Lisa
How can we possibly expect to improve health in the breed if over 2000 per
year are bred in the USA alone, and these are ONLY the Berner pups
registered with the AKC!
and, more cryptically:
With a population of Berners, regardless of source, exploding, perhaps an
understatement, and with, in the USA, no rules to prevent anybody and his
brother from breeding 'em, folks, there is going to be a flood of Berners
needlessly euthanized or abandoned because people will not or cannot spend
the money to ascertain the dog' wellness. I feel so strongly that this
has
or will become the breed's reality that I shall even say that those
pondering this weighty problem would do well to mark my words!
Please don't see this as a personal affront, as it TRULY is not intended as
such, but what, please, is the PRECISE point that you are trying to make in
your rather pessimistic message? I'm sure there IS a point, but it
completely eludes me.
Are you saying that people should stop breeding Berners?
Are you saying that people should stop buying Berners?
Are you saying there are too many Berners?
Or are you saying that only the wealthy should even remotely contemplate
buying a Berner, because they can become ill and veterinary treatment is
expensive?
Whilst the latter is true, it surely doesn't exclusively pertain to Berners?
ALL dogs, purebred and crossbred, can and DO get ill. I know plenty of
crossbreeds who seem to spend more time at the vet's surgery than out of it.
I know purebreeds who never see the vet and live to a right old age. And
vice versa. Speaking strictly for myself, my two Berners see the vet an
awful lot - BECAUSE THEY HAVE A VERY, VERY CONCERNED OWNER. Me. It's me who
insists that the dogs are seen that often becuase I worry about every skin
tag, cough, wart, limp, whatever. It's not because they are that frail. Most
limps and warts and sneezes dissapear without any interference. If I adopted
a more fatalistic outlook and only brought my dogs to the vet when they are
extemely ill, I would virtually have no vet expenses. But I don't. Because I
just...well, want to protect them. Hopefully. Somehow. And this approach is
probably true for a lot of owners who have horrendous vet expenses. But this
attitudide is certainly not unique to Bernese, nor their owners?
Summa, summaris : if you want to keep your money and your heart without
bruises, don't have a pet. Any pet. Or have one and adopt a survival of the
fittest approach.
I'd love to do the former and I'll never be able to subscribe to the latter,
thus I bid a cheery bye-bye to my money and my heart.
Because I could not fathom life without my boys. Even if their life should
be a short one. An expensive one. Could you imagine life without any of
yours?
I want MORE people to breed Berners, more people to share their life with
them. Berners make you happy. And I'd love to be surrounded by as many happy
people as possible. Wouldn't you?
Be well
Michaela, Harvey Rupert
Devon/UK
