GREATER
MID-ONTARIO DOBERMAN FANCIERS (G.M.D.F.)
ABOUT OUR CLUB
The Greater Mid-Ontario Dobermans Fanciers club was founded
March 14, 1991 and was then known as the Greater Metro
Doberman Fanciers. The founding members were Milly
Bogdanow, Dianne and Jim Crompton, Mark Croxford, Janis
Davidson, Don Duncan, Rhonie and Rick Horne, Roger Kennedy,
Sharon Lariviere, Ruth Longfield, Larralyn and Dave McKay,
Hazel and Henry Mueggler, and Linda Walker. In July 1994 we
applied for and became a Chapter Club of the Doberman
Pinscher Club of Canada.
To begin, we held three Sanction and Obedience Matches, a
requirement of the Canadian Kennel Club (C.K.C.) and this
qualified us to hold a Doberman Specialty Show. It was our
great hope to make our debut by helping to celebrate the
Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada’s 25th Silver Anniversary
during the weekend of September 16th, 17th and 18th, 1994.
This prestigious 3-day “ALL DOBERMAN” event was held at the
Best Western Lamplighter Inn, London, Ontario. Although out
of the G.M.D.F.’s area of operation, we applied to the
C.K.C. and were granted permission to host our First
Doberman Regional/Specialty Show on Sunday, September 18th.
1994 with the Thames Valley Doberman Pinscher Club (on
Friday) and The Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada hosted by
the D.O.B.E. Association (on Saturday).
Our Second Regional Specialty was held in 1995 in
conjunction with The Ontario County Kennel Club, at the
Harmony Valley Conservation in Oshawa, Ontario. Then two
years later in 1997, the City of Oshawa would no longer
accept Dog Shows on the Conservation grounds and we
subsequently moved our Specialty to Orono, Ontario, again
in conjunction with the Ontario County Kennel Club. This
was also the year that the G.M.D.F. hosted the 1997
Doberman Pinscher Club of Canada National Specialty.
Unfortunately the entries for our show in Orono were less
than expected so in 2000 we applied to the Canadian Kennel
Club to officially extend our boundaries to include the
City of Woodstock. To better reflect our area of operation
in accordance with the Canadian Kennel Club rules, an
official name change was necessary and we chose to rename
our Club, “The Greater Mid-Ontario Doberman Fanciers” to
allow us to keep the original initials, “G.M.D.F”. In 2001,
our boundaries were extended and our name was officially
changed. Our first Doberman Specialty Show held in
conjunction with the Oxford County Kennel Club, was in
2001. This three day show is billed as, “Ontario’s Largest
Outdoor Show” and is held in July of each year in
Woodstock. We held our Specialty in Woodstock from 2001 to
2008. In 2009 we decided to move our Specialty to Milton to
be held in conjunction with the Kilbride show as well as a
Working and Herding Specialty. Because the G.M.D.F supports
and encourages young people to compete in the Canadian
Kennel Club Junior Handling Program, in 2007 we offered our
first Junior Handling competition and it is our hope to
continue to include this event at all future Specialty
shows.
Ours is not a large club, but we do have members who
regularly compete in C.K.C. sanctioned events:
Conformation, Agility, Obedience and Rally Obedience. One
of our Club Members and her Doberman are members of the St.
John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program and together they visit
in the Newmarket area. Another of our newer members and her
Doberman are certified as a team with Therapeutic Paws of
Canada and regularly visit at a Seniors Retirement Home and
a Community Living Centre.
Our Club is dedicated to and supports the Cardiomyopothy
Study Program for Doberman Pinschers. This program is
conducted at the Guelph Veterinary College under the
direction of Dr. Michael O'Grady, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVIM
(Cardiology). Dilated Cardiomyophy is a dreaded disease
that primarily targets Doberman Pinschers. It is
characterized by a markedly enlarged and weakened heart
muscle resulting in irregular, abnormal or premature heart
beats. It may result in sudden death. We strongly urge our
members and ALL owners of Doberman Pinschers to enrol or
Holter their Dobermans in the heart program and support
this ongoing heart study to find a cure for this dreaded
disease that affects our beloved breed. To help raise money
for this cause, the G.M.D.F. strongly urges our membership
to submit brags for their Dobermans and submit a small
donation of their choice. All money we collect in our
Member’s “Brag Fund” goes directly to support the DCM Heart
Studies.
The G.M.D.F. also provides Breeder Referrals to assist
people in finding a happy, healthy Doberman Pinscher puppy.
By answering any and all questions from prospective buyers,
we do our best to ensure they make a well-informed
decision.
Some of our G.M.D.F. Club members are active in the Sport
of Dogs, i.e. Confirmation, Agility, Obedience, Rally
Obedience, Therapy dogs with the majority active only in
the pure love and joy of owning a Doberman Pinscher as a
“Best In Home and Heart” Family Companion. ALL of “our”
Dobermans are treasured and well-loved family members.
Information supplied by
Dianne Crompton, Secretary, Membership and Editor, G.M.D.F.
Compiled by
Anne-Marie Peachey, Recording Secretary and Director,
G.M.D.F.
IMPORTANT NOTE
THE GREATER MID-ONTARIO DOBERMAN FANCIERS CLUB
DOES NOT CONDONE THE BREEDING AND/OR SELLING
OF ALBINO (WHITE) DOBERMAN
PINSCHERS.
