AKCommunicates
A Newsletter for AKC Clubs and Their Dedicated Volunteers – April 2015
President's Message
Dennis Sprung
 
April 2015 AKC Gazette President’s Letter
The American Kennel Club hosted three exciting championship events in March, crowning thirteen national champions in the sports of AKC Rally®, Obedience and Agility. Congratulations to the owners and handlers for the many hours of training I know you’ve put in to reach the pinnacle of your sport, and to AKC staff for their excellent work staging these events.

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Event Bulletin
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Event Operations FAQ
Event Operations continues to update the Conformation Frequently Asked Questions including recently adding a link on this page about the different types of Specialty events that can be held in conjunction with an All-Breed or Group Show.  Be sure to check out the Events section of the website including the Downloadable Forms and Rules & Regulations pages for the most up to date information from Event Operations and AKC!

Show Committee Seminars
Are you a new event committee member? Have you been working with the committee for some time but still have questions? Have you been the show chair for many years but aren’t sure of all the new AKC policies? If you answered yes to any of these questions the AKC Show Committee Seminar is for you!

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Taking Command
 
AKC Applauds Colorado as First State to Celebrate National Purebred Dog Day
On March 10, the Colorado House and Senate passed Joint Resolution 15-1015, making Colorado the first state to officially designate May 1 as National Purebred Dog Day.

The resolution was introduced to coincide with the Colorado Federation of Dog Clubs’ annual “Dog Days” at the Capitol in Denver. Purebred Dog lovers, celebrity show dogs, and members of Colorado kennel clubs gathered to share with legislators the special value and contributions of purebred dogs in society.
Susi Szeremy of Colorado, and creator of the National Purebred Dog Day movement, was in Capitol chambers when the resolution passed.

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AKC News
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New CGC Title Announced
Giving responsible owners a whole new level of achievement for their dogs, the American Kennel Club (AKC) announced the launch of “AKC Urban CGC” to the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) training program. The new title focuses on city-dwelling dogs and the special skills they require.

Since 1989, more than 700,000 dogs and their owners have been recognized by the CGC program, which rewards the dogs’ good manners at home and in the community. As with CGC, AKC Urban CGC requires a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Urban CGC title. AKC Urban CGC skills dogs must possess include the following.

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Club Publicity
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It’s important to send press materials to the right person. Often there are major daily, regional or weekly newspapers, three to five TV stations or affiliates and several radio stations. Reference past coverage – search for your breed or club’s name on Google News. Don’t forget your local cable TV stations as they are especially interested in community events. There are lots of websites and online guides that specialize in things to do with families or kids. Make sure these are on your contact list.

For more tips, check out page 15 of Promoting Your Club and Its Events.

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Tools and Tactics for Promoting Clubs
What are your best tips that could help other clubs to grow their show?

Nine years ago, our cluster drew entries of around 1,000 and we’ve managed to take it up to 2,000-plus dogs. It can be done! I encourage clubs to keep an open mind and to not be afraid of change.

Do the little things to make things easier and more enjoyable for the exhibitor and attendee…Visitors can drop their show ticket into a bucket to be entered into a drawing for giveaways. We try to give them something a little extra for their entrance fee. Our show also usually falls on a divisional football playoff weekend, so we put several TVs up so people can enjoy the games.

Make yourself available. I put my cell phone on our cluster website and starting about 2 ½ weeks before our show weekend, I start hearing from people. It can be a pain in the butt, but it is a personal touch and well-worth having a human talk to them.

Learn more from Dr. Alan Dorfman, Show Chairman of the Oakland County Kennel Club in our interview with him on page 55 of Promoting Your Club and Its Events.
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Kudos to Clubs
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...for promoting AKC events, activities and opportunities across the country. Recognizing and utilizing your members' particular expertise and capabilities to put your own "spin" on AKC's message points helps them go even further.

Kudos to the Capital Dog Training Club of Austin for obtaining coverage of their club’s 50th anniversary agility trial in the Killeen Daily Herald. Learn what special events they added to mark this important milestone.

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Pets Always Stay Free at Motel 6
Motel 6 is proud to be the official lodging provider of the AKC. AKC registrants receive a 10% discount at over 1,100 Motel 6 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Call the special AKC reservation number 855-M6-4DOGS and mention CP542764 to receive your savings.

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Thanks to all of the clubs that routinely generate positive media coverage. If your club has an idea or success story to share, please send it to: Stephanie Smith, Club Communications Manager, American Kennel Club, 4th Floor, 260 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016 or send us your brag in an e-mail to communications@akc.org. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
The AKC Communications Team