A Letter from Debbie Campbell, February 7, 2023
First of all, I would like to take a moment to thank you for your continued patronage to the Haute Dawgs Agility Group. This year we have 99% of our past members returning. And that means a lot given the ups and downs, ins and outs of the past several years. I would also like to reflect back on the words of one of our Past Presidents, Donna D’Amico:
Two Reasons to be a Haute Dawgs Member:
- People. People who care, people who share, people who understand just how you feel about your dog. People who are willing to help and who make all the effort we put into these sports worthwhile. People who delight in your successes and victories, people who are just plain fun and know how to have a good time.
- Love of the sport. If you enjoy fun matches and trials then you need to support the entities that offer these opportunities – you need to join an agility/nose work club. Agility and nose work are labor-intensive sports and volunteers are always needed and appreciated. Without clubs, there would be fewer matches and trials, fewer opportunities for you to do what you love – play with your dog.
These words echo strongly with me. If we do not have groups and clubs like ours, the opportunities to play with our canine companions may soon be lost.
Next, I would like to announce the upcoming, in person, membership meeting. The date set is March 4th. The location, WAG, Inc.’s Starfleet Arena in Elk Grove. There will be a Run Through Agility Course set in the Arena. The course will be set to allow the different venues opportunities to train and play with their dogs at varying levels. In addition, a couple of different Nosework stations will be set up. These may include exteriors, vehicles and / or containers. The run throughs will begin at 9:00 AM and hopefully be done by Noon. I will send out further information about signing up for runs later this week. After the run throughs, Pizza, Salad and Sodas will be ordered for lunch with a member meeting to follow.
I would like our members to put some thought into what you would like to see from the club in the future. And, what can you do to make it happen? These will be a topic of discussion at the meeting. I, personally (and I have heard many exhibitors have been asking), would like to have Nosework return as one of our venues and will be reaching out to our group members actively engaged in this venue to help me make this a reality.
Additionally, we are way overdue for a vote on our Board Members. In the next few days, the Vice President and I will be putting together an anonymous Survey Monkey voting ballot. We would like to have the vote completed prior to the Membership meeting.
Please keep checking your emails in the next few days for further details.
Let’s have FUN with our dogs,
Debbie Campbell
Acting President
Haute Dawgs Agility Group