The pack have been joined by Kanto, Kiva's brother and Wheeto's uncle and despite a walk across the fields around the village still have energy left to burn.
Didier plays with Oreo, Wheeto plays with Mylo, Kiva plays with Wolfie
Yesterday (Friday) saw Wolfie take a trip to the local dog groomers - following a conversation last weekend with another Keeshond owner we took their advice to get Wolfie's undercoat stripped out. The groomer is one that we use for our own dogs and sometimes our guests and he is familiar with dealing with double coated dogs. We had tried stripping Wolfie out ourselves but it wasn't a particularly successful exercise so, with the authority of Wolfie's hufamily the dog groomers it was.
The village where the groomers is based is just a short drive away and Wolfie happily leaped into the Jeep for the 10 minute trip - John, the groomer, said he would give us a ring when Wolfie was ready to be collected. Though Wolfie would miss out on his morning walk it did mean that walking the 4 guests left, Kiva and Mylo could be done in one shift. As things transpired Wolfie wasn't ready to be collected until 2.30 - 5 hours after being dropped off. On my arrival to collect him I saw a somewhat smaller but very smart looking Wolfie - next to him were 4, yes FOUR, carrier bags filled with his stripped out undercoat - what a transformation.
The difference really is amazing - to the uneducated eye Wolfie still looks like an incredibly fluffy dog however when he walks and runs his coat now bounces and gets caught in the breeze - I think that Impi approves too.
Of course we must remember that we don't just have Wolfie staying at Dogs to Stay as Wheeto and Oreo are with us 'till early May as well as Stig and Impi being with us for the weekend. Impi has settled in remarkably, we were, at first, concerned that she and Kiva might not get on, we have past experience of them not being sisterly, however the 2 of them are no trouble at all. Impi is very taken by Wolfie, the expression "joined at the hip" springs to mind. At just 8 months Stig is a hooligan, in the nicest way of course. He has tried to dominate everyone, with the exception of Wolfie; Wheeto was the focus of his attentions at first - Wheeto was NOT impressed, then it was Oreo, sadly for Stig to no avail, at just 5 months little Oreo is more than able to look after himself.
Stig then turned his attentions to Mylo - not the wisest decision as Mylo doesn't tolerate being harassed, one bark from him was all it took for Stig to know who was boss, lesson learned. With just one dog left to try to impress he turned his attention to his mum, Kiva - another lesson quickly learned; Kiva, like Mylo, doesn't like being messed with - however she is quick to forgive.
The weather has been fabulous, more summer than spring like, so the dogs have been able to enjoy the free run of the garden. We still have a full compliment of flowers, bushes and shrubs and have no new holes in the lawn or flower beds. OK the trellis has a few more holes in it that it did before Oreo arrived but hey ho, what's a trellis without a few holes? Just another day at Dogs to Stay.
4 Lapphunds and a Keeshund has been no trouble at all so we wondered what it would be like with 6 Lapphunds and a Keeshond.
Our new guests, with us for the weekend, are Stig, one of Kiva's puppies born last August and Kiva's sister Impi.
Stig has become infatuated with Wheeto - Wolfie and Impi seem to be joined at the hip, Oreo is maturing by the minute under the influence of the pack and Kiva and Mylo are as chilled as ever.
Suffice to say that everyone is getting on and the dogs all seem to be enjoying their holidays. As I write Impi and Mylo are at my feet, Kiva and Oreo are lying in the shade, Wheeto and Stig are playing and Wolfie, conspicuouis by his absence, is at the dog groomers - pictures to follow.
On Saturday Louise and I took the pack of 5 (Lapphunds Kiva and Mylo, Wheeto and Oreo and Keeshond Wolfie) to Milton Keynes for a Dogs to Stay reunion walk. Some might question Miulton Keynes as a venue for a dog walk but trust me if you haven't discovered the walks around Willen Lake you really are missing out.
The weather was gorgeous, the company perfect and the dogs amazing, 12 Lapphunds, a Keeshond and 2 German Spitz Mitels are quite a sight. Wolfie attracted a lot of admiring glances and through him we met another Keeshond owner who gave us some advice as to how best deal with Wolfie's thick coat. Wheeto and Oreo enjoyed the day as it gave them an opportunity to meet up with their hufamily and, in Oreo's case, a litter mate, the lovely Kai.
After the walk we went to some friends, for a barbecue, where the dogs were again impeccably well behaved and where Kiva and her brother Kanto had a further opportunity to play.
On our return home all of the dogs crashed out for the evening - who could blame them, a whole day spent with other dogs and a 5 mile walk ... now that's what we call a Lappy day.
Sunday morning so us enjoy the luxury of a lie in as the dogs slept, or made no noise, until after 7.30 - a huge improvement from the 5.00 am awakenings. We took Wolfie, Wheeto nd Oreo to the pub at lunch time and spent a relaxing afternoon chatting with friends old and new about the benefits of sharing one's life with a canine companion, or 2.
Unfortunately Monday morning saw Wheeto and Oreo wake early - after being let out into the garden for a toilet break they settled down again in the kitchen ... for a while. It really is amazing what one can get done whilst the rest of the village sleep.
We enjoyed a lovely morning walk across the fields - especially Mylo who found himself a dead rabbit to latch on to, prising it out of his jaws was no mean feat. On our return we collected doggy day care guest Didier the working cocker spaniel who kept Oreo and Wolfie entertained for much of the day.
This morning was, again, an early start - I am trying everything to get Wheeto and Oreo to settle back to sleep (Wolfie, btw, is exemplary and is more than happy to chill to the 2 legged people are up and about). This morning rather than leaving them out of their crates I decided to put Wheeto and Oreo away in theirs ..... Wolfie came into the lounge with me. Silence :-)
With Wheeto and Oreo safely tucked up I was able to enjoy a nice doze on the sofa - Wolfie enjoyed it too as he snuggled up next to me.
On Thursday Wolfie, a 1 year old Keeshond, came to join our other guests, Finnish Lapphunds Wheeto and Oreo. We had already met Wolfie as a few weeks ago he and his family came for a visit to introduce Wolfie to own dogs Kiva and Mylo - the meeting went well and we were confident that he would fit in with the pack - the earlier than expected arrival of Wheeto and Oreo could have thrown a spanner in the works - as things transpired all of the pack have been getting on like a house on fire.
The dogs have been enjoying each other's company and wearing each other out with their non-stop playing (see above) - don't worry if you think you see a black spaniel - it is a black spaniel, Didier a Dogs to Stay doggy day care guest - and no the dogs haven't learnt to stop barking there is no sound to the video.
As a result of all of the fun and games we had an excellent night with Oreo waking an hour later than he had been - almost a lie in ;-)
Tomorrow we are off to Milton Keynes for a walk with other Lappy owning families - I hope that Wolfie remembers to bark in Finnish rather than Dutch.
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