A Pet Columbarium Is Planned for a Church Named After St. Francis, Patron Saint of Animals

But not everyone in San Francisco likes the idea. Veteran politician Angela Alioto calls it "creepy."

In the Hollywood ending to a dog's life, he is buried in a quiet, peaceful spot on your spacious farm, in the oak grove out past the pond where the doves and thrushes sing throughout the day.

The reality is far less picturesque.

Fortunately, in San Francisco, that will change for more than 1,000 pet owners. That's the proposed vacancy on the city's first pet columbarium, which church leaders at the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi in North Beach are planning to build, according to a story in SF Weekly.

The columbarium will hold urns containing the ashes of dead pets. It will be housed in an 850-square-foot space underneath a staircase in the historic church, which was unearthed during construction work.

The Rev. Harold Snider, rector at the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, says that your dog doesn't have to be Catholic to land a spot -- all animals will be welcome. He told SF Weekly that he grew up with animals himself (cats, dogs, and rabbits) and understands the need to place them to rest respectfully.

"A pet isn't just some animal, a pet becomes a valued member of the family," he said. "They give unconditional love, and they can touch human beings in the emotional areas that are often very difficult for other human beings to reach. As such, this Columbarium can be a final testament of that unconditional love."

Some don't see it that way. Talking to the SF Examiner, some well-connected parishioners balked at the proposed pet columbarium.

"Loving creatures is like St. Francis, burying them with humans is not," said Angela Alioto, a longtime local politician who has spent 17 years raising money for the famed Porziuncola shrine, which is in the church. "It's creepy."

"When you talk about burying pets, you talk about them having souls," said Elizabeth Dunn, a member of the Knights of St. Francis, a volunteer organization that guards the shrine. "I don't want to seem like I'm in conflict with [Snider], but this is wrong."

It bears mentioning that the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is named after St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals.

In trying to tamp down the controversy of placing pet remains next to human remains, San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone tried a Hail Mary, saying that because the columbarium will be under the church, "it's not like sacred ground." 

Huh. We'll see how this story plays out.

Via the SF Weekly and the SF Examiner

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Saint Bernard Cupcakes #2

This weekend I am going to a dog show in Cleveland to watch a few of my friends show their Saint Bernards.  I usually make a tray of Saint Bernard cupcakes to take to my Saint Bernard Club November meetings and I’ll take them to the dog shows that I go and watch.  Ive mastered the ones I posted about in 2011 (LINK to post) I’ve tweaked them over the years and they are a big hit.

I’ve seen some great cakes online that use fondant, gumpaste and candy clay.  I’ve always been afraid to try it out, it seemed so hard.  I finally decided to dive in head first and made my own edible candy clay and tried my hand at making a Saint Bernard cupcake topper.  My first attempt, less than stellar but I was actually able to do it.  So I ran out and bought some more chocolate and made more candy clay and gave it a full on go.  Here’s the end result.  I’m actually pretty impressed with myself.  I hope everyone likes them at the Cleveland Cluster this weekend.

View the original article here

Is a Saint Bernard Right for You?

Whitewater Saints

Are you considering buying a Saint Bernard? I think you’re choosing a wonderful breed!

Before you decide, ask yourself some questions. Can you resist buying the first cute puppy you see, on impulse? Are you prepared to make a commitment to a dog for the next 8-10 years or longer, even if you have life changes such as moving, new babies, divorce, or kids going off to college? Full responsibility for a dog is not a job for children; it requires a responsible adult, at least supervising, and should be carefully considered.

The commitment is not a small one; training a Saint Bernard to be a pleasant companion requires considerable time and patience. Saints don’t become well-behaved all by themselves! They require substantial attention and exercise throughout their lives; they are active and social animals and needs to be a part of his “human family”. Left to his own devices in the backyard, lonely, bored, uneducated in simple canine good manners and unused to being handled he will eventually be discarded as “unsuitable for the children”.

Saint Bernards SHED and DROOL! There is no such thing as a “DRY MOUTH” Saint Bernard. While some may drool less than others, all produce saliva in varying amounts. There are both shorthaired (smoothcoat) and longhaired (roughcoat) Saints. Both coat types are of equal value. And twice a year, usually in spring and autumn, they lose most of their coat to help them adjust to the changing seasons. Saint Bernards do require frequent brushing. Puppy chewing and digging can be destructive.

Do you have an appropriate environment for a puppy and are you willing to live with puppy mistakes? The Saint Bernard by nature does not require acres and acres to roam. They are not as active or nervous as some breeds and are content to remain close to home for the most part. Consequently an average fenced yard is adequate as long as there is some place for regular exercise and daily short walks are recommended.

Because of their size the Saint Bernard MUST be trained and this must be done early in life. Fortunately, Saint Bernards are eager to please and will begin responding to commands as soon as they understand what you want of them. Training a Saint Bernard can be a great joy. But a happy relaxed relationship with your Saint does not happen automatically. You must teach him a few simple rules of behavior so that he respects you and develops into a well mannered, obedient family member who is a pleasure to both you and your neighbors. Puppy pre-schools and obedience classes are excellent for the first time dog owner to learn how to get the dog to respond to his wishes.

Are you willing to spend the money it takes to provide appropriate care, including quality food and supplies, annual vaccines, heartworm testing and preventative, and spaying or neutering? Are you willing to wait for the right puppy from the responsible breeder of your choice? Remember, finding the best puppy for you is well worth the wait.

Buy a well-bred dog from a responsible breeder. Responsible breeders take care to produce healthy Saint Bernards with good temperaments. Don’t bargain-hunt and don’t buy a puppy from a pet store; often those puppies come from poor breeding, may have been kept in poor conditions with inadequate socialization, and are sometimes more expensive than puppies purchased from a responsible breeder. Responsible breeders do all they can to avoid producing serious problems, including aggressive or shy temperaments, hereditary health defects such as hip or elbow dysplasia. Remember that “AKC papers” are not an indication of quality in the dog. They only mean that the dog’s parents were AKC registered. Never buy a Saint Bernard sight unseen or over the internet – NEVER!!

Is a puppy really the right dog for me?

My Boys came to me at 19 months.

If you don’t have the time or facilities for socializing, house training, and obedience training a puppy, it’s possible that an older dog would be a better choice. Mature Saint Bernards usually adapt very well to new homes and can form very deep bonds. You can investigate Saint Bernard rescue or find a responsible breeder who may have an older dog to place in a new home.

How do I know a breeder is responsible?

Lanbern Saint Bernards

Look for a breeder who:

Is knowledgeable about the breed. Most responsible breeders continually test the results of their breeding programs by participating in conformation shows, obedience trials, rally trials, or weight pulling.Is knowledgeable about raising puppies. Even puppies with the best hereditary temperaments can exhibit behavioral problems if they are not socialized sufficiently or if they are removed from their dam and littermates before seven weeks of age. Socialization done by the breeder should include ensuring that each pup receives frequent human attention, is handled frequently, and is exposed to a wide variety of noises and experiences.Takes steps to keep the puppies as healthy as possible. Before puppies go to their new homes, they should have been wormed or checked for worms, and should have received their first shots.Takes steps to prevent occurrence of hereditary defects in the puppies. Both parents should have hip clearances from at least one of the following registries: OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), PennHip, Wind-Morgan, or a foreign joint registry. Many breeders are checking parents for elbow defects as well as hips. Be sure to ask about health clearances; responsible breeders will be happy to tell you about them and will honestly discuss problems that might occur in the parents’ lines. Avoid breeders that tell you their dogs don’t need health clearances because they’ve never had a problem, or those who tell you that their ”vet said the dog was ok.” Remember that clearances on the parents don’t guarantee that the puppies will be free of problems, but your chances of buying a healthy puppy are greatly improved if the parents have been cleared.

Health problems that are common among Saint Bernards are Hip or Elbow Dysplasia, Entropian, Ectropian, Bone Cancer and Epilepsy.

 Hip Dysplasia 

Hip Dysplasia is by definition an ill-fitting hip. This can be caused by having shallow sockets, abnormal heads and necks of the femur and from excessively loose ligaments. Hip Dysplasia is a polygenetic inherited condition that is affected by environmental influences such as weight, diet and exercise, which can interact to cause rapid wear and tear of the hip joint leading to arthritic change.

Hip Dysplasia is a definite problem in Saint Bernards that needs to be assessed and taken into account before heavily working, exercising or breeding with an animal. Hip Dysplasia is a complex genetic and environmental problem but should be kept in its proper perspective relative to the breed as a whole. It is one genetic problem, not the only one.

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow disease is the preferred term to be used when talking about elbow problems in growing dogs. Unfortunately “elbow dysplasia” was the name given to the condition of ununited anconeal process and this term is closely linked in this way in the minds of most veterinarians and some dog breeders.

Elbow disease is a general term to denote joint problems in growing dogs and it includes ununited anconeal process (UAP), fragmented medial coronoid process (FCP) and osteochondrosis of the medial condyle of the humerus (OCD). These are the three most important conditions although there are a number of uncommon conditions included in the term.

Ectropian

Ectropian (the opposite of entropian) occurs when the lower eyelids roll away from the eyeball. Ectropian is common in breeds with loose facial skin. As the eyeball is insufficiently protected it is open to infection. Surgery is available to correct this problem.

Entropian

Entropian (the opposite of ectropian) is a condition in which the eyelids turn inwards causing the dog’s eyelashes to rub against the cornea. This eventually causes ulcers to form and is extremely painful for the dog and if not treated can lead to blindness. There is surgery available to correct this problem but as some breeds are more prone to it than others it is best not to breed individual dogs that develop this condition.

Does not breed bitches every time they come in season. This is extremely hard on the bitch and may indicate that profit is the breeder’s primary motive.Chooses breedings carefully. Ask why the particular sire was chosen. The answer should be thoughtful and knowledgeable. Answers such as “because he lived close to me” or “because he’s such a cute dog” generally don’t indicate a breeding that is being done to produce puppies that are better than their parents (the goal of every responsible breeder). One indication of a quality breeding is if the majority of dogs in the first few generations are titled (CH, OTCH, FC, CD, JH, WC and so on, before or after the dogs’ names). If the titles only appear generations back or if there are only a few in the entire pedigree, they don’t mean much.Lets you meet the parents of the puppies. Bitches may be sent long-distance to stud dogs, but the breeder should be able to show you photographs of the sire and answer questions about him.Evaluates puppy temperaments and helps you choose the puppy that is best suited to your lifestyle. A very active puppy won’t do well in a sedate environment, and a quiet puppy may be overwhelmed in an active household with noisy children. Remember that most breedings are done so the breeder can choose a puppy to carry on his or her own lines, so you may have to wait until this choice is made when the pups are 6-7 weeks old. After that, the breeder can help you decide which pup would be most suitable for you. The breeder has spent extensive time with the litter and knows the puppies best, so their advice is important.Will be willing to take the dog back at any time if you cannot keep it.  Responsible breeders do NOT want their puppies to end up in an animal shelter or in a less-than-ideal home.Is someone you feel comfortable with. You may not be an expert on Saint Bernards, but you do know about people. Use your intuition. The breeder should be available for the life of the dog to answer questions, so this could be a long-term relationship. If you don’t trust the person, don’t buy a dog from them.Will provide appropriate documentation with the puppy, including registration papers, pedigree, and a health record.Is concerned about your future plans for the puppy, particularly whether you’re thinking of breeding the dog. Many responsible breeders sell pet-quality animals with mandatory spay/neuter contracts and/or Limited Registration (meaning that offspring of the dog cannot be registered). This is a good indication that the breeder cares enough about the breed to ensure that only the very best representatives are bred. Some breeders may be willing to change the Limited Registration to a Full Registration if you present the dog to them after maturity, having had all its health clearances. Then, if the breeder thinks the dog is of good quality and temperament, they may change the registration and help you with the selection of a good stud dog. Only the dog’s breeder can make this change.

How do I find a responsible breeder?

First, educate yourself. Read books on the breed. Attend dog shows or obedience trials, and talk to the Saint Bernard exhibitors. Be willing to spend some time on the phone, talking to breeders, and looking for referrals. Most responsible breeders will have a list of puppy buyers before they do a breeding, and usually don’t have to advertise in the newspaper. Please remember that the great majority of Saint Bernard breeders are hobby breeders. They are not “in business,” breeding is not their profession, and very few of them make money on their dogs. It’s a labor of love for the breed. Please give them the courtesy you’d give to your own friends and neighbors.  You may not find a breeder that satisfies all these criteria, but these guidelines should be helpful in finding the best puppy for you and your situation.

How “kid and family friendly” is the Saint Bernard?

Fairview Saint Bernards

Puppies must be taught not to use their mouth on humans – even in play. They must be taught to tolerate having their ears, mouth, feet and tail handled and to allow food to be taken from their mouth. All these experiences will help ensure that the puppy is tolerant of any children who perform these actions. Teaching the puppy to sit before being patted will ensure that the dog does not jump for attention and knock children down. Although many dogs will tolerate almost any behavior from children they should not be expected to do so. Children who are not taught that it is very wrong to hit, kick, pinch or torment their own dog may one day meet a dog who is not so tolerant.  Children should be seated before picking up a puppy, as a squirming puppy will usually be dropped.

A “safe” area should be provided where the puppy can go for rest and children should be told that they must not disturb him. Over-tired children and dogs both get cranky!

It is part of good parenting to supervise all activities of babies and small children and their time with the family dog should be no exception until parents are confident that both the child and dog are of an age where they can understand how to play gently and reliably together.There are a few basic rules parents should instill in their children. Children should be taught not to run up to strange dogs but to ask the owner’s permission to pat the dog. They should be taught not to hug strange dogs or to reach over the dog’s head to pat it on top of the head. If a dog is uneasy or tired of playing with children and tries to get away from them they must not follow it.

Dog owners should observe the following guidelines with visiting children. Dogs who are not used to children may be uneasy with their movements and sounds. If a dog is uneasy with visiting children he is better secured in a favorite area where the children cannot go to him. Don’t try to force your dog to allow a child to pat or play with it.

Suggested Reading; The Art of Raising a Puppy by The Monks of New Skete and How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With by Rutherford and Neil.

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Saint Bernard Cupcakes

So, I was chatting with a friend the other night and the topic of Saint Bernard cupcakes came up.  Im trying to be crafty these days so  I thought I’d try my hand at them.  I searched the intenet looking for directions but couldn’t find any.  Mind you Im not a baker and certainly not a cake decorator… I’ve made Bakerella’s cupcake bites and those were tasty!  But heck, you cant go wrong with those little gems.

After watching some youtube videos on how to pipe frosting I headed over to Michaels to see if I could find the implements so I could give it a go.  Armed with multiple tips, disposable icing bags/couplers and candy eyes/redhots I headed to the grocery for the ingredients to make my icing, yes I made it from scratch.  Turns out I only needed #12 and #233 tips (but a #10 and #234 would have worked too).

Here’s the breakdown on what I used:

Vanilla Buttercream frosting for the cupcake face and Nose (#12 tip) – will frost about 12 cupcakes with liberal use for the muzzle.Duncan Hines Amazing Glazes (Chocolate) for the mask and noseRed Hots for the tongueWilton Candy EyesButtercream frosting (above) – added cocoa powder to make brown for the ears (#233 tip)

First I put a coating of frosting on the cupcakes face.  Next (following package directions) put globs of the glaze where the mask goes and placed the eyeballs in it while still warm.  Next I used a pipping bag with a #12 tip to put on the muzzle and added a dolop of the glaze for the nose and a redhot for the tongue.  Finally I used the chocolate frosting for the ears using a pipping bag and #233 tip to make the ears look fuzzy.  The whole endeavor wasnt too time consuming, but make sure .  One tip I can give you is to make sure you freeze the cupcakes for 30 minutes to an hour to make frosting easier and to keep crumbs out of it.

I think this one looks like Rufus – my baby boy is immortalized in cake and buttercream.

The finished product

Using the #12 tip I created the 3 dimensional muzzle

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Sunday Saint Showcase #1 – LOLA

Tonight I am launching my new series Sunday Saint Showcase.  Its my sincerest hopes that Its The Dogs Life will help give rescues and additional platform to reach out to the public on behalf of the wonderful Saints waiting to find their forever family.  If you have room in your heart and home to help a Saint in need and would consider Lola, contact Sunny Saints rescue.

http://www.sunnysaints.org/lola.html

Lola is a 3 year old wet mouth, rough coat Saint Bernard that has been used as a breeder and then was dumped at a local shelter, along with her mate Roscoe. When she was spayed, it was discovered that she was in the early stages of yet another pregnancy. Lola is a friendly and outgoing girl that craves love and attention and weighs 120 pounds. Her foster family has taught her some basic obedience and leash manners. She now walks very nicely on a loose leash. She sits nicely if she wants to be petted. She has been socialized with the dogs in her foster home and is showing no aggressive behavior toward them. She needs a forever family to take her to obedience training, and help her to transition into the indoor Saint that she was meant to be and not the backyard puppy factory she has been. Can you offer Lola the good life?

Sunny Saints, Southern California St. Bernard Rescue is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Corporation (#45-0922994) formed by a group of friends with several years of combined experience in Saint Bernard rescue who share a common philosophy to treat the dogs that we save and the people who foster and adopt them with kindness and dignity.

• Sunny Saints P.O. Box 870 Bellflower, CA 90707
• General Questions & Information 562.422.2385 (Sheila) — Sheila@sunnysaints.org
• Intake Coordinator 562.619.2059 (Pam) — Pam@sunnysaints.org
• Adoptions Coordinator 858.222.4101 (Kim) — Kim@sunnysaints.org
• FAX # 562.435.6361

We are not a shelter facility, so please don’t call and ask if you can come today to see our dogs. All of our Adoptable Saints are in temporary private Foster homes. The first step in our adoption process is to fill out an Adoption Application. After the application has been reviewed and approved, our Adoptions Coordinator will contact you to set up a phone interview. A home visit may be required, and if you live outside of our coverage area, photographs of your home and property may be used as a substitution for the home visit. When your home has been approved, we then set up the meet and greet with the dog that you are interested in. The dog typically can be adopted directly from the meet and greet and you can take your new best friend home with you. Upon adopting, you will be required to sign an adoption contract. An adoption donation is necessary to adopt a dog. Some dogs cost us less to ready for adoption than do others, so the money collected goes toward paying the bills for all our rescued dogs, not just the dog you are adopting.

 Sunny Saints was not established to place our rescued dogs in just “any home,” but rather to place them in the “right home.” We are dedicated to sending all of our Sunny Saints to loving, “forever homes” and it is important to us that you know everything that we know about each dog so that you can make an educated decision when adopting a dog from us. It is also equally important for us to know as much as we can about you so that we can help you to find the perfect dog for your situation. If we tell you that a certain dog isn’t right for you, trust us. We want what’s best for both of you.

 We will do our very best to give you our honest opinion on the dog you are considering, however, we cannot guarantee the future health, heritage, or temperament of any of our rescue dogs.

 All pets in our program will be spayed/neutered prior to adoption unless deemed medically inappropriate. Puppies too young to be spayed/neutered will be placed into their adoptive homes on a foster-to-adopt basis where the adoption will not become official until after they have had their surgery. All dogs will have basic vaccinations, have been wormed and microchipped. Copies of all medical records in our possession will be forwarded to the adopting party. Their foster family will let the adopting family know the type of food they are used to eating so they can have it for them upon bringing the dog home. An adoption donation is required.

Sunny Saints will consider adopting to those who live outside Southern California on a case-by-case basis.

As of July 1, 2011, adoption fees are as follows: Puppies under 1 year of age are $500.00.
Dogs 1 to 4 years are $375.00 and dogs 5 years and older are $300.00.

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Saint Bernard Jack ‘o Lantern

My first attempt at carving a Saint Bernard pumpkin.  I saw plastic ones on the internet and created my own saint bernard pumpkin stencil.  Surprisingly,  it actually turned out.  I wonder how long it will take for the neighborhood kids to smash it.

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Getting excited for Saint Bernard Nationals

Next week is a big week for Saint Bernard fanciers across the US. The Saint Bernard Club of America will be holding their annual National Specialty Show the week of September 11-18th in Findley, New York at the lovely Peek ‘n Peak resort. Many of the top American Saint Bernards will be there competing, their owners will be socializing and attending a multitude of personal seminars on showing, breeding and health concerns.

This will be my first year going to Nationals and I’m so excited to go!  Although I won’t be there the entire week, I will be there for several days.  I will be there in time to watch Sweeps.  I can’t wait to meet up with some of my friends from Crufts (England, March 2011).  I’m planning on attending some of the seminars, socialize, photograph and basically drool over the gorgeous dogs.  I’m am also bringing my traveling buddy Rufus. Better dig out his doggles and traveling hat!

See you all in a few days!

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Saint Bernard Beer!!!

OMG!  This is the COOLEST beer ever!  Bon Securs is brewed made by Brasserie Caulier in Belgium and every bottle has a Saint Bernard on it. Of course they dont sell it here in the US, believe me, I investigated.

The Saint in their advertising looks like my Brutus!  Maybe Brutus and Rufus can have their own beer……. hehehe

“In 1628, the monks founded a monastery at Brigittines Péruwelz. The brewmaster was called the father Baudelot.

Every Sunday, the good Father Baudelot celebrate the Office in the Chapel of Our Lady of inter-wood in the village of Bonsecours. It was built by loggers in honor of the Virgin Mary who had miraculously preserved from the plague.

The story goes that on his way home, the father always used to stop in some small taverns … to enjoy his favorite beverage. He spent long convivial evenings listening to the pilgrims.

These evenings were well watered so it was finally his Saint Bernard bringing him back in the early hours on the road to the Abbey …

So in tribute to the father Baudelot we have taken the tradition of monks Brigittines, and we wanted to highlight the Saint Bernard.”

~ History of Brassier Caulier

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