December 31st - Here we are at the end of another year, it has been quite sad for us this year having lost Casji and Madi. On the bright side our two new puppies Steffi and Joker came to England and settled in with us straight away when they were ten months old. We have had a good year showing with excellent results in France and Norway, Geilo has sired a few good litters too. We hope next year will be better for us and the dogs when we have plans to mate Elkie and possibly Janka when they are in season around March/April time.

December 29th - After our sad time losing Madi Christmas turned out wonderful for all our dogs, we had heavy snow from the 17th and ended up with the first white Christmas here for many years. Each day we took the dogs for their walks they had a great time playing and chasing one another, Geilo was the best, he just rolled in the snow all the time, Janka followed and rolled with him. Our two new dogs Steffi and Joker had a good time but the rolling about in the deep snow was not for them, they preferred chasing each other diving in and out of the tree's. We have taken many new picture's over the Christmas period, we have added some on Madi's picture's, our litters page (litter 1) and of course here on the News Update page. All who have visited our home to meet us and our dogs will love the picture's of Pia in the snow, you can see her standing on top of a large snowball. To all those who have not had the pleasure to meet Pia she is totally blind, Pia has no fears at all, since she lost her sight at two years old her other senses have taken over. She is the most happy and confident dog you could ever meet. There are no pictures of Jodi and Uschi in the snow as Jill takes them out on her own, so taking pictures is rather difficult. However there will be some in the New Year. We will be adding more pictures to our various dogs own page's soon, keep watching. To all who sent us messages of support for Madi we truly appreciate all your very kind words, they have meant a lot too us.

 

December 20th - Our beautifull girl Madi was a great ambassador for the breed, displaying many trait's that Bernese are renowned for, she was very good with children and other animals, she was very gentle, very loyal and very intelligent.  There was nothing Madi liked more than going out for walks with us and our other dogs,  she often used to wander off and when you weren’t looking disappear, only to re-appear somewhere along the path in front of you, looking at you as if to say “what took you so long?”  it was one of her favourite games.  If it was too hot for her or if she didn’t want to go any further she would just sit down on the path and wait for you to come back.  We will always remember our holidays with her, she went to Switzerland each year and to Norway and Sweden, she also went all over the Continent with us.  Everybody she met fell in love with her, in Switzerland in the mountain's many visitors had their pictures taken with Madi, she was happy to go with them to have her picture taken. One day whilst walking down from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen in Switzerland it was quite warm, Madi cooled herself down by sitting in the streams in the shade!  She had three litters of puppies and was a wonderful Mother to her first two litters. When she had her third litter she was very ill for the first couple of weeks, she wouldn’t eat anything, I always remember getting in the whelping box with her and feeding her cornflakes and milk from my hands.  We only managed to save one puppy from the litter, Jorka who of course died so tragically last year.  She ruptured a cruciate ligament whilst out walking one day, which she had repaired and that didn’t seem to bother her and then two years ago we nearly lost her to a Gastric torsion.

Even to the end although very weak she was very strong, Madi was our first home born Bernese, she was very special to us and the many adults and children she has made friends with. She started her therapy work when she was one year old and over the 9.5 years she was a therapy dog Madi made many friend's in hospital's, care home's and schools. She was the BEST  we will have other's working as therapy dogs - Madi led, they must follow in her great paw prints, Madi was a fantastic therapy dog. 

We had shown Madi but she didn’t like being shown, we remember the first time we showed her at an Open show in Sheffield along with her brother Heiko. We went into the show hall and she just froze, she wouldn’t move - we had to push her along the floor to the ring. We didn’t show her a lot because she used to pace when she moved, however she used to love pulling her cart. 

Our beautiful girl Madi lived her life to the full and was at her happiest when she was with us no matter where that was, be it in a Cable Car, Post Bus, on a mountain railway train, the van or just lying next to your bed in a hotel room. There will be more Bernese, but there will never be another Madi. She will always be in our hearts and we have many great memories of her - now at rest waiting at the Rainbow Bridge for us. Bye Madi, we and all your friend love you.

 

December 16th - Sadly we have to report the death of our beloved female Madi who died on December 16th aged 10.5 years, Madi was born in our first litter. We will publish more information here in a few days when we can bring ourselves to write about her. As a Therapy dog Madi visited Nursing Home's, Hospitals' and a Special Need's School where she was known throughout the school, we are sure that Madi had the largest Fan Club of any Bernese. She brought lots of pleasure to many people of all ages over the year's, she was a super star in her work with children and staff at Beaumont Hill School in Darlington and the Ecology Centre in Stockton.. 

 

December 11th - Happy 4th Birthday to all the puppies from Jodi and Goliath (litter 8). 

Puppy 1 - Staubach  Ingrid vom der Wald (female) - Delilah

Puppy 2 - Staubach Isla vom der Wald (female) - Misha - Owners Mr & Mrs Nicholson

 

December 9th - Happy 4th Birthday to all the puppies from Casji and Dino (litter 7).

Puppy 1 - Staubach Heiko vom der Wald (male) - Barney - Owners Mr & Mrs Hannam

Puppy 2 - Staubach Hondo vom der Wald (male) - Harvey - Owners Mr & Mrs Sainsbury

Puppy 3 - Staubach Heidi vom der Wald (female) - Heidi - Owners Mr & Mrs Catchpole

Puppy 4 - Staubach Hersha vom der Wald (female) - Tascha - Owners Mr & Mrs Chrispin

Puppy 5 - Staubach Helga vom der Wald (female) - Becky - Owners Mr & Mrs Shea,