16.11.2023 - Presentation to the Royal Kennel Club - 150th Anniversary
During a small ceremony at the Royal Kennel Club in London on Thursday 16th November 2023, Frank Borg, Chairman of the Maltese National Canine Federation presented Mr.Tony Alcock OBE, Chairman of the Kennel Club, with a traditional silver Maltese boat for the occasion of the RKC’s 150th Anniversary. During the presentation, Frank Borg said that the Maltese boat, known locally as the Dghajsa tal-Latini, was used extensively in the late 19th Century up to the early 20th century to ferry people and goods between the Maltese Islands. Therefore, he thought it was appropriate for this occasion as apart from being purely a Maltese souvenir, the boat is a symbol of a journey, and today we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Royal Kennel Club, a never ending journey that shall see the greatest Kennel Club in the World keep on sailing into the future, safeguarding the future of pedigree dogs. This occasion also confirms the strong and special relationship between the two organizations, which he hopes will keep its strength in the years to come. This gift is now on display with many other works of art at the Royal Kennel Club in London.
During a small ceremony at the Royal Kennel Club in London on Thursday 16th November 2023, Frank Borg, Chairman of the Maltese National Canine Federation presented Mr.Tony Alcock OBE, Chairman of the Kennel Club, with a traditional silver Maltese boat for the occasion of the RKC’s 150th Anniversary. During the presentation, Frank Borg said that the Maltese boat, known locally as the Dghajsa tal-Latini, was used extensively in the late 19th Century up to the early 20th century to ferry people and goods between the Maltese Islands. Therefore, he thought it was appropriate for this occasion as apart from being purely a Maltese souvenir, the boat is a symbol of a journey, and today we are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Royal Kennel Club, a never ending journey that shall see the greatest Kennel Club in the World keep on sailing into the future, safeguarding the future of pedigree dogs. This occasion also confirms the strong and special relationship between the two organizations, which he hopes will keep its strength in the years to come. This gift is now on display with many other works of art at the Royal Kennel Club in London.
Obituary - Joe Pace - 02/10/2023
On Tuesday the 6th September 2022, another Milestone was reached when the Maltese National Canine Federation, in a joint venture with the Malta Canine Society, signed the contract for the purchase of their office in Hamrun which was on lease to the Malta Canine Society since 1985. The contract was signed on behalf of the MNCF by President Charles Portelli and Secretary Raymond Borg and by Frank Borg, Secretary of the Malta Canine Society, MCS Treasurer Edwin Micallef and MCS President Frankie Borg and by Mr. Gaston Agius Fernandez and Ms. Bertha Tabone who appeared on behalf of the property owners. The contract was signed at Notary Dr.Naomi Mugliett's office in Lija. Therefore, from that date, the property in Hamrun became the property in equal shares of the MNCF and the MCS.
On the 31st August 2022, The Maltese National Canine Federation was successfully accepted as a registered Voluntary Organisation with the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.
March 2020 - Paula Cuschieri, Malta's Junior Handler of the Year of 2019, was presented with a beautiful trophy sponsored by Birdbrook Rosettes Ltd. Mr.Charles Allen, Managing Director of Birdbrook, presented the Trophy in the presence of MNCF Chairman, Mr. Frank Borg. The Trophy is in the form of a chain link, which symbolizes the link of the present Dog World with the future of dog shows.
SEMINARS: On the 12th November 2018, the MNCF organized two seminars for it's members, the Conformation & Movement Seminar and the Puppy Development Seminar. The very interesting seminars was conducted by one of the U.K's top judges trainer and tutor Mrs. Christina Chapman. An encouraging number of 46 members attended these seminars which were held at the San Benedittu School in Kirkop. All participants were given Kennel Club (U.K) accredited certificates of attendance
Posted 03.07.2017 - Frank Borg, Chairman of The Maltese National Canine Federation, represented Malta at the World Congress Of Kennel Clubs, organized by the Kennel Club, (U.K), in London, between the 27th - 29th June 2017.
Thirty Nations attend International Congress of Kennel Clubs in LondonSeventy delegates, speakers from six countries
Promoting pedigree dogs in the modern era, the challenges posed by social media and the need to encourage the next generation of dog enthusiasts were common threads running through presentations at the 2017 International Congress of Kennel Clubs hosted by the Kennel Club in London.
Thirty nations were represented at this event held on June 28th-29th at the Kennel Club’s headquarters in Mayfair. Speakers were drawn from six countries – the UK, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, the Philippines and Sweden.
Opening the proceedings, Kennel Club Chairman Simon Luxmoore welcomed the 70 delegates to the UK and the congress. It was his task to give the first presentation and his subject was ‘The process of establishing strategic objectives: are there common objectives?’ He gave a brief overview of the operations of the Kennel Club, pointing out that, with an annual turnover of £20m and a membership of just 1,300, the club occupies a unique position on the global canine stage.
He explained that the KC’s own strategic objectives had been updated at the beginning of 2016 having remained the same since 2002. The KC Board and senior staff were both more aligned as a result, he said, as well as due to recent changes in governance which promoted further transparency.
Discussion on this topic centred around the various products and services offered by kennel clubs and how these could be best measured against objectives. Having a strong business plan was vital, it was emphasised.
The next speaker was Bob Rowbotham, Chairman of the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC). His subject was ‘Dog ownership: global trends and the impact of government legislation’ and he gave an overview of CKC history and activities. CKC was incorporated in 1888 by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under the Animal Pedigree Act (APA) which means that all puppies bred by CKC’s 20,000 members must be registered with CKC.
Some of the issues he identified as common to a number of kennel clubs included declining puppy registrations, aging membership, counterproductive legislation, consumer demands, globalisation, breeding practices and competitive forces. Strategies designed to mitigate problems, he said, could include attracting new members, improving services, diversification, increasing awareness and updating systems.
Discussion on this topic centred around how kennel clubs could tackle proposed draconian legislation and encouraging young people to become more involved in dog activities. Improving the services offered to existing members was also discussed and, in this respect, Mr Rowbotham had spoken about proposed enhancements to the CKC website, including a facility whereby owners could upload photos and health certificates to their own dogs’ records, and this was well received by a number of delegates who felt that similar ideas would be attractive to their members. Data protection laws can be a hindrance to sharing information in some countries, it was pointed out.
Germany’s Christofer Habig was the next speaker. He is a consultant to the German Kennel Club (VDH) of which he was formerly chairman. His subject was ‘Knowledge transfer’, an ongoing strategic project on the role of dog people in society; what they stand for, what life with dogs is all about and who dog people need to target in order to make a difference. Current trends include dog people being less influential than ‘people with dogs’, and people starting a career in dogs before gaining the required knowledge. In years gone by, the opposite was true in both cases, he said.
Mr Habig held out the idea that the previous generation of dog people had not succeeded in its duty of passing on its knowledge to the current generation and that, in turn, the next generation will suffer a similar fate, but it is not too late. “Have we done enough to pass on our knowledge to other breeders, other judges, other dog people? I don’t think we have”, he said.
Mentoring is an excellent way of passing knowledge from one generation to the next, he said, and new digital technology could be a means to promoting breeds as ‘brands’. International cooperation was also crucial in this process, he said, and events such as the international congress could only be a force for good in this respect.
Discussion on this subject centred around modern educational tools such as the Kennel Club Academy, the power of television and other media, the need to nurture specialist judges and the importance of each kennel club increasing its profile in its own country so that the general public regard it as the first port of call on all matters relating to dogs. There was general agreement that this had to be positive,
Kennel Club Board Member Gerald King was the next speaker. He spoke on the Young Kennel Club (YKC), a subject close to his heart as chairman of that organisation. The YKC began life as the Kennel Club Junior Organisation in 1985 and is today the largest youth organisation for dog activities in the UK. Its mission is to engage and support young people in all dog related activities by providing an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme centred on a love of dogs.
Mr King explained that the core values of the YKC are education, care, responsibility and fun. Owning and caring for a dog is the perfect starting point in a young person’s social development and as an organisation the YKC recognises this and develops not only their interest in dogs, but their personal and professional lives, he said. Three key YKC initiatives which support this development are youth development courses, volunteering opportunities and work experience programmes. There could be room for an international canine youth organisation, he suggested.
At this point, two former YKC members who are now permanent members of KC staff, Charlotte McNamara (Health Education and Engagement Manager) and Alex Paisey (Events Coordinator), were invited to share their experiences of being a YKC member and also taking part in volunteering and work experience programmes. Discussion on this topic centred around the need worldwide to not only attract young people into dog activities but also how best to retain them once they were older and had other interests as well.
Kennel Club Board Member Jeff Horswell was the next speaker. He spoke on the education of judges, mentioning the traditional system of judge progression in the UK based largely on peer review and the ‘numbers game’ of the accumulation of dogs and classes judged over a number of years. The emphasis changed in 1999, he said, with a number of initiatives introduced by the Judges Working Party including the Judges Development Programme which helped to promote multi-breed judges.
In 2019, the emphasis will change even further, Mr Horswell said, due to the launch of the Judges Competency Programme, which has talent and the application of learning at its core. Judges will now progress though a logical sequence of education, mentoring, observed judging and assessment. An advanced judging course was being developed through working with the Finnish Kennel Club, he announced, and it was hoped this collaboration would be ongoing.
Discussion on this topic concentrated on the possibility of global breed standards, the importance of mentors, the qualities required in order to be a competent judge and succession policies where there are problems bringing on younger judges.
The first speaker on the second day was Gopi Krishnan, president of the Malaysian Kennel Association (MKA). His presentation was entitled ‘Communication and public relations – pedigree dogs’ and he showed a number of television commercials aired over different eras to emphasise how the perception of the importance of pedigree dogs has changed over the years. It was important for the dog world to know who its detractors were, he emphasised, as this could help shape counter-strategy.
Social media is a very powerful medium and, used wisely, can reach a lot of people, Mr Krishnan said. He gave examples of the work being done to promote the work of kennel clubs online, but much of it revolved around dog shows, which was a missed opportunity in his opinion as more emphasis could be placed on promoting pedigree dogs. The American Kennel Club (AKC) was held out as an example of an organisation being very proactive in this respect with hundreds of clips of pedigree dogs on YouTube and other platforms.
Discussion on this topic concentrated on social media as a very effective way of reaching out to the next generation of dog owners, the use of celebrities in public relations work, social responsibility, the possibility of working with detractors in the hope of reaching some common ground and the need to stop fixating on dog shows as the only canine activity and source of potential new members.
Dinky Santos of the Philippines was the next speaker. He is president of the FCI Asia and South Pacific region and spoke on social media. Used in a positive way, this method of communication is an effective way of keeping in touch with old friends and can also be used to recruit new members and share photographs, he said. A huge advantage for the user is the fact that platforms such as Facebook are free of charge, giving clubs with limited resources a very accessible way of promoting their services and events.
However, he said, social media can also have negative consequences such as exhibitors arguing online or even trying to influence judges. It was pointed out that the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) has regulations regarding the use of social media which are quite effective as they attract peer review. Some examples were cited of the extensive and positive work being done by AKC in regard to the promotion of pedigree dogs on Facebook and other platforms – it was felt that other kennel clubs could benefit from AKC’s expertise in this area.
Discussion on this topic centred around the laws of libel, crisis management when a negative dog story spreads like ‘wildfire’, the need for codes of conduct and the fact that social media can be used in a positive way to reach large audiences and potential new members and puppy buyers.
The next presentation was given jointly by Steve Croxford, Kennel Club Vice Chairman, and Dr Jacqueline Boyd, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Their subject was ‘Activities: health and welfare’ and Mr Croxford began by giving an outline of the work and aims of the Activities Health and Welfare Group which exists to enable the Kennel Club to take active steps to prevent injuries in canine activities.
Partnership opportunities have arisen as a result of the Activities Health and Welfare Group working with academic institutions such as Nottingham University, Surrey University and NTU. Dr Boyd then spoke about the facilities available at NTU including a veterinary nursing centre and animal unit. A ‘canine centre’ is in the formative stages and it is hoped to have a permanent building for this facility in the future, she said. The aim is to improve and inspire the human/dog interaction which can be done in a number of ways including recognising the therapeutic and companionship value of dogs.
Discussion points on this topic centred on behavioural research, countering perceptions that some canine sports are ‘cruel’, the possibility of having some activities recognised as official sports and the need to share the results of research.
Dr Pekka Olson, a vet and president of the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK), gave the next presentation, ‘Dog breeding: health and welfare’. He outlined the opportunities and challenges in the breeding of dogs including aiming for better health and making use of newly-developed DNA tests. He then spoke about the SKK which registers 70 per cent of Sweden’s puppies annually, a country with next to no stray dog problem and with a large proportion of dogs having veterinary insurance cover.
He outlined breeding goals such as health, temperament and trainability and also spoke about the collecting, recording and sharing of health data. Having a well-defined health plan and/or breeding strategy can also be beneficial, he said. The SKK has a lot of health information on its website such as Estimated Breeding Values, veterinary records, breeding statistics and instructions for judges of ‘high profile’ breeds.
International cooperation for the improvement of dog health was vital, he said before giving an outline of the aims and work of the International Partnership For Dogs (IPFD) of which he is chairman. The IPFD has a number of member bodies including the Kennel Club and SKK and holds international workshops on a regular basis – the most recent one was held by the Société Centrale Canine in Paris in April and the next one will be hosted in the UK in 2019.
Discussion on this topic centred on behavioural tests, the pros and cons of compulsory health testing, the need to strike a balance between making sure dogs are healthy while not losing sight of the importance of other breeding qualities, the link between health and breed type, collecting the correct data, encouraging breeders through education and the need to breed away from exaggeration.
As this was the final presentation, Mr Luxmoore moved a vote of thanks for all the speakers before asking the Kennel Club’s CEO Rosemary Smart to say a few words about the International Canine Health Awards which are now in their fifth year and recognise researchers and veterinary scientists whose work has positively impacted on canine healthcare. The prize funds are supported by the Vernon and Shirley Hill Foundation and the scheme is administered by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust – this year a total of £65,000 was awarded including £15,000 to UK undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Mr Luxmoore then thanked all the delegates for their attendance before presenting gifts to the speakers at which point Mr Croxford thanked Kennel Club Secretary Caroline Kisko and her team as well as Mr Luxmoore for the enormous amount of work involved in putting on an event such as this. “Thank you for an excellent two days of talks”, Mr Croxford added.
In a joint statement issued after the congress, Gopi Krishnan (MKA), Gina DiNardo (AKC), Dr Pekka Olson (SKK) and Brian Parker (ANKC) said: “Over two days, kennel clubs from around the world met to discuss their operations, policies, procedures and long-term goals for the success of their respective organisations and for the future of pedigree dogs. The conference was conducted in an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship. Attendees shared ideas about how to best promote the purchase, breeding and responsible owning of purpose-bred pedigree dogs. There was a true sense that united we could join forces and work together more effectively.
“The Kennel Club is to be applauded for taking the lead to invite all kennel clubs from around the world – including the FCI, KC, AKC, ANKC and CKC – to meet up and take a look at how we currently do things to promote pedigree dogs and where our shortcomings and strengths lie. The topics chosen for discussion proved interesting and stimulated some much-needed conversation, soul searching and reflection on the state of kennel clubs around the world. There was a good variety of subjects covered – everything from health and judging to social media, strategic objectives, public relations and beyond. The congress also gave many the opportunity to see the strengths that certain individual clubs had and the manner in which they worked, that could be shared and emulated by others.
“In relaxed and confidential surroundings, sensitive issues facing our kennel clubs were discussed freely, openly and honestly. There was good open and in-depth discussion after every topic that was presented and many clubs left with the sense of having had the opportunity to get a glimpse into what others were doing and more importantly how they could solicit that knowledge and start to work more as one global unit.
“It was comforting to know that globally we face the same issues and this conference certainly got many reaching out for help, and reassured knowing that many were willing to share their experience. Ultimately promoting and working more effectively for pedigree dogs across all the topics that were presented was the aim of every kennel club.
“The congress certainly gave us a much needed new solid platform and inspiration to get back to basics, arm in arm with other canine organisations across the globe, with a renewed purpose and focus to serve our best friend the dog even more successfully.”
The Kennel Club
Thirty Nations attend International Congress of Kennel Clubs in LondonSeventy delegates, speakers from six countries
Promoting pedigree dogs in the modern era, the challenges posed by social media and the need to encourage the next generation of dog enthusiasts were common threads running through presentations at the 2017 International Congress of Kennel Clubs hosted by the Kennel Club in London.
Thirty nations were represented at this event held on June 28th-29th at the Kennel Club’s headquarters in Mayfair. Speakers were drawn from six countries – the UK, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, the Philippines and Sweden.
Opening the proceedings, Kennel Club Chairman Simon Luxmoore welcomed the 70 delegates to the UK and the congress. It was his task to give the first presentation and his subject was ‘The process of establishing strategic objectives: are there common objectives?’ He gave a brief overview of the operations of the Kennel Club, pointing out that, with an annual turnover of £20m and a membership of just 1,300, the club occupies a unique position on the global canine stage.
He explained that the KC’s own strategic objectives had been updated at the beginning of 2016 having remained the same since 2002. The KC Board and senior staff were both more aligned as a result, he said, as well as due to recent changes in governance which promoted further transparency.
Discussion on this topic centred around the various products and services offered by kennel clubs and how these could be best measured against objectives. Having a strong business plan was vital, it was emphasised.
The next speaker was Bob Rowbotham, Chairman of the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC). His subject was ‘Dog ownership: global trends and the impact of government legislation’ and he gave an overview of CKC history and activities. CKC was incorporated in 1888 by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada under the Animal Pedigree Act (APA) which means that all puppies bred by CKC’s 20,000 members must be registered with CKC.
Some of the issues he identified as common to a number of kennel clubs included declining puppy registrations, aging membership, counterproductive legislation, consumer demands, globalisation, breeding practices and competitive forces. Strategies designed to mitigate problems, he said, could include attracting new members, improving services, diversification, increasing awareness and updating systems.
Discussion on this topic centred around how kennel clubs could tackle proposed draconian legislation and encouraging young people to become more involved in dog activities. Improving the services offered to existing members was also discussed and, in this respect, Mr Rowbotham had spoken about proposed enhancements to the CKC website, including a facility whereby owners could upload photos and health certificates to their own dogs’ records, and this was well received by a number of delegates who felt that similar ideas would be attractive to their members. Data protection laws can be a hindrance to sharing information in some countries, it was pointed out.
Germany’s Christofer Habig was the next speaker. He is a consultant to the German Kennel Club (VDH) of which he was formerly chairman. His subject was ‘Knowledge transfer’, an ongoing strategic project on the role of dog people in society; what they stand for, what life with dogs is all about and who dog people need to target in order to make a difference. Current trends include dog people being less influential than ‘people with dogs’, and people starting a career in dogs before gaining the required knowledge. In years gone by, the opposite was true in both cases, he said.
Mr Habig held out the idea that the previous generation of dog people had not succeeded in its duty of passing on its knowledge to the current generation and that, in turn, the next generation will suffer a similar fate, but it is not too late. “Have we done enough to pass on our knowledge to other breeders, other judges, other dog people? I don’t think we have”, he said.
Mentoring is an excellent way of passing knowledge from one generation to the next, he said, and new digital technology could be a means to promoting breeds as ‘brands’. International cooperation was also crucial in this process, he said, and events such as the international congress could only be a force for good in this respect.
Discussion on this subject centred around modern educational tools such as the Kennel Club Academy, the power of television and other media, the need to nurture specialist judges and the importance of each kennel club increasing its profile in its own country so that the general public regard it as the first port of call on all matters relating to dogs. There was general agreement that this had to be positive,
Kennel Club Board Member Gerald King was the next speaker. He spoke on the Young Kennel Club (YKC), a subject close to his heart as chairman of that organisation. The YKC began life as the Kennel Club Junior Organisation in 1985 and is today the largest youth organisation for dog activities in the UK. Its mission is to engage and support young people in all dog related activities by providing an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme centred on a love of dogs.
Mr King explained that the core values of the YKC are education, care, responsibility and fun. Owning and caring for a dog is the perfect starting point in a young person’s social development and as an organisation the YKC recognises this and develops not only their interest in dogs, but their personal and professional lives, he said. Three key YKC initiatives which support this development are youth development courses, volunteering opportunities and work experience programmes. There could be room for an international canine youth organisation, he suggested.
At this point, two former YKC members who are now permanent members of KC staff, Charlotte McNamara (Health Education and Engagement Manager) and Alex Paisey (Events Coordinator), were invited to share their experiences of being a YKC member and also taking part in volunteering and work experience programmes. Discussion on this topic centred around the need worldwide to not only attract young people into dog activities but also how best to retain them once they were older and had other interests as well.
Kennel Club Board Member Jeff Horswell was the next speaker. He spoke on the education of judges, mentioning the traditional system of judge progression in the UK based largely on peer review and the ‘numbers game’ of the accumulation of dogs and classes judged over a number of years. The emphasis changed in 1999, he said, with a number of initiatives introduced by the Judges Working Party including the Judges Development Programme which helped to promote multi-breed judges.
In 2019, the emphasis will change even further, Mr Horswell said, due to the launch of the Judges Competency Programme, which has talent and the application of learning at its core. Judges will now progress though a logical sequence of education, mentoring, observed judging and assessment. An advanced judging course was being developed through working with the Finnish Kennel Club, he announced, and it was hoped this collaboration would be ongoing.
Discussion on this topic concentrated on the possibility of global breed standards, the importance of mentors, the qualities required in order to be a competent judge and succession policies where there are problems bringing on younger judges.
The first speaker on the second day was Gopi Krishnan, president of the Malaysian Kennel Association (MKA). His presentation was entitled ‘Communication and public relations – pedigree dogs’ and he showed a number of television commercials aired over different eras to emphasise how the perception of the importance of pedigree dogs has changed over the years. It was important for the dog world to know who its detractors were, he emphasised, as this could help shape counter-strategy.
Social media is a very powerful medium and, used wisely, can reach a lot of people, Mr Krishnan said. He gave examples of the work being done to promote the work of kennel clubs online, but much of it revolved around dog shows, which was a missed opportunity in his opinion as more emphasis could be placed on promoting pedigree dogs. The American Kennel Club (AKC) was held out as an example of an organisation being very proactive in this respect with hundreds of clips of pedigree dogs on YouTube and other platforms.
Discussion on this topic concentrated on social media as a very effective way of reaching out to the next generation of dog owners, the use of celebrities in public relations work, social responsibility, the possibility of working with detractors in the hope of reaching some common ground and the need to stop fixating on dog shows as the only canine activity and source of potential new members.
Dinky Santos of the Philippines was the next speaker. He is president of the FCI Asia and South Pacific region and spoke on social media. Used in a positive way, this method of communication is an effective way of keeping in touch with old friends and can also be used to recruit new members and share photographs, he said. A huge advantage for the user is the fact that platforms such as Facebook are free of charge, giving clubs with limited resources a very accessible way of promoting their services and events.
However, he said, social media can also have negative consequences such as exhibitors arguing online or even trying to influence judges. It was pointed out that the Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC) has regulations regarding the use of social media which are quite effective as they attract peer review. Some examples were cited of the extensive and positive work being done by AKC in regard to the promotion of pedigree dogs on Facebook and other platforms – it was felt that other kennel clubs could benefit from AKC’s expertise in this area.
Discussion on this topic centred around the laws of libel, crisis management when a negative dog story spreads like ‘wildfire’, the need for codes of conduct and the fact that social media can be used in a positive way to reach large audiences and potential new members and puppy buyers.
The next presentation was given jointly by Steve Croxford, Kennel Club Vice Chairman, and Dr Jacqueline Boyd, Senior Lecturer in Animal Science at Nottingham Trent University (NTU). Their subject was ‘Activities: health and welfare’ and Mr Croxford began by giving an outline of the work and aims of the Activities Health and Welfare Group which exists to enable the Kennel Club to take active steps to prevent injuries in canine activities.
Partnership opportunities have arisen as a result of the Activities Health and Welfare Group working with academic institutions such as Nottingham University, Surrey University and NTU. Dr Boyd then spoke about the facilities available at NTU including a veterinary nursing centre and animal unit. A ‘canine centre’ is in the formative stages and it is hoped to have a permanent building for this facility in the future, she said. The aim is to improve and inspire the human/dog interaction which can be done in a number of ways including recognising the therapeutic and companionship value of dogs.
Discussion points on this topic centred on behavioural research, countering perceptions that some canine sports are ‘cruel’, the possibility of having some activities recognised as official sports and the need to share the results of research.
Dr Pekka Olson, a vet and president of the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK), gave the next presentation, ‘Dog breeding: health and welfare’. He outlined the opportunities and challenges in the breeding of dogs including aiming for better health and making use of newly-developed DNA tests. He then spoke about the SKK which registers 70 per cent of Sweden’s puppies annually, a country with next to no stray dog problem and with a large proportion of dogs having veterinary insurance cover.
He outlined breeding goals such as health, temperament and trainability and also spoke about the collecting, recording and sharing of health data. Having a well-defined health plan and/or breeding strategy can also be beneficial, he said. The SKK has a lot of health information on its website such as Estimated Breeding Values, veterinary records, breeding statistics and instructions for judges of ‘high profile’ breeds.
International cooperation for the improvement of dog health was vital, he said before giving an outline of the aims and work of the International Partnership For Dogs (IPFD) of which he is chairman. The IPFD has a number of member bodies including the Kennel Club and SKK and holds international workshops on a regular basis – the most recent one was held by the Société Centrale Canine in Paris in April and the next one will be hosted in the UK in 2019.
Discussion on this topic centred on behavioural tests, the pros and cons of compulsory health testing, the need to strike a balance between making sure dogs are healthy while not losing sight of the importance of other breeding qualities, the link between health and breed type, collecting the correct data, encouraging breeders through education and the need to breed away from exaggeration.
As this was the final presentation, Mr Luxmoore moved a vote of thanks for all the speakers before asking the Kennel Club’s CEO Rosemary Smart to say a few words about the International Canine Health Awards which are now in their fifth year and recognise researchers and veterinary scientists whose work has positively impacted on canine healthcare. The prize funds are supported by the Vernon and Shirley Hill Foundation and the scheme is administered by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust – this year a total of £65,000 was awarded including £15,000 to UK undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Mr Luxmoore then thanked all the delegates for their attendance before presenting gifts to the speakers at which point Mr Croxford thanked Kennel Club Secretary Caroline Kisko and her team as well as Mr Luxmoore for the enormous amount of work involved in putting on an event such as this. “Thank you for an excellent two days of talks”, Mr Croxford added.
In a joint statement issued after the congress, Gopi Krishnan (MKA), Gina DiNardo (AKC), Dr Pekka Olson (SKK) and Brian Parker (ANKC) said: “Over two days, kennel clubs from around the world met to discuss their operations, policies, procedures and long-term goals for the success of their respective organisations and for the future of pedigree dogs. The conference was conducted in an atmosphere of camaraderie and friendship. Attendees shared ideas about how to best promote the purchase, breeding and responsible owning of purpose-bred pedigree dogs. There was a true sense that united we could join forces and work together more effectively.
“The Kennel Club is to be applauded for taking the lead to invite all kennel clubs from around the world – including the FCI, KC, AKC, ANKC and CKC – to meet up and take a look at how we currently do things to promote pedigree dogs and where our shortcomings and strengths lie. The topics chosen for discussion proved interesting and stimulated some much-needed conversation, soul searching and reflection on the state of kennel clubs around the world. There was a good variety of subjects covered – everything from health and judging to social media, strategic objectives, public relations and beyond. The congress also gave many the opportunity to see the strengths that certain individual clubs had and the manner in which they worked, that could be shared and emulated by others.
“In relaxed and confidential surroundings, sensitive issues facing our kennel clubs were discussed freely, openly and honestly. There was good open and in-depth discussion after every topic that was presented and many clubs left with the sense of having had the opportunity to get a glimpse into what others were doing and more importantly how they could solicit that knowledge and start to work more as one global unit.
“It was comforting to know that globally we face the same issues and this conference certainly got many reaching out for help, and reassured knowing that many were willing to share their experience. Ultimately promoting and working more effectively for pedigree dogs across all the topics that were presented was the aim of every kennel club.
“The congress certainly gave us a much needed new solid platform and inspiration to get back to basics, arm in arm with other canine organisations across the globe, with a renewed purpose and focus to serve our best friend the dog even more successfully.”
The Kennel Club
Posted 19.03.2015
The Maltese National Canine Federation's Chairman, Frank Borg, was invited by the Kennel Club's (U.K) to present the Gundog Group Trophy at Crufts 2015. Another milestone for our Federation since this shows the close relationship that exists with the K.C.
Posted 14.04.2014
SEMINAR REGARDING THE NEW LAWS & LEGISLATIONS REGARDING DOG BREEDERS
The Maltese National Canine Federation is holding an information seminar for all those interested regarding the new legislations now in force regarding the sale of dogs in pet shops and also about the forthcoming legislation on dog breeders.
Speaking during this meeting will be:
• Dr.Roberto Andrea Balbo, Acting Directory General of the Veterinary and Animal
Welfare Department.
• Mr. Emmanuel Buhagiar, Secretary of the Animal Welfare Council
• Joseph John Vella – Director of Animal Welfare, Promotion and Services.
During this meeting, the above mentioned speakers will give details of these new legislations and how they will affect the dog breeder in general.
This meeting will be taking place on Tuesday 22nd April 2014, at 7.00pm, at the Kullegg San Gorg Preca – Maria Assumpta Girls Secondary School, Hamrun. (See map attached)
May we urge all those attending to be there at least by 6.45pm as the meeting will commence at 7.00pm sharp. Entrance from the gate opposite Maypole Confectionery.
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SEMINAR REGARDING THE NEW LAWS & LEGISLATIONS REGARDING DOG BREEDERS
The Maltese National Canine Federation is holding an information seminar for all those interested regarding the new legislations now in force regarding the sale of dogs in pet shops and also about the forthcoming legislation on dog breeders.
Speaking during this meeting will be:
• Dr.Roberto Andrea Balbo, Acting Directory General of the Veterinary and Animal
Welfare Department.
• Mr. Emmanuel Buhagiar, Secretary of the Animal Welfare Council
• Joseph John Vella – Director of Animal Welfare, Promotion and Services.
During this meeting, the above mentioned speakers will give details of these new legislations and how they will affect the dog breeder in general.
This meeting will be taking place on Tuesday 22nd April 2014, at 7.00pm, at the Kullegg San Gorg Preca – Maria Assumpta Girls Secondary School, Hamrun. (See map attached)
May we urge all those attending to be there at least by 6.45pm as the meeting will commence at 7.00pm sharp. Entrance from the gate opposite Maypole Confectionery.
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Posted 15.09.2013
The Maltese National Canine Federation endorses Dogs Trust Malta's Puppy Plan.
Dogs Trust Malta, with the backing of the Maltese Canine National Federation are excited to bring you:
The Puppy Plan
In the last four years, Dogs Trust Malta (forming part of the UK’s largest dog welfare charity) have concentrated their efforts in providing people with information and means to neuter their dogs in order to reduce the number of unwanted litters that continuously populate the rescue shelters. This has applied to those who do not wish to breed their dogs, cannot afford to do so or have questionable reasons for breeding.
The worrying trend recently is that even abandoned purebreds are on the rise. Our most recent campaign showed that many behaviour problems encountered by owners could have been easily prevented in the first 8 weeks of the dog’s life. This coupled with some unscrupulous breeding has meant that some breeds have been overbred and are losing their prestige.
In order to curb this, Dogs Trust will be launching The Puppy Plan in Malta, following its successful launch in theUK which is now part of the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeders Scheme. In working with the local breeders we aim to raise the standard and in so doing discourage amateurs from breeding irresponsibly who have poor standards both in socialisation and their breeding stock. This has cast a negative light on breeders, even the most responsible and ethical ones which is unfair. By following the Puppy Plan, which is a comprehensive step-by –step socialisation and habituation programme for the puppy’s first 16 weeks of life, new owners are assured of best practices and the value of these pups will rise, thus giving little opportunity to back yard breeders to make business. We would like to launch this nationwide campaign to potential new owners in the New Year. It is therefore envisaged that the next few months will be useful for professional breeders to put this plan into action.
Dogs Trust Malta would like to extend an invitation to all professional breeders to attend a one day seminar, packed with interesting facts which can help your practice be more efficient, lucrative and competitive. Dogs TrustMalta together with the Maltese Canine National Federation are organising this one day seminar in October FREE of charge to the Maltese Canine National Federation.
Please find the details of the Puppy Plan and registration form by clicking HERE. All applications must be submitted by Friday 20th September 2013.
We look forward to welcoming you in person.
Kind regards,
Sarah De Cesare Dunkerley
Head of Dogs Trust Malta
The Maltese National Canine Federation endorses Dogs Trust Malta's Puppy Plan.
Dogs Trust Malta, with the backing of the Maltese Canine National Federation are excited to bring you:
The Puppy Plan
In the last four years, Dogs Trust Malta (forming part of the UK’s largest dog welfare charity) have concentrated their efforts in providing people with information and means to neuter their dogs in order to reduce the number of unwanted litters that continuously populate the rescue shelters. This has applied to those who do not wish to breed their dogs, cannot afford to do so or have questionable reasons for breeding.
The worrying trend recently is that even abandoned purebreds are on the rise. Our most recent campaign showed that many behaviour problems encountered by owners could have been easily prevented in the first 8 weeks of the dog’s life. This coupled with some unscrupulous breeding has meant that some breeds have been overbred and are losing their prestige.
In order to curb this, Dogs Trust will be launching The Puppy Plan in Malta, following its successful launch in theUK which is now part of the Kennel Club’s Assured Breeders Scheme. In working with the local breeders we aim to raise the standard and in so doing discourage amateurs from breeding irresponsibly who have poor standards both in socialisation and their breeding stock. This has cast a negative light on breeders, even the most responsible and ethical ones which is unfair. By following the Puppy Plan, which is a comprehensive step-by –step socialisation and habituation programme for the puppy’s first 16 weeks of life, new owners are assured of best practices and the value of these pups will rise, thus giving little opportunity to back yard breeders to make business. We would like to launch this nationwide campaign to potential new owners in the New Year. It is therefore envisaged that the next few months will be useful for professional breeders to put this plan into action.
Dogs Trust Malta would like to extend an invitation to all professional breeders to attend a one day seminar, packed with interesting facts which can help your practice be more efficient, lucrative and competitive. Dogs TrustMalta together with the Maltese Canine National Federation are organising this one day seminar in October FREE of charge to the Maltese Canine National Federation.
Please find the details of the Puppy Plan and registration form by clicking HERE. All applications must be submitted by Friday 20th September 2013.
We look forward to welcoming you in person.
Kind regards,
Sarah De Cesare Dunkerley
Head of Dogs Trust Malta
12.12.2012
EMAN SPAGNOL IS MALTA'S 2012 JUNIOR HANDLER OF THE YEAR
EMAN SPAGNOL IS MALTA'S 2012 JUNIOR HANDLER OF THE YEAR
Eman Spagnol being presented with the Junior Handler of the Year Shield by Frank Borg, Chairman of the Maltese National Canine Federation in the presence of Mr.Frank Kane, judge of the December 2012 Annual Show.
12.03.2011
THE MALTESE NATIONAL CANINE FEDERATION PRESENTS A BEST IN SHOW TROPHY TO THE MIDLAND COUNTIES CANINE SOCIETY.
Midland Counties has been sponsoring the Maltese Junior Handler for the International Junior Handling Competition at Crufts since 1999.
The Maltese National Canine Federation presented a Best In Show trophy, in the form of an engraved silver frame, to the Midland Counties Canine Society, sponsors of the Maltese Junior Handler for the International Junior Handler Competition, which is held every year during the World's biggest Dog Show, Crufts. Midland Counties has been sponsoring the Maltese Junior since 1999. In the picture shown below, Frank Borg, Chairman of the MNCF is seen presenting the frame to Mrs Margaret Everton, Secretary of Midland Counties, in the presence of Midland Counties officials and MNCF Secretary, Ms. Leeandra
Mizzi (Right). The presentation took place during Crufts 2011. This presentation was done to show the MNCF's appreciation for the support given by the Midland Counties Canine Society towards our Junior Handler, and to celebrate the strong relationship that exists between the two Societies. The Frame will be awarded annually to the Best In Show winner of the Midland Counties Championship Show.
THE MALTESE NATIONAL CANINE FEDERATION PRESENTS A BEST IN SHOW TROPHY TO THE MIDLAND COUNTIES CANINE SOCIETY.
Midland Counties has been sponsoring the Maltese Junior Handler for the International Junior Handling Competition at Crufts since 1999.
The Maltese National Canine Federation presented a Best In Show trophy, in the form of an engraved silver frame, to the Midland Counties Canine Society, sponsors of the Maltese Junior Handler for the International Junior Handler Competition, which is held every year during the World's biggest Dog Show, Crufts. Midland Counties has been sponsoring the Maltese Junior since 1999. In the picture shown below, Frank Borg, Chairman of the MNCF is seen presenting the frame to Mrs Margaret Everton, Secretary of Midland Counties, in the presence of Midland Counties officials and MNCF Secretary, Ms. Leeandra
Mizzi (Right). The presentation took place during Crufts 2011. This presentation was done to show the MNCF's appreciation for the support given by the Midland Counties Canine Society towards our Junior Handler, and to celebrate the strong relationship that exists between the two Societies. The Frame will be awarded annually to the Best In Show winner of the Midland Counties Championship Show.
13.03.2011
MALTESE JUNIOR HANDLER REPRESENTATIVE AT THE INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HANDLER COMPETETITION HELD DURING THE WORLD'S GREATEST DOG SHOW - dfs CRUFTS 2011 AT BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.
MALTESE JUNIOR HANDLER REPRESENTATIVE AT THE INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HANDLER COMPETETITION HELD DURING THE WORLD'S GREATEST DOG SHOW - dfs CRUFTS 2011 AT BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.
15.03.2011
dfs CRUFTS 2011 dfs Crufts 2011 was held at the NEC, Birmingham, between the 10th and 13th March 2011. Around 138,000 people visited the show over the four days to watch the 21,422 dogs coming from all over the World competing for the much coveted title of Best In Show of the World's greatest dog show. Dr. Paolo Dondina, from Italy, judged the Best In Show and chose Mr. J M Irvine's Flat Coated Retriever, Sh.Ch.VBOS THE KENTUCKIAN also known as Jet, amongst a number of favourites forming the best in show line-up in a packed arena. Reserve Best In show was G&S.Robertson's Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Soletrader Peek A Boo. |
22/11/2010
KELB TAL- KACCA - Maltese Hunting Dog
The Maltese National Canine Federation (MNCF) wants to clarify certain reports that were reported recently in the media regarding the officiating of a Maltese breed, il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta, which the Federation itself recognised late last month.
It was recently reported that FKNK were surprised at the way things were conducted, and how the MNCF took matters in its own hands in making the il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta an official breed. In view of all this, one should note that the set up and recognition of a breed standard is the sole responsibility of a Canine Federation, so is the issue of Pedigrees. In spite of this however, the MNCF still involved FKNK from the very start of this process, as we thought that the FKNK would have an interest in this matter and this would enhance the process. A meeting was set up a couple of months ago between FKNK and the MNCF in which the breed standard was presented, discussed and explained to the FKNK representatives by the person commissioned by the MNCF to write the breed standard. It was made clear that the MNCF will be officially recognizing the breed and starting the registration process for such dogs. The FKNK representatives accepted this offer and said they were willing to be involved in this matter. They said that they would be calling a meeting for their members who owned this breed to urge them to register their dogs. It was agreed that the FKNK would get back to the MNCF at their earliest with the outcome. When, after a couple of months, no contact was made from the FKNK part, members of the MNCF contacted them again telling the former that all was ready to proceed with the next step that of registering the first dogs. This was followed by a reply stating that they did not want to rush in this matter. This left the MNCF no option but to proceed on its own, which after all, it has a right to as a Canine Federation.
As a Federation we had hoped that together with the FKNK most of these dogs could be registered. In fact, we had offered Free Registration, registration certificates at the expense of the MNCF as well as Free entries to shows for this breed. Any processing fees charged were to be kept by FKNK. The offer is still open to FKNK and any other organization that wishes to work with the MNCF to improve this breed. In spite of all that was reported, the MNCF is still willing to work with FKNK in the best interest of the breed.
In the meantime, the MNCF would like to urge all owners of this breed to register their dogs at the MNCF premesis found at 5, Camelia Street Hamrun. Registrations are free of charge. These dogs may also be shown in next months Championship show to be held on the 11/12th December at the Cottonera Sports Complex. Entries for this show are currently open and will close later on next week. Entries for this show for "il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta" will also be Free of charge. More information may be obtained by calling 21234916, between 19:30 and 21:00.
Leeandra Mizzi
Secretary & PRO
02/11/2010
Maltese Hunting Dog recognized officially by The Maltese National Canine Federation
The Maltese National Canine Federation has recognized Il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta (Maltese Hunting Dog) as an official breed on October 2010. This means that this wonderful breed of dog that has traditionally accompanied our hunters on their hunting trips can now be officially registered and an official registration certificate can now be issued. This step also means that these dogs can now be shown along side all the other breeds at dog shows organized by The Maltese National Canine Federation and its clubs and be eligible for a Champion title when they win the required amount of points. For this reason, the Maltese National Canine Federation has issued an official Breed Standard which will help judges judge this magnificent breed.
As of the 10th November 2010, the Maltese National Canine Federation will be accepting registrations for this breed. Hence, they will be able to be shown at the Federation's Annual Championship show to be held on the 11th and 12th December 2010. Registrations will be free of charge, and registration forms may be collected personally from the club, or alternatively one may send a Stamped SAE to the address below with the number of registration forms required. Once filled in, the registration form should be either handed in personally at the club during club opening hours namely Mondays, Wedenesdays and Fridays between 19.30 and 21:00. Alternatively, it may be sent by post addressed to The Secretary on the address below:
MNCF
c/o Malta Canine Society
5 Camelia Street
Hamrun
Whilst this will not be the first time that these dog will be shown with one of the clubs within the Federation, it will be the first time an official registration certificate will be issued. In fact, one of the clubs within the Federation at the time called 'The Hamrun Kennel Club' and today known as 'The Malta Canine Society', had organized a number of shows for Maltese breeds with the first one taking place on April 8th, 1984. The judge on the day was Mr. Thomas E. Morell and according to the newsletter "Il-Passa" published the following month, there was a rather large number of these dogs being shown in spite of the show being organized right in the midst of the hunting season. Over the years however it seems that interest in showing these dogs was lost. One therefore hopes, that twenty six years after the very first show for these dogs was held, and following all the changes within the dog world throughout the past years, that these dogs will be registered, if anything to ensure that this breed, part of our culture and heritage does not seek to exist.
For further information one may contact The Maltese National Canine Federation on: 21234916 during the club opening hours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 19.30 and 21:00, via snail mail on the above address or via an email to the Secretary (Leeandra Mizzi) or the Federation on [email protected] respectively.
KELB TAL- KACCA - Maltese Hunting Dog
The Maltese National Canine Federation (MNCF) wants to clarify certain reports that were reported recently in the media regarding the officiating of a Maltese breed, il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta, which the Federation itself recognised late last month.
It was recently reported that FKNK were surprised at the way things were conducted, and how the MNCF took matters in its own hands in making the il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta an official breed. In view of all this, one should note that the set up and recognition of a breed standard is the sole responsibility of a Canine Federation, so is the issue of Pedigrees. In spite of this however, the MNCF still involved FKNK from the very start of this process, as we thought that the FKNK would have an interest in this matter and this would enhance the process. A meeting was set up a couple of months ago between FKNK and the MNCF in which the breed standard was presented, discussed and explained to the FKNK representatives by the person commissioned by the MNCF to write the breed standard. It was made clear that the MNCF will be officially recognizing the breed and starting the registration process for such dogs. The FKNK representatives accepted this offer and said they were willing to be involved in this matter. They said that they would be calling a meeting for their members who owned this breed to urge them to register their dogs. It was agreed that the FKNK would get back to the MNCF at their earliest with the outcome. When, after a couple of months, no contact was made from the FKNK part, members of the MNCF contacted them again telling the former that all was ready to proceed with the next step that of registering the first dogs. This was followed by a reply stating that they did not want to rush in this matter. This left the MNCF no option but to proceed on its own, which after all, it has a right to as a Canine Federation.
As a Federation we had hoped that together with the FKNK most of these dogs could be registered. In fact, we had offered Free Registration, registration certificates at the expense of the MNCF as well as Free entries to shows for this breed. Any processing fees charged were to be kept by FKNK. The offer is still open to FKNK and any other organization that wishes to work with the MNCF to improve this breed. In spite of all that was reported, the MNCF is still willing to work with FKNK in the best interest of the breed.
In the meantime, the MNCF would like to urge all owners of this breed to register their dogs at the MNCF premesis found at 5, Camelia Street Hamrun. Registrations are free of charge. These dogs may also be shown in next months Championship show to be held on the 11/12th December at the Cottonera Sports Complex. Entries for this show are currently open and will close later on next week. Entries for this show for "il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta" will also be Free of charge. More information may be obtained by calling 21234916, between 19:30 and 21:00.
Leeandra Mizzi
Secretary & PRO
02/11/2010
Maltese Hunting Dog recognized officially by The Maltese National Canine Federation
The Maltese National Canine Federation has recognized Il-Kelb tal-Kacca ta` Malta (Maltese Hunting Dog) as an official breed on October 2010. This means that this wonderful breed of dog that has traditionally accompanied our hunters on their hunting trips can now be officially registered and an official registration certificate can now be issued. This step also means that these dogs can now be shown along side all the other breeds at dog shows organized by The Maltese National Canine Federation and its clubs and be eligible for a Champion title when they win the required amount of points. For this reason, the Maltese National Canine Federation has issued an official Breed Standard which will help judges judge this magnificent breed.
As of the 10th November 2010, the Maltese National Canine Federation will be accepting registrations for this breed. Hence, they will be able to be shown at the Federation's Annual Championship show to be held on the 11th and 12th December 2010. Registrations will be free of charge, and registration forms may be collected personally from the club, or alternatively one may send a Stamped SAE to the address below with the number of registration forms required. Once filled in, the registration form should be either handed in personally at the club during club opening hours namely Mondays, Wedenesdays and Fridays between 19.30 and 21:00. Alternatively, it may be sent by post addressed to The Secretary on the address below:
MNCF
c/o Malta Canine Society
5 Camelia Street
Hamrun
Whilst this will not be the first time that these dog will be shown with one of the clubs within the Federation, it will be the first time an official registration certificate will be issued. In fact, one of the clubs within the Federation at the time called 'The Hamrun Kennel Club' and today known as 'The Malta Canine Society', had organized a number of shows for Maltese breeds with the first one taking place on April 8th, 1984. The judge on the day was Mr. Thomas E. Morell and according to the newsletter "Il-Passa" published the following month, there was a rather large number of these dogs being shown in spite of the show being organized right in the midst of the hunting season. Over the years however it seems that interest in showing these dogs was lost. One therefore hopes, that twenty six years after the very first show for these dogs was held, and following all the changes within the dog world throughout the past years, that these dogs will be registered, if anything to ensure that this breed, part of our culture and heritage does not seek to exist.
For further information one may contact The Maltese National Canine Federation on: 21234916 during the club opening hours: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 19.30 and 21:00, via snail mail on the above address or via an email to the Secretary (Leeandra Mizzi) or the Federation on [email protected] respectively.
07/07/2008
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The Maltese National Canine Federation, represented by International Secretary Mr. Frank Borg and Secretary Mr. Mario Fenech, recently participated in the Meeting for Commonwealth Kennel Clubs, hosted by the Kennel Club, (U.K), in London, on the 30th June & 1st July 2008.
During this meeting, which was attended by Kennel Clubs representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Jersey, Guernsey, Canada, South Africa, Malaysia, England and Malta, a vast agenda was discussed which included promotion of dogs in society, promotion of pedigree dogs, health issues, accreditation and training of dog training instructors, canine behaviourists, judges and breeders, current trends such as puppy registrations, show entries and media coverage, political issues such as the dangerous dogs legislations, anti-dog legislations, docking and the international recognition of judges.
This the third meeting of its kind, with the other two held in the years 2000 and 2004, and in which The Maltese National Canine Federation was always represented.
During this meeting, which was attended by Kennel Clubs representatives from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Jersey, Guernsey, Canada, South Africa, Malaysia, England and Malta, a vast agenda was discussed which included promotion of dogs in society, promotion of pedigree dogs, health issues, accreditation and training of dog training instructors, canine behaviourists, judges and breeders, current trends such as puppy registrations, show entries and media coverage, political issues such as the dangerous dogs legislations, anti-dog legislations, docking and the international recognition of judges.
This the third meeting of its kind, with the other two held in the years 2000 and 2004, and in which The Maltese National Canine Federation was always represented.
17.03.2005
Maltese Junior places 3rd in International Junior Handling Final.
Maltese Junior places 3rd in International Junior Handling Final.
Shawn Camilleri, 17, from Marsa, won 3rd place at the 2005 International Junior Handling Competition which took place at the World's greatest dog show, Crufts, on Sunday 13th March 2005, at the NEC, Birmingham, U.K.
Shawn represented Malta alongside with the other 31 Junior handlers each representing their own Country at this highly prestigious event, which Malta won on two occasions, in 2000 and 2003, and 3rd Prize in 1993 (photos below). Shawn Camilleri handled a Beagle and an Australian Shepherd in this event which was judged by Mr. Luis Pinto Teixeira from Portugal. The winner was Pia Adlesic, from Slovenia whilst Katja Rauhut from Monaco was second.
Officials of the Maltese National Canine Federation, which was responsible for Malta's representation at this event, accompanied Shawn Camilleri throughout the event.
In the meantime, over 24,000 dogs from across the globe competed at this year's Crufts Dog Show, organised by the Kennel Club (U.K) and officially recognized as the largest dog show in the world. Best in Show winner was the Norfolk Terrier which traveled from the United States especially to attend the show, Ch/Am.Ch. Cracknor Cause Celebre, known to all as Coco.
As well as the highly prestigious Best In Show title, other hotly contested canine competitions included the Obedience World Cup Championship, with challengers from all over the World, and which was won by England for the second consecutive year. Over 120,000 people visited the show which was held over four days bewteen the 10th and 13th March 2005 at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre.
Shawn represented Malta alongside with the other 31 Junior handlers each representing their own Country at this highly prestigious event, which Malta won on two occasions, in 2000 and 2003, and 3rd Prize in 1993 (photos below). Shawn Camilleri handled a Beagle and an Australian Shepherd in this event which was judged by Mr. Luis Pinto Teixeira from Portugal. The winner was Pia Adlesic, from Slovenia whilst Katja Rauhut from Monaco was second.
Officials of the Maltese National Canine Federation, which was responsible for Malta's representation at this event, accompanied Shawn Camilleri throughout the event.
In the meantime, over 24,000 dogs from across the globe competed at this year's Crufts Dog Show, organised by the Kennel Club (U.K) and officially recognized as the largest dog show in the world. Best in Show winner was the Norfolk Terrier which traveled from the United States especially to attend the show, Ch/Am.Ch. Cracknor Cause Celebre, known to all as Coco.
As well as the highly prestigious Best In Show title, other hotly contested canine competitions included the Obedience World Cup Championship, with challengers from all over the World, and which was won by England for the second consecutive year. Over 120,000 people visited the show which was held over four days bewteen the 10th and 13th March 2005 at Birmingham's National Exhibition Centre.