We would like to extend a warm we/come to our newest international club member:

Barrone Victor de Saint Leger
Paris, France

Observe the color prints of his one-year-old male Presa Moka, especially the print with the Yorkshire Terrier and Chihuahua. Also, enjoy reading his letter

And Let us Welcome another International Club Member and friend:

Craig Cochshutt
Manchester, England

Our New National Club Members:

Jennifer K. Bowen
Canton, Ohio

Alfred & Yvonne Wilson
S. Bound Brook, NJ

Rob Combe & Family
Hooper, Utah

Javier & Stacey Sandoval
Center Point, OR

Lorenzo A. Lynch
Maple Heights, Ohio

Deric L. Crawford
West Los Angeles, Ca

What's in a Name: Listing the latest Presa Names recorded with the Club (May thru August)

Rare Breed Club of SW Ontario, Kitchener, Ont, Canada
May 17-19, 1997

GRAND Ch. S.S. Mufasa (Balu)- 2 Group 1st, 3 Group 2nds.

S.S. Delphyne (Sculley) - 3 Group 1st, 2 Group 2nds.

Far those who have ever questioned the true Island Temperament of the Show Stopper Presa's, study this direct quote from Jim McNairy, of Sacramento, Ca. -

July 10,1997

Dear Richard,

I thought I would drop you a quick note to pass on a story, and to ask a couple of questions. First the story. My male Presa Kylo has proven to be one of the genuinely nicest dogs I have been around. So nice in fact, that at times I began to wonder if called upon to do so, would he adequately defend himself or me. Well a few weeks ago my girlfriend was walking Kylo around our neighborhood when a very large Great Dane (that I have often seen off leash in the neighborhood) charged, snarling at my girlfriend. Kylo was not frantic or withdrawn in any way. Rather, he purposefully placed himself between my girlfriend and the oncoming dog (even as it circled), uttering a low growl while standing at attention. My girl friend was able to shoo the dog away. Lucky for the Great Dane because I have always instructed my girlfriend that if she believed that a large dog was about to attack she or Kylo that she should let Kylo off leash: apparently, she was moments away from doing so in this circumstance. Anyway, I was relieved to see that at the first opportunity/necessity, Kylo's genes kicked into the protective/dog aggressive mode.

Paris, France:

Hello American friends!

I have got one Presa Canario, his name is "Moka" (born in Spain and registered at the RRC). He is one year old and he's a very good boy with me, my friends, children, cats, and other little dogs because he lives with two Chihuahuas and two Yorkshires (all females), but! he does not like other adult, big male dogs and usually bad people. I like some of the ShowStopper Dogs, especially "Snot" "Andromina", and "Fugley, and I like American people. I was a great and old friend of your amazing Ambassador- Pamela Harriman. I am a Member of the C.A.M.LL.A., this Club not only for Presa's but for all Latiness dogs. Do you accept Moka and me in your Club?

Signed

Barrone Victor de Saint Leger."

(But of Course we do!!)

Greek Mythology: I don't think so. Show Stopper Kennels reports their first Presa Pup (a dark brindle male, out of Mufasa and Medusa) leaves for Greece on September 5th. We wish the new owner; Kostis Konstadarakis, much success and pleasure with his new charge. Let's not stop here, Show Stoppers has deposits on two more pups to go to Pallini-Athens, Greece, by December this year.

Changing Island scenes Show Stopper reports it's second Presa ever will leave for Aruba on September 18th. The fawn female is out of Grand Ch. S.S. Mufasa and Grand Ch. S.S. Medusa.

Show Stopper Kennels sent another Presa to another island, the island of the Presa's origin, yes, Tenerife, Gra n Canaria. This brindle female, out of Ch. S.S. Posiden and S.S. Thedyus was shipped to breeder Jorge de la Rosa Diaz in an exchange program.

The Ten Commandments For A Responsible Pet Owner

Incessant Barking? Help To Quiet Yelps Possible
by Joan Lowell Smith

Pillows cover your ears. Nothing helps. You attempt to sleep but the neighbor's dog is in a barking frenzy designed to drive you into one of your own. What can you do? What CAN you do? While you're contemplating dogacide, there are other less severe, more sensible solutions which are legal and infinitely more humane.

Anthony J. Scutti, Westfield chief of police, said no one in town has perpetrated violence against a dog in more than twenty years but that most complaints "are for non-stop barking late at night, or dogs left outside all day while owners are at work."

In the case of absent owners, Scutti said "We'll leave a note for them that complaints have been received. That's usually enough." The rare instance of noncompliance result in a summons, but only when owners are totally uncooperative. "Most people are responsible," said the chief. Municipalities around the state are geared to a suggested time limit of twenty minutes of unceasing barking before taking any action.

Why do dogs bark incessantly? It's not some sinister plot to drive you crazy, although it may seem like it. More likely the dog is barking from lack of training, or neglect, or boredom. Probably all three. Barking relieves pent-up energy.

Pia Silvani, director of pet training at St. Hubert's Hiralda in Madison for the past seven years, explained that uncontrolled barking usually indicates "too much freedom for the dog with the run of the yard or no stimulation." Under Silvani's leadership, 55 obedience training classed go on seven days a week, day and night, year round. She has seen -- and heard -- it all.

"Never leave a dog tied up or unattended outside." she said, a strong statement she backs up by explaining, "Dogs become too independent left on their own. They make their own fun by digging up your yard, barking furiously or exhibiting territorial aggression.

There isn't much point in having a dog and leaving it outside anyway. Certainly they are no protection unless you're afraid someone will steal you shrubs. Companion dogs belong indoors, unless owners are walking them or supervising their conduct in a fenced-in area. But model behavior indoors isn't automatic. "Most dogs need to be taught how to relax, "Silvani said. "Teach your dog to do what you do."

When the family is eating dinner or watching TV, the dog should be sitting by peacefully -- certainly not barking, unless he wants to go out or there is another compelling reason.

He barks gleefully while wagging his tail, continuing his inner monologue:

"I can get these dummies to play if I bark long enough." In desperation, the dummy throws him a bone, plays with him, or finds some other panacea to calm the barking beast.

For some dogs it doesn't take much to generate the barking mode. Perhaps a falling leaf will do it. Usually it only takes the approaching letter carrier, meter-reader or garbage collector to initiate a cacophony of barking.

Screaming "Shut up, you mangy mongrel!" seldom works. Unless your dog is conversant in English, you may was well yell, "Bark louder, you hairy hound!"

In Nevada City, CA, "The Union" newspaper told of a man so frustrated with the nightly neighborhood barking crescendos assaulting his senses that he tape-recorded the dogs, the replayed the canine concerto on a stereo speaker pointed at the offending owner's window in the middle of the night. Quid pro quo. Unfortunately, the paper omitted the results of his vendetta. They did, however, state a fact worthy of repetition: "One man's best friend can be another's worst enemy."

Unless a crazed criminal is attacking your home, which is when you want rover to perform his best Cub imitation, there's no problem distinguishing between a ferocious staccato bark and the perky bark of a playful pooch. "Barking a few times at the door is perfectly acceptable," Silvani said. "If it goes beyond that, tell the dog to be quiet and when he stops barking, reward him with 'good dog,' a pat and possibly a treat"

With tactful understatement, Silvani said dogs who bark uncontrollably are the result of "not good leadership"-- her nice way of saying, "Don't let your dog think he's the leader." That's your role.

Teaching Noisy Dogs A Trick Or Two

When the letter carrier approaches, after a few barks take a folded newspaper and slap it against something -- not the dog -- or shake an empty soda can filled with marble to startle him while saying but not shouting, "be quiet, "followed by appropriate praise.

If you're gone for extended periods of time, leave on the radio or TV, which the dog acquaints with companionship, perhaps resulting in diminished barking.

(I like this one best): If your dog goes berserk when anyone rings the doorbell, run around the home to the front to the front door and ring the bell. Then open the door. Dogs stop 'in their tracks when they see their beloved owner standing there, which stifles the Pavlovian response.