Letter from the Editor

Welcome everyone to a new year and a very belated newsletter!

My apologise for this being quite late however like most of us, juggling between work and family, the website and everything else life throws your way can be quite a challenge... therefore the newsletter had to take a back seat for a while.

I have however been playing around at a new style newsletter to try and overcome issues some members were having with their email clients and receiving files therefore welcome to the new style newsletter! Hopefully *fingers crossed* this all works out for everyone.

I will try to make it as informative as previous issues and Jenni has been fantastic with providing lots and lots of articles and info, that I have enough to fill several issues. Thank you Jenni for all your wonderful contributions!

Kindest Regards

Kylie Mancini
Website Manager/Newsletter Editor

PS - This newsletter features beautiful Clair - photo supplied by Sharon Aimenn. If you would like to have your dog featured in any headings of the newsletter or website - please supply a high quality crystal clear image similar to above with contrasting plain background. Face on headshots preferred.

GAPSA celebrates a record year in 2008!

GAPSA had a fantastic year last year, we broke several records including the sale of calenders and other merchandise, hits to the website, fosterers that joined and above all the record number of new homes to our four legged friends. I'd like to give a huge thanks to all the helpers and others who volunteered their time to make this such a success..... Lets make 2009 even BETTER!

New Look Logo

Welcome to the new national logo design with each state having their own colour frisbee. It's still being finalised however this is pretty much how it is and you will start to see it more and more as it become implemented.

South Australia Sizzles
Here are a few tips to beat the heat!

So far this year we experienced another record breaker heat-wave, something we all suffered through, with temperatures in the shade recorded at 46+ C, let alone those recorded in the full sun of over 55+C.

You really know when it's hot, when Koalas are coming into backyards orapproaching cyclists on the roads, begging for water as there is absolutely no moisture left in the leaves.

The following is a list of tips submitted my members to help not only yourself but your pets cope with the searing heat.

Julia Anderson Says: "Just thought I’d pass on what I do with Lulu after a walk on a hot day.

Of course I try to take her when it is coolest, but she still gets hot, so I have an old T-shirt that I wet and put on her. She looks a little goofy, but it cools her down. I also have small ice packs in the freezer that I can slip inside the T-shirt if she is really hot.

I have also started to make ice blocks with food frozen in them, she loves to gnaw on them during the hot day or evening, but it does make a mess, beware!"

Nicholas Royals says: "A good tip to beat the heat for our beloved pets if to get some Advance Dental Large Breed or Advance Large Giant Breed plus an ice tray with a little water and freezing both kibble and water. Place out side for your pet to enjoy. This will help to keep them cool as well as amused at the same time."

My tips for coping are: Ice packs under the bedding and blocks of frozen ice in the water. A soaking with water doesn't go astray either... depends on the pet of course! For us humans - I got under the shower - clothes and all - a quick ring out and let myself drip dry in front of the fan. A damp towel draped over my son with the fan helped him get to sleep at night.

Letter from Clyde - out in the Donga!

G'day Kylie, How've yer bin?

Geeze Mate, have we had a time uv ut? I tee yer what, we've bin as busy as a one armed bill poster in a gale, we've bin battin' ther breeze about GAP all over town, we've had foster dogs an' visitor dogs an' people comin' out uv our ears an' there's bin paper an parcels all over ther place, yer'd think a Whilly-Whilly ud bin through ther place .

Ut all started with ther Missus spendin hours on the phone tellin people abaht our Christmas Parades, these places in the big smoke go an do things called Pageants an they need us ter go an walk along ther' roads ter give them a bit uv class. Ther Missus wouldn't take us in ther first one, it were by ther sea too an we cud uv had a splash around if she'd gone. She was all anxious until Tom rang an said ut were good-oh. We went down ter the one ut Port Adelaide and ther one at Norwood with Nanna and Lucy,we were fostering them, I tell's yer what Kylie, that Nanna's a real pearler uv a hound. Me mate Heidi an' me, we tried ter get ther Boss an' Missus ter keep her so's we didn' have ter sort out any more uv these dopy foster hounds but ther Missus said Angela ud bung on a blue If we did that, an' have our guts fer garters, we reckoned we'd prollie be in more shit than a Werribee duck an even Nanna wasn't worth that.

Anyway, we goes down ter Port Adelaide an makes lots of friends, We gets all laired up in smart Christmas Jackets with jingle bells on them an' Lucy an' Nanna goes off with Nicky and her people, then we stand around fer ages wishin' they'd just get a wriggle on an' then we all sets off ter show all these people along ther way what terrific dogs we are. There was a real noisy Fire Engine behind us but we were all havin' too much fun ter let it get up our noses. There were lots uv people there cheering us an, wavin ter us, Heidi an me, we walks along close ter all ther little tackers so they could touch us. Angela an' ther Missus spoilt ther fun though because they said we had to walk as a group behind ther trailer an we couldn't stop an' talk ter everyone like we wanted too. We walked ter the sea, an' then we had ter walk all the way back again, it were a real cut lunch an' a water bag job, we was plum tuckered out when we got back ter the car, totally stonkered.

It were two weeks ter the Norwood parade an' our friend Bev comes ter get Lucy 'cos she's goin' ter be a fosterer too. Then ther Missus has a bit uv fun with a wonky knee, she heads down ter ther Big Smoke for a do fer Bruce an' Ange [Clyde is going to have trouble explaining this, I married Bruce, the son of a Bruce, who named our son Bruce, the last of those three Bruces and his wife Angela have now left for a new job in France.J] an' her knee gives her curry all the way down an' she can't stand on ut when she gets there, so she can't get back home again. She were in a real tizz over us an ther chooks but Mhairi an Justin stuck in their bib, they gives her some dope so's she don't know whether it's Tuesday or Rundle Street an puts her to bed, then they gets Heather an' David an ther kiddlywink to come an rescue us an Heather asks Bev to look after the chooks. Nanna goes off with Bev ter visit Lucy an we has fun with Alyssa so everyones happy. I tells yer what though, were just about pissin meself over that knee, there ther missus has bin callin' me names because uv me limp an she ends up on crutches! Turns out ther Missus as broken down, she's up ter putty, ther knee's not worth a cracker 'cos ut's got loose bits uv bone floating around in ut, an she's got ter go an have them washed out.

After Mhairi gets her home ther bits float off ter a less sore spot so she can walk again. Bev drives us all down ter Norwood an we does our parade bit all over again. Stone ther crows Kylie, why does we have ter hang around fer so long once we're all laired up? There we are all done up in our best bib an' tucker an we has ter stand around fer ever! Ut's enough ter give a bloke ther sterks! I suppose ut wern't too bad, good old Mr Tee an Lara were there an' we made some new friends too, Nanna an' Lara got on real well. A real good sort called Judy looked after me, I bunged on an act an' she falls for it like a ton of bricks, she thinks I'm bushed an'lets me dawdle along sayin' hello ter everyone as slow as I please, we got left way behind an' ther Missus couldn't do a thing about it!

Ther Missus has her knee washed out after that an' Janice who adopted Amber takes Nanna for a holiday whilst we go up ter Leigh Creek with ther Boss an' ther Missus so her knee can start workin again. It's bucketin' down when we sets out before sparrow fart, we're blattin' along ther bitumen with ther wipers goin flat out an' ther Boss is a bit worried we'll not get through. We dun good till we turns north,ater that yer'd uv thought ther Boss was goin bush bashin', We'd diddle along fer a bit then slow down an' drag ther chain through a roarin' river, there were lots uv them but ther' Boss is a real downy bird, dead straight he is an we got through them all fair enough.

We were past Parachilna an ther Boss is sayin' "only two more creeks to go, we should make it all right" when we gets up ter Breakfast Creek. What a banker! There's trucks an' cars lined up already so we chucks out ther anchors an we all bails out ter go a n take a Captain Cook at ut. It's not runnin too deep, but ut's fast an yer dun know what ut's dun ter ther track. Ther Boss has ter be ut work in the arvo so he works out thut he c'n walk inter town over ther rail bridge if it dun go down, then we all sits an waits. After a coup'la hours a coup'la truckies link hands an have a bash at wadein' through ut ter check ther track, ut's no great shakes but not gone right down ther tube so we all takes ut slow an' we're home an hosed.

Ut's a bonzer place Leigh Creek, we has a good time 'ceptin' thut I'm not feelin too clever 'cos me limp gets worse, an ther backyard is all stones, no grass ter lie on or soft soil ter dig in. Then we comes back with ther Missus in time ter see a different Vet about me limp, to pick up Noddy our new foster dog an ter get down ter GRSA fer another GAP do. This time we has ter wear costumes, Mhairi an ther Missus tried ter make me into an angel but ther wind blew me wings off an' ther Missus said I was a fallen Angel. There was a little black girl in white angel wings an' halo lookin' a real bobby dazzler an even old Josh were a better angel than me. Josh an me we we chiaked each other a bit. He were here fosterin' before me an we used ter race tergether, a' course I tells him it ud be a boil over if he beat me an he says they'd uv bin fools ter put a brick on me, but he's not a bad old coot and were'nt bad on ther track in his time. We cought up with Stephanie an' Kea too an got ter tell them they could adopt Nanna. They thought that was bonza. Stephanie was grinnin' like a shot fox an Kea was all over the shop. I reckon Stephanie dun know whether she were counter sunk or punch drilled fer a while there, yu'd uv thought Nanna wus Christmas on a stick. You little beauty, Nanna will be happy as Larry with them.

Since then we've had a visit from Chocco an we've bin showin' ol' Noddy ther ropes - he's found ut a bit hard settlin' in but he's gettin ther hang uv ut now, he's found out about squeaky toys an abaht playin', he even played tug-a-war with Chocco. We've had people visitors includin' me best vet friend Carol who knows where to rub greyhounds, an there's bin extra treats in pretty paper an left over bits uv chicken an' ham in our dinners an life in ther donga's bin a bit uv all right.

An do yer know ther absa-bloody-lutely best bit uv all Kylie? That new vet we went ter see, he finds a corn in me foot an' digs ut out. I dun limp much at all now an me back feels heaps better too, I'm off of most uv me tablets an I c'n run around ther orchard again. I'm wrapped, I'm as happy as a dog with two tails. An' d'yer know ther funny thing? Back at ther beginnin' uv all this me best vet friend Carol looked for a corn but ut wunt big enough ter show up. Strewth,yer wouldn't read abaht ut would yer!

Geeze this writin' lark takes ut out uv yer! I'm wacked! I'm gunna choof off now an have a bit uv a kip. Ooroo fer now. See yer round ther traps.

Clyde. (December 08)

Things Adelaide has Learnt from the Heat Wave of 2009:

What a delightful reminder as we swelter here in Adelaide SA with 6 days in a row of higher than 40° C.

§ The best parking space is determined by shade instead of distance.

§ Hot water comes out of both taps.

§ You learn that a seat belt buckle makes a pretty good branding iron.

§ The temperature drops below 32c and you feel a little chilly.

§ You discover that in February it only takes two fingers to steer your car.

§ You discover that you can get sunburnt through your car window.

§ You develop a fear of metal car door handles.

§ You break a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:00am.

§ Your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and get cooked to death?"

§ You realise that asphalt has a liquid state.

§ Farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to prevent them from laying hard-boiled eggs.

§ The trees are whistling for the dogs.

§ While walking back barefoot to your car from apex park, you do a tightrope act on the white lines in the carpark.

§ You catch a cold from having the aircon full blast while you sleep during the night.

§ You learn that Centro plaza isn't a shopping centre it's a temple to worship air-conditioning.

§ Sticking your head into the freezer and taking deep breaths is perfectly normal behaviour.

§ A cup full of ice is considered a great snack.

§ An electricity blackout is life threatening because your aircon and your fans no longer work and you are seriously going to be cooked!!

§ You no longer sit on a couch, why would you when you can settle down on the cooling tiles instead.

§ You need a stubby holder to keep the beer cold, not your hands warm

§ No one cares if you walk around with no shoes on.

§ You keep everthing in the fridge, including potatoes and bread etc....

§ people have enough left over beercans to make boats out of and have a whole regatta with tin can boats like Darwin...

§ The effort of toweling off after a shower means you need another one right away

§ standing naked under a ceiling fan is an acceptable way to pass time.

§ You wait till it starts raining to go for a run!

Another Letter from Clyde feeling all out of Sorts....

G'day Kylie,

Y'know Kylie, sometimes I get real flummoxed by things. Y'know how I us'ter like ther Missus readin' Princess Pretzel to us? Well ther Missus now reads us an even better one by a bloke called Chris Champion about Scratchy an' Daisy whot you told her abaht. It's real good'oh, but I got worried abaht the last one where Scratchy had a gutser an knocked ther stufin' out uv Daisy an' Daisy sed rude things ter him.

We've got a real elegant Greyhound girl called Abby fosterin' here at ther moment an' she an' Heidi get on real well. Heidi is me good mate most uv ther time but sometimes she acts like she thinks she's Christmas on a stick an she's real rude ter me too. When ther Missus read abaht poor Scratchy wantin' a tickle an' gettin inter trouble frum Daisy, Heidi gave Abby a look an said "Huh, Boy dogs, aren't they impossible" an I said, "Hang on, he dun mean ter come a cropper, Daisy dun haf ter be so rude, I reckon I should write ter Scratchy an tell him I think he's bonza". Then Heidi laughed at me an' said "What d'yer think this is? Bush Week? She said I wuldn' know how ter write ter him an even if I did he wuldn' unnerstan' anything I said. She said he's a real city slicker, she said he knows all ther real big words like Daisy used at him, an dun talk country bumpkin lingo like mine.

I sed "But aren't most uv ther Greyhounds city slickers? Dun they unnerstan me lingo?" an Heidi seys they are an they dunt! Yer just puts me letter in ter fill up space! Kylie I dun know whether I'm counter sunk or punch drilled, I'm all over the shop an out uv sorts. Is Heidi right or jus showin off ter Abby an feedin me a load uv old cobblers? Der yer know if people want ter read me letters or do they think I've got a couple uv 'roos loose in ther top paddock an I'm as borin as bat shit? Geeze, I feel like a Bandicoot on a burnt ridge, I like writin' ter you But I dun wunt ter be a berk. I tells yer what though. I dun care what Heidi says about Scratchy. Daisy hurt his feelin's. Hev yer seen terdays bit? It ses he likes hidin his head. I reckon he's feelin as flat as a tack 'cos uv what Daisy sed an he's hidin' his head 'cos she's dark at him.

I still want ter tell him I think he's Bonza.

Can yer ask people if they like me stuff? I'll pull me head in if they wunt me to.

Ya know we love your letters Clyde!

IT’S OFFICIAL - DOG WALKING IS GOOD FOR YOU

(Reproduced from the Association of Pet Dog Trainers Australia April-May 2007 Newsletter)

Hayley Cutt of the University of Western Australia has been investigating the link between dog ownership and exercise as a part of a larger project. Her part, DAPA (Dogs And Physical Activity) found that dog owners are seven times more likely to achieve the recommended level of exercise a week than those who don’t own a dog.

She says that dog walking is an ‘underutilized tool’ in the promotion of good health.

1,800 people in Perth were surveyed and the research found that on average, dog owners exercised 55 more minutes a week than those without a dog.

The study has found that there are obvious health benefits, both physical and mental, from owning a dog and that daily dog walking encourages people to be more physically active.

Jennie.

KIDS CORNER

Backpack Buddies

By: Amanda Formaro
Difficulty: Easy
Age: 8 and up

These backpack buddies are perfect crafts for back to school. Kids will love to hang them on their backpack or share them with friends.

What you'll need:

• Cardboard
• Pen or pencil
• Keychain or backpack clip
• Plastic jewelry cord
• 2 large foam
• Scissors
• White craft glue
• Wiggle eyes
• Feather boa or yarn

How to make it:

• Using one of your foam circles, trace a circle onto the cardboard and cut out. Cut the cardboard circle a little smaller than the foam circle, so cut within the lines you traced rather than on the lines
• Have a grown up poke a hole near the middle of the cardboard circle with scissors or a pen.
• Cut a piece of jewelry cord about 12 inches long.
• Thread the cord through the hole in the circle.
• Line up the open ends of the cord and loosely tie knot with the keychain or backpack clip in the knot.
• Glue the foam circles to the cardboard circle, one on each side of the cardboard. This will hide the plastic cord and the hole.
• Line up the foam circles so they are even with each other, and apply slight pressure to flatten them close together.
• Glue wiggle eyes on to the front of a foam circle.
• Cut a piece of feather boa about an inch or so long.
• Apply white glue to the top of the "head.
• Glue feather boa to the top of the "head.
• Let dry completely.

Tips:

• You can glue wiggle eyes to both sides of the foam circles so that the face is reversible.
• Check out the yarn aisle for colorful, fuzzy and wacky textures.
• Add even more character by using a small colorful foam oval as a nose or adding two small white rectangles as buck teeth!

JOKES AND RIDDLES

Question: What's a quick way to double your money? Answer: YOU FOLD IT!

Question: What can run but can't walk? Answer: Water.

Question: Who sits on babies? Answer: A babysitter.

Events

VETS 'N' PETS

Date: Changed due to heat! New date To Be Advised - but looks like may be set for March 29th - so stay tuned on that one!

Time: 10am to 4pm

Location: Adelaide Dog Obedience Club - Crn Beaumont Rd and South Terrace, Adelaide

Cost: Free

Come visit us at the Vets 'n' Pets fun day! The Australian Veterinary Assoc. Limited of SA is holding this free community event, and offers some wonderful services for pet owners which includes:

* Free Vet Checks

* Free Weight Checks

* Pet Trail

* Competitions and Displays

* Pet products

* Breed Displays

* Demonstrations

* and Guest Speaker Dr Kersti Seksel.

APRIL

GAPSA's 2009 EASTER PICNIC

A new annual Event!

Date: Sunday 5th April 2009

Time: 11am to 3pm

Location: GRSA Greyhound Track - 55 Cardigan St, Angle Park

This will be a grand event with lots of fun and a great way for everyone to get together and all dogs get to socialise also!

Events include:

* Easter Egg Hunt

* Doggy Door Prizes

* Raffles, and

* 'Name our Greyhound Mascot' - name and winners announced.

*~*Click here for flyer*~*