Elbow dysplasia surgery?
Hi there, We have a Bernese puppy of eight months, named Kelby. She has been diagnosed with elbow dysplasia. The choice we face is to operate now (while she's young) or to manage her condition with anti-inflammatories, shark cartlidge and limited exercise. From case histories from the two breeders we know, an operation doesn't guarantee success, in some cases the dog has been worse because of the operation. Could anyone give us their experiences with surgery as we're unsure which course to take? Many thanks Jess htmlPnbsp;/P/html _ MSN Instant Messenger now available on Australian mobile phones. Go to http://ninemsn.com.au/mobilecentral
Re: Elbow dysplasia surgery?
In a message dated 2/8/2003 4:55:33 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Could anyone give us their experiences with surgery as we're unsure which course to take? Jess, You'll hear a variety of experiences with elbow surgery, in part because elbow dysplasia is somewhat of a catch-all term that covers several different conditions. One suggestion I have is to see if there's a surgeon within range for you who's been doing the type of surgery you're considering arthroscopically. The technique is relatively new and not too many surgeons have much experience with it...but ifyou can find one who does it's worth investigating. -Sherri Venditti
puppies
OK: I have to 'brag' a little bit to the 'group'. Things have finally 'settled' down from whelping our first litter naturally. We had one, two years ago through c-section. It was a LONG day ...from noon to about 10pm. But out of it 10 pups (Big ole bruisers) with 8 surviving...even had one in the tub when we thought they were all outwhile we were cleaning Addy up...it suvived fine. Our vet was here and he got a 'good chuckle' out of it. I am amazed how this nature thing works. And, I know you who are breeders for years know this, It's pretty much like the books show and say. Oh well, what do you expect from A MAN!!! But the buggers are now 6 days old and growing like crazy. Addy is being the best mom. All I have to do is make sure she gets water and food. The c-section litter was totally different. Oh in case you're wondering 5 boys and 3 girls. Now on a second note, does anyone know the berners that will shown at Westsminister Monday? Tried to find it different places to no avail. Thanks..Bill Dunnavant Athens, Alabama
stevie and karen
anyone have an old laptop kicking around that karen could borrow. i am certain i am not the only one that thinks she should still have the luxury of the internet at home and selfishly want to hear about stevie. andrea, woofit and chi shavertown, pa http://www.brin.org/Woofit_and_Chi/
Re: BERNER-L digest 4259
Hi Jenn, How do I know the breeder I have pick is a reputable breeder? I look for *responsible* breeders. There are many breeders with reputation, ie: well known...but that doesn't mean they are necessarily *responsible breeders* which is who I want to deal with. There are many things responsible breeders do and don't do that sets them apart from people who are simply interested in taking your money. Responsible breeders screen their dogs for hereditary diseases to minimize the risk of passing them on to their puppies. Most of these problems aren't visible, they require expert evaluation to detect. Before breeding, my dog was *certified* free of hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, eye diseases, von Willebrands Disease, and heart defects. The examinations and certifications were done by *board certified* radiologists, opthalmologists, cardiologists, and using DNA. They were NOT declaration made by my vet. *** The responsible breeder will make available to you *copies* of the clearance certificates for the diseases the sire and dam of the litter were screened for BEFORE you sign a contract or give a deposit.*** Instead of providing paperwork for the pedigree, clearances, titles, their contract, etc... profiteers will speak in general terms. Statements like: Her hips are good, My vet says she's healthy as can be, The pups are from Champion lines, I don't have cancer in my lines, I've never had a problem with (hips, elbows, etc), I'll send you the paperwork after I receive your deposit, These pups are from European lines, they don't have the problems Bernese here do, A good friend of mine in Europe sent them to me... Responsible breeders are happy to arrange a time for you to meet their dogs and see how they're raised. You won't be welcome when very young puppies are present or the weekend of their family reunion, but you should be able to arrange a mutually agreeable time to VISIT the breed. Responsible breeders have put a lot of effort into producing a litter of mentally and physically sound Bernese. Expect them to put just as much effort into deciding which home will be the best match for each individual puppy. If the breeder doesn't want to get to know you before agreeing to sell you a puppy, that says something about how much they care about what they produce. Most *responsible* breeders are actively involved with Bernese in more ways than just producing puppies. They're active in the national and regional BMD clubs, they do draft, obedience, therapy work, they mentor newcomers, they attend and volunteer to help out at specialties. In other words, they're active in, and give something back, to the BMD community. Be sure the person you're dealing with ACTUALLY bred the litter. I've heard of several people who were let to believe the person they spoke with on the phone had bred the litter, only to find out when picking up the puppy that they had been imported from eastern Europe, weren't AKC registered, and there were no health clearances or anything else. Not many people can walk away from the puppy at that point and the profiteers know it. It's getting harder and harder to know what sort of person you're really dealing with as the profiteers are pretty expert at playing with words so that you hear exactly what you want to hear. So maybe the best advice is to join and participate in your regional BMD community so you get to know who's for real and who's not on a first hand basis. -Sherri Venditti She seems nice. How do I really know that she is right for me?
RE: Puppy ate a bully stick!
Hi Mark, It'll most likely sit in her stomach for a few days until it softens up enough to enter the duodenum. Just make sure her water intake is good and monitor her for a few days. She may upchuk or pass it without incident. If she should start vomiting and not able to keep anything down or is straining to defecate then you should take her into the vets. Personally I don't feed such treats nor rawhide either as they can stick to the intestinal wall and cause problems. They are processed using a lot of chemicals as well, better to stick with nylabones or a real bone. Rose
RE: Weird things eaten
Hi Pauline, Your account of the Spitz reminded me of my marrow bone feeding days, I made the mistake of feeding bones that were only two inches long and I had a young bitch jam one over her lower jaw. We were racing to the vet to have it sawn off so I could get home in time with her before the Freezing Rain came in. So yes it can happen to Berners as well! Rose T.
berner-l@prairienet.org
Hi Valerie, Prednisone is actually used to alleviate suffering from some types of cancer. Once again it is the immune system at fault as it fails to control cellular growth and suppression can help. Rose Tierney
Re: Cute Valentine Berners (CDN)
I saw them too. Picked up the last 3 they had at the Zeller's closest to me (anyone living in the Ottawa, Canada area, forget the Zellers at Hazeldean Mall - they're sold out :) ) Pretty cheap too. $10 (US$6) for the little one, and $15 (US$10) for the bigger one. Try and pick out the real berner! http://members.rogers.com/mikealex/IMG_0358.jpg ...Mike and Sophie (aka Sascha's Wakanda) - Original Message - From: Lucy Yogi [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Bernese List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 6:43 PM Subject: Cute Valentine Berners (CDN) I saw some cute stuffed Valentine's Day berners at Zellers today. There are two sizes - one is a pup, about a foot tall (very very cute) and the other one about a foot and a half tall (also cute), both sitting up and holding a plush red velour heart in their paws. Thought I'd pass it on... Jen
Fun on the farm!
Bright sunny morning up at crack of dawn, the sun is shining, and looking forward to a good long walk with the dogs and staying dry for a change. No chance! No, not the rain. A very unhappy goat! Well, blimmin' Abbi escaped when I was putting her in the shed last night and went tearing off up on the bank at the back of the house! Spent a good hour climbing up and down after her, slipping and sliding as it's ever so muddy, in fact it's treacherous! Well, the dogs were all having great fun but they weren't exactly helping so I had to put them indoors in the end. By this time it's dark and I'm scrambling around by torchlight. And covered in mud! Hmmm! Well, I just could not catch her, normally she is as good as gold and will follow me anywhere for a bit of carrot but last night she had the devil in her! Finally managed to steer her almost in the shed door, then next minute sister, Elli, makes a break for it and I've got two goats on the loose up on the bank. I was praying for rain as they hate it and would have been in like a flash but not a drop! To cut a long story short I was in and out every half hour or so trying to coax them in! Got a lot of work done on the computer in between! Was finally around three in the morning when they trotted happily down and went in on their own! Then I had to get cleaned up!! Hmm, off to get the animals out and then walk the dogs this morning and I knew that something was going to go wrong on the first sunny morning we've had for ages. I was expecting it in fact! Abbi in a very bad state with a terrible bad belly ache, still some apples lying around up there, hmmm! Managed to get some peppermint down her, always keep some growing in the greenhouse for the kitchen and these emergencies. And then spent a couple of hours rubbing her belly and wondering if I was gonna have to get the vet out! Finally she started moving around a bit and a few pellets out of the back end so she's not completely blown! Took her for a walk up and down the garden and she seemed a bit easier and stopped to nibble a few dried leaves. The dogs not impressed with the walk today so far but then they did have a jolly good time last night chasing up and down that bank last night! So I've popped Abbs back in the shed now and come to have very late lunch and quick check on the email as I'm supposed to be going out tonight! Check on her again and if all goes well, still time for a bit of a walk! Everything crossed for us and what's the betting the moment we set off it starts to rain, it's clouding over now! Sods law!! All love, Jean, Sunny, Simmy, Barney and the Gang X http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm
Bye from Karen and Stevie
Dear List, Holy Cow, I didn't realize just how hard this was going to be to say good bye. I feel like I am leaving old friends and this is just so darn difficult. I have been in tears ALL morning, and the precious emails that I have received from so many already mean a great deal to me. Just so that you all know, from the very start of this whole ordeal we received 770 Stevie emails. And I still am getting some even now. I appreciate every single thing that you all have done for us. I have taken the suggestions about going to the library for updates and mail from the list, however, we live in a very tiny rural area and a round trip to the library is 1 1/2 hours. Unfortunately, I would never be able to leave my Sweet Stevie that long and wouldn't want to. We definitely will be disconnected so to speak from much of the big world out there. This is why this list has been my life-line and my saving grace. But I will keep in touch and I am setting up a Yahoo mail box right now. My yahoo address will be [EMAIL PROTECTED] and when I have access to a computer then I will check my mail. Many of you have asked for my snail mail address: Karen McFarlane (and Stevie) 4564 Route 880 Havelock, NB Canada E4Z 5K6 From the deepest recesses of my heart I want to thank you all for both Stevie and I. As I have said previously, we never, ever would have made it through this without the love and support and much provided and needed strength from the list. I have made so many new friends from all over the world and I am truly thankful. I hope that someday I will have the opportunity to meet some of you, there will be many hugs and berner belly rubs to give out. My heart is heavy and words just don't seem enough at this point. So I will say bye bye for now, and please feel free to drop me a line, either way. I will be thinking of you all with nothing but love and warm thoughts. Love to you All. Big huge belly rubs and gentle kisses from Karen and Stevie xoxoxoxoxoxo
Rescue BMD w/ issues needs help
Hi all. I just heard word of a 3 year old neutered male Berner being given to Rescue. He is having what sounds like some fairly signifigant behavioral problems, centered around aggression issues. Is there anyone out there interested in helping me work w/ this dog? The issue of aggression (an often overused and misused term which actually covers a very wide range of behaviors) seems to be getting more and more common in our breed. I would love to get together a group of Berner lovers, ideally w/ an interest in training/behavior, who are willing to help these dogs on a one on one basis, supporting each other in these endeavors, etc. I personally have taken into my home and worked extensively w/ 3 rescue/rehome Berners w/ similar such issues in the last 10 months. I was wondering if there was anyone else out there who would be able to help me rehabilitate this particular dog? I would be willing to take him in to my home for a month or so and evaluate him and begin working w/ him. What I would like to do (if it seems like rehabilitation is indeed a viable possibility) is work out an individualised treatment/management plan for him, and then find a foster home who could continue to train him along the outlines of his plan. We could work on things w/ him together, hopefully being able to rehabilitate him so he could become placeable. He is currently in the northeastern US and we can get him to Maryland, where I could pick him up next month at the regional and bring him back here to OH for a month or so, if I knew a foster home was ready to help after that. (My husband and I already have 8 dogs in our home now.) If you would like more details, please let me know. Thank you so much! Vilma Briggs (Kistner) Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and Ted
One last fling!!
Gee does it seem that I am trying to drag this out as long as possible For any one who has asked I will be on line until tomorrow at noon and then we will be gone. So I guess that there will be one more farewell. (I feel like the singer who just won't leave the darn stage, until she gets pulled off!!) Anyway, that is the long and the short of it. Love to you all. Karen and Stevie xoxo
Re: Rescue BMD w/ issues needs help
Vilma-- While I wholeheartedly agree that we need to give rescues every chance, I'd like to point out that sometimes dogs come into rescue for a good reason. One thing rescue groups for Berners will have to consider as this breed grows more popular and begin suffering even more from health and temperament issues due to poor breeding choices on top of trouble spots already existing in our breed is when to say no, or when to euthanize. Remember, aggressive dogs are a great liability risk for the club. A placed dog which bites and injuries a new family member or friend visiting can rebound on the club resources legally. I guess I am concerned about this due to my own work with Pyr rescue, and even Newf rescue. I've had one foster dog from each breed which had to be euthanized due to aggression issues. It was heartbreaking but the only right choice for the dog, the club, and any potential family. Currently, Berners enjoy high placement status and even problematic dogs have good homes waiting; Newfs are not in quite as much demand but are quite easy to place. Pyrs do not enjoy popular demand and my small club often resorts to newspaper adverts to try and generate potential homes; we have about 25 dogs a year come through the club, and it seems like about 1 in 25 needs to be euthanized for aggression issues. Given how poorly bred, trained, socialized, and managed the rescue dogs often are, this does not seem like a terrible statistic to me. This year, our club had a nightmare litter be sold through a pet store in the area. Something like four or five Pyrs were turned into rescue (or attempted to be turned in) due to multiple bite incidents. They were littermates from a Dakota puppy farm; by the third one, we were just telling the family's we were sorry, it was not their fault, and to take the dog to the vet for euthanasia. I do think it is in the best interests of the dog and club for the dog to be fostered by someone knowledgeable, but, please keep in mind sometimes there really is only one real option for the sake of the dogs and the people involved. More than one foster caretaker in my club has had a hospital trip due to an aggressive foster dog--one of our club co-chairs was very seriously injured and hospitalized while making an in-home visit for a potential rescue turn-in. Wow, I sound really pessimistic, don't I? I think that is in part because I believe Berners have a little less resilience in terms of being poorly bred, badly socialized, etc. than Pyrs. I think as fanciers we need to really put some thought into where we will draw the behavior problem line and why. Best luck with your rescue dog. Eileen Morgan The Mare's Nest http://www.enter.net/~edlehman --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.449 / Virus Database: 251 - Release Date: 1/27/2003
Re: Rescue BMD w/ issues needs help
Eileen, Your post makes some very good points. Yes, we do need to watch very very carefully the breeding and training choices we make. Yes, most dogs are in rescue and in shelters b/c of behavioral problems of one sort or another, they are supposedly there for a good reason. And no, not all dogs w/ problems can indeed be rehabilitated. But this particular dog has not even been evaluated yet. I just want to give him a chance! Vilma Briggs (Kistner) Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and Ted
Request
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Things dogs eat
HI all, Reading these stories has brought up a memory from a number of years ago. My Berners have been pretty normal as far as eating stuff but we had a Dobe for a number of years (13 if you can believe that!!) and he LOVED to play with balls. One day he was playing with a soccer ball and got his whole mouth around it and sort of pushed the ball onto the ground. Somehow his canines got stuck in the seams of the ball and he could not get the ball out of his mouth again. He tried pawing at it, shaking his head etc all to no avail. When we realized he was having some problems (thankfully he was able to breath through all of this) we tried extracting the ball out of his mouth - it was stuck tight even my rather strong husband could not extract it. We finally resorted to deflating the ball and then pulling it off his teeth!! Crazy old Bo! Bernerly, Angela Thanks for the memories!
Going to be banned from Zellers
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harness
has anyone used a harness that inhibits pulling with their dog. i am not talking about a halti or gentle leader, just an old fashioned no pull harness? thanks andrea
Lobby Raffle
Terri, How is the raffle going? Are my chances to win the sketch looking really good or really bad??? Pat Long, a visiting Budmeister, ( Luther) Berwyn PA Only 2 weeks left on the Lobby fund raising raffle. You could have a lovely sketch done of your dogs. Check out http://bmdcgs.org/lobby/berner_gallery.htm. If you win you will receive a lovely framed and matted black and white sketch of your favorite canine companions. Hurry...get your tickets. Terri Zimmerman, Zephyr, Zaltana, Zion, Kita Zodiac, gone from this earth but not from this heart. Washington State, USA Puget Sound with clouds, moss and lots of mud puddles.
Veterinarian on Southern Vancouver Island
I was wondering if anyone goes to a vet or knows of a vet in the Victoria area that has experience with Berners? I would feel more comfortable if I had a vet to take my dogs to that is more familiar with the health concerns of BMDs. Thanks all, Tracy, (Mike) Kona Sable N.Saanich BC
Re: BERNER-L digest 4260
I am in arizona and do not have Zeller's either. But I was browsing and found this web site that has a berner stuffed animal for Valentine's day. Take a look. bmdcnv.org - Original Message - From: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 10:37 PM Subject: BERNER-L digest 4260 BERNER-L Digest 4260 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) Puppy ate a bully stick! by Mark Donnelley [EMAIL PROTECTED] 2) Re: Altered Classes by [EMAIL PROTECTED] 3) Re: Altered Classes by Robin Camken [EMAIL PROTECTED] 4) Weird things eaten by Pauline [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5) new puppy by Rhona Vantine [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6) RE: Altered Classes by Rose Tierney [EMAIL PROTECTED] 7) Weird things eaten by kasbern [EMAIL PROTECTED] 8) Re: new puppy by Maria Crifasi [EMAIL PROTECTED] 9) Searching for relatives for VetGEn HD study by [EMAIL PROTECTED] 10) RE: Seeking information regarding abdominal carcinomatosis by Rose Tierney [EMAIL PROTECTED] 11) RE: weird things berners have eaten by Rose Tierney [EMAIL PROTECTED] 12) RE: hyper thyroid by Rose Tierney [EMAIL PROTECTED] 13) RE: Aggression/Thyroid by Rose Tierney [EMAIL PROTECTED] 14) RE: questionable behavior...looking for guidance by Rose Tierney [EMAIL PROTECTED] 15) masticatory myositis by [EMAIL PROTECTED] 16) Re: masticatory myositis by [EMAIL PROTECTED] 17) More Thyroid Thoughts by Valerie Young [EMAIL PROTECTED] 18) Wierd things my dog has eaten by [EMAIL PROTECTED] 19) Flying to Specialty in California by Kim Morrow [EMAIL PROTECTED] 20) Weird Things Dogs Eat by Don Metzler [EMAIL PROTECTED] 21) Thank You by James and Karen Gross [EMAIL PROTECTED] 22) Re: Hyperthyroidism by [EMAIL PROTECTED] 23) Moses discovers joy in every moment! by Lisa D Allen [EMAIL PROTECTED] 24) the best birthday gift:SNOW by [EMAIL PROTECTED] 25) Cute Valentine Berners (CDN) by Lucy Yogi [EMAIL PROTECTED] 26) Transportation at National Specialty in Long Beach by Vicky Whitney [EMAIL PROTECTED] 27) Re: Cute Valentine Berners (CDN) by Judith Johnson [EMAIL PROTECTED] 28) Re: BERNER-L digest 4259 by Jenn and Scott Waldron [EMAIL PROTECTED] 29) Berner Golf Club Headcovers by David Nowell and Susan Burnham [EMAIL PROTECTED] 30) Karen and Stevie (Bye) by Karen McFarlane [EMAIL PROTECTED] 31) Help!!puppy warts? by Dog Krazy [EMAIL PROTECTED] 32) Re: Help!!puppy warts? by Jeff Mary Chapdelaine - SnoBear berners [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: weird things eaten
Hi, I'm new to this site and we have a 2 year old male bernese named NEO. He was a good friend of OBERON'S who we miss very much. I was reading the pantyhose story and was reminded of NEOs weird eating habit. We were living in our house about 9 months when we decided to do some remodeling. NEO was about 6 months old at the time. He would be home with his sister Maddie (A Jack Russell) during the day with the workmen and was very well behaved for a pup. Once the work was done and the workmen were gone and the doggies were left alone during the day how things changed! Imagine my surprise when I came home from work one day to find a 1 foot in diameter hole in my brand new sheetrock wall! Not sure as to which dog did it we checked them both. We looked at their paws, in their teeth and in their fur. Still unsure but with suspicion we told them not to do it again and set off for work the next morning. Upon arrival in the evening I found another hole, this time in the new diningroom. It became a viscous cycle. I would come home, find a hole, fix it, leave come home, find a hole, fix it and so on and so forth. We finally asked our vet about it and he told us that NEO was suffering from separation anxiety and wanted to be with us so badly whenever we left the house that he was trying to get out! Through the walls! Luckily for all of us he did outgrow this habit and is now a perfect gentlemen whether left at home with his sister Maddie (the jack russell) or his brother Oliver (a parrot). I must add that Bernese are very well mannered and they can live together with animals of varying breeds quite well. Size does not matter to NEO. He is many, many times larger that Maddie and even larger to a parrot. They all walk around and play together and he is never the aggressor. Amy Skiles
Re: Rescue BMD w/ issues needs help
- Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] But this particular dog has not even been evaluated yet. I just want to give him a chance! Oh, I certainly didn't mean that no one should give these guys a chance. Many perfectly nice dogs get thrown away every day! (hence my some dogs are turned in for a good reason). The Newf I fostered who was put down for attacking his second foster parent (we were going to be traveling) came into rescue as aggressive and we none of us took the family very seriously because we thought it was a case of a boisterous, ill trained young man. Alas, we maligned the family because there *was* something really wrong with that dog! But plenty of dogs called aggressive are merely poorly trained and high energy, not aggressive at all. I was really just using your post to piggy back in something I've been thinking about in terms of Berner rescue, because is seems like quite a few of these guys come in with real issues. I think in all breeds, unneutered males 1-3 yrs old is the highest demographic of owner surrenders. Just trying to dish out some food for thought. Eileen Morgan The Mare's Nest http://www.enter.net/~edlehman --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.449 / Virus Database: 251 - Release Date: 1/27/2003
Re: Fussy Puppy/ breeders diet guidelines
Rose wrote: I totally disagree with your comments. I would assume that the fussy puppy was fed Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy at the breeders without problems, after all she made it to leaving home time Hi Rose Please let me precede the following by stating that I greatly value both your experience and expertise on the berner-list. Thanks to your input, I, like many others berner-l members, have been able to considerably increase my knowledge in many doggy related areas for which I am truly grateful. Nevertheless, when it comes to a breeder prescribed diet, the dog refusing to eat it, and the new owner being told that s/he should stick to the breeders diet regardless rather than trying out something new, we have to agree to disagree. Strongly if necessary. Why should a puppy have to continue to eat something she actively dislikes with the exception of live preserving medication? Why? Because the breeder said so? With all due respect to all the breeders out there, but surely diet recommendations should be just that - recommendations. To facilitate matters for both puppy and new owner. To make it a STIPULATION what another person's dog - and yes, if the puppy has been sold it IS another person's dog - should and shouldn't eat is dictatorial and is taking matters too far. What a breeder chooses to feed his own dogs isn't gospel nor should it be. I think we can safely say that there is more than one decent brand of dog food on the market and that many dog owners are a lot more educated about diet than some breeders. Should food not be enjoyed rather than endured? If the answer is yes than why not try out another brand? If we applied the principle of unless you eat what I just gave you, you will eat nothing, never mind how much you hate it, and I will give you the same thing until you are so hungry that you'll eat anything to children, we would be accused of abusing our power as their care takers. And rightly so. I think the same goes for our dogs. Will it make the dog fussy if one tries out another diet? I sincerely doubt it. Why would it? Yes, maybe one has to try a few different ones before finding one that both dog and owner are happy with, but so what. Sure, if you serve the puppy roast chicken one day and then expect it to eat boring kibble the next it might turn up it's nose, but we weren't talking about those extremes. I was talking about different brands of complete balanced foods. We already make so many decisions for our dogs. When they are allowed to go out. For how long. If they are allowed to go out at all. When they eat and how much. How long they have to stay alone at home and how often. In a crate or out of it. In light of this, is it really too much to ask that a dog can a least have a LITTLE bit of choice in WHAT it eats? Oh, come on. If a puppy owner chooses to experiment with a variety of kibbles then they are likely to gain experience with diarrhoea and other gastric problems Both my dogs eat a huge variety of foods. Always have done. They don't have gastric problems. They never get diarrhoea except from turkey or eating too much marrow from fresh bones. Therefore I scoop some of the marrow out and omit turkey. The only dog owners I know whose dogs have persistent stomach upsets have exclusively kibble fed dogs. The moment the dogs eat a morsel of something different they end up with an upset stomach. I guess their system can't handle it. Not exactly a recommendation not to deviate from the same kibble day in day out, but there you are. Dogs will eat faeces, rotting carcasses and socks etc, .. And yet they will still not touch Eukanuba! I rest my case. :-) All the best Michaela, Harvey Rupert Devon/UK
Re: trying to get information
Is there some reason as a rescue dog that we should not have access to this information? Depends on how you define rescue dog. IF your dog came from a rescue organization, they may or may not have a policy with regard to releasing the dog's historymuch like an adoption agency. If your dog was rehomed with you by his breeder, there is no legitimate reason I can think of not to provide you with information about his parentage and relatives. Okay, I have a question why is it okay for a rescue organization to chose not to share this info, but not a breeder? Tailwags, Cathy Burlile Memories BMDs
Re: Fussy Puppy/ breeders diet guidelines
I have to agree w/ Rose on this one. This little puppy was being fed so much junk food like cat food (by his well meaning and concerned owner) that it is certainly no wonder he wasnt hungry for his healthy food. Like a child who is allowed to fill up on Twinkies and potato chips all day is hardly going to want to sit down to a healthy balanced dinner! Or perhaps he was simply expected to eat more food than he was hungry for. So put down a cup or so of the breeder recommended food the pup is used to 3 times a day for a young puppy. Put the leftover food away (after ~10 minutes) until the next meal try it for a few weeks before deciding to try another brand. Constantly changing brands of foods is rarely going to improve the eating habits of a ussy eater. Believe me, been there, done that. This pup sounds a lot like my beloved Java, who is almost 8 and very healthy -- and still acts like he is doing me a big favor to slowly chew whatever he feels like eating of his food, one careful kernel at a time! If the owner simply watches the puppy's coat, weight and energy level, making sure he apears to remain bright and healthy, and his vet checkups are normal, I bet the adorable little spoiled one becomes a normal eater in no time. He's probably gonna be a bright one, already starting wrap his mommy and daddy around his little fingerer, paw! :-) Vilma Briggs (Kistner) Mt. Gilead, OH U-UD Mocha Java Slurp, UDX, HIC, TT Ch. Brighteye Expresso Bean, UD, NDD, TT U-CDX Our Little Buddy, UD, NA, TT Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and Ted
Breeder. In such cases, pet owners may have to
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Re: Lobby Raffle
Pat asked: How is the raffle going? Are my chances to win the sketch looking really good or really bad??? Pat Long, a visiting Budmeister, ( Luther) Berwyn PA Hey guys, you have an excellent chance of winning this sketch as we only have had maybe 13 to 15 folks enter. The sketch will be done in pencil, framed and matted. The frame and matt are just waiting for your dog's sketch. Check out http://bmdcgs.org/lobby/berner_gallery.htm for details and get your tickets today. Terri Zimmerman, Zephyr, Zaltana, Zion, Kita Zodiac, gone from this earth but not from this heart. Washington State, USA Puget Sound with clouds, moss and lots of mud puddles.
Re: Rescue BMD w/ issues needs help
I think in all breeds, unneutered males 1-3 yrs old is the highest demographic of owner surrenders. Eileen; I have a rehomed neutered male berner that was 16 months old when he adopted me. He is the sweetest, most wonderful dog, most of the time, but he did have issues. We won't talk about the week that I had to wear long sleeves because I bruises from my wrists to past my elbows on both arms following a discussion in my backyard about it being time to go inside. I won and have just tried really hard to be consistent with him. He is a good dog and I am thrilled to have him, even though he stills exhibits a fair amount of shyness around other adults, especially men. However, he's better now than he was 6 months ago when I got him. It's a patience and time commitment thing. I am happy to have him and wouldn't think about ever giving him back to the breeder, even after that discussion in October. I want to thank all of you for the ideas and information that I get from the list every day. It has helped me greatly, being a new Berner mom. I used to be a Rottweiler mom and boy, are they different!!! Wendy Keene, Lilah (the right-colored Sheltie) and Klarsson (I'm s spoiled, now) Hampton, VA
Zellers Valentine Berner - and Lobby Fundraiser....
THANK YOU, Coral. I can always use new items for my ongoing fundraisers!!! Just a quick reminder to everyone that we need to support the fundraiser that Terri Zimmerman is conducting a fundraiser for the lobby effort. This is such an important fundraiser and she reported tonight that she has only received 13-15 people who have sent checks to her so far. Be sure to check out the web site: http://bmdcgs.org/lobby/berner_gallery.htm The artist is very talented and your chances of winning are excellent. Please send your check to Terri soon. Joye Neff
RE: Rescue BMD w/issues needs help
Vilma wrote: The issue of aggression (an often overused and misused term which actually covers a very wide range of behaviors) seems to be getting more and more common in our breed. I would love to get together a group of Berner lovers, ideally w/ an interest in training/behavior, who are willing to help these dogs on a one on one basis, supporting each other in these endeavors, etc. Vilma, I completely agree with your statement above. Further, as more and more Berners are commercially and BYB produced, I feel we will see a steady population increase of BMDs with poor temperaments and health issues flooded into a market not prepared and/or unwilling to deal with their problems. A great many people seem to complain about this situation but, so far as I can see, the only major projects acting as real, viable deterrents are BARC, breeders who protect the BMD gene pool and the BMD clubs/people who pro-actively educate about BMD health and temperament issues. (This is one reason I feel its important to be supportive of my local and parent BMD Clubs). Adult BMD Rescue is just one more step in protecting the BMD breed, and I feel its a job which is only going to get bigger with time. As a breeder, I feel offering Rescue is an inherent part of my personal responsibility to participate in where possible. While the Berner you mentioned is too far away for my help (and sounds like you have him covered anyway), I am ready and willing to support whatever BMD Rescue and Rehabilitation efforts I can in my area (Montana/Wyoming/Dakotas). I have many years' experience rehabilitating large homeless and abandoned dogs and successfully re-homing them.This is a personal passion of mine. This means I'm happy to participate in any BMD Rescue/Rehabilitation effort you create so long as I can cover BMDs found/released in my area. And I already spend a LOT of effort online educating PPOs and others who contact me for more info about this wonderful breed. Please mark me down as a BMD Rescue contact in Montana, Wyoming and Dakotas. I'm willing to drive anywhere in these states if necessary to help a Berner in need.And I know a few other BMD people in Montana who feel the same commitment as me. Kind Regards, Esther Wilson WilPower Kennels Lavina Montana http://www.wilpowerkennels.com __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Euthanasia vs Rehabilitation
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Euthanasia vs Rehabilitation
Lemme try this post AGAIN!! Sorry... Eileen wrote: ...it is in best interests of the dog and club for the dog to be fostered by someone knowledgeable, but, please keep in mind sometimes there really is only one real option for the sake of the dogs and the people involved Eileen, I feel you made some valid points. Rescue is often a project left to the willing, not necessarily to the qualified. When I first started in it some 25+ years ago (my how time flies!), I was only willing and completely unqualified. I've lost count of how many times I've been bitten by an aggressive animal, usually a large dog. Trial and error, plus seeking trained counsel has helped me further my own education in rehabilitating large dogs. And I'm still learning, but at least its been awhile since I've been bitten =) Its a personal conviction of mine that anyone wanting to breed (or own) any dog or cat should first volunteer in a shelter for a long period of time. Even a couple of hours per week can make a huge difference. And during their shelter time, that person should have to hold several healthy, lovable, adorable dogs and cats as they are euthanized solely because they lack a good home and/or they have temperament/health issues. And then help dispose of their sad remains. I know the impact that has had on MY life and especially on my breeding perspective. Also, I feel one of the best ways to learn how to rehabiliate a poorly behaved dog is to learn from others in rescue work. So if anyone reading this has an interest in becoming a resource to help a problematic dog become rehabiliated, you're likely to find some good re-training resources through your local shelter (or club). My $0.02, Esther Wilson WilPower Kennels Lavina, Montana http://www.wilpowerkennels.com __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Re: Fussy Puppy/ breeders diet guidelines
Michael wrote: Why should a puppy have to continue to eat something she actively dislikes with the exception of live preserving medication? Why? Because the breeder said so? With all due respect to all the breeders out there, but surely diet recommendations should be just that - recommendations. To facilitate matters for both puppy and new owner. To make it a STIPULATION what another person's dog - and yes, if the puppy has been sold it IS another person's dog -should and shouldn't eat is dictatorial and is taking matters too far. What a breeder chooses to feed his own dogs isn't gospel nor should it be. I think we can safely say that there is more than one decent brand of dog food on the market and that many dog owners are a lot more educated about diet than some breeders. Michael, As a breeder, I read your post and cringed. From a PO perspective, you made some points I'm certain many POs would make. I've been a PO. And I'm now a breeder. Things look much different from a breeder's perspective. I was glad to read that you understand the concept of quality food versus non-quality food and that there are many diet chocies available. But it was apparent you do not understand the impact a specific food choice can have versus another food choice on a growing large breed puppy. Further, growth rates can vary depending on pedigrees. A wise breeder will know which foods/diets work best with the pedigrees they breed. This is why a PO should pay close attention to their breeder's diet recommendations. Equally, a good breeder will understand the value of working with a PO toward a diet the puppy/dog prospers on. And this should be done with the understanding that one diet choice probably may not be the permanent solution. A good breeder will have many experienced alternatives to suggest and be most concerned about finding a good solution for that puppy. From talking w/many other breeders, I find a common pet peeve for breeders is when a PO decides to'do their own thing' about diet choices. Then they return to the breeder (or rescue puppy placer) at a later date, and ask why is their dog's ortho or gastric system or fur coat, etc. all messed up (as if they are not at all responsible for the food choices they made which helped create the situation). Your point is well made about the ownership of the dog: certainly the PO is the owner. But my point here is that if that PO respected that breeder enough to purchase a puppy from, then perhaps an intelligent response should be to also respect diet choices from that respected breeder, too. The question is not 'who has the power to make the decision'. The question is 'who is better qualified to make the decision'. Having said that, if I were a regular PO who bought a puppy from a breeder, and that breeder absolutely refused to work with me about diet choices that my puppy would actually eat, then I'd be a PO who found another quality breeder to mentor me about diet choices. And I would listen to them, realizing they are more qualified about Berner diet than me. I hope I wouldn't be ignorant enough to think I knew best about diet for my puppy irregardless of what either breeder told me. And if they don't have the answer, its unlikely that I, as a regular PO, would have a better answer. At that point, I would seek the help of a professional, licensed canine nutritionist (NOT a vet). A good breeder spends much time educating POs on everything from diet, to crate training, to behavior problem-solving, etc. It can be exhaustive, especially when you consider how many POs a breeder deals with. While the PO has the ownership and daily decisions to make, its a wise PO who chooses a good breeder to mentor them in these things. And that's a puppy with a great chance at a happy future. If your dogs have prospered on whatever you've fed them, and you've never returned to your breeder with diet-related problems, good for you and great for your dogs. But let me assure you that there are plenty of POs where the opposite is true. Just chatting from another viewpoint, Esther Wilson Wilpower Kennels __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
