Re: puppy
In a message dated 12/29/2002 6:32:44 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: is there any way that you could let me know if there is a good breeder anywhere around the new england area? Hi Sharon, There are many *responsible* breeders in the New England areaand several ways to find them. The first resource is the regional BMD club, the BMDCNV. The club is a mix of breeders, pet owners, some who show, some who do draft and obedience, many who simply enjoy their Bernesea nice group of people. Membership will bring you a monthly newsletter with a wide variety of articles from health to training to upcoming events. You'll find the contacts for membership and the Puppy Chair (breeder referral) on the website, www.bmdcnv.org Dec Jan are pretty quiet but things start picking up in Feb. The annual Winter Walk will be Sunday, Febuary 23rd from 11am - 2pm at Wompatuck State Park in Hingham MA. This is a family event, totally informal, just a romp in the park with lots of Berners and lots of Berner lovers. Here is a URL for the park that has information and directions but more specifics should go up on the bmdcnv website in the near future. http://www.state.ma.us/dem/parks/womp.htm March 15-16 W. Springfield, MA The CT River Working Group shows. These shows are for the Working Group only and they're supported entries for BMDs. That means large entries and lots of spectators plus Public Ed materials and Hospitality provided by the host clubs so you have a chance to meet people and chat before and after the judging. There's usually a Spring Fun Day in Westford, MA. A casual day designed for everyone from show people getting ring experience for their hopefulls to obedience run-thrus, to ear and feet trimming clinics, to fun obstacle courses, to raffles. Watch the upcoming events secton on the bmdcnv website or the Bernerblatt newsletter if you become a member. The biggest show event of the year for BMDs in New England is our regional specialty held in conjunction with the Ladies Dog Club all breed shows, in Wrentham, MA. I think it's the end of May this year. Lots of Bernese, lots of fanciers, lots of food and comeraderie. One benefit of going to club events is it gives you an opportunity to see temperaments of dogs from a variety of breeders. You can see which dogs are confident and which are ducking behind their owners...which are anxious to explore the world and which are afraid of everything unfamiliar. Correct BMD temperament is the former, not the latter. Look for a line...an extended family of dogs...who are comfortable in their own skin (ie: self confident) and not phobic basket cases. At berner gatherings, watch the dogs and how they interact with the world and with new people...ask the owners who they came from, especially the ones you like and the ones you don't. Beyond temperament, there's an excellent tool to help you sort out your own priorities and that of each breeder called the Breeder Checklist. It's on Pat Long's website: http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1 Be VERY cautious of breeder websites...it's easy to put up a bunch of cute puppy pictures and say what buyers want to hear...while being nothing more than a puppy mill type producer. Some breeder websites are legitimate, many aren't. Likewise, newspaper ads... I don't think I've ever seen a responsible breeder advertise puppies in the Boston area newspapers or the Want Advertiser type papers. The 'bad guys' have gotten pretty good at reaching out to the public and telling people what they want to hear...in broad strokes, rather than specifics. I consider the following and similar to be 'red flags: Her hips are good (A responsible breeder will tell you something like the dam is OFA good, the sire GDC Excellent) I've never had a problem with ... (No line is free of all hereditary diseases such as cancer, hip, or elbow dysplasia. Anyone making this claim is either lying or they don't follow up on their puppies and have no idea wht they've produced or this is their first litter.) My vet said... (Doesn't matter what their vet said, it's what the OFA or GDC say that counts. These registries use Board Certified Radiologists to evaluate hips and elbows. Likewise, eyes should be checked by a CERF exam.) These dogs are from European lines, they don't have the kind of problems over there that American breeders do (Yes they do, that's why we have a bi-annual international symposium on breed health.) I can't give you copies of ...until you sign the contract (RUN! Why would anyone not require proof of health clearances and the opportunity to review a contract before signing it. What would you do if you go to pick up your pupy and there are no clearances and the contract you're presented with requires you to show the dog to a championship or breed her and give the litter back to the breeder? These things ARE happening
Re: age to x-ray and chrondotoin supplement
In a message dated 12/29/2002 2:38:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I'm wondering what is the reccommended age for hip x-rays. My berner pup turned 8 months on xmas day! I don't think there's one 'right' answer to that questionmuch depends on your reason for xraying. For breeding purposes, I like final xrays to be done at 2 years but would probably accept preliminaries at 18 months if they're rated good or excellent. Breeders who re-home hopefuls that don't turn out will often do preliminary xrays at 12 months so they can place them sooner rather than later if they don't clear. Then re-xray at 2 years for final clearance. If the xrays are being done on a companion dog and are primarily for information purposes, I'm a bit more flexible. I don't think films shot at 6 months (common age for neutering) are terribly helpful. That said, the breeder may want information on the litter sooner rather than later. In my stud contract I give a range of 12-26 months for hip, elbow, and eye evaluations in order to accomodate whichever is the breeder's preference for her litter. You'll find statistics on percent of change at different ages on the OFA website, www.offa.org Also- this is a non-berner related question- my great dane who lives with my parents, is 8 and showing some discomfort getting up and down. I'd like to give him chrodoitin and glucosamine, and am having a friend bring it from the US in a few days, but am unsure about the reccommended daily dosage for a giant sized dog. I use Cosequin DS. Their dosing for dogs over 100 lbs is 4 per day (2 AM and 2 PM) for the first 4-6 weeks, then 2/day for maintenance. Each Cosequin DS tablet contains (500 mg) glucosamine HCI 99% (400 mg) sodium chondroitin sulfate Plus manganese ascorbate -Sherri Venditti
Happy 6th Birthday Ari
Just wanted to wish a very happy 6th birthday to our girl Ari. [Prima Ariadne V Alderhorst]. She is truly a love. We are so grateful to both Judy Butenas and Cindy DeGuidio for Arishe is the sweetest, most loving girl. Ari has always been the clown. Where Bacchus tries to act dignified and regal..there sits Ariher tongue lolling out the side of her mouth, one ear flipped over, her eyes full of mischief, and a big smile on her face. Happy Birthday baby Cathi with Bacchus and Ari you can see pics at http://community.webtv.net/bernerlover/LANDSLIDEBERNESE
Re: BERNER-L digest 4198
Hi, Under Dogs in this AM Arkansas Democrate classified section an add for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies. AKC registered, call us before you buy. Conway: 501-329-2590. Fred.
Re: Cabana Crate Sizing...great crates!
I love my Cabana crates! I have 4 of them I have accumulated over the years and they are by far the best portable mesh style lightweight crate. The size X-Large is very big indeed. I use it when I want to to put 2 dogs in one crate. My Corgi very easily fits in w/ one Berner in there, along w/ a water dish, my big purse, and the video camera -- who's gonna go in there to steal them!? The X-Lage is probably appropriate for a very large male Berner, but my moderate size boys do fine in a Large (Java is 26 3/4 inches and 89 lbs and Bean is 26 1/24 inches and 94 lbs). If your boy is only 46 lbs at 8 months, you are right that he probably not be a very large Berner. My rescue Berner boy, Charm, came to me just as he turned 10 mos, and weighed 66 lbs. He is now 19 months and is very fine boned and still small at 72 lbs -- but makes up for lack of size in energy and determinationa real wild child, energetic as anything.. maybe they crossed some Jack Russel Terrier in w/ him at that Amish puppy mill!? Anyway, Charm doesnt even really need the Large, he fits very comfortably in his size Med/Large Cabana Crate. I think the guidelines the company gives are a little generous. I would think a Large would certainly be more than big enough for your boy. Vilma Briggs (Kistner) Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and Ted PS Measure these distances on the ground, and have your dog lie down to get an idea: MED/LARGE $144 34L x 26.5W x 28H Example: Aussie, BC, small Retriever, large Spaniel Weighs 8 pounds LARGE $164 38L x 28.5W x 30H Example: large Retriever, Sheperds Weighs 9 pounds X/LARGE $178 42L x 31W x 33H Example: Newfoundland, Bernese Mt. Dog Weighs 10.5 pounds
Re: dremel question
Thanks Teresa That was a great web site! I've been thinking about using a dremel but wasn't sure how to do it! Stephanie Heeter and Brina - Original Message - From: Teresa Dominguez [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Berner-L [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 11:11 AM Subject: Re: dremel question Use the sanding bands, kinda like an emery board .. the grinding stones get too hot and use the low speed. Here is a great site on dremeling dog nails, great detail with pictures. http://homepages.udayton.edu/~merenski/doberdawn/dremel/dremel.html Teresa, Patriot and Romeo - Original Message - From: Andrea Brin [EMAIL PROTECTED] woofit and chi now have a dremel. it is cordless and has two speeds. it comes with a collet on it and some accessories. can you use the collet alone? what should we ideally use for their nails. this is a lot more complicated than i thought it would be. their groomer just grinds!
littermates
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Re: Rawhide
I don't give any of these kind of things to the dogs to play with. I seem to remember some discussion a while ago about Nylabones having bits broken off that subsequently got swallowed. Marion Brown Teversal Bernese Mountain Dogs South Africa Dogs Never Lie About Love (Jeffrey Masson)
Re: Rawhide
In a message dated 12/30/2002 10:16:06 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I seem to remember some discussion a while ago about Nylabones having bits broken off that subsequently got swallowed. That would be the Gumabone made by Nylaboneor I think they may now call them Nylabone Soft. The Gumabones are terrific for puppies...for as long as they have puppy teeth. Then I switch to the regular Nylabone. My dogs knaw away on them for months, all they can get off are tiny shavings of nylonabout the size of sawdust. -Sherri Venditti
Re: virus attachment from BernerFolk
For those who do not have a good anti-virus program, try this: http://www.mcafee.com/anti-virus/default.asp It's excellent! And, since you download updates from the internet, it is always up-to-date. I've used it for several years now, and we recommend it to all our clients (we have a computer consulting company). Liz Steinweg The Crew Blue Moon's Baloo Berry Torte Baloo - our rescue Berner-boy! Bobby Sox (husky-x), Figaro (20+ lb Forest Cat) Rio Sahara (the Rat Cats) and in loving memory of my 1st BMD - Toby (6/29/97 - 6/30/00) Colorado Springs CO http://www.csbservices.com/personal/personal.htm - Original Message - From: JEvans [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 1:35 PM Subject: virus attachment from BernerFolk I have received for the second time in as many weeks an email from BernerFolk which is carrying virus. The most current one has the subject: Happy New Year. I appreciate the sentiment :) but not the attachement/virus. Jill Evans with Indie and Gabby (Aussie/BC)
Health question on tests
Hi, I am in the middle of researching/refreshing my knowledge of the important health requirements to look for when searching for a new puppy. It has been 5 years since we last contacted breeders and I know to look for certifications on hips, elbows, and eyes. But I have a couple of questions on the eyes, heart and thyroid tests. 1) If eyes have been deemed clear, what does this meanclear for what? Does the test have to be performed yearly to be valid? I'm sorry if this is a naive questionI remember there was a disease involving the eyelids (is this PRA?), but I don't understand what the test checks for and how often it should be repeated. 2) Why are the heart and thyroid tested? I noticed that the Breeder Checklist I pulled off one website suggests testing the dam. Why not test both the sire and dam? What abnormalities is the test looking for? In this day and age, if the hips tested good and the elbows test normal, is this pretty good? I guess excellent would be better, but how rigid should one be for a pet quality puppy? My family is looking for a nice pet, with the best chance for a longer, healthy life. I know this breed has health issuesthat doesn't scare us. But we are not looking to breed, and I was thinking maybe good hips and elbows are good enough for us. Do you agree? Thank you for your comments and advice. I can be emailed at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Kim Touzeau [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Counter ad
This was Gail Miller's ad, run as a counter ad to one with a phone number in Missouri, possibly the Dakes or Bunch, both breeders associated with Southwest Kennel Auctions. Liz Caldwell, Lawrence With BARC Babe Sophia, Pyr Princess Faith, and curmudgeon cat Mascot At 7:18 AM -0600 12/30/02, fredbites wrote: Hi, Under Dogs in this AM Arkansas Democrate classified section an add for Bernese Mountain Dog puppies. AKC registered, call us before you buy. Conway: 501-329-2590. Fred.
RE: raw hide bones or Chew-ezee
Hi, Definately no rawhides in this house, we feed beef rib bones and discard the rib when the meat and crunchy thick end are finished. I use nylabones for aggressive chewers and teeth are nice and clean. Too many chemicals in processing rawhides and many are made in countries with standards below ours. They are very high in protein and unbalance the diet and pieces can weld to the gut causing diarrhea and possible risk of intersussception. They can act as plugs to the small intestines causing vomitting and dehydration. IMO Garbage! Rose Tierney Sascha Kennel Perm. Reg'd.
RE: low lying pillows, newspapers, and magazines are in danger!
Hi Greg, A chewing or shredding dog is a bored dog. Your day is occupied with work and his isn't! The Berner is an intelligent dog that needs to be occupied with mental and physical stimulii, it will not enough to come home and power play for an hour. Try to find a local retired person who would like the opportunity to have a dog to walk, or perhaps if you have a school nearby one of the older kids could earn some pocket money and come and walk or play with your dog during lunch break. Once he is more mature he may be okay to leave alone all day but the young get restless. Dogs do not store up the memory of what they have done and his reaction to your coming home is not one of guilt but avoidance because he senses your displeasure. He does not put the two together and if by magic the mess wasn't there when you got home he has learned that when you come in the door it's not nice to be around you. The timeframe for reaction is two to three seconds from the actual action! You have a young dynamic dog who wants more from life, you must re-evaluate your circumstances and time management and see if you can accommodate his needs more. Crating him for inordinate lengths of time will only serve to increase his frustration and perhaps damage his character. Rose Tierney
Young studs
Hi, I have used young dogs at stud with due care and consideration and so far not regretted it. Knowing the family background is important and doing this with my own bitches gives me an opportunity to assess what he can produce before allowing him to be used outside my own kennel. There is no relevancy between longevity and whether a stud is used as an older dog in preference to being younger. Several times I've used senior dogs with two and three year old bitches and it seldom worked. Old age is not always a precursor to success with a breeding program. Rose Tierney
RE: Swollen Eye
Hi, Any problem with the eyes should be looked at by your vet ASAP and referred to an opthalmologist if necessary. If the eyeball itself is appearing swollen then this is an emergency, if the eyelids are swollen and perhaps turning in on themselves this too needs to be seen by a vet ASAP. All the best Rose -Original Message- From: James and Karen Gross [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: December 28, 2002 11:32 PM To: Bernerlist Subject: Swollen Eye I am fairly new to this list and I have only sent one or two emails before.. ..I have had several of you respond to my questions, which I am extremely grateful for. My husband and I have our first bernerhe is a rescue baby that we got when he was 8 months oldhe is now 13 months. I noticed tonight that his left is a little bit swollen and we have no idea whyany suggestions on what it might beor what we can do for it? Thank you very much Jim, Karen and Thor (the poor baby with the sore eye)
RE: Shedding and vacuum cleaners
We have a Berner a black Lab in a house with an off-white kitchen floor and cream-colored Berber carpet (and hardwood). I have a Rainbow Vacuum which is absolutely the best. It's a canister style but filters the dirt, dust, mold spores and hair through a water reservoir with an antibacterial solution added. Does wonders with the dog hair and really cleans the dust, dander germs out of the air. It's really powerful but so easy to maneuver. (Comes with tons of tools, powered carpet attachment, hardwood tile attachment, small brush, edge tool, upholstery small power head for the stairs) When you finish vacuuming the house smells wonderful. It's a big investment, but for someone with allergies and lots of dog hair, it's well worth it. Our allergy problems have diminished significantly since I got this vacuum cleaner in Feb of '99. Here's the link to their site if anyone's interested: http://www.rainbowsystem.com/ You have to buy through a local dealer -- not sold in stores -- but they are the best and last 20 - 30 years. Jennifer (Rex and Mabel) Burgess -- enjoying the clean floor and air in Memphis -Original Message- From: Ray Pat Burgett [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, December 24, 2002 3:39 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Shedding and vacuum cleaners We have the 28 AMP Hoover Wind Tunnel Bag type. It does a super job and have not had any problem. We do clean the brush about every third time. What we really like is the Power Head attachment for the furniture. With 3 adult females and a 11 week old male pup it does get a chance to pick up lots of hair. Seems like one of the gals is always blowing coat. Ray Pat Burgett Eaglecap Bernese Talee,Lexi,,Bell, Rider Max www.goodbernerfood.com http://users.eoni.com/~eaglecap/ Draminski Ovulation Detector Rep
swollen elbow
We have a 6 mos. Berner girl. Two nights ago her elbow swelled up with fluid. The vet aspirited the fluid and said it was joint fluid. He also told us if it did this again, she would need surgery. Has anyone had any experience with this and what did you do? Thanks Terri W _ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 3 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virusxAPID=42PS=47575PI=7324DI=7474SU= http://www.hotmail.msn.com/cgi-bin/getmsgHL=1216hotmailtaglines_virusprotection_3mf
Re: swollen elbow
In a message dated 12/30/2002 1:34:36 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Two nights ago her elbow swelled up with fluid. The vet aspirited the fluid and said it was joint fluid. He also told us if it did this again, she would need surgery. Has anyone had any experience with this and what did you do? Hi Terri, If your girl isn't showing any sign of lameness or pain, the swelling is probably a hygroma. These are quite common in young, large breed, dogs. They can be drained or not. Since they frequently refill after draining, I think most people just leave them alone and wait for the fluid to reabsorb. It will help if you can keep your pup from plunking down on hard floors but I know that's not always easy. -Sherri Venditti
Lost Berner-Happy Ending-Repost
My last post did not come through on the digest it only seems to have made it through to individual emails - Love that AOL. Hug them tight!!! Last night 8 month old Yukon got lost. My husband had him on leash three doors down from our house. Our neighbor inadvertantly swung a plastic garbage barrel out of his alley and hit Yukon right in the face. This spooked him and he took off like there was no tomorrow. Hubby standing on ice lost his footing and also the leash! As Yukon neared the corner he met with a very tough German Shepard (free roaming) and ran further and faster. I live in Boston - big city blocks and lots of traffic. Long story short 4 1/2 hours of 6 people out searching I found him. The flexilead was so heavy it got wrapped around a pole and he was stuck. I was in my car and said I would take one more ride up and down each street calling his name. The 2nd to last street I'm coming up a hill and yelling Yukon then stopping to listen and all of a sudden I saw that cute black head stick up from the snow! You would have thought I'd hit the 300 million Powerball. I'm crying and he was like a crazy man I have neve felt so happy - better than my wedding day - but don't tell my hubby! As bad luck would have it - on Thursday he broke his collar and lost his ID tag. More bad luck - He was microchipped earlier that morning but it wasn't registered yet! Talk about ironic. Anyway - all paws were bloodied but just one nail still a bit sensitive today. Quite skittish around strangers! What happened to him? Where was he? One question - does driving around in six different cars yelling his name confuse him and possibly get him more lost? I started thinking I was doing more harm than good as I'm on one block yelling Yukon then three minutes later another block. What if he was trying to get to me and I kept moving? Well I had a happy ending thank God as I couldn't imagine getting up today without him! Hug all your Berners extra today for me! Kristin O'Neill South Boston, MA Yukon
Hygroma -- elbow cyst
Hygromas almost always will go away on their own. They are benign and rarely bother the dog. You do NOT do surgery to place a drain or remove the cyst -- these have a high complication rate, risk of infection, etc. My Bean had a hygroma (cystic hygroma) at about 9 mos, it resolved on its own in about 2-3 mos. Several friends w/ Bullmastiffs have had them at about the same age. Try to keep your dog from lying on hard floors.. either pad the elbow or keep her on carpeting (or your couches!) They usually like this option just fine except in the summer when they want to be on the cool tile floors. Vilma Briggs, MD Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and Ted
what's the best blow dryer?
Does anyone have a suggestion for the best high quality blow dryer to purchase? My husband and I are buying this for each other as a belated Christmas present. (Yes, it's true, our romantic Saturday evenings are usually spent grooming dogshe washes, I dry!) We have a 6 yr old pretty decent dryer, which works fine for the Goldens, Lab and the Corgi, but it still seems to take forever to dry the Berners w/ their thicker coats. We would like to get a powerful one that would last. It would not need to be very portable as we only bathe our dogs at home. Thanks! Vilma Briggs Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and Ted
Re: Lost Berner - Happy Ending!
Hi. I've been reading the L for almost a year now and just had to send along my good wishes to Kristin and Yukon. I cried tears of joy when I read about Yukon being lost and found as it reminded me of when we lost our Riley last Easter. We rehomed Riley in January 2002 when he was 18 months old. My husband's daughter, Sue, treated us to a week-end in Carmel over Easter. On Saturday night, about midnight, John took Riley out before bed. Something spooked him and he bolted yanking the leash from John's hand and at the same time bashing his hand into a metal railing. John came back to the BB to stop the bleeding. He expected Riley to be there as he had run in that direction. No luck. I got up, dressed and all night we walked the streets around the area calling for Riley. No sign of him. I called the Police Department and they put out an APB but hour after hour they did not find him. About 4:30 AM we lay down, but no sleep--up every 15 minutes looking out the door--no Riley. At 7:00 AM I called the SPCA they suggested a Lost Dog Flyer. The BB very graciously lent me their computer and any office supplies, copying, etc. that I needed to post flyers all over town. Merchants were also willing to have flyers posted in their windows and doors. Meanwhile Sue and friends were driving around town calling for Riley. I stayed by the phone getting more and more anxious by the minute. Sue came to get me around 11:00 AM and took we to a place she thought a dog might find interesting if not comforting if he were lost and confused--a wooded area behind a school (where discarded lunches might be found) with a creek. We stopped at every phone pole to post a sign and every time I called Riley. Then there he was coming down the road! At first I couldn't believe my eyes. I knelt down in the middle of the street to hug him close bawling my eyes out. He looked at me as if to say, Where have you been? I've been looking for you. Traffic was stopped in both directions and when the drivers were told of the reunion, there was applause (no kidding). Everyone in town knew that Riley was missing and these people witnessed his being found. These were the worst 12 hours of my life--the uncertainty was terrible. However, Riley now does not let us out of his sight. Hug your berners. Rita Riley Oakland, CA - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, December 29, 2002 2:18 PM Subject: Lost Berner - Happy Ending! Hug them tight!!! Last night 8 month old Yukon got lost. My husband had him on leash three doors down from our house. Our neighbor inadvertantly swung a plastic garbage barrel out of his alley and hit Yukon right in the face. This spooked him and he took off like there was no tomorrow. Hubby standing on ice lost his footing and also the leash! As Yukon neared the corner he met with a very tough German Shepard (free roaming) and ran further and faster. I live in Boston - big city blocks and lots of traffic. Long story short 4 1/2 hours of 6 people out searching I found him. The flexilead was so heavy it got wrapped around a pole and he was stuck. I was in my car and said I would take one more ride up and down each street calling his name. The 2nd to last street I'm coming up a hill and yelling Yukon then stopping to listen and all of a sudden I saw that cute black head stick up from the snow! You would have thought I'd hit the 300 million Powerball. I'm crying and he was like a crazy man I have neve felt so happy - better than my wedding day - but don't tell my hubby! As bad luck would have it - on Thursday he broke his collar and lost his ID tag. More bad luck - He was microchipped earlier that morning but it wasn't registered yet! Talk about ironic. Anyway - all paws were bloodied but just one nail still a bit sensitive today. Quite skittish around strangers! What happened to him? Where was he? One question - does driving around in six different cars yelling his name confuse him and possibly get him more lost? I started thinking I was doing more harm than good as I'm on one block yelling Yukon then three minutes later another block. What if he was trying to get to me and I kept moving? Well I had a happy ending thank God as I couldn't imagine getting up today without him! Hug all your Berners extra today for me! Kristin O'Neill South Boston, MA Yukon
raw meat bones question
hi there everyone! i know it's been a topic of discussion, but just to cut through any confusion, i was wondering which raw meat bones from the supermarket i could buy and safely leave my 8 month old puppy alone with? i already know that the marrow bones, the small ones, are pretty much unbreakable, but they don't have so much meat on them--so any other choices? the beef ribs? and i want to be able to hopefully buy them from my supermarket. i just want to be able to keep her occupied in her crate for awhile when i leave...and she eats ANYTHING and as fast as she can unlike my other two dogs...so i need to be very careful. thank you! danielle
Re: BERNER-L digest 4198
Sorry, List, I was cleaning up my computer last night I was very surprised to see my email with a Berner Digest attached. Don't know how that happened! Sharon Greenberg
Re: Cabana crate sizing
Hi guys, My two girls (Raven at 96 lbs and Rovi at 80 lbs) each fit nicely in a large Cabana crate with enough room to stretch out comfortably, as does my 17 month old male, Finn (gets a little crowded when Finn tries to join Rovi in there). I thought about getting the extra large, but it doesn't seem necessary. If you don't plan on leaving your guy in there for extended periods of time, I don't see any reason to try to squeeze the bigger crate in your car. I have to tell you though, that I LOVE the Cabana crates. While we still have the Midwest crates set up in the house for the dogs to come and go as they please, for traveling and portability, I can't say enough good things about the Cabana crates. My brother's Berner and Border Collie girls joined us from Florida for Christmas, and he's just delighted with his Cabanas, too. Linda and the flying Finns (Raven, Rovi and Mr. Finn) and Fury (the last of the homegrown Bernbrook guys)
Re: raw meat bones question
We like knuckle bones and when the stores have the rack of beef ribs on sale we would buy them. Trim off the excess fat as it tends to loosen them up some ;-(. Of course we only buy if we run out of bones from the beef we have butchered. Our yard looks like a dig for prehistoric animals with all the back , neck and various bones laying around. But the teeth stay clean and the dogs love to play take away with each other. Ray Pat Burgett Eaglecap Bernese Talee,Lexi,,Bell, Shadow Max www.goodbernerfood.com http://users.eoni.com/~eaglecap/ Draminski Ovulation Detector Rep
Re: raw meat bones question
I, personally, wouldn't leave a dog unattended with a bone of any variety. There is always the potential for bone chips to break off and become a choking hazard, no matter how indestructible they appear to be. Eight months is getting old enough to do some serious work on bones. Having given that disclaimer warning, I think the only 'safe' bone you should use for unsupervised chewing would be the dense marrow bones. Once the marrow has been licked out, you can then use things like peanut butter, cream cheese, regular cheese or any other food-stuffs you can put inside the shaft. Once you see pieces of the edge breaking off, you might want to replace with a 'fresh' bone with more moisture content and start all over again. The drawback to these dense bones is that they can do damage to teeth. I don't know that you'll find the perfect answer. What I do is walk my three for about 1 hour (leash free) in the morning. Then while I'm getting ready for work, they chew their beef NECK bones in the yard. I feed bones about 3 - 4 times per week but always while I'm home. The neck bones are curvy enough to still have plenty of meat on them. They're big enough to provide a safer bone chew, but they have smaller portions that can be broken off and again, become a choking hazard. Please stay away from pork hocks (I've heard the most choking stories involving pork hocks or feet). Rib bones are too easily chewed into nothing and the pieces I've seen look rather sharp. Better safe than sorry. Jenn Popp Healthy Paws Bones and Raw Food Diet http://www.healthy-paws.ca Toronto, Ontario (Canada) 416-264-1313 / email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] | hi there everyone! i know it's been a topic of discussion, but just to cut through any confusion, i was wondering which raw meat bones from the supermarket i could buy and safely leave my 8 month old puppy alone with? i already know that the marrow bones, the small ones, are pretty much unbreakable, but they don't have so much meat on them--so any other choices?
Re: raw meat bones question
I fed scrap bones from a local meat market for a bit - but now I have an arrangement with my local grocer - they purchase beef neck bones (the whole neck!) by the box, cut it to about 1 inch slices (look like chops or small steaks grin) - They arrive, are cut stored frozen at the grocer - I bring them home put each slice into a baggie, put about 14 in each grocery bag - the carton of neck bones sliced usually yields me 5 or 6 bags of bones - which I feed one daily - For my berner - he gets one each morning, frozen, straight from the freezer - he loves it - seems to think it is a wonderful popsicle - For my cavaliers - I thaw the bones, trim quite a bit of the meat off feed one bone each, trimmed down grin In the afternoon I feed kibble - and for the Cavaliers, I cut the trimmed meat into small pieces mix it with their kibble. If the slice was small - I'll give my berner a 2nd frozen bone - with all the meat on it - in the afternoon, too - I find my dogs keep in good condition, good coat, clean teeth - Yes - the yard needs to be picked up often - and looks a bit like a graveyard that's been dug up - but - that's ok - the dogs LOVE it! There is quite a bit of meat on these slices - and I find the dogs eat much less kibble when they have the bones - Also, neck bones are less dense, easier to chew - so the dogs get more nutrition, in addition to the chewing exercise - And even my vet, who is against feeding bones in general, says 1 inch bones aren't such a problem grin Good luck! Joan Robinson Ray Pat Burgett wrote: We like knuckle bones and when the stores have the rack of beef ribs on sale we would buy them. Trim off the excess fat as it tends to loosen them up some ;-(. Of course we only buy if we run out of bones from the beef we have butchered. Our yard looks like a dig for prehistoric animals with all the back , neck and various bones laying around. But the teeth stay clean and the dogs love to play take away with each other. Ray Pat Burgett Eaglecap Bernese Talee,Lexi,,Bell, Shadow Max www.goodbernerfood.com http://users.eoni.com/~eaglecap/ Draminski Ovulation Detector Rep
birthday wish
I don't make a habit of using lists for birthday wishes, but I couldn't help myself. I'd like to wish the littermates of my Ziggy (Chasseron's Eazy Zigfriedt LBX*) a very happy and healthy 5th birthday (December 31, 1997). I just found some photos from a visit to see momma (Chasseron's Butterscotch Anna CDX TD) and babies. I hadn't seen those pictures in years, but I did see that there were quite a few of me with my Ziggy (at the time I didn't know he was the one coming home with us). Thanks Cindy and Georgina for my wonderful boy :-). Happy and healthy and hoping for 5 more years!!! Jenn Popp *LBX stands for love-bug extraordinaire Healthy Paws Bones and Raw Food Diet http://www.healthy-paws.ca Toronto, Ontario (Canada) 416-264-1313 / email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: dremel follow-up
I just sent a dremel back to the company because the battery pack kept falling out. I told them that I loved the tool, but had always had this problem with this particular one and I was finally tired of it. I also told them that I would report what they did about it to the Berner-l. I am pleased to tell you that they were great! Fixed it and mailed it back..very fast. No charge. We are back in business grinding down those nails. I am very pleased with how the company sttod behind the product. Nancy Melone Hannah, Caruso and Lillie
Daisy's Tips: Bait and Switch
Due to an injured shoulder, I can't hold a leash in my right hand and decided to walk Daisy and Buddy leashless. Even though I never leave our property and since I never know if there are hunters about, my dogs always wear their cow bells on their collars. For those L'ers whose dogs are hearing impaired when it comes to obeying the Come command, I would recommend testing the attractiveness of your bait before leaving the house. During the entire holiday season, Jack has been taking the dogs out while I applied heat packs to my shoulder. Today, however, I had to take them out. I foraged through the refrigerator. Under the mountain of holiday leftovers I saw a package of string cheese. Mozzarella! The king of cheeses (for my Berners!). I cut four cubes and gently put them into a paper towel. Hurriedly I put on my outdoor No-Human-In-Sight ensemble: worn-out shabby red knit dress, white socks, blue rubber shoes (we still have snow), a warm parka and mismatched gloves (don't ask). Seeing me scoop up the cheese, both dogs velcroed themselves to my side. We wedged out the door. Berners don't seem to mind walking on ice. I have found that rapid mincing steps keep me upright longer than loping along like a geriatric gazelle. Waiting for the cheese kept both dogs firmly at my side: Buddy on my left and Daisy on my right. Slipping on the ice, I hobbled down the driveway to the tiny barn where Buddy and Daisy were given much praise for staying at my side. I gave them two of the four cubes of cheese. We turned and headed back to the house -- at least two of us were headed back. When I looked, I saw that Daisy had remained in a very upright regal Sit. She wore that bull-headed look I have come to dread seeing. Come Daisy! I said with no real hope. I immediately turned towards the house trying to speed up my mincing gait. I refused to turn to see where Daisy was. I was too busy trying to avoid slipping and falling over Buddy who kept trying to get in front of me to sit for the treat. Suddenly with snake-like stealth, Daisy wrapped her paw around my ankle and nailed it to the ground. Caught in mid mince I started to topple over, arms flailing. Sensing an immobile opportunity, Buddy splatted into a Sit directly in front of me grinning engagingly. The final cube of Mozzarella flew into the air. In my entire life, I would never have dreamed I would one day say that a cube of cheese saved me from injury but then Berners do indeed push the inside of the envelop. As soon as Daisy, behind me, and Buddy, in front of me, saw that white gleaming piece of cheese arcing gracefully over my head, they lunged, effectively bringing me to a standstill. The cheese disappeared into the foaming vortex of Buddy's mouth. Sensing Daisy's reaction, he took off like a scalded dog. Daisy exploded after him. In lonely splendor I trudged up the stairs to the house and turned towards the swirl of Berners. I stood tall and grim and silent. The swirling mass came to a stop. Two Berners looked at me, studied my expression and finally obeyed the long past Come command. I guess you could say I waited with ... baited breath. Maria Catoctin Mountains, Maryland
a great training session
I don't ususally tell stories on the list, but what Dunbar did today was just amazing. We were out training in the morning, practicing scent articles while waiting for a track to age. We were using the single bar set reserved just for training. Dunbar tends to really mess up the articles when we use the single bars, he scatters and knocks them around with his feet. When he messed them up today, three of them became tangled together, one right on top of the other. The scented one (the one he was supposed to retrieve) was on the bottom. He sniffed around the group of articles and located the correct one. He hesitated as he realized where it was. I watched in amazement at what he did next. He nosed the top article off the pile of three. He nosed the second one off the bottom one. He picked up the one on the ground (the correct one) and returned it to me as I stood in total astonishment. Don't tell me dogs can't plan things! Marjie
