Heel Nipping

2003-08-14 Thread Radha Iyengar
Dear L'ers,
I am having a bit of an issue with my dog Smokey.
Background: Smokey is an 18mo old neutered male. I
have
had him since he was 8 weeks and got him from a
breeder. He has done basic training and has passed the
Canine Good Citizen test.
Problem: Smokey tends to be nervous around new people.
 Usually this is not a problem as he just keeps to
himself, occasionally stopping to smell people. But he
does sometimes, on walks, bark at people who come too
close and sometimes tries to chase runners.  A quick
correction usually does the trick. Yesterday a man
stopped to say hello. Smokey had his tail up and was
wagging and sniffed the man and let him scratch his
chin. Then as the man turned to go, Smokey crouched
down in the front (but and tail in the air), tail
still up and wagging but ears down and started to
bark. Then he sort of hopped/jumped forward to try to
nip the man's heel. I had him on a leash and quickly
returned him to a sit position but the whole thing had
me startled.  He has never done anything like this and
I am not sure if he was playing or what.  Does anyone
have any thoughts about what this means?  Suggestions
on how to make sure this doesn't happen again?

Thanks a lot for any help,
Radha and Smokey 

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Berners in Stores

2003-07-10 Thread Radha Iyengar
Dear L'ers,
Please don't flame me for asking this. I have only
known about puppy mills for about 2 years, when I
started research bernese mountain dogs. I think they
are terrible and I fully support efforts against them.
 

It sounded from the things that camping store said
that they required quite a lot from breeders.  So, I
was wondering what is it that is so bad about selling
pups in this store?  I have this gut feeling it is
wrong but if someone asked me why I wouldn't know what
to say.  

As I said, I am just learning about this so please
don't attack my ignorance.  I just want to understand
if the issue is bad breeding or bad buyers or what.

Thank you,
Radha Iyengar

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Re: Lancaster County National

2003-06-08 Thread Radha Iyengar
I am very new to the world of bernese mountain dogs
and purebreds in general and until I started
researching berners I did not know anything about
puppy mills.  So perhaps those of you who know more
about this could answer questions that many some
newbies like myself have.
1. Exactly what makes Lancaster uniquely responsible
for the puppymill industry relative to other places? 
Aren't there mills all over the place?  
2. How does the having the Specialty there help the
puppy mill industry?
3. Is it possible to go to the Specialty without
giving much money to Lancaster county? For example,
staying in hotels just on the otherside of a border
with another county.  Having sales at the specialty in
other places, etc.  
4. Is there other industry in Lancaster that might be
supportive of this cause but that could also benefit
from the Specialty being in town? This might be a good
ally in a protest or something like that.

I was also thinking, perhaps this is just naieve and
silly, that maybe the Specialty could be used, in
part, as a tool to get some recognition of the problem
in the area on a much larger scale.  Perhaps an actual
protest, not a boycott, before or after the specialty
to draw attention to the problem.  I think, given the
large number of people the specialty attracts, and the
cuteness of the dogs that a large scale protest/march
or something like that could get some press and
attention.  Perhaps there could be fliers and posters
as well as means of contacting responsible breeders. 
I was just thinking that for those who want to go,
this might be an option.

Like I said, I don't know how feasible this is, but
just a thought.  If some people know more about this
and think it is a good idea, I don't mind working on
organizing a protest, at least with some help from
others.

Radha Iyengar (and Smokey)
Princeton, NJ  

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Re: Backtalk

2003-03-27 Thread Radha Iyengar
I am not that experienced so I am sure other people
will have more suggestions but Smokey is a backtalker.
 I mean he in general is a talker and when we first
started training he was quite upset at the idea he had
to listen to me.  Basically what the trainer told me
is the following:
1.  He must always obey backtalk or not.  So if you
give him a command and he wants to talk back, he needs
to do the command too!

2. If he doesn't get into his space.  Move towards the
dog, and enforce your command and your leadership role

3. There is no reward for backtalk but lots of reward
for quiet obedience.  So, if your pup obeys with a lot
of noise, a gentle good dog is in order.  But if you
dog obeys quietly, praise as if he just invented the
theory of relativity.  And some smelly treats always
help.  

I have found that Smokey largely grew out of this as I
kept up on obedience.  The basic trick is just to get
him to realize you are in charge and his best bet is
to listen to what you have to say quietly.  But,
Smokey still has some talk, especially when it
involves walks or sitting while I am eating dinner. 
Still vast improvements.

I hope that this helps.

Radha

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Help (ASAP)

2003-03-27 Thread Radha Iyengar
Smokey at a lightbulb.  It was on the counter and he
just ate it when I went downstairs to do laundry.  I
called the vet's office but they are gone for the
night.  He seems fine right now but should I take him
to the emergency room?  Should I give him something to
eat?  Should I make him throw up--I worry about the
glass.

Please help.  

Radha

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We're Okay

2003-03-27 Thread Radha Iyengar
THANK YOU!!! This is just wonderful.  All of the
advise about cotton balls was right on the ball. 
After writing the list, the answering service at my
vet's had a vet call me and I brought Smokey in. 
After an X-ray and some examination it turns out that
smokey swallowed the bulb whole!!! That's right--it is
one of the those small vanity mirror bulbs and he just
swallowed it in tact (you can actually see it on the
X-Ray-- I have saved it and when I make a webpage I am
going to scan it in!).  Anyway, long story short, the
vet said to give him soft foods and cotton balls
soaked in cream--just in case there are a few
splinters.  

For future reference to anyone else, the vet also said
that it is very, very important to go in right away if
a dog swallows glass.  The reason is the shards can
cause internal bleeding and serious damage to the
stomach and esophogus.  Cotton balls soaked in cream
or milk as well as soft, solid foods (like soaked
bread) can stave off the impact and should be given
immediately (which I did based on the list advise). 
But if the bulb is only half crunched out surgery may
be necesarry as the pieces will be too large to pass
without injury.  If the bulb is mostly intact or
thoroughly crunched up it can be passed but the dog
must be watched.  This was quite the heart attack.  I
never imagined a dog would eat a lightbulb!! Why? 
Well thank goodness it was whole so that surgery
wasn't necessary.  Smokey is uncomfortable (but more
from eating the cotton it seems than from the bulb). 
And it seems like everything will be okay but I am to
watch his stools for the next few days and then take
him back.  If it doesn't pass, then we need surgery to
remove it but it looks to be a reasonable size and
shape that it will pass (what luck he chose that
lightbulb to eat and not a standard 60W bell-shaped
bulb).

From the bottom of my heart thank you to everyone who
responded to me.  It really made a big difference both
to know what to do, to hear that this has happened
before, and to just keep me from panicking while I
waited for the vet to call back!!

Love to all,
Radha and a very guilty Smokey
Princeton, NJ

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Re: Fun Survey

2003-03-24 Thread Radha Iyengar

1 --- Do you live in
a) city
b) suburbs
c) country
d) on Planet Berner
***(B) but soon approaching (D) as we look for a new
place to house my growing addiction to berners

2 --- Where does your dog spend the night?
***This is a bit like where does an elephant sit? 
Anywhere he wants--right?  Well Smokey sleeps on the
floor, on a couch, sometimes nestled between us on the
queen sized bed (we need to get a king--that will be
part of the move!)

3 --- What is your dog's favorite toy?
Smokey loves, I mean loves, this stuffed squeaky
lamb thing.  He doesn't chew it (which he does with
all other toys) just hugs it and holds it.  If he
doesn't have it when he sleeps he is restless and
won't settle down until he gets it!  There is also an
old, chewed up football (american) which we used to
play with Smokey and now has a large hole where the
front should be when Smokey tried to strip my
boyfriends of the ball one afternoon.  Smokey still
chases it, and will only play with it if he sees it
outside.

4 --- Your dog's most remarkable feature is 
his ability to give backtalk.  Yes, I am sure
there are others here who have a rambunction pup who
while he will obey commands has a mouthful when doing
it.  Also when not getting food, treats, or when not
being attended to.  Smokey has a large range of sounds
and I SWEAR he thinks he is speaking the same language
as me.  Sometimes he even waits for me to respond and
then interrupts with more!!!

5 --- You bought a new car for your dog(s)
In process...

6 --- Your dog participates in (feel free to list any
titles your dog
has won)
(g) training classes
actually we are just starting obedience training in
may.  That should be fun (any advise or suggestions
from folks is welcome)

***(i) My own category--table surfing.  Now I don't
know what your dogs are like but when I say this I
mean my boy will get up on tables counters, etc. to
eat things and when I say get up, I mean all 4 feet,
and 117lbs of berner boy on top of whatever he is
after.  I believe that he learned this from the cat,
but with his long legs he sure can jump high! 

7 --- The naughtiest thing that your dog has done
is.
eaten my cellphone, and coffee table, and rug,
and...
he went on a rampage but has been could recently (I
knock on wood to get some spliters from the chewed up
edges). 
Still, he's a good boy (he smiles at me wondering what
dog I am writing about!)

Radha and Smokey
Princeton, NJ

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Riding in Cars with Berners

2003-03-18 Thread Radha Iyengar
So, I currently have a 1996 Toyota Rav4 which I
thought would be a fine sized SUV for me, my boyfriend
and my dog, Smokey.  Turns out we have decidied this
car is far too small, especially if we intend to add
something else (baby or puppy) to our lives.  So we
have decided to buy a new SUV, to replace our aging
Rav.  Now we have been thinking about getting the
Honda Element, or the Toyota Highlander.  I was
wondering if anyone had experiences with either of
these cars.  

Also, currently I do not have any restraint system in
my car for my dog (no flames please--I am working on
it).  I used to have this doggie seatbelt but Smokey
can't sit comfortably on the seat so the belt is
really not working. I can't fit a crate that Smokey
could fit so that's out.  So I was wondering if anyone
had any suggestions.

Thank you,
Radha

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leg injuries

2003-03-13 Thread Radha Iyengar
I have a question for the list.  Smokey has once again
hurt his leg.  This is about the 4th time something
like this has happened.  I am worried that there may
be something I (and my vet) are missing so here's the
story:

Smokey is 1 year and has twisted his ankle, broken one
of his toes, and now done something to his ankle
again.  It usually happens when we are on our off
leash walks and he is running about.  He has no other
health problems and heals quickly after getting some
anti-inflammatory medicine and some rest.  What I am
worried about is that something else (like a problem
with hips or elbows) is causing him to be off balanced
and making him get injured.  Is this likely?  How
would I know what to do about this?  Or maybe it is
just clumisness as Smokey still grows into his body. 
Oh, he is about 27 and weights 120lbs.

Any advise or references about where to look about
this is greatly appreciated.

Radha (and Smokey--now on houserest and unhappy about it!)

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Re: Had Enough (long response)

2003-03-09 Thread Radha Iyengar
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] 



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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 

Re: To Berner or not to Berner??

2003-03-01 Thread Radha Iyengar
Dear Kenny,
I also live in a townhouse and backyard isn't even
fenced.  We have put up a dog run but that is barely
sufficient.  My dog, Smokey, is now 11 months (closing
in on a year in just a few weeks) and he is pretty
well adjusted to the situation.  Something important
to consider is that you need to be really willing to
take your dog out no matter what.  I live in New
Jersey and this winter has been snowy, cold and
terrible.  Regardless smokey always, every single day
rain or shine gets at least one long walk and 1 hour
of off leash play time in a suitable place (often our
dog park--which is privately owned so has many fewer
of the problems of dog parks discussed previously). 
It is just important to keep in mind that especially
when they are puppies, dogs need a good deal of
exercize.

Other than that, I think it sounds like BMD is your
kind of dog.  Smokey is pretty vocal but not a
constant barker.  He more barks to communicate (He has
a log of different barks he can make to say all
kinds of things).  This is a lot of fur, but I find
that regular brushing makes the furriness of the house
quite tolerable--but I do quite often find fur in my
food, etc.

Good luck with everything and drop a line so we know
how things are going--okay?

Radha (and Smokey)
Princeton, NJ

---
From: Kenneth L Babcock [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Subject: To Berner or not to Berner?? 
Date: Fri, 28 Feb 2003 22:11:09 -0500 



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Greetings to all the expert Owners of Bernese Mt.
Dogs!

My name is Kenny and I reciently fell in love with
the BMD!  I am
seriously considering, no...no,  I mean I'd love to
own a BMD!! However 
I
have a few concerns:
Shedding/is my home large
enough/temperment/barking/and will the breed 
fit
into my lifestyle?

I live in a 3 floor townhome with a fenced in back
yard (20' X35),
hopefully daily walks and the small yard will please
the breed? Last 
week I
dog sitted my sisters 70Lb. Golden Retriever to
experience life with a 
large
dog (although 20 or 30Lbs  a Berner). The first two
days were 
difficult in
that he was heavly shedding and the hair was a
nusance! However I 
seemed to
adjust by day three and just vacummed and brushed
daily! By the end of 
the
week I and my family were attached to this beautiful
dog. Bernie 
filled
our home with a special warmth and love with his laid
back temperment. 
He is
missed, as he went home 3 days ago and my children,
(3boys, 20,12,9) 
enjoyed
him greatly. I'm told the berners are similar in
temperment to the 
Golden?
Finally barking, neighbors have a Sheltie and a
besicon that are cronic
barkers and is quite unplesant at times! I prefer a
controlled to
non-existent barker. You may ask, why not get a
Golden? I just loved 
the
look and size of the BMD
I met a few breeders and found one I am comfertable
with. I met her and 
her
BMD's and loved playing with all of them.
I guess I'm seeking advice or reassurance that my home
and lifestyle 
will
accomidate a Berner.

Thanks for any possible advice!

Kenny B.



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RE: where did you get your dog?

2003-03-01 Thread Radha Iyengar
I wanted to add a little to this topic.

Smokey is my first BMD.  His breeder, Rui Rosa, was a
very, very kind man who not only trusted me with this
wonderful puppy but also trusted me given that I am
only 22 and was just starting out.  I assured him that
I had the money, space, and love for a berner and he
was uncertain and interviewed me carefully.  To be
honest, the extra care he took in meeting me, getting
to know me, and making sure I was worthy of getting
one of his dogs made me certain that this was a
breeder who I wanted to get my dog from. Smokey is the
light of my life.  When I first joined the list,
before I had Smokey I would always think how odd it
was all these people calling their dogs their
soulmates, children, etc.  Don't get me wrong, I grew
up with dogs, I LOVE them.  They are part of my family
and always have been.  But the kind of love and
connection I have with Smokey is unlike that of any
other animal I have ever met (save perhaps my pony
when I was a child but that's a story for another
day).  Smokey is indeed a dog that I am thankful for
everyday. 

The point is that even though it was hard to convince
Rui to trust me, it was worth it.  And winning that
trust I believe was an important part of what got me
to Smokey.  So for those on the list who are waiting
for their puppies, have had a long difficult trip to
getting their dogs, or are frustrated with these crazy
breeders and their zillions of questions and concerns
about your fitness as an owner know this: it was worth
it.  Shortly after getting Smokey, a friend gave me a
little plaque that says My goal is to be as wonderful
as my dog thinks I am.  Sometimes I think that is
could say as as my dog's breeder thinks I am. So
thanks Rui and to all the breeders out there who work
so hard to place their dogs.

Radha and Smokey 

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Berner in Belle Meade

2003-02-10 Thread Radha Iyengar
I could help but I don't know exactly what to do.  I
live in Princeton which is about 15 min. away from
Belle Meade, so if someone can email me privately on
what to do, I am happy to do it.

radha
Forwarded Message  
From: Andrea Brin [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Subject: RE: Berner in Shelter 
Date: Mon, 10 Feb 2003 14:24:01 -0500 



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how could a dog like this end up roaming around and
then in a shelter.
wonder who the breeder is. i would think they would
want to know about 
him.
i actually might have a home for him.
andrea

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
Nobles.Carrie
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 2:03 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Berner in Shelter


 Petfinder PetNotes.url


http://www.petfinder.org/pet.cgi?action=2pet=1412164adTarget=468doggeneral
SessionID=3e47f5571e819de1-app1display=preview=0row=25


This is a link to Animal Alliance of Belle Meade, NJ
which is currently
caring for Teddy, an 8-mo-old male Berner.  Hopefully
a nearby List 
member
can check him out and help find a home for this
gorgeous young lad.

Carrie Nobles



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Rehome in Westchester

2003-01-30 Thread Radha Iyengar
In the Pennysaver in Westchester there is an add for
an 8yr old bernese mtn dog.  I was wondering if anyone
knew how to help or who the local club was I could
maybe call and talk to these folks and lend a hand.

Radha

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Rescue in NY

2002-12-02 Thread Radha Iyengar
I came across this boy who looks more like a berner
than a newfie or rotweiller.  The picture is probably
not good enough to tell though.  Is there someone
around Huntington NY to look?


http://www.petfinder.org/pet.cgi?action=2pet=1180824adTarget=468petsgeneralSessionID=3deb4783651ae03f-app2display=preview=1row=0

Radha


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Re: Cooper Comes Home

2002-11-05 Thread Radha Iyengar
Lindsay,
Congrats on your new boy!!!  I got Smokey a short 8
months ago and I know how exciting it is.  I am a
graduate student so I do most of my work from home.  I
was worried that Smokey would be really upset and
noisy when I left and since i live in a duplex, I was
worried about our neighbor.  Well, somebody on the
list suggested that I try giving him something he only
gets when I am out (say a Kong filled with peanut
butter, etc.)  It worked like a charm.  

I introduced it by putting him in his crate with his
toy and just going out of site while he was
distracted.  Now it is gotten to the point where he is
actually excited when I am going, and by the time I
get home he is done with his treat and happy to see
me. 

Saves me a lot of guilty feelings!!

Good luck and take LOTS of pictures!
Radha

-Original Message  
Date: Tue, 05 Nov 2002 12:14:31 +0100 
Subject: Cooper Comes Home! 
From: Lindsay Cox [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
To: Bernese Mountain Dog List
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Hi everyone!
Before I tell you all the details of the new addition
to the family, I 
must
say that I have been religiously reading the list now
(every day) for 
at
least a month and a half!  This, of course, has given
me great insight 
to
the world of the BMD and it really is great to hear
experiences from 
such
wonderful, caring owners that you all are!  I can tell
you that I am 
sure
that I will have many, many questions to ask and in
addition to asking 
our
breeders for answers, just know in advance, that I
will consult all of 
you,
too! :)  Your help and advice will be greatly
appreciated throughout
Cooper's life!
So, with that said...I have wonderful news!  My 10
week old bouncing 
baby
berner came home this Sunday!
My husband and I moved to Switzerland at the end of
June from Florida 
(BIG
change!!) and we have always loved the BMD's!  We
decided before we 
moved to
Switzerland permanently, that because we were finally
in the heart of 
'BMD
land', now was a perfect opportunity to have a new
addition to our 
little
family!  
We did SO much research before selecting the perfect
breeders!  Thanks 
to
the help of our German and English speaking friend and
several trips 
around
Switzerland, we found the most wonderful Swiss-German
breeders just 
outside
of Bern!  (Luckily their daughter acted as a
translator, too!) They are 
the
best I've ever seen...so loving to their dogs, so
professional and so 
very
responsible.   Their dogs were extremely well behaved,
loyal and HAPPY,
HAPPY, HAPPY!!!  
Once the puppies were born, hubby and I went to visit
each weekend and
really got to know their personalities.  It was
absolutely amazing at 
how we
just kind of picked each other!  His registered name
is in 
German...I'm
really not sure how to say it or even write it, but
they nicknamed him
Yonko   (You can see why we liked Cooper better,
right?)  His mother 
and
father and well, heck, his whole family, are very-well
decorated and 
very
sweet Berners but they all have tough names!  Anyway,
Cooper would come
running out first ahead of his siblings each time we
came to see him 
and
greeted us with several kisses and tail wags that
seemed to almost 
knock him
off balance!  We really bonded with him as well as his
whole family!
On Sunday when we took him home, he was so good.  I
sat in the back 
with him
just to comfort him and he slept the whole way.
Little Cooper seems to miss the company of this
brothers and sisters as 
well
as his mom and grand mom right now.   He cries a
little at night-time 
and
also when he thinks he's alone.  My husband (good
man that he is) 
took the
day off from work yesterday to help with his new
son!   We are really
working hard at trying to establish a daily routine
for Cooper.  He is 
our
first Berner and I truly can say he is unbelievably
smart already!
This is day 2 and he just walked right into the crate
to take a nap.  
He
seemed a little unsure of the crate the first
day...I'm sure it was all 
the
confusion of new surroundings and smells.  Probably
some separation 
anxiety
as well.  
Speaking of separation anxiety, I know and understand
that it is very, 
very
early and that he is still getting used to his new
home, but will this
eventually subside?  I will be staying home with him
everyday which I 
know
is fantastic for him.  I guess my biggest fear is that
he will get so 
used
to me being here that when I go to the store or to
take hubby to the
airport, he will hate being alone.  What is the best
method of training 
him
to be by himself for these short trips without crying.
 (The Swiss are 
VERY
aware of all their neighbors and value their
quiet-time!)
We are going outside to do business about every 2 to
3 hours so 
far--even
at night we take turns.  I have to get used to the
non-Florida 
weather
here!  Last night I groggily got out of bed and when I
opened the door, 
was
blasted with 40 degree wow-that-will-wake-you-up
weather!  

Stuffed Berner

2002-11-01 Thread Radha Iyengar
Can anyone PLEASE send me 2 stuffed berners (one will
do if that is necessary).  My cousin has taken to
naming all dogs Smokey and I would love to get her a
stuffed berner for her two year old birthday.

Thank you in advance.
Radha and Smokey (Mom--are you gettin' me a new chew toy?!!)

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