Garden design
Dear List, I see some of you are having problems with your live-in gardeners... Holes not in the right place, shrubs not pruned properly etc. This all sounds so familiar, but I have finally hit on a solution - I'm going for a new look garden, you know the sort designers love, primary colours, lots of hidden treasures? And I have just the team for the job... The primary colour is of course, brown, shading between cafe au lait and espresso, and in texture between raw chocolate cake (m) and sand grains. There will be brief highlights of other colours, monitored by the gardeners and changed at their whim, just to keep up the element of surprise so often lacking in a traditional garden. Just now, they are happy with the spring colours of yellow and white, but that might change as soon as tomorrow. The hidden treasures aren't so hidden at the moment, but once the weeds, (sorry architectural plants) grow tall, no-one will see where the dogs, er gardeners, have left them. And of course, there are the sculptures. These take the form of irregularly shaped holes of varying depths, with a mirror image of the hole on the surface in the form of a small mountain, complete with scree slopes. There are even small trees leaning at precarious angles on the mountain slopes. All so very decorative. My team of gardeners is still hard at work, pruning the shrubs into shape and finalising the shapes of the holes and their attending mountains. I am so lucky to have such a dedicated team of designers and gardeners working exclusively for me. Their pay is relatively low, consisting of a few bones, together with 2 meals a day and their accommodation. They also get health third party insurance, essential in their line of work and regular outings to gain inspiration elsewhere in the country side. So, can I recommend them to anybody else? They do say that their work here will be on-going for a number of years, owing to the size of the plot (they used the analogy of painting the Forth Road Bridge, ie. by the time they get to the end, they just have to start over). But I would hate to be selfish and keep these dedicated workmen for myself... So any offers will be seriously considered. Liz Bradbury in Scotland (please, couldn't we incorporate some grass into the scheme?) with the gardening team of: Roxie the bouncing Berner, pruner extraordinaire; Newfs Toby the foreman and designer-in-chief and Maggie the champion digger; the 6 Feline Fiends (who encourage from the sidelines).
Puppy Pics
Thank you to everyone who provided me with a wonderful Sunday's viewing! As you can imagine it was an awful hardship having to look at so many beautiful pup-pics!! I have enough now to give me a real hard time choosing which to use in the calendar for the specialty raffle, but I shall also definitely be doing calendars for Joye Neff's summer raffle, so keep your eyes open for that announcement sometime after the Specialty next month. I'll let you know which pups I use as pin-ups... Right, now I have to get cracking and produce the goods... I'll also put the calendars up on the internet later, so you can see what they're like. Watch this space for details. Thanks again to everyone who so generously shared their talent and their pups. Liz Bradbury in Scotland, with Roxie (2) the bouncing Berner; Newfs Toby (6) and Maggie (18 months); the 6 Feline Fiends.
rescued Berners?
I have not heard about the Sat., Apr 29 dog auction in Missouri where Berners were offered. Were any rescued? If you do not know about dog auctions and would like to learn about them, write to me privately and I'll fill you in. Ruth Reynolds
Re: At what age?
In a message dated 3/29/2003 9:51:43 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: First, it is not healthy for the animal to go that long before being let out. Can you go 9 hours at work without a bathroom break? snip Nine hours is just too long for any dog to be left and confined and expected to hold it. It is just not a question of bladder size. While agree wholeheartedly about puppies not having to 'hold it' for long periods of time, I have to disagree with Kay when it comes to adults. While they don't routinely have to, my adults can easily go 9 hours without distress. Matter of fact, my 11 year old girl routinely goes longer than that during the summer when she doesn't want to leave the A.Cregardless of the fact that I'm here to let her out any time she wants. Even in good weather, the only time she'll relieve herself in between her AM and PM 'constitutional' (12 hours apart) is during active exercise. ~ Sherri Venditti
Re: digging to china--HELP!
I think some dogs simply enjoy the activity of digging whilst others don't. It has nothing to do with being bored or wanting to be naughty. Of my four dogs, past and present, only my current youngster is an enthusiastic digger. He'll dig anywhere, to bury his treasures, to dig himself a hole, or sometimes just for the heck of it. I am very bad when it comes to correcting it, primarily because I really don't care about my garden, it's my dogs play area and they can do what they like. However, other peoples garden is another matter. The only thing I can advise you to do is to bribe Hudson with a macho stick or something she enjoys chewing and which she'll find completely absorbing. Then she MIGHT abstain. OR the other thing you can do is to watch her like a hawk whilst she is visiting somebody and warn the hosts that she is very partial to digging. Good luck! Michaela, Harvey Rups ( fellow digger) Devon/UK
And talking of digging....
Rupert and I are permanently being told off for digging. He for doing so and me for not doing anything about it. Isn't it interesting, how our dog, suddenly becomes YOUR dog is digging again!? But even my digging -aversive husband roared with laughter at Rup's latest endeavour. I had given both the dogs a huge marrow bone and left them happily chewing in the garden. 5 minutes later, Harvey wanders in looking severely miffed. Rupert was contentedly chewing away, but where did Harv's bone go? Closer inspection showed that the young one had taken possession of his big brother's bone but his own was nowhere to be seen. Plus, he had the telling marks of mud on his nose. Suddenly, my eyes fell on a tub of primroses - which actually no longer held any flowers. The primroses had been replaced by the entire femur of a cow, half of which was sticking out. The new planting arrangement was completed by a wooden sign stating Grow dammit ( well, I originally thought it would entice the sluggish primroses!). I thought it was utterly fabulous!!! Clever little boy, no? Michaela, Harvey ( my brother is a thieving moron) Rupert ( budding garden designer) Devon/UK
Re: Puppy Issues
- Original Message - From: Kenneth L Babcock [EMAIL PROTECTED] Ok berner experts as a I am a berner in waiting my wife has a concern that hopefully someone can respond to? Her concern is allowable length of time a new puppy can be left at home alone? That is in the event she chooses to go shopping with the girls or perhaps an occasional day trip. I would say age in months plus one= approximate number of hours. This assumes that this is not an always sort of thing--for instance, with Micawber I had someone come at lunch and walk him on my longer days at work, so when he was 3 months he would be left no more than 4 hours, and at four months no more than 5 hours, etc. Obviously this rule of thumb starts to break down at some point, and individual puppies may have more specialized needs (anxiety, bladder control not developing on the average, etc). This also only works if you do a good long attention-giving session before leaving (tired puppies are good puppies). So the pup should have been played with, fed, short nap, played with/walked, then crated with a good treat. 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: 6.0.463 / Virus Database: 262 - Release Date: 3/17/2003
Re: rescued Berners?
Hi Ruth, I didn't see an answer to your question. Hope I'm not repeating someone. There were originally 5 Bernese listed on the auction site. Right before the auction this number was changed to 10. There were actually 12 Bernese auctioned. BARC rescued 11. 9 girls and 2 boys. They are all safe, have been bathed and fed, and are learning to play. Thank you Jamie, Brad, and Jonelle. And of course the BARC rescue crew which, once again, was one brave soul who managed to get these pups rescued, loaded, and transported safely. BARC really needs volunteers to go to auctions. Please contact Amy if you can help with this. jane heggen the boys of iowa - Original Message - From: Ruth Reynolds [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Berner-L [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 31, 2003 4:12 AM Subject: rescued Berners? I have not heard about the Sat., Apr 29 dog auction in Missouri where Berners were offered. Were any rescued? If you do not know about dog auctions and would like to learn about them, write to me privately and I'll fill you in. Ruth Reynolds
Re: rescued Berners?
In a message dated 3/31/2003 8:47:50 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: There were originally 5 Bernese listed on the auction site. Right before the auction this number was changed to 10. There were actually 12 Bernese auctioned. BARC rescued 11. 9 girls and 2 boys. Jane, Thank youboth for the update and for the hard work you and the entire BARC crew do! Congrats on this success story! 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 now Brew/Bruin
RE: Re Refractory Idiopathic genetic epilepsy--Any HELP??? Please
Hi Angela, I certainly think that diet can trigger off a whole host of problems but the word is trigger, the weakness is pre-existing. Definately in porto-systemic shunt puppies and dogs the seizure is caused by unprocessed proteins being carried to the brain hence diet results in a seizure but is not the root cause . I would definately be looking at some form of liver dysfunction if dietary aspects were triggering seizures. Some antibiotics can make humans feel very strange, I know that I can't tolerate some because of dizziness and loss of vision so it makes sense to me that perhaps some forms of preservative or meat meal made from chicken and beef containing antibiotics fed to the slaughtered animal might have an effect. Years ago I went to a seminar about natural feeding and was told the best meat to feed a dog was New Zealand lamb because the sheep are not overdosed on drugs and growth stimulants. I think too many drugs and inappropriate fodder are fed into the meat animals and no matter whether you feed BARF or kibble there has to be some residual effect over time. Then there is the runoff in our water supplies and pesticide and herbicide in our veggies. I'm sure I would feed organic to any dog of mine that was at risk for seizures but bottom line is if an animal cannot tolerate the world we find ourselves in then they are not breeding animals. Rose
RE: At what age . . .?
Hi Maria, Nine hours is a long day to leave a Berner puppy and expect him to hold his urine, I would recommend you hire a retired person or school kid to come in and let him out to relieve himself. I'm sure he remembered ringing the bell to go out but if no-one is home to open the door he would see no point in ringing the bell anymore. He has now got used to treating the house like a toilet so he see's no need to ask when you are home. You have to meet his needs and find an alternative arrangement. If it is not possible for you to hire someone then build him and the lab a kennel run with a shelter outside in the garden so at least they can enjoy the fresh air and they can relieve themselves. It would also be a good idea to check his urine in case he has an infection but you do need to break that nine hour period. I'd have a problem waiting that long! As for his stance when urinating try to get your husband to look on this as peeing like a horse rather than a bitch:-) The posture is still different between immature dog and bitch:-) Puppy fluff on the ears can be stripped out a little at a time using your fingers or getting a special stripping comb from the petstore. Alternatively a groomer can quickly do that for you if they have experience with preparing dogs for the show ring. You do not want them using clippers but thinning scissors can do the trick too. At seven months your puppy should have full dentition, if he is still chewing inappropriately he may be bored with not enough in his day, again you must resolve the nine hour home alone time and don't forget to enrol in obedience classes and do your homework daily to help occupy his mind. All the best Rose -Original Message- From: maria [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: March 28, 2003 1:35 PM To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List Subject: At what age . . .? Hello there experienced, veteran L'ers. This is my first time being raised by a Berner and I was wondering a few things about my Berner who is now a 7 month old male and still intact until next Friday. At what age . . will he finally get his adult ears? The rest of the fur on his body changed from that soft, fluffy puppy fur to his dark and shiney big boy fur but his ears are still the puppy fur which gives him that muffin head look. Also, at what age . . will the strength of his bladder be enough to keep him from peeing for about 9 full hours. I think his bladder is large enough but for some reason he more often then not can't hold it for a full work day. I'm hoping it's not that he is doing it out of spite for being home all day. His 10 yr old Choc. Lab sister is slightly smaller in size then he is and she has no problem holding it for quite a few more hours then my Berner boy. I keep Jack, the Berner and Arabia, the Lab confined to the kitchen/dining room all day with toys and bones to occupy them but I come home to presents left by him almost every day. It doesn't even matter to him if I put him in his crate, he'll go anyway which then means a bath when we get home every day. On a similar note, we had him trained to ring a bell when he had to go out but it seems that since we moved to a new house about 3 weeks ago he forgot how to do that. He will sometimes pee in the house without giving us any indication he has to go even if there is a door open and he can just walk right outside to pee if he wants. At what age . . . will he have all of his teeth in? He doesn't chew on our hands as much as he used to but he still tries once in a while. And finally, this one really bugs my husband, at what age . . will he start to lift his leg up to pee like a man instead of barely squatting like a girl? (I guess It's a guy thing). He is our first Berner so we don't always know what to expect. He does try our patience on occasion but we love him to death and couldn't imagine life without him and our Lab. Your responses will be appreciated. Maria, Mark, Arabia, and Jack Ringwood, NJ
RE: Car travel with a Berner
Hi Patrick, The safest thing is to crate your dog, you could take out the middle seats and the crate could be behind the driver and front passenger with kids(?) in the back seat and suitcases and luggage behind them. Rose
RE: momentary 'lameness'
Hi Pascal, I would suggest you consult with an orthopedic specialist, I do not know much about Appenzellers but do know that slipping patellas can be a problem with many small breeds of dogs. Rose T.
Melissa and Zeus
Hi Melissa, I would hold off on your search for a cart. If your boy does indeed have HOD he will not be able to pull a cart loaded with your children. He needs to be fully grown and his hips and elbows and shoulders xrayed and clear from any other abnormality that might present itself. I'm assuming he is a baby puppy and I would think rather young to be displaying signs of bone pain or panosteitis, this presents itself usually at about five months and onwards. You might want to reevaluate the type of food he is being fed and if its a regular puppy growth formula he needs to be switched to a large breed puppy formula which has a lower calorie level more suited to the rapid growth of a large breed. Have you consulted with your breeder about Zeus's health concerns and whether there has been any other problems with his litter mates. Keep him rested with mild exercise and do not allow your children to be too exuberant with him. They may be playing too roughly for him. Rose T.
RE: accidents and pre heat behavior
Hi Andrea, It is perfectly normal for a bitch to urinate more frequently and leave her calling card for the boys when her heat is due imminently and during her heat cycle. You have the wrong dog in the crate:-) I have two intact males and they are locked away when the girls are in heat otherwise they will bother the bitches through the crate door and Oska will even lift his leg to mark his possession, not so nice for the girl to get sprayed in the face! Watch your girl closely, not all bitches are particularly messy and some keep themselves so clean they can be ready, just as keen for sex as the boys, and before you know where you are you find them tied. If you are not planning on breeding them you might find life more manageable if Woofit goes to stay with a friend for the next three weeks:-) Rose T.
quad chair storage
since i the Librarian of orthopedic berner equipment, i need to find a home for the quad chair that we got for hugo. Is there anyone in the Pasadena/Burbank area, or the San Fernando valley or San Gabriel valley? that is near to where donna is. i just need a spot in someone's basement or garage. if we ship it east and then it is needed west again we are wasting a lot of money. thanks andrea
STOLEN BMD PUPPY
Sorry if this is a duplicate, but I have not seen it come through on the other lists. Posted for Sandy Forde, Post Falls, ID On March 26th, a 5 1/2 mo old female BMD was stolen from her yard in Post Falls, Idaho. Evidence shows the dog was actually stolen, and not just missing, as previously thought. Gracie was last seen wearing a pink collar. She is not micro-chipped. Posters have been put up in the entire city of Post Falls, nearby Coeur d'Alene, ID, and Spokane Valley, WA. Ads are in the local papers, plus the free want-ad type papers. Posters are at all Veterinary offices, Animal Shelters, etc. If you want a picture, please email me, and I will send it to you. There is a reward offered for information leading to her safe return. Any information is greatly appreciated. Sandy can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sincerely Judy Arneson-Johnson Kielerstar BMD Endicott, WA
training
Hi Everyone, My name is Sue, and we are in the process of welcoming our new 8 and a half week old berner boy, Gryffin, into our family! He is a sweetheart, and we are so blessed to have him! Two questions, well actually one - let's start with one and keep it simple! :-) I have ten thousand training books - Karen Pryor, Pat Miller, Jack Volhard, Ian Dunbar, etc. My mind is about to explode! My question is this, after having read all the books, you choose one method you think will work and go with it. Well, things never go exactly as they say they will, so then you get a bit discouraged. Here's the thing - when all is said and done, which training method did you all go with? Which one really, really worked? Which methods do you use most often, when you get right down to it? What type of training do your dogs best respond to? A) Clicker B) Jack Volhard, Canine Good Citizen Book C) Ian Dunbar D) Other - what? E) Combinations I really, really want him to be well trained, and I know I have to start when they are young (is 8 and a half weeks too young?) and I wonder what you all think works with your berners - what really works for YOU? Thanks SO much! Sue
To make your house BMD tail-safe!
Hi all, Just this weekend, I discovered that my pup Bijou (now 6 months old) has grown quit a bit! So much so, that I have to safe-tail my house! For example: no objects on top of the cocktail table, end tables in the family room ect. What did you guys have to do to protect your belongings against your dogs tail? Greetings, Hildy
Re: Housebreaking Help
We've had Eli for nearly 2 weeks and are still having trouble with housebreaking. He has good days and bad days. On a bad day (like today), he' ll go outside, doo his business, come in (on his own) and go to the bathroom in the house only minutes later... help! What? No one's told you about the Two Tee tee rule? :-) From Pioneer's puppy packet: Initially after any period of sleep, your pup will probably urinate twice with a short interval inbetween squats. Confine your pup or stay outside observing until you've seen him go the second time. It might take 5-10 minutes in-between squats. Ruth Reynolds Pioneer Bernese www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/rar [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: training
In a message dated 3/31/2003 12:37:33 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: which training method did you all go with? Which one really, really worked? Which methods do you use most often, when you get right down to it? What type of training do your dogs best respond to? A) Clicker B) Jack Volhard, Canine Good Citizen Book C) Ian Dunbar D) Other - what? E) Combinations A and C are my top votes. Bottom line: Find positive, fun, happy training that uses whatever motivates your dog I like to teach dogs by gently helping/showing the dog how to do something right -- then rewarding that.NOT by encouraging the dog to do something wrong -- then punishing him. In my opinion that is not fair to the dog (like those icky old fashioned choke chain jerk and puke methods employed by Koehler/Monks of New Skete/Uncle Maddy.) I clicker is a tool, not a method, it helps you communicate. That's teh key, communication, consistancy and patience. I like to use a combination of food, toys and belly rubs myself. And I use a clicker liberally in the teaching phases! Check out the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (www.apdt.com) for good training suggestions. 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 now Brew/Bruin
Re: training
In order to decide what training methods to use, I think one has to consider the desired outcome(s) as well as one's own personal sense of ethics. Further, it is important to understand that a puppy is not simply a small dog but a baby. My desired outcomes are a superb performance dog, skilled in multiple events, and a wonderful relationship with my dog. My personal sense of ethics says it is wrong to be mean to dogs, and there are plenty of training methods that are quite mean! So I train very much like Vilma -- clicker and kind methods to shape desired behaviors. I do not punish puppies -- ever. Instead, I train the puppy to behave in ways that I want. For example, I reward a nice sit in front of me rather than correct a puppy for jumping up. In addition, I shape the environment to avoid problems. For example, instead of having endless battles about the garbage, it is under the sink. Finally, I make sure my perceptions are realistic and gentle. This means when the puppy runs off with a shoe, I have a so what attitude and just trade the puppy something for my shoe. It also means that I understand that most of annoying puppy behavior is developmental and therefore temporary. My experience suggest to me that anxious owners who expect a perfect puppy make themselves and their puppy crazy! Better to just relax, take lots of pictures, and be kind to that sweet puppy :) Mary-Ann Bowman U-CD Emma, CDX, DD (retired) Abra, VCD1 (NA, NAJ, CD, TD), CDX, DD, OA, CGC Maize, VCD1, OA, DD, CGC Halo, five months old and in training
Re: To make your house BMD tail-safe!
In a message dated 3/31/2003 1:07:05 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: What did you guys have to do to protect your belongings against your dogs tail? ...pack them away in the basement. -Sherri V. g
Re: training
In a message dated 3/31/2003 1:50:22 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: It also means that I understand that most of annoying puppy behavior is developmental and therefore temporary. My experience suggest to me that anxious owners who expect a perfect puppy make themselves and their puppy crazy! Better to just relax, take lots of pictures, and be kind to that sweet puppy :) MaryAnn is a far more experienced and successful trainer than I...but I want to add a bit of my perspective here. It's indeed easy to get ones self tied up in knots trying to have a perfectly behaved puppy. Ain't going to happen and you'll make yourself (and your puppy) crazy by trying. But it's also easy to find yourself with an out of control, obnoxious, monster 6 months down the road if you accept, or fall into the trap of unconsciously reinforcing undesireable behavior. In my experience, Bernese are GREAT people trainers! They have an uncanny ability to get what they want, even if it means using bad behavior to get it. Also from my experience, what they value most is your attention...and THAT'S just what they usually get when they misbehave (by our human definition). Viola! The 10 week old puppy has figured out how to push your buttons so she gets the attention she wants before you have any idea what's happening. So when a puppy is jumping my face, the most effective response I've found is to totally withdraw my attentionand then give it when the pup is sitting quietly. I don't care if I have to stare at the ceiling...that jumping bean is getting NO eye contact and NO verbal input from me, I'm a tree or I'm outta there depending on the circumstanceuntil the pup behves the way I want her to behave. Think of it this way...baby puppies instinctively use on us the communication tools they come pre-programmed with to communicate with other dogs. Unfortunately, those same behaviors are inappropriate and potentially harmful to humans. So, it's our job to help them understand what behaviors of theirs will get them what that they seek from us. Very often, what they really want is nothing more than our attention. Giving it and taking it away, minute by minute, is one of the most powerful tools I've found in working with Berners from 8 weeks through adolescence. ~ Sherri Venditti
Berner tails -- deadly weapons
How to keep your fragile belongings safe from Berner tails? Buy a glass fronted curio cabinet and put the material things in it. Or get a Pembroke Welsh Corgi -- they are short and have no tails. :-) 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 --Corgi extraordinaire~! Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and now Brew/Bruin
Specialty rommate
Hi fellow Berner lovers- I'm looking for a place to stay for the Specialty!!! If anyone knows of someone unable to attend please let me know. I'd be happy to take their place!! I am looking for space for one human and Berner girl Tempi. She is 2 ½ and spayed. Thanks! Lisa
auction
I wanted to take a minute and update every one on the auction Saturday, things have been a bit busy around here!! The flyer that we received showed 5 BMD to be auctioned. When Courtney got there, there were 12. You can imagine how our hearts sank at the possibility of leaving a group behind. As it turns out, we were able to bring 11 of the 12 home to safety and a promise of a better life. Many of these puppies are sick and will require a lot of medical attention, so as usual, we are in need of any help offered. BARC came home with 9 girls and 2 boys. One of the girls is a 2 year old and is from the same person that sold two older dogs at the last auction we went to. Maybe this is a sign he is getting out! That would be one more down! The others are mostly babies. Anyway, a huge thank you to Courtney for braving the auction by herself, to the Elliott's for driving 14 hours round trip to help us with fostering and vet care on the pups, and to all the other BARC members and supporters for all the positive thoughts that help us through every one of these awful events. If you have any questions about BARC, the auctions or the pups, please feel free to contact me any time. Amy R. Kessler LionHeart Bernese BARC, Inc. 118 Lakeland Drive Mars, PA 16046 www.barcinc.com (913)837-3129
Re: At what age...?
Maria, My, just turned 1 year old, berner boy still does not lift his leg. He's pretty much only around female dogs so I'm begining to wonder if he ever will, which is fine by me. Also my friends male black lab is 3 and still squats! Kelli Oscar Livonia, MI
Re: Berner tails -- deadly weapons
sheesh, no kidding. You may be safe hanging pictures high up on the walls. I remember a few years back we had a thread about how high up doors you could find toenail marks. I have a new one on the back door, 64 1/2 inchs from the floor. jane the boys of iowa - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 31, 2003 2:50 PM Subject: Berner tails -- deadly weapons How to keep your fragile belongings safe from Berner tails? Buy a glass fronted curio cabinet and put the material things in it. Or get a Pembroke Welsh Corgi -- they are short and have no tails. :-) 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 --Corgi extraordinaire~! Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and now Brew/Bruin
Re: To make your house BMD tail-safe!
What did you guys have to do to protect your belongings against your dogs tail? I buy very, very cheap wine glasses.they are always the first to go. Janice Parky North Truro, MA
RE: BERNER-L digest 4347 - it's all in Plain Text!!
TA DA!!! An entire digest with NO HTML!!! Thank you all so much, I'm just tickled pink!! Pat Long ( Luther) Berwyn PA
Re: To make your house BMD tail-safe!
Hi, we do not have any low table in front of the sofa - then it is easier for Vincent to jump into the sofa. We only have dinnertables or tables in the same sizes for work, writing et cetera. But we also have a berner who likes the dinnertable in the kitchen as a bed in the summertime. It was his own choice to lay on the table when we was away from home last summer. This habit maked me taking away flowers and other things from this special table when we left home for some hours. More because my bernerboy could be hurt from broken glasses - his safety is number one, the belongings can always be put away in a cupboard. My first bernerboy Chaplin was very found of books, he took his paws and picked out books from the bookcases. We arranged the furniture so he couldn´t reach the books - we have very many bookcases so I remember it was a bit of a problem. Chaplin lived 1979 - 1989 and now when I see some of the books with marks from his teeth I remember Chaplin with warmth and love, these books has a higher value! Lots of hugs from Margareta and Vincent
Re: At what age?
Sherri wrote: While agree wholeheartedly about puppies not having to 'hold it' for long periods of time, I have to disagree with Kay when it comes to adults. While they don't routinely have to, my adults can easily go 9 hours without distress. Matter of fact, my 11 year old girl routinely goes longer than that during the summer when she doesn't want to leave the A.Cregardless of the fact that I'm here to let her out any time she wants. Even in good weather, the only time she'll relieve herself in between her AM and PM 'constitutional' (12 hours apart) is during active exercise. Sherri, there is a BIG difference though. A dog CHOOSING not to go out to relieve him/herself is in a very different position from a dog not being ABLE to go out even though he desperately might have to. Adult or not. As strange as it sounds, Harvey drives me bonkers with his non-peeing. This dog will go happily from 5 p.m to whenever I take him the next morning. This could be lunch time! The door to the garden is wide open and all he has to do is to stroll out, but he CHOOSES not to. Mostly. Even if I entice him to go out or go out there myself with him. But at least he COULD if he needed to. On the other hand, there is NO WAY Rupert could restrain himself for that length of time ( or maybe he could, but I think he would be really uncomfortable and dying to go out.) Michaela Devon/UK
Re: BERNER-L digest 4347
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A Confession!
Re: digging to China--HELP! the other thing you can do is to watch her like a hawk whilst she is visiting somebody and warn the hosts that she is very partial to digging. My first Berner Girl, Tinka, was a Digger! Let her out unguarded in the garden for two minutes, earth would fly, and she would be three foot down in a new hole and shrub toppled! She loved to nest in the cool! We went to BIG PARTY! Friend, Chris's, Grandmother was 100! In a Nursing Home but they pulled out the stops to make a big occasion. Tinks posed so beautifully for the pics with Gran reading the telegram from the Queen, think might even have made local TV! Lots of champagne flowing, my beautiful lady did the rounds, so soft and gentle with the old folk, so good! Matron let her out of the French Windows into the garden as she thought she might want a pee! I was distracted by journalist wanting details, when I went to look, Tinks was gone! Lawn empty, no shrubs toppled! Found her in newly dug hole five foot down behind the potting shed!! Well, I found a spade and filled the hole in! No-one noticed we had gone! Big Confession here! Haven't told anyone else about this! All love, Jean, Sunny, Simmy, Barney and the Gang X http://www.angelfire.com/anime3/longlease/index.htm
Re: Breeding
Have been on vacation, just getting caught up. Had to chime in on the breeding topic - pros/cons of linebreeding, inbreeding, outcrossing. There have already been some excellent responses on this topic. I just want to add - there is no safe formula for breeding! The more you know about the dogs whose names show up in the pedigree - as well as the aunts, uncles, siblings, half-siblings whose names do NOT show up in the pedigree - the better chance you have a making a good decision. But still it's no guarantee! The other side of the knowledge coin is you can end up knowing so much that you end up too scared to breed! Breeding is not for the faint of heart. A good breeder will learn from mistakes. A good breeder will look under the rocks for the bad news, instead of following the ignorance is bliss route. Sometimes a good breeder takes a chance with less pedigree info than she would normally prefer - she will be upfront with her puppy buyers and not deceive them that no news is good news and will track the strengths and weaknesses of the resulting litter to help fill in some of the information gaps. Strengths and weaknesses include health, but also temperament and appearance. Good breeders, being only human, sometimes make mistakes - it is how they handle mistakes that sets them apart from those who just breed these dogs for money. Good breeders do take risks - because any breeding is inherently risky. Good breeders can identify the risks they are taking - of course, there are often hidden risks they are as yet unaware of. Often, outcrossing is recommended as the safest approach for a beginning breeder. I disagree. That is twice as many dogs that you have to research!! The best bet for a beginning breeder is to be mentored by an experienced breeder who knows the bitch's pedigree well and can suggest possible studs. Outcrossing over and over, with no plan, is basically random breeding and this practice ruins breeds. Not so much due to the outcrossing itself, but due to the non-selective approach that generally accompanies it. Many novices think outcrossing is safe so they just do it. The ONLY selection pressure applied was that the dam and sire were not related - never mind that both have soft toplines, the sire has a terrible front and the dam has a weak rear, and health history - well, they're both alive and kicking at 18 months, what more could you ask? The best breeders are selective. Whether they inbreed, linebreed, or outcross, they are selecting. If they claim to emphasize temperament and a nice typey bitch is a psycho as they come, she is spayed without having a litter. (Another breeder might not place temperament as a top priority, so this bitch might fit into their breeding program.) Maybe their bitch herself has a great temperament, but it is known that her sire's side has more than its share of nutcases - well, forget linebreeding on the sire's side, if temperament is top priority. Maybe it's not - maybe her sire's side has outstanding longevity and that is what a different breeder places as top priority. It has been shown, that the more traits a breeder is trying to select for, the less successful overall she will be in reaching the goal. It's really hard to have it all - so, prioritizing is a necessity. Priorities can shift as a breeding program progresses - but constantly shifting priorities just to make your current dog breedable is a shaky approach. Inbreeding, linebreeding, outcrossing - these are all methods to carry out the selection process... But without knowledge and selection, the method chosen is almost meaningless (and probably based on convenience as well - if the closest/cheapest stud available is an outcross, use him - if he happens to be dad to the dam, use him - no matter what, this type of approach is basically RANDOM breeding). Sharon Montville - Firstrax Bernese - Colorado Breeders are always learning. You start out not knowing much and if you are lucky, you know you don't know much. Over the years, you collect the good news and the bad news... then you know a little more. You never know it all - but you never let the fact that you will never know it all, keep you from trying! The benefit of being a member of the national and/or regional clubs, is you get to learn from others' experiences as well. __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Platinum - Watch CBS' NCAA March Madness, live on your desktop! http://platinum.yahoo.com
Re: At what age?
Sisco was close to two before he consistently lifted his leg. But it's funniest in the a.m. when he first goes out to dump the night's load. This happens in two stages. Stage one is the strategic leg lift which results in first relief. This is followed by stage two which reverts to the squat because he then lets go for about 2 or 3 minutes and it's difficult to do the balancing act for that long. You can almost see him sighing with relief. On walks, he's so eager to cover every bush, tree, and blade of grass that he rushes along in such a hurry that he ends up hopping along on three legs, peeing all the way. And now that he's 3 he's finally developed the studly scratch, scuffle and stomp after he does a particularly satisfying irrigation. Dirt, leaves, and pebbles go flying 3 or 4 feet out the back and you'd better get out of the way if you don't want to get bombarded ;- Fran Sisco (Well, mom, this p-mail is serious stuff; you shouldn't be laughing) -- Fran Jones [EMAIL PROTECTED] SportSound Music:http://www.geocities.com/franinvancouver
re: breeding
Sharon Montville made some interesting statements in her post in this thread. I picked out this one of particular interest to me It has been shown, that the more traits a breeder is trying to select for, the less successful overall she will be in reaching the goal. It's really hard to have it all - so, prioritizing is a necessity. Priorities can shift as a breeding program progresses - but constantly shifting priorities just to make your current dog breedable is a shaky approach. ***It was that goal word that caught my eye. Here's my spin on Sharon's comment. ***For every trait I put on my must have in the parents list, the less likely I am to achieve these goals in any single litter: 1) a litter in which all members possess one specific trait 2) a litter in which any member possesses all the traits. I shoot for whole litters with several traits; therefore I like a short must have list. That priority word also got my attention. For me, the priority it, what are the minimal traits it takes to have a dog who looks like a Berner, acts like a Berner and lives beyond the average age of death (7 years) in good health. The traits to achieve those things are the ones on my must have in the parents list. Thanks for sharing your perspective, Sharon. Ruth Reynolds Pioneer Bernese www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/rar [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Westchester County NY Spring Berner Walk
The first annual Westchester County Spring Berner Walk will be held at the Rockwood Hall section of the Rockefeller State Park Preserve in North Tarrytown, NY on Saturday June 14th at 11am. Please join us at this beautiful site overlooking the Hudson River for fun, sun, flora, fauna and Berners less than an hour from NYC. Bring picnic lunches and a leash because park regulations require that dogs be leashed. For more information contact Betsy Rich at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Looking for Dog Walker at the National
We have a group going to see some of the So Calif sights early in the week and were wondering if there are any responsible teens or anyone else that would like to pick up some extra change by dog walking for us Dawn Gabig, Classique Berners, Kansas City USA Our Website: http://ClassiqueBMD.homestead.com FREE Graphics: http://ClassiqueBMDs.homestead.com/graphics.html Heartland Club Website: http://www.hbmdc.org/
Re: Berner tails -- deadly weapons
My dear Jane, Daisy has you beat -- 70 (Daisy is 75 pounds and 24 at the shoulder but a legend in her own mind. She has steel springs in her back legs. trust me. Maria Catoctin Mountains, Maryland Home of Daisy and Buddy - Original Message - From: jane heggen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 31, 2003 4:07 PM Subject: Re: Berner tails -- deadly weapons sheesh, no kidding. You may be safe hanging pictures high up on the walls. I remember a few years back we had a thread about how high up doors you could find toenail marks. I have a new one on the back door, 64 1/2 inchs from the floor. jane the boys of iowa - Original Message - From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, March 31, 2003 2:50 PM Subject: Berner tails -- deadly weapons How to keep your fragile belongings safe from Berner tails? Buy a glass fronted curio cabinet and put the material things in it. Or get a Pembroke Welsh Corgi -- they are short and have no tails. :-) 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 --Corgi extraordinaire~! Thirdtym's A Charm, CGC and now Brew/Bruin
Re:accidents and pre heat behavior
is there any relationship between the tendency to have urine accidents in the house by a female in whom a male is actively interested and bothersome. My intact girls have never had pre heat accidents but they will pee more frequently outside in a marking behavior. A bladder infection may be the cause of your girl's accidents along with your males interested behavior as often there is blood present in the urine. Take a clean (meaning capture some in a very clean container) urine sample to the vets and have then check it. You can also try using some cranberry capsules or juice if she will drink some - that often will stop a mild bladder infection in its tracks. Good luck Bernerly, Angela Wagenblast Wagenblast Kennels Caledonia, Ont.
Creatin Levels
In the beginning of March, I took my two year old female berner Kina to the vet for pre-surgery blood work. The blood work revealed that she had the lymes disease antibodies and a high creatin (sp?) level. I treated her for the lymes disease and will have her retested soon. When she returned on March 27th to be spayed, the vet advised me that the creatin level increased again. I was told this has to do with her kidneys. She has never had any problems holding her urine. The vet has recommended Science Diet K/D and special biscuits. I've been told this means no special treats such as Frosty Paws and peanut butter flavored dog biscuits. The vet also assured me this has nothing to do with cancer. Has anyone ever experienced this or can explain this to me? Any information would be appreciated.
Berner Tails
What did you guys have to do to protect your belongings against your dogs tail? You pick it up or hold it down as the dog walks by - with cups and glasses you are advised to put your hand overtop of the opening to avoid from drinking MORE Berner hair. If I were a cat I would need hairball medication! BEWARE of sticky foods - they are overly fond of catching Berner hair! And remember the famous Berner bump - just when you thought you had saved your tea! Bernerly, Angela Wagenblast
Re: Berner Tails
And remember the famous Berner bump - just when you thought you had saved your tea! Ah, yes. Now you bring up the subject of how to appropriately dress for Berner ownership. I no longer wear light colored pants-the Berner Bump coffee stains are too obvious. As are the drool and eye goobers rubbed on the inseams. BUT! Those white hairs are so obvious on the black pants. How can a dog who is 95% black fur shed so much white??? I think the woman who invented Blue Jeans is a Goddess! Janice Parky Cape Cod, MA
attacks on livestock
Does anyone have experience with Berners attacking livestock? We've had trouble with a beautiful, obedient, sweet, loving one attacking pet llamas and sheep. Have any of you heard of this? We have yet to find a completely failsafe way of keeping him from getting loose on occasion. This is a really rare but really awful thing for him to do. He's absolutely wonderful with little children, people of all ages, and cats. Any suggestions for how to put an end to this bad behavior and still get to keep our magnificent dog? We'd appreciate any comments and advice. Thanks. Brooke
GRACIE IS FOUND!!!
Thanks to all who responded to the previous post about Gracie missing. About 5pm I received a rather hysterical call from Sandy telling me that Gracie had been located, and she was now safely at home.altho smelling quite nicely of Horse poop. Details are sketchy at this time, but from what I could get from Sandy, she had been DUMPED at a horse farm about 10 miles east of Post Falls, ID more toward the Coeur d'Alene ID area. She had been there since Thursday.the people were debating on whether to keep her or not..she was not distructive, but being a puppy, was in the way around the horses. The people had called the Post Falls Humane Society, and dispite the fact that ALL personnel had been advised of Gracie's disappearance, posters up in the office, Sandy going there twice a day to ask, they DENIED that there was a report of a lost dog matching Gracies description. The Horse People then took her to a veterinary office in Post Falls today, to begin to see if any of the Dr's might know who she was.wa-la! It was Gracies own vet Can you believe it??? Posters were up in the vets office, and the staff was frantically trying to call Sandy, the people were on their cell phone trying to call Sandy's other number, and indeed, Sandy got all the msgs. She was out driving the neighborhood, putting up more posters when she got the call. She even ran a red light trying to get to the Vet's office!! :-) Everyone was incredibly happy, Sandy is hysterical, and Gracie is back home. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, and crossposts to other lists. For those who crossposted, please tell everyone she has been found. Sincerely Judy Arneson-Johnson (for) Sandy Forde, Gracie, Ivan and Selby. Post Falls, ID
10 month pup ?
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Re: attacks on livestock
Brooke, It is not bad behavior as you put it, it is simple prey drive. While this may be undesirable, it is totally natural, normal behavior. If a dog has this drive it is extremely difficult if not impossible to break him of his habit. Your only realistic solution is to keep him away from his prey (the sheep/llamas.) Watch him carefully when he is outside and dont ever let him have access to the animals. Make sure his fenced yard is very secure, even if you ahve to put a second fence around the first, or padlock the gate or even an invisible fence (tho I dont really like them usually) inside his real fence if you are desperate. He sounds like a really great dog, it would be such a terrible tragedy if some farmer to decide he was going to shoot your dog for going after the livestock. Good luck! 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 now Brew/Bruin
Re: berner tails - deadly weapons
From: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 15:04:21 CST To: Bernese Mountain Dog Mailing List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: BERNER-L digest 4347 How to keep your fragile belongings safe from Berner tails? Buy a glass fronted curio cabinet and put the material things in it. Or get a Pembroke Welsh Corgi -- they are short and have no tails. :-) just because a breed is tailless doesn't mean your stuff is safe. our rottie takes out the whole table when she wags! lisa baldwin (dickens, bark zel) seattle, wa [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: GRACIE IS FOUND!!!
Judy, Thank Goodness Gracie WAS in the way! So glad to hear she is safely home! : ) It is amazing to hear why these guys get home. A couple who owned a male and spayed female BMDs from us came home to find both stolen. The female was found at the SPCA almost immediately, she had been turned in by a person who had found her running down the street wide eyed with fear. She had obviously escaped the thief. The male stayed missing over a week. They put a BIG reward in the paper, posters up etc. Got a call from a woman at a Chinese restaurant that her son had their dog. They rushed down and sure enough, there he was. The lady collected the money then said, My son wanted to keep him but I think he needs to go to the vet, She pointed to his tummy area. They turned him over and she pointed at his umbilical hernia. he had picked up fleas and had scrached it up and had a rash around the area. She said, He has tumor! They saw it and laughed with relief, that is his belly button hernia! She then offered, How much do you want for him? (Holding their reward money!) They declined, and left. So, he was saved by his tumor! You stay hoime now Gracie! Berner hugs, Mary Jeff Mary Chapdelaine SnoBear Berners N. California, USA http://snobear.freeyellow.com I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Bill Cosby
Military Pets
I saw this on the Fox News website and thought it might be of interest to some. Kathy Schmitz, Woodstock, Georgia Brighteye Meine Liebe Greta NAP, NJP, CGC Mattie Matterhorn Princess CD, NA, CGC Gunner (in loving memory and together again at the bridge) Foster Families Give Military Pets a Home Sunday, March 30, 2003 By Catherine Donaldson-Evans NEW YORK - Colorado resident Mark Delman has provided a foster home for Midnite, Blackie, Oreo and Gotee as a way of saying thank you to the troops. Delman, 65, took in the four cats for an Air Force couple deployed overseas because they needed a place to leave their animals when they went away. People's pets are very, very important to them, said Delman, a cat breeder. They should be able to come home to everything they left. Figuring out what to do with Spot or Fluffy is one of the many stressful decisions military personnel face when they're called to serve. During previous wars, pet owners deployed on short notice either had to quickly find someone to take their animals or leave them at shelters. Animal shelters have still reported overcrowding since deployments for Iraq began. But this war marks the first time that pet fostering programs, like the MilitaryPets Foster Project http://www.netpets.org/ and Operation Noble Foster http://www.operationnoblefoster.org/, have been available to soldiers. People heard of servicemembers' pain and anguish in giving up their animals and wanted to help prevent that from happening again, said Maj. Steven Osborn, chief of the Animal Medicine Division at the U.S. Army Veterinary Command. This provides a better option. The Army Veterinary Command, which handles vet medicine for the entire military, doesn't have a formal pet plan, but does advise servicemembers on their choices, Osborn said. The first and best option is to find a family member, good friend or neighbor to care for the beloved cat, dog, bird or fish of the house. But that doesn't work for everyone -- especially military personnel stationed far from home who are deployed with just 72 hours notice. The last resort is generally leaving the pet at a shelter, meaning it will either be adopted or euthanized. Anecdotally, shelters are saying they are getting many of these critters, but no one has hard numbers. My guess is thousands, said Lisa Burgess, a Pentagon reporter for Stars and Stripes, who wrote an article on military pets. But alternately, servicemembers can arrange for a foster family. If they have cats, they can search for a willing person in their area on Operation Noble Foster's database -- which is only for felines. The organization's director, Linda Pollack Mercer, said she generally has participants work out the details themselves, but offers advice when asked. The owners know best what the cat's personality is like, said Mercer, a cat breeder and the founder of FelineRescue.net http://www.felinerescue.net./. Most of them just prefer to contact the different names in their locale and check them out themselves. She advised owners to draw up a cat resume describing the animal's health history, temperament and favorite foods. She also suggests creating a contract to delineate the specifics of the arrangement, such as who is responsible for payment and what to do if the cat gets sick. If the military pets are dogs, birds, fish, horses, rodents or some other creature, then owners can find them a temporary home through the MilitaryPets Foster Project. Steve Albin, creator of the project, said he matches pets and homes up and requires participating parties to sign a foster agreement. This is a way of being patriotic, Albin said. This gives them full knowledge that they are going to be able to get their beloved pets back. To date, there are 20,000 willing foster homes in the Military Pets' database and 700 willing cat-only foster homes on Operation Noble Foster's list, according to Albin and Mercer. Of course, foster placement can be a delicate situation fraught with potential pitfalls. The animals might bite, fight with other pets in the house, be destructive or get injured or ill. I have to use all due diligence before I put two together and make sure everything works the way it's supposed to work, said Albin. So far, fortunately, we haven't had any issues whatsoever. Despite any problems that might arise, for many service members, foster programs are a lifesaver. I've gotten lots of thanks from the military, said Mercer. It's heartwarming.
Canadian National Specialty 2003 - Sieger Show Entries
Hello Everyone, Just a reminder that the deadline for Sieger Show entries is only 1 month away, entries close on 1st May 2003. For information about the Sieger Show and entry forms see: http://members.rogers.com/bmdspecialty2003/sieger_show.htm I would also like to clarify that dogs under 6 months of age are not eligible for entry in the Sieger due to a CKC regulation which states: No dog under the age of 6 months shall be allowed within the show precincts. Only dogs entered in one of the regular, non-regular or unofficial classes shall be allowed within the show precinct. The lower age limit for the Jungstenklasse(Youngest)Class was not mentioned in the planning book or on the website, so some people may not have been aware that there was an age restriction on entries. Although this show is outdoors, access to the show site will be controlled by the All-Breed Club. If you wish to bring a dog that is not going to be entered in any of the show events onto the show site, they will need to be entered in the Specialty Show as for-exhibition-only. Exhibition-only allows dogs that are not entered in any of the regular classes to officially attend the show. These dogs are assigned a number and listed in the catalogue like all the other dogs in the show. If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. ~~~ Robin Camken BMD Specialty 2003 Chair Ottawa, Ontario Canada __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - File online, calculators, forms, and more http://platinum.yahoo.com
re tail safe
I have a Golden that does the same thing. I have moved everything from the tops of low tables or have pushed them back against the wall. Levi has spilled many of pop glasses, kids cereal bowls or even knocked the cats off the coffee table. What you have to do is actually train yourself to remember not to put anything at that height that might get knocked over or broken. Your pup will never change how it expresses its happyness. My husband has just learned to be quick. Sincerly, Kristin _ Add photos to your e-mail with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail
Re: BERNER-L digest 4347
Re: re tail safe/lovely words
Your pup will never change how it expresses its happyness. Thank you for these wonderful words! You can later on change to: Your Berner will never change how it expresses its happiness. The Berners have these wonderful expressions undtil the very last day! Our lovely dogs, the biggest hugs to all of them! Vincent and Margareta Stockholm
re:coffee table tails
I have to laugh about all the tail wag stories. We don't have coffee tables but a cardboard box on its side (don't ask) and the stone fire surround. Tatty likes to steal wood from near the fire surround so things are safe on that - if she knocks them we know where she is in the wood stealing process. She had two glasses of beer all over her in two days from the box so no matter how fast she is going she avoids it. HOWEVER, she loves to nudge me when I have a full mug of hot chocolate especially if I am sitting on the sofa - so much so we have got to dye the sofa cover chocolate colour, but even worse... I work on a table with folding legs, Tatty likes to be near when I work, and one day she tried to walk between the legs, as she came out the other side, the legs bent, collapsed and table fell on top of my foot - computer, printer, files etc everywhere on the floor! I had to get everything out of the way to remove my foot whilst Tatty was jumping around with her 'what me?' look (head tilted sideways, eyes all pleading). She is now forbidden under tables - 'out of there' is now one of the most frequent commands. (by the way this worked in the hotel last week when she had her head in the toilet bowl) Emma and Tatty in France
Pacific Grove Parade
Anybody on the list going to participate in the Pacific Grove, California Good Old Days parade this year? (April 12-13) There is usually a contingent of Berners there and would like to get up with you. Of my 3, only one can be at the fair, as the other 2 are a little skiddish at such things. The one guy I will have there is OLD, so can't do the parade but would love to watch! Email me private. Lary
Re: Housebreaking Help
In a message dated 3/30/2003 8:51:32 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: We've had Eli for nearly 2 weeks and are still having trouble with housebreaking. He has good days and bad days. On a bad day (like today), he' ll go outside, doo his business, come in (on his own) and go to the bathroom in the house only minutes later... help! This is pretty much what I'd expect after 2 weeks...especially if your puppy has had the opportunity to relieve himself in the house at all. Housetraining is really a pretty complicated process for puppies. It takes time, repitition, and consistency for them to learn the various parts of the lesson. The following is part of a post I sent to the list previously so I apologize for the incorrect gender. Housetraining is a matter of helping your puppy to understand: 1) That outside is the place to relieve herself. 2) How to use her muscles to hold it until she gets outside. 3) How to let you know that she has to go outside. No simple matter for a 3 month old brain and body...so patience is an important part of the process. The other important part of the process is repetition. Every time a puppy relieves themself in the house, they're not learning to go outside. Regardless of your reaction, they pretty much learn that it's OK to go when ever and where ever the need arises. So, a core element of housetraining is to do everything you can to prevent 'accidents' from happening. Anticipate when your puppy will have to relieve herself and take her outside BEFORE she does it. When she does go outside, praise and perhaps give her a tidbit as a reward...both will help her to undersstand that going outside is a 'good thing'. Another part of the whole is watching her very closely for the subtle signals she sends to let you know she has to go outsiderespond to them immediately and when she relieves herself outside, reward the good behavior. I use a crate as a tool for helping the puppy and I communicate with each other about how the process goes. Most pups will instinctively not relieve themselves in the small area they sleep in. Consequently, when a pup wakes up in a crate and has to urinate, they'll typically get restless, bark, or yelp to let you know they want *out*. I immediately let the pup out, scooping her into my arms, and carry her outside to the potty area. When I put her down, she pees, I praise and reward...give her a minute or two, and then put her back into the crate. You can see that this is teaching all the key elements of housetraining by using the dog's own instincts to keep her area clean. She learns that if she barks, I'll respond and let her out. She learns to hold herself...even if only in my arms at first...until she gets outside. And, she learns that outside is THE place to relieve herself as she hasn't had the opportunity to do otherwise. The caveat to crate training is that you MUST be there (within earshot) to let her out when she has to go. You can't tell her to wait a few minutes because you're not ready to get up yet, you can't leave her home alone in a crate for long periods of time and expect her to keep her legs crossed. Putting a puppy in that position turns the crate into an instrument of cruelty rather than of learning. -- he seems to think that the door molding on our bathroom is one giant chew toy - a large chunk has been chomped off! There are two facets to this... The first is that puppies need to chew and must be provided with safe items to chew on. For babies that still have their their puppy teeth, I use Gumabones (the softer version of the Nylabone), the Booda Bone knotted rope, natural rubber toys, a Chewman fleece, and raw beef knuckle bones with the fat removed. NOTE: the Gumabones, rope toys, and for some dogs...the fleece toys, can ALL be hazardous once your Berner started to get his adult teeth in. Watch closely how these items are being impacted by the chewing and discard as soon as chuncks are being knawed off the Gumabone or the rope toy is looking a bit tattered or loose threads are starting to appear or the fleece toy is being gutted. This can happen in a few minutes so as your puppy gets a bit older I wouldn't leave him alone with them. Also remember to 'upsize' toys to prevent swallowing/choking as puppy gets bigger. The second component environmental. Destructive chewing can result from either stress or boredom. Keep in mind that dogs are inherently social animals and a young puppy would never be totally alone in the normal structure of a canine pack. When you leave a puppy alone (no people, no other dogs about) you can expect the pup to stress (unless he's tired and just wants to sleep). I handle this by slowly building their ability to be alone by starting small and working up. Small applies to both time and space. A dog will instinctively feel 'responsible' for a territory. If a dog has more
