2025 - What A Year It's Been!

2025 Year in Review

Here are some reminders of the 2025 activities that YOUR membership helped support and that we hope you participated in. A huge thank you to all the Nutmeg members who volunteered their time to help in creating and staging the events mentioned below.

January: 

• AKC Meet the Breeds was held on January 25th & 26th at the Javits Center in NYC. This event was organized by Ylisa Kunze. Thanks to Denise and Sandy Ratner, Mary Nottingham, Stephanie Staszak, Trish Parrett and Patty Hobin, along with their dogs for acting as ambassadors to the public for our wonderful breed. 

February:

• Winter Dry Dock Workshop with Mayflower PWD Club was held on the weekend of February 15th-16th in Chicopee, MA. Lori Crouch was the instructor who worked with the Novice to Working dogs on Saturday, and Courier & Master dogs on Sunday. 

March:

• On March 1st-2nd, Nutmeg supported the entry at the Working Group show in West Springfield, MA.
• Our Annual Meeting was held on March 16th, at Cabela’s in East Windsor, CT. Kathy Lesinski did a demo on Canine Conditioning. Many thanks to Ginny Cuneo, Alex Vinopal, Rachel Narducci, Jennifer Shook, Mary Nottingham and Hannah Barber for organizing. 

April:

• On April 27th Nutmeg held an AKC Obedience Trial, at Tails-U-Win in Manchester CT. The judge was Dr. Karen Westfield Tucker. Thanks to everyone who helped and stayed late to clean up.

May:

• The All-Breed Health Clinic was held at Deep River Animal Hospital, Deep River CT on May 3rd & 4th. Dr. Christine Scruggs (hips, elbows and assorted blood tests), Dr. Marge Neaderland (eyes), Dr. Andrew Waxmen (cardio), and Dr. Judy Pawluslow (hearing) were the vets on hand. This was organized by Mary Knoll and thanks to everyone who helped to make this event run smoothly.
• May 24th was the first water practice day at Deer Lake in Killingworth, CT.  

June:

• The Greenwich Kennel Club and Longshore-Southport Kennel Club shows were held at Taylor Farms Park in Norwalk, CT on June 6th-8th. These Nutmeg Specialties were dedicated to long time member and Treasurer, Cheryl Rutz who passed earlier in the year.  Thanks to Mary Knoll for handling the merchandise sales, and thanks to Ylisa Kunze for organizing the fried chicken luncheon, and Patty Hobin for coordinating and running the annual Basket Raffle.  A quick in-person meeting was held, and three new members were approved. 
• Water practice was held on June 14th & 28th at Deer Lake in Killingworth, CT.
• Our second AKC Fast CAT event was held on June 29th at Showcase for Dogs in East Windsor, CT. Ginny Cuneo spearheaded this event, and it won’t be the last. Thanks to volunteers Patrice Lattrel, Sue Robinson, Mary Nottingham and Hannah Barber who worked in the catch and release pens, as well as Jane Freeman and Melinda Harvey who did the check ins, and Sharon & Sol Linet who handled the ribbons. Thanks also to Nancy Dooley and Jennifer Narducci helped out where needed.

July:

• Water practice was held July 12th at Deer Lake in Killingworth, CT.
• Nutmeg PWD Club 2025 Calendar photo winners were announced with photo finalists from multiple states across the U.S. - and from these countries around the world - Austria, Canada, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and Sweden. Many thanks to Melinda Miller and the Nutmeg Calendar Committee for putting this together!

August:

• Water practice was held on August 9th, and August 28 at Deer Lake in Killingworth, CT.
• The Nutmeg Supported Entry at Ox Ridge Kennel Club Show in West Springfield, MA was held on August 22nd.
• From August 21st to August 29th the PWDCA National Specialty was held at Purina Farms in Gray Summit, Missouri. Many Nutmeg members competed and participated in various events. Nutmeg donated a basket for the raffle.

September:

• On September 2nd, the 2026 Nutmeg Calendar was published and ready for sale! Over the years, Nutmeg PWD Club has donated $60,000 from the proceeds of our calendar sales to the Portuguese Water Dog Foundation to support health research in dogs.
• Water practice was held on September 14th and 17th at Deer Lake in Killingworth, CT.
• Nutmeg held a PWDCA Water Trial at Deer Lake in Killingworth, CT on September 21st-22nd, dedicated in honor of Cheryl Rutz, boats, ropes, and equipment extraordinaire, Competitors persevered amidst the extremely variable New England weather with Saturday being chilly and very windy, and Sunday being very hot! Thanks to Melinda Harvery for chairing this great event, that highlights the breed’s history, and thanks to Trial Secretary, Jane Freeman and judge, Sue Lefebvre.   Many thanks to the numerous volunteers who did a wonderful job keeping the trial running, safely and efficiently. Our merchandise tent was manned by Mary Knoll and Ginny Cuneo. Jane Harding, Ginny Cuneo, and Rachel Narducci helped with cooking the delicious Saturday BBQ. Clean up, including tackling the EZups, as well as setting up and breaking down the trial at the conclusion went smoothly thanks to Alex Vinopal, Alissa Hyres, Marian Beland, Rachel Narducci, Melinda Harvey, and Hannah Barber. There is no shortage of camaraderie and encouragement to all those present. BIG THANKS to each volunteer and CONGRATULATIONS to all qualifying teams over the weekend!  

October:

• On October 26th Kathy Lesinski was welcomed back to teach a Canine Conditioning Workshop to members at Tails-U-Win in Manchester CT. Thanks to Mary Nottingham for organizing this event and Alex Lightfoot Vinopal and Hannah Barber for helping out. 10 lucky working teams were able to learn how to keep their PWDs in tip-top shape. 

As we wind the year down– just a quick reflection on our commitment to support charities for our dogs and others – and humans that need and love them. Since 2001 the Nutmeg Portuguese Water Dog Club has donated over $103,000 to worthwhile organizations including but not limited to:

• Portuguese Water Dog Foundation, Inc., dedicated to fund canine medical research focused on issues that affect the health and well-being of Portuguese Water Dogs. Our 2025 donation was earmarked for canine cancer research.
• Exceptional Sidekicks Therapy Dogs, a non-profit organization founded in 2016, it provides psychiatric service dogs to disabled teens and young adults, empowering them to complete their education, and open up their world to the lives they want to live.
• Canine Companions for Independence, provides assistance dogs free of charge to adults, children, and veterans with disabilities.
• Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc., since 1960 they have provided, at no charge, men and women who are blind with their specially bred and extensively trained German Shepherd guide dogs.
• The Connecticut Humane Society, the leading resource in CT for companion animal welfare. Our donations are earmarked for the Fox Free Clinic that provides health care for dogs whose owners cannot afford veterinary services.
• AKC Reunite Disaster Relief, provides assistance to not-for-profit animal shelters and similar organizations providing shelter and care for pets displaced during natural or civil disasters.
• AKC Canine Health Foundation, the world's largest funder of health research exclusively for dogs.
• Safe Futures, a CT organization dedicated to supporting individuals affected by domestic and sexual violence, assault, stalking, and abuse from children to. It is also the first emergency shelter in Connecticut that allows safe housing for family pets under their "Protect our Pets" program.