Bernadette (Berni)

[lulusmom]

I've always been a toy breed person but fell in love with a 9 week old very large baby girl who went from a bad situation to an even worse one....dumped in a kill shelter with no immunization. She's in quarantine in Idaho for the next couple of weeks but will be coming to me on January 10. We all think she's a Bernese Mountain Dog/Australian Shepherd mix but that's just a guess based on her enormous size for 9 weeks old, her way stocky legs and mushy face. I think I'm going have a DNA done on her. In the meantime, what do you all think she may be?

My brother and his wife are ready for another dog and they love big Aussies so I thought Bernadette would be perfect for them. Unfortunately, the bro is being picky and wants to stick with his desire to have a male. :-( I've never had a big breed puppy so would appreciate some feedback from those of you with big dogs on what I can expect and what I can do to keep her out of trouble and me free of Gil's wrath. :D

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[lulusmom]

Found a few more pics of Berni:

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[Squirt's Mom]

Oh, she is a doll! And seems so curious and alert in the pics! She does look like she's got some Burmese Mtn. Dog in her, huh?

Wish I had some tips but most of my large breed babies came to me as adults. We did have a litter of Chow/Shepard pups once and they were a blast! We never knew what they would be into next and they grew so fast! But that was years ago and all I remember is the fun and the messes! LOL

[addy]

OMG how cute is Bernadette!!!????!!!! Glynda, she is a big pup. :D:D:D That has to be some Burmese, but what else? I can't put my finger on it.

You can ask Marie about an Aussie pup since she has beautiful Ella. The biggest I have had was a golden and her puppy days were so long ago I don't really remember them. Big dogs with tails at work were 18 months when we got them. Rocky was into everything and loved to run and play with Lucy, rather roughly we thought as we were not used to big dog play.

We will need many updates on Bernadette.

love,
addy

[Cyn719]

Shes beautiful!!!!! She is a Bernese Mountain Dog for sure mixed with Australian Shepard or Shepard?? What a beauty!!! I am a large dog peron - had goldens and my Penny - Never had a problem with my big dogs- the female golden went to school - but we trained the male on our own - Penny went to school just a few times and we trained her - never had one problem with Penny - just large dogs like to jump on people and could be alittle much:) but with training they catch on fast!! It is alot different from having a little one but little - big they are great furbabies regardless of size --- cant wait till you get her!!! And her little friend is adorable - my son is going crazy over both of them!!!!!!!! Hugssssss

[Jenny & Judi in MN]

I'm so glad you are saving her and hope you can convince your brother that girls are great, she is a doll!

[mytil]

Hey, I am thinking her muzzle and fore heard are too short for a full blooded Bernese Mountain or a full blooded Aussie. Have seen both Aussie pups and Bernese pups and they look very similar when they are pups.

I think you are right about her mix Glynda, but I would like to add to me it looks like she may have some chow in her too - mushy face and stocky legs/body.

She looks very intelligent and very sweet and I think your brother should change his mind as she looks like she would be a fantastic companion! :)

T.

[mypuppy]

Glynda,

Love all them all, big and small! Bernadette is a huge puppy. Wow! I don't know much about the Bernaise Mtn breed. As for large breeds, highly trainable, willing to please, playful, loving, crazy, fun, intelligent, sweet, etc. get my point...haaaaaa.

Good luck and please let us know what your bro decides...Boxer is adorable too...

xo Luv ya, Jeanette

[lulusmom]

Terry I thought about a chow too but usually if there is any Chow at all, the tongue will tell. Berni's tongue is as pink as can be with not even a spot of black. I also saw Rottie in her face. I looked at some long haired Rottie puppies and the coloring is certainly there, the smooshy looking face, the tan across the chest, which I think all Rotties have, plus Berni has the little bit of black between the toes. BMD's and Aussies do not have black between the toes. Check out this Rottie pup.

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Jeanette, I am hoping there is some Aussie in there because they are really intelligent and highly trainable....that is if somebody else is doing the training. :D

[BestBuddy]

I would have guessed at a bit of Rotti too. Big dogs are just like little ones except they eat more and take up more space but sometimes they think they are lap dogs too.
Better eat up so you have a lap big enough for her......

She looks like a real sweetie.

Jen

[mytil]

Rotti, of course :) Rottis were bred initially as herding dogs too (mainly cattle), way back when and they actually have the stamina and intelligence of other herding dogs. She does look like she will be a big girl, but socializing early will make her wonderful with kids and everything else.

T.

PS - when I took Clancy and Mytilda to their herding classes there were 3 Rottis there too and they did fantastic, even with sheep.

[lulusmom]

Better eat up so you have a lap big enough for her...... Jen

That is not a problem. I've been eating non stop since Thanksgiving and it shows. I usually avoid mirrors but caught a glimpse of myself, by accident, yesterday while disrobed and the only reason I didn't call the police about an intruder in my bathroom is I saw the tattoo on my backside that was specially designed for me. I would have much rather had the police here. My tat is a full hooded cobra coiled around a beautiful red rose. It was pretty large when I had it done but oh my gosh....I was shocked by how expansive the hood is now. That thing would cover the broad side of a barn. :D


Rotti, of course :) Rottis were bred initially as herding dogs too (mainly cattle), way back when and they actually have the stamina and intelligence of other herding dogs. She does look like she will be a big girl, but socializing early will make her wonderful with kids and everything else.

T.

PS - when I took Clancy and Mytilda to their herding classes there were 3 Rottis there too and they did fantastic, even with sheep.

I'm blown away, I had no idea Rotties were bred as herding dogs. If you could see my crew now, you'd see that they have done a great job of training me. I'm not good at training but will do my best to work with Berni as soon as she gets settled in here. She is currently in a home with children and cats and the word is that she is a love with everybody.

Gil and I have had more than a few conversation about keeping Berni and he's not really keen on it. I really hate it when he makes sense. I think this big little girl is going to be highly adoptable so I'm not sure how long she'll be with us.

[k9diabetes]

After picking myself up off the floor from laughing... mirrors are indeed evil...

Yup, Rottie was my first thought - she's got the classic facial markings. Rottie mixed with something long-haired - maybe shepherd. Hard to tell with a pup cuz it's fuzzier now than it may be later but the fur looks more shepherd/collie to me than BMD at this point.

I have never had a Rottie but my impression of them is that they are big teddy bear babies generally when the temperament is good - kind of goofy.

I'm actually hoping she has a fair amount of shepherd or collie in her as both Rotties and BMDs can have quite a few health problems. I didn't realize how much concern there is about the health of the BMD breed these days until I saw an article on them recently.

She is gorgeous, that's for sure! It would be a lot of fun to do the DNA test.

Natalie

[lulusmom]

Natalie, I've always been in awe of the BMD and always thought people who adopted them were brave because their life span is so short. They are plagued with health problems and I believe 50% of them die from cancer. :-( That's some pretty high odds. Given my history, any dog who ends up with me has a greater than 50% of getting sick so what the heck. :D

[Cyn719]

Glynda -

good pic of the Rotti pup - yup when you look at her then the Rotti pic you can see it -- I thought shephard cause penny has shephard in her and she had that look when she was a pup - she was so black as a baby then lots of brown came through -- whatever your little girl is she is just adorable!!!!!! HUGSSSSS xoxo

[lulusmom]

I got Bernadette last night. She is a very sweet, beautiful, big little girl and definitely a puppy. My bro and SIL have agreed to save my marriage and foster her. I'm hoping they get attached. :D One computer cord, one pair of sunglasses, one notebook gone and a big hole in the backyard in less than 12 hours. She is underweight and has an upper respiratory infection. 18 hours later and we're at the vet's. Two antibiotics, one bronchial dilator, drontal wormer, revolution for fleas or other parasites and special shampoo to be used twice a week. Next week we get her second round of shots. I was hoping to buy a DNA kit but after the vet visit, it's going to have to wait. My guesses are a moving target. I just discovered that her huge feet are webbed, and not just a little bit. I could spread her toes and fan myself with those feet. :D

[BestBuddy]

Webbed feet doesn't even give you that much to go on.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_breed_of_dog_has_webbed_feet

The target is still moving.:D

Jenny

[addy]

Oh and here I was thinking Portugese Water Dog!!!!!


Hope Bernadette feels good soon.

love,
addy

[mytil]

Poor girl, I am sure by "discovering your place" she is feeling much better. I am glad also your bro and SIL decided to foster her - from her photos she looks like a very intelligent and high energy dog :D

With her huge paws and now webbed feet I am wondering if she has Newfy in her. Cannot wait for the DNA test results and more photos!

[Squirt's Mom]

Newfy! That's what I've been trying to think of! She does look like she could have some Newfoundland in her and the webbed feet would go along. Regardless, she is an absolute doll and I just don't see how your brother and SIL will be able to help falling in love with Bernie. I hope her medical issues clear up quickly...she's gonna need her energy for pillaging and plundering! :p

When you listed all the things she had already torn up in 12 hours, visions of Crys chomping on my new couch came to mind! :p:D:p She was so worth every single tooth mark, tho, and I hope Bernie soon finds someone who feels the same way about her...if she hasn't already. ;)

Hugs,
Leslie

[Cyn719]

So glad she will be with you and your bro!! hope you post some new pics!!

xoxoxoxoxo

[marie adams]

Okay I got on this bandwagon a little late!!!

Berni is so cute. Ella has webbed feet and so did Maddie. No matter what she is you have to love her....:D You just have to start out as the lead sled dog right from the beginning--or as much as you can. Aussies will start out trying to be the boss.

Some Aussies are born with tails and then they are docked, but my understanding is they all have a white tip at the end of the tail.

Ella is in to everything still and can find things I didn't know existed. She did a lot of digging in the yard in the grass, but has since pretty much stopped that. She occassionally digs in the planter--we gave her a sand pile and that seems to help with the digging. The sand pile wasn't really for her, but the sand we didn't use in the yard we left since she could take out her frustrations on it.

Ella seemed big as a puppy, but as our breeder said they all end up about the same size in the end. Some just grow faster in the beginning.

I knew a few Rotti's and they can be big babies. One was in love with Maddie and everytime he saw her he just whined and carried on.

Enjoy her while you have her!!!!

(((Hugs)))

[mytil]

Ha, good one Marie, I have a dig pile in my yard too. One of the my girls is a major digger - helps with the landscaping alot! But she has this huge pile of dirt I keep in the side yard just for her.

Photos Glynda, lots of them. If I did not have three (fills the house) I would take her in a heartbeat. I know she will make someone a wonderful companion!

Terry