The 2010 Handbook

The 2011 Ruby Jubilee Handbook

As usual the latest Club Handbook which was our 26th ever handbook was published at Crufts 2011 and hundreds of members collected their copies during breed judging from our breed stand adjacent to the Bernese ring. All others were mailed out afterwards although this does take quite a few days to complete.

This year's handbook has been a special effort for the club to celebrate our Ruby Jubilee year. We hoped for a bumper handbook to mark the occasion and we dropped our prices and encouraged people to contribute in other ways. The results will be immediately obvious to everyone receiving their handbook by the weight and thickness of more than 300 pages! We really do thank and appreciate everyone that has contributed and we're sure you'll be pleased to be a part of such a commemorative publication. We hope everyone enjoys looking through it and it's impact has got our Ruby Jubilee year off to a great start.

We have to thank Karen Bird our editor for all the effort she has put into this book amongst her many other commitments to the club and also Wendy Murray at the publishers for her completely invaluable assistance with every aspect of the work required to get the book to our members.

The advertisers section of pages from owners featuring their dogs is split into different galleries. The galleries are Agility, Carting, Breeding and Showing, Obedience, International and, most importantly of all Family Member. Costing was greatly reduced on recent years as we encouraged contributions especially for multiple pages. We hope to have lots of overseas visitors for our big week-end and many of them will take a handbook away so there was even more reason to be in the 2011 book as even more people across the world will see your lovely Bernese. This year after many requests we have reverted to the previous practice of including the membership list within the handbook. This year it was free to include your copy on the web site and you can find the links to whole sections of the book below.

If you missed out on the 2011 book remember there's always 2012. The pages aren't just for show dogs as some people seem to think but for ALL Bernese, you don't need to have an affix to show off your dogs and you don't need to visit a show or have a fancy professional photo. You don't need to be a show dog or a working dog, just a Bernese. All you really need is a clear photo of your dog whether he or she be a show dog, a carting dog, an obedience dog a PAT dog or simply a beloved member of your family, which they all are most of the time anyway. You are effectively just saying "this is my lovely dog and we are so happy with him/her". So your dog could be a part of our handbook any year you like and as well as being in the handbook there is the option to repeat your page on this web site.

Many people keep the handbook as a reference for that year in Bernese and over the years they do build into a comprehensive record of the breed in Britain with photos of the dogs and people around each year. As it is the handbook goes to members all over the world and lots of people just enjoy looking at the pictures so if you've ever thought my dog could be in there why not do it next time. So get your camera out through the summer and snap a picture of your dog. It doesn't have to be a show posing picture and can be anything at all, playing with the kids, snuggling the cat, running around, wearing a hat or covered in mud whatever you like, the possibilities are endless. Why not be a part of next year's book and show off your dog to the rest of the Bernese world.

Karen Bird the handbook editor for 2012 will be happy to give any advice you need either in person at shows and events, by email handbook@bernese.co.uk or phone any time of the year and at most club events you can get a free photo of your dog from Steve Green.

Of course the best way to see the complete range of everything the handbook has to offer is to join the club and receive it as part of your membership and maybe you'll decide put your Bernese in it next year. As a showcase click on the appropriate link button to view the relevant pages. Please remember that, just as in the handbook itself, the club can make no comment on the people or dogs featured in the handbook. Their appearance in the handbook, or here on the web site handbook page, should not be taken as any kind of official endorsement of them or their dogs.

The advertisers index pages are reprinted here to assist your viewing of the book's pages. Choose the page number you want and then click on the appropriate link below. Please note that A few multi page adverts may be included in more than one link.