Re: discouraged by breed post

[Lisa D Allen]

Hope springs eternal but there are times when I wonder if this breed can be 
saved; everyday delayed is important time lost.  There are radical 
approaches that could be taken such as adopting "rules" that would make 
those of the Leonberg club or the most strict European countries seem 
"lenient."  Or, when faced with health problems and a limited gene pool, the 
very most dedicated Chinook fanciers, with UKC cooperation, began a very 
careful program to breed their dogs with carefully selected dogs of other 
breeds until they reached the degree of excellence originally sought.  But, 
I am told, the AKC would not allow this.  Well, they have not been asked, 
first, and second, we must always put the dogs first and what best serves 
them.
My Yoda lost a leg to synovial cell sarcoma and my Moses to bone cancer.
Moses has been "ill" for two years, first with immune mediated polyarthritis 
and now with bone cancer, treated with huge success with amputation and 
chemotherapy.  Medical costs for Moses for the last two years have now 
amounted to twenty four thousand dollars, that's right, twenty four thousand 
dollars.   I have saved all the notes on treatment, receipts, etc.
While I sit in clinic waiting rooms feeling new gray hairs sprouting and my 
heart slowly breaking, I wonder the number of other Berner owners who must 
be doing the same. I wonder why a breed is allowed to evolve in a direction 
that makes this degree of emotional trauma and expense necessary.
Moses is a happy boy, VERY active but is the average Joe going to go the 
lengths that I have to ascertain such?  Not a chance; the Bernese of the 
average Joe will be put down or shuffled off to become the responsibility of 
Rescue.
My Jorda had hideous hips and lived to the age of thirteen years two weeks 
two days with no problems from such and even became a BMDCA ranked obedience 
dog in Novice and one of the first two dogs to earn the BMDCA Draft Dog 
title; she also did brace draft work with my other Berner, Daphane, before 
there were titles for such.
I am told, when people become discouraged by Berner health, well, the short 
years of ecstacy with them make it all worthwhile.  This statement makes my 
blood pressure rise because there is indication in it, in my opinion, that 
dogs are merely created to satisfy us and do not deserve health and 
longevity as their very birthrights.
Lisa Allen

_________________________________________________________________
Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*.  
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail