Titles and Achievements in 2009

The following club member dogs achieved greatness in 2009. Titles and achievements eligible for this page include any conformation championships, Best in Shows, obedience, agility, draft, rally, tracking, herding, Canine Good Citizen, and therapy dog titles and certifications. Titles and achievements must be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., preferably using the form that appeared in the January 2010 Durrbachler.

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"Bentley" — CH Banhof's Gift to Keilissa V Lewa

6/14 — Champion — CH (AKC)
Owners: Janice Bann & Leeann Brownstein

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"Bison" — CH URO2 UCD UCH UCICB Southwind TME Purple Majesty Am/Can CD RAE ANDD HCT-s CGC TDIA

3/29 — United Rally Obedience Level 1 — URO1 (UKC)
10/3 — Advanced Novice Draft Dog — ANDD (BMDCA)
10/4 — Rally Advanced Excellent — RAE (AKC)
12/4 — United Rally Obedience Level 2 — URO2 (UKC)
Owner: Adam P Conn

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"Breck" — Wintrye Crestfields Veritas CD

1/10 — Companion Dog — CD (AKC)
Owner: Wendy C Eld

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"Brighton" — Wintrye Crestfields Veritas CD

10/4 — Companion Dog — CD (AKC)
10/11 — Rally Novice — RN (AKC)
Owner: Wendy C Eld

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"Danny" — CH Lewa's Old Dan Tucker

5/23 — Champion — CH (AKC)
Owner: Deborah & William Hamilton

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"Dazzle" — Keilissa's Simple Pleasure CGC

4/25 — Canine Good Citizen — CGC (AKC)
Owner: Crissy Labuta

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"Echo" — Water-Draft's Alpenhorn Echo CDX RN

9/10 — Companion Dog — CD (AKC)
10/31 — Rally Novice — RN (AKC)
12/12 — Companion Dog Excellent — CDX (AKC)
Owner: Noreen E Dowling

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"Jones" — CH Classique's Along Came Jones NAP NJP RAE NDD CGC

1/10 — Novice Agility Preferred — NAP (AKC)
1/10 — Novice Jumper Preferred — NJP (AKC)
1/10 — BMDCA Versatility Dog Award
Owner: Donna Coffin

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"Kessie" — CH Tennescott American Kestrel CD DD NBDD

10/17 — Novice Brace Draft Dog — NBDD (BMDCA)
Owners: Barbie Beck-Wilczek & Bill Wilczek

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"Libby" — CH Greenway's Reason To Celebrate

10/2 — Champion — CH (AKC)
Owners: Susan Van Ocker & Dede Laveran

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"Orca" — CH UCH Bostwick's Two Ps In A Pod RN CGC TDI

1/19 — Best in Multi-Breed Show — BIMBS (UKC)
10/4 — Rally Novice — RN (AKC)
Owner: Adam P Conn

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"Ripley" — CH Tennescott White Mtns Ripley Falls CD RE DD NBDD

7/3 — Rally Advanced — RA (AKC)
7/4 — Companion Dog — CD (AKC)
7/11 — Rally Excellent — RE (AKC)
8/2 — Champion — CH (AKC)
10/3 — Novice Draft Dog — NDD (BMDCA)
10/3 — BMDCA Versatility Dog Award
10/17 — Draft Dog — DD (BMDCA)
10/17 — Novice Brace Draft Dog — NBDD (BMDCA)
Owners: Barbie Beck-Wilczek & Bill Wilczek

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"Rolex" — CH Lewa's Excellence In Motion

7/25 — Champion — CH (AKC)
Owner: Deborah & William Hamilton

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"Sailor" — Greenway's Nautical Adventure CD RE NDD CGC

3/12 — Companion Dog — CD (AKC)
10/3 — Novice Draft Dog — NDD (BMDCA)
Owner: Susan Van Ocker

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"Smith" — CH Mtns Not Ur Ordinary Smith RN CGC

7/24 — Champion — CH (AKC)
8/2 — Canine Good Citizen — CGC (AKC)
8/16 — Rally Novice — RN (AKC)
Owners: Donna Coffin & Michelle C La Bagh

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"Sugar" — CH Indian Hill Sugar-Ct'd Keilissa

7/4 — Champion — CH (AKC)
Owners: Leeann Brownstein & Joanne Gerow

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"Syrah" — Keilissa's Midnight Seranade CD RE

2/22 — Companion Dog — CD (AKC)
6/5 — Rally Advanced — RA (AKC)
10/3 — Novice Draft Dog — NDD (BMDCA)
10/4 — Rally Excellent — RE (AKC)
Owner: JoAnn & John Biercuk

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"Timber" — Blackrock's Good To Go Timberjack CGC TDI

4/19 — Canine Good Citizen — CGC (AKC)
4/19 — Therapy Dog International — TDI (TDI)
Owners: Ron & Gladys DiCanio

Rescue

Occasionally we find a Berner that truly needs to be rescued or one that is in need of a new, special home due to a change in the domestic situation. Please contact our Rescue Committee for further information if you are interested in providing a rescue home. 

We are so thankful to our Rescuers for the loving homes they provide.  To show them appreciation, we give one complimentary year of membership to our club, the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Watchung, as a thank you!  

NY, PA, NJ: Lilian Ostermiller, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., ph: 845-726-0914 or

                   Lara Riley, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., ph: 585-727-9020

Click Here For Rescue Application

Click Here For Foster Application

Current Berners in need of Rescue Homes:

https://www.facebook.com/bernerrescueNYNJPA

 We thank you so much for your interest please keep sending your applications!

 

For more details contact Lilian Ostermiller at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please also fill out a “rescue application” and email this to me as this is required to start the adoption process.

Below are some of our Berners who have been placed in terrific rescue homes already:

Myka - With a smile on my face I come to share this great news. Myka is a 6 yr old Berner girl who has seen nothing but a small pen on a breeding farm. She has produced many litters of “doodles” and due to age was “retired”. She arrived at Angela's home scared, worried and feeling abandoned. Angela helped her gain courage through her first 10 days and at that time we felt she was ready to make one more transition to a loving home in VA. Myka is an amazing Berner who has the will and desire to now become a beloved family pet. We are celebrating and wish Myka happy days and express our “thank you” to Robin Rosbolt and her family for opening their heart to this special girl!

 

 

Beretta - There is nothing we love more than a happily everafter:)  The following are some notes from Beretta's new family, along with before and after photos from the shelter we rescued him from to his loving new family:)  "Beretta is sweet and perfect in every way possible. He is a gentle giant and shows he has so much love to give. He is adjusting well so far with being in his new home." ..."we are thankful to have this opportunity to show him unconditional love. He did awesome last night, and we even caught him and Mya cuddling!"

 

Molly - Happily ensconced in her new home enjoying walks with her brother Macca in the neighborhood, Ocean City, NJ and Peddlers Village!!

 

Ellie is very polite - She sent us this sweet thank you card from her puppy shower.  She is enjoying the new toys and treats welcoming her to her new home.

 

Prince - We received a very nice note from our most recent boys new owner, Joyce, letting us know how beautifully he is filling out and how he is adored by everyone:) 

 

Update:  

We will keep in touch as we love you for getting us together.

Hugs and love,

JOYCE AND PRINCE

OTIS, now renamed Scooby-Do, has adjusted nicely and from the pictures you can see that ‘life is good’!

 

 

This is the happy  feedback from another of our recent placements. “Gully” absolutely adores his new family and the Gabriele’s cannot imagine life without their new companion. Does the picture tell the story? 

Reeses - a grand old gentleman, 8 1/2 years.

Danny - 1 1/2 year old boy.

Everest - 6 yr old boy.

Gracie - Has found her forever loving home, thank you for your interest.

Harley - Was happily rehomed too.

Guinness who will be 9 in April and now lives with one of Lilian's ‘puppies’ in MD and Dylan will be 10 in June. The two boys are getting along just fine and obviously feel very comfortable resting together.  

 

Links to surrounding Bernese Mountain Dog Clubs for rescue information:

-National Rescue Information:   www.bmdca.org and follow the optiioin to the “Rescue tab”

- Mason Dixon Bernese Mountain Dog Club – Kristen Greenwood  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

- Potomac Valley Bernese Mountain Dog Club – Mary McKnight  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

- Bernese Mountain Dog Club of the Finger Lakes – Lara Riley This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

- Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Nashoba Valley – Linda Decelles  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

 

 

Breeder Referral

Thanks for stopping at our Web site for information about a Bernese Mountain Dog. To assist you, we have put together some information that should help you decide if the Bernese Mountain Dog breed is right for you, and if so, get you started in finding a responsible breeder. 

Bernese Mountain Dogs have developed their wonderful qualities due to years of careful, selective breeding by dedicated, knowledgeable breeders. As the breed becomes more and more popular it is important to find a knowledgeable breeder that is continuing to maintain the qualities of the breed and is working to improve the health of the breed. The Bernese Mountain Dog Club of America has an excellent list of questions to ask breeders to help you decide on their credibility. Your relationship with a responsible breeder will last beyond the purchase of a puppy. They will be there to help you with questions and concerns you have as your puppy grows. They will also want to know of any unforeseen health problems that may occur in you dog’s life. 

The first step is to become knowledgeable of the Bernese Mountain Dog. Read books on the breed and search the internet. Know the breed characteristics; will they fit into your home situation? Consider size, training needs, breed personality, health problems, grooming, cost of care and feeding. Be sure a Bernese Mountain Dog will fit into your life style. These are not farm dogs to be tied up to watch over the farm. They are the farmer's dogs and are used to accompany the farmer into the field or to the market. They are social animals that need continuous human companionship. Bernese Mountain Dogs need moderate daily exercise (more in cooler weather). They are not designed to chase balls/Frisbees for hours or jog several miles a day. They are working draft dogs and like to have a job to do. Their thick dark coats are not conducive to direct sunlight and warmer climates. 

Once you are convinced that this breed is right for you. Start looking for a responsible breeder. 

After the initial breeder contact has occurred and a potential puppy is available, ask to see the pedigree, get as much information as possible on the puppy’s ancestry. Ask to see the dam, and the sire if possible. Observe temperament, size, and general physical condition of the parents. Parents should have their hips and elbows x-rayed, clear of hip and elbow dysplasia by the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA) or the Institute for Genetic Disease Control in Animals (GDC) and be issued certification numbers. Don't accept an answer that both of the dog's parents had good hips so we did not need to check them. Or that they have never limped a day in there life; the dogs still could be dysplastic. There are other hereditary conditions that may exist in the puppies that can be tested for: VonWillebrands (a blood disease), PRA (an eye problem), and thyroid level. 

Thoroughly understand all the terms of the sales contract offered by the breeder. Avoid contracts with strings attached such as breeding rights, or puppies back from a future breeding. Be sure you understand your obligation for neutering/spaying and required x-rays and tests in the future. 

Do not be afraid to ask questions. Do not be in a hurry. If you truly want the right puppy, it may be a while before one is available. 

This is a guideline to help new puppy owners to become more educated. It is not to be considered a complete list of things to do and it is not a guarantee that you will purchase a healthy puppy.

https://www.bmdca.org/olbr/