Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland

2002-12-04 Thread MazamaDog
Thank you Pat Long for pointing out all the ways that we can help the breed instead of 
hand wringing and moaning about doom and gloom!  Many people have contributed time and 
effort to improve the lives and future of this breed - hats off to them for all they 
have done and continue to do!  If you are concerned about the future of the breed then 
do something - there are many ways individuals can help - just ask Pat and she'll find 
a list of suggestions.  Thanks again to Pat and people like her who are actually doing 
something productive for our Berners.  - Ruth Nielsen, ZenMaster Max and the 
Winter-boy in Seattle, WA




RE: OT - Flying pets to Ireland

2002-12-04 Thread Daniel Buckley
Hi Jennie,   As you can see below Ireland has very strict quarantine laws
that require at least six months quarantine. Although I believe you can now
quarantine on your own premises, providing it meets with their specs. The
dept of agriculture will send a vet to inspect that you have meet their
requirements. On a side note I recently made inquires as to bringing a dog
in from Switzerland and was told my best option to avoid quarantine was to
avail of the pet passport scheme and go through England. There is at present
free movement of pets between England and Ireland. In fact a good percentage
at the larger shows here would be English. Tell your cousin to bring lot's
of warm clothes and rain gear.

Danny Buckley
Castleconnell
Ireland.  

Under the Importation of Dogs and Cats Order, 1929 - 1970, all dog and cats
from places abroad (other than Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man) must undergo a period of at least six months detention in
approved quarantine premises on arrival here and be subject to one
anti-rabies vaccination during quarantine. There are no derogations from the
six-month quarantine period for any animal, regardless of the conditions
under which the animal has been kept. 
There is only one approved public quarantine premises and this is: 
Lissenhall Quarantine Kennels and Catteries,
Lissenhall, 
Swords, 
Co Dublin
Telephone +353 1 840 1776
Fax: +353 1 840 9338


 -Original Message-
 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
 Sent: 04 December 2002 02:52
 To:   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Subject:  OT - Flying pets to Ireland
 
 Hi Everyone-
 
 This is not Berner related...
 
 My cousin lives in Boston and is possibly moving to Ireland this year.
 She 
 has an indoor only cat and would like to know the restrictions (if any) on
 
 entering the country. Also, does anyone know if there are restrictions for
 
 her to return to the US and bring the cat back with her next year?  The
 cat 
 is an adult, indoor only and current on all vaccines (FVRCP  Rabies).
 
 Thanks for any info that is available!
 Jennie Hoffnagle
 Glenmoore, PA


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OT - Flying pets to Ireland

2002-12-04 Thread BERNERINFO
Hi Jennie,

Pets coming into the UK have to travel under the Pets Travel Scheme (known as 
PETS) or go into 6 months quarantine.  All the current vaccine/health cert 
requirements for the PETS can be found on

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/index.htm

Hope that helps!

Jude Simonds
Coliburn Bernese, UK




Costs of Owning a Berner

2002-12-04 Thread Pat Long Paul Dangel
Barbara,

I put together a poster to display at the Philadelphia Dog Show about
the costs of owning a berner, it's a list of normal first year costs,
and a list of the costs of various genetic based problems that reputable
breeders attempt to minimize, and a list of costs to breeders for
testing breeding stock for those genetic based problems.

It was an easy poster to put together, it was carefully read by almost
everyone who passed by (which really REALLY surprised me), and I think
it was very effective.

For those of you who would like something similar to display at events,
I have a word document version of the poster, along with a jpg file of
the finished product. You can put it together yourself with a glue
stick, or I can do it for you for a donation to BLEF.

Pat Long ( Luther)
Berwyn PA





French Dog Food

2002-12-04 Thread Timothy Forman
Lisa,

Here in Europe they have some very high quality dog foods. Certainly there is more variety (or at least it is easier to find variety), bags of dried veggie flakes, dried egg flakes, and a wide assortment of kibbles and canned foods. I'm not sure how wide-spread BARF is in France, but judging by the looks I get when I ask my butcher to getbulk quantities of chicken necks, or natural (unbleached) tripe, I would say it is still fairly uncommon. Nevertheless, there are two beautiful Berners who are walking advertisements for BARF. When people ask me what I feedmy dogsthey get a lot more information than they expected, especially if they are dog owners themselves.

Tim (self-appointed BARF Ambassador to France) Christl (long-suffering veggie grinder)
and Gandalf  Holly (sleek andshiny examples of solid nutrition)
Chateau Bernois
Nimes, FranceMSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service:  2 months FREE*



Re: Swiss saying

2002-12-04 Thread Kathy Tim Kennedy
I have a version of the Swiss saying that was given to me by a Swiss person
with one more important part.

Three years a young dog, three years a good dog, three years an old dog and
three years a gift from God.

So having Berners living to 11, 12 is very possible, it is also a special
gift.  In our house we call them bonus years.

Kathy  Orla in Ottawa enjoying bonus time




RE: . . .becoming rare breed

2002-12-04 Thread Karen McFarlane

I must say that I entered this Berner world with perhaps my eyes and ears
shut. When I purchased my beautiful boy in March of this year I had no idea
about all of the problems and health issues associated with this breed. I
wholeheartedly admit that I was hypnotized and absolutely smitten when I saw
these gorgeous puppies. I really had no intention of buying a pup as I
already had 3 dogs of my own. Stevie picked me out and it was love at
first site. I ended up going back 4 times to see him, each time thinking
that he wouldnt be there. He had been spoken for in a matter of sorts but
the people who were going to purchase two of them decided not to take him.
He was so quiet and laid back for a puppy. After bringing him home and the
many many interrupted nights of toileting and so forth, I figured that that
was a very small price to pay for the absolute love and devotion that I felt
for this dog. We had a scare after only a week and a half of him being home
when I was assisting my dear friend move somethings out of an upstairs
apartment (at the farm where I board my horse). Stevie woke up from his
slumber and came out on the deck, we were down below loading the truck, his
loyalty to me was apparent even then. He panicked when he realized that I
was away from him and stepped off of the deck! He fell almost 20 feet to the
ground. I was paralyzed. Now I am a nurse who is very used to trauma and
such but when I watched what seemed like a horror movie unfold in front of
me I couldnt move. Stevie couldnt breathe, and of course I feared the worst.
He was rushed to the vet but was just fine, only winded.I could not believe
that I reacted that way. Then this summer, another scare. Stevie was lame.
OCD was floated around for a diagnosis. But after 6 weeks of crate rest and
some Bufferin he was fine. But no playing with anything bigger than he is.
(His best friend is a Dane puppy!!) He has been wonderful since. But now I
am scared to death that he will circum to some of the atrocities associated
with this breed, and truthfully, I would not sure how I would be able to
spend thousands and thousands of dollars on him. The question is now
insurance. Is it difficult to obtain insurance on Berners?? And secondly, is
there a ceiling cap on the amount spent for an illness or a lifetime total
amount? For now I will pray every day for his safe keeping and hope that we
will be lucky. He is the love of my life right now and I could not even
imagine going through some of the heartaches that I have read on these
pages. (ie: Hesse,Sam,Moses etc). To all those who have these health issues,
I salute you for your faith and love for your beautiful Berners. I am so
very glad to have joined such a caring and thoughtful group of
individuals.It makes me very proud to be associated with you all!! Thanks
for listening, Karen McFarlane, NB, Canada.
-Original Message-
From: Barbara Flook [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 10:23 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: . . .becoming rare breed




How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)

2002-12-04 Thread gwebara
I've reached the cynical point in this breed that we are beyond saving
it. The BMDCA has it's own agenda which seems to be one of placating the
large breeder (no code of ethics yet that could possibly require anything
of substance from it's membership) and holding dog shows. The grass roots
efforts of others are only a small finger in the dyke and all around
backyard breeders and commercial breeders are growing in numbers. The
number of unknown breeders grows with every unspayed female placed in a
pet home. For every person we educate 10 others buy that puppy in the
window. 
It's true we can only continue to try however in the end the breed itself
will save itself. The questionably bred questionably sold pets that turn
up in backyards, shelters, vet clinics and rescue programs that are of
poor health and temperament will save the breed. As the reputation of the
breed changes from one of good with kids to one of shy and sickly
fewer people will want to buy puppies. As the commercial breeders start
having the same breeding and whelping problems the rest of us have faced
they will find it not so profitable to care for these dogs and as the
price goes down on the pups find a new up and coming breed to exploit. 
While I don't mean to moan and groan (I am rescue coordinator for the
Lone Star club and help with education down here) I like Lisa see things
getting worse - but in the end the breed will save itself. I only hope
that there are at least a core of breeders choosing to maintain strict
controls and keep bloodlines that in the end can be worked with in a
responsible way once the fad ends

Susan Ablon
Gweebarra BMD
Balch Springs, Tx
http://www.pageweb.com/gwebara




2003 Berner Calendar

2002-12-04 Thread Terri Taylor-Mikes
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Re:2003 Berner Calendar

2002-12-04 Thread Patricia Tackett
There are several Berner calendars -- Pet Prints sell one that Bernd Gunter does (VERY 
nice photographs)  Brown Trout sells a BMD calendar.

  Lone Star BMDC is selling one they produced using unusually marked BMD's, it's 
called the Signature Calendar  the profits are going to Light One Candle -- the 
lobbying effort group.   Contact Ann Landeros  for ordering information  $20 + S/H   
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Pat Tackett
Texas
--
Did I miss the announcement on these?  How do I go about getting the new 2003 Berner 
Calendar?

Thanks - Terri, Greg  Dharma




I think that I did it again!!

2002-12-04 Thread Karen McFarlane
I sent an entry this morning or at least I think that I did. Why am I having
such a problem with sending things. Pat, could you please let me know if you
received it. The gist of my epistle was about the many health issues
concerning Berners. If you did not receive it I would like to resend it.
Please let me know. Thanks, Karen McFarlane

-Original Message-




Re: Dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread BernerFolk
In a message dated 12/4/2002 9:32:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

 Do breeders usually have their BMD pups due claws removed?  

In the US, responsible breeders have rear dewclaws removed when pups are a 
day or two old.  Front dews may be either left intact or removed depending on 
the breeder's preference.

Backyard (ie: unknowledgeable) -breeders and puppy mill producers frequently 
leave them all on.  

-Sherri Venditti




Re: dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread Ruth Reynolds

- Original Message -
From: Hicks, Jackie [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 8:30 AM


 Do breeders usually have their BMD pups due claws removed?

According to the breed standard rear dewclaws should be removed.  According
to the breed standard fore dewclaws may be removed.  Dewclaw removal should
be done at or shortly after birth as this digit amputation is painful.  All
BMD breeders I work with have had the rear dewclaws removed before I
obtained my pups from them.  Most of the dogs I've purchased have had their
fore dewclaws in tact.  I do not remove the fore dewclaws on pups I sell.
Some breeders do.

Ruth Reynolds
Pioneer Bernese
Greenwood FL
www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/rar




pet insurance

2002-12-04 Thread PortraitsDH
I was wondering if anyone can tell of their experiences with pet insurance: 
the realities vs the myths.Cancers covered/not covered.etc.

 Thanks, Debbie Hennes




Re: How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)

2002-12-04 Thread BernerFolk
In a message dated 12/4/2002 8:41:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

 I only hope
  that there are at least a core of breeders choosing to maintain strict
  controls and keep bloodlines that in the end can be worked with in a
  responsible way once the fad ends
  

Can you elaborate on that Susan...I'm not sure exactly what you mean by 
bloodlines.  My sense is that the term can only be applied to, MAYBE (3) 
kennels in the US ...and those are the folks involved in lots of 
litters/year.  It's those bazillion litters to pick from, stud fee puppies, 
and puppies back on full reg bitches...and close line breeding...that creates 
a bloodline (ie: will breed true), not the 1-2 litters/year breeding 
program.  No? 

-Sherri V.




Re: dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread Mary-Ann Bowman
I remove rear dewclaws only. The front ones seems to actually serve a
function, especially for performance dogs. My vet comes to our home when the
puppies are 2-3 days old to remove dewclaws. She numbs the area first and
the tiny injection was not problematic for the puppies. Although some
objected to being held, the removal of the dewclaws after being numbed did
not seemed to bother the puppies. The tiny incision was superglued and
that was that.  Later that day they moaned a bit as I am sure they were
sore, but none of the puppies slowed their weight gain so I suspect it was
not terribly traumatic (I only had six of ten with rear dewclaws so could
compare the two groups in terms of weight gained). However, I would never
have dewclaws removed without numbing the area first. It is a surgical
procedure, as Ruth indicated, and anything that can be done to make it
easier seems important to do.

My vet came out yesterday to do check-ups on the ten-pack and to give their
first vaccination -- single dose parvo. She observed that none of them were
afraid or nervous, as if nothing bad had ever happened to them in their
lives. What a wonderful thing to say and hear about a litter of puppies --
all puppies should be so lucky.

Mary-Ann Bowman
Utah
Emma, Abra, Maize and the ten-pack




Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland:becoming rare breed

2002-12-04 Thread Michaela Simmons

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




Wingfield's American Pi 7/8/98 - 12/04/02

2002-12-04 Thread berner1

posted in plain text for Cathie:

I just received a very sad phone call from my dear friend, Laura Peschke of Cleveland, 
Ohio.  Laura has been the proud keeper of my first born pup, Wingfield's American Pi  
aka Pi.  Pi was due to come into this world on the 4th of July, hence the name.  
(Although he decided not to come out until July 8th by C-section--singleton pup!)

It is with the saddest of hearts that I must say he was assisted to the Bridge this 
morning after a week-long illness.  Actually the illness must have been going on much 
longer than this, but as we all know how stoic our beloved breed is, Pi just started 
showing symptoms a week ago.  He no longer had it in him to try to 'fight' any longer. 
 He was unable to move today and went into repiratory distress.  He went to join his 
Mother, Wingfield's Barakah v Sunnybrook, who passed away just last November, 2001 due 
to Lyme's Nephritis.  They were a wonderful pair!  

The diagnosis for Pi was hemophagocytic histiocytosis.  I need to go do some research 
now...thru the tears.  I think although Laura is not a member of the 'l', if anyone 
feels they could share some comforting thoughts with her, she would truly appreciate 
it.  Anyone who has had any experience with this dreaded cancer could gladly contact 
me and help me in my search for information.  My email is [EMAIL PROTECTED]  (This 
very sad news comes two days after the birth of Wingfield's C litter, and lessens 
that joy.)
Laura's email is   [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Hug those furkins! 
Thank you,

Cathie Shipe
Wingfield Farm
Bernville, Pennsylvania
http://wingfieldfarm.homestead.com


Check any e-mail over the Web for free at MailBreeze (http://www.mailbreeze.com)




OT - flying pets to ireland

2002-12-04 Thread Tracey
I just asked my British friend, she says Ireland (NOT NORTHERN) does NOT
have quarantine!! So, presuming your cousin is moving to Ireland, and not
Northern Ireland ... It may be easy. If she is going to N. Ireland, then
quarantine comes into play. Pet passport is supposed to be open for N.
America now -- which means she'd need proof of rabies, and a blood test that
is 6 months old proving the animal has the antibodies for rabies.

Here's the URL for the UK (which doesn't include (Northern) Ireland--but may
be helpful depending on her situation.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/

Best of luck!!
Tracey


 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Date: Tue, 3 Dec 2002 21:51:35 EST
 Subject: OT - Flying pets to Ireland
 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Hi Everyone-
 
 This is not Berner related...
 
 My cousin lives in Boston and is possibly moving to Ireland this year.  She
 has an indoor only cat and would like to know the restrictions (if any) on
 entering the country. Also, does anyone know if there are restrictions for
 her to return to the US and bring the cat back with her next year?  The cat
 is an adult, indoor only and current on all vaccines (FVRCP  Rabies).
 
 Thanks for any info that is available!
 Jennie Hoffnagle
 Glenmoore, PA

 




Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland:becoming rare breed

2002-12-04 Thread HenochNJ
Michaela, I think that Lisa's point is primarily that no one who loves Berneses, warts 
and all (literally and figuratively), wants to see the breed go the way of the 
Dalmation, the Rottweiler, or even the Golden...bred in numbers to meet perceived 
demand, often bought up by people who saw the movie but may be ill prepared to deal 
with the realities of health or temperament. There are always going to be 
unintentionally bred mutt puppies up for adoption, but it seems particularly sad to 
walk down the rows of cages in the humane shelter, filled with Dalmations a year after 
101 Dalmations or Rottweilers because they happened to be the dog du jour until 
unwitting owners realized they could be a lot to handle...
It's true that we want to share and champion what we love, so we show off our 
wonderful dogs as someone might their children, knowing all the while the sleepness 
nights, trips to the pediatrician, and how darn expensive they can be. Just as not 
everyone is cut out to be a parent, not everyone is prepared to face the realities and 
commitment of loving and caring for a dog, whatever its breed.
I personally think the current relatively high demand for BMDs will peak and wane, as 
people become aware of their relatively short life span and proclivity for health 
problems...fewer repeat owners, not as many buying what they see their neighbors have, 
etcthen maybe it will be back to a core group of dedicated breeders and owners 
with a firmly entrenched love for this particularly endearing companion. Probably all 
these issues have been faced by other popular breeds through time...
Anne Henoch
Cranford, NJ
with Maddie and Titan




Re: Papers for flying

2002-12-04 Thread Kathryn Davis
Be sure to ask if the cargo bay is pressurized (w/air  heat) if the pup has
to fly down there.  I got one idiot who booked  a flight to WI for the Nat'l
for Tobin  I.  The next day,  I called back to get one more question
answered,  got a different guy  found out the previous guy didn't have a
clue!!!  He had booked me on a plane that did not have a pressurized cargo
bay!! The next day I called again  got a 3rd person  I double checked the
plane had a pressurized cargo bay!!!  I doubt they would've taken Tobin on
the plane when I got to the airport, but at best, I wouldn't have had a
flight to WI.We can't assume everyone knows what they're doing when it
comes to our beloved dogs!!


Elke wrote:
All you need is a Healthcertificate not older than 10 days. No proof of
Rabies Vaccine is needed since the dog is still too young.  Check with the
airlines if they do except dogs.

Kathy Davis   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Windraider Kennels
California
www.windraiderkennels.com
Bernese Mtn Dogs - Int Am BIS Can CH Windraider's Black Oak v Bevs , HIT,
CGC, TDI  Tobin
Windraider's Manjula v Bev's   Jul
Windraider's Seven Seas Briggand  Briggand
8 mo
Windraider's Black Oak Conspiracy   Brenna
mo
Flat Coated Retv - Int Am CH Twofold Samba Sam, CGC, TDI Sam (liver-DK
imp)
Pembroke W. Corgi - Annline's Extra Well Done Miles (FI imp)   r/w   14 mo
Labs  Eskie - Scout, Babe  Klondike




Re: Canadian Shows

2002-12-04 Thread Jeff Mary Chapdelaine - SnoBear berners
Hi Jennifer  Everyone,

Here is a great link to dog show information.
If you click on conformation it will explain dog shows, how to get started
showing etc.
There is a link for dog show superintendants, (including Western Dog Shows,
which handles the Canadian shows) AKC, CKC, Obedience, herding etc. It is
really a link to bookmark. :  )

http://www.dogpatch.org/dogs/shows.cfm#A14

Here is the link to Western Dog Shows if you don't wish to view the others.

http://www.westerndogshows.com/

Best wishes,

Mary

Jeff  Mary Chapdelaine
SnoBear Berners
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://snobear.freeyellow.com





Winter skin??

2002-12-04 Thread Karen McFarlane
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Re: dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread Pauline


- Original Message -
From: Ruth Reynolds [EMAIL PROTECTED]

  Do breeders usually have their BMD pups due claws removed?

 According to the breed standard rear dewclaws should be removed.


Aahh, but for the sake of those who have never looked at the dewclaws on
newborn puppies -

Do you remove only the rear dewclaws that occasionally show up between the
foot and hock, loosely attached by skin, or are you talking about those
boned-in dewclaws, that appear to be extra toes?

I have asked this question of two different people whom I accept to be
leading experts on the breed, and got two different answers.   On my last
litter, I did not remove the boned-in ones, much to my vet's relief (he
hates doing it!).  No one, so far, has noticed.

Pauline Merrick
Brimfield, MA  USA




Re: Canadian Shows

2002-12-04 Thread Jeff Mary Chapdelaine - SnoBear berners
Hi Jennifer and all,

Here is the other info. you requested:
In Canada you are not required to have two wins of major points in order to
gain his/her Championship. Your dog has to win a total of 10 points. The
number of dogs/bitches your dog wins over decides the number of points each
win earns.
In an AKC Championship a major win is a win which gives you three, four, or
five points. The points are determined by the number of dogs your dog wins
over.
In order to gain an AKC Championship on your dog you must have gained 15
points which must include 2 major wins. You can have all majors and count
the points to 15, but at a minimum you must have earned at least 2 major
wins which would be at least 6 points, the other points can be gathered
1,2,3,4, or 5 at a time to total 15 points. The major wins must be under two
different judges.

Back to Canadian Shows  Championships:

How many points do I need to earn a Conformation Championship title?

 Conformation championship points are awarded at Conformation Shows. Your
dog must earn at least 10 points under at least three judges to become a
Conformation Champion and must also be individually registered with the CKC
or have an Event Registration Number.

How do I obtain an Event Registration Number?

 Every foreign born and owned dog that is entered in a Canadian Kennel Club
event must obtain an Event Registration Number (ERN) within 30 days of that
event. An Event Registration Number Application must be completed and
submitted along with a copy of registration documents from a CKC recognized
foreign kennel club and the required fee. Click here to download the Event
Registration Number Application http://www.ckc.ca/forms/pdf/150-14-50.pdf
or contact the CKC Order Desk at 1.800.250.8040.

Click here for Shows  Trials Fees.
 http://www.ckc.ca/member/fees/shows_trials-results.asp

How do I enter my dog in an event?

 You can find a list of events on the CKC website, in the Calendar of Shows
and Trials Events. To enter your dog in an event, you must submit an entry
form along with the required fees to the Event Secretary. The entry form can
be obtained from the Event Secretary, whose name and contact details are
found under the event in the Calendar of Shows  Trials Events. Click here
to go to the Calendar of Shows and Trials Events.
http://www.ckc.ca/default-refresh.asp


What are the rules to cross the Canadian border with my dog?

For information regarding dogs crossing the Canadian border, please contact
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency at (613)
225 2342 or visit their web site at www.inspection.gc.ca
Note: If a dog is under three months of age when crossing the border, proof
of age is required. If the dog is over three months of age, a valid rabies
vaccination certificate and proof of age is required.

Hope this helps you!

Bernerly,

Mary

Jeff  Mary Chapdelaine
SnoBear Berners
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://snobear.freeyellow.com





Re: BERNER-L digest 4159

2002-12-04 Thread FcRangers
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Need info on dog car ramp.

2002-12-04 Thread Dean Scott
When we brought Skyland's Pralines in Cream into our home in 1993.
We bought a 1992 left over van, we always called it Pralines van.
And any time someone ask how much does it cost to keep a Berner we
always include the price of the van. Well I am glad to announce that
the van died this week and Praline is still going strong. We bought
her a new Ford Expedition. I am wondering if anyone can recommend a
car ramp that they are happy with. Thanks.
Dean Scott
Kutztown, Pa.




Re: How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)

2002-12-04 Thread gwebara

On Wed, 4 Dec 2002 09:58:49 EST [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

 Can you elaborate on that Susan...I'm not sure exactly what you mean 
 by 
 bloodlines.  

Sherri
I agree the term was used incorrectly (excuse that 5am composition). I
think what I should have said to be more exact is   that there are at
least a core of breeders choosing to maintain strict controls and keep
pedigrees that in the end can be worked with in a responsible way once
the fad ends

Susan Ablon
Gweebarra BMD
Balch Springs, Tx
http://www.pageweb.com/gwebara




Re: dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread gwebara

On Wed, 4 Dec 2002 08:02:23 -0700 Mary-Ann Bowman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
 ..The front ones seems to actually serve 
 a
 function, especially for performance dogs. 

I have heard this several times. It has been awhile since I've done any
performance work and it was limited to obedience (Granville had his UD)
and tracking (Martin had his TD). I never noticed how the dewclaws would
have helped in either of these venues. Could you please explain ?

Susan Ablon
Gweebarra BMD
Balch Springs, Tx
http://www.pageweb.com/gwebara




Nose to Nose

2002-12-04 Thread Vicky Whitney
I think a couple of sources were mentioned earlier (Boris's Books website, 
and ??? -- sorry, my Sometimer's Disease is acting up today).  I got mine 
directly from Barry Schieber, the author, at [EMAIL PROTECTED]  If 
you order 15 at one time, the total cost (including shipping) is only $10.15 
per book, signed and pawtographed by Barry and Moritz.

Every Berner owner will love this book, particularly if you're interested in 
or involved with doing pet therapy work.

Vicky Whitney
Bozeman, Montana


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Re: dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread Mary-Ann Bowman
Hi

Happy to provide info :)

A discussion of the dog's foot would not be complete without mention of the
dew claws. In most dogs, the dew claws are attached to the bones of the
pastern by a joint. When dogs canter or gallop there is one moment when a
single front leg remains on the ground, bearing the dog's full weight. At
that point, even in the lightest dogs, the pastern is flat on the ground and
the carpal pad is cushioning the carpal joint as it hits the ground. At that
moment, the dew claw is in contact with the ground and can catch the ground
as the dog rotates its leg on turning. This allows the dog to take full
advantage of the ability of the front leg to rotate in its axis. Some people
who compete with sighthounds in lure-coursing have observed an increased
incidence of front leg and foot injures in dogs who have had their dew claws
removed. For this reason, some people prefer not to have their puppies dew
claws removed. They prefer to give their performance dogs the advantage of a
functional dew claw and risk possible injury to the dew claw that might
necessitate its removal later in life. (Zink, C. and Daniels, J. (1996).
Jumping from A to Z. Lutherville, MD: Canine Sports Productions.)

Mary-Ann Bowman




Re: More How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)

2002-12-04 Thread gwebara

On Wed, 4 Dec 2002 10:18:39 EST [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

 I'm as frustrated as you with much of the BMDCA...but I can't point 
 a finger 
 at the club per se, nor the leadership. Nor can I point a finger at 
 the large 
 breeders, simply because I truly don't know how they feel about the 
 various 
 proposals that have been offered for commentthey tend to be a 
 quiet group 
 as far as public forums goes. 

I'll explain my point of view a bit. The reason the finger pointing to
the club is that while much has been done by the board, (thank you
board), the hard core issues have remained hanging. When efforts to
devise a breeder referral program were started the board took over the
task and rewrote it as they saw fit and then asked for feedback. Surprise
but the whole thing has now been bogged down in opinion, debate and
rhetoric. When a code failed to meet the board's approval it was
rewritten by the board, then feedback was asked for and again not
surprisingly the whole mess got bogged down. No 2 members can agree on
what is responsible, what the BMDCA should stand for or what breeders
should do to be responsible. Since the board is going to rewrite and has
to approve of anything given to the membership to vote on, perhaps if
they quit asking for opinion and just gave the members something to vote
on we might end up with a new code and a BRP. 

Having just said all of that, I do think most breeders and stud owners
are already doing most of what we should see in a code of conduct. I
think there are exceptions to all rules and to point the finger at large
breeders (hell, that's another definition I doubt we would agree on) may
be incorrect. I do think the board wants to keep from offending or
chasing any breeders off by requiring anything of substance from them.
God forbid we should demand our breeders wait til their bitches and stud
dogs are mature prior to breeding and that we actually state what that
maturity age should be. Or that we require stud dog owners to be equally
responsible for puppies out of their stud dog owners. Or that we require
all breeding dogs to be DNA tested. Or that we require all dogs prior to
breeding to have been OFA'd (not prelims either). That we require CERF
and other appropriate testing. No I guess it's not just the large
breeders who would be upset by this. 
 
 I put the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the 
 overwhelming 
 majority of the membership who are either playing ostrich, defensive 
 lineman, 
 or being just plain unconcerned about anything outside their 
 backyard.  

Well I do know that you can only hit your head against a brick wall (or
should I say a board) so long and then you just don't care. I've reached
that point and think others have too. The membership may not have an
opinion. I do know that some of us who have had ideas and opinions which
may not be reflective of the board's vision of the BMDCA (whatever that
is) have pretty much been silenced. Personally, you can count me in on
the I don't give a blank anymore. The BMDCA and board will do what they
want. Whether this is true or not it is the way I have been left to feel
about the BMDCA.

I do not feel like I have sat back and taken pot shots. I made an effort,
it was totally rejected, I felt frustration and disgust at what was
offered as a compromise and so have nothing more to offer since this
would seem to be the direction the club wishes to take. Until I see
something of substance I will criticize this club

Susan Ablon
Gweebarra BMD
Balch Springs, Tx
http://www.pageweb.com/gwebara




Re: dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread gwebara
Thank you Mary Ann. I guess the only time my dogs cantered or galloped
was when they took the jumps and they did not seem affected by the lack
of dewclaw. I am curious how horses function as the movement you describe
is very easily seen in the galloping and cantoring horse although I
always thought that the idea of good pasterns was to keep the carpal
joint from actually making contact with the ground. Horses do not have
dewclaws as we know and were bred to run, unlike our Bernese. 

Ideas :)

Susan Ablon
Gweebarra BMD
Balch Springs, Tx
http://www.pageweb.com/gwebara

On Wed, 4 Dec 2002 12:59:44 -0700 Mary-Ann Bowman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
writes:
 Hi
 
 Happy to provide info :)
 
 A discussion of the dog's foot would not be complete without 
 mention of the
 dew claws. In most dogs, the dew claws are attached to the bones of 
 the
 pastern by a joint. When dogs canter or gallop there is one moment 
 when a
 single front leg remains on the ground, bearing the dog's full 
 weight. At
 that point, even in the lightest dogs, the pastern is flat on the 
 ground and
 the carpal pad is cushioning the carpal joint as it hits the ground. 
 At that
 moment, the dew claw is in contact with the ground and can catch the 
 ground
 as the dog rotates its leg on turning. This allows the dog to take 
 full
 advantage of the ability of the front leg to rotate in its axis. 
 Some people
 who compete with sighthounds in lure-coursing have observed an 
 increased
 incidence of front leg and foot injures in dogs who have had their 
 dew claws
 removed. For this reason, some people prefer not to have their 
 puppies dew
 claws removed. They prefer to give their performance dogs the 
 advantage of a
 functional dew claw and risk possible injury to the dew claw that 
 might
 necessitate its removal later in life. (Zink, C. and Daniels, J. 
 (1996).
 Jumping from A to Z. Lutherville, MD: Canine Sports Productions.)
 
 Mary-Ann Bowman
 
 
 




Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland

2002-12-04 Thread Corinne
Hi Emma,
If I can help you, do not hesitate to use my private address mail ;-)
Can you say to me in private which is the French breeder about whom you talk
and which were problems ?

Corinne, (speaking perfect french but bad english ;-) )
Phlibust  Wonda
Near Paris (France)

http://PassionsBB.free.fr

- Original Message -
From: Emma Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland


 Good to see so much positive energy. On our first berner and deep in love
we
 tell eveyone who asks not to get from our 'breeder' (whom we now know has
at
 least 12 litters a year, but we didn't know before). To only buy from
 someone on the national assoc list, to check for health in the past - not
 easy when neither of us speak perfect french, but we can do our bit.
 Emma and tatty, France




More How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)

2002-12-04 Thread Vicky Whitney
ORIGINAL POST:

From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

I'm as frustrated as you with much of the BMDCA...but I can't point a finger 
t the club per se, nor the leadership. Nor can I point a finger at the large 
breeders, simply because I truly don't know how they feel about the various 
proposals that have been offered for commentthey tend to be a quiet 
group as far as public forums goes.

I put the responsibilty squarely on the shoulders of the overwhelming
majority of the membership who are either playing ostrich, defensive 
lineman, or being just plain unconcerned about anything outside their 
backyard.

I think the Board has taken on a lot of big issues in the past year or two 
and tried to address them in a well thought out, rational and reasonable, 
manner.  What makes me cynical is the overwhelming majority of the 
membership that just sits back and waits for the ducks (programs  
decisions) to roll by so they can take potshots at them.   A detailed 
Breeder Referral Program or COE can be rolled out after months/years of work 
and many people just look for things to dislike about it and throw it out 
the window.  It would be so much more constructive to say, Well...I like A 
 B, but I don't think C is practical because., how about replacing it 
with D to acheive a similar
effect. or I'm not in favor of that approach, this is the model I prefer 
because...
-Sherri Venditti

RESPONSE:
Okay, Sherri -- as a fairly new member to BMDCA (1 year?) and Berners in 
general (4 years) -- what can I do?  Maybe I'm not signed on to the right 
list, or missing something, but I don't feel like I have much opportunity to 
give input into BMDCA.  I agree completely what what you've said, and I may 
be part of the problem as I'm not responding to, commenting on, approving 
of, or criticizing anything the BMDCA is doing.  How do rank and file 
members like me become more involved, and become part of the solution?

While we're on it, I'd like to ask a question that's been bugging me for a 
while.  I think it's the national German Shepard Dog club that does this, 
but there is some kind of club certification for GSDs who meet special 
criteria, which we all seem to agree is important to breeding programs.  
When you consider a litter from a sire and dam who both have this 
certification, much of the research has already been done.  To apply to 
Berners, the BMDCA could certify that a particular dog had met the 
following criteria:  OFA/GDC good or excellent hips; OFA/GDC clear 
elbows; minimum PennHIP clearance; CERF; heart, VonW., thyroid, DNA, etc.  
There could be some sort of grid where records for similar clearances on 
sire and dam's siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and so forth. 
 Factored into this grid would be records of current age, age at death and 
cause of death, known diseases or health problems, championships, working 
titles, etc.  The computer would whir, calculating the knowns and unknowns, 
and spit out a score or rating.  Those dogs providing a minimum of verified 
information, and meeting clearly-specified minimum criteria, would then be 
awarded this special certification.  (I'm new, and may not have used the 
best examples, so please don't get your blowtorches out!)

I think this is somewhat similar to what some of the European clubs do, 
isn't it, when they set specific breeding criteria and allow or disallow 
registration of puppies within their BMD clubs?

While there are a great many unknowns (and rumors and secrets) in all the 
lines, I know for a fact that there are a number of conscientious breeders 
out there who have gone to a lot of trouble to ferret out, verify, and 
document everything they can about dogs in their lines, for several 
generations back.  I've seen it, I've talked with them, and I commend them.  
If the BMDCA recognized this kind of dedication by awarding these dogs 
this kind of honor or certification, I think that would not only be 
helpful to PPOs, but to all Berner lovers, breeders, and owners.  If a 
certification system already exists somewhere, couldn't the BMDCA look into 
tweaking and adopting it?  Is this a severely-beaten horse I've just jumped 
on here?  Is something like this being considered by the BMDCA and I just 
haven't heard anything about it?  Which takes me back to my original 
question as to how rank and file BMDCA members can learn about what's going 
on and help.

Vicky Whitney
Bozeman, Montana


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Nails. Is wear a sign of use?

2002-12-04 Thread Ruth Reynolds
I rarely have to trim toenails on my dogs including dewclaw nails.  I always
figured the dogs wear the regular nails down through their daily exercise.
Dogs who are not as active or who have gross conformational flaws have nails
that need more attention at my house.  Maybe they DO wear down the dewclaw
nails through use.

Ruth Reynolds





Re: MY ERROR re: swiss saying

2002-12-04 Thread Bernershel
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Re: Papers for flying

2002-12-04 Thread Sharon Greenberg
Hi Kathryn,

Thanks for your response to my question re. flying pups. I am planning to
take the 8 week old pup in a Sherpa bag under my seat,  I'm not going in
the cargo hold pressurized or not! : )
Mary-Ann  I have already made the necessary arrangements.

Sharon Greenberg


- Original Message -
From: Kathryn Davis [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Berner-l [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 10:43 AM
Subject: Re: Papers for flying


 Be sure to ask if the cargo bay is pressurized (w/air  heat) if the pup
has
 to fly down there.  I got one idiot who booked  a flight to WI for the
Nat'l
 for Tobin  I.  The next day,  I called back to get one more question
 answered,  got a different guy  found out the previous guy didn't have a
 clue!!!  He had booked me on a plane that did not have a pressurized cargo
 bay!! The next day I called again  got a 3rd person  I double checked
the
 plane had a pressurized cargo bay!!!  I doubt they would've taken Tobin on
 the plane when I got to the airport, but at best, I wouldn't have had a
 flight to WI.We can't assume everyone knows what they're doing when it
 comes to our beloved dogs!!


 Elke wrote:
 All you need is a Healthcertificate not older than 10 days. No proof of
 Rabies Vaccine is needed since the dog is still too young.  Check with the
 airlines if they do except dogs.

 Kathy Davis   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Windraider Kennels
 California
 www.windraiderkennels.com
 Bernese Mtn Dogs - Int Am BIS Can CH Windraider's Black Oak v Bevs , HIT,
 CGC, TDI  Tobin
 Windraider's Manjula v Bev's   Jul
 Windraider's Seven Seas Briggand
Briggand
 8 mo
 Windraider's Black Oak Conspiracy
Brenna
 mo
 Flat Coated Retv - Int Am CH Twofold Samba Sam, CGC, TDI Sam (liver-DK
 imp)
 Pembroke W. Corgi - Annline's Extra Well Done Miles (FI imp)   r/w   14
mo
 Labs  Eskie - Scout, Babe  Klondike





Need info on dog car ramp

2002-12-04 Thread Todd/Jennifer Zaayer
Hi Dean,

I actually have _both_ of the popular dog ramps, so I can tell you the
pros/cons of each. I first bought the Petstep when at about 8 1/2 years of
age, Crombie (who weighed about 105-110) began to have trouble leaping into
the back of my Landcruiser on occassion (the tailgate is 31 high). He was
always a proud guy, and would not accept help with his rear end being lifted
(if I even could!). I chose the petstep because it was lighter weight, and
it folds in half, thus taking up less space in the car. It is made out of a
molded plastic, so it can get wet without damage. About a year later, when
Crombie was diagnosed w/cancer, and had a 'paraneoplastic syndrome' which
caused his rear to weaken, I found he had trouble making it up the petstep.
My friends had in the meantime purchased the Dogramp, and no longer needed
it since they had also ended up buying a VW Vanagon for the dogs. I bought
the Dogramp from them, and Crombie was able to use it until his death 7
months later. The Dogramp is a bit wider (not important to me), is longer,
thus less steep, and is carpeted (my husband did end up gluing carpet to the
Petstep). It is 'telescoping, so is pretty easy to use. I now have an old
Rescue Berner who uses the Dogramp to get in/out of my car at the street in
front of the house, and I use the Petstep to let the other dogs out of the
car in the garage. I have heard that they've redesigned the Dogramp and it
now weighs less and is less bulky. If I only had one ramp, I would probably
go with the Dogramp. Both are available on-line: www.petstep.com and
www.dogramp.com

More info than you probably needed!

Jennifer Zaayer and crew in Cardiff by-the-Sea, CA




More dewclaws questions

2002-12-04 Thread Michaela Simmons
Mary-Ann wrote
 I remove rear dewclaws only.

Why are rear dewclaws removed? Is it solely to conform to the breed
standard?
Or is there another reason why rear dewclaw should be removed?

My younger Berner has a full set of dewclaws ( front and rear) and the nails
of the hind dewclaws are a pain. They need constant attention since they
grow furiously. Personally, I think rear dewclaws look a bit strange ( mabey
because my other Berner hasn't got them?) but other than that, they don't
seem to bother my dog. If I recall correctly, his breeder decided against
removal because her first litter experieced great pain from the procedure
and she wanted to spare the second litter the trauma.

TIA for any info

Michaela
Devon/UK







The Eyes Have It!

2002-12-04 Thread Lisa D Allen
Some of the ways to get the dog back up on the top of the mountain, roaming 
about the farm, would be to appoint breed wardens (I would like these to be 
no-nonsense kind of gals like Mary Alice, Debby Mulvey, and Esther Mueller 
(excuse spellings), rules that allow no leniency such as you may not breed a 
bitch before age two years and, should anyone think I am picking on 
breeders, home inspections required for every potential owner of a new pup 
and also required in other circumstances as well, and stringent requirements 
for health, temperament, conformation, etc. before breeding and only 
allowing a dog or bitch so many pups.  It is a discouraging and 
disheartening given that this will not happen in the USA.  If the breed 
continues, I feel in my heart, on its present course, it MIGHT face near 
extinction, perhaps not in our lifetimes but, as it becomes more frail and 
shy and unhealthy due to a population grown beyond control and less 
reputable breeders outnumbering the conscientious breeders, there might be 
an overwhelming failure to thrive among these most noble of dogs driving 
either a small group of fanciers to pick up the pieces and try to rebuild 
or, even these most dedicated of dog people to contemplate giving up as the 
task will be so monumental and they can not ascertain that others will be 
eager to carry on their work.  Too, a mindset should be adopted that each 
life is so sacred and so worthy of consideration that the most stringent of 
considerations must be adopted before any breeding occurs so that the lives 
created have a good chance of thriving.
But, on to other topics that do not involve speculation.
Folks, if your dog's eyes are runny and do not seem right, please, take your 
Berner to your vet. and perhaps get a referral to an eye specialist.  My 
Yoda (1992-2002) had runny eyes from the beginning and required multiple 
surgeries to correct entropian.  There are eye conditions that can result in 
blindness if left untreated so let the doctors have a look!
Lisa Allen





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CVBMDC is hosting a carting workshop

2002-12-04 Thread Laurie Farley
The Chattahoochee Valley Bernese Mountain Dog Club is hosting a carting
workshop near Greenville, SC January 11, 2003. You can visit
www.cvbmdc.org/newsletter.html for more information, but please don't laugh.
Our website is in the baby stages. Contact me with your name and address and
I will send you a flyer and enrollment form.

[EMAIL PROTECTED]








RE: age for carting

2002-12-04 Thread Lisa Ebnet
Andrea,

I start all my pups at 7-8 weeks in harness pulling leashes behind them.
The I attach a cereal box or pillow case to the leashes.  Pretty soon they
have a little plastic puppy cart they pull around certainly by 10 weeks old.
Of course, these little training sessions last all of 2 minutes!  Then they
move to a little red flyer with PVC shafts by the time they are 4 months.  I
have built a set of training wheels that I use starting about 6 months, just
12 inch wheels with and axel and shafts of 1x2 pine.  When they are between
10 and 12 months they start to pull the small competition style cart.  I use
no weight until I am serious about competition around 18-24 months.  By two
years they are raring to go carting!

Don't wait!  Just modify.  You don't want to stress their bones and joints
so don't add weight and train short periods of time.

Good luck!
Lisa Ebnet in Ferndale, WA  USA

-Original Message-
From: Andrea Brin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 6:03 AM
To: Berner-L
Subject: age for carting


i have read that a berner should not start carting until age two. what are
the roots of those guidelines. is that a statement for drafting or
recreational carting?
thanks
andrea, woofit and chi

shavertown, pa

http://www.brin.org/Woofit_and_Chi/




Hernia operation - should I?

2002-12-04 Thread Michaela Simmons
Rupert, my 16 month old Berner, has an umbilical hernia.

In view that it didn't seem to worry his breeder, nor my vet and, most
importantly, doesn't appear to worry my dog, I just left it alone. I
intended to have it fixed when he was neutered at 10 month - but then
promptly forgot all about it at the time.

Meanwhile, his hernia has grown - but then so has the dog - and it is now
the size of a small plum. It still doesn't bother him BUT it has become
bigger.

You know the saying  if it ain't broke, don't fix it, but although he
isn't broken yet, I don't want until he may become so. I know very little
about umbilical hernias and their problems other than that they are fairly
common.

Could any of you with hernia experience share the pros and cons of
corrective surgery? Is surgery even necessary for hernias and if yes, why is
that?

Many thanks for your help

Michaela, Harvey  Rupsi
Devon/UK





Re: Winter skin??

2002-12-04 Thread jean cheesman

 Could someone please advise me if there is a user friendly supplement or
 additive that I could use for Stevie's dry skin. It is just a wee bit
flakey
 and I usually call  that kind of flakiness at this time of year, Winter
 skin.

I would add oily fish to his diet, after all our Berners were cross bred all
those years ago from Newfies!

If you are worried about initial bad reaction to change in diet, introduce
slowly!

My three get lots of sardines, tuna and pilchards and love them! Always
glossy coated.

All love,

Jean, Sunny, Sim, Barney and the Gang
X
http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm




Re: Eye Discharge

2002-12-04 Thread jean cheesman

 Recently my 4 month old BMD (Bella) has been having an inordinate amount
of eye discharge.

Any sort of eye discharge in any of my animals I always keep a tube of
Brolene. Used to be Golden Eye ointment here UK, no doubt in the US you have
a similar cream over the counter, chemist/pharmicist,  for simple eye
infections.  If no better after a couple of days, consult the vet!

Love Jean, Sunny, Simmy, Barney and the Gang
XXX
http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm




Berners, Horses, Ponies, etc

2002-12-04 Thread jean cheesman
Has been great to see just how many other Berner owners also have horse and
ponies! Any pics forthcoming here? Happy to make up a special page on my
Friends Gallery!

I have just, very belatedly, (post bad gales here UK that set me way
behind!) uploaded some new pics from Carole and Tony's visit here in the
Summer, lots of my Bernese and Welsh Mountain Ponies, Arthur and Andy. Hope
you enjoy! Rest of the Gang creep in there too! Find on the Updates with
links through to the other pages from that visit!

No new pics of my Bernese and the cats. My felines are just appearing again
now the weather is getting bad! Wished I had had the camera handy this
morning, Sooty appeared with a present for me and all the dogs and the other
two cats got very interested! Santa came early! Well, would have been a pic
of rear ends! Present disappeared under the TV table. And seems to have
escaped as no further squeaks, they all lost interest come lunchtime when I
banged the gong and proper dinner. (Hmmm! Probably under my bed!)

Catch you later, have a new piece to upload to my Humour Page.

All love,

Jean, Sunny, Simmy, Barney and the Gang
X
http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm




Re: Canadian Shows

2002-12-04 Thread Joanne Gerow
I just got back from Montreal Canada this Sunday.  It was my first trip and
I had a blast.  The best part is my dog is now a Canadian Champion!

 To finish, a dog must get 10 points under at least 3 different judges.
Points range from 1 to 5 points, depending on the amount of dogs entered.
(You don't need majors). I had to have a current rabies to get my dog back
into the states, I didn't take him up there, but I beleive that is all you
need.  I actually brought my registration papers just in case.
Also, if you don't register your dog in Canada with the CKC, you have to get
an ERN number every time you show. In addition, if you use an ERN number,
his title does not appear on any Canadian Kennel Club documents, pedigrees,
etc.  I registered my dog with the CKC.  I had to provide proof of
microchip, original AKC reg, original certified pedigree and a declaration
and application downloadable at the ckc website.  It cost about $40.00
American and took 3 weeks to get my CKC registration back.  Hope this helps/
Joanne Gerow, Indian Hill.

 P.S.  Sortie means exit Quest means west, est means east, Pont means
bridge.  That is as far as I got!! Thank God for picture signs and
arrows.

P.P.S.  Americans say it is easy to finish a dog in Canada, I disagree.
There are some awesome dogs up there.

 - Original Message -
From: Jennifer Lemerande [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 12:18 PM
Subject: Canadian Shows


 How does one go about finding out dates for Canadian shows, entering
 Canadian shows, and what are the requirements to get a dog into Canada for
a
 show.  I know the point system is different too.  Any info would be
 appreciated.

 Jennifer





RE: Nose to Nose

2002-12-04 Thread Andrea Brin
amazon has the book, so does by jove
andrea, woofit and chi

shavertown, pa

http://www.brin.org/Woofit_and_Chi/




Being chased by humans

2002-12-04 Thread Laurie Montoya
I've been taking my Hannah to a little city pretty much every day , I have
to wait for my daughter while she's in ballet classes daily. Hannah is
known to most of the shop owners now , and to many people who work in the
area and walk past us :-). Today I got the fright of my life when a
gentleman popped out of a shop behind us , yelling at me to WAIT !!! WAIT ,
PLEASE !!! Hannah looked at me and looked back at him , and started to wag
the heck out of her tail ! I expected her to run like h**l ! He was so happy
to see a berner , poor soul , LOL ! It was freezing outside , he had no coat
on and stayed to pet her and talk to me for 15 minutes ! Raving about his
old neighbors that had a berner , and couldn't believe his eyes when he saw
Hannah walk past his shop. It was hilarious ! He asked me what kind of
treats she's allowed , and wants a visit often ! She's added another victim
to her schedule , HAHA ! At this rate , I won't have to pay to feed her :-).
And no , he doesn't want one , just loves them. It's really cool to have a
dog that has her own fan club ... has anyone else had this sort
of thing happen ???
Laurie Montoya   PA
with Hannah , Shelby the Wonder mutt and assorted cats




RE: Canadian Shows - a Brag!

2002-12-04 Thread Pat Long Paul Dangel
-Original Message-
From: Joanne Gerow

  The best part is my dog is now a Canadian Champion!

Joanne,

That is a definite brag, and a great one at that! Congratulations!!

Are you familiar with the Berner-L Brag Fund? It's voluntary, all
donations from $0 to $1,000,000 are cheerfully accepted, and all the
funds go to the BMDCA Donor Advised Fund at the CHF - unless you'd
rather they go somewhere else. And... since Joye Neff is running a
fundraiser, I would suggest that any brag money go to that for now! See
www.overthefence.com/raffle/BARC/
for details on where to send your donations.

Anyway, the Brag Fund is all in fun, and it helps your brag benefit
other Berners, what could be better!

Pat Long ( Luther)
Brag Fund Queen
Berwyn PA




Berner Puppy

2002-12-04 Thread Elif Caputa
Hi All,
We currently have a pup Berner, 2 yr old boy named Koc.  We were thinking
about getting him a friend.  For this reason, I was wondering if any of you
could help me find a reputable breeder in Florida.  We live in Florida and I
would want to make sure Koc and the puppy get along good before we made any
decisions.  The breeder we got Koc from was great and I would recommend him
to anyone however he is located in Virginia (Koc has not health problems
and he was practically trained when we got him at 8 weeks).   Anyway, I
would appreciate any assistance.  Thank you,

Elif

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Bernese Mountain Dog
Mailing List
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 12:05 PM
To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List
Subject: BERNER-L digest 4159



BERNER-L Digest 4159

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Nose to Nose
by martha cehrs [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  2) Re: Old Berner Referral List update
by Doug Smith [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  3) Solar Eclipse
by Marion Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  4) The dogs on the mountain in Switzerland
by Marion Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  5) Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  6) Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland
by Emma Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  7) Re: Berner on Swiss Mountain:becoming rare breed?
by Emma Goodall [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  8) RE: OT - Flying pets to Ireland
by Daniel Buckley [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  9) OT - Flying pets to Ireland
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 10) Costs of Owning a Berner
by Pat Long  Paul Dangel [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 11) French Dog Food
by Timothy Forman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 12) Re: Swiss saying
by Kathy  Tim Kennedy [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 13) RE: . . .becoming rare breed
by Karen McFarlane [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 14) Re: Swiss saying
by Pat Long [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 15) How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 16) 2003 Berner Calendar
by Terri Taylor-Mikes [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 17) Re:2003 Berner Calendar
by Patricia Tackett [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 18) age for carting
by Andrea Brin [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 19) RE: 2003 Calendar -- Joye's BARC/LOC raffle
by Patricia Tackett [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 20) I think that I did it again!!
by Karen McFarlane [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 21)
by Hicks, Jackie [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 22) Re: Dewclaws
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 23) Re: dewclaws
by Ruth Reynolds [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 24) pet insurance
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 25) Re: How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 26) Re: dewclaws
by Mary-Ann Bowman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 27) Re: More How the breed will be saved (dog on the mountain)
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 28) Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland:becoming rare breed
by Michaela Simmons [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 29) Wingfield's American Pi  7/8/98 - 12/04/02
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 30) OT - flying pets to ireland
by Tracey [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 31) Re: the dog on the mountain in Switzerland:becoming rare breed
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 32) Re: Papers for flying
by Kathryn Davis [EMAIL PROTECTED]




Kobi's French web page

2002-12-04 Thread LEKesner
Gen and Kobi,

Enjoyed you photos very much - Kobi must have snuck in a few Cute Lessons 
before you took those photos :-) as he is a darling.  Also loved the  page on 
your web site with the Queen of the Cows fights - I guess you had to be there 
- the trophy bells are lovely.  Did they have any dogs helping sort through 
the cows being excused from the ring?

Libby Kesner
and the Berner girls of Maine
Voorheesville NY USA




Bone/Rag Eater, Kongs, Dew Claws

2002-12-04 Thread CandiA3474
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Snow!

2002-12-04 Thread zanned
  We got our first snow here in North Carolina today.  School got out
early, so I was glad to get home and take the dogs out in it.  Socrates, at
9, has begun to slow down and limp pretty regularly from arthritis.  No
sign of either today.  He ran and chased and played with Bagley through the
huge fluffy flakes.  We walked down through the woods.  So peaceful. 
Wonderful sound of snow falling on dry leaves all around.  At one point the
dogs both stopped and stood at attention with their fronts on a small rise,
sniffing the air.  Looking like the dog on the top of the mountain.  It was
one of those moments that takes your breath away.

After we got back in the yard, I had several chores to do and Socrates lay
there in the snow, eating snow, and simply enjoying being out in it.  By
the time we were all ready to come in, he was completely covered.  Had to
sweep him off before he could come in the house.  They both flaked out in
the bedroom, and I haven't seen either one for several hours. 

Shortly after we came in it all turned to freezing rain and is still going.
We may be here for a while.  Glad we got out to enjoy it while we could.

Suzanne Deering
High Point NC 




BARC LOC Challenge Fundraiser

2002-12-04 Thread MBlake1595
Joye and all Berner-L friends,

I have been out to this great raffle website 4 times now and it is JUST to 
hard for me to decide which items I want to try for on the quick, little mini 
raffle.

SO, this is what I am going to do...  I am send a check to Joye for $40.00 
which is to be used for 28 BARC tickets and 28 LOC tickets as I feel each 
cause is the flip side of the coin when it comes to keeping our BMD's out of 
the puppy mills.

Joye, please distribute one BARC ticket and LOC ticket to each of the next 28 
people who CAN make up there minds on what they want to try for on the mini 
raffle.  

Bless you all for the difference you are making in the lives of many future 
pups either by supporting BARC, LOC or both!

Star said to send you all Berner Hugs and Puppy Kisses so if you'll just move 
a bit closer to your computer screen.. :-)

Marilynn and Star.




Re: BARC LOC Challenge Fundraiser

2002-12-04 Thread Dr. William B. Neff
Hi Marilynn and Star,

What a thoughtful way to spend your tickets for the BARC LOC Challenge 
Fundraiser!!!   That is really great - I'll put MS (Marilynn Star) on each 
of those tickets so the next 28 people who send in their donations will 
know which tickets are their
bonus tickets from you.  The winner will know that it was your ticket 
that won the prize if they are a winner.  THANK YOU!!!

Here is the website that Karen Pickel has made for the BARC LOC Challenge 
Fundraiser:
http://www.overthefence.com/raffle/BARC/

It takes a lot of time to see all 97 items for the fundraiser.   Remember, 
too, that there is a Pre-Holiday Drawing for the first 15 items (lettered A 
through O) so you better check those out and send in your money to enter in 
that drawing NOW.

I got the first two donations for the fundraiser already - thank you Lynne 
Hawkinson and Maria Crifasi!!   You are both speedy!!  Now the rest of you 
better hurry and send in your money so you can win a prize in the 
Pre-Holiday portion of the fundraiser.

I'll be announcing the donation totals for BARC and LOC this weekend . 
the Challenge part of the Fundraiser should be fun - let's see which group 
will be in the lead at the end of the week!!

Thanks again Marilynn and Star for sharing all of the tickets you bought 
with your Berner-l Friends!!
Joye Neff and Winston (Samantha and Ben)
Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh, PA

--On Wednesday, December 04, 2002 9:33 PM -0500 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:r

Joye and all Berner-L friends,

I have been out to this great raffle website 4 times now and it is JUST
to  hard for me to decide which items I want to try for on the quick,
little mini  raffle.

SO, this is what I am going to do...  I am send a check to Joye for
$40.00  which is to be used for 28 BARC tickets and 28 LOC tickets as I
feel each  cause is the flip side of the coin when it comes to keeping
our BMD's out of  the puppy mills.

Joye, please distribute one BARC ticket and LOC ticket to each of the
next 28  people who CAN make up there minds on what they want to try for
on the mini  raffle.

Bless you all for the difference you are making in the lives of many
future  pups either by supporting BARC, LOC or both!

Star said to send you all Berner Hugs and Puppy Kisses so if you'll just
move  a bit closer to your computer screen.. :-)

Marilynn and Star.







Fwd: Christmas ball

2002-12-04 Thread EURAM1942
 

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Help

2002-12-04 Thread James and Karen Gross
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From: James and Karen Gross--




Re: More dewclaws questions

2002-12-04 Thread Eileen Morgan


- Original Message -
From: Michaela Simmons [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Why are rear dewclaws removed? Is it solely to conform to the breed
 standard?
 Or is there another reason why rear dewclaw should be removed?

A lot of folks will tell you dewclaws mean trouble--getting snagged,
requiring extra clipping, etc. However, in sighthounds they are thought to
be necessary for fast cornering, and slow motion tapes show that they do
touch ground at significant moments of exertion.

In Great Pyrs, double dewclaws are required on the hind and singles up
front; we call it Lliira's 4 wheel drive. :-) I've never had a problem with
her dewclaws. Once in a great while someone will post to the list about a
snagged or torn dewclaw, but it is not more common that the tearing of any
other claw or toe as far as question/comment frequency seems to go. I know
dogs who get exercise in rugged terrain do not seem to need the double
dewclaws clipped; Lliira and Cassie need very infrequent trimming of the
dewclaws (all six of them! or twelve between!).

Eileen Morgan
The Mare's Nest
http://www.enter.net/~edlehman


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Re: dewclaws

2002-12-04 Thread Eileen Morgan


- Original Message -
From: Mary-Ann Bowman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Well, just imagine how much better horses would be if only they had dew
 claws!!! ;)

Well . . . they have chestnuts (also called night eyes) which are the
vestigial remains of the fifth toe. It's that funny patch on the inside of
the forearm and gaskin. They are like fingerprints--a different pattern for
every horse. You can take an impression of them and prove your horse is
yours if it is stolen. Actually, horse front leg conformation is really
cool--it's like an elongated hand. What we think of as the knee is really a
wrist joint; the hoof was the middle finger of the hand. The other fingers
are along the cannon and go into the lower joints.

I think I should stop now. I sound like a lunatic teacher, lecturing a
sleeping class . . . =8-0

Eileen Morgan
The Mare's Nest
http://www.enter.net/~edlehman


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Berner fan club

2002-12-04 Thread Sweattees
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Re: Hernia operation - should I?

2002-12-04 Thread BMDwags
Hi Michaela-

If you had your dog neutered already, I am surprised that your vet did not go 
ahead and fix it surgically regardless of you authorizing it.  Typically it 
is done for the dog at the time of the spay/castration...and many owners are 
never the wary. g 

That said, it is not a necessary surgery, in most cases.  If there is only a 
small amount of fat popping through the area, causing a little ball of fat to 
be felt underneath the skin on the belly...then most vets will recommend 
either having it corrected at the spay/castration time, or leave it alone if 
the dog is not going to be neutered.  Most dogs do just fine living with an 
umbilical hernia all their lives.  IF the hernia is on the larger size (to be 
determined by your veterinarian), then they may recommend surgical repair 
regardless if the dog is to be neutered or not.  Just depends on the size of 
the opening.

Jennie Hoffnagle
Glenmoore, PA




Daisy's Tips: Buddy and The Magic Machine

2002-12-04 Thread Maria Crifasi
Hi ho L'ers,

While reading the Berner-L, I noticed that there is a pitiful lack of
creativity when it comes to working the working dog.  Besides the usual
pursuits like carting (groan), tracking (yawn), obedience (gag), agility g
and therapy, there is also camping,  hiking, swimming, etc. Granted, these
are worthwhile pursuits but there is so much more we Berners can do!  May I
say that today my Mom pushed the inside of the envelope.

You see, Mom needed money but hates the location of the cash machine -- a
food market/gas station. She put on her coat and then looked at me (75
lbs.), then at Buddy (115 lbs.). She put the car harnesses on us.  This time
I got the back seat and Buddy was put in the back portion of the Subaru
latched to the cargo hook. Once at the gas station, she slowly backed into a
space no more than five feet from the front of the machine. There were
several men loitering nearby, and I knew Mom was not happy.  She had opened
the window nearest me so I stuck my head out and glared at them. Once at the
back of the car, she opened the hatch just as the men started to approach
the money machine. With panther-like grace, Buddy leaped to the ground.  The
men froze.  Buddy turned his huge head towards them, his neck arched.  I
don't think the men noticed the 6' leash. They stood there, gaped at Buddy,
turned and walked into the food market. Smiling hugely, Mom completed her
transaction and returned to the car.

Mom should have chosen me to leap out of the car because Buddy Rag Head
became convinced that the money machine would have a treat for him since it
had obviously given my Mom a treat.  He would not get back into the car. He
jumped up against the machine and barked at the display. Mom hauled on the
leash.  More barking.  There was a moment of quiet while Mom thought. She
returned to the machine, pushed Buddy over and knocked on the display.

I would like one luscious treat for Buddy please.

Buddy Lack Brain immediately splatted into an eager Sit. Mom touched her
cupped hand to the display, squealed with delight and ran back to the car
followed by a drooling idiot who leaped into the car and joyfully snatched
the treat.

Mom almost got it right. Size is indeed important but in this instance, she
should have chosen brain over brawn. Sometimes Berner owners have to learn
the hard way.


...greatness knows itself..

Daisy









Another Berner in the Snow

2002-12-04 Thread chellotchr
Yes, folks, it is SNOWING in southeastern Virginia.  I don't remember having
snow this early here for many years.  My 20.5 month old Berner went out and
stared at the sky, trying to figure out what this hard stuff was, pelting
him in the head!!!  As you may remember, Klarsson is a rescue that I
adopted in August.  He is adjusting well and I've been reading him the
emails from you folks up North about the snow and the Berners.  I have
noticed that on the mornings that it is really cold outside, I have a hard
time getting him to come back in the house.  He goes out, does his thing,
and then lays down on the cold concrete.  My Sheltie, on the other hand,
wants to run back into the warm house because she is shivering (she has
blown all her coat)...  Anyway, Klarsson's first family lived near
Greenville, SC so I don't know if he has ever really seen snow (read falling
ice) before.  He is pretty cute!!!

So, maybe it'll snow a lot (about an inch) here so things will shut down and
then I can take the dogs to my parents to romp (they have an acre and a half
of yard) so he can REALLY get the snow experience.

Wendy Keene, Klarsson (let it snow!!!) and Lilah (I'm freezing my Sheltie
behind off!)
Hampton, VA




Re: Nails. Is Wear A Sign of Use?

2002-12-04 Thread jean cheesman
Maybe they DO wear down the dewclaw
nails through use.

My Tinka was thirteen when suddenly she would paw my leg and leave
scratches, did start to clip her front dew claws then! Until then, no
problem! My three at the moment have front dew claws intact, they still seem
to wear them down naturally,

All love,

Jean, Sunny, Simmy, Barney and the Gang
X
http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm




My dogs' very favorite ramp/a new teacher to the masses

2002-12-04 Thread Lisa D Allen
A carpenter friend of mine built a beautiful, carpeted dog ramp for my 
Bernese to assist them in entering the van.  If they used it at all, it was 
with reluctance; they let it be known to me that the ramp of their choice 
was MamaliftmeorIwontgetin!
Interesting experience today; I was at a local business and began to listen 
to a conversation between a customer and the proprietor, a friend of mine.  
I listened because I heard the word Shar Pei (excuse spelling) used.  
Woman had bought a pup at pet store and pup succumbed to pneumonia; at this 
point, I jumped in and added the explanation that pup likely hailed from 
mill in Missouri.  I was glad to hear that this lady had researched such as 
a result of her experience and knew about Hunte, etc.  Turns out pup had 
been taken from dam at six weeks of age.  Her new pup was purchased from a 
reputable breeder, whom she described in detail.  As terrible as it was that 
this lady lost her first pup, she now can teach others about the best 
sources for healthy, well-bred pups.
Lisa Allen





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Re: Daisy's Tips: Buddy and The Magic Machine

2002-12-04 Thread MBlake1595
Daisy,

Since Bernese Mountain Dogs are so good at training people (Which seems to be 
very easy and must be related to the size of the brain or something)  I 
see no problem with our moving on to a more challenging situation.  After 
all, ATM's should learn to dispense something of real value instead of just 
tiny bits of paper!

Star




Re: BERNER-L digest 4161

2002-12-04 Thread Mila K. Gorman
I  have a 3 year old male berner, who is a certified therapy dog, but all 
of  a sudden has decided not to listen to any commands at all. He  will not 
come inside , stays outside for 5-7 hrs at a time . any specific  training, 
trainers?t 0AI  would like to find  someone local, we live in Blue Bell 
, Pa. Thanks, Mila

BERNER-L Digest 4161

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: dewclaws
by Mary-Ann Bowman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  2) RE: Need info on dog car ramp.
by Kaethy Kennedy [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  3) Re: Canadian Shows
by Kim Morrow [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  4) Re: Need info on dog car ramp.
by Corinne [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  5) Nails.  Is wear a sign of use?
by Ruth Reynolds [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  6) re: Canadian Shows
by Robin Camken [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  7) Re: MY ERROR re: swiss saying
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  8) Re: Papers for flying
by Sharon Greenberg [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  9) RE:club certification
by Patricia Tackett [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 10) Re: French Dog Food
by Corinne [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 11) RE: Nose to Nose in Europe
by Pat Long  Paul Dangel [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 12) Re: Need info on dog car ramp.
by Sharon Greenberg [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 13) Need info on dog car ramp
by Todd/Jennifer Zaayer [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 14) More dewclaws questions
by Michaela Simmons [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 15) The Eyes Have It!
by Lisa D Allen [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 16) CVBMDC is hosting a carting workshop
by Laurie Farley [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 17) RE: age for carting
by Lisa Ebnet [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 18) Hernia operation - should I?
by Michaela Simmons [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 19) Re: Winter skin??
by jean cheesman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 20) Re: Eye Discharge
by jean cheesman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 21) Berners, Horses, Ponies, etc
by jean cheesman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 22) Re: Canadian Shows
by Joanne Gerow [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 23) RE: Nose to Nose
by Andrea Brin [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 24) Being chased by humans
by Laurie Montoya [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 25) RE: Canadian Shows - a Brag!
by Pat Long  Paul Dangel [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 26) Canoe is gone
by catherine green [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 27) Berner Puppy
by Elif Caputa [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 28) Re: Winter skin??
by nbmws6 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 29) Kobi's French web page
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 30) Bone Eating, Rag Eater, Kongs, and Dew Claws
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 31) Bone/Rag Eater, Kongs, Dew Claws
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 32) Snow!
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 33) BARC LOC Challenge Fundraiser
by [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 34) Re: BARC LOC Challenge Fundraiser
by Dr. William B. Neff [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 13:28:25 -0700
Message-ID: 0c7e01c29bd3$b2f99120$[EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Mary-Ann Bowman [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: dewclaws
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=iso-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Well, just imagine how much better horses would be if only they had dew
claws!!! ;)

Mary-Ann
Message-ID: 36421B9F8712D411B53D009027B105029609DE@CD_EMAIL
From: Kaethy Kennedy [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED],
'Dean Scott' [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Need info on dog car ramp.
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 12:40:11 -0800
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset=iso-8859-1

We LOVE this ramp. It has carpet so that the dogs don't slip,
and is very sturdy for big dogs.
Go to Dogramp.com.  They are a small little company out
of Florida - very nice people.
Our friends just got one for their 150 lb. Newfoundland, and
we just donated one to the local Veterinary shelter.
We have a Tahoe and it works great to leave it flat in the back of
the SUV and then pull it out before the dogs need to get in
or out of the truck.  (Our lab has arthritis and it has a gentle
slope that he can easily maneuver. Our 1 year old Bernese
bounds up and down it just for fun!)
Good luck!
Kaethy

 --
 From: Dean Scott
 Sent: Wednesday, December 4, 2002 10:44 AM
 To:   Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List
 Subject:  Need info on dog car ramp.

 When we brought Skyland's Pralines in Cream into our home in 1993.
 We bought a 1992 left over van, we always called it Pralines van.
 And any time someone ask how much does it cost to keep a Berner we
 always include the price of the van. Well I am glad to announce that
 the van died this week and Praline is still going strong. We bought
 her a new Ford Expedition. I am wondering if anyone can recommend a
 car ramp that they are happy with. Thanks.
 Dean Scott
 Kutztown, Pa.


Date: Wed, 04 Dec 2002 14:48:41 -0600
From: Kim Morrow [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Canadian Shows
To: Jeff  Mary Chapdelaine - SnoBear berners [EMAIL PROTECTED],
 

re; Canadian Shows

2002-12-04 Thread mtndog
you have to get
an ERN number every time you show. In addition, if you use an ERN number,

*** No you dont.  You get the number issued one time, and you use that
number for the rest of the dog's life, while you show in Canada.

I faxed the info to CKC, and got all my ERN's back in time to enter the
Canadian National.

Judy Arneson-Johnson
Kielerstar
Endicott, WA




State of the Breed (dog on the mt, whatever)

2002-12-04 Thread Sharon Montville
It is very important to remember this fact about the
Bernese in the USA:  This is no longer a rare breed. 
I will say it again for emphasis - this is NOT a rare
breed.  So, I just don't understand why people are
paying top dollar for a puppy just because it is a
BMD. I don't understand why people are spending more
than 1000 of their hard-earned dollars, for the
privilege of spending thousands more in vet bills,
just because the puppy is a Bernese Mountain Dog. 
Yes, they ARE cute - but so are most puppies.  I could
*sort of* understand it when this breed WAS rare, and
truly in short supply... I could sort of understand
how people would pay the big bucks.  But today - NO
WAY.  This breed is everywhere, owned by everyone.
This is no longer a special breed in the sense that
when you are on the other end of the lead, you get
alot of attention because people are so surprised to
see a BMD, or don't know what breed it is, whatever. 
(not to say this breed is not precious and special to
ME and the many other owners who love their
dogs...just like boxers are dear to their owners, and
yorkies, cocker spaniels, labs, etc. - of course all
dogs are special).

The point I am making is this - Berners are now well
on their way to being out and out common.  How many
people pay $1500 for a Golden Retriever pup out of
non-champion, untitled parents?  How many people
pay $1500 for a BMD out of non-champion parents -
sadly, far too many.

That said - WELL-BRED Bernese Mountain Dogs are still
rare and always will be.  In fact, WELL-BRED dogs of
almost every breed, are rare in this country.

My sister has a lovely Golden - a spayed pet - and she
gets noticed quite a bit when she takes her out,
because she is clearly a WELL-BRED dog.  My sister
paid $900 fo her with a s/n contract - a bit more than
the typical BYB price of $300-$600 depending on their
brazeness. Her breeder, like other responsible
breeders, KNOWS the standard and plans breedings with
that in mind.  As a result, Tusker looks nothing like
your garden variety golden retriever.  She might as
well be a different breed.  I think we will be seeing
a huge increase in garden variety Berners - soon. 

For the most part, I agree with Susan that the breed
will save itself - although it remains to be seen
whether Berners become the next Golden (which did NOT
save itself - the litters are too large) or the next
Saint (a breed which basically DID save itself). 
Saints overall are not in favor at the puppy mills
anymore - not profitable.  I pray every day that
Berners in the puppy mills will not be fertile.

This breed is, generally, not the most fertile - lots
of cystic ovaries, short-cycling bitches, dogs with
sperm abnormalities or low drive.  In addition, many
bitches require c-sections and many pups are slow
starters to the point that some die shortly after
birth (very common with inexperienced breeders who
don't have someone more knowledgeable assisting).  If
people weren't so willing to pay $1500+ then this
breed would be a money loser for the commercial
producers.

The sooner the public GETS A CLUE and stops forking
over the money to the numerous shysters selling BMDs
on the internet (like many of the current crop at
sites such as Yahoo), the better the future will look
for this breed.  There are some good breeders who
advertise on the internet - and they often provide
alot of info in their ads to set them apart -
registered names, clearances, titles on the actual
litter parents (none of this from championship lines
baloney - yeah, 3 or 4 generations back).  Avoid the
ads that emphasize in time for Christmas - that is a
major red flag and very common on the internet at this
time of year.  Sometimes pups do end up being ready
for the new homes at Christmas but a good breeder will
try to counteract the negatives associated with this
timing, rather than capitalize on it as a selling
point.

Finding a Berner pup from a really good, careful,
conscientious breeder is still a challenge.  And of
course, bringing a Berner pup - or ANY pup - into your
family always brings the risk of high vet bills. 
Stuff happens - even when the breeder was careful to
plan a breeding with health as a major factor.

The state of the breed has changed dramatically in
just two short, sad years.  Not sure what the next two
will bring.  I am not opposed to more being bred...
quantity is not the evil, low quality is... We need
MORE breeders who are truly up to the challenge of
breeding responsibly. 

Sharon Montville - Firstrax - Colorado

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Re: re; Canadian Shows

2002-12-04 Thread Joanne Gerow
Yes, I meant to say you have to USE an ERN # everytime you show, sorry...it
is much easier, IMO to just register your dog CKC.
- Original Message -
From: mtndog [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Berner L [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 11:07 PM
Subject: re; Canadian Shows


 you have to get
 an ERN number every time you show. In addition, if you use an ERN number,

 *** No you dont.  You get the number issued one time, and you use that
 number for the rest of the dog's life, while you show in Canada.

 I faxed the info to CKC, and got all my ERN's back in time to enter the
 Canadian National.

 Judy Arneson-Johnson
 Kielerstar
 Endicott, WA