Kuje Comes to Stay

Kuje is an authentic Finnish Lapphund, by authentic I mean he actually comes from Finland having spent his first 3 years living there. I first heard of him through our Finnish Lapphund Yahoo group back in November 07 when we heard that he had got himself lost in a local forest. I met his humum Mari when I took Mylo and Kiva into the forest to see if we could help find him - sadly we didn't though he was found my Mari a few days later.

Kuje is a nervous little dog - wary of strangers and unsure of new surroundings. He, and his hufamily, have been on a couple of our monthly mass Lappy walks and it was evident that Kuje was coming out of his shell and relishing the opportunity to run free with other Lappies.

I was flattered to be asked by Mari if we could look after Kuje for a few days whilst they were on holiday and their normal dog minder was also away. I just hoped that I could make Kuje comfortable.

As I write he is at my feet under my desk - he arrived yesterday evening and soon settled in, he seems quite taken with Kiva, choosing to spend the evening either on, or next to, the sofa with her. Kuje normally sleeps in the same room as his hufamily and though we were more than happy to have him upstairs he decided he wanted to stay in the kitchen with Kiva and Mylo.

All was quiet through the night, as he is used to an early start each day he did wake us with the quietest of whines - nature was calling and a new day had begun.

Meal times at Dogs to Stay are exactly that - meals are served and dogs are expected to eat them .....

After breakfast the dogs joined me on the patio and, for the first time I was able to stroke Kuje (an achievement because he does not like being stroked by strangers - no aggression, he just slinks away) - perhaps he no longer sees me as a stranger because he is now asleep on my foot.

Lappy days indeed