Rescue News - Kentuckiana Bernese Mountain Dog Club

Rescue
News
Annie Pasch
ka
Below: the very full rescue shower table at the
picnic in Indy Left: the cute poster Annie
Paschka made for the shower!
Annie Paschka
Berner Rescue Shower
KBMDC Rehoming and Rescue Procedure
Berner Barks 18
The Kentuckiana Bernese Mountain Dog Club,
like its parent club, the BMDCA, is devoted to
preserving and protecting the purebred Bernese
Mountain Dog within the geographic region
that it serves.
The current KBMDC policy is to refer all rescue
dogs and requests through Stepping Stone German Shepherd Rescue, Inc.'s Apollo Bernese
Mountain Dog Rescue Division.
for
Apollo Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue
Sponsored by the
Kentuckiana Bernese Mountain Dog Club
By Patty Gartmann
Many thanks to Karen Bell and Annie Paschka for creating this flyer
and organizing the Berner rescue Shower!!! It was a huge success
and the KBMDC members were very generous in their donations!!
All donations were brought to the Indy picnic on May 18th. Annie
volunteered to bring all the donations to Marci and managed to
get all the goodies home from the picnic, though we still are not
sure how she did it!! On May 21st, Marci and a crew of Berners
met up with Annie at the Mt. Airy forest and loaded up Marci’s
van. Marci had with her King, a rescue Berner, along with Twister,
Genesis and Judge, 19 wk old pups from Secret’s litter. Patty G.
and Ava were also there for this little Berner fest as well as Annie’s
BMD, Gus, and Annie’s kids, Paige and Mason. Luckily Annie’s husband, Kevin dropped in so we had help loading the big boxes.
Annie reported that donations included the following: 80 dog
toys, 49 towels/blankets, 31 collars, 4 leashes, 4 boxes of garbage
bags, 20 rolls of paper towels, 7 boxes of dog treats, 2 bags of dog
food, 3 flea/heartworm treatments, and ink cartridges/cell phones
to recycle! The KBMDC also voted to give Marci a check for $500
to help with the Berners that she takes in!
Once again, thank you to all who donated!! Thank you to Marci
for all the wonderful work she does for the Apollo Bernese
Mountain Dog Rescue and the KBMDC!!
Apollo BMD Rescue Division Contact Information
Apollo Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue Division is a 501(c)3 organization.
Marci Smith
2101 Millersburg Road
Paris, KY 40361
Ph: (859)621-5229
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.steppingstonegermanshepherdrescue.com/apollo.html
Rescue news continued on page 19…
...Rescue news continued from page 18
L to R: Samson, Ross, and Jacob
Five Puppies
plus an Angel
By Karen Bell
Members of our Kentuckiana club have assisted Vilma Briggs of Thirdtyme Rescue in
the acquisition and fostering of five Berner
pups (7 weeks old at rescue) and one adult
female Berner (2 yrs old ) during the month
of June 2008. Here is a report on their
status:
Samson – First fostered by Stephanie
Meade and then by Karen Bell. He is now
living with his new parents in Toronto, Canada. Samson is a wonderfully resilient pup
and so bright! We are hoping he has lots
and lots of snow every winter in the great
white north.
Delila – Fostered by Stephanie Meade. Is
now starting a new life with a veterinarian
living just south-east of Chicago. Delila will
have plenty of opportunity to socialize when
she accompanies her new mom to work
each day!
A Happy Ending for King!
By Patty Gartmann
King was a puppy mill dog in Washington, IN. They were done
with him and turned him into the shelter. King’s days were numbered. The Humane Society made contact with Fara Bushnell and
told her about King. Fara coordinated with Patti Finley, and Patti
took the long drive to go and get King. He was sweet but filthy
beyond words and his collar had grown into his fur. Patti arranged
for King to be groomed, neutered and vet checked. Then King was
brought to Apollo Bernese Mountain Dog Rescue. He was in rescue with Marci Smith for four months while he received training
and socialization. From the first day, King had a good disposition,
but he had little experience with being petted or loved by a human. Thankfully, all that changed!!! By the end of his stay with
Marci he was playing with the other dogs and running around the
yard with a smile on his face. He would seek your attention by
coming up to you and smacking you on the butt or down the back
of your legs to ask you to play with him. He enjoyed affection and
attention, and he was well on his way to becoming the dog he
should have been for the last four years.
King moved to Chicago with the Connolly family and their 6 ½ year
old BMD, Molly. The Connollys have two young children, but with
King’s laid-back attitude this was not a problem for him. Not
much was a problem for King; he just didn’t know what living
really was!! The Connollys absolutely love King, and he and Molly
get along famously. Another successful rescue and a very happy
ending for King!!
Courtney Connolly and BMD Molly drove down from Chicago to
meet Marci in the Cincinnati area. Marci brought her three pups
along, Twister, Genesis, and Judge. Annie Paschka was also there
with her two children, Mason and Paige, and her BMD, Gus. Patty
Gartmann also joined this little Berner fest with her pup, Ava. It
was a pleasure to see the dogs running in the park and enjoying a
beautiful sunny day without a care in the world. King was happy
with tail wagging to meet everyone and Courtney was instantly in
love with her big boy, King!
Puppies continued on page 20...
Thirdtyme Rescue Contact Information
Vilma Briggs
King the day he went to his forever home in Chicago.
Berner Barks 19
4560 Township Road 59
Mount Gilead, OH 43338
Ph: (419)946-6527
Cell: (614)205-9429
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/OH437.html
...Puppies continued from page 19
Becca and Delila
First off I want to thank everyone who submitted articles, stories, brags, pictures, etc. for this newsletter. I really appreciate it and could not have finished this without everyone's help!
This was my first attempt at putting together a newsletter and
it took a lot of time and I learned a lot. Now that I “sort of”
know what I am doing I think the next one will be much easier!
I am open to any suggestions too, just tell me.
Jacob – Living with Carol Zeigler in Columbus,
Ohio until his new adoptive family can make the
trip from Upper NY to pick him up. Jacob is a
very soft boy and will be going to a professor who
has worked with and trained Swiss Mt Dogs of all
varieties for the past 25 yrs. We are thrilled for
Jacob and his new owner.
Rebecca – First fostered by Carol Zeigler and now
being fostered by Karen Schreyer. Becca is a
beautiful outgoing girl and is still looking for a
new home to call her own.
Ross – Fostered by Katie Sidesinger. He is an outgoing and busy boy. He will be going to live with
a friend of Katie’s in North Dakota very soon.
The new adoptive owner works with her dogs in
Obedience and Rally. Ross will have a sister Newfie.
Berner Barks 20
Angel – A two yr old Bernese Mt. Dog that was
owned by an Amish mass puppy breeder and had
a dislocated hip for so long that it healed and scar
tissue formed around it in an out of socket position. Surgical repair is being considered and cost
estimates range from $2,000.00 to $4,000.00. A
family has stepped forward to show interest in
adopting Angel (she is a very sweet girl) but her
best treatment options have not been determined yet.
Angel
Please, please, please continue to send me your pictures,
brags, and stories. Also send me any articles you find that
might be of interest to the club members. You can email submissions to [email protected] or mail them to me at
5201 E Little Turtle Trail Columbia City, IN 46725. Submission
deadlines can be found on page 34.
I hope everyone has as much fun
reading this as I had putting it together!!
All Berner graphics in the
newsletter are from:
Enjoy your summer!
Rachel Smith
Newsletter Editor and
Membership Chairman
Help Wanted
Board
Member
Regional Club
Council Rep
Wanted, two board members, with lots of enthusiasm
for the club and the breed.
Have to be able to participate
in quarterly board meetings,
usually conducted via the yahoo group. Need to be able
to vote on new member applications and other club
business via the yahoo group
in a timely manner. Attendance at gatherings would be
nice, but is not required.
Wanted one member to represent the KBMDC. The RCC
rep must be able to share
ideas and bring other ideas
back to the KBMDC from the
other regional clubs of the
BMDCA. RCC reps communicate via a yahoo group.
There is an annual RCC meeting at the BMDCA National
Specialty attendance is encouraged, but not required,
another club member could
sit in for you.
If your interested in any of these 3 positions, contact:
Patti Finley
[email protected]
502-964-4015
Summer Safety Tips - Heatstroke
This excerpt taken from AKC public 
education Summer Safety Tips – for
more information visit www.akc.org
Heatstroke can be the serious and
often fatal result of a dog's prolonged
exposure to excessive heat. Below
are the signs of heatstroke and the
actions you should take if your dog is
overcome.
Advanced Stages:
 White or blue gums.
 Lethargy, unwillingness to move.
 Uncontrollable urination or defe
cation.
 Labored, noisy breathing.
 Shock.
If your dog begins to exhibit signs of
heatstroke, you should immediately
try to cool the dog down:
 Apply rubbing alcohol to the
dog's paw pads.




Apply ice packs to the groin area.
Hose down with water.
Allow the dog to lick ice chips or
drink a small amount of water.
Offer Pedialyte to restore electrolytes.
Check your dog's temperature regularly during this process. Once the
dog's temperature has stabilized at
between 100 to 102 degrees, you can
stop the cool-down process.
If you cannot get the dog cooled
down and you begin to see signs of
advanced heatstroke, take the dog
to the veterinarian immediately.
More Summer Safety Tips on page 22...
Berner Barks 21
Early Stages:
 Heavy panting.
 Rapid breathing.
 Excessive drooling.
 Bright red gums and tongue.
Standing 4-square, posting or
spreading out in an attempt to
maintain balance.
Doggie
Ice
Cream
From the kitchen of
Katie Sidesinger
Like the frosty
paws in the grocery store, but
healthier and
cheaper!! Frosty
paw weather is
definitely moving
in!
Ingredients:
32 oz. plain organic yogurt
2 Tbls. Organic Peanut
Butter
2 Tbls. Honey
1/3 cup water
1 banana mashed up
Sometimes I top with a biscuit
or biscuit crumbs.
Mix in a blender and pour into
individual cups.
I use small containers from the
deli department with lids.
Stackable in the freezer.
(These tips provided by AKC public
education – for more info visit
www.akc.org)
Health Tips
We may know our canine companions
better than anyone else, but it is important to remember most of us are not
medical professionals. If you are uncertain how to treat your dog's medical
needs or if you have any questions, you
should contact your veterinarian immediately. It is important to keep the following information in mind with the
arrival of summer:
 Have your dog's vaccinations up
dated if necessary. Diseases such as
rabies, distemper and parvo are
ever present dangers and necessary
precautions should be taken.

General Summer Safety
Concerns
Hot weather can make anyone feel uncomfortable, and your dog is no exception. Here are some safety concerns for
responsible dog owners:
 Never leave your dog unattended in
direct sunlight or in a closed vehicle.
Heatstroke can occur and lead to
brain damage or death. Signs of
heatstroke are panting, drooling,
rapid pulse and fever. Immediately
immerse the dog in cool water and
seek emergency veterinary assistance.
Beware of insect bites. If your dog is
bitten or stung, remove the stinger  Never leave your dog unattended in
and watch the site for an allergic rea hot, parked car. When it's only 80
action. If a reaction occurs or there
degrees outside, the inside of a car
have been multiple wasp, bee or
can heat up to more than 120 demosquito bites, take the animal to
grees in just minutes. Leaving the
the vet.
windows partially rolled down will
not help. Your dog is susceptible to
 Talk with your veterinarian about
heat stroke and possible death in
flea and tick prevention medications.
these conditions.

Heartworm is a common problem
 Always make sure your dog has acfor dogs. Take your dog to a vet for a
cess to fresh water.
heartworm check every spring and
follow your vet's advice for heart All dogs should have proper identifiworm precautions.
cation at all times. The AKC suggests
a collar with an ID tag, along with a
 Most lawn and garden products
tat too or a microchip.
may be hazardous. Make sure that
plants and fertilizers within the
 Keep your dog on a leash when he is
dog's reach are not toxic.
outdoors to prevent accidents and in

Berner Barks 22
No matter how careful and responsible
you may be, accidents can happen.
Make sure your vet's phone number is
close at hand and available to all family
members.
The outdoors exposes dogs to the
elements. Dogs may need extra
brushing and bathing to stay clean
and healthy.
juries.
Try to avoid strenuous exercise with
your dog on extremely hot days and
refrain from physical activity when the
sun's heat is most intense.
Summer continued on page 23 ...
“Findlay”
Sandusky’s
Taste of
Cincinnati
“Jamila”
Jamila traveled all the
way from the Netherlands to join Mike and
Patty Dabbert’s crew in
Frankfort , OH on
May 12!
Findlay, from Sandy Ongemach in
Alabama, joined the Struebbe
family from Cincinnati, OH,
on May 3rd!
Right: Findlay picking on his older
brother Cooper.
Photos submitted by
Jolene Struebbe.
...Summer continued from page 22
Photos submitted by Patty Dabbert.
Beach Tips
Does Your Doggy Paddle?
Taking your dog to the beach can be a great way to spend
a beautiful summer day. However, as a responsible dog
owner there are certain precautions you should take:
 Provide plenty of fresh water and shade for your dog.
The majority of dogs can swim and they love it. But dogs
entering the water for the first time should be tested.
Here are some important tips for teaching your dog how
to swim:
 Never throw your dog into the water.

Dogs can get sunburn, especially short-haired dogs
and ones with pink skin and white hair. Limit your
 Start in shallow water, and call your dog's name. You
dog's exposure when the sun is unusually strong, and
can also try to coax him in with a treat or toy - but al
apply sunblock to his ears and nose 30 minutes before
ways keep your dog within reach.
going outside.
 Another way to introduce your dog to the water is
 Check with a lifeguard for daily water conditions with a dog that already swims and is friendly with your
dogs are easy targets for jellyfish and sea lice.
dog. Let your dog follow his friend.



If your dog is out of shape, don't encourage him to
run on the sand. Running on a beach is strenuous exercise, and a dog that is out of shape can easily pull a
tendon or ligament.
Cool ocean water is tempting to your dog. Do not al
low him to drink too much seawater. The salt in the
water will make him sick.
Not all beaches permit dogs. Check local ordinances before you begin your excursion to the beach.
If your dog begins to doggy-paddle with his front legs
only, lift his hind legs and help him float. He should
quickly catch on and will then keep his back end up.

Swimming is a great form of exercise, but don't let
your dog overdo it. He will be using new muscles and
may tire quickly.

Be careful of strong tides that are hazardous for even
the best swimmers.
Never leave your dog unattended! You should always
be in a position to help him get out of the water.
Berner Barks 23
Salt and other minerals found in the ocean can dam
age your dog's coat. So, when you are ready to leave
for the day, rinse him off with fresh water.

News from the Ocean State
Site of the 2008 Bernese Mountain Dog National Specialty
The club donated a huge basket/tub full of regional items
to the specialty raffle! Thanks
again to everyone who contributed to this tub, to Ann
Comfort for collecting everything, and to Jean Smith for
transporting it to Rhode Island.
The 2009 Specialty will be in
Portland, Oregon April 27 to
Specialty continued on page 25 ...
Submitted by Vilma Briggs
3rd place in Rally Excellent B with a 95.
CH Avatar’s Try Try Again “Ty” co-owned by Fara
Bushnell wins an Award of Merit. Handled by
Cathy Martin.
Dawn Gabig
CH October’s Believe in Magic “Sunny”
co-owned by Fara Bushnell wins 1st place in the 9
-11 years Veteran Dog Class. Handled by Cathy
Martin. Sunny also received 3rd place in the 9-11
years Veterans Sweepstakes Class and he also
participated in the Stud Dog Class.
Freemen Van’t Stokerybos “Freemen” co-owned
Fara Bushnell wins 1st place in the 12 - 18 months
dog class. Handled by Shery Alligood.
Submitted by Fara Bushnell
Submitted by Vilma Briggs
Berner Barks 24
The Kentuckiana BMD Club was
well represented inside and
outside the ring. Members
Vilma Briggs, Fara Bushnell,
Ann Comfort, Joan Holmes,
Gary Lamback & Daniel Sernicola, Jennifer Shupert, Jean
Smith, and Carol & Mark Stephenson were all in attendance.
Dawn Gabig
By Rachel Smith
In late April people
from all over the
world along with their
four legged friends
converged on the
grounds of The Crown
Plaza hotel in Warwick, RI for a week
long celebration of the
Bernese Mountain
Dog. The dogs were
CH Zanzebern Defender “Denzel” co- owned by Jennifer
able to participate in
Shupert
wins Best of Opposite Sex. Handled by Kim Groves.
many events; conformation, obedience,
rally, herding, drafting, agility, Right, Top to Bottom:
Vilma Briggs (right) and her girl Latte CH Brighteye
and others. Their people met
Whole Latte Love UD RE NA NAJ wins High in Trial
with friends, attended Berner
Obedience with a 196 in the Utility B class and
University, participated in wel- Latte’s sister Kiva (left) owned by Kris Osojnicki
come ceremonies and banwins High in Trial Agility. Latte also received a
quets, just to name a few.
2nd place in Rally Advanced B with a 100 and a
Vilma Briggs and Latte (2nd from left) with
their obedience team.
Submitted by Fara Bushnell
...Specialty continued from page 24
May 2. In 2010 the Specialty will be a little
closer to home in Wisconsin!
Below are other specialty participants that are
not pictured on the previous page.
Puppy 9 to 12 Months Dogs
“Linus” Ayehli’s Stepping on the Line owned
by Tina Brooks and Fara Bushnell
Bred by Dog
“Liam” Anastasia in the Limelight co-owned by
Jennifer Shupert
On May 1st
“Stella”
CH Villiarn’s
Stellaris Casino
co-owned by
Fara Bushnell
and
Ann Comfort
turned nine!!
Stella
Open Dog
“Bode” Villairns Going for Gold co-owned by
Ann Comfort
12-18 Month Bitches
“JinJur” Dornbusch’s Dare to Dream co-owned
by Gary Lambach & Daniel Sernicola
Best of Breed
“Logan” CH Adesa’s Incredible Magic Man coowned by Tina Brooks.
“Ruler” CH Ayehli’s Bold Ruler owned by Fara
Bushnell made the first cut
Charm
“Hank” CH Bernherrs If the Spirit Moves You
co-owned by Fara Bushnell made the first cut
“Nikko” CH Enchant’s No Rest for the Wicked
co-owned by Fara Bushnell made the first cut
Paxton
Obedience Novice B
Q-177: “Albie” CH Skylyn’s Jule Albireo owned
by Mark & Carol Stephenson
Agility
“Albie” CH Skylyn’s Jule Albireo Owned by
Mark & Carol Stephenson.
Yue
On March 28th
“Paxton”
Bernell’s
Hangin’ With
The Best
owned by
Jeanette
Bungard
turned seven!!
On March 19th “Yue” CH
October’s Adelston V Ayehli
co-owned by Fara Bushnell
turned seven!!
Berner Barks 25
Jamaica owned by Rachel Smith takes her
first trip to the ocean. Jamaica was also
shown in Veterans Sweepstakes 7-9 years.
On May 31st “Charm”
Thirdtym’s A Charm UD RE
NA NAJ NDD owned by Vilma
Briggs turned seven!!
By Patti Finley
A lump or a bump on a Berner requires immediate action.
I found one recently on a weekend on my 6 ½ yr old
Berner, Kenzie. I couldn’t wait until my regular vet
opened on Monday. I opted to take her to the emergency vet to begin the process of determining her fate.
While waiting for the vet I found an additional two
lumps. The vet took blood to run complete blood chemistry panels and performed a needle biopsy, aspirating all
three lumps for pathology diagnosis. She reminded me
In the past I had an Airedale with lymphoma. I discovered that while aspirating the three lumps is good the only
a walnut-sized lump in her throat at Christmas. While at real way to determine what these are and if they are cancerous is if they are removed surgically and then having
the time I was terrified, I would take this kind of lump if
there has to be a cancerous lump, any day. Lymphoma is them sent to a pathologist. Having been through this
treatable; it can be brought into remission easily, and the with another Berner, I told her I understood completely.
quality of life is usually excellent.
Then came the nail biting, pace the floor, can’t concenIt is the other lumps and bumps that scare the hell out of trate on a darn thing time. Every time I looked into my
me; the ones that raise their evil heads in other places on dog’s eyes I thought, “Please God, no—I couldn’t handle
the dog’s body. There are the little tag bumps, the wart it if you take her from me.” As she wiggle-waggled wantlike bumps, the soft squishy bumps, the lumps that move ing butt rubs I gave them to her without reserve. Even
though her two brothers didn’t understand why she was
but are hard, the lumps that don’t move that are soft;
getting all the attention—too bad; I needed to focus eveand the combo lump-bump.
rything I could on her. What kept running through my
mind like a bad movie was that her older sister Missy had
In my other dogs, unless the bump/lump has grown to
a lump removed from her back and 10 days later she was
huge proportions in a very fast time, I waited until my
gone. So I had good reason to be afraid.
next vet visit to show him the bump. The vet looked at
I’m not new to lumps and bumps; one can’t be if they
own a dog. However, if that dog happens to be my Bernese Mountain Dog a lump or a bump sends me into orbit, and fast. I constantly check my dog’s necks since
this is the area easily reached by petting them on the
head and massaging their ears. I check them over—a
head to toe feel whenever I can get them to sit still long
enough to do a really thorough exam.
them and declared them to be lipomas or sebaceous
cysts. He then gave me the option of having them removed immediately or waiting until they grow to a size
that becomes uncomfortable to the dog. I have done
both.
Berner Barks 26
SPINACH
SQUARES
The chemistry panel report and the pathology report
came back on the same day, the Wednesday afternoon
four days after I brought Kenzie in to be seen. The vet
explained that the chem. panel all showed normal which
From the kitchen of
Jean Smith
1 C flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 C olive oil
1 C skim milk
1 C grated low fat
cheddar cheese
10-oz. pkg frozen
chopped spinach,
thawed and drained
Lumps and Bumps continued on page 27 ...
Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 inch
square pan with nonstick vegetable
spray. Stir together the flour and baking
powder in a lg. bowl and set aside. In separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil and
milk. Add to the dry ingredients and stir until
smooth. Stir in the cheese and spinach.
Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for
35 min or until light golden brown. Cut into
squares. Cool completely before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
or wrap tightly and freeze for to 2 months.
(Thaw before serving)
Sally & Sparky Merk
From:
Union, KY
And their Berners
Buster and Connie
Bruce Thomas
From:
Lancaster, OH
And his Berner
Chewy
Lisa Rainey & Tina Brooks
Sisters from:
Louisville, KY
And their Berners Lillie,
Logan, and Linus
Gina Sappenfield
From:
Floyds Knobs, IN
And her Berner
Maverick
Joan Holmes
From:
Pepper Pike, OH
And her Berners
Sammie and Hans
Rick & Cindy Stevens
From:
Thorntown, IN
And their Berner
Duchess
...Lumps and Bumps continued from page 26
FOLLOW UP
was a good thing. She went on to say that the initial lump
that sent me in to the ER vet in the first place was determined to be a lipoma. OK, so far so good. She said that
the second lump I found while waiting in the waiting room
was also determined to be a lipoma. Starting to be able to
breathe…BUT…the lump I found while in the exam room
waiting for Kenzie to be seen by the vet, after all of the
initial intake…was determined to be a MAST CELL tumor.
Kenzie is doing wonderfully. She is on a post-surgical protocol steroids and histamine blockers. Mast cell is caused
when the body has an adverse reaction to histamine and
it essentially goes wacky. I was extremely lucky; I would
never have found the tumor that turned out to be the
mast cell on a regular once over. We were able to find it
at an early stage and grade.
bump or lump appears you can spot it. It may
turn out to be nothing, that’s what we all hope.
Berner Barks 27
At the same time I was going through all of this with
My heart sunk. Kenzie’s mom died of Mast Cell so that
Kenzie, other Club members, Carrie and Allen Smith were
was all I could think about…was my baby going to die?
experiencing similar problems with their boy, Montana.
When I called Fara, Kenzie’s breeder, she put me at ease. They found a small lump on Montana’s back. UnfortuKenzie’s mom had Mast Cell but it was in a location where nately, Montana’s blood work came back indicating addiit could not be excised cleanly. Fara told me to call our
tional problems besides the lump. Carrie and Allen took
regular vet and get Kenzie in quickly for surgery. FortuMontana to the vets at Ohio State where Montana was
nately, our vet was able to take Kenzie for surgery the
hospitalized for three days. He underwent tests, x-rays,
next afternoon. He got good clean margins. He took the ultrasounds, kidney scans, as well as surgery for the retwo lipomas off at the same time. Kenzie came out of sur- moval of his lump. It was determined that he had basal
gery like a trooper sporting a summer haircut.
cell carcinoma. Again, because of early diction, the surgeons were able to get clean, wide margins and Montana
The histology report came back as Stage I low Grade II.
is cancer free. YEAH!!
The report indicated that in dogs having the same mitotic
index (mast cells vs. normal cells) the average length of
So please, check your dogs. Make it a game.
life is 70 months or more that 6 years. I will take that…6 While you are giving cuddles and snuggles get to
more years with a 6 yr old Berner…wouldn’t that be fan- know every inch of their bodies so if a strange
tastic!!!
Mintaka (Buckeye N Paradise She Loves You)
May 6, 2006 - March 26, 2008
Berner Barks 28
By Patti Finley
On May 6, 2006, a beautiful
little girl entered the Berner world.
Right out of the whelping box she
was different, a bit of a “wild child”
as her mom and dad would take to calling her. She was a
star, a bright beautiful star that shone as brilliantly as the
leading star in the belt of the constellation Orion. Carol
and Mark Stephenson chose to call this gorgeous girl,
Mintaka, after the star in the constellation Orion. People
assumed the name was an Indian from the sound of it so
Carol often joked, “It is Sioux, and means sheds all the
time.”
Mintaka was a feisty puppy. She loved helping her
daddy set up the telescope for a night of viewing stars—
she wanted to see the star she was named after. She had
an enthusiasm for life not found in many Berners. However, even with all that wildness she loved to snuggle; she
loved to carry her toys around when she wanted to go
outside. If you lay down, this little ball of fire would cuddle up beside you and rest her head on her on your chest.
In November of 2007, when Mintaka was 18
months old, she needed to have OCD surgery on her
shoulder. As an aside, Carol and Mark mentioned to their
vet that Mintaka was not a peppy as usual and wasn’t
bolting for her food bowl. One would think that maybe
Mintaka was settling down but this was unusual. The presurgical blood work came back indicating abnormalities
and because she was a Berner, an ultrasound of her chest
and abdomen was done. Unfortunately, an enlarged
spleen and liver were discovered and a liver biopsy was
immediately performed. The results came back—
Malignant Histiocytosis.
Malignant Histiocytosis is the all time dreaded disease
of the Berner breed. Nearly 25%
of all Berners will die of Malignant Histiocytosis. It strikes fast
and there is really nothing that
can be done to treat it other than
palliative care. Prognosis is extremely poor; most dogs
diagnosed only live an additional month possibly six
weeks.
Mintaka was gravely ill at first. The doctors only gave
her about two weeks to live. But this was Mintaka we
were talking about! This little girl was not going to take
this disease lying down. She was a fighter from the word
go and she was going to continue to fight. She let her
mommy take off three weeks of work to spend 24/7 with
her to take her to the doctors, get her on a regimen, spoil
her with white cheddar crackers and vanilla ice cream.
She then continued to enjoy the additional half days with
mommy.
Mintaka was bound and determined to see Christmas,
New Years, and SNOW!!! Snow, glorious snow. She
played like a puppy in that cold frosty white stuff that
came down in inches in March.
Mintaka loved with every ounce of her being. She
fought like the Indian her mommy joked she was named.
She shone like the star she really was named after. She
lived more than four months with this disease. Yes, there
were bad days but she gave her mom and dad her fullest
and bestest so there were so many good days. She gave
them beautiful, wonderful memories to hold and to cherish. Until her little body could fight no more.
On March 26, 2008, Carol and Mark said goodbye to
their beautiful little star knowing they would no longer
see her here on earth but rather once again up in the
heavens.
Living Love
If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember....
The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your young new friend. You may have spent
weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked numerous opinions of many vets, or done long research in
finding a breeder. Or, perhaps in a fleeting moment, you may have just chosen that silly looking mutt in a
shelter--simply because something in its eyes reached your heart. But when you bring that chosen pet home,
and watch it explore, and claim its special place in your hall or front room--and when you feel it brush against
you for the first time--it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through the many years to come.
The second day will occur years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow
deliberate steps where you once saw energy. And you will see sleep when you once saw activity. So you will
begin to adjust your friend's diet--and you may add a pill or two to her food. And you may feel a growing fear
deep within yourself,
which bodes of a coming emptiness. And you will feel this uneasy feeling, on and off, until the third day finally
arrives.
And on this day--if your friend and God have not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own--on behalf of your lifelong friend, and with the guidance of your own deepest Spirit. But
whichever way your friend eventually leaves you—you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night.
If you are wise, you will let the tears flow as freely and as often as they must. And if you are typical, you will
find that not many in your circle of family or friends will be able to understand your grief, or comfort you.
But if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through the many joy-filled years, you may find that a
soul--a bit smaller in size than your own--seems to walk with you, at times, during the lonely days to come.
And at moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, you may feel something
brush against your leg-- very very lightly.
And looking down at the place where your dear, perhaps dearest, friend used to lay--you will remember those
three significant days. The memory will most likely be painful, and leave an ache in your heart--As time passes
the ache will come and go as if it has a life of its own. You will both reject it and embrace it, and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an
ache.
- Martin Scot Kosins-
Berner Barks 29
But there will be, I assure you, a fourth day when--along with the memory of your pet--and piercing through
the heaviness in your heart--there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and
strong as our relationship with each animal we have loved, and lost. This realization takes the form of a Living
Love--like the heavenly scent of a rose that remains after the petals have wilted, this Love will remain and
grow--and be there for us to remember. It is a love we have earned. It is the legacy our pets leave us when
they go. And it is a gift we may keep with us as long as we live. It is a Love which is ours alone. And until we
ourselves leave, perhaps to join our Beloved Pets--it is a Love we will always possess.
Dog shows
How long have you owned
Bernese Mountain Dogs?
18 months
What your areas of interest in BMDs (i.e. pet
owner, conformation, agility, rescue, obedience, drafting, therapy dog, etc. ..)?
Pet owner, conformation, and hopefully rescue and drafting.
How many non-BMDs do you own/co-own?
What breeds are they?
What current BMDs do
you own?
In the household there are 2, a Basset mix and
my dad has a Basset Hound.
My Maverick from the
Barking Bunch
“Maverick”
Birthday: 12/13/2006
Sex: Male Breeder: Ron Dino
Sire: Moole Monte from the
Barking Bunch
Dam: Bailey RLD
Please tell us more about yourself and your
family ...
Well pretty boring actually, I love
dogs and I have such a passion for
these great dogs. This is the love of
my life. My family loves dogs also.
What do you do for a living?
How long have you been a
member of the KBMDC?
Billing
April 15, 2008
What non-BMD hobbies do you
have?
Are you a member of the
BMDCA?
None!
No
Any other thoughts or feelings you would
like to share …
What would you
like to see improved in the
breed?
I want to try to educate people about BMDs
Health, longevity,
breed standard
and make them aware of puppy mills and
backyard breeders. I want to do what I can
to help improve this wonderful breed that I
dearly love.
What do you like
best about the
breed?
Their disposition-nature and beauty. They are
just wonderful dogs.
What direction would you like to see the
KBMDC develop?
Things seem to be going well. But continue to
get the word out about proper health and breeding. Make sure folks do their clearances.
How did you find out about the KBMDC?
Friend
Photos submitted by Gina Sappenfield
Member Profile: Gina Sappenfield
Berner Barks 30
How did you get into/find out
about Bernese?
Member Profile: Annie Paschka
How did you get into/find out about Bernese?
How did you find out about the KBMDC?
As a kid, my family and I would always watch the Westminster Dog
Show, and that is where I fell in
love with the breed.
Internet
What your areas of interest in BMDs
(pet owner, conformation, rescue, obedience, drafting, therapy dog, etc.)?
How long have you owned Bernese
Mountain Dogs?
Pet owner, rescue, therapy, obedience
What current BMDs do you own?
Paige
y Gus
eir budd
h
t
h
it
son w
a n d Ma
Woodward's Creek Touch of Sun “Gus”
Birthday: 5/24/07 Sex: Male
Breeder: Cindy DiLauro & Fara Bushnell
Sire: CH October's Believe in Magic (Sunny)
Dam: Woodward's Creek Whitney (Whitney)
How long have you been a member of the
KBMDC?
Feb. 2008
Are you a member of the BMDCA?
No
Photos submitted by Annie Paschka
12 yrs.
Have you put titles on any of your Berners? Or any that
you have bred (include title earners of all sorts, conformation, drafting, obedience, agility, tracking, cgc, therapy, etc.....)?
No. Gus and I just started out
I would like to get him involved in therapy work in
the future.
in Obedience.
What would you like to
see improved in the
breed?
1 Great Dane. Tess (female), (AvantWeaver's Tresor )
Please tell us more about yourself
and your family ...
My husband's name is Kevin. Our
human children include, Paige (5 yrs.
old this July), and Mason ( a little
over 2 yrs.) We both grew up in Cincinnati, where we still reside.
What do you do for a living?
Kevin is in sales with CAFCO, which is
an air filter company. I did work for 9 yrs. with Comair
Airlines, (Delta). I started as a flight attendant, and then
became an Inflight Training Instructor, teaching classes to
new and current flight attendants and pilots. This was the
best job in the world until the industry changed. I am
blessed that I currently have the opportunity to be a stayat-home mom for almost 2 yrs. now. This is the
truly the hardest, but most rewarding job
to date!
What non-BMD hobbies do you have?
Longevity and health
What do you like best
about the breed?
How many non-BMDs do you own/co
-own? What breeds are they?
Tess and
Gus
The breed has a wonderful temperament! Overall they get along with anyone or any animal.
I like the path they have been on..raising awareness and
educating the public about the breed. Helping with
health research from bloat to certain cancers.
Any other thoughts or feelings you would like
to share ...
I am happy I became a member of the KBMDC. It has
been so beneficial for these members to share their
knowledge and experience with us. I look forward to
meeting each and everyone of you!
Berner Barks 31
How would you like to see the KBMDC develop?
Kevin and I play a lot of soccer. It is not uncommon for us to play 3 times a week! Of
course are animals are a huge part of our life,
including a cat (thinks she is a Great Dane),
and various fish tanks. Hopefully in my future,
I will have time to get back into my love of art.
& Jean Smith
Member Profile: Terry
Berner Barks 32
How did you get into/find out about Bernese?
If you have one, what is your kennel
name?
When Terry and I first got
married we lived with a
couple that bred and
showed Great Danes. We
started going to shows and
saw the Berners - love at
first sight!
How long have you owned
Bernese Mountain Dogs?
25 years. We got our first Bernese, Baxter, for Christmas in
1983 from Debbie Mulvey of
Grunberg Bernese. He flew in
from Vermont on a very snowy
Christmas Eve.
Black ‘N Gold Bernese (Yes we are BIG
Purdue fans here!)
How long have you been a member of
the KBMDC?
Terry and I are founding members.
Do you breed Bernese Mountain
Dogs? If so, what are your most important breeding goals? How many
years have you been breeding Bernese
ow!
g the sn
in
y
jo
n
Mountain Dogs? How many litters
e
Yahtzee
have you whelped?
What current BMDs do you
own?
CH Glory’s Eclipse of the Knite
CGC “Lucas”
Birthday: 12/17/1996
Sex: Male
Breeder: Ann Comfort
Sire: CH Swiss Star’s Mid
Summers Knite
Dam: CH DeGrasso’s Glory V
Legacy
CH Black ‘N Gold’s Jamaican
Magic “Jamaica”
Birthday: 12/13/2000
Sex: Female
Breeder Jean & Terry Smith
Sire: CH October’s Believe in
Magic
Dam: CH Black ‘N Gold’s
First Glory
Jean and Ja
maica visit
the beach
2008 BMD
at the
CA Specia
lty.
We have bred 7 litters, the first in
1998 with the last litter being
2003. Temperament is at the top
of our breeding goals. Health and
longevity are right up there with
temperment, this is one of the reasons we have not had a litter since
2003. We had a very high rate of
histio in our first two litters so we
stopped using our lines. Many of
these puppies are in the histio study
at NC State University, so hopefully
they can help to find the gene marker
for histio. One of our other top goals is
to breed Berners that follow the breed
standard and have lots of breed type.
Have you put titles on any of your
Berners? Or any that you have bred
(include title earners of all sorts, conformation, drafting, obedience, agility,
tracking, cgc, therapy, etc.....)?
Berners we owned:
CH: Sadie, Morgan, Lucas, Megan,
Jamaica
CD: Baxter, Sadie, Morgan
Ayehli’s Five of a Kind
“Yahtzee”
Birthday: 06/27/2005
Sex: Female
Breeder: Fara Bushnell
Sire: CH Mtn Spirit Master
of Ceremonie
Dam: CH Saljo’s Tribute to
Atlas
Berners we bred:
CH: Logan, Alli, Kimi
CD: Devon
Agility: Halle (NA, NAJ, NJP, OA. OAJ),
BeBe (NAP, NJP)
ys after his 11th birth
Lucas a couple of da
day!
Smith continued on page 33...
...Smith continued from page 32
What would you like to see improved
in the breed?
I would like to see improvements in longevity and health and with that comes
honesty. Breeders and pet owners
shouldn’t be afraid to enter their dog’s
info in Berner-Garde whether it is good or
bad. I would also like to see more Berner
owners participate in studies that are
trying to find DNA markers ands cures
for many of the terrible diseases that
affect our breed.
Please tell us more about yourself and your
family ...
We have three kids, Rachel, 23 is finishing
up her college degree in accounting. We
have another daughter Stephanie, 20, she
is the cat person. She is a sophomore at
the University of Dayton. Mitch, 17, is
the youngest, and a senior in high school.
ter and
x
a
B
s
r
He plays soccer and Playstation, pretty
Berne
87.
st two
el in 19
h
c
a
Our fir
R
much his only interests! He says he’s
with
Sadie
going to Purdue when he graduates – That’s fine
with mom and dad!!!
What do you like best about the
breed?
Their beauty and temperament!
What direction would you like to
see the KBMDC develop?
I would like to see the club offer Terry
showi
ng M
more educational seminars.
champ egan, our
fi
ion th
There’s so much going on out
at we rst
bred.
there to learn about your dog including
health, nutrition and performance activities.
What your areas of interest in BMDs (i.e. pet owner,
conformation, agility, rescue, obedience, drafting, therapy dog, etc. ...)?
Terry and I have been involved in conformation since we
got our first Bernese, Baxter, 25 years ago. Terry showed
the dogs in both obedience and conformation and our
daughter Rachel kind of took over when she was in high
school. I would like to find the time to get into therapy
work with the dogs. Rachel keeps asking Terry to make a
cart so she can do some draft work. Someday when the
right girl comes along I would love to have another litter
of puppies!!
How many non-BMDs do you own/co-own?
What breeds are they?
No other dogs just 4 cats (Zippy, Twinkle, Starburst, and
Oops), a bunny (Mackey), a hamster (Crisco), and a very
noisy Black Headed Caique (parrot) named Bogie.
We are members of the Fort Wayne Obedience Training
Club and Terry is a member of the BMDCA.
Terry works in real estate with an electric
company. I am an RN working crazy hours!
What non-BMD hobbies do you have?
Terry loves photography and has put together
some pretty good videos for the kids sports
teams! He recently has gotten into bicycling
and built his own bike. He is also a volunteer
coach for the high school’s JV softball team.
I love to cook, garden, and sew.
Use GoodSearch
as your internet
search engine and
raise money for
Berners!
Type Berner Garde or Apollo Bernese Rescue in the “enter your charity here” box, verify, and start
searching.
GoodSearch is powered by Yahoo!
www.goodsearch.com
Berner Barks 33
Please list the dog clubs in which you are currently active.
What do you do for a living?
Upcoming IN, OH, KY & TN AKC Events
Dates
Place
June 26 & 27
Lebanon, OH
June 27, 28, & 29 Murfreesboro, TN
June 28, 29 & 30 Lima, OH
July 3 &4
Wauseon, OH
July 4, 5, & 6
Evansville, IN
July 11, 12 & 13 N Olmsted, OH
July 11, 12 &13 Madison, OH
July 11 & 12
Knoxville, TN
July 12 & 13
Knoxville, TN
July 11&12
Dayton, OH
July 12 & 13
Dayton, OH
July 18
Owensboro, KY
July 19 & 20
Owensboro, KY
July 19 & 20
Medina, OH
July 19 & 20
Murfreesboro, TN
July 25, 26 & 27 Marion, OH
July 26 & 27
Dayton, OH
July 28
Marion, OH
C = Conformation
O = Obedience
Events
C, O, R
A
C
C, O, R
O, R, A
A
C, O, R
R
O
R
O
C, O
C
C, O, R
O, R
C, O
A
C
R = Rally
Closes
June 11
June 4
June 11
June 18
June 18
June 27
June 25
June 25
June 25
June 25
June 15
July 2
July 2
July 2
June 25
July 9
July 8
July 9
A = Agility
Dates
Place
Events
**July 31
Canfield, OH
C, O, R
**Aug 1, 2 & 3 Canfield, OH
C, O, R
Aug 2 & 3
Murfreesboro, TN A
Aug 2 & 3
Sharonville, OH
A
Aug 8
N Olmsted, OH
A
Aug 9 & 10
Simpsonville, KY
O, R
Aug 10
Henrietta Twp, OH C, O, R
Aug 14, 15, 16 & 17 Muncie, IN
C
Aug 15
Sharonville, OH
R
Aug 16 &17
Sharonville, OH
O
Aug 15 , 16 & 17 Evansville, IN
A
Aug 15 , 16 & 17 Washingtonville, OH A
Aug 16 & 17
St Clairsville, OH
C, O, R
Aug 22
Chagrin Falls, OH
C
Aug 23 & 24
Chagrin Falls, OH
C, O, R
Aug 28, 29, 30 & 31 Lexington, KY
C, O, R
Sept 1
Lexington, KY
C
Aug 29, 30 & 31 Sylvania, OH
A
Aug 30, 31 & Sept 1 Corydon, IN
A
Closes
July 16
July 16
July 9
July 19
July 23
July 23
July 23
July 30
July 30
July 30
Aug 1
July 31
July 30
Aug 6
Aug 6
Aug 13
Aug 13
Aug 11
Aug 16
Area Regional Club Events, Specialties, and Draft Tests
BMD Club of Northeastern Illinois B/OB Match
Burr Ridge, IL
June 22, 2008
**Northcoast BMD Club of Ohio 2 day Specialty
Canfield, OH
Supported Entry
July 31 & August 1, 3008
Regional Specialty
August 2 & 3, 2008
2008 Berner Barks
Heart of Michigan BMD Club Draft Test
Chelsea, MI
October 18, 2008
Secretary: Gary Galunas [email protected]
Closes October 8, 2008 at 6pm
Northcoast BMD Club of Ohio Draft Test
Lagrange, OH
October 19, 2008
Secretary: Diane Waldman [email protected]
Close October 3, 2008 at 5 pm
Three Rivers BMD Draft Test
Vandergrift, PA
October 26, 2008
Secretary: Jane Leistner [email protected]
Closes October 10, 2008 at noon
Berner Barks 34
Mid Summer 2008 Issue (Short)
Submissions by: July 15
Publication: Aug. 1
Summer 2008 Issue
Submissions by: Sept. 8
Publication: Sept. 20
Fall 2008 Issue
Submissions by: Nov. 15
Publication: Nov. 30
BMD Club of Southeastern Wisconsin Draft Test
Nashotah, WI
September 27, 2008
Secretary: Cindy Falk
[email protected]
Closes September 10, 2008 at 6 pm
Chattahoochee Valley BMD Club Back to Back Draft Tests
Alpharetta, GA
November 1 & 2, 2008
Secretary: Tina Johnson [email protected]
Closes October 22, 2008 at noon