team obedience brags
Haven't seen any brags on the L for awhile, and I haven't bought any raffle tickets yet. Not that I need an excuse to buy raffle tickets from Joye. One of our local obedience trials (Did I say local?? It is 210 miles away and in another state) offered non-regular classes so we put together a team entry. We had 3 Berners and a Rottie, with a Corgi for alternate. We competed against 4 other teams and managed a respectable score of 733 and took first place. The judge said that the recall for our team was the best he's ever seen, so that made us feel pretty good. One more brag--my Berner brace with Raven and Wylie beat 3 other brace entries for 1st place. We had a lot of fun doing the non-regular classes and would like to see them at more trials. They also offered Rally but I didn't stay so don't know how the 3 Berner entries finished. Interesting occurrence in the Novice B class. There was a double run-off. Not sure what you call it, but there was a run-off for first and the judge said the dogs still tied so he called for another run-off, and that one was decisive. First time I had seen that happen. Vicky Hall in Utah Pat and Joye, the check will soon be in the mail. I haven't seen many posts about the raffle--I haven't missed the deadline, have I?
RE: bring me . . . a sock
Wylie doesn't bother with socks or shoes, but does take stuffed toys out every time he goes outside. He often will collect as many as he can cram in his mouth, maybe 3 fairly large toys. If he drops one he works diligently to pick it up before he will go outside. He carries them to the back yard and drops them when he pees. The toys don't get played with much, just carried out to the yard so I can carry them back in. Vicky Hall in Utah
Happy 12th Birthday Haley and Winslow!
Big hugs to the birthday pups! I get to take care of Winslow every once in awhile and he's a sweetie. He is still taking road trips and travels like a trooper. He's been out camping with his people this summer and moves pretty well for a 12 year old. You all are so lucky to have these dogs in your lives--guess it's a mutual blessing. Best birthday wishes, Vicky Hall in Utah
The I Did It My Way Award
OK, I'll bite on this one. This entry comes from my darling Raven's performance in Utility B at the Long Beach Specialty. I really don't think it was totally her fault, there must have been some dognip sprinkled in that obedience ring. We were doing articles. Raven watched disinterestedly while the steward placed the articles, then we turned our backs so the judge could put the scented article out. At the command, we turned and I sent her to the articles pile. Raven's nose went to work just a little too early. She stopped about five feet in front of the articles, sniffed and dug at something in the grass (the Dognip!), and had a huge roll in the grass. I know it was dognip because she sat up with this stupefied look on her face. She glanced at the articles without the slightest hint of recognition and never did go sniff for the right article. At least she had some fun out there! Vicky Hall in Utah
Stuffed therapy Berner?
Both my live Berners are certified Delta Pet Partners, but I learned that my huge stuffed Costco Berner is a therapy dog as well. One of my co-workers had an elderly mixed-breed dog that was her daughter's best buddy. Daughter Amy was 14 and the dog must have been 13 1/2 because Amy had always had this dog in her life. Every day when she came home from school Amy would go to look for Shelby. The family knew Shelby's days were numbered because of her bad heart. One day when Amy came home she found Shelby's body on the kitchen floor, apparently dead from a heart attack some time that day. Amy was devastated. She went to sleep every night with her arms around her dog Shelby. When her mom told us at work, I offered to bring in this large stuffed dog that looked just like Raven (every one knows Raven because I bring her to work every Tuesday). She took the borrowed Costco Berner home to her daughter, and she said Amy carried it everywhere and took it to bed with her at night. In fact, her mom said a few nights she woke up with this huge dog on top of her so she knew Amy had crawled into her bed in the middle of the night. After about a week Amy returned the Berner with a nice thank-you note. The stuffed Berner helped her get through the pain of losing a beloved pet that had always been a part of her life. So it does seem that I really have 3 therapy Berners in the house and not just two. Pat--do I have to pay for bragging up the good works of my stuffed Berner? VBG Vicky Hall in Utah, with Raven, Wylie and Costco-dog
Berner family farewell party
I am sad to announce that one of our Berner friends is moving from West to East: Salt Lake City to Pittsburgh! We are sad to see Watson and his human family Bridget and Chris leave their Berner community here, and hope they will be warmly welcomed by the Pittsburgh area Berner community. This morning--before the day heated up too much--we had a dog party in my yard. I have a larger than typical city yard, all fenced. We had 20+ Berners, from 10 weeks to 9 years, males and females, spayed/neutered/intact, along with their human companions. It's a privilege for me to host these gatherings and see so many Berners playing together without any squabbling unless you count the minor grumbles from some of the adolescents. We even harnessed and hitched Watson for his first attempt at carting, and it went very well. Leaving behind well-loved human and canine friends, as well as a trusted vet, is hard so please warmly welcome the newcomers to your area! Vicky Hall in Utah with Raven and Wylie, who will really miss his littermate Watson
Ottawa Specialty pics
Robin, thanks for reminding us all to check out the Specialty pics. When you can't be there it is nice to look at photos from Sieger, obedience and draft as well as the conformation pics. Thanks again, Vicky Hall in Utah USA
venting
Here's another perspective: I always try to educate people about the breed if they ask, but why is it so terrible if they think your dog is a mixed breed? Maybe they won't want one! In my experience, most people's comments and questions about the dogs are not said with malicious intent. Patiently supplying information about the breed, while maybe sneaking in another piece of education such as why not to buy puppies at pet stores, works for me. Vicky Hall in Utah
2 Berners in a Subaru
Hi Beverly, is your car a wagon or sedan? I have a 15 year old Toyota all-trac wagon, which I think is a little smaller than a Legacy wagon. As someone else said, it is a permanent 2-seater but my two--and sometimes their Berner friends--ride very comfortably in the back. I drove this car from Salt Lake to the Spokane specialty a couple years back. There were two adults plus all our luggage for a week, two Berners, a draft cart, and dog food plus treats and other doggie gear inside the car. Both dogs and people rode quite comfortably, so if your car is a wagon it shouldn't be a problem. If it's a sedan you may just have to pack stuff more creatively! Vicky Hall in Utah
pet therapy
Kenny, good for you for wanting to do pet therapy with your future Berner! How to start: First, when you contact breeders tell them what you plan to do with the dog. They can better select for temperament by choosing a puppy who is very people-oriented. Second, when you get the pup make sure you offer lots of opportunities for socialization. The more unusual things you can gradually expose the pup to, the more likely they are to be comfortable in a variety of situations. Third, sign up for obedience classes. Your dog needs a basic understanding of obedience commands to pass the therapy test, and you will want your fairly large grown up dog to be manageable. Don't forget to include some tricks when you train, like shake hands or something just for fun. Good luck with that future puppy! Vicky Hall in Utah
Histio raffle
Joye, put me down for $60 and split the tickets between the two paintings. Thank you for these reminders on the L--sometimes I forget and I know this raffle won't be running too much longer! Vicky Hall in Utah By the way, could the raffle in Long Beach use one of those Sam's club Berner plush costumes, sized for children age 2-4? Let me know and I will pack it with me!
Obedience brags
Congratulations, Vilma and crew--and thanks for posting! I always look to see if HIT is posted along with results from the breed ring. Being in a run-off against yourself would feel pretty weird! Vicky Hall in Utah
Faith acheives her U-CD
Congratulations on your first ever obedience title, and especially for doing it in such style! There is nothing quite like that very first title and the special feeling you get from working together as a team. Keep up the good work! Vicky Hall in Utah
RE: Canine blood donors...
This has been several years ago, but my first Berner, Rosie, was asked by her vet to be a blood donor and she donated on a couple of occasions. Rosie was about 75#, which was sizeable enough to be of value as a donor without compromising her health. I would have no problem agreeing to one of my dogs being used as a donor. Vicky Hall in Utah
Vet education on OFA films
I have a large young male Berner with an elbow problem and yesterday I took him in for a recheck and ideas on medical management for the problem. His movement is a bit odd aside from his limp, so we decided it would be good to re-Xray the elbow and get a shoulder film as well just to make sure we weren't missing anything. Instead of waiting to do OFA films, she said while he was sedated it might be good to Xray his pelvis and if the hips didn't look good I wouldn't even have to do OFA films when he turns 2. From what she said, this was standard in this practice and they even advised clients not to send films in if it didn't look like they would pass. I respect this Vet and was quite surprised at her response. I told her I would do films and submit to OFA anyway, because I thought it was important for people to know the full story on what orthopedic problems were being produced. I told her the responsible Berner breeders I knew wanted information on all their puppies. She seemed genuinely surprised and said she just never thought of it that way. When I returned later in the day to pick up my boy, she thanked me for presenting a different view and said she had shared what I told her with the rest of the staff. She also said she plans to actively begin educating her clientele on the value of getting Xrays and submitting to OFA. Moral of the story: sometimes helping change one person's view can have an effect! Vicky Hall in Utah
Berners as therapy dogs
If your Berner is genuinely interested in meeting new people, and adapts well to situations that may be out of the ordinary, therapy work can be very rewarding. I take Raven to work with me one day a week and she visits on the inpatient mental health unit. Often these folks cannot have dogs because of limited personal resources or because they are in housing that does not allow dogs, and even brief dog visits are a hit with them. I also use her carting skills and we sometimes give cart rides to the children at the local Shriners Hospital. I don't know what your birds are like, but you may want to look into getting one or both of them certified as therapy animals as well. Raven and I belong to Intermountain Therapy Animals and I know we have at least one member who uses her large birds--I think a Macaw and a Cockatoo--for therapy work. You might want to check the website for info: www.therapyanimals.org Thanks for wanting to share the blessings of your dog with others. Vicky Hall in Utah
Re: Lap Sitting!!
Luther doesn't refer to it as a lap. It's His Throne and his right. Pat, when I was a kid the expression Sitting on the Throne meant one thing--I hope yours is different! VBG Vicky in Utah
BMD ad in Salt Lake paper
Hi, I think Mary-Ann Sontag-Bowman just posted about this ad. I talked to the person for quite awhile. The GOOD news is that he said he is taking the entire litter for early spay/neuter this Monday. He has one dog placed locally, still has 7 pups available. The parents have no clearances. Period. They think because they have European stock, sire from Hungary and dam from Russia, that they have avoided the health issues prevalent in U.S. breeding stock. I talked to him about the importance of at least getting OFA hips and elbows on his breeding stock, and he seemed receptive to the idea. His wife was not there, and she apparently is the one who manages the dog business. They don't belong to any BMD organizations because we run a kennel and they don't like that. I was glad to hear about early s/n in this litter and it does sound like they are open to education. Any local folks want to reach out to them? Vicky in Utah
dog poem
Hi, I thought you all might enjoy this poem. I don't know who wrote it so I can't give credit--sorry! I take Raven to work every Tuesday and she does her magic on the inpatient mental health unit. One of the interns looks for her every Tuesday and gave me a copy of this today, along with his thanks for her staff and patient therapy sessions. I can't make any story about my life tonight. The house is like an overturned wastebasket; the radio is predicting more rain. I asked my dog to tell me a story, and she never hesitates, Once upon a time, she says, a woman lived with a simply wonderful dog ... and she stops talking. Is that all? I ask her. Yes, she says, Why do you ask? Isn't it enough? smile and hug your fur babies! Vicky in Utah
Berner Bash #10
Every one of you Berner folk are invited to join us for the tenth annual Berner Bash! This social event will be held Sunday, October 13, at 10 a.m. Location: Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City, Utah This is our annual get-together to let the dogs run and play together, and let the people visit and catch up on news. Last year we had about 40 Berners in attendance, which is a large gathering for this part of the country. If you plan on being in the area next weekend, come on down. Email me and I can give you directions to the park. It is very easy access from I-80. Vicky in Utah
