September always seems to be a slow dog event season, except for conformation which is going strong. For me, it is a time to make sure all is going well for our upcoming club events. As I write this, I want to thank Peggy Davis and Jackie Allen for all of their hard work on the upcoming Harvest Moon Classic Specialty, to be held in Santa Rosa in October. Peggy will soon be sending out notices for Trophy donations. If you can help out, that would be great. As I’m sure you already know, we are able to provide our nice trophies due to the individuals that are sponsoring them. Your contributions are greatly appreciated. Now we need to keep our fingers crossed that our weather will be dry and hopefully sunny. I also would like to say, “Thank You”, to Don Golnick. Don does an amazing job with our monthly newsletter, we are lucky to have him! For those of you that enjoy field events, you are probably feeling the ‘crunch’ of having to find a place to work your dogs. This summer seems to have had a vendetta against dogs in the fields; fires, foxtails, heat and the rising cost of birds ha v e made it difficult . Hopefully, you can hang in there, and despite obstacles, enjoy your dogs in the field. If you are still looking for something fun to do with your dog s , you ma y be interested in this: AKC is now offering a new, “Fetch” title for dogs. For many of you, this would be a fun and easy way to have fun with your dog as well as earn more titles. Any dog can participate, you do not have to be a field dog/person. I have a cut & paste from AKC.org for you to check out: What is 

AKC Fetch? 

Welcome to AKC Fetch! When dog owners are asked about activities they like to do with their dogs, the most common responses are to take their dog for a walk and to play ball (fetch) with the dog. 

AKC Fetch titles were created as another activity in which owners could have fun with their dogs in the AKC Family Dog Program. Earning AKC Fetch titles provides opportunities for both physical and mental exercise. While some dogs are natural retrievers, AKC Fetch, especially at the advanced levels, will involve teaching new skills such as retrieving. 

AKC Fetch is designed for all breeds. 

AKC Fetch is a pass – fail noncompetitive test. The four levels of titles (Novice , Intermediate, Advanced, and Retriever) assess the ability of the dog to retrieve. In the Advanced and Retriever levels, the dog must respond correctly to signals. There is also a memory component in Advanced and Retriever because a retrie ving bumper or bal l is dropped (or thrown) behind a blind where it cannot be seen. 

For each of the four titles, the dog must pass the test twice under two different approved AKC Fetch judges. 

Dogs who are at least 6 months of age are eligible to take the AKC Fetch test as long as they are registered or enrolled with AKC and have an AKC, PAL, or AKC Canine Partners number. 

Why Participate in AKC Fetch? 

AKC Fetch provides a form of exercise for dogs and their owners. Dogs learn new skills and many handlers will learn to teach a skill (i.e., retrieving) they have not previously taught. 

AKC Fetch titles are fun to earn and can be used as a required AKC title for earning the Gold level of AKC FIT DOG. For info on AKC FIT DOG, see: https:// www.akc.org/sports/akc-family-dog-program/akc-fit-dog/ 

I first saw the Fetch Dog information on AKC. At our Annual Awards Picnic. Patty Aronica did a demonstration of what it would be like to compete for this title. I really think it is something fun many of our members would enjoy. Thank you to Patty for introducing Fetch to our club. 

ISCP-SF will be hosting a one day field trial, April 4, 2025 at Hastings Island. You can contact Cathy Michels, chair, if you have any questions. Once the premium list is completed, it will be posted on our website. I hope to see you there. 

As always, hug those red dogs! 

Sincerely, 

Sandy