American Bullmastiff Association Blog

Check out this year’s qualifiers:

http://www.bullmastiff.us/ABAMemberInfo/top20.html

Attention Bullmastiff Fanciers!  The 135th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog show will be televised on the USA network on Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 14-15, 2011 with group judging from 8-11:00 each night.  Here’s your chance to cheer on your favorite bully!  To watch bullmastiffs being judged, just go to the WKC site and see video coverage of the breed. For further information visit www.westminsterkennelclub.org.

Follow the American Bullmastiff Association on Facebook! Join other bullmastiff fanciers as we discuss the breed we love. We are always looking for new members, and this group is a great place to learn and share. Just search for the “American Bullmastiff Association” group on Facebook.

Dear Alan Kalter,

Since its founding in 1884, the American Kennel Club (AKC) has served all who are committed and dedicated not only to the sport of purebred-dogs but to all dogs. As the AKC has grown and expanded, the reach and influence of core-exhibitor breeders has expanded as well. With those breeders in mind, AKC has created the new Breeder of Merit program. It proudly honors breeder/exhibitors’ dedication and hard work as they continue to produce dogs that are healthy, capable, and beautiful. The foundation of today’s AKC, Breeders of Merit have the power to influence, guide, and teach future breeders, exhibitors, and all purebred dog owners.

AKC is excited to welcome all breeders interested in the program who meet the following requirements:

Has a history of at least 5 years involvement with AKC events.
Earned at least 4 Conformation, Performance or Companion event titles on dogs they bred/co-bred.
Member of an AKC club.
Certifies that applicable health screens are performed on the sire and dam as recommended by the Parent Club.
Demonstrates a commitment to ensuring 100% of the puppies they produce are AKC registered.
Breeders of Merit will enjoy a multitude of benefits, including:

Breeder of Merit registration applications and registration certificates featuring a special designation.
Complimentary access to online reports.
Access to the AKC Direct toll free number.
Online record support, to ensure that your records are accurate, complete, and easily accessible.
A frameable certificate of distinction, to signify your participation in the program.
Breed-specific web banners that participants can use to proudly promote their involvement in the Program.
Acknowledgement on a special page of the AKC website and in the AKC Gazette.
A Breeder of Merit Lapel pin.
And more!
For more information and a downloadable application, go to www.akc.org/breederofmerit, or send an e-mail to merit@akc.org. We hope you are as excited about the new Breeder of Merit Program as we are.

Sincerely,

David Roberts
VP, Registration Services

Register NOW for cardiac examinations at the National! These are being offered at the greatly discounted rate of $50 for an auscultation and $150 for an echo-cardiogram
(which at many clinics would cost nearly $400).

Please note: these clinics require a minimum of pre-registrants, and if our membership does not achieve these minimums, both doctors have indicated that they will be canceling. The cardiologist must have at least 20, and the ophthalmologist wants at least 50. Currently we need 38 more people to pre-register for the eye clinic, and we need 6 more to pre-register for the heart clinic

To register, contact Clearance Clinics Coordinator Jena Voehringer at 337.365.4233/ voejen@hotmail.com

We are very pleased and proud to announce a partnership between the American Bullmastiff Association and AKC Companion Animal Recovery (CAR). This long-awaited program will entitle ABA MEMBERS to purchase microchips at cost and will be a further step in helping to assure the safety and well being of our puppies and dogs.

This new relationship has its roots in the work of several ABA Boards, with involvement from the ABA Rescue Committee and its volunteers, and from the Microchip Task Force, which has been responsible for implementing the program. We are grateful to all involved that this has become a reality and I know ABA members will join in thanking them.

In order that everyone understands this new initiative, we have included a brief explanation from AKC CAR:

** ALL of the chips come with a prepaid, lifetime enrollment in the AKC CAR pet recovery service. In order for the enrollment to be activated AKC CAR must receive the completed enrollment form for each microchip number (enrollment form sent with each chip). There is no enrollment fee for ABA members using chips purchased through ABA!

Each microchip package has six (6) self-adhesive barcode labels with the microchip number attached to it. There is a clearly marked space to put one on the enrollment form. Also on the form is a tear off sheet to keep for your records and a place on it for another barcode label. There is one form per dog and AKC CAR made the form very easy to fill out. The remaining four (4) labels should be kept in a safe place for your record keeping.

Our ABA members should be aware that there is a space on AKC puppy registration papers where the AKC CAR numbers can be included. At the time of purchase, a member of the ABA Microchip Task Force will record payments and sales for the purpose of dispensing them to ABA members.

Those of you who make the decision to purchase the microchips will be responsible for implanting, recording, tracking and updating information for the dogs as needed. We want everyone to understand that this plan was born and implemented because of a program created by AKC and as a result of our shared desire to do all that we can do to protect the breed. We want to make microchips accessible, affordable and available to the membership.
In answer to some initial questions we have had, we want to assure everyone that this is an opportunity for our members and is not being implemented in an attempt at policing breeding practices and puppy sales. We offer the microchips for sale at cost, registration of the microchip and record keeping is the responsibility of the ABA member purchasing the microchip(so).

If you want to save the cost of postage, microchips will be available for purchase at the 2010 National. We have several volunteers to chip your dogs if you need or want help. Please let me know in advance if you are interested in purchasing microchips so I will have enough on hand.

The cost of each microchip is $9.96 – no enrollment fee!
Mailing cost for 1 microchip up to 12 is $4.95. Microchips are mailed in sturdy cardboard mailing boxes.

To order, make check or money order payable to: The American Bullmastiff Association and send to:

Anne Wallick
5951 Race Road NW
Strasburg, OH 44680

If you have further questions or need additional information, please feel free to call 330-447-1242 or e-mail Awlkm6@Verizon.Net

Thank you!
Anne Wallick

Hi Everyone. I wanted to let you know that I went to the Vet and got a good report. Check out my smile in the pictures! The Vet said my leg and eye look really good. He even said that I could play with my buddies now and take long walks again with Foster Mom and Dad. That was my favorite part of the visit, well except for the hugs everyone there gives me. Foster Dad tells me that I’m a good girl alot, even when I’m riding in the car or around other dogs and cats.

I know that I’m better now and I hope that means that I’ll find my forever home real soon. Even though Foster Mom and Dad keep saying that I’m gonna have to have more surgery, I’m just happy now that I can play with my furry and human buddies without being in pain.

Thanks for checking on me. XXXOOO

Here’s an update on Sophie: Sophie was x-rayed today and everything looks good. She also went through water therapy which wears her out but the therapist liked how she’s moving. She goes back in a couple of weeks for another x-ray and appointment.

At home, she puts some weight on the leg and is able to get around comfortably. Trying to keep this animal down is a challenge. If she’s in pain, she deserves an Oscar cuz she still acts like she’s just happy to be alive. Her appetite and energy level are good.

Eye also looks good. No problems to report. And by the way, she’s one hell of a dog.

–From her foster mom

Hi Everyone, It’s me, Sophie, and I’m home from the Hospital!  I’m so glad to be at home with Foster Mom and Dad and all my furry buddies.  Foster Dad says that my Leg Surgery and Eye Surgery were very serious but went really well.  The Vet says I’ll be much better now and that makes me happy.  Because I really, really, really like to play.  Did I mention that I really like to play?

I know I’m gonna have to have surgery on my other leg one day but right now I’m just happy to be at home where my Humans will take care of me and my furry buddies will check on me.

I know that lots of these Humans in the Rescue are trying to raise money for my surgeries.  They are really nice to me so I always try to be nice to them.  If you can help, I would really, really, really appreciate it.

Thanks for checking on me

3/7/10:

Hi, it’s me, Sophie and I’m getting ready for my surgery next week. I got to do my very favorite thing this weekend which is hanging out with my furry and human foster family. In fact, I got to visit my human cousins, Callie and Blaine. They’re a lot of fun to watch movies with and take walks with. I hope one day I can run and fetch the ball with them. Callie decided that I needed to be pampered so she painted my nails and I DO think that pink IS my color.
Next week, I go into the Hospital to have surgery on my knee and eye. These surgeries will correct my entropian and ruptured cruciate. I know I need surgery on both knees but we’re taking it one step at a time.
Thanks for checking in on me!