings I am concerned for the club.  I am very glad that our committee's stated duties will be complete with this poll….it has been a frustrating and thankless eight months.  I am eager to concentrate on breeding, showing and enjoying our dogs…I only hope that we'll be able to do that for many years to come. I can't help but think that the passion and work put into this issue would have been better spent fighting the animal rights agenda.  It's not going to matter about color if we can't have our dogs.
Anyway,  thanks for all you have done to keep things on a rational, intelligent track….you represent the Collie well.

This was also to sent by Tom Coen  to another DD with permission to crosspost….. I love the way he says he has not been thanked and suggests that the people on the side of the sable merle are irrational and unintelligent!!!! And I know that I personally have been able to work on the AR agenda AND the SRC's agenda at the SAME time!!!!!!

New Conformation Classes starting at Happy Dog Agility, Moorpark, CA

Beginning Conformation Class Starts Wednesday July 8, at 8PM
This 6 week course being taught by Julie Sandoval will teach you all the ins and outs of the conformation ring and is geared toward giving the novice handler and their dog the real life practice and skills they need to be competitive in the breed rings. Cost is $85.

You will learn…

• How to create the proper picture with your dog

• Ring etiquette
• How not to do basic mistakes that novices make
• How to stack and free bait your dog

• How to gait your dog

• How to make the most of your time in the ring

• How to make conformation fun!!!

To sign up for this class e-mail Sandy at HDA@happydogagility.com

Dax winning a 4 point major under Betty Regina Leininger 

"Sago Palm" or "Cycad"
Poisoning Alert- It
has come to our attention that many home improvement stores are selling
a houseplant that can cause serious poisoning in pets and children. The
plant is called the “Sago Palm” or “Cycad”. It is also referred to as
“The Oldest Known Plant”. It is used in outdoor landscaping in Southern
States, but can only survive as a houseplant in the North. All of this
plant, including the seeds and root ball are toxic. Signs of illness
first appear about 12 hours after ingestion and include
gastrointestinal sign such as vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy. The
toxins in the plant lead to severe liver failure with progressive
weakness, jaundice, bruising and bleeding and other signs of liver
failure that lead to death. It is estimated that 75-80% of animals
ingesting this plant will die in spite of aggressive medical
treatment. If you have one of these plants in your home you will want
to be sure to keep it away from pets and children, preferably by
disposing of it safely in a covered trash can or “rehome” it with
someone who does not have pets or young children in the household

Petition Requiring Vote on issue of Inclusion of the color of Sable Merle in the Collie Club of America Standard

We, the active members of the Collie Club of America, hereby submit this petition requiring a vote of all members of the Collie Club of America on the issue of inclusion of the color of sable merle in the Collie Club of America Standard and clarification on eye color. We assert this right pursuant to the Collie Club of America Constitution, Bylaws, Article II, Section 3, Special Membership Meetings which states:

 Special meetings of the club membership for the purpose of presenting any business or obtaining a vote of the membership, shall be called by the Secretary upon written request, setting forth the purpose for such special meeting, received from… (d) by a petition signed by at least 100 members, or 10% of the club membership (whichever is less). Meetings convened as the result of a petition shall be held no less than two (2) months, nor more than three (3) months from the date of receipt of the petition.

We invoke this constitutional right and demand that a vote by the entire membership be conducted by mail to change the Collie Club of America Standard to include the color, sable merle and additionally change the wording on eye color to allow for blue in the eyes of sable merles. As exhibitors, breeders and fanciers, we believe the Collie Club of America Standard should reflect the current knowledge and desire of its membership. To that end, we believe the issue should be put to vote.

Should the membership vote to change the Collie Club of America Standard, the following are proposed changes: 

Under Eyes it currently reads “In blue merles, dark brown eyes are preferable, but either or both eyes may be merle or china in color without specific penalty” The proposed change to read “In blue merles and sable merles, dark brown eyes are preferable, but either or both eyes may be merle or china in color without specific penalty.”

Under Color  it currently reads “The Sable and White” is predominately sable (a fawn sable color of varying shades from light gold to dark mahogany)”  The proposed change to read “”The Sable and White” is predominately sable (a fawn sable color of varying shades from light gold to dark mahogany, including sable merles which may have a merling pattern)”

By signing this petition, the following members, are in agreement with the above petition:

*****************************************************************************************************************************

This is the petition that was signed and turned into the Sect. of CCA.

Please note the proposed changes listed on the petition are just that … merely suggestions as to how the wording might be. The CCA membership will still be able to vote on any wording changes if and when it comes to that point. 

I personally think that under eyes…. We should just take out the word "BLUE".  Pretty simple I think.

First things first…… Please vote and remember the deadline is July 8th.

The original Collie standard stated that
all colours were acceptable, and that blue
eyes were permissible in merles (not just
"blue" merles). 

That standard has been changed. 

If we truly respect the "founding fathers"
of the breed, and the integrity of the standard
they worked hard to create, it would only seem
reasonable that we would seek to restore
the standard.

Accepting "all colours" and permitting blue
eyes in all "merles" is showing the utmost
respect for the intentions of the founders of
the breed,  as well as for the original Collie
breed standard.

Terry

So a long email from John Buddie on the sable Merle issue was forwarded to me from several people…..

I had it posted here and just got a call from John Buddie asking me to take the email off the blog….. and I just did.

I am sure there are LOTS of copies of his email floating around…….. because my copy had at least 75 other email addys/names on it.

For a wonderful reply to this email look at Trudy Mangels response

This email sent to me asked that I read the email and think this through…. I responded that I have thought it through and I respectfully disagree.

My thoughts on this are bottom line IF a blue eye detracts from expression then it should be so penalized to the degree that it does!!! Why are we as breeders NOT trusted to monitor ourselves in this regard???

I think that some people think that  not agreeing with the viewpoint of an elder in the breed equals disrespect. I don't see it that way. I can respect someone for their contributions to the breed and not have to blindly follow.

As for having respect for the bridges and elders….. What about the original standard of perfection that said " color is immaterial" ????????

Does listening to bridges and elders just start when the standard was changed to include colors????

Mr. Buddie sure has LOTS of fears of blue eyes and evil that will befall the Collie if the standard is changed…. I believe living life and making decisions out of fear is a sad state….

If you don't like a sable merle with a blue eye then don't put it up, don't use it, don't breed it, don't show it or buy it. That is your choice….. But a clarification needs to be made and the Sable Merle needs to be recognized in the standard just as the blue merle is….. blue eyes and all!!!

Most of the feeling I get when I read some of the "vote NO' side is….

" I have NOTHING against sable merles….. some of my best friends are sable merles"

And it really stinks!!!!!!! How long does this "don't ask don't tell " thinking and acting have to go on???????

Daneen and Ella picked up their first Standard Ex A leg today with a first place!!!!!