Bernese Mountain Dog Blog

Originating from the Swiss mountains of Europe, Berners have been and are still popular in those European countries where the weather is favorable for the thick coat of the breed. Bernese Mountain Dogs have become popular on the American continent too. There are breed clubs from Alaska through Canada to California. One place, which is definitely not for the Bernese mountain dog is the Middle East. Read this article to find out what dogs are popular in the Middle East.

A peaceful Bernese puppy

All our dogs have the ability to break our hearts. Whether you share your life with a BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG or a Labrador Retriever, the bond you form with your dog can be one of the closest and most powerful you will ever experience.

If you want proof of just how extraordinary the relationsip between man and his best friend can be then you really must read a stunning new book called One Dog At A Time. It has been written by a British Marine and dog lover called Pen Farthing and tells of his time serving in the violent Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

While dodging the bullets and mortars, Sergeant Farthing witnessed the cruel and barbaric Afghan tradition of dog fighting. Rather than standing by as many would have done, he risked his life by breaking up the fighting and freeing the dogs. One of them, a big, battle-scarred mastiff he christened Nowzad after the town he was stationed in, found his way into the Marine compound where he befriended his liberator. As Farthing’’s tour of duty continued, he and Nowzad became inseparable buddies. The tough British soldier and the powerful dog formed an odd couple in the middle of the war zone. They were soon joined by other dogs who were drawn to the sanctuary the Marine compound provided. At one point, one dog pushed her litter of newborn pups through the wall of the compound so that they could be safe from the Taliban bombs and general cruelty of the Afghans towards the dog.

By the end of his time in Afghanistan, Farthing had more than a dozen dogs and puppies living in his makeshift sanctuary. As he prepared to leave, he was faced with the heartbreaking prospect of leaving them all behind.

We won’t spoil the ending of this powerful book, but suffice it to say that two of the dogs he rescued are now living with Pen Farthing in England. He has also set up a fantastic charity to rescue other abused dogs in Afghanistan. His work is truly inspirational and is winning the admiration and support of dog lovers everywhere. Part of the proceeds from the book will go towards his charity.

If you only buy and read one dog book this year, make it One Dog At A Time.

In this time of living from paycheck-to-paycheck, with many people on the brink of foreclosure, what do people do when their pet has an emergency? Working as an emergency veterinarian for a number of years, I have seen a significant increase in people who simply cannot afford to pay for emergency care for their pets. At the very least, they find it extremely difficult to find ready money to put down for the kind of deposits that the typical veterinary emergency hospital requires in order to begin treatment. Lack of sufficient funds can leave an owner faced with euthanasia for a beloved companion. The goal of Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission (VEFM) is to help locate these funds.

VEFM helps in four important ways:

(1) finding resources for immediate, short-term emergency care;

(2) teaching participants ways to avoid emergencies with their pets in the future;

(3) counseling participants in money management, so they will have resources of their own if emergencies do arise; and

(4) once the current emergency is past, reaching out and help others in similar situations. In other words, they will not get a free hand-out. Instead, they will get a gift that requires making a commitment to others: “a gift that is given again.” (See http://www.heifer.org for information on this principle.)

Tell Us your Story

We want to hear your story. No pet should be denied emergency care because an owner has fallen on hard times. Let us hear from you, to help kick-start the birth of the Veterinary Emergency Funding Mission, or VEFM. Help us meet our target start-up date of January 1, 2009. To tell your story, go to: http://vefm.blogspot.com/2008/09/we-want-to-hear-your-story.html

It pains me to write this, but the Bernese is one of those big dog breeds that Shakespeare would not label as immortal. On average the lifespan of a Bernese Mountain Dog is 7 years; so this is an important factor when considering buying one as a beloved family pet. Although the coat and disposition shines through and through, the Bernese is cannot be labeled as a very healthy breed. Apart from having a high food bill, veterinary bills may also skyrocket, since this breed is susceptible to getting certain illnesses. Hip and elbow Dysplasia plagues this breed, while bloating, several types of cancer and kidney problems have also been known to develop. Progressive retinal atrophy – an eye disease that causes blindness- is becoming a problem as well with this huge and lovable dog. Due to its heavy coat, the Bernese may suffer in hot climates if you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors in summer make sure you have enough shade and loads of fresh water for your Bernese. Take care of your Bernese. He will love you all the more for it…

The Bernese Mountain Dog (also called Berner Sennenhund or Bouvier Bernois) is a versatile breed of farm dog originating from the canton of Berne in Switzerland. I have loved this breed for a long long time, and decided to dedicate this blog to the fans of the Bernese Mountain dog! Welcome dear Reader. I hope to post fun and infomative posts on a regular basis. Let us unite in our love for the Bernese Mountain Dog. Please leave a comment or two. I welcome all feedback! Enjoy!