MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL
UNION FOR LEONBERGER DOGS , 26TH SEPTEMBER 2009
Venue:Hotel Kirchner Leonberg
Time 10:00 – 13:45
Those present: representatives from the member clubs of
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom, USA.
Participant with observer status: Ireland.
Absent: Canada and Italy.
The Committee: All members of the board were present.
Chairman: the Union president Willi Güllix.
Minutes: were taken by the Union secretary, Hein Sibrijns.
Agenda:
c) Secretary
d) Auditors
3. Discussion of the reports and discharge of the Committee.
4. Election of a reserve auditor
5. The Budget for 2010, Membership dues 2010.
6. News from the member countries.
7. Breeding problems in the Union.
8. Polyneuropathy (new perceptions?)
9. Future activities of the Union.
1. Introduction.
The President opened the meeting at 10:00 am.
He welcomed the delegates, especially the representatives from New Zealand, who attended the meeting for the first time and noted with pleasure that so many clubs were represented.
Because this year an auditor couldn’t come, and had to be replaced, he proposed to insert an agenda item “Election of a reserve auditor” after item 3.
2. Reports
a. President’s Report- Willi Güllix
Click here for the extensive president’s report.
b. Treasurer’s Report - Peter Cejnek
The balance sheet was handed out at the meeting.
All member clubs were fully paid up for 2008.
On 31-12-2007 the Union’s assets amounted to 7128.56 Euros and the total number of members from the member clubs was 10,437.
c. Secretary’s report - Hein Sibrijns.
The Union web site has attracted many visitors.
For the rest, it was a quiet year.
d. Auditor’s report.
Säde Crivelli (CH) and Glen Ferguson (USA) had checked the accounts which closed 31-12-2008, as well as the accounts for the current year. They were satisfied that everything is in order and they thanked the Treasurer Peter Cejnek for doing a good job. They proposed that the meeting accept the accounts and discharged the treasurer and the board. The proposal was not discussed and was accepted unanimously.
Glen Ferguson had not been elected as auditor, the elected auditor Jim Henshaw had asked him to take over his job, because Jim couldn’t come.
3. Discharge of the Committee
The Committee was unanimously discharged.
4. Election of a reserve auditor.
José-Maria Itturalde Perez de Aranaza (E) was proposed and unanimously elected.
5. The Budget for 2009/Membership fees for 2009
The Union finances are healthy.
It was unanimously decided to maintain the membership dues at a fixed fee of 50 euros plus 0.20 euros per member.
6. News from the member countries.
The Austrian Club has Mrs. Sissy Fessl as new second delegate.
Michaela Wolf handed over a beautiful painting by an Austrian artist to the Union.
The German Club announced that 338 dogs had been entered for the club show on the 27th September.
The delegates from New Zealand Club were pleased to be in Leonberg for the first time.
This club has 77 members and there are approximately 300 Leonbergers in New Zealand.
Until now there has been one club show, judged by Guido Perosino, some years ago and an open show is planned for the next year.
The Swedish Club has a new board and new commissions.
Leonbergers are successful in water work, but in Sweden they are not allowed to participate in the official kennel club competition.
Jenny Bergdahl asked if other kennel clubs allow participation. Finland and Belgium do, Jenny will talk privately with the presidents of the Finish and Belgian club.
It would be easier when a statement that the Leonberger is capable for doing water work was added to the standard.
There is a research for heart failure in Sweden. It was stressed that a dog that dies of sudden heart failure must be autopsied, because there are several possible heart diseases. Which one was the cause of death can only be determined by means of an autopsy.
It is often DCM. The form of DCM found in Leonbergers is exactly the same as the one found in Newfoundlands.
One tries to find a genetic marker. It would be good when countries worked together, in order to get more blood samples of diseased dogs.
The Norwegian Club has 500 members.
The president warned for the growing problem of inbreeding, which is unavoidable, because studs from the same lines are too often used for breeding in some countries.
That makes to many dogs related to each other. One must stop breeding with so called “Matador Studs”.
Therefore some countries have rules to limit the use of studs. In Norway a stud is not allowed to produce more puppies than 5% of the number of puppies born during the last 5 years.
She appealed to the countries that don’t have limitations for the use of stud dogs, or that have insufficient limitations, to work on this issue, in order to prevent more loss of genetic variation because of studs mating too often.
The American Club is still working on full recognition of the breed by AKC.
The breed is in miscellaneous group since the 1st July 2008. That was the first step on the way to recognition.
The in 2007 accepted AKC Standard was evaluated and completed by members and AKC judges.
The result is a well worked out document that is planned to be accepted by the AKC board in October. The breed will then be accepted into working group on the 1st July 2010 which means full recognition.
The judges’ education committee is working on educating AKC group judges and finalizing the illustrated standard project.
The Czech Club reported that all goes smoothly in Czech Republic.
The results of the survey, made by the Czech Club as a result of the decision of the previous Union meeting, on differences in breeding regulations, confirms that there are huge differences between the breeding rules in the member countries.
The Finnish Club celebrates its 25th anniversary with a club show on the 3rd April 2010.
All are kindly invited to participate.
The Danish Club had nothing special to announce.
The Swiss Club refered to the problem of the differences in breeding rules in relation to matings from foreign dogs.
Furthermore it is very difficult to find studs, because of too much breeding in the same lines in some countries one can nearly not avoid inbreeding anymore.
In Switzerland one now stocks a blood sample of every puppy born in a blood bank.
If blood is needed for research afterwards one can just take it from the blood bank.
The Russian Club celebrates this year its 10th anniversary.
They thanked the Union and the member clubs for the very pleasant cooperation.
Tatiana Zavorina handed over a very nice plate to the Union and the club donated prizes for the Leonberg Club Show.
The Irish Club has to wait another year for full recognition by the IKC.
There are still not many dogs in Ireland and therefore not many Leonbergers are exhibited at shows.
Even at the FCI European Winner Show the Leonberger was only represented by 12 dogs.
All the same a first club show was held this year and a Leonberger was best of FCI group 2.
The Spanish Club is small, but they do a lot of work.
The Spanish Kennel Club favours the big Spanish breeds.
The club celebrates its 15th anniversary next year.
The Belgian Club is calling for more participation in the different kinds of sports such as water work, agility, carting, tracking and so on.
The Dutch Club invited to participate in the club show on the 30th May 2010.
The French Club announced that one can still enter for the Club Show in Cluny.
The club now has a good website, one works on an English version.
There is a research going on into the hereditability of Osteosarcoma.
The English Club has a new code of ethics, where health plays an important role.
They have club championship titles for water work and agility.
Blood samples are taken at several events. The samples are divided into two for the researches on poly- neuropathy and anal furunculosis.
In the future the samples can be split into 4, in order to support also researches on DCM and Osteosarcoma.
A health seminar on anal furunculosis will be organized.
The club has a new website with an open health registry.
The Slovakian Club has 32 members.
120 dogs have been entered for the FCI World Dog Show in Bratislava; some 100 are entered for the Club Show on the day before the WDS.
The Italian Club was not represented. The Union secretary read a report sent by the Italian Club’s president.
The club continues to work in high harmony with all members, the differences of opinion that previously divided the club have been addressed and are finally resolved.
The club contributes financially to the Swiss polyneuropathy research.
At the end of October a special seminar will be held, it will be focused on selection of stud dogs, “Leonberger welfare” and artificial insemination.
The Millennium Leonberger Award will be awarded to Mr. José-Maria Itturalde Perez de Aranaza: “for his high dedication to the knowledge, promotion and support of the Leonberger in Spain, not only within the Club itself but in the major contest of the Spanish Kennel Club and the all breeds FCI shows as well.”
An interval of 15 minutes was taken.
During this interval the board decided to award the ILU Awards BOB and Best Veteran to 2 shows in 2010, namely the 25th Anniversary Club Show in Finland and the 25th Anniversary Club Show in the USA.
7. Breeding problems in the Union.
Sharon Springel (UK) handed out reports concerning polyneuropathy (next agenda point) and anal furunculosis.
The reports will be published on the Union’s website.
Further she has received a report about a LUPA project on DCM. For this project one needs blood samples.
An ongoing research into Osteosarcoma in France is being conducted, it would be good if blood samples could be taken on the big events of all member clubs and split into four, to support all researches.
Säde Crivelli (CH) drew attention to the problem of females failing to conceive.
This problem is also reported from several other countries, for example Holland and Germany where up to 50% of the females do not become pregnant after a mating.
Willi Güllix warned against premature panic that might point to inbreeding depression, Aside from general statistics of numbers which vary from time to time, he pointed out that there may be several factors involved which may also include the in-experience of either the breeder or the stud dog owner.
It was decided that a survey among the breeders where a female fails to conceive will be conducted through the member clubs.
Sharon Springel will, with the help of the clubs, compose a questionnaire.
They will report next year.
Säde also stated the problem of studs that won’t cover a female in season owing to lack of libido.
8. Polyneuropathy.
Reports with the latest scientific information were handed out by Anita Treichler (CH) and Sharon Springel (UK). They will all be published on the Union’s website.
The research advances more slowly as was hoped for, because the disease’s mode of in heritance is probably polygenetic.
It is clear that the disease occurs in all countries.
The clubs must appeal to the breeders to consciously follow the breeding recommendation not to breed with diseased dogs and to refrain from close inbreeding.
An open health registry will be attached to the Union’s website.
9A. International Judges Seminar.
The preparations for the international judges’ seminar go as planned.
The participants will receive all speeches in writing in German and English.
The Union pays for the food and drinks of the participants.
There are still a few places available, the clubs were invited to send some more judges to the seminar.
9B. Leonberger Symposium 2010.
The board has, during its meeting yesterday discussed this issue for a considerable period.
For a big international event like this one needs more money than is now available in the Union.
One cannot take the risk that if the number of participants is lower than was hoped for, invoices can’t be paid.
The costs were estimated to be 10,000-15,000 euros.
This means that the member club will have to contribute 1-1.50 euros per club member, in order to avoid financial risks.
When the clubs pay this it would also mean that participation can be free of charge.
Several clubs cannot spend so much money in the current year. Expenses like this must be discussed in the AGM’s of the member clubs.
Therefore the decision to organize a symposium has to be postponed until next year.
The themes to be addressed should be communicated to the ILU beforehand; the clubs can ask their members by means of their newsletters to propose themes.
The date of a symposium can only be the day before the club show in Leonberg.
Sharon Springel remarked that it is all the same very important to supply information to the members which can be done by means of the website.
10 Paragraph “Elections” as part of the constitution.
The board has discussed this item.
If elections are better prepared and announced before the meeting in the invitation for the meeting, when the agenda point elections is divided into a few sub points and when the invitation clearly states which board members can be re-elected and how one can propose candidates, the constitution doesn’t have to be changed.
The meeting agreed with this proposal.
11. Miscellaneous.
Hein Sibrijns brought up the problem of different regulations for tooth cards in different countries.
There is no uniform minimum age and it is not clear from which age “bite” can be noted.
Wolfgang Mayer explained the use of tooth cards. It is meant to record the state of the number of teeth and state of the bite at a certain date. The bite can change in time, therefore one can record a change of bite on for example the German tooth cards.
Willi Güllix remarked that if the tooth card is meant to be a protection for the loss of teeth afterwards, one should record the completeness of the denture as soon as possible. Since the dentition is complete by the age of 8 months, one should allow a dental record from the age of 8 months.
It was decided, after discussion, that the International Leonberger Union recommends 8 months as minimum age for filling out tooth cards.
12. Closure.
The president closed the meeting and thanked everyone for their positive contributions.
The meeting closed at 1.45 pm
Leonberg, 26th September 2009
Willi Gullix Hein Sibrijns
President I.L.U. Secretary I.L.U.
Chairman of the meeting. Recorder of the Minutes
UNION FOR LEONBERGER DOGS , 26TH SEPTEMBER 2009
Venue:Hotel Kirchner Leonberg
Time 10:00 – 13:45
Those present: representatives from the member clubs of
Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Slovak Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom, USA.
Participant with observer status: Ireland.
Absent: Canada and Italy.
The Committee: All members of the board were present.
Chairman: the Union president Willi Güllix.
Minutes: were taken by the Union secretary, Hein Sibrijns.
Agenda:
- Welcoming Introduction.
- Reports a) President
c) Secretary
d) Auditors
3. Discussion of the reports and discharge of the Committee.
4. Election of a reserve auditor
5. The Budget for 2010, Membership dues 2010.
6. News from the member countries.
7. Breeding problems in the Union.
8. Polyneuropathy (new perceptions?)
9. Future activities of the Union.
- Information about the International Judges Seminar 2009
- Preparation Leonberger Symposium 2010 (inquiry of the subjects)
- Presentation and discussion of a new detailed paragraph of the constitution "elections"
- Miscellaneous.
- Closure.
1. Introduction.
The President opened the meeting at 10:00 am.
He welcomed the delegates, especially the representatives from New Zealand, who attended the meeting for the first time and noted with pleasure that so many clubs were represented.
Because this year an auditor couldn’t come, and had to be replaced, he proposed to insert an agenda item “Election of a reserve auditor” after item 3.
2. Reports
a. President’s Report- Willi Güllix
Click here for the extensive president’s report.
b. Treasurer’s Report - Peter Cejnek
The balance sheet was handed out at the meeting.
All member clubs were fully paid up for 2008.
On 31-12-2007 the Union’s assets amounted to 7128.56 Euros and the total number of members from the member clubs was 10,437.
c. Secretary’s report - Hein Sibrijns.
The Union web site has attracted many visitors.
For the rest, it was a quiet year.
d. Auditor’s report.
Säde Crivelli (CH) and Glen Ferguson (USA) had checked the accounts which closed 31-12-2008, as well as the accounts for the current year. They were satisfied that everything is in order and they thanked the Treasurer Peter Cejnek for doing a good job. They proposed that the meeting accept the accounts and discharged the treasurer and the board. The proposal was not discussed and was accepted unanimously.
Glen Ferguson had not been elected as auditor, the elected auditor Jim Henshaw had asked him to take over his job, because Jim couldn’t come.
3. Discharge of the Committee
The Committee was unanimously discharged.
4. Election of a reserve auditor.
José-Maria Itturalde Perez de Aranaza (E) was proposed and unanimously elected.
5. The Budget for 2009/Membership fees for 2009
The Union finances are healthy.
It was unanimously decided to maintain the membership dues at a fixed fee of 50 euros plus 0.20 euros per member.
6. News from the member countries.
The Austrian Club has Mrs. Sissy Fessl as new second delegate.
Michaela Wolf handed over a beautiful painting by an Austrian artist to the Union.
The German Club announced that 338 dogs had been entered for the club show on the 27th September.
The delegates from New Zealand Club were pleased to be in Leonberg for the first time.
This club has 77 members and there are approximately 300 Leonbergers in New Zealand.
Until now there has been one club show, judged by Guido Perosino, some years ago and an open show is planned for the next year.
The Swedish Club has a new board and new commissions.
Leonbergers are successful in water work, but in Sweden they are not allowed to participate in the official kennel club competition.
Jenny Bergdahl asked if other kennel clubs allow participation. Finland and Belgium do, Jenny will talk privately with the presidents of the Finish and Belgian club.
It would be easier when a statement that the Leonberger is capable for doing water work was added to the standard.
There is a research for heart failure in Sweden. It was stressed that a dog that dies of sudden heart failure must be autopsied, because there are several possible heart diseases. Which one was the cause of death can only be determined by means of an autopsy.
It is often DCM. The form of DCM found in Leonbergers is exactly the same as the one found in Newfoundlands.
One tries to find a genetic marker. It would be good when countries worked together, in order to get more blood samples of diseased dogs.
The Norwegian Club has 500 members.
The president warned for the growing problem of inbreeding, which is unavoidable, because studs from the same lines are too often used for breeding in some countries.
That makes to many dogs related to each other. One must stop breeding with so called “Matador Studs”.
Therefore some countries have rules to limit the use of studs. In Norway a stud is not allowed to produce more puppies than 5% of the number of puppies born during the last 5 years.
She appealed to the countries that don’t have limitations for the use of stud dogs, or that have insufficient limitations, to work on this issue, in order to prevent more loss of genetic variation because of studs mating too often.
The American Club is still working on full recognition of the breed by AKC.
The breed is in miscellaneous group since the 1st July 2008. That was the first step on the way to recognition.
The in 2007 accepted AKC Standard was evaluated and completed by members and AKC judges.
The result is a well worked out document that is planned to be accepted by the AKC board in October. The breed will then be accepted into working group on the 1st July 2010 which means full recognition.
The judges’ education committee is working on educating AKC group judges and finalizing the illustrated standard project.
The Czech Club reported that all goes smoothly in Czech Republic.
The results of the survey, made by the Czech Club as a result of the decision of the previous Union meeting, on differences in breeding regulations, confirms that there are huge differences between the breeding rules in the member countries.
The Finnish Club celebrates its 25th anniversary with a club show on the 3rd April 2010.
All are kindly invited to participate.
The Danish Club had nothing special to announce.
The Swiss Club refered to the problem of the differences in breeding rules in relation to matings from foreign dogs.
Furthermore it is very difficult to find studs, because of too much breeding in the same lines in some countries one can nearly not avoid inbreeding anymore.
In Switzerland one now stocks a blood sample of every puppy born in a blood bank.
If blood is needed for research afterwards one can just take it from the blood bank.
The Russian Club celebrates this year its 10th anniversary.
They thanked the Union and the member clubs for the very pleasant cooperation.
Tatiana Zavorina handed over a very nice plate to the Union and the club donated prizes for the Leonberg Club Show.
The Irish Club has to wait another year for full recognition by the IKC.
There are still not many dogs in Ireland and therefore not many Leonbergers are exhibited at shows.
Even at the FCI European Winner Show the Leonberger was only represented by 12 dogs.
All the same a first club show was held this year and a Leonberger was best of FCI group 2.
The Spanish Club is small, but they do a lot of work.
The Spanish Kennel Club favours the big Spanish breeds.
The club celebrates its 15th anniversary next year.
The Belgian Club is calling for more participation in the different kinds of sports such as water work, agility, carting, tracking and so on.
The Dutch Club invited to participate in the club show on the 30th May 2010.
The French Club announced that one can still enter for the Club Show in Cluny.
The club now has a good website, one works on an English version.
There is a research going on into the hereditability of Osteosarcoma.
The English Club has a new code of ethics, where health plays an important role.
They have club championship titles for water work and agility.
Blood samples are taken at several events. The samples are divided into two for the researches on poly- neuropathy and anal furunculosis.
In the future the samples can be split into 4, in order to support also researches on DCM and Osteosarcoma.
A health seminar on anal furunculosis will be organized.
The club has a new website with an open health registry.
The Slovakian Club has 32 members.
120 dogs have been entered for the FCI World Dog Show in Bratislava; some 100 are entered for the Club Show on the day before the WDS.
The Italian Club was not represented. The Union secretary read a report sent by the Italian Club’s president.
The club continues to work in high harmony with all members, the differences of opinion that previously divided the club have been addressed and are finally resolved.
The club contributes financially to the Swiss polyneuropathy research.
At the end of October a special seminar will be held, it will be focused on selection of stud dogs, “Leonberger welfare” and artificial insemination.
The Millennium Leonberger Award will be awarded to Mr. José-Maria Itturalde Perez de Aranaza: “for his high dedication to the knowledge, promotion and support of the Leonberger in Spain, not only within the Club itself but in the major contest of the Spanish Kennel Club and the all breeds FCI shows as well.”
An interval of 15 minutes was taken.
During this interval the board decided to award the ILU Awards BOB and Best Veteran to 2 shows in 2010, namely the 25th Anniversary Club Show in Finland and the 25th Anniversary Club Show in the USA.
7. Breeding problems in the Union.
Sharon Springel (UK) handed out reports concerning polyneuropathy (next agenda point) and anal furunculosis.
The reports will be published on the Union’s website.
Further she has received a report about a LUPA project on DCM. For this project one needs blood samples.
An ongoing research into Osteosarcoma in France is being conducted, it would be good if blood samples could be taken on the big events of all member clubs and split into four, to support all researches.
Säde Crivelli (CH) drew attention to the problem of females failing to conceive.
This problem is also reported from several other countries, for example Holland and Germany where up to 50% of the females do not become pregnant after a mating.
Willi Güllix warned against premature panic that might point to inbreeding depression, Aside from general statistics of numbers which vary from time to time, he pointed out that there may be several factors involved which may also include the in-experience of either the breeder or the stud dog owner.
It was decided that a survey among the breeders where a female fails to conceive will be conducted through the member clubs.
Sharon Springel will, with the help of the clubs, compose a questionnaire.
They will report next year.
Säde also stated the problem of studs that won’t cover a female in season owing to lack of libido.
8. Polyneuropathy.
Reports with the latest scientific information were handed out by Anita Treichler (CH) and Sharon Springel (UK). They will all be published on the Union’s website.
The research advances more slowly as was hoped for, because the disease’s mode of in heritance is probably polygenetic.
It is clear that the disease occurs in all countries.
The clubs must appeal to the breeders to consciously follow the breeding recommendation not to breed with diseased dogs and to refrain from close inbreeding.
An open health registry will be attached to the Union’s website.
9A. International Judges Seminar.
The preparations for the international judges’ seminar go as planned.
The participants will receive all speeches in writing in German and English.
The Union pays for the food and drinks of the participants.
There are still a few places available, the clubs were invited to send some more judges to the seminar.
9B. Leonberger Symposium 2010.
The board has, during its meeting yesterday discussed this issue for a considerable period.
For a big international event like this one needs more money than is now available in the Union.
One cannot take the risk that if the number of participants is lower than was hoped for, invoices can’t be paid.
The costs were estimated to be 10,000-15,000 euros.
This means that the member club will have to contribute 1-1.50 euros per club member, in order to avoid financial risks.
When the clubs pay this it would also mean that participation can be free of charge.
Several clubs cannot spend so much money in the current year. Expenses like this must be discussed in the AGM’s of the member clubs.
Therefore the decision to organize a symposium has to be postponed until next year.
The themes to be addressed should be communicated to the ILU beforehand; the clubs can ask their members by means of their newsletters to propose themes.
The date of a symposium can only be the day before the club show in Leonberg.
Sharon Springel remarked that it is all the same very important to supply information to the members which can be done by means of the website.
10 Paragraph “Elections” as part of the constitution.
The board has discussed this item.
If elections are better prepared and announced before the meeting in the invitation for the meeting, when the agenda point elections is divided into a few sub points and when the invitation clearly states which board members can be re-elected and how one can propose candidates, the constitution doesn’t have to be changed.
The meeting agreed with this proposal.
11. Miscellaneous.
Hein Sibrijns brought up the problem of different regulations for tooth cards in different countries.
There is no uniform minimum age and it is not clear from which age “bite” can be noted.
Wolfgang Mayer explained the use of tooth cards. It is meant to record the state of the number of teeth and state of the bite at a certain date. The bite can change in time, therefore one can record a change of bite on for example the German tooth cards.
Willi Güllix remarked that if the tooth card is meant to be a protection for the loss of teeth afterwards, one should record the completeness of the denture as soon as possible. Since the dentition is complete by the age of 8 months, one should allow a dental record from the age of 8 months.
It was decided, after discussion, that the International Leonberger Union recommends 8 months as minimum age for filling out tooth cards.
12. Closure.
The president closed the meeting and thanked everyone for their positive contributions.
The meeting closed at 1.45 pm
Leonberg, 26th September 2009
Willi Gullix Hein Sibrijns
President I.L.U. Secretary I.L.U.
Chairman of the meeting. Recorder of the Minutes
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