Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - SadieA

Pages: 1 ... 7 8 [9]
121
Bernese Mountain Dog Discussions / Re: Welcome Sammy, my new puppy!
« on: September 08, 2007, 09:11:51 am »
Thank you all so much for all the advice! I am planning to try some  peanut butter or baby oil on the gum today, and will let you know if it works! In the meantime, Sammy had his first day of puppy school yesterday, and he had a great time. He's getting pretty reliable at "sit", but not so much at "come" and "down." I'll keep working on them with him, though, as I'd like him to make a bit of progress this week! I think he was the youngest puppy at puppy school, so he was definitely a little behind the curve (and then there's the whole issue of his owner struggling a bit in a puppy class conducted in French!) but he had fun playing with all the other puppies, until he got hot and had to crawl under some of the agility ramps into the shade. I made sure to give him lots of water, and wetted down his head a bit, but boy did he tire himself out. I could barely get him to do anything the rest of the day, and took advantage of his laziness to practice being brushed a bit.

As for the stairs, I'll keep carrying him for as long as I can, and fortunately, this walk-up apartment is temporary- we'll just be here for a year, and then back to the states. So then I'll be able to  find something a little more  navigable for a large dog! I think the neighborhood will be sad to see him leave- Sammy gets LOTS of attention out in the streets! Some people recognize him as a Bouvier Bernois, which is what he is (in French) but a lot of people think he is a St. Bernard. And  no one fails to comment on his large "pattes!" He is impressively good with all the attention, and seems to not be skittish around strangers at all, which I am very glad to see. I am excited for him to get bigger and stronger and better-behaved, then we can take him down to the Pyrenees mountains, which are very close, and do some very gentle  hiking with him!


122
Bernese Mountain Dog Discussions / Re: Welcome Sammy, my new puppy!
« on: September 06, 2007, 05:14:31 pm »
here are a few more pictures!

123
Bernese Mountain Dog Discussions / Re: Welcome Sammy, my new puppy!
« on: September 06, 2007, 04:29:41 pm »
Oh! one other thing. Somehow, Sammy stepped in a big wad of gum, and it is all smushed up in the fur between his pads on one of his back feet. I tried to carefully cut it out, but it's really in there good, stuck to some skin, and he was wriggley and I was afraid I'd nick him if I kept going after it. Doesn't seem to bother him a bit- any advice for getting it out, or should I just wait for it to work its way off?

124
Bernese Mountain Dog Discussions / Welcome Sammy, my new puppy!
« on: September 06, 2007, 04:24:43 pm »
I just brought home my new puppy last week, and I just love him! I've never had a Berner before- I grew up with a whole string of Goldens. But he is such a good boy, and already not peeing in his crate at night, which makes me happy even though I have to take him out several times a night. I do have a few concerns, though, although I think the answer to all of them may be "he's just a puppy, give it time!"

Firstly, he's not a good leash-walker. I don't try to take him for long walks or anything, but he hates to leave the house. I have to carry him down the street a ways, and even then, he often just sits down and won't budge, until we turn around and then he's happy to trot right back home. He whines and cries, and just refuses to walk. He really hates his collar, which I think might be a part of the problem. It's still new to him of course, but I got a harness and put it on him today to try out. I got two, actually, and one was a halti harness, which is what I wanted, but I could only find a medium (I live in France) at the store nearby, and, well, maybe we'll try that again next week or so when I'm sure he'll have gained another 20 pounds! ha. Anyway, should I worry about trying to make him a better walker, or just figure that it will come with time?

Also, he's quite a little biter when he gets riled up, and I've not had a lot of success getting him to stop. I would like to try spraying him with water, but am afraid that will make him scared of water, and therefore more difficult to bathe?

Lastly, we've got three flights of stairs into our house. At this point, he weights only (only??) 21 pounds or so, at eight weeks. But of course, soon I won't be able to carry him. He can handle going up one flight of stairs already and so I'm sure that will be no problem. Should I try to find a small staircase for him to practice going down, or is it too dangerous for his joints at this age?

Thanks!


Pages: 1 ... 7 8 [9]