[PyrNet-L] GPCA BULLETIN & MEMBERSHIP

["Pyrstar" <pyrstar@pathway.net>]

Hi,
When I got my first Pyr, Grizz, I had absolutely no idea how involved I
would become in the breed.   I had never seen a dog show and the closest
I'd ever been to one was when my *ex* and I lived in NYC and we happened to
be walking by Madison Square Guarden and there was a notice on the marquee
that said *WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB* on one line and the next line said *AKC
DOG SHOW*.    I had an immediate interest, but my *ex* took my arm and
quickly walked me passed the building saying we'd go next week.    He's a
New Yorker so he knew there'd be no next week.   He felt the only reason
for going to Madison Sq. Guarden was to see Knick or Ranger games and the
occasional concert.    I would frequently walk by a building with a nice
sized bronze placque that said *AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB*  and knew that this
had something to do with dog registrations.   So, I really had no dog
knowledge.    I tried very hard to join the regional & national clubs--took
me 2 years to join the regional club and later I realized that I'd mistaken
the  regional club for the national club.   Really, I think the term
*airhead* was an apt description of me in the beginning.  It took me
another year to figure out how to join the national.   Actually, I noticed
the Club Secretary filling out an application for members to sign and I can
tell you very honestly, that I did something I'd never done before--I'd
purposely, very pushily insisted on an application for myself so it could
be signed by members with the Secretary's application.  I'd never ever
intentionally imposed myself like this before.   Then, I started receiving
the GPCA Bulletin.   For me, it was a wealth of information about the breed
and *NOT FOR JUST CONFORMATION* either.    There were articles written by
Linda W. and Catherine dlC.   They opened my eyes to lgd work.   Linda's
article on separating 2 fighting dogs was one of the best articles I ever
read even though I never dreamed how sections of that article would
wonderously pop into me head when 2 of my males were in a fight for the
first time.    I was screaming and in a panic when all of a sudden words
from that article came back to me and I was then able to take sensible
action instead of screaming and escallating the fight.   Afterwards I sat
in a chair and poured Wild Turkey in a glass.   The bulletin was how I
found out that there were other clubs with excellent Rescue procedures, I
didn't realize there was any other way than what my Club was doing.   The
bulletin was the first time I was actually finding the information that I'd
been seeking for so long.   In defense of my regional club, it's a very
small club with mostly companion Pyr people that had/have no real interest
in any other aspects of the breed.   But, that might be because we're
sandwiched between to really big clubs.  I really think that only *show*
people think a 2 hour drive one-way to a meeting is a short drive.   I used
to encourage everyone I met with a Pyr to join the GPCA just so they could
receive the Club Bulletin.   I was really doing PR work pushing the selling
of the Bulletin.   Of course, I never read the small print that said you
could purchase the Bulletin without applying for membership.   If I had,
I'd've really promoted that.   Most people with Pyrs that I'd met weren't
interested in joing the GPCA or a regional club--not everyone was in my
club's territory.    The regional clubs are really where people should
start if they are interested in learning about Pyrs.   If there was one
good thing my little club did--it was that members would sit around talking
about *their* Pyrs.   If you listened even a little, you would learn about
different situations & experiences that very much resembled what you,
yourself was experiencing in varying degrees with your own Pyr.  In the
beginning, I didn't even realize that through these conversations by
members that I was actually learning alot about every day living with Pyrs.
  Plus, I was entertained richly with some of the Pyr stories and
experiences.   Members got so involved with talking about their Pyrs that
the meeting was always started very late and sometimes quite short because
of that.   Usually by the time the meeting got started, half the membership
had to be getting on their way home.   When I realized this priceless
attribute my little club did have, I always promoted joining my little club
just for the experience of sitting down and listening to other Pyr owners
tell you about their Pyrs--this was where the gems of information were to
be found for the person who just owned a Pyr and had no other interest in
the breed.   I didn't bother mentioning that this was where they might
realize that they really did have other interests in the breed.   I was
learning that people had to see it for themselves and not just take my word
for it.   So, what I'm trying to make you understand is that it all starts
with the regional clubs.    Even if you, your kids & Pyr have to drive a
few hours just to spend a day with other Pyr people at a Pyrnic playing
games and just having fun.    You might find that you do have an interest
in tattooing or microchipping your Pyr.   You might decide that you do
think carting with your Pyr is alot of fun even if only for the kids.   
You might find that it's quite exhilerating walking 5 miles (or less) with
ten other people with one or multiple Pyrs, if just for the looks of the
other passers-by.    The regional clubs will have fun matches and most if
not all, have a miscellaneous class for altered pyrs and/or a class for
just rescues.   So everyone with a Pyr, no matter what their interest, yes
even showing, can join the fun and enter their Pyr in the match.   There
might be a Parade of Rescues and/or Pets.   Then there are the contests for
best dressed Pyr or best Pyr constume.   One year this was won by my friend
who dressed her Pyr Kodiak up as Phantom Of The Opera--never in her wildest
dreams did she think she would take her college graduation gown and alter
it for a *dog*.   Not only was Kodiak the *VERY FIRST* Pyr to be dressed as
the Phantom--he was and still is the *handsomest*   ;-)   (This part might
fall under *IMHO*)  and not just because of Gail's talent with his contume
design.   Her first Pyr,Cirrus, went as Sheherazade (sp?) wearing different
colored vails especially around her face--her muzzel stuck out.   Of
course, Cirrus's typical attitude was, *Yah, I'll tell you a story....come
closer so I can.....Nevermind, you had to know Cirrus to read her
face/mind.    So, it all starts at the regional club level.    And I still
believe that the GPCA Bulletin is where you will find great info on the
breed even if you are too stubborn to join a regional club or even start a
new regional club with a few interested Pyr owners.   And, the Bulletin
never remains stagnant.  It is always improving with each new editor.   I
was so happy with the Bulletin as it was when I first started getting it.  
I've been impressed how well each new editor has improved the Bulletin
within re the information and also the Bulletin's formats & designs.   
Bulletin Editor is a special job done by very special people.   The
regional clubs are just the beginning......
Jean F-V
W.PA.