Pretty much all our pups, minus Lada, were rescues. We've either adopted them from shelters, rehomed pets, or a rescue.
We love dogs. We have the ability to make their lives better & the room. It has always been our thing. However when we came to Peryn, it changed a bit. He was from an "Ooops litter". A couple who bred cattle dogs mistakenly assumed their ACD's were done. When the new litter was born, they were more concerned with getting rid of the puppies than keeping them.
They told family & friends the pups were free to a good home. Timing was right & we took him. It was a learning curve as no matter how much we read up on the ACD, owning & raising one is completely different. Their monsters. Take a puppy & make it 10x worse and you have yourself a cattle dog puppy.
We were lucky that the girls, Athena & Duchess, loved to wrestle & play with Peryn. It made things a bit easier. However Rich brought up the fact that there was an age difference between him & the girls. Approximately 8 years. Knowing he was an energetic dog, we knew he needed a companion to keep up with him. We found her online & she fit the mold. Cattle dog, young (9 months younger than Peryn), Female & red. Best decision ever as they instantly became BFFs & they adore each other.
Not that we were looking for another, 4 is quite enough, we did talk about future pups. I was securely in the rescue another ACD camp. Along the way, Rich was changing his mind. He had met a few Bernese Mtn Dogs though the years. Either at work, the park, in passing, or wherever. He fell in love with their look, personality, & pretty much everything about them. He would bring them up every so often until finally one day he made the statement that when the time came, he really wanted a BMD.
I scoffed. I wanted my ACD rescue! I knew of the breed, but not too much about them. Looked them up in curiosity during one conversation and wasn't impressed. Since it didn't look like we'd have an opening anytime soon, we just let it drop. Athena was in the obvious stages of DM at this point & we figured when she finally passed. However at this time we didn't think that would be anytime soon.
I definitely was in the mindset that saving a dog via rescue was how we would continue to go. I didn't want a puppy anymore & these poor souls needed us. I would NEVER buy from a pet store as they are the reason we have puppy mills and sick animals in shelters.
Prior to Peryn & Lada, I never gave much thoughts to breeders. Other than "Why would you pay that much?!!!" However, after adopting the ACDs & joining online groups I began to see the how a lot of how they acted and what they did could be traced to the breed itself. It amazed me that how much of what they are is in their genes & bloodlines.
Now add in that I now have a dog that is a puppy mill rescue with DM (although we didn't know it was that at the time), we begin to see the importance of reputable breeders for the Breed. I also begin to understand some people want a healthy dog or are looking for certain traits in their pups. Particularly with ACD's as they are a working dog.
Essentially I see that the reputable breeders out there due to their love of the breed, are doing their best to create healthy dogs and pro-long the breed. I can respect that although I could not imagine needing to go to a breeder for a puppy. We're "done" with puppies.
Losing Duchess was the most unexpected & heart wrenching thing we've ever done. It was out of the blue & so quick we never had time to accept it. All our dogs previously were old & having old age issues / knew it was time. It hurt, but it wasn't a surprise. Duchess was and it devastated us.
We never intended to get another dog as quickly as it happened. When asked if we would get another dog, we said we would but we were going to wait. It was shared that when the time came, we'd get a BMD because Rich really was pushing for it.
Volos was a surprise. Saturday night I am with my friends telling them just that, when the time came we would get a BMD. In our discussion the girls looked up pics & I explained that it is hard to find one in a shelter setting.
Very next morning one of those friends sends me a screenshot of something that popped up in her FB feed: A BMD rescue at a shelter about an hour from our home. We discussed it & said "let's just put in an application for him". Never would have thought we'd be driving down to bring him home the next day.
During the time from when the application was submitted to even after he was home, I did my research. Volos was a loving pup from day one (although you had to allow him his space & time for him to come to you) and I immediately adored the big goof.
Reading up on the breed was another eye opening experience. The average life span in 8 years. They have high rates of having cancer. DM as another possibility. The breed has many health issues that give it an average of 8 years. I was horrified. Horrified that our newly adopted 5 year old Berner could leave us too soon. And lord, another DM dog? It killed me.
His MCTs don't help matters. They need to be monitored & removed to prevent them from developing into a worse state.
Volos--this dog turned me from a "Ehh...not impressed" to "I absolutely love this breed". As Rich often points out, he knew from the moment he fell in love with the dog that it was the breed for me.
I love big dogs that I can squeeze tight. I love dogs that have soft fur & big brown eyes. I loved dogs that cuddle. I love furry floppy eared dogs. I LOVE his temperament (except his obsession that all toys are his) Voila! BMD!
After we said Goodbye to Athena, we were in no hurry to bring in another. We needed time to heal & were in the middle of a pandemic.
We did decide we'd look after February. We wanted a young female Berner. That was the only requirement. We were very specific about it being female & young. In order to fit in with the current pack we required a female to balance out the personalities and a young one to have the energy to play with the pups.
The few female rescues that fit the bill weren't meant to be. Either they were quickly adopted or we weren't chosen. Plenty of males--no young females. At this point we had a serious discussion.
In order to get the dog in the timeframe we were looking for we had to get her this year (2021). We can hold out hope that we come across a rescue OR...we actually go to a breeder.
Getting a BMD from a reputable breeder is easily $3000 on the low side. Add in there are waiting lists at a number of these breeders--10-18 months long. Additionally a deposit would be required just to be on the list. We were hesitant because we didn't want to put $ down on something that may take 2 years to happen.
I put myself on a number of groups on Facebook: Rehoming, BMD puppies, etc. Nothing but scammers.
One day Rich is telling a guy at work about my crusade against scammers on these groups & when the guy asks what type of puppy we're looking for -- turns out he knows a breeder!!!
Even better she's taking the female to be bred when we speak. Her family has been breeding Bernese for years. Her pups average 12 yrs. They're cleared from being DM carriers as well as a number of other diseases.
This really helped put my mind at ease and we paid a deposit. I love puppies, but I am not looking forward to training another, but knowing I'll have her for a number of years longer than average helps.
A rescue would have been great, but finding what we want when we want is not so easy. The dynamic here with the dogs can't have any old dog come in. We need a young female. That is the only way this current mix is going to gel.
SO that is essentially why this one isn't a rescue.
Rescuing is the best way to go if you have the time & space. Reputable Breeders are acceptable when you have very specific wants & needs. AVOID BUYING from stores & BYBs.
NO MATTER WHAT though you should ALWAYS research a breed before you bring it home. A majority of the dogs in shelters & rescues is because someone thought the breed was "cute" and when they begin to act as their genetics dictates, they end up discarded.
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