Hints and Tips
Information Disclaimer The information contained within the context of this section of the Member’s Corner has been collected for the use of the membership from the resources of other members and dog fanciers. The subject matter is intended for informational purposes only. The SBCA has no exclusive rights over this information nor does it review the information for its authenticity or correctness. This information is published without any implied or express warranty. Any liability as a result of this information shall be assumed by those that use the information and shall not be that of the Saint Bernard Club of America, its officers, directors or members. |
|---|
Recently, I posed some questions to one of the saint e-mail lists regarding “just stuff “ that members might think other St. Bernard people would care to know. The following are the responses received. Thanks to Giselle Carlow (GC), Marge Macgregor (MM), Donna McPhate (DM), Brenda McWhorter (BM) and Marguerite Yarnell (MY) for their contributions. If you are just dying to share a goodie with others regarding St. Bernardisms for this webpage, please contact me, Lynn Jech, at jech.saints@juno.com.
Think of something that might be of interest to a saint owner and I'll try to do something with it. Collars for showing in? Show leashes and why yours is such a good idea? Why your dog food works? What do you use to wash down your walls of drool (if you do)?
GC - Baby wipes make great ear cleaning tools just before ring time for that last tidying. Unlike using liquid cleaners the dogs don't spend the next three hours shaking their heads. Of course for regular ear maintenance at home we use a mixture of vinegar and alcohol that we squirt in, massage the ear for a bit and then swab out with a cloth wrapped finger. The dog normally shakes out the rest.
GC - Puppy formula for supplemental feeding or to feed if the bitch cannot is a mix of goats milk, egg yolks, mayonnaise and corn syrup. I use two cups of milk, 4 egg yolks, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise and a "glug" of corn syrup.........mind you I generally make it in gallons, LOL. This also is nice to help your bitch along during the whelping if she wants a little something cool that will give her some strength. I add more corn syrup if I am giving it to a whelping bitch.
GC - Oh and one more thing - trisodium phosphate does a whizbang job on the painted surfaces to get slobber off!!!! And it is cheap and a small box goes a long way!!
DM - . Food wise, I have fed Precise Dog Food for about 12 years and have never had a case of bloat; coats are excellent; muscle tone is very good; weight on the dogs is also excellent. I am very happy with my results with this food.
BM - Everyday collar - rolled leather saves the hair, training and show-snake link show collar, everyday-soft nylon leash, easy on the hands, show lead -leather grooming table lead. Food - Nutro Max for large breeds, has small kibble that does not swell up in water as much as some brands to help prevent bloat, has kelp, glucosomine, vitamin C, and some other supplements suggested by breeders. Drool -paint with good washable paint, use mild soap and a rough cleaning pad like a dobbie or rough washcloth, do same on windows and follow up with Windex.
Teeth - I use OXYFRESH brand oral hygiene solution in their water, it seems to help the tarter and plaque and breath, they also have a toothpaste. Many greyhound rescue people recommend it and they are known for bad teeth. I scale the teeth myself about 2 -3 times/year
OXYFRESHWW.com - 509-924-4999 Good prices products - CARE A LOT out of Virginia Beach,
MM - I recommend to everyone who asks me any dog questions at all to go to a show nearby, look at the products that are being sold (quite different from those in PetSmart), watch dogs being groomed, watch obedience, etc., and talk to as many people as they can, especially those who are working with the breed they are interested in. Even when people only want a pet, they need to do this in order to make contact with people in their area and find out all sorts of things.
MY - In response to the info about Kennel Cough. Last year I had the Vet come out to give shots to eight of my dogs. They all received the Bordetella and they all came down with Kennel Cough. They were all put on antibiotics for 14 days and then because of taking the antibiotics they all had to receive the Bordetella again. I had my vet contact the vaccine company and they paid for all the antibiotics plus they sent new vaccine for all the dogs. Everyone was fine after the second dosage.