Re: Removing ticks
Hey Rose! Sounds like a good remedy; but I have to ask, how much gin went on the dog and how much went into the bipeds?! A squish for the dog; a slug for the biped; a squish for the dog; a slug for the biped.Sounds like a great remedy! We'll try it next time ;-> Fran West Vancouver, BC -- Fran Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] SportSound Music:http://www.geocities.com/franinvancouver Phone: 604-926-0084 Fax: 604-926-9543
Re: BERNER-L digest 4309
Valerie, I have both a Berner & Newf, my heart goes out to you & Jeeves so much so. Has he had an ultraosound done on kidneys & bladder for stones etc. Also ultra sound on organs? On bloodwork was there an abnormality in liver function at all? My Newf has lots of urinary problems & while reading I've learned that malfuction of the liver which happens can cause weird motility symptoms. Emma is on Baytril 2 times daily for her infection which reavealed elevated liver enzyme! This is her second major one & the urinary tract & bladder can cause major systemic problems. I may be off I'm not a physician but I hope it helps! Take care & our hearts are with you! If you're not getting anywhere try another vet! All our best & hugs to your boy! Diana, Theo & Emma
Re: BERNER-L digest 4304
Dear Kenny, my name is Diana & I am owned by both a Berner (Theo) age 7yrs & a Newfoundland(Emma) also 7yrs 0ld! They are 4 days apart,so apparently my husband & I, & my l7 yr old at the time committed ourselves to parenting(& yes that's what it is) canine twins! The difference being from your doubts & your wife's is that WE HAD NONE! WE WERE GOING IN FULL THROTTLE & KNEW THAT WE COULD HANDLE IT! Have you had dogs before? Hair is the least of your new ventures! There are many health issues, obedience is necessary especially to train you the inexperienced human to deal with this big kid who was really cute as a pup but now doesn't look as snazzy growing into his paws & will take you on in a minute to have his adolescent moment! All I'm trying to say is that creating the beautiful well behaved adult dog from the cute, endearing pup takes lots of time, love, patience, & really wanting to be there even if you miss some stuff out of your own life. There are also health issues that can happen with large breeds. If your dog needs surgery or therapeutic work can you handle it financially & emotionally. It may never happen, but could. I am one of the coulds, our NEWF had 4 surgeries,before age 3! She's lookin good at seven but we put the time, effort, & finances in! & we would do it again! Just trying to give you the big picture1 If you can spend some time housesitting for a friend with a few large dogs & see if it's truly in your calling! Please make sure to include all family members in the test! All have to be involved. If whoever is home during the day just sticks the dog out in the yard & has no involvement, it won't work. These guys have to be full fledged family members ! And trust me they'll win you over in a minute if you can let them in! Then be prepared to share the couch! Go slow in your decision making if you have the slightest doubt Take care, Diana, Theo(the Berner) & Emma(the Newfie)
Re: lawn fertilizer question
Libby- I used the product from Garden's Alive that is made from corn gluten. It was supposed to feed the lawn and kill weeds, I think??? It was recommended to apply in the spring and again in the fall. I did the spring time application. My guy went NUTS eating the tiny granules off the lawn, which made me nuts. "Natural" or not, his obsessive snarffeling concerned me. That summer I had the best crop of dandelions ever. I did not reapply in the fall, because of Beau's snarffelingperhaps if I had, the next summer the lawn would have looked better. I have given up and gone for what we here on Cape Cod refer to as the "Cape Cod Lawn". Dandelions and all. Janice Parky Cape Cod, MA
Re: BERNER-L digest 4313
Hi, I am just curious, do many of the Berners out there play fetch with a ball? I get the idea that they usually don't. My almost 9 month old Jet loves to play fetch, but it might be because he knows it makes me happy. From: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: BERNER-L digest 4313 Date: Sun, 9 Mar 2003 17:45:30 CST BERNER-L Digest 4313 " _ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus
Re: new training trick
Hi Darlene, My Berner, Boomer, hasn't learned anything new for a few months now. Haven't tried for a while. But he does roll over, play dead, beg, whisper, woof, BARK, several other tricks and loves agility, although at a relaxed pace. I'd be happy to tell you some of the methods I used to get him to learn these tricks but I don't want to cover them all at once as it would take a lot of computer time. So pick the trick and I'll describe my method. And maybe you'll come up with a trick that I haven't tried. If you do, I'll see if I can train it and pass on the results. Sounds like this could be fun. Maybe some others on the list will get in on this challenge as well. By the way, my Aussie, Barney, does a beautiful forward roll. As soon as Boomer gets a little older so that I know that his muscles and joints are fully developed, I'm considering getting him to do one too. Barney can already get him to do a modified roll when they're playing together. But, for this one, I may need assistance as 22 month old Boomer weighs too much to teach this using the same method as I did with my small Aussie. Just a point of interest... Most tricks need about 10 minutes for the dog to get the basics, especially if they're competing with one another for the treats. Then a couple of weeks of doing the trick occasionally makes it reliable. Claudia Brydon in NW PA Barney OA NAJ AD (Aussie) Boomer (Bernese Mountain Dog) would have several agility legs if not for knocking a bar each run Mo (Gordon Setter Granddog) has learned high five in spite of it not being natural for her to lift her feet. - Original Message - From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 4:49 PM Subject: Re: new training trick > Hi fellow Berner owners, > I have a fourteen month old male. I love working with him, but I can't get > him to do anything new. He sits, down, stay, heel, come. I want to teach > him roll over, play dead, beg, anything new! Any suggestions on how to train > a berner to do any of these things? He doesn't fetch, that's for the other > dog to do. But he'll chase the dog that went to fetch something. Well, he > is the joy of my life but I need new things to do with him. I have read that > they like jobs to do, but what? Please help! Also, do Berners do well in > agility classes? > > Thanks > > Darlene >
Re:Caesar (remember us??)
Kim, I can't believe it 's been two years since you were just getting into the swing of bernerdom. Happy birthday to Caesar. Suzanne Deering High Point NC (Where we've had TWO WHOLE DAYS of sun) > [Original Message] > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 3/9/2003 8:40:58 PM > Subject: Re:Caesar (remember us??) > > Hi All -- I left the list a few months ago, as I just got too busy and didn't > have time to read/respond. > > Well, I just had to sign back up to tell you that yesterday Caesar turned two > and I owe a lot of his greatness (and my sanity) to those of you who helped > me during those early frustrating puppy days and also those who provided > supprot and advice when he was diagnosed with displayia (sp). He seems to be > doing just fine, no pain, no slowing down on walks, playtime - but also loves > his couch and "his" bed -- he is a wonderful dog, friendly, extremely happy > and likes nothing more than when his family is all around him! > > During our vacation, we did not wish to board him and did our first dog > sitter at our home. He was GREAT -- the only thing, when we came home I felt > so bad. I assume he thought we must have died or something, because the girl > lived here with him for 8 days! He was SOOO excited (you can all imagine) > that we must have been his dream come true! > > Anyway - thanks for listening and again for your help! > > Kim and Ceaser (2 years old!)
Dunbar needs your help
Dunbar needs your thoughts, prayers and any other hopes you can spare for getting hom well. He has been in kidney failure and has been in the hospital for 5 days. Until today he has been getting better on fluids and antibiotics. He is very much sicker today, his attitude is much worse. Please send him all the healing thoughts you can muster. I just can't lose him yet, I need your help. Keep those thoughts coming, please don't stop sending them. He's my beautiful 8 year old baby boy. Thank you, Marjie
Specialty Shopping Tip
I must share with my berner-l friends a shopping tip -- don't leave the Specialty without your own pair of the lucky green socks!!! At the Spokane Specialty I was browsing before obedience and came upon a booth with some great berner socks. I bought the green ones, put them right on, did obedience and walked away with High in Trial!!! It had to be the socks!! I was a believer and made sure and bought an extra pair. Since then my dogs have been accumulating titles left and right -- I attribute this to the lucky green socks. But there is more! Last month I wanted to get something for Valerie Horney as a thank you for letting me stay with her during the Denver shows so I bought her a pair of the lucky green socks. Since she was showing, I put them in her tack box. Valerie got Winner's Bitch, finishing the girl, and then took Best of Breed from the veterans class with Ready!!! Apparently you do not even have to be wearing the lucky green socks to have them work for you! Still a skeptic??? This weekend a boy from my A litter was showing in Arizona. His owner, newly in possession of her own pair the lucky green socks, made certain to wear them. In addition, the dog was being shown by the woman who sells the lucky green socks -- Nancy Stewart. With that much involvement from the lucky green socks, how could the dog lose??? He didn't -- Best of Breed both days for his third and fourth majors!! I plan to get a ten years supply but just in case there are any left, you might want to get your own lucky green socks at the Specialty ;) Mary-Ann Bowman Emma, Abra, Maize and Halo Utah
Re:Caesar (remember us??)
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Happy Birthday Emma
Today Emma (U-CD Snowbern's Emmaline Rose, CDX, DD, CGC) is nine years old, although you would be hard pressed to believe it as she looks great. In spite of her propensity to eat everything and destroy things, she has made it to her Golden Birthday (nine on the ninth :)! Mary-Ann Bowman Salt Lake City
Re: introduction - new to list
Hi Julie If you email [EMAIL PROTECTED] you will get a nice packet of information about breeders in the NW. Turley's are members of the Seattle Berner club and do a great job of breeder referral for our area. We have placed a number of puppies in your area that were a result of that referral program. Ray & Pat Burgett Eaglecap Bernese Talee,Lexi,,Bell, Shadow & Max www.goodbernerfood.com http://users.eoni.com/~eaglecap/ Draminski Ovulation Detector Rep
Re: Removing ticks
Rose T. wrote about a local remedy in Guyana to remove ticks--to soak a cotton pad with Gordon's Gin and press gently over the tick, the booze anaethetises the tick and they let go:-) Wouldn't that be contributing to the delinquency of a minor--tick?:-D Kathy
Re: Had Enough (What?)Long
In a message dated 3/9/2003 4:49:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > > Mike, > > I have personally a big problem with people not signing their emails. This > was not directed toward you, because you signed yours properly:) > The person who said people didn't do this and that, well if I get an email > without a signature, it goes directly into the trash. > > Here we have a person, who complains about breeders. Well it sounded to me > she/he was just trying to steer the pot, so to speak. > > I send the person a private email with the rules of the list, but didn't > heard back. > > So if people wonder why they are not treated nice, they may > have to look > what they are doing that causes this behavior. > Maybe she was stirring the pot, maybe she wasn't. It sounded to me like a person who was frustrated and asked a question. A question many people ask after encountering a number of breeders who come across a certain way whether they intend to or not. Instead of getting much feedback and discussion, she was judged by her AOL profile. LOL!!! Which, BTW, pretty much reflected what she stated about herself (got the state right, her sex, and she has interests outside sitting home and judging others) Also, she had the added benefit of receiving a copy of list rules, will get her mail in the trash etc. just because she forgot or neglected to sign her mail. (how many of us have done that?) She came to us with a question -- innocent or not there are sure to be other people on this list on a regular basis with the exact same questions. The replies she got in some cases from where I'm sitting on the sidelines *were* judgemental or snotty whether *that* was initially intentional or not. What sort of message are *we* sending with this attitude? Pet shops don't do that -- they stroke people looking at their wares. They thank us for repelling otherwise good homes directly into their lair We may have to look at what *we're* doing that causes this behaviour. No flames intended, just my perspective. All my hopes, Vicky and the Horde =P~ my AOL profile is public for your scrutiny my patience is thin for *private* flamers (been there before with this list for observations much less compelling) =b
RIP Heidi, Sandy Lakritz's beautiful lady.
With great sadness have just uploaded a Tribute Page to Heidi! She died on my Birthday earlier this week, after a wonderful long life! Biggest Berner Hugs to Sandy Lakritz. who will be missing her Manhattan Perfect Berner Lady so much. Find Heidi's new Tribute Page on the Longlease Recent Updates. All our Love, Jean, Sunny, Simmy, Barney and the Gang X http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm
Re: new training trick
Hi fellow Berner owners, I have a fourteen month old male. I love working with him, but I can't get him to do anything new. He sits, down, stay, heel, come. I want to teach him roll over, play dead, beg, anything new! Any suggestions on how to train a berner to do any of these things? He doesn't fetch, that's for the other dog to do. But he'll chase the dog that went to fetch something. Well, he is the joy of my life but I need new things to do with him. I have read that they like jobs to do, but what? Please help! Also, do Berners do well in agility classes? Thanks Darlene
Re: Had Enough (What?)Long
Mike, I have personally a big problem with people not signing their emails. This was not directed toward you, because you signed yours properly:) The person who said people didn't do this and that, well if I get an email without a signature, it goes directly into the trash. Here we have a person, who complains about breeders. Well it sounded to me she/he was just trying to steer the pot, so to speak. I send the person a private email with the rules of the list, but didn't heard back. So if people wonder why they are not treated nice, they may have to look what they are doing that causes this behavior. Sylvia Katvala Tucson, AZ
Re: Had Enough (What?)Long
In a message dated 3/9/2003 10:11:50 AM Pacific Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > I'm confused---what in this profile indicates that she would not be a good > berner owner ? > - Original Message - > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Saturday, March 08, 2003 5:21 PM > Subject: Re: Had Enough (What?) > > > > I find this a disturbing email when you look at the AOL profile for the > > sender. Below is what I found. > > > > **Name: If you're Italian, you'll read it in the screen name > > **Location: Colorado > > **Sex: Female > > **Marital Status: beautifully single > > **Hobbies & Interests: I'm very social and love to make new friends. > > **Visiting my neighborhood bar, playing pool, watching football and > **hockey, > > receiving flowers and phone calls from that special someone, **weekend > > getaways, vacations in mexico and vegas - and oh yeah - **hot tubs! > > **Favorite Gadgets: Varies > > **Occupation: Numerous > > **Personal Quote: Know who you are and always know who you're **dealing > > with. Her post to the BernerL: >I am an avid dog lover and always dreamed of welcoming a berner into my >family. However, the experiences I have encountered in speaking with >breeders is discouraging. I am a professional, successful woman, mother of >three healthy, well taken care of children and am looked at questionably by >the "interviews" I've held so far. I desire a family pet to love, cherish >and include in my Highlands Ranch, CO lifestyle. I am not on welfare, take >drugs, or leave my children for endless periods of time. However, my ability >to be a competent bernese owner is under scrutiny. I am now saddened and >disappointed that I may have to either resort to a "puppy mill" or chose an >entirely different breed in order to provide a loving home for a new family >member. What exactly are you looking for anyway? My statements were comparing the Profile with the senders original post to the BernerL. I get an impression of two different types of people. If I mix the two together I get something like this. Name: Unsigned and Italian (you figure it out) Location: Colorado and Highland Ranch, CO Sex: Female and Successful Woman Marital status: Beautifully Single and Mother of three healthy children Hobbies and Interests: Very social, Makes new friends, visits neighborhood bar, Plays pool, watches football and hockey, receives flowers and phone calls from special someone, Weekend getaways, vacations in Mexico and Vegas, ... avid Dog lover, Professional, Mother of three, not on drugs, doesn't leave children for endless periods of time, What exactly are you looking for anyway? All of this sounds like an interesting woman who has been saddened by the cold treatment from breeders that won't allow her a dog. I have been unable to explain the different impression I got from the profile and the BernerL post. When I tried to respond to a personal email from her that stated "I must say that I've received some very positive e -mails in regard to my first posting; however, your correspondence has caused me to be completely turned off by my experiences." She had blocked my email. I hope that she would allow more Breeders to get to know the real person by visiting shows and club functions or keeping lines of communication open. Sorry if I came off as one of the Snob Berner People. I am really a nice guy, likes Hugs, spending time with my sweetie, Father of Three, Professional Master Mechanic, and belong to Two Berner Boys. Mike Whalen Dixon, CA
Housebreaking
Hi Everyone, Charlie is 10 weeks old. He has been home for 2 weeks now. When should I expect house breaking to be done. Charlie is doing really well we are being very consistant. He has had very few accidents. He is still crated when he can't be directly supervised and is on a very good routine. I just cant wait until he can be out and about all the time. He goes on comand no and is only getting up once a night at 4 am. He also weighs 20 lbs now and I don't know how much longer I will be able to carry him outside. I love hearing everyones stories and memories so thank you all for sharing your experience and knowlege with me. Jenn and Charlie Gill, MA
Re: (A long tale) Berners- expensive? Well...
Ah, escape-prone animals! I once had goats who believed they belonged in the house with 'the other people', and patrolled the constantly-repaired fence to find its weak points. And Djinn, now two years old, at four months leapt over a three-foot deck gate, landed on the down-facing stairs, ran around the house and opened the front door (lever-action handles). None of my animals escape to run away -- they escape to join the rest of us. Susan Salt Spring Island with Djinn (Bernese) and Riley (???) and the two cats Are you sitting comfortably, then I'll begin . We've had Bernese for nearly 17 years and I thought we knew everything about their expensive habits that there was to know... Diet - including sofas and dining room suites. Vets fees - from acupuncture and arthritis, through crutiate repairs & entropian, to sebaceous cysts and things far nastier. Now our vets are in our Friends and Family dialling circle and we have full pet insurance. Mode of transport - the more you have, the bigger the vehicle needed. A 7 seater with all but 2 seats removed is just right for 4 dogs. House redecoration -new carpets, no carpets; wall paper, no wall paper; cat flap, no cat flap. Bedding (ours) - A king size bed is an absolute necessity for those early morning snuggles, if *you* want to be included. Chores - a vacuum cleaner on an industrial scale is essential to keep up with those miniature Berners that like to lurk everywhere from under the freezer to the top of the wardrobe. Garden - ahh, the garden. We've given up expecting anything other than a lunar landscape. A lot of money flowed into the garden before we learnt to let the dogs do the gardening and let us get on with more important things, like housework. Yes, I thought we knew it all. Until the advent of 18 month old Roxie into our lives last June. Roxie the Berner with pogo sticks instead of legs. Roxie the dog who likes you to get up with the sun to keep her company. Roxie the Houdini dog... AKA Poxie Roxie. Our garden consists of an acre fully fenced for the dogs and 5 acres of rough for them to run in under supervision. Our 4' fences have always proved more than equal to the task of keeping our dogs in, even Toby, who at 36" at the shoulder could easily jump or even knock the fences over. Until Roxie. She soon jolted us out of our complacency by bouncing over the fence with ease. So we heightened it by running 2 strands of wire along the top of the existing fence and weaving another strand between them and the existing fence, bring the height up another 9" or so. She still escaped. And a wise lady from the list told me that once a Berner has the taste for escapism, we're doomed... How right she was! Last month, I gave in and decided that as my husband was away all month, I'd get a professional fencing contractor to cast his eye over our problem and come up with a once and for-all solution. To save money (a fatal flaw when considering our beautiful and agile breed), I decided that I would only get that part of the fence done that she was getting over. That cost us nearly 400 UK pounds. I was impressed, no way was Roxie going to get over a 7' fence. I wondered in an idle moment if we should have watch towers installed too, with search lights and stuff. Roxie spent her time walking the fence line. I watched and laughed. For a whole week she surveyed the fence, I sniggered and told her she'd never escape now. NEVER give a Bernese a challenge like that. The day after Malcolm came home and agreed it was money well spent, Roxie jumped the fence. No, not the tall one, just the 5' one which had strands of barbed wire along it until we could heighten it. Back to the drawing board and another large sum of money on fencing materials. We are now so well know at the contractors, that Malcolm has been told they'll keep all their odd bits of fence wire for him, it's cheaper to let us have it than to order a rubbish skip to take it all away! Yesterday Malcolm finished erecting another run of 7' fencing and said "I'd like to see her escape now". So she did. This time she slithered through the gap left in the strands of wire holding everything together. She just has to be double jointed, I would have defied a cat to get through that gap. S... Another day is drawing to a close, another day spent making the fence Roxie proof, and Malcolm has just issued her with another challenge... Get over that if you can! I'm not betting either way! Thank doG she doesn't go far, we live up a private road away from town, although we do get stupid drivers who think children and animals shouldn't be on the road; and luckily, all the sheep were moved at the end of last year. By the time I feel fairly confident she won't ever escape again, we will have spent well into 4 figures. Is she worth it? You bet! The sheer zest she has for life is intoxicating. I can't even feel aggrieved when she's been bouncing all over my emergent daffodils. Anyway, life would be so dull (if not so
introduction - new to list
Hello fellow berner lovers, I am new to this list and wanted to introduce myself. I am Julie Toft and I live on Whidbey Island, near Seattle, WA with Zack my 6 year old berner, Alex my 14 year old son and Larry, my fiance. I adore my dog, and am somewhat embarrased to admit that I make decisions like where I live, which house I buy and which vacations and job I take based on what works best for ALL my family which very much includes Zack. So, I live on a 2 acre apple farm and have a job that allows me to write software from home 3 days a week, with a warm berner laying at my feet. Zack has the run of the house and the farm, but can be generally found within a yard of me. :) I am just beginning the process of finding a berner puppy to add to my family. If any list members can recommend breeders within, say a 2 day drive of Seattle, I would really appreciate hearing about them. Also, Zack is so bonded to me. I wonder if anyone cares to share their experience of doggie sibling rivalry? Or, what happened when the new puppy came home to an existing dog family? Thank you for listening, and any help you can give, Kindly, Julie Toft __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/
another dog broker
Hi everyone, I found an ad in the Washington Post & went to this website: http://www.joansk9.com/pages/puppies.html# Seems to be another dog broker - outside DC area. No Berners yet (currently?). But, I think it's good to keep a eye on these people.:-( Best, Susanne Cummings & crew [EMAIL PROTECTED]
conditioner
i ran out of conditioner while finishing woofit's bath. does anyone know of some natural/organic product i can put on him without wetting him down first. thanks andrea, woofit and chi shavertown, pa http://www.brin.org/Woofit_and_Chi/
Re: puppy feeding
In a message dated 3/9/2003 12:17:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > In reviewing research about large breed formulas I have found that most of > the research was conducted by the manufacturers of dog food and pet food > industry. I'm afraid this is a fact of life in terms of pet food. Even the research carried out by academia is usually funded by the large food companies. When you stop to think about it, there's no public health imperative and no economic benefit to be gained (as in food animals) to provide an impetus for government funding in this area. There's no NIH for dogs... So, I do keep in mind the funding source of research I read and I recognize the fact that what's investigated and how doesn't tell the whole story. Still, I believe it's better than nothing and you can find research conducted within an academic setting and repeated to help establish credibility. My biggest concern isn't the validity of the research, it's the fact that so many people (owners, breeders, vets) grab onto a preliminary finding or even a misinterpretation of findings and never bother to update their 'knowledge' when further study proves initial those initial assumptions to be false. This is very much the case in the common perception that protein = bad for growing large breed puppies. -Sherri Venditti
RE: puppy feeding
i am in the process of trying to make some sense of all this from a nutritionist's point of view. i am looking at documents from cornell etc. when i learn something i will pass it on. i believe my human nutrition background will permit me to understand some of the ratios etc that were developed. since i do not feed kibble i did not delve into the data when my dogs were pups. from a professional standpoint know i am curious enough to try and get to the bottom of this. andrea, woofit and chi shavertown, pa http://www.brin.org/Woofit_and_Chi/ -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Mark Mohapp Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2003 12:17 PM To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List Subject: Re: puppy feeding Rose: I do have to be careful about my comments on Large Breed puppy Formulas for dogs.I am not a Nutritionist and I do NOT want to mislead any new puppy owners. However, one of my concerns however lies in the fact that the pet food industry wants to accommodate the consumer and some times it gets rather trendy. In reviewing research about large breed formulas I have found that most of the research was conducted by the manufacturers of dog food and pet food industry. As we all know with large breed dogs there is inherited risk, environmental stress, and nutrition affecting the well being and development of the dog. I have seen some Berner pups that were kept so lean that they looked emaciated. ( I am not talking about the typical lanky and awkward stage in pups that are not mature dogs) So - I am continuing to research this but I believe that excess weight on a dog may be more of a culprit than what the exact ratio of protein in foods. Owners still have to control portions and if Berner pups are not supposed to have heavy exercise than it makes sense that the amount they are fed needs to be considered. I can share some of my resources with you and possibly you can share some of yours with me. I may not have looked at some of the independent research that you may be aware of. I am still learning and do read a lot from a variety of sources. I do not believe that many vets are well versed in nutrition - maybe vet schools are changing this. I think medical doctors were accused of the same thing at one point? But thank you! I always appreciate your information and it often helps me switch gears in my thinking. Mark Mohapp [EMAIL PROTECTED]
(A long tale) Berners- expensive? Well...
Are you sitting comfortably, then I'll begin . We've had Bernese for nearly 17 years and I thought we knew everything about their expensive habits that there was to know... Diet - including sofas and dining room suites. Vets fees - from acupuncture and arthritis, through crutiate repairs & entropian, to sebaceous cysts and things far nastier. Now our vets are in our Friends and Family dialling circle and we have full pet insurance. Mode of transport - the more you have, the bigger the vehicle needed. A 7 seater with all but 2 seats removed is just right for 4 dogs. House redecoration -new carpets, no carpets; wall paper, no wall paper; cat flap, no cat flap. Bedding (ours) - A king size bed is an absolute necessity for those early morning snuggles, if *you* want to be included. Chores - a vacuum cleaner on an industrial scale is essential to keep up with those miniature Berners that like to lurk everywhere from under the freezer to the top of the wardrobe. Garden - ahh, the garden. We've given up expecting anything other than a lunar landscape. A lot of money flowed into the garden before we learnt to let the dogs do the gardening and let us get on with more important things, like housework. Yes, I thought we knew it all. Until the advent of 18 month old Roxie into our lives last June. Roxie the Berner with pogo sticks instead of legs. Roxie the dog who likes you to get up with the sun to keep her company. Roxie the Houdini dog... AKA Poxie Roxie. Our garden consists of an acre fully fenced for the dogs and 5 acres of rough for them to run in under supervision. Our 4' fences have always proved more than equal to the task of keeping our dogs in, even Toby, who at 36" at the shoulder could easily jump or even knock the fences over. Until Roxie. She soon jolted us out of our complacency by bouncing over the fence with ease. So we heightened it by running 2 strands of wire along the top of the existing fence and weaving another strand between them and the existing fence, bring the height up another 9" or so. She still escaped. And a wise lady from the list told me that once a Berner has the taste for escapism, we're doomed... How right she was! Last month, I gave in and decided that as my husband was away all month, I'd get a professional fencing contractor to cast his eye over our problem and come up with a once and for-all solution. To save money (a fatal flaw when considering our beautiful and agile breed), I decided that I would only get that part of the fence done that she was getting over. That cost us nearly 400 UK pounds. I was impressed, no way was Roxie going to get over a 7' fence. I wondered in an idle moment if we should have watch towers installed too, with search lights and stuff. Roxie spent her time walking the fence line. I watched and laughed. For a whole week she surveyed the fence, I sniggered and told her she'd never escape now. NEVER give a Bernese a challenge like that. The day after Malcolm came home and agreed it was money well spent, Roxie jumped the fence. No, not the tall one, just the 5' one which had strands of barbed wire along it until we could heighten it. Back to the drawing board and another large sum of money on fencing materials. We are now so well know at the contractors, that Malcolm has been told they'll keep all their odd bits of fence wire for him, it's cheaper to let us have it than to order a rubbish skip to take it all away! Yesterday Malcolm finished erecting another run of 7' fencing and said "I'd like to see her escape now". So she did. This time she slithered through the gap left in the strands of wire holding everything together. She just has to be double jointed, I would have defied a cat to get through that gap. S... Another day is drawing to a close, another day spent making the fence Roxie proof, and Malcolm has just issued her with another challenge... Get over that if you can! I'm not betting either way! Thank doG she doesn't go far, we live up a private road away from town, although we do get stupid drivers who think children and animals shouldn't be on the road; and luckily, all the sheep were moved at the end of last year. By the time I feel fairly confident she won't ever escape again, we will have spent well into 4 figures. Is she worth it? You bet! The sheer zest she has for life is intoxicating. I can't even feel aggrieved when she's been bouncing all over my emergent daffodils. Anyway, life would be so dull (if not so poverty stricken) without a daily challenge! Oh, and through all this, Mags and Toby just stand and watch her escape, with, I think, a little admiration and some jealousy in their eyes! Are there any other expenses lurking round the corner that I'm not prepared for I wonder? Well, as long as we have dogs, I'm willing to bet something somewhen will crop up that I'd never have imagined in a thousand years! Liz Bradbury in Scotland, with Roxie (2) the bouncing Berner; Newfs Toby (6) and Maggie (16 months); & the 6 Fe
Re: puppy feeding
Rose: I do have to be careful about my comments on Large Breed puppy Formulas for dogs.I am not a Nutritionist and I do NOT want to mislead any new puppy owners. However, one of my concerns however lies in the fact that the pet food industry wants to accommodate the consumer and some times it gets rather trendy. In reviewing research about large breed formulas I have found that most of the research was conducted by the manufacturers of dog food and pet food industry. As we all know with large breed dogs there is inherited risk, environmental stress, and nutrition affecting the well being and development of the dog. I have seen some Berner pups that were kept so lean that they looked emaciated. ( I am not talking about the typical lanky and awkward stage in pups that are not mature dogs) So - I am continuing to research this but I believe that excess weight on a dog may be more of a culprit than what the exact ratio of protein in foods. Owners still have to control portions and if Berner pups are not supposed to have heavy exercise than it makes sense that the amount they are fed needs to be considered. I can share some of my resources with you and possibly you can share some of yours with me. I may not have looked at some of the independent research that you may be aware of. I am still learning and do read a lot from a variety of sources. I do not believe that many vets are well versed in nutrition - maybe vet schools are changing this. I think medical doctors were accused of the same thing at one point? But thank you! I always appreciate your information and it often helps me switch gears in my thinking. Mark Mohapp [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: BERNER-L digest 4312
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Re: BERNER-L digest 4312
Ruth One of the breeders that "interviewed" our family and insisted that the entire family visit her farm. We welcomed the oppurtunity to meet with her and see her dogs in their natural environment. Come to learn that one of the primary reasons for the visits was for the breeder to observe my children (young teens) and their ability to integrate not only with the darling puppies, but with the older dogs. I noticed while we were there that she paid particular attention to my kids and was impressed not only with their knowledge of dogs in general, but in their knowledge in Berners specifically and that they were caring and loving, but firm, as well with the older dogs. Esta Dalsass
Re: BERNER-L digest 4312
Beth Is the event scheduled for Saturday or Sunday. The flyer I have says Sunday. Or is that just the workshop with the competition on Saturday. Esta Dalsass
Happy 10th Birthday Stormy!
Hi all, I would like to wish my Stormy (Ch. Abbey Road's Rider on the Storm) a very HAPPY 10th BIRTHDAY! Stormy is out of Jackson (Ch. Dalleybeck's Echo Jackson) and Abby (CH. Gruezi's Dear Abby). He is such a sweetheart,is in great health and still has the same kick in his step as he did when he was a puppy!! I am so blessed to have himHere's to many more great years! Stephanie -- Stephanie A. Sotiros Keke's [EMAIL PROTECTED] Charlotte, NC -- -- Stephanie A. Sotiros Keke's [EMAIL PROTECTED] Charlotte, NC --
RE: hyperextended knees
Hi Kendra, You mention her rear looseness and that she tightened up. This can be typical in hip dysplasia that the joint is loose and over time the joint capsule thickens and in effect helps to stabilise the hip. However the progression continues and with the straightening effect seen in the stifles in what was previously more angulated there is a tipping of the pelvis to accommodate structural changes. I would suspect she is seriously dysplastic but her body is making adjustments, you may have to think about long term pain management with Rimadyl or Metacam. With what you describe I would consult with an orthopedic specialist. There will be some dynamic changes in the stifles over time and supplementation and perhaps Cartrophen injections might help delay effects. Rose T. -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: March 8, 2003 5:51 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: hyperextended knees Hi all, I'm hoping for some advice. You may remember Sallie's story, but here's a long story short: We got her from a family that was feeling "overwhelmed" by her at 6 months old. She came to us with undiagnosed Chronic Lyme's, two rear leg injuries, poor nutrition, no obedience. We cleared up the Lyme's greatly improved the diet, including Glycoflex for her knees, and taught her to be a polite citizen. She has had badly bowed back legs since we got her. They had been very loose, but they are not anymore. Recently, I've noticed that her back legs are also hyperextending at the knees. Instead of bending forward as they had and should, they are now vitually straight. She does not have any pain, and this doesn't effect her gait or any movement. i am wondering how worried I should be and if there is anything I can do toimprove her condition. The vet had no suggestions. As I said, she is getting joint support supplements and plenty of exercise. Thank you, Kendra, Jackson, and Sallie Carmel, NY
RE: Removing ticks
Hi Fran, While living in Guyana our mutt used to pick up ticks and we were limited on what was available. A local remedy was to soak a cotton pad with Gordon's Gin and press gently over the tick, the booze anaethetises the tick and they let go:-) Rose T.
RE: Melkfett
Hi Sylvia, One of the best remedies for a sore beak is L'Oreal's Sunscreen LipSalve, I discovered it by accident when I had chapped lips and my nose was sore from a cold. I just smeared some on and all was better:-) Rose T.
Re: Had Enough (long response)
Dear Berner-Lover, I am sorry I cannot respond to you by name, but you didn't sign your email. I wanted to respond to you as some one who has not been involved in the breed for very long and who not too long ago went through the process you are going through right now. So to start--it sucks. There is no reason to sugar coat it. You know, probably as I did, that you could care for a dog, that you are responsible, and that you would have the love and devotion that would make a good home. The trouble is, in this world, there is no way for other people to know that. There are so many people who, not with malice or evil intents, want dogs and shortly after give them up (after puppyhood--when it is too much work, etc.), too many people who neglect the dogs they have, and way, way too many people who simply don't have the where-with-all to care for a dog. The sad fact is that breeders need to screen closely not just to see who you are today but whether who you are today will accurately reflect the person you will be for the next 10 years. When you put on top of that that these breeders are giving you these babies that they spend endless nights caring for and are the children of the dogs in their family--it's easy to see why they can be so protective. I think that seeing it like this makes it easier to understand why some breeders seem so unfriendly. Have you tried going to some local club events? I found that meeting breeders and talking to them about their dogs and after finding a friendly one who had nice dogs then asking about pups was a much better way to get friendly responses. Now I do want to say that there is a tendency in the berner community to be a little, how shall I say this, insular and worse yet snobbish. It is true that people involved in the breed for years know it better than you or I ever will. But I vividly recall feeling a little bit like some breeders thought I wanted a puppy for the sole purpose of torturing it by locking in a tiny crate for 18hrs in a 100degree room with no water. And since so many people are so taken with berner's looks, it seemed to me that many breeders make a point of emphasizing (ad nauseum) the drawbacks of the bernese (health, size, etc.). In truth you are not the first person, nor do I suspect you will be the last, who has been browbeaten by some breeders when all you want is a little pup to love. It sounds to me like you are having a combination of bad luck and failed expectations. Like I said, you know you but a breeder doesn't so maybe the next time you talk to one and the conversation starts to go south you can ask what they are looking for, what you seem to be missing. In truth it could partly be communication issues (you not realizing what they want to know, them not understanding what you are trying to tell them), and it could partly be that this is just not the breeder for you. The long and short of it is it will be frustrating. It will take phone calls, long conversations, and time. But, once you find a breeder who is for you, their questions will feel those of a protective parent and not an investigating officer. So why not just take the short route and go to a puppymill. I won't reiterate that moral issues of puppymills because you surely have heard about them. They are just horrible, and if I start to write about it I will just be a blubbering mess. But when I was deciding it was not that cruelty of puppymills that deterred me (I truthfully didn't know that much about them) but what these breeders can offer you that won me over. They get to know you, not just your wallet, and they can match a dog to your lifestyle and personality. Me, I am young active and have a very flexible schedule so Smokey was meant for me. What "puppy mill" could have done that? When I had trouble with his food, his housetraining, anything, his breeder was able to consult with me and give me recommendations. I know that if I ever have any questions about anything I could call him. That is just not something that can be overlooked. So, my advise is to stick it out. I know that it is tempting to just grab one of those puppies at the local pet store but your life will be the worse for it--and in the greater scheme of things isn't an extra six months of work worth a pup that can be happy and healty for its life? Good Luck to you, Radha and Smokey (Mom--the sun is out--why are you at your computer?!!) From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sat, 8 Mar 2003 03:22:53 EST Subject: Had Enough To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Plain Text Attachment [ Save to my Yahoo! Briefcase | Download File ] I am an avid dog lover and always dreamed of welcoming a berner into my family. However, the experiences I have encountered in speaking with breeders is discouraging. I am a professional, successful woman, mother of three healthy, well taken care of children and am looked at questionably by the "interviews" I've held so far.
Re: lawn fertilizer question
In a message dated 3/8/2003 9:03:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > does anyone remember the name of the lawn fertilizer product that is made from, I > think, corn? You can use corn gluten meal (available at feed stores) to keep down crab grass and other annual weeds that come up from seed. As it dissolves, the gluten coats seeds to keep them from sprouting but as far as I know, it doesn't feed the lawn in any way. The corn gluten meal comes as small pellets that you can spread with the same kind of spreader you'd use for lime or fertilizer. If I remember, it has to be reapplied every 30 or 60 days...do a web serach and I'm sure you'll find articles on the specifics of using it. Beware...some dogs love to snuffle it up from the grass, and of course...many dogs are allergic to corn. -Sherri V.
Re: BERNER-L digest 4312
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