Dexter stays cool...

Tragic Fire Claims Multiple Field Trial Champions...

The National Red Setter Field Trial Club was saddened and horrified to hear of the loss of Randy Downs Kennels in a tragic fire on June 11 that claimed 15 dogs, including multiple Champions.  The NRSFTC sends condolences to Randy Downs and all owners and friends involved in the tragic fire. It is a profound loss of immeasurable extent for owners and the bird dog community as a whole. In looking over the dogs’ names, imagine what incredible talent and potential was destroyed by this horrific event! Our club extends its  deepest sympathy to all who knew and loved these exceptional animals. Thankfully, 24 dogs were saved. Blake Kukar is coordinating contributions to help Randy rebuild the kennel. You can send checks made out to Randy Downs in care of Blake Kukar 3500 Blalock Drive, Somerville TN 38068. He will assure that Randy knows of your contribution.

IN SYMPATHY

For all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these:

"what might have been."

Dogs tragically lost in the fire and Grieving Owners

Dellinger C    John Holland

Game Maker    Dr.Fred Corder

Game Master    Dr.Fred Corder

Game Watch    Dr.Fred Corder

Rock Acre Rambo    Dr.Fred Corder

Game Mark    Dr.Fred Corder and Joe Barksdale

Game Time C    Steve Patterson

Leet’s Little Soldier    Dr.Rosser Wall

Poison    Ronnie Spears

Skip’s Dessert Hawk     Steve Patterson, Dr.Chet Lane, Skip McMichael

Wildcovert Wiggle Waggle    Dr.Mark Leadbetter

4 Unnamed derby dogs    Ronnie Spears, Dr. Fred Corder, Carlisle Buford

Dellinger C

Game Time C

Poison

Game Maker at the National Championship

Game Maker

May they rest in peace in a place where the coveys fly fast and far...

ScienceDaily (June 19, 2012) — House dust from homes with dogs appears to protect against infection with a common respiratory virus that is associated with the development of asthma in children.Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, recenlty presented their findings at the 2012 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

"In this study we found that feeding mice house dust from homes that have dogs present protected them against a childhood airway infectious agent, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV infection is common in infants and can manifest as mild to severe respiratory symptoms. Severe infection in infancy is associated with a higher risk of developing childhood asthma," says Kei Fujimura, a researcher on the study.

In the study Fujimura and her colleagues compared three groups of animals: Mice fed house dust from homes with dogs before being infected with RSV, mice infected with RSV without exposure to dust and a control group of mice not infected with RSV.

"Mice fed dust did not exhibit symptoms associated with RSV-mediated airway infection, such as inflammation and mucus production. They also possessed a distinct gastrointestinal bacterial composition compared to animals not fed dust," says Fujimura.

Pet ownership, in particular dogs, has previously been associated with protection against childhood asthma development, says Fujimura. Recently she and her colleagues demonstrated that the collection of bacterial communities (the microbiome) in house dust from homes that possess a cat or dog is compositionally distinct from house dust from homes with no pets.

"This led us to speculate that microbes within dog-associated house dust may colonize the gastrointestinal tract, modulate immune responses and protect the host against the asthmagenic pathogen RSV," says Fujimura. "This study represents the first step towards determining the identity of the microbial species which confer protection against this respiratory pathogen."

Identification of the specific species and mechanisms underlying this protective effect represents a crucial step towards understanding the critical role of microbes in defining allergic disease outcomes and could lead to development of microbial-based therapies to protect against RSV and ultimately reduce the risk of childhood asthma development, says Fujimura.

The real agenda of HSUS...

New puppies...

Our two new pups from Cedar Creek Kennels of Wisconsin (Ed Lierman).  Named after their daddy Cedar Creek Sky Liner, this is Conneaut Creek Sky Liner and Conneaut Creek Star Gazer.  "Star" and "Skye" rode 7 hours in the back seat and had a great trip home!

Skye and Star are a product of the Purest Challenge.  

Al Faze

Beaver Valley Trial Videos

I found these videos I had made of the Beaver Valley trial in Rochester PA... not sure of the date, but think it was last year??  Al Faze

The Vast Land of Cluelessness...

Spring training...

Doing some birdwork with Woodie this morning...

Bodie Home And Doing Well!

Bodie is home and doing well... check out his progess on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/SPDK9