Newsletter | April 2018

Special General Meeting

We did not have finalised 2017 accounts available to present at our Annual General Meeting held in March. We now have completed 2017 accounts which require ratification by club members. We are therefore calling a Special General Meeting for this purpose at 10am on Sunday 13 May. 

We request the attendance of financial members at this meeting which is expected to take up only approximately 10 minutes of your time. 

Grading assessments for the current term will take place immediately after the meeting closes (all levels).

Mid Course Survey Results

Thank you to all who took the time to complete this survey. Congratulations to Sara, Lucia and dog Martha, who won the spot prize.

This feedback is important to the Committee and will help shape training programmes and what the Club can offer its members in the future.

Here is a brief informal summary of the results:

1. 91% reported classes started on time (ranking it 9 or above).

2. There was a spread of views as to class size with a leaning towards classes currently being too large. This issue will be looked at by the Committee to ensure class sizes are optimal for dogs and handlers to learn.

3. 73% found their trainer very approachable (ranking it 10).

4. 78% found their trainer adequately explained exercises and expectations (ranking it 7 or above).

5. All participants who received a follow up email from their trainer found it helpful, with the majority (74%) finding it extremely helpful (ranking it 10).

6. 81% found their trainer assisted them individually with training (ranking it 7 or above).

7. 70% of participants were not concerned about “down time” (ranking it 7 or above).

8. The most important thing for participants dogs to learn was to come when called, followed equally by walking on a loose lead and being “bomb proof” to common public situations. With dogs not reacting adversely to other dogs or people and stays being the least important in that order.

9. The favourite activity was learning a trick, followed by doing recalls and playing games. Stays followed by heel work were the least favourite.

Always feel free to talk to your Trainer, or a Committee Member if you have suggestions to make about how things might be improved.

Course Schedule

Good luck to all those who will be undergoing graduation assessment on Sunday 13 March. Grading for all grades will commence immediately after the Special General Meeting (see above).

Our next term will start on Sunday 20 May. To make it less hectic on our registration desk, and so we have a good idea of numbers in advance, we encourage you to re-register online.

Karen Sadler Training Seminar

As part of an on going programme of professional development for our trainers we will be having a training day with Karen Sadler of A grade Animals Dog Training on Saturday 19th May (9.30am to 4.30 pm).

If you think you might like to become a trainer with the Club or are in a senior class and would like to attend this training with our existing trainers, please email Margaret Harrop by 6th May for more details. The cost for club members will be $30. Places will be offered to outside Clubs after that date
if any spaces remain.

We will also need some dogs from Grade 1 and Grade 3/4 at times during the day for practical exercises, so please get in touch with Margaret if you and your dog wish to be involved with these. This is an ideal opportunity to have some one on one from a nationally recognised professional  trainer.

Introducing Jo Lake

Following our Annual General Meeting we welcomed 3 new members onto the committee. Below we would like to introduce Jo Lake to you.

"For five decades, our family has worked and lived with dogs from the herder, sport, non-sporting and terrier groups. Over the past 10 years I have re-homed and rehabilitated four “failed” or retired working dogs (herders).

I have a PhD in Psychology and a key focus of my personal study over those 10 years has been the study of dog behavior, intelligence, thinking, emotions and learning styles. Socialisation and training are key elements to animal welfare and rehabilitation (my
passion), and now that two of my current dogs have graduated WCOC’s grade 6 class, I have this year joined the WCOC committee to give back to the club.

With a Masters in Management, my most useful skills in the committee context have been developed from a thirty year career in management/senior management in the public, and later, the community sectors.

As a new member on the committee I am looking forward to being able to combine my interest in successful dog/ human partnerships with my professional background in building successful organisations."

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Alexandra Road, Mt Victoria, (PO Box 14 032) Wellington

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