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lmor...@gmail.com
Dec 14, 2013, 1:45:18 PM12/14/13
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This is an update on the breeding co-op we joined this year. I thought the board might be interested in reading.
Happy Holidays to everyone. Here is a brief update of ABC operations to add to our holiday festivities. We are blessed to have so much good news.
1. Please welcome our 15th ABC member: Southeastern Guide Dogs has been approved as a Host member of ABC effective December 11, 2013. We have added Southeastern's Director of Operations, Linda Marie Holliday and Genetics and Reproductive Manager, Rachel Goldammer to our ABC mailing list. Please join us in welcoming Southeastern Guide Dogs to ABC.
2. ABC Operating Guidelines regarding puppy distribution have been updated by the ABC Steering Committee. Updated Operating Guidelines are maintained on Google Drive and all ABC Members have viewing privileges. If you need help accessing the new puppy distribution tables in the Operating Guidelines please contact Bob Phillips.
3. Congratulations! All ABC Host and General Members have now been allocated two puppies from the puppy distribution queue.
4. ABC's vision is to collectively improve member access to a reliable and relevant puppy supply while exponentially improving service dog type. So how are we doing? Because of the generosity of our Foundation Members and several Host member schools ABC has received generous donations of stud service, brood allocations, and puppies during our first four months of operations. We also received donations of 8 puppies and one young adult breeding quality female from Guide Dogs Queensland as part of an international breeding collaboration with this Australian partner. These generous donations serve to expand the depth and breadth of the gene pool available to ABC.
5. ABC Host and Foundation members have also collaborated to enroll broods, allocate litters, and arrange multiple matings to optimize ABC colony performance. We have some amazing stories of collaboration all of which corroborate the benefits of participating in a breeding cooperative. For example, several ABC Host members had broods come into season at the same time which might have necessitated skipping one or more seasons resulting in potential future shortages. In several cases the Host Member also did not have enough volunteers to support the whelps or raise excess puppies. In these cases ABC members cooperated to have the broods matched and mated with the best studs available, transported a pregnant brood to another Host member to whelp, and have puppies available to distribute to ABC members. These schools have received puppy credits so that later, when they might face a puppy shortage, they will be able to fulfill their puppy credits from other ABC litters.
6. ABC continues to collaborate with Jane Russenberger on the developing web (cloud) based breeding data base program. Marina Hall Phillips has been entering ABC dog data into the system and has been able to work with Jane to identify opportunities to beta test the system. As each dog is entered and the ancestry is linked and accurate phenotype is tabulated, ABC is closer to employing estimated breeding values (EBVs) to provide linear, unbiased information for future generations of breeding stock selection.
7. ABC is in good shape financially. We are operating slightly below budget. The main budget variance relates to data base subscription fees. Because the data base is not fully operational and because ABC is assisting with data entry and testing there have been no fees charged to date. Management has donated long distance international phone call charges and bank fees are below budget.
What are ABC's needs and priorities as we enter 2014?
Ø ABC is asking Host members to evaluate their experience with ABC thus far and consider enrolling additional broods into the ABC program. ABC now has a track record of collaboration that reduces and in most cases eliminates some of the uncertainty associated with starting a breeding cooperative. All ABC members have received an allocation of at least 2 puppies from the queue and we have multiple broods expecting litters in January and February. If you have questions about enrolling a brood or additional broods please contact Marina and/or other host members.
Ø Let's work together to expand ABC's membership. Do you have a relationship with an ADINA member who might benefit from joining ABC? Please share your experiences with them and encourage them to contact Marina to discuss how ABC can benefit their organization.
Ø The ABC Steering Committee has been working on developing an approach to statistically incorporate CBARQ into the ABC program. Bob Phillips has been working with Dr. Serpell to see if it is possible to create a program within the CBARQ reporting system to group ABC allocated dog scores. Further, Marina and Jane Russenberger have begun formulating a model for utilizing a Behavior Checklist System (BCL) to capture and quantify behavior observations of dogs enrolled in the ABC program. The BCL system has been tested and developed to have high levels if inter-rater reliability and repeatability. Collectively plans are underway to provide a framework and training structure for all ABC Members to systematically employ the BCL measurement tool.
Ø The ABC Steering Committee has authorized creation of an ABC Communications Strategy work group to identify and address ABC's internal and external communications needs. This work group will be chaired by Tara Dong, a volunteer from PADS, who also produces the ADI newsletter. Sandra Strobel, a marketing and communications executive with Keystone (Susquehanna Service Dogs) has also agreed to serve on the committee. The committee will begin work in January 2014.
Ø ABC hopes to have a presence at the ADI meetings in Denver in Fall 2014. This should be a great opportunity for ABC members to get together face to face and share information and plan ABC's future.
We want to thank each and every ABC member for their responsiveness and support during our start-up period. Thank you and have a happy holiday season.
Bob Phillips and Marina Hall Phillips
Linda
Happy Holidays to everyone. Here is a brief update of ABC operations to add to our holiday festivities. We are blessed to have so much good news.
1. Please welcome our 15th ABC member: Southeastern Guide Dogs has been approved as a Host member of ABC effective December 11, 2013. We have added Southeastern's Director of Operations, Linda Marie Holliday and Genetics and Reproductive Manager, Rachel Goldammer to our ABC mailing list. Please join us in welcoming Southeastern Guide Dogs to ABC.
2. ABC Operating Guidelines regarding puppy distribution have been updated by the ABC Steering Committee. Updated Operating Guidelines are maintained on Google Drive and all ABC Members have viewing privileges. If you need help accessing the new puppy distribution tables in the Operating Guidelines please contact Bob Phillips.
3. Congratulations! All ABC Host and General Members have now been allocated two puppies from the puppy distribution queue.
4. ABC's vision is to collectively improve member access to a reliable and relevant puppy supply while exponentially improving service dog type. So how are we doing? Because of the generosity of our Foundation Members and several Host member schools ABC has received generous donations of stud service, brood allocations, and puppies during our first four months of operations. We also received donations of 8 puppies and one young adult breeding quality female from Guide Dogs Queensland as part of an international breeding collaboration with this Australian partner. These generous donations serve to expand the depth and breadth of the gene pool available to ABC.
5. ABC Host and Foundation members have also collaborated to enroll broods, allocate litters, and arrange multiple matings to optimize ABC colony performance. We have some amazing stories of collaboration all of which corroborate the benefits of participating in a breeding cooperative. For example, several ABC Host members had broods come into season at the same time which might have necessitated skipping one or more seasons resulting in potential future shortages. In several cases the Host Member also did not have enough volunteers to support the whelps or raise excess puppies. In these cases ABC members cooperated to have the broods matched and mated with the best studs available, transported a pregnant brood to another Host member to whelp, and have puppies available to distribute to ABC members. These schools have received puppy credits so that later, when they might face a puppy shortage, they will be able to fulfill their puppy credits from other ABC litters.
6. ABC continues to collaborate with Jane Russenberger on the developing web (cloud) based breeding data base program. Marina Hall Phillips has been entering ABC dog data into the system and has been able to work with Jane to identify opportunities to beta test the system. As each dog is entered and the ancestry is linked and accurate phenotype is tabulated, ABC is closer to employing estimated breeding values (EBVs) to provide linear, unbiased information for future generations of breeding stock selection.
7. ABC is in good shape financially. We are operating slightly below budget. The main budget variance relates to data base subscription fees. Because the data base is not fully operational and because ABC is assisting with data entry and testing there have been no fees charged to date. Management has donated long distance international phone call charges and bank fees are below budget.
What are ABC's needs and priorities as we enter 2014?
Ø ABC is asking Host members to evaluate their experience with ABC thus far and consider enrolling additional broods into the ABC program. ABC now has a track record of collaboration that reduces and in most cases eliminates some of the uncertainty associated with starting a breeding cooperative. All ABC members have received an allocation of at least 2 puppies from the queue and we have multiple broods expecting litters in January and February. If you have questions about enrolling a brood or additional broods please contact Marina and/or other host members.
Ø Let's work together to expand ABC's membership. Do you have a relationship with an ADINA member who might benefit from joining ABC? Please share your experiences with them and encourage them to contact Marina to discuss how ABC can benefit their organization.
Ø The ABC Steering Committee has been working on developing an approach to statistically incorporate CBARQ into the ABC program. Bob Phillips has been working with Dr. Serpell to see if it is possible to create a program within the CBARQ reporting system to group ABC allocated dog scores. Further, Marina and Jane Russenberger have begun formulating a model for utilizing a Behavior Checklist System (BCL) to capture and quantify behavior observations of dogs enrolled in the ABC program. The BCL system has been tested and developed to have high levels if inter-rater reliability and repeatability. Collectively plans are underway to provide a framework and training structure for all ABC Members to systematically employ the BCL measurement tool.
Ø The ABC Steering Committee has authorized creation of an ABC Communications Strategy work group to identify and address ABC's internal and external communications needs. This work group will be chaired by Tara Dong, a volunteer from PADS, who also produces the ADI newsletter. Sandra Strobel, a marketing and communications executive with Keystone (Susquehanna Service Dogs) has also agreed to serve on the committee. The committee will begin work in January 2014.
Ø ABC hopes to have a presence at the ADI meetings in Denver in Fall 2014. This should be a great opportunity for ABC members to get together face to face and share information and plan ABC's future.
We want to thank each and every ABC member for their responsiveness and support during our start-up period. Thank you and have a happy holiday season.
Bob Phillips and Marina Hall Phillips
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