Thursday, 30 July 2009
And Now There Are 3
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Monday, 27 July 2009
Happy Mondays
Saturday, 25 July 2009
And now there are 5
Talk about feeling at home - Obi sauntered in as though he had never been away though I think he was momentarily taken aback to see 2 new faces; Kukko and Miia - watching 5 adult Lappies play is a true pleasure - Kukko and Obi are getting on fine, well apart from the odd sulk when the other one is chewing on one of the many available bones. Miia and Obi have met before on one of our mass Lappy walks and they too are getting on fine. Kiva, as always, loves having playmates whilst Mylo observes the action and occasionally joins in with the games.
Feeding 5 Lappies 5 sepearte meals was a lot easier than expected, chicken and kibble for Obi, Chappie and kibble for Kiva, biscuits and Chappie for Miia, Chappie and vegetables for Mylo and kibble (just kibble) for Kukko - no squabbles and 5 empty bowls.
Once their dinners had been digested it was time for their evening constitutional - 5 Lappies, 2 braces and Kukko on his own lead exploring the village and investigating the many smells - even meeting a new resident in the village, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever.
As I write the dogs are all settled -Kiva asleep on the living room floor, Mylo asleep at Louise's feet, Miia asleep in the cool of the kitchen and Kukko & Obi at my feet taking it in turns chewing on a bone.
Obi seems to have lost his front paws
Kiva enjoying a rest
And then there were 4
Thursday, 23 July 2009
Didn't I Have A Lovely Day
Having roused myself from my sleep I went downstairs to join Kiva and Mylo for the day and the opportunity to water the grass. Breakfast was served on time (10/10 for efficiency) and then it was time for a play with Kiva whilst the Dogs to Stay people drank coffee and read the snoozepapers. A pretty normal start to the day.
Things changed though when Mylo and I were put in the back of the Jeep. Kiva was left behind and I must admit I was wondering what was going to happen .... Off we went in the Jeep, through the village and then along lots of winding roads, before long we came to a town and the Jeep was parked.
Mylo and I got out and we were taken into a small building .... oh dear - it was the vets - I recognised the uniforms that the staff were wearing. We didn't have to wait long at all before we were called in to see the nurse... I was a little concerned because even though I knew I was fine I wasn't sure about Mylo - I hoped there was nothing wrong with him as I had kind of got used to him. Mylo was taken to a machine that weighed him - 20.9 it read (not that I can read but I did hear the nurse say so) - Simon was really pleased, the nurse wrote in a book and then we left - if only all trips to the vets could be so easy .... apparently it was Fat Club - somewhere where Mylo has to go every few weeks to make sure he's still losing weight.
Back in the Jeep and before long we were back at Dogs to Stay - we were taken out for a lovely walk and then I played with Kiva in the garden.
Before I knew it I was put back in the Jeep - this time with Kiva whilst Mylo was left at home - off we went, this time for a long long time - eventually we came to Surrey - quite classy really. We waited for some gates to open before driving through and parking. Kiva and I were taken out of the Jeep and I looked around at a huge house .... apparently this was TabanyaRuu Towers - home of the famous TabanyaRuu breeders. Kiva and I were led through into the garden (well I think it was a garden though it did look a bit like a huge field and forest) where I met some more Lappies; Sisko (Kiva's mum), Smuu (Kiva's granny) and Tuukka (Kiva's granddad) - there was another little dog there, I think it was called Zinty but I ignored it because all it did was bark.
It was a pretty good afternoon - we were there for hours, running, playing, chilling, eating bones and sleeping before getting back in the Jeep and driving home. All in all a pretty interesting day - I kind of like it here, something exciting happens most days :-)
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Miia Makes Herself At Home
Regardless of where she chooses to lie she is always relaxed - I would like to think that she likes it here, certainly she never complains - unless a door is shut on her.
We have just returned from a walk - I am cold and wet, the dogs are just wet - isn't the British summer just great.
Lappy days
Sunday at Dogs to Stay
spent all day playing or sleeping - perfect.
Sunday, 19 July 2009
Saturday - and then there were 4
On Saturday it was time to put the 3 dogs into the Jeep for a trip to Malvern where we were showing Kiva and Mylo at National Working & Pastoral - regular readers of our blogs will know that Mylo doesn't enjoy being shown - Saturday was no different - though at least he was consistent - last in both classes that he was shown.
Kiva did slightly better; 6th in 1 class and VHC (apparently meaning Very Highly Commended - though I think it actually means Very Harshly Criticised) in her other - the highlight of the day was Kiva's sister, Peppi, winning Best Bitch and subsequently Best of Breed.
Miia seemed to enjoy her day surrounded, as she was, by loads of Lappies - she is a great traveller and very well socialised.
Our return home coincided with the arrival of some overnight guest, Ant and Vicky (and their wonderful 5 year old son Connor) and their Lappy puppy Usko (Finnish for faith) - Miia and he became best of friends immediately, playing all evening whilst Kiva enjoyed the break from Miia's company. Bed time saw them all settled - nary a peep from any of them.
As I write all of the dogs are sleeping - we have just returned from a walk, well in Usko's case a part walk part carry. Just another day at Dogs to Stay.
Lappy days
Friday, 17 July 2009
Our Latest Guest
Our latest guest arrived yesterday - Miia is with us for a couple of weeks whilst her hufamily enjoy some sun, sand and sangria.
Kiva and Mylo have met her a number of times before as she is a regular on our mass Lappy walks - we were all confident that the 3 dogs would all get along fine - apart from the manic 15 minutes when she arrived. This mad 1/4 of an hour has become the norm - the guest dog/s have a rough and tumble with Kiva and Mylo as they try and work out the heirarchy - bizarrely the results are pretty constant - Mylo is most definately top dog (well I like to let him thinks so) and the rest are equals. Miia is a very tactile dog - she just loves human company though the attraction of 2 other dogs with whom to play was obviously a pleasure for her.
Walking with her is a joy - she is not a puller at all and as a result our afternoon walk was a joy - made even more pleasurable by an invitation from one of our friends in the village to see her 9 Clumber Spaniel puppies - just 5 days old :-). Whilst I ooohed over the puppies Kiva, Mylo and Miia played in the garden with a couple of chocolate Labradums, a Dumber Spaniel and a cross Border/Lakeland Terrier - fun and games for all.
On our return it was time to get the dogs fed - our aim is to manage to get all of the dogs fed at the same time and in the same place - not always easy but a great way to establish some order.
one does have a tendency to scoot around the floor.
After eating Mylo and Miia enjoyed a post dinner bone.
The evening was relaxed, Miia alternating between sitting on the floor, on the sofa, in the kitchen or playing in the garden - the 3 dogs really do get on well.
Time came for us to put them down for the night - no problems there .... well for 30 minutes or so when Miia started to make herself heard, a subtle bark or 2 causing me to come back downstairs to check on them - Miia appeared to be annoyed that Kiva and Mylo wouldn't allow her to join them in the kennel. Settled down again it was back upstairs for me - well for 10 minutes or so before Miia started to howl - by howl I mean HOWLLLLLLL - mmm, what to do?
Perhaps she would be better upstairs with us - well that worked well as I was next awoken at 7.30am by Miia rolling over and falling off the bed - bless, a new day at Dogs to Stay has begun.
Lappy days
Saturday, 4 July 2009
And Then There Were 5
Things were soon to change though .... We had been asked if we could look after Smilla (whom we had had here before) and her playmate Susi (a 3 month old Wolf Sable bitch) for the weekend.
Dinner was served - 5 dogs, 5 different diets a logistical nightmare but it all went off quiet well - 5 empty bowls with the right food in the right dog.
A walk around the village followed - we are used to being seen with 2 dogs, sometimes 3 - but never with 5. Though the pack size had changed the comments didn't; "You could do with a sled" - "Have you been breeding?" etc.The evening was very relaxed - though Susi, whom we expected to fall asleep during the evening, kept going 'till the very end - with all of the dogs chilled.
We were awoken at 5.00 this morning - not sure by whom, but a new day had begun for the dogs so up we all got. Today may well be a little tricky as Smilla has most definitely come into season - I have yet to work out how best to keep her and Zack apart but I am sure that things will pan out well.
Lappy days