Bailey English

New:

Bailey had surgery on 20 August 2004
New photos
Cost of a dog like a Saint Bernard
Fieke passed away on 4 December 2003. Click here to enter Fieke´s page
Some responses received via E-mail (more to be found on the Dutch page; see below)

Humphry Bailey van de Eliziëeshof

Who am I?

Hi there. I’m Humphry Bailey van de Elizieëshof (e-mail: humphrybailey@hotmail.com), better known as Bailey. I’m born on May 30th, 1998 at the Saint Bernard Kennel ‘Van de Elizieëshof’ in Arnhem, the Netherlands (Arnhem is known from ‘a bridge too far’ in the 2^nd World War). Since the end of July 1998 I have been living at Xandra and John’s. Since November 2003 Lyanne has been living in our house. Even in the end of 2004 I am still jealous. Therefor I am not allowed to stay alone with Lyanne. My masters are stupid I think.....

Here you’ll find some pic’s from me and my brothers and sisters.

I met two of them quite often at the puppy course. They’re called Heavy (sounds reasonable) and Hendrik (a typical Dutch name). On the left picture you can see me when I was very small. On the right picture you see Heritage (left top) and the lowest puppy is called Wammes (full name: Hesta Wammes). See also section ‘My family’ on this web page.

My education?

Xandra and John believe I had a good education. But they can believe whatever they want. By the way, if you believe you have to go to a church instead of having me as a pet..…..just kidding.

I took my training at the dog school in Arnhem. And guess what….I finished the school and now I have a diploma. Now that’s something!

I can do quite some things: on command (only from my masters) I can sit, wait, lie on one side, keep standing, go left and right (also slaloming) and yawn (I haven’t an idea why I should do this. It only makes me sleepy….and I can do that best!). Sometimes I can also shake my head on command. But I can do this best when I took a walk in the rain.

Hobbies?

My hobbies: sleep during a major part of the day (and always lie in someone's way), walk with my masters, and excellently guard our house and environment (together with Fieke of course). Sometimes I bark loud when something is suspicious, so that Xandra and John can’t sleep. That’s funny, isn’t it?

I love to play with my fake plastic chicken. Often I get a new one. Within one day I completely demolish it. Before Fieke arrived in our house, I did not like to play with balls. But when Fieke lived with us, I liked it much more. Especially when the ball says ´peep´ when I bite in it!

Some time ago, some kids approached me. They had a large piece of wood. They said: “Bailey, this is too strong for us. We can’t break it and we believe you can’t either”. Guess what? Within 10 seconds I had two pieces of wood.

And this is what I do not like:

New years day. Not the day itself, but the fireworks and flashes.

During my first new years day I got really afraid. My masters tried to change my behavior, but they did not fully succeed. These days they leave the radio on and close the curtains. So I don't hear the noise and do not see the flashings. Lately this helps. Besides, they gave me some kind of medication, to make me calm. And last time, I hardly was not afraid anymore. And I heard from Xandra and John that they liked the fact that I was still in the mood to play. Cool!

My size?

I’m mature. My weight was over 100 kilograms (that is over 220 pounds). The veterinarian’s scale can only measure up to 100 kilo’s and I’m heavier. Fortunately it seems that I was not too heavy. On 20 August 2004 my weight was less: 89 kilograms (about 200 pounds). See also ´medical´ section.

I am about 85 cm tall (till my shoulders; that is about 33.5 inches). I can lay my chin on the table. Even for a Saint Bernard I am a huge guy. Our German Shepherd ‘Fieke’ could walk under me if she wanted it to.

And now something about my family:

Of course I have a pedigree with all the papers. My Dutch dog number is 21 95 033. My father is Vedor van de Geerdohof and my mother is Wischa Purdy van de Rudolfo Hoeve. Both have short hair, like I do. Some of my brothers and sisters have long hair. My great-grandfather (Sandor van Geutenreuth) is world champion, European champion and Swiss champion. My other great-grandfather was Dutch and international champion (Tristan van de Roja Horst).

My sister Heritage was Dutch champion in 2000. Yes, I’m from a good family. Unfortunately Heritage died far too early because of a turned stomach. Wammes also died. A large dog definitely has disadvantages. The other brothers and sisters are still alive and kicking.

In mid-September 2001 something strange was going on. I had to go into the car. We went to a town called Hilversum and ended up at a place with all kind of animals. Later I heard that this was the ‘Crailo’ pound: a home for stray animals. I had to enter a run with another dog: a German Shepherd bitch, born on 4 June 1993. She is called Fieke (Full name: Fieke Tosca) and lived in my house since September 2001. She died on 4 December 2003.

Of course Fieke wanted to be my master. But I didn’t allow her to: I have lived here for years…….finally my masters discovered that I could growl! And before I never did this to other dogs.

Fieke wasn’t as socialible as I am. Even when she lived with me for some time, she sometimes tried to attack me. Fortunately this didn’t happen often. Most of the times she was nice to me. Against other dogs she was not nice at all, although she was improving. Xandra and John tell me she was very nice to visitors and that she was very smart: she learned things extremely fast. That is quite different with me…....

Whenever we walked together, I wa more in a hurry. I used to be a bit slow when they took me out for a walk. I had to be fast, since my masters had to be impressed by me. However Fieke and I usually walked separate because Fieke was much faster. And if I have to walk too fast, my joints hurt (see section ‘Medical’).

We don’t know much about Fieke, except for that her previous master didn’t want her back when she had run away. That master wasn’t quite on the ball: Fieke was sheared bald in a summer: “she stinks” was the response. Fieke and I are a bit each others opposites:

	Me	Fieke
	Huge	Small (also for a German Shepherd)
	Slow	Fast
	Male	Female
	Lazy all the way	Willing to please
	All history records available	Many unanswered questions

Other friends and enemies:

When we came up where we live now, three other Saints used to live within 500 m (550 yards). One of them lived only 4 houses from ours. But that wasn’t my friend…..we both wanted to be the masters of the neighborhood. This Saint died at an age of 13. That is incredibly old: usually Saints only get about 7 to 8 years old.

Two female Leonbergers lived two houses from ours. They are really my friends. If you all let us play: we’ll get nice big puppies. However, Fieke did not like those 2 very much. The 2 dogs just moved into another place in this town.

A German dog (better known as Great Dane) and a Malamute lived about half a mile from our house. Some day I had a little fight with the Malamute.

In March 2003 Fieke and I were walking with one of our masters. I was leashed, Fieke was not. A little Jack Russel, also unleashed, approached me. He (it was a male doggy) attacked me immediately! Because he went on with his strike, my master decided to unleash Fieke. She launched a counter attack and bit the Jack in the neck. He jumped about 3 ft backwards, but he was still in the mood for a fight. So was Fieke. She went for a second round and bit the Jack again. That´s what I call love......The Jack had enough and went away. My old roommate helped me out!

I deeply appreciate what Fieke did for me. Therefor I stole a play ball from her. But she did the same with one of my toys.

To fight sometimes is good for me: my bosses believe sometimes I am too friendly to other dogs. Previously other dogs couldn’t drive me mad (and sometimes still.....). I believe the Malamute removed; I do not see him anymore.

Food and motion:

I eat about 1.8 kg (4 pounds) per day. Yes, Saint Bernards know how to eat. Fieke eats far less….but that’s a smaller dog by far.

A few times a day I take a short with one (or both) of my masters. I would like to go more frequently and longer, but unfortunately I already have some arthrosis in my front knees (see ´Medical´).

Medical?

My masters keep track of my medical records. According to my medical passport I was a good puppy. But am I still healthy? Every year I receive an injection to avoid all kinds of strange (and mortal) diseases.

Unfortunately I have some arthrosis. Once I had to lie on a tall table and two strange people took pictures. That wasn’t funny! I was not in the mood to listen to a veterinarian: I only want to listen to my masters. The veterinarian said the cause is my weight: he said I’m heavily built. So not much to do about it. The remedy is not to take my masters for a long walk……

Since we don’t walk that much, I do not need analgesics anymore. Besides, my stomach and intestines are not very strong. Sometimes I drink water outside illegally. The result: diarrhea. That’s not too bad, since then I get nice food: boiled macaroni, hard-boiled eggs, noodles, a kind of soft curd cheese low-fat cottage (this is the only milk product I am allowed to have in this situation) and fillet of chicken. Usually the diarrhea disappears within a day. However, twice I had diarrhea so bad that this menu did not work. Then I got tablets (Finidiar and Amphoprimol).

Once I couldn’t sit. My masters feared for hip dysplasia. It appeared to be an inflamed back hip. After I had Cortaphen Forte (painkiller and halts the inflammation; BTW I also get it for arthrosis if required) it went fine. I also had an inflammation on my ear. And again I had to take medicine………Hydrocortiderm.

I had an ear inflammation once. I was had been scratching my ear for a couple of days. Then I received something against the itch (Hydrcortiderm) and Otiderm gel (anti inflammation). So this only lasted for some days.

On 20 August 2004 I had to go to the doctor: I had ´wild meat´ on my foot. The veterinarian had to remove it. On the picture you see me with a bandage. It had to stay for 3 days. Unfortunately I was not allowed to walk to a week.....it hurt!

Now I am in a perfect health. My masters clean my ears about every month with a stuff called ´Specicare´. This will prevent to get an ear inframmation again and I won´t get mite (especially dogs with lop-ears are at risk).

When Fieke was in heat

This probably had more impact on me than on Fieke: I barked and cried all day and night. I wanted to make pups. It did not really help if they put me in the garage, because I could still smell a bitch in season. I got punished when I barked or cried too much (e.g. they sprayed me with water, which I hate) and I got a present when I have respectable behavior.

On average Fieke was in heat twice a year.

Yes, is definitely has impact to have a male and female dog in the same house during this period: Bailey keeps his masters awake at night.

Saint Bernard stuff

I believe my masters kind of like me. They have seven Saint Bernard teddies. One is huge: it is 50 cm (19.5 inches) tall. But I’m still bigger. The big Saint wears my belt. Whenever I see the teddies, I want to play with them. But that is not allowed…..….that sucks!

What are the cost of a big dog like me?

An indication is provided in Euros per annum (price level 2003)

Sub	Euro/annum
Depreciation	100
Food	370
Dog tax	60
Vaccination	40
Anti-flea	60
Several treatments diseases	100
Tools, bones etc	50
Total average	780

ad ´depreciation´: to purchase a Saint Bernard pup in The Netherlands will cost about 700 Euro, and the average maximum age will be about 7 years. So 100 Euro per annum.

Unfortunately owners make mistakes and do not realize the cost in advance, which sometimes results in dogs ending up in the pound. We hope in helping to prevent these mistakes! See Fieke´s page (link below) for the cost of a dog of average size that is taken from a pound.

How to contact me

I have got e-mail, so if you are in the mood please mail me at humphrybailey@hotmail.com! I will try to get back to you ASAP.…….or call me as loud as you can. Whenever I hear you, I will definitely bark.

Here you´ll find some mail I received including some silly, unnecessary and whatever responses from my masters.

From: Katie Furekull and the saints Ludwigh and Bathzeba

Hi,

I´ve been surfing around your website and I really enjoyed it! It was lovely to read all about Bailey! Most of it goes for my Ludwigh too!!
Your Bailey really is a charming guy and I´ll be back to read more about him later!
I also see you collect saint teddies and stuff...I do too! I also have newfoundlands so I collect stuff about them too.
Feel free to visit my web site and meet Ludwigh! And the other dogs! http://w1.320.telia.com/~u32002871/storeli.html

Best wishes from Katie Furekull and the saints Ludwigh and Bathzeba

MORE E-MAIL AND RESPONSES ON THE DUTCH PAGE (IN DUTCH OF COURSE......)

Further developments to be expected.........some day......when my master's are in the mood

A guestbook

Links:

Link to Fieke Here you will find more information on my room mate Fieke Tosca the German Shepperd

De dierenbescherming The dutch animal protection site. Animal protection remains necessary

Kennel de Elizieeshof Here Bailey was born.

Heavy en Hendrik My sister and brother

Other links are mentioned in the text.

To Dutch version

To Lyanne

Naar Nederlandstalige versie