--Doggie Gear

Swiss dog collars

Leather with brass trim

• BMD Club of Greater Seattle
  Claudio Bucceri
  (206) 281-8767.
  Also check: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/dkittrell for a list of items and prices.

  Claudio was extremely helpful, the prices are great and you will be helping out a Berner club. He may not always have everything in stock.

• Swiss Traditions
  P. O. Box 146
  Aldie, VA 20105
  Phone: (703) 327-4083
  Fax: (703) 327-2033
  Web: http://www.swisstraditions.com
  email: smunzli@erols.com
  For beautiful, handcrafted, Swiss dog collars, stuffed Berners, linen Berner calendars, Swiss & Canton Bern flags (suitable for carting), Swiss cow bells, leashes, linen Berner kitchen calendars etc.

  Good stuff, can be significantly more expensive than the BMDCGS (above) but more likely to have what you want when you want it.

• Alpine Pet Limited
  P.O. Box 1741
  Wakefield, MA 01880
  Phone: 800-424-7463 or 781-224-4455
  Web: http://www.alpinepet.com
  Berner-l member Debbie Rea is the manager of this catalog company. They also carry a "Sporting Lead" for a hands-free way of walking your dog. Debbie describes it as "a Miss America sash with a lead attached at your waist."

• Greater Swiss Mtn Dog Club
  Susan Kittler
  Got a nice, quick reply from Susan, but she is out of collars right this moment.

• Brigitte Rhinehart (another Swissy person)

Sleds

The Armadillo sled from Mountainsmith is a polyethylene shell with thin metal slides on the bottom. It will hold one person easily or else your expedition gear. It has aluminum shafts which attach to the front.

• Weight: 10 lbs
  With harness and cover (it has a nylon drawstring cover on it)
• Size: 18 inches wide X 41 inches long.

You also need to buy the dog harness which has shafts which plug right into the sled shafts. (You can get a person harness, too, if you're interested.) The dog harness is made of nylon with wool felt padding in the front.

Also needed are the rear brakes. These are two aluminum flaps which slide along while going forward but flip down if the sled slips backward. Don't want the sled to pull our dog backwards and hurt them.

I put it on the dog and just turn it loose to run. My kids say it's faster than sliding downhill. --Tari Hafner

Mountainsmith, Inc.
Golden, Colorado
800-426-4075 (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm Mountain time)

Skijoring Gear

harnesses for dogs (and people?)

• Rae's Harness Shop (does mail orders)
  Anchorage, Alaska
  1-800-770-1177.
• Boundary Waters Catalog
  Ely, Minnesota
  Phone: 800-223-6565
  Web: http://www.piragis.com
• Critter Creations of Oregon
  Jean & Shelley Ziegler
  1293 NW Wall #1485
  Bend, OR 97701
  Phone: 541-382-2636 or 541-382-9084

Gentle Leader (updated 5/99>

Collar to control strong pulling dogs. A lot of the behaviorists really like this method & much prefer it over pinch collars, etc. Two styles are available. One has a plastic quick-snap, while the other has a metal buckle behind the neck. Both have a patented clamping system under the nose (stronger and more reliable than the old screw lock tab).
The large size is for dogs 60+ lbs.
Colors: Black, Fawn, Royal Blue, Red, Purple, Green, Ice Blue, Hot Pink and "Pacific" pattern (teal, royal blue and green stripe).

• Premier Pet Products
  406 Branchway Court
  Richmond, VA 23236
• Phone: 800-933-5595
• Fax: 800-795-5930
• Email: prepet@erols.com
• Web: http://www.gentleleader.com/

Packs

Backpacks for dogs.

• Packs for dogs in a variety of styles and colors.
  Prices: Canadian $50 to $110.
  We have used these packs with our BMDs for years and have been extremely happy with their workmanship and functioning.
  Wanda Tait
  Phone: 403-845-7366
  email: oberland@agt.net

• Wolf Packs, LLC
  3 styles of packs made with "best materials avaliable" (YKK zippers, Cordura Plus & Ballistic urethane coated nylon, Velcro, PolarTec 300). Available in a wide variety of colors.
  775 Tyler Creed Rd. #1
  Ashland, OR 97520-9408
  Phone/Fax: 541-482-SNOW (541-482-7669)
  Email: traildog@wolfpacks.com
  Web: http://www.mind.net/catalog/

Rolled Leather Collars

Word of caution: these usually come in 3 colors (black, natural, brown/red). The brown/red stain bleeds when wet and is nearly impossible to get out of a Berner's white ruff.

• Laughing Dog Designs got endorsments from several people on the list (eg, Margie Reho, Donna Coffin, Marianne Becktel) Laughing Dog also makes leather carting/pulling harnesses, couplers, leashes, dumbbell holders and totes.
  Note: Laughing Dog Designs takes orders only by mail/fax.
  • Laughing Dog Designs
    P.O. Box 581
    Silver Spring, PA 17575
  • Phone/FAX: 888-LAFF-DOG (888-523-3364)
      NO phone orders; catalog requests and questions only
      Will accept FAX orders to this number.
  • Email: kath@laughing-dog.com
  • Web: http://www.laughing-dog.com
• Bolduc Custom Leatherworks also comes highly recommended. The owner makes a full line of tack "for horse and hound," ready-to-wear and custom.
  • Bolduc Custom Leatherworks
    Box 598
    Otis, MA 01253-0598
  • Phone: 413-269-7761

Search and Rescue gear

Gear for wilderness and SAR activities: packs, tracking harnesses, etc. (They carry people gear too.)

• Search Gear
  882 Bruce Lane
  Chico, CA 95928
• Email: searchgr@sierra.net
• Phone: 800-474-2612
  (local): 916-899-2612
• Fax 1-916-894-1416
• Web: http://www.searchgear.com

Carts, harnesses, etc.

For cart equipment, training video, Newfoundland training book, and the BMDCA Regulations.

Place	Phone	Fax	Email
Dog Works 14297 Curvin Dr. Stewartstown, PA 17363	800-787-2788 717-993-6644	717-993-3698	dogworks@cyberia.net
Von Russ Giants Harry Russ 123 Yeager Ave Forty Fort, PA 18704	717-288-0735	717-993-3698
Ikon Outfitters 7597 Latham Rd. Lodi, WI 53555	608-592-4397
Nordkyn Outfitters P.O. Box 1023 Graham, WA 98338	206-847-4128 Orders only: 800-326-4128	206-847-4108	nordkyn@nordkyn.com
Brown's Cart & Harness Company Elmira, Ontario	519-669-4503		lhoward@caninecarts.com http://www.caninecarts.com

No-Pull Halter

The halter works by applying pressure to the underside of the dog's front legs whenever the dog pulls.
"In no time at all, I was able to ENJOY walking either of our dogs without needing to ice my arms when we returned." --Liz Steinweg

• Four Paws Products, Ltd.
  50 Wireless Blvd.
  Hauppauge, NY 11788
• Phone: 516-434-1100
• Email: fourpaws@li.net
• Web: http://www.fourpaws.com

Text-Embroidered Collar

Green Farm Trading (England) will embroider whatever you want on a flat collar for your dog.

Soft (Mesh) Crates

Collapsible mesh crates (definitely not airline approved!).

• Eezi-Crate
  Phone: 803-365-9798
  Web: http://www.eezi-crate.com/
  Light and sturdy. No PVC pipe frame. Cost: $220-$250 depending on the size.

Brush

"Sparkler" pin brush by Senproco.
The pins are backed so as not to slide back or come loose, they are brass-plated to avoid corrosion, and the pins are beveled nicely.

• Senproco, Inc.
  P.O. Box 8128
  Durango, CO 81301
• Phone: 800-748-1777
• Fax: 970-247-9620
• Web: http://www.coathandler.com

Slicker

"Super Slickas" made by Hindes.
Two styles mentioned: one is stout rubber cones and the other has a small black bristle in the point of each cone.

• The House of Hindes Limited
  13 Bordesley Trading Estate
  Bordesley Green Road
  Birmingham B8 1BZ
  Great Britain
• Tel: (0121) 326 7667
• Fax: (0121) 328 1734
  If calling from outside the UK, dial your international access code and replace (0121) with (44 121)
• E-mail: hindes@hindes.co.uk
• Web: http://www.hindes.co.uk

Bite Not Collars

An alternative to the "Elizabethan" style collar.
Unimpeded peripheral vision. The collar is secured by velcro strips along the edges and an elastic wrap-around strap. Larger dog collars also have a harness strap which wraps around the animal's chest.

• Bite Not Products
  1032 Irving St. #446
  San Francisco, CA 94122
• Phone: 800-424-8366
• Fax: 415-564-7982

Grooming Items

Assortment of nice quality grooming items.
Kool Dry dryer, with Hold a Hose; combs (from Belgium), brushes, nail clippers, rawhide chews.

• Grooming Time Savers
  Ron Goldman
• Phone: 800.896.4971