Big Paws Only Dog Forums

Okay I'm having a really hard time deciding which food to go with for my berner puppy. I want something that's low on allergens and is a good quality kibble. My breeder's starting them on the Orijen Large Breed puppy, which isn't available in my area and I'm not sure about it's really high protien levels. I may be able to order it at a local feed store so I'm not totally counting it out. She has her adults on Orijen and she swears by it.  She used to give her puppies Innova Large Breed Puppy but it gave her dogs some problems after the formula change so she's reccommending against it.  The other options I've been considering are the Solid Gold Wolf Cub and Canidae All Life Stages (which is what Kali and Lacey are currently on). So if anyone can give some advice I'd appreciate it.  I'm willing to consider other foods too if I can find them.  I went through dogfoodanalysi s.com but their reviews weren't all that helpful when considering Large Breed puppy choices.

I know this has been discussed before but most of the foods have gone through formula changes so I figured I'd ask again.

Okay I'm going to be meeting with the bernese mountain dog breeder this weekend and want to know if anyone can think of a few more good questions to ask.  I figure this may also be helpful for other members in the future too.

Ones I have so far:
What are you looking for from this pairing?
What are the health clearances for both parents?
Any problems that are in your lines(HD, cancer, allergies etc)?
What are you doing to rectify them?
What is your contract like (specifics on gurantees and neutering)?
Do you temperment test?
What have you done for socialization or plan to do before the pups leave?
When do you let the pups leave?
Food/vaccine recommendation s?

So can anyone think of anything I'm forgetting?  I plan to talk to my vet to see if she can think of anything but figured you guys may think of stuff too.

Sorry we haven't been around much...we're making up for it by posting some pics though LOL! It's been rather hectic with it being my senior year at college and my Grandmother passing away last month. Kali has an ear infection currently and a perforated eardrum in her other ear so she's on ear meds in both.  She also was diagnosed with Lyme after some lameness issues so we had a long Doxy treatment but other than that she's her normal princess self. Lacey is still a spaz but doing fairly well otherwise.

Here are some of the pics from the annual torture for the Christmas cards




And a pathetic Kali Reindeer




Lacey the Diva






Some pics from our hunt for our Christmas tree at Hartika
My Mom, Kali and Dad


Mom, Kali, Me


The very cute Belgians I wanted to bring home with me!


And last but not least pics from the snow storm

if you guessed Kali you'd be correct.  I think the screen door may be beyond repair LOL.  We let her out after getting home late tonight and she decided to run back into the breezeway...pr oblem being the screen was still shut. My brother and dad yelled at her to stop but she kept going and slammed through the door in mid gallump. I heard the loud crack from the house and knew what had happened. She snapped the thing in half at two corners. She ran and hid behind mty brother and was sulking cause we were all dying laughing.  She's perfectly fine besides her pride being bruised LOL.  And here are the pics of our very sad screen door and the newfy demon that destroyed it.

The wreckage
 



Hmmm I don't think it's supposed to look this way


Honestly I just don't know how this happened!!


Really it wasn't me...blame Daddy for closing the door


Kali's having a rough day cause she deflated her soccer ball earlier and now she broke the screen door. Hope this gave you guys a good laugh too.

And it didn't go so well...LOL!

Well we took Fire to his first show undersaddle yesterday.  It was rainy and overcast most of the morning so I hoped not too many people would show.  Unfortunately a lot of people came.  I took him the the Green Horse WT class...when I signed up there was only 6 which raised to 10 by the time the class came around.  Well needless to say Fire got a bit overwhelmed by having that many horses in the ring with him.  He was going really good at first but then we got boxed in a bit by a group of horses which rattled him.  I tried to move away from them and he started to build up speed.  Half halts weren't really working and I went to circle when he took off at a canter across the ring to the gate....right after my aunt said to Kim (my cousin) to go sign him up for the next class LOL. I almost did a header into the fence when he suddenly stopped but I somehow stayed on.  Kim got it on video on my mom's digital camera while my aunt was videoing on the video camera...so I have Kim's version below if you want to see it.  The thing that bothered me is that they only called the walk once I reached the gate....very late and they didn't tell the other horses to stop meaning I would've been trampled by the other horses had I fallen off.  And it's not like you couldn't notice Fire flying towards and past you as he shakes the ground LOL. Luckily the horses near the gate stopped on their own and blocked Fire from taking off again.  The judge let me continue the class but he was too worked up when we went back to trot even with me holding him firmly in check and doing a sitting trot that I brought him back to the walk and excused myself from the class.  It was kind of a bummer but it could have been worse. And a few of the other horses blew up in the next class so it was good I quit while I was ahead. So here are the pictures from the day:
 
Warmup on the lunge since we were out in the open:

 

 
Letting him get a look at the ring (he likes to have a person next to him as a security blanket and there were lead liners and a psycho horse warming up so he stayed attached)

 

 
With his grandma:

 
In the class:

 

 

 

 

 
The blow up: (now works LOL)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqRG1fEBP5E
 
After the class:

 


His after braid fro (I was mean and laughed as he does look funny):

Tyler's staying with us while his owners are in Vegas at a vet convention. He's very attached to me for some reason so I felt bad leaving him to go back to school. Kali is all excited cause he's her wrestling buddy.  We took them out into the field behind our house for a walk and run to wear them down so they don't destroy our house haha.  Kali's very possessive of him so Lacey couldn't join in on the fun though she was happy to have run of the living room while my brother and dad watched TV. Here are some pics.

Kali and Tyler




Tyler




The newfy was not happy about sharing her water


Lacey looking pathetic


Kali


In the field:






And a pic of the horses mooching for more hay

Here you go Stella.  I finished it. I don't think it's as good as Kali's came out as I had trouble finding the right music but I think it works. It was very cool making it as it's brought back all sorts of memories of how his training has been coming along. I've had him  a little over a year now and it's amazing how far he's come. The end part is footage from a lesson on him nothing too exciting yet as we're only doing walk trot but he was behaving for a change haha. Enjoy!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=s6WfY-Kn6l4

Here's some pics from the christmas card photo shoot.  We have the cards but no envelopes since for whatever reason they forgot to include them.  Hopefully I'll get some this weekend so i can send them out.   I put some pics of the horses too.

Kali








Lacey






This one makes me laugh..(such a serious elf)


Fire




Gabby