Frequently Asked Questions
about the ABC's of Dog Breeding Seminar
 

By Claudia Waller Orlandi


What do you charge for the seminar?

 How do we make your book available?

I don't charge for the seminar itself but do charge for travel and hotel expenses. I HIGHLY recommend that you do a pre-registration and that on the pre-registration form you find out how many attendees wish to also order the ABC’s of Dog Breeding Home Study Program – almost everyone does purchase it.  Without a pre-registration for the seminar and for the book, you won't know how many people to expect or how many books to have me send to you ahead of time.  I can't carry the ABC's of Dog Breeding books with me on the plane because they are too heavy.  The book is 470 pages and normally retails for $30 plus $5 shipping and handling.  For seminars I charge $25 per copy and no shipping and handling as long as I send all the books together to one address. A sample pre-registration form is included at the end of this FAQ.

How much do clubs usually charge for those who wish to attend your seminar?

How much a club charges depends on the club's finances.  Some clubs that offer education at a National specialty, for example, may pick up the entire cost of the book and the seminar and offer the whole program free of charge to their members.  Other clubs can't afford to do this and need to have attendees pay for the book as well as an additional charge to cover the cost of the room, etc.  It depends entirely on what works best for your club.

What about airline reservations?  Airport pick-up? For how long do you require a hotel room?

I will need to know the airport into which I will fly.  I prefer to make my own flight reservations and always try to get the lowest possible fare.  I generally do not like to arrive the same day I am to give a presentation, especially in the winter when so much can go wrong with the weather and the fact that I am flying from Burlington, Vermont.  Much depends on your location and on when the presentation is scheduled to start. If it begins at 8:30 in the morning, which many of them do, then I need to arrive the day before.  If I can fly out after giving the presentation and not have to stay another night, I'm happy to do so.  Some clubs have me take a shuttle to the hotel and others send people to pick me up.  It will depend on what works best for your club and location.  I'm happy to work with you in any way I can.

I will need to have the phone or cell number of someone to contact once I begin the trip.

What type of equipment do you need for the presentation?

Unless the club has an available LCD projector and computer, I will bring my own computer and LCD but I will need the following:
   ~ A projection screen
   ~ A lavaliere microphone (the type that clips to your suit)
   ~ An audio-visual table on which to set up equipment
   ~ An extension cord and electrical hook up
   ~ A grooming table and live dogs, if you wish me to do a hands-on workshop
      (see below)

How long is the ABC's of Dog Breeding presentation?

I will need to know how long you wish the seminar to be.  The average seminar is about 4 hours but this can be shortened to 2 hours or lengthened to about 5-6 hours, depending on what works best for you. I like to have a minimum of 3 hours, if possible.

Is there anything else we should know?

I also offer an optional hands-on workshop on how to evaluate forequarter and hindquarter angulation and placement in dogs.  I like to use a couple of live dogs for this demonstration, if possible.  My including this workshop is entirely up to you.  There is no charge, since I consider it part of the presentation.

What is your contact information to speak to you about a seminar?

Claudia Orlandi

P O Box 169

Essex Jct, VT 05453-0169

Email: domorlan@gmavt.net

Do you have a description of your presentation which we can use for advertising purposes?

The description that follows may be used in its entirety or in an abbreviated format, depending on what you feel would be appropriate for your group and the amount of space you have available for copy.

ADVERTISING COPY FOR: The ABC's of Dog Breeding: What Every Breeder Should Know!

By Claudia Waller Orlandi, PhD

Claudia's involvement with the dog fancy began some 40 years ago as a junior handler.  Although she has owned and shown various breeds since, for over 20 years her passion has been breeding Basset Hounds.  Claudia and her late husband, Dom have bred over 115 champions under the Topsfield prefix. The Orlandi's Topsfield Kennel is located on 200 acres in Vermont and can house 40-50 Basset Hounds.  Topsfield Bassets hold numerous Breed and All-Breed records, multiple Pedigree, Dog of Year and Nature's Recipe Awards in addition to National Specialty winners al all levels.   

Nationally campaigned hounds include Ch Topsfield Bumper Cars, CD, ROM; Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Sports Car, ROM; Ch Topsfield Beethoven; Ch Topsfield American Express and Ch Topsfield Vision Silver Noodles, all handled by Bryan Martin. Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Yahtzee, Ch Sanchu-Topsfield Go Cars; Ch Topsfield Mozart and Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Pop Art O’Bridi have been handled by Sue Frischmann. Bumper Cars, a National BISS Winner, was the Number One Hound All Breeds in 2001 and Number Two Hound All Breeds in 2002 and is the top Group Winning Basset Hound in the history of the breed with 250 group firsts. Winner of 45 Bests in Show, Bumper Cars also holds the record for most Hound Group firsts (117) of any hound breed won in a single year. Ch Topsfield-Vision Silver Noodles is the top winning Basset Hound bitch in breed history.  In the last 10 years, Topsfield Basset Hounds have won over 100 All Breed Bests in Show, over 500 Group Firsts and numerous Best in Specialty wins. They have also received a record breaking 4 Hound Dog of the Year Awards, which is awarded to the hound winning the most group firsts in a calendar year. They have been Number One Basset Hound All Systems for a record 9 consecutive years. Topsfield Bassets hold a unique 2002 BHCA National Specialty record, receiving Winners Dog and Reserve Winners Dog, Winners Bitch and Reserve Winners Bitch, 3 Awards of Merit and BOS in Sweeps under 4 breeder judges at that one National Specialty (entry of 330). Topsfield bred a 2003 Top Producing Basset Hound Sire and the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Top Producing Basset Dams. Ch Topsfield Jingle Bells, ROM, is the Top Producing Basset Hound Dam in the breed’s history, with 21 titled offspring.

           Claudia has served on the Basset Hound Club of America’s Health and Research Committee and has chaired Member Education for which she has designed an innovative concept called Basset Hound University. Since 2009 she has been Chairman of BHCA Judges/Breeders Education and since 1997 she has authored the column, “Breeder’s Toolbox,” in the BHCA newsletter. She speaks at numerous National Specialties and dog clubs and has been a speaker for the AKC/CHF Breeder’s Symposia, the Eukanuba Breeder’s Symposium and various AKC Judge’s Institutes and has developed a home study program for breeders called the ABC’s of Dog Breeding, which is sponsored by the American Kennel Club and the Canine Health Foundation.  She conducts the following seminars: The ABC’s of Dog Breeding; Anatomy Review for Judges and Breeders; Hands-On Angle Evaluation in Dogs and the BHCA Judges’ Education Seminar on the Basset Hound. She judges Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, PBGV’s, Beagles, Basenjis, Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Junior Showmanship. She is a 2009 Dogs in Review Outstanding Breeder nominee and winner of the 2009 American Kennel Club Breeder of the Year award. She has conducted over 125 seminars on dog breeding and canine anatomy.

Her home study program, the ABC’s of Dog Breeding, is based on the enthusiastic response to her educational seminars on breeding and her belief that anyone can and should understand the practical rules of animal breeding and canine genetics in their quest to breed better, healthier dogs.

THE ABC'S OF DOG BREEDING PROGRAM:  The ABC’s of Dog Breeding Home Study Program was developed to help fill the need for an affordable, easy-to-understand course of study on dog breeding, which is suitable for club structured breeder’s education and appropriate for breeders of all breeds of dog. The goal of the ABC’s of Dog Breeding is to take a practical, step-by-step-approach to the art and science of breeding.  It is thanks to our understanding of the proven breeding strategies of livestock species that we know the importance of applying genetic principles to the breeding of companion animals like dogs and horses. The ABC’s textbook outlines 7 key breeding tools and concepts, which include (1) genetics, (2) breeding systems, (3) pedigree, (4) selection, (5) anatomy, (6) kennel blindness and (7) genetic defects. In addition to discussing the basic rules of heredity, the ABC’s of Dog Breeding also addresses many of the common misconceptions that have been handed down from dog breeder to dog breeder.  The ABC’s of Dog Breeding Home Study Program includes a series of workbook exercises.  Breeders who send in their completed exercises to the American Kennel club will receive a Certificate of Completion.

     The ABC’s of Dog Breeding seminar is an introduction to the topics that are covered in the home study program and explains many of the practical genetic breeding principles that can benefit breeders of all breeds of dogs.

 

A Sample Pre-Registration Form is included below:

SAMPLE REGISTRATION FORM TO USE AS POSSIBLE   MODEL FOR YOUR CLUB:

 

The ABC’s of Dog Breeding seminar is easy to understand and fun to learn.  The session will be followed by a hands-on workshop on how to determine shoulder angulation and placement.

 

  Who:     Claudia Orlandi

  What:     ABC's of Dog Breeding Seminar

  When:   Friday, January 20, 200?  6 p.m. to 9 p.m. ?

  Where:  ??????????
  Cost:      $25 each or $30/Couple 
 

ABC’s of Dog Breeding Home Study Book (optional) $25 (normal retail price is $30 plus $5 S & H)

 

Attendees who complete the ABC’s of Dog Breeding workbook exercises and send them to AKC will receive a Certificate of Completion

 

Although it is not required, pre-registration is suggested if you wish to pre-order the ABC's of Breeding book at the special seminar price.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * date????????????????? * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Pre-Registration Form

Name(s)_______________________________________________________________
Address ______________________________________City/State/Zip____________
Telephone ______________________Email_________________Fax______________
_______I would like to sign up for the seminar ($25 per person; $30 per couple)
_______I would like to order ______ copies of the ABC's of Dog Breeding book @ $25 each
    Mail form and check made out to My Kennel Club to:
         Jane Doe, 1234  Dog Lane, Anywhere, State 00000-1111
For further information contact C Doe at cdoe@aol.com  (555) 555-5555 or
   John Smith at Smith@net (111) 111-1111