Saturday, October 5, we did not buy any Berners at auction. Maren and I did come home with names and an immense feeling of satisfaction, as well as four male Berner puppies and one female.
The girl that had been listed in the auction flier was pulled from the auction, as was one boy, and another boy was not brought at all. We did not have a chance to find out why. Two of the remaining six berner boys were Bub Gage dogs, and after touting the international championship lines of one of those two, the bidding only got to $1,050. We were not bidding at that point, because of caps set on what we can spend, and we will not bid on any Bub Gage puppies. When the winning bidder indicated he wanted Bub's two boys, Bub ran up to the ring and had a discussion with Bob Hughes that *sounded* as though he was pulling his dogs out for the cost of the commission. In any case, Bub's dogs were put back into the back and bidding was restarted on the remaining four. Bob couldn't get a bid -- we kept trying to bid $500 and Bob's son kept saying no. Bob finally opening bidding himself at $500. We had the high bid at $750 when Bob stopped the bidding and the seller went to the ring to talk to Bob. The puppies were pulled. We were able to make arrangements to purchase the dogs off-site, and were offered the 12-week-old girl during that transfer. In the process we have gotten additional names and other information we can use in tracking sales and health issues for the breed. The breeder said he had learned his lesson, Bub Gage didn't make any money on his Berner pups at auction (he was also selling 40 King Charles Cavaliers and a French Bulldog, but we left while the Cavs were being auctioned), Bob Hughes can no longer tout the high prices he claims to get for these dogs. And four boys and a girl will soon have new loving homes. Liz Caldwell with Sophia, one of BARC's Lucky 17; Faith, the Pyr fluffernut; and temporary resident Gunner
