Weekly 4-H Update: May 28, 2014

Dear Wayne County 4-H Youth, Parents, and Advisors:

Listed below are some reminders about upcoming Wayne County 4-H events and deadlines – just click the headlines for more details.  We are aware some people received the same e-mail and text messages last week several times and we are working with the State 4-H office to resolve this issue.  In the meantime we will only be sending e-mail updates and will wait to send any more large group text messages until we get the multiple message issue fixed.

Dog Clinic to be held May 29th

Time to Register for 4-H Junior Camp at Camp Ohio

June 2nd Livestock Paperwork Deadline

Important Horse Forms Due June 2nd

Wayne County 4-H Iron Chef Competition Entries Due June 2nd

Wayne County Jr. Fair Book and Entry Form Pick Up is June 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

Ohio State Fair Livestock Entry Information Now Online

Wayne County 4-H Scholarship Application Now Available Online – Applications are Due August 1st

Junior Fair Books and Entry Forms

The organizational advisor or a representative of each 4-H club should pick up Junior Fair Books and Entry Forms for each family in their club during the dates and times listed below at the Jr. Fair Office on the fairgrounds.  Any questions, please contact Jr. Fair Secretary Marcia Brueck.

Monday, June 2nd:  5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, June 3rd:  5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, June 4th: 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Ohio State Fair Jr. Livestock Exhibitors

Ohio State Fair 2014The Ohio State Fair premium book is available online for all Jr Fair exhibitor information at:
http://go.osu.edu/OSFEntries
or
www.ohiostatefair.com

To enter the 2014 Ohio State Fair, go to the website and download the information and entry forms you are interested in. Fill out the entry form(s) and mail to the Ohio State Fair Entry Department, postmarked NO LATER than June 20.

Members exhibiting through 4-H MUST HAVE an Extension employee’s signature on their entry. Those exhibiting through FFA must have their Vo-Ag Teacher’s signature.

Livestock Paperwork Deadline – June 2nd

4-H calf and hog deadline

 Sooo you may be wondering:

Why is the deadline changed?

This year since the June 1st deadline is on the weekend,
we have and will always move this deadline to the following Monday.

The Beef feeder calf form (ALL feeder calves must submit) and the Born and Raised Hog form (Breeder Declaration form) are both due Monday June 2nd at 4:30 pm into the Wayne County Extension Office located at 428 W. Liberty Street, Wooster, Ohio 44691.

If you have questions please call 330.264.8722!

Weekly 4-H Update: May 21, 2014

Dear 4-H Youth, Parents, and Volunteers:

Welcome to the Wayne County 4-H News and Notes.  This is a weekly e-mail update that our office will be sending throughout the year to keep everyone connected with Wayne County 4-H.  We will be sharing news and information about upcoming events and reminders about important deadlines.  Additionally, our office may from time to time send special messages to certain groups such as all members taking a specific project or all volunteers.  However, these messages are not necessarily 100% comprehensive of everything going on in 4-H.  In other words it is still your responsibility to know what the requirements, rules, and deadlines are for 4-H projects and activities you’re involved with.  These rules and deadlines are published in places like the Extension Office website, Jr. Fair Book, Link Newsletter, Project Guidelines, Project Books, etc.

Later this year we will send you a short web-based survey to evaluate if you find these messages helpful and if weekly is the right frequency.  In the meantime, thank you for providing us your e-mail address when you enrolled in 4-H this year and please send any comments or feedback you have on these messages to 4-H Educator Doug Foxx at foxx.2@osu.edu.

Please understand our goal is not overwhelm you with information, but simply to help keep you informed.  Most of the stories listed in these e-mail updates will be linked to stories on our Wayne County Extension Office Website or our new Wayne County 4-H Blog.  You can also stay connected with Wayne County 4-H on Facebook.

Listed below are the Wayne County 4-H News and Notes Updates for this week – simply click on the headlines to view the story:

Campers Wanted Alive: 2014 Junior Camp Registration is Now Open

Dog Massage Clinic to be held May 29, 2014

Important Dog Clinic Updates and Guidlines

Join the Wayne County 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Team

Reminder: Several Important Horse Forms Due June 1st

 

2014 Camp Registration

CampersWantedAlive

If you have seen a possible camper please approach them with caution!  They may be armed with excitement and joy when you tell them about 4-H camp!

 

Camp is open to all 4-H members and friends 8 years old and in 3rd grade through age 13 as of Jan. 1, 2014!

 

The cost for those darn whipper snappers is

$175.00 per 4-H member and $190.00 for a non 4-H member.

 Camp Registration Deadline has been extended to Friday June 20th.

A registration form is available on our website at http://go.osu.edu/WayneJrCamp !

Dog Massage Clinic to be held May 29, 2014

The Dog Committee would like to announce a special clinic on Physical Therapy and Massage for Family Pets and Competition Dogs.  The clinic will be taught by Dr. Debra Powell of Powell’s Equine and Canine Therapeutic Services.  The Clinic will be held on Thursday May 29, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. at the Secrest Arboretum Amphitheater at the OARDC.   This event was not originally part of the committee’s series of Dog Clinics this year, but the committee only recently learned that Dr. Powell (who is originally from this area, but now resides in Kentucky) would be in the area and willing to offer a clinic.  Members of the Dog Committee believe this clinic will be an excellent opportunity for Wayne County 4-H youth to learn more about how to help their dog relax and prepare for competition.

4-H members are welcome to bring their dog with them to this clinic but are asked to review and adhere to the Dog Committees Clinic Guidelines.

The GPS address for the Secrest Arboretum Amphitheater is 2122 Williams Rd. Wooster.

Below is an excerpt from Dr. Powell’s website that provides a little more information on her background and career.

Founded in 1999, Dr. Debbie Powell, CAC, CAA started with equine massage and added other therapies as she discovered their usefulness in rehabilitation and even prevention of various equine and canine injuries.

Debbie has combined a personal love for horses and dogs with her professional career. She has competed in the sport of eventing and still enjoys riding and spending time with her horses when time allows. Debbie received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Hampton University, a M.S. in equine nutrition and exercise physiology from the University of Illinois and her PhD in equine nutrition and exercise physiology from the University of Kentucky. But that’s just her professional, scientific schooling. Her training also includes therapeutic modalities. She has been a certified equine and canine massage therapist since 1995 and has become trained and experienced in a wide variety of other specialties.

Debbie’s kind, quiet demeanor allows the animal she is working with to relax so it is able to get the most out of treatment. She works out of a desire to improve the quality of life for our canine and equine companions and lives by her motto “Always do no harm, do good and love God!”

 

Important Dog Clinic Updates and Guidelines

The 4-H Dog Committee would like to thank everyone that participated in the May 13th Dog Obedience Clinic.  The committee has decided to add more sessions covering obedience topics during the already scheduled upcoming clinics on June 4th (Showmanship), June 19th (Rally), and July 14th (Canine Good Citizen).

The Dog Committee would also like to share the following guidelines that are to be followed during participation in Wayne County 4-H Dog project events such as clinics and shows.

Two Foot Rule

One of the main things we will be doing is following the “two foot rule.”  This is a rule practiced by a national therapy dog organization that states that all dogs must be kept at least two feet apart at all times.  It is our hope that the dogs will be more comfortable and we can avoid aggression issues between the dogs by not letting them interact while they are working.

 Do not let your dog sniff other dogs

We also ask that you not let your dogs sniff or interact with each other while they are working or while on the training grounds.   If you have a small dog or young dog, we want you to be especially careful to keep them a safe distance from older or bigger dogs – we want all of the dogs at the practices to have good experiences and it is our responsibility to keep all of the dogs and handlers safe!  If you are walking through a crowd of dogs with your small dog or puppy, it is often better to pick up your dog and carry it.

 Pay Attention

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR DOG AT ALL TIMES!!  Don’t get so involved talking with your friends or listening to the instructor that you forget about your dog and fail to pay attention to what is going on around you.   While it is great to get together with friends to let your dogs play, this is not a good environment to allow dogs to interact with dogs they are not familiar with.

Watch for signs of stress

In a large group of dogs, it is normal for some of the dogs to be uncomfortable, stressed or distracted – especially dogs who are not used to being in this type of situation.  Some of the signs of stress in dogs are:

1)    Being distracted and failing to follow basic commands such as “sit”

2)    Yawning

3)    Barking excessively

4)    Drooling

5)    Tense body language

6)    Constantly scanning the area and watching the other dogs rather than their handler

7)    Shaking

8)    Keeping their tails tucked between their legs

9)    Raised hackles

10)  Hiding behind the handler or refusing to move

 Stressed?  Go to quiet location for a break

If you notice your dog displaying any of these signs, please feel free to remove them from the situation and give them a chance to relax in a calm environment.  We want these practice sessions to be fun and productive for both you and your dogs.  Take your dog to a quiet location, pet them and talk to them.  Give them a couple of treats (food is a calming tool) and offer them a drink of cool water.

 Smaller Groups

We will also be splitting up the dogs into groups depending on their size, age and experience in the future.  If your dog is having trouble working in the group environment, we will try to have instructors available to help you on an individual basis.

 Socialize your dog

Remember, it is extremely important to get your dogs out to socialize on a regular basis to prepare them for the practices and the Wayne County Fair.  It is also very important to practice the obedience exercises in a calm, quiet environment on a regular basis.  Your dog is more likely to concentrate on you, at the practices, if you do not feed them prior to bringing them to the class.  It is also important to bring a high value treat to reward them with (something that they ONLY get while training – some suggestions are pieces of hotdog, cheese, chicken breast, liver, etc.)  If your dog does not like treats, try rewarding them with praise or a toy.  All dogs are different and it’s important to find a reward that works for your dog.

 Collar fitting

Please make sure that your collar fits properly.  A collar that is too big can easily come off of the dog and we don’t want a loose dog to be involved in an accident (hit by a car, dog fight, etc.)  Make sure that your collar and leash are in good working order.  Before putting them on the dog, check them to make sure they are not damaged.   If you are unsure how your collar should fit, please ask one of the instructors to check it BEFORE removing your dog from your vehicle.   Please check your 4-H book for the type of collars that you can use.  You may need to use a different type of collar for initial training than you will be using at the fair.   Not every training collar is right for every dog.  A large dog will need a different type of collar than a toy breed.  You might not want to use a chain collar on a toy breed or puppy.  If you are not sure how to use a training collar, please work with an instructor.  These collars must be used properly to be effective and to avoid injury to your dog.   A small child may need to use a different collar when working with the dog than an adult would, in order to control a large or strong dog.

Bring water for your dog

If it is hot, please bring water for your dog.  If your dog seems to be getting too hot, please take him to a shady area and offer him water.  Dogs can suffer from heat stroke in extremely hot weather.  This can be an extreme medical emergency for your dog.

Clean up after your dog

Please clean-up after your dog if it poops or vomits.  Bring plastic bags with you, clean up and place in a trash can.  Do not let your male dogs urinate/lift their legs on buildings. Use grassy areas for potty breaks.

 Exercise dog BEFORE a Clinic 

If it is at all possible exercise your dog BEFORE bringing them to class to burn off excess energy and give them an outlet for their stress.  You can come to the fairgrounds 15 – 30 minutes early and walk your dog and practice some obedience exercises or play a game of tug or fetch with them before leaving your house.  This will help your dog to be able to focus on you.  Teaching your dog attention exercises, at home, will also help you to keep his attention in the training environment and at the dog show.

 Aggression = remove from situation and report to adult in charge of Clinic/Training session

Most importantly, if your dog shows any signs of aggression towards a person or another dog, remove it from the situation.  If your dog is involved in a fight or bite incident, please report it to the person in charge of the training session, immediately.  ANY dog can become aggressive if it becomes too stressed or afraid.  It is our responsibility as good handlers to never put our dogs in a situation where an accident can occur.  Practicing the suggestions listed will help to keep everyone safe both at our practices and the Wayne County Fair.

Hopefully, these suggestions will make the training experience more enjoyable for you and your dog.  Remember, this is supposed to be FUN!  Relax and enjoy spending time with your “best friend”!!  If you have any questions, please feel free to stay after class and talk to one of the instructors.  Several of us are available to help you on an individual basis and several of the 4-H advisors have opened up their training sessions to all of the 4-H members taking the dog projects.    This is a wonderful opportunity to get additional training experience.  We are expecting a larger turn-out this year at the fair and bringing your dog to the training sessions and following the above suggestions will make showing at the fair more fun and safe for everyone!!  We look forward to seeing you at the next clinic!

Join the Wayne County 4-H Dairy Quiz Bowl Team Today

Pop Quiz!

1. What is the first milk a cow produces called? Colostrum

2. What condition is the result of a deficiency of vitamin E and selenium? White Muscle Disease

3. Under which category on the PDCA Dairy Cow Unified Scorecard is ‘rump’ located? Frame

4. Name two symptoms of laminitis (founder). Swelling, smelling, or lameness

5. Why aren’t you in dairy quiz bowl? I don’t know! 

Quiz bowl isn’t just memorizing questions and answers to recite – it’s learning more about the topics that interest you most, and gaining practical knowledge to use when working with cattle and around the farm. Quiz bowl topics cover nutrition, reproduction, genetics, management, diseases, and welfare, and you’re guaranteed to learn something new at each practice.

While competing at the state contest is the end goal, the result is so much more than a medal. You’ll learn skills and take away knowledge that you can use when showing your animals at the fair or when you’re at home in the barn. Quiz bowl helps build knowledge bases that can be used in biology courses, science classes, and veterinary fields.

Three past Wayne county quiz bowl teams have gone on to win at the NAILE Dairy Quiz Bowl contest, and many others have been winners at the state level in both junior and senior contests. Wayne county has a reputation for excellence in dairy quiz bowl, and we hope that you’ll be a part of building that reputation even more.

Our practices are held every Sunday at 1:30 p.m., in the Ohio Holstein office on Heyl Road in Wooster, and the state contest will be held on June 17, 2014 in Columbus. Come ready to learn, and leave with knowledge you can use every day.

Contact Lisa Gress with questions, for more information, or to let her know if you’re planning to attend! We hope to see you next Sunday.

Lisa Gress

330-231-0284

randroliver@aol.com

Reminder: Several Important Horse Forms Due June 1st

There are several important Horse forms due on June 1st.  The forms are all included in the 2014 Wayne County 4-H Horse Packet, which is available online.  The forms due June 1st are the:

  1. Horse ID Forms (both the sketch and the new form with a color 4×6 photo of the left-side view and a 4×6 color photo of the front view of the horse)
  2. Permission to Participate in 4-H Horse Activities Disclosure and Release of Claims Form
  3. PAS Qualifying Show Entry Form
  4. Horse Lease Agreements
  5. Page 35 of publication 191R – Horses, Safety, and You (for first year members)

Since June 1st is a Sunday, forms will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Monday June 2nd.