BOB Competition California Saint Jamboree

Once again it takes two photos to show all the Saint Bernards competing for Best of Breed, on February 14, 2010. This was the last day of the California Saint Jamboree.

Saint Bernards BOB Competition

It takes two photos to get all the Saint Bernards shown that were competing for Best of Breed on February 13, 2010, at the California Saint Jamboree, hosted by the Saint Bernard Club of San Diego.

Trophies For California Saint Jamboree

The trophies awarded on February 14, 2010, were all hand-crafted and donated by Pat Wiggins. The Saint Bernard Club of San Diego is very fortunate to have such talented and generous members.

California Saint Jamboree

The trophies for Best of Breed, Best Opposite Sex, Best of Winners, Winner's Dog, and Winner's Bitch, were all hand-crafted and donated by Verna Jackson. The middle photo shows these trophies, very, very nice!

Forest-Green Picture Frame - St. Patrick's Day

This forest-green frame will hold one of your favorite 4" x 6" photos. Check out our Seasonal Products for additional products and information.

Forest-Green Tissue Box Covers- St. Patick's Day

Hand-made forest green tissue box covers with Saint Bernard heads on sides. For details on purchasing, we invite you to browse our store.

Seasonal Products For St. Patrick's Day

Forest green doggy drool bib, hand-made and machine washable. Visit our store for more information.

St. Patrick's Day is March 17th!

You can find this hand-made crate quilt (fits crates 42" X 28") at BRANDYKEGS' Store.

It has a pretty lime green background with white daisies, machine washable.

Four Saint Bernard Specialty Shows

The Saint Bernard Club of Southern California and the Orange Coast Saint Bernard Fanciers will be hosting four Saint Bernard Specialty Shows. Remember these dates: Friday, March 5, 2010, Saturday, March 6, 2010, and Sunday, March 7, 2010. There will be A.M. and P.M. shows on Saturday, March 6, 2010. The location for the shows is:

Orange Empire Dog Club Clubhouse

18225 Santa Ana Ave.

Bloomington, CA 92316

BRANDYKEGS has links to Subira Saint Bernards, and Summerlyn Saint Bernards, you can contact either for additional infomation on their Specialty Shows.

Dogs Jumping Up On People

I am sure you have had instances where a dog jumps up on you. Each time this has happened to me the owner is immediately apologizing. They should be and the reason is quite simply this is a bad behavior. The sort of behavior you should definitely discourage with a big dog. Once they are fully grown you are not going to want them to jump up on you or anyone else.

I think it helps while they are puppies to spend time down on the floor playing with them. By putting yourself at their eye level, they won't be as inclined to jump up on you. This does not mean that puppies will not still try to jump on you when you are standing. Turn sideways, when they start to jump up on you. Gently knee them to block their jumping. Push them down gently but firm enough for them to know that you don't want them jumping on you. Tell them, "No!" and mean it. Be consistent in discouraging this bad behavior.

Whenever you are training your puppy or dog, make sure you have their attention. It will be up to you to discourage bad behavior as frequently as possible. The individuals who stick to a training program will be happier with their pets and their pets will also be happier. Life is easier for all of us, if we know what is expected of us.

BRANDYKEGS hopes that you have found the entries over the past month useful.

Socializing Your Puppy

By exercising your puppy you are helping them to socialize with other people and other dogs. This is more important than you may realize. I don't think you are going to want a big dog that is aggressive. If they learn to socialize early on with other dogs no matter their size, it works out better for everyone. The same train of thought is true with meeting other people; you don't want family and friends to be terrified of your dog.

If possible the first time your puppy has an encounter with another dog, plan the meeting. In other words, know the other dog and their temperament. Ideally you will want an easy going friendly dog, this way your puppy's first dog encounter is a positive experience. In fact, I would definitely avoid people who do not have control of their dogs. Puppies or dogs remember bad experiences and this can lead to some serious problems with keeping them socialized with other dogs and people.

BRANDYKEGS will have some additional info tomorrow.

More Info On Training

It takes time for your pup to learn the desired behavior for walking on a leash. I think this is something people give up on too easily. If you start early and continue the training daily, they will catch on. You have to be firm in discouraging the bad behavior, but never hit or beat your puppy or dog. Walks should be looked upon as a pleasant experience for your pet and you.

To help control pulling, there are many things you can try. Some people use choke collars, harnesses are another method, and many people like the head harnesses(specifically designed to stop a dog from pulling). I have tried all of these and found that one method works for one dog, but you will need one of the other methods for another dog. In other words, trial and error, is sometimes the only way to determine what method to use. Your puppy or dog will probably not like any of the methods and will try to be difficult. You must be patient and consistent in your training.

I feel it is very important to praise them for anything they do that you want them to do. That way they learn from the start that exhibiting good behavior traits gets them praise. They want to please you, so they learn to do the positive things. Some people use treats for rewarding good behavior. I am not against that, I use treats for training as well. It is just not a good idea to only use treats, praise works also. I like to combine both treats and words of praise with each training session.

More info to follow from BRANDYKEGS.

Saint Bernard Best of Breed Winner Today!

CH ALTA VISTA'S BILLION KILOWATT, won the Best of Breed for Saint Bernards this morning at the Westminster Kennel Club at Madison Square Garden. He now moves on to represent the Saint Bernard breed in the Working Dog Group. Kilo is owned by Tom&Viola Brown, and Robert Bonito. Kilo was handled for this win by Erin Hines, William E. Buell has also been Kilo's handler. BRANDYKEGS would like to congratulate all of them on this prestigious win.

Training Your Puppy

Training your puppy is just as important on a daily basis as food and water. Some people choose to go to obedience classes with their puppy. Many pet stores offer classes, there are obedience classes offered at neighborhood parks, you can even arrange for someone to come to your home for a more personalized training program. If you have the time you can even do this yourself. There are certain commands your puppy should learn. They are: sit, stay, come, heel, down, over, up, stand, and wait; all you will find very useful. You should speak clearly with a bit of inflection on these command words, making sure you have your puppy's attention. Successful completion of a command should be rewarded, show them your approval of this behavior. A pat on the head, a scratch behind the ears, a belly rub, good boy or girl, and bite size treats, all are good ways to reward your puppy. This way they learn that by following commands, they are pleasing you.

Early on you want to get your puppy comfortable with a leash. At first they will probably want to chew on the leash. They probably think they are getting a new chew toy or a chance to play tug with you. Don't encourage either behavior. You will want them to know that the leash means the two of you will be spending time together and getting exercise. It is not a good idea to let them pull you along, keep in mind they will be getting bigger and bigger. Ideally you will want them to walk beside you on the left side.

Check back tomorrow for more info from BRANDYKEGS.

Take Your New Puppy To The Vet

Schedule a visit to a veterinarian for your new puppy. Vaccinations need to be given at certain times, worming as well. In recent years a lot has been said about all these vaccinations with our pets, you will have to decide that matter for yourself. I always made sure our puppies got all their early vaccinations and wormings when necessary. I kept up their vaccinations annually for their entire lives. In most metropolitan areas, you have to keep vaccinations current as most animal care facilities require this. I do agree with the advice the first breeder we bought from gave, take your puppy or dog to the vet as little as possible. You might wonder, why? The reality is, this is where sick animals are and you do not want to expose your puppy or dog to that kind of environment. For a basic vaccination schedule visit our website.

The early regime of vaccinations is very important to the health of your little pup, so it is a good idea to make sure they get those vaccinations. There are some websites on the internet where you can purchase the vaccination vials and syringes and administer the shots yourself. Some individuals feel comfortable doing this; we have even done this ourselves. It is definitely cheaper than a trip to the vet. They are also mobile vet services that come to local pet stores on a weekly basis. This is another alternative to a regular veterinarian visit and also is cheaper. Some of these mobile veterinarian services do regular exams, lab work, implant microchips, and other services. The rabies vaccinations must be administered by a licensed veterinarian, the first shot should be given at 4 months of age.

BRANDYKEGS would like to congratulate all the winners at the Southern California Saint Jamboree. The Best of Breed winner for February 13, 2010, was CH Summerlyn's Lucius, owned by Jaclyn Schart & Mario Pierce. The Best of Breed winner for February 14, 2010, was Jamelle's Madison Avenue V Knollridge, owned by Michele & Jack Mulligan & Tom Steffen. Once again there were a lot of terrific Saint Bernards at the Jamboree.

Day Two For California Saint Jamboree

Good luck to all the exhibitors today at the California Saint Jamboree, being held in Claremont, California.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

BRANDYKEGS would like to wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day!

First Day Of California Saint Jamboree

BRANDYKEGS would like to wish all the exhibitors at the Annual California Saint Jamboree the Best Of Luck! These two shows are in memory of Mercedes Capodice.

Good Luck To Everyone At The Jamboree!

BRANDYKEGS would like to wish everyone attending the California Saint Jamboree in Claremont, CA, good luck. We hope you have a terrific time as well.

First Thing In The Morning

The next morning, you will find your little pup very happy to see you. It is a good idea to take them outdoors for a potty call. You will find that excitement with a puppy often results in their need to urinate. Right from the start you want to set the stage about the right behavior you want from your puppy. Puppies and dogs want to please you, so encourage them from day one about the positive behavior traits you are looking for them to exhibit. As I said, they will be happy to see you first thing in the morning, they are not going to care if your hair is combed, if you showered, bad breath, none of this will matter to them. Our canine companions are never judgmental toward us; they truly know how to love unconditionally. After you both have had a chance to greet one another, your puppy is probably hungry. I chose to feed our pups outside. You should also have fresh water available to them. Keep in mind, that after food your puppy will need to urinate or defecate, probably both. The desired behavior trait you will want is for this to occur outside. By feeding them outdoors it will seem quite natural for them to go to the yard and do their business. If you continue to feed them this way, they will be learning that urinating and defecating outdoors is a good behavior. It will become second nature to them, part of their morning routine. You have to do more than this to housebreak your pup, but this is a very good way to start.

In those first few days, try to spend several times a day one on one with your pup. This is not usually difficult for anyone to do, puppies are irresistible. Bonding with them is very important. Let them explore the yard, but make sure you keep an eye on them. They will inevitably get into mischief and there are certain things you want to stop immediately. Training has to begin right from the start, remember you are top dog.

Check back later this month for more information from BRANDYKEGS.

Puppy's First Night With You

The first night your puppy spends with you can be difficult, not only for you but your puppy as well. You have to remember that this will be the first time your pup is away from its Mom and litter mates; it can be stressful to them. In the beginning you may feel overwhelmed, but your puppy will adjust to their new environment. It will be up to you to see that they feel safe; you will be their new caregiver. Playing with your puppy that first day is a good idea, not only because you are bonding with them but hopefully you will burn off some of their puppy energy. Before turning in for the night, take them outdoors for a potty call, this should become a nightly routine. I do recommend keeping them in a confined area for the night. It is a good idea to place newspaper down on the floor, there will be potty accidents. A chew toy might be a good idea to keep in the area as well. Your puppy may start to whine or puppy bark as soon as you leave them. Try not to give in to this by returning to give them a cuddle. You are sending the wrong message to your puppy by responding this way, you sleep at night and you want your puppy to as well. You will probably creep out during the night to check on them, most of us are guilty of that. Many times you will find them wide-eyed waiting your arrival, their sense of smell and sound are acute.

BRANDYKEGS will have some more information tomorrow.

Children and Puppies

If you have children, supervise them around the puppy. Keep in mind the puppy has very sharp teeth and nails, you should know this and so should your children. Little fingers can be bit and scratches will occur. This does not mean that your puppy is mean; this is simply how they interact with one another. You will have to teach your puppy and your children the appropriate behavior. That it why it is a good idea to have pet toys and nylabones available for your puppy right from the beginning. Set up boundaries right from the start; always make sure you are in charge not your puppy. You will have certain expectations from your puppy, but it will be up to you to find the pathway in achieving those goals. A well behaved puppy doesn't just happen, time needs to be spent in teaching them.

BRANDYKEGS will have more information on tomorrow's blog.

Bringing Puppy Home

When your puppy is old enough to leave the litter to come home with you is ultimately up to the breeder. You should be provided with ownership paperwork. If you register your puppy with AKC you can purchase a pedigree from them. Basically this is a family tree for your puppy. You should be provided with the puppy's vaccination and worming history. BRANDYKEGS has a basic vaccination schedule on their website. Usually some puppy food and its brand name are given to you as well. You may want to keep in touch with the breeder, so make sure you have their name, address, email address, phone numbers wrote down for future reference.

If your car journey from the breeder to your home is a very long distance, you should probably use a crate in transporting them. The breeders have even offered us use of theirs, asking that we just ship the crate back to them. Some puppies are just like people they get car sick. We never had any problems with that, in fact all of our Saints loved to ride in the car. Depending on the distance you have to travel to your home, you may have to stop to feed them, give them water, and allow them to stretch their legs, as well as a potty stop.

Once you arrive home, take them to your yard. This gives them the opportunity to go potty. They will also be eager to explore their yard. We have enjoyed just stepping back and watching them. Usually you find that this is a good opportunity to have some play time as well. They probably have some energy to burn off after their car ride. Offer them fresh water and food. Most puppies and dogs after eating go out and relieve themselves. After they have had some play time, food and water, they will often lay down for a nap.

Finding A Veterinarian

It is a good idea to research finding the right veterinarian. Start by asking family, friends, your neighbors, you will probably get some useful information from one or possibly all of them. Your local telephone directory is also helpful. I would even call some animal care centers and see if you can get a tour of their facility. Finding the right animal care center and veterinarian is not an easy task. So many facilities are not set up to handle larger animals, which is why it is a good idea to tour a site. There are even veterinarians who do not like to take on bigger dogs. The other thing I have found is veterinarians are just like a lot of us, they might be dog people or cat people. Some veterinarians specialize in small dogs, probably not a good choice for those of us who have Saint Bernards. You may find you go through a few veterinarians before you find one you are comfortable with.

Keep in mind that very few veterinarians work alone, most are part of a larger conglomerate. In other words, big business. As we all know, a business exists to make money. Many of these animal care facilities have a strategy to convince you that it is necessary to see your puppy or dog every four to six months. Some will say your dog needs a parvo or a bordetella vaccinations every six months, this is just not true. I have encountered facilities where they are wanting to clean your dog's teeth before they are even a year old. This is unnecessary especially when there is no tartar on their teeth. Having a large breed dog, they will tell you to have them x-rayed for hip dysplasia. I have had vets wanting to do this as young as four months old, even though there were no warning signs of problems. Teeth cleaning and x-rays for hip dysplasia involve putting your puppy or dog under anethesia, this is something you should be cautioned in doing too often. I am not against these procedures, I just think that they are performed at too early of an age or too often. These big conglomerates are very much aware of how much we love our dogs and they want to tap in to that as often as they can.

Check back tomorrow for more info from BRANDYKEGS.

Chewing Needs For Puppies

I recommend having nylabones around to satisfy your puppy's chewing needs. Believe me you don't want them chewing on your shoes or furniture. We were told told by the first breeder we purchased from not to use rawhide chews, they can get stuck in the Saint Bernards' digestive tract. I have used the nylabones for all our puppies, they do cost a bit more. There are some places on the internet where you can buy a larger quantity and get a discounted price. This is a great idea, because puppies and dogs will chew through a lot of bones. It is not uncommon for a puppy to chew through six to eight nylabones in a month.

There are a lot of products at pet store that claim to stop chewing. I have never found one of these products to actually work, so don't waste your money on them. Chewing is a natual behavior so don't think you are going to stop your puppy or dog from doing it. Instead direct their chewing toward something that you want them to chew on, like the nylabones.

More info tomorrow from BRANDYKEGS.

Feeding Your New Puppy

Usually the breeder will provide you with a serving or two of puppy food. They will usually tell you the brand. Ultimately what you use will be up to you. I recommend the name brands. Find one that has been around for a long time and is a quality product; most pet stores carry several brands. Puppy food should be used for the first year; it contains the necessary nutrients for your rapidly growing pup. Many breeders do not feed their puppies puppy food for the entire first year. I think in many cases it is simply because puppy food costs more than regular adult food. Nowadays there are puppy formulas that are made just for the larger breeds, that is what I use.

You may find your puppies stools to be lose for the first few days after you get them. This is not unusual, they are in a new environment and it will take a few days for them to acclimate. This can also occur if you chose to feed them something different than what the breeder was feeding. Anytime you change your puppy or dog's food, you need to slowly introduce the new food alongside the old food. If the lose stools go beyond a few days, you should probably seek advice from your veterinarian. Your puppy could have worm problems, maybe an allergy, are their vaccinations current?

Some breeders add hamburger, stew meat, or table scraps to the dog food. This is not necessary if you use a quality dog food. Puppies will need to be fed four to five times a day, a cup to cup and half at a time. This is just an approximation and you will have to adjust for what works with your puppy. I do not recommend having a dog food bowl out at all times, this can lead to overeating. However, if you are not going to be around during the day, you will have to leave dog food in a bowl. Fresh water should always be available to your puppy or dog. As the weeks pass you can cut the number of feedings down to two or three times a day. Your puppy's total dog food consumption during a day will range from four to seven cups; this amount will vary from dog to dog. Contrary to what most people think Saint Bernards will not eat you out of house and home.

Some people feed their dogs raw food, the Barf Diet. I have never fed my dogs or puppies raw food. This is a personal choice. If your breeder uses the Barf Diet, make sure you understand what you are suppose to do.

BRANDYKEGS will continue with more information on tomorrow's blog.

Pawprints On My Heart Photo Frame

This attractive wooden photo frame will showcase one of your favorite 4" X 6" photos. Check out BRANDYKEGS other unique frames at their store.

Doggy Drool Bib

Our stuffed model, Bernardo, is wearing a pink drool bib with white daisies. Do you have something for your Valentine puppy? Visit our store for gift ideas.

Valentine's Day Will Soon Be Here!

Bright red wall heart plaque, "Pawprints On My Heart."
Check out BRANDYKEGS STORE.

It's Already February 1st, 2010

Valentine's Day will be here before you know it. Maybe your sweetie would like a basket of Saint Bernard puppies, each with an "I love you heart, and their very own rescue brandy keg." Visit our store for more details.