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Visits
Boating season is overWednesday 12/2/09 time 9:00 PM - Fred In yesterday's weather forecast there was a warning that the temperature will go below zero. Yes it did, a couple of degrees below! As we still had our boat in the sea I took it to my friend who takes care of it. The day was perfect: sunshine, no wind, -3°C. The sea started to freeze. I will add some pics. Last weekend the Int. Dog Show in Turku took place. Gunveig participated with both Tess and Viggo. Tess got BOS and again a CACIB (her 5:th), Viggo was judged very good and he performed much better than the first time. i will add some pics from the show. |
UpdatingSunday 11/15/09 time 11:52 PM - Fred It has been some time since last and this is an attempt to update since May. Blood tracking results: Place date result Ypäjä 24.5. 0 Oripää 2.8. 0 Mäntsälä 9.8. 2 Loimaa, Virttaa 23.8. 3 Laihia 4.10. 1 Curly Tracking Championship
Ypäjä, Gunveig stayed by the car and I went with Tess. The first leg was ok and the first part of the second until the wind brought the scent of Gunveig and the the tracking was done. Result zero. Oripää, Gunveig stayed at home and I went with Tess, but she was not too keen on tracking maybe due to the warm weather or the abundance of wild animal tracks. Or perhaps she only tracks with Gunveig behind her.Result zero. Mäntsälä, Gunveig went with Tess and I followed, this proved to be ok because Tess worked well. Result 2. Loimaa, Virttaa here we did as before; Gunveig had Tess and I followed. The track was laid in a new untested area and the track was very difficult with either dense bush the whole way or big areas where timber harvesting machines had recently worked. On the last leg Tess barely missed a snake which the judge saw. He said it was the biggest snake in north Europe or at least in southern Finland. Fortunately there was no incident. Tess performance rendered her a 3 but the judge said that if there were a Fighter's Trophy he would give it to Tess. He also suggested that this area should not be used in the future for tracking. Laihia and the Curly Tracking Championship, Gunveig had Tess and I followed. This time Tess performed very well. There were a lot of fresh wild animal tracks crossing but she just checked some of them, but returned quickly to the track. On the last leg where the track had been remade- she followed the first track and was confused because the track ended and our parked cars could be seen. After a while she was able to solve the problem, returned to the "new"track and continued along the it and that was that. Good show. The result was 1 and Curly Champ in blood tracking.
Dog Show Results: Finnish Curly Club Dog Show 26.7.09. Viggo participated in his first show. Our Junior has a suspicious mind and resents being touched by people he does not know well. Viggo allowed the judge to look at his bite, but did not cooperate after that. He got Very good, a nice result considering our poor performance in the ring.
Seinäjoki International Exhibition 24.10. Tess got CACIB and BOS.
In the middle of the summer we had a fence built around our house and yard. The fence is 1,5m high and very sturdy. It was a good investment because now we can let out the dogs out without worrying about the traffic on the road nearby. It made our life much easier.
In the Tess and Viggo folders we have put new pictures.
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Viggo is singingSaturday 5/23/09 time 9:11 PM - Gunveig Anton is home for the summer from his studies in Vasa. When he is practiceing on the piano Viggo starts to sing to the music. Anton managed to make a video clip of their training session but he was so distracted by Viggo's singing that he forgot what he was playing. You can "enjoy" Viggo's aria on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-pzpXzKV10&feature=channel_page
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Blood tracking in YpäjäSaturday 5/23/09 time 8:25 PM - Fred We are just back from laying a blood track in Ypäjä. The forest was very nice, very open with good visibility, but still no park, and no ditches. Big ditches are the worst obstacle. Tess usually crosses the ditches quite easily, a deep ditch with steep sides can be a bit difficult, but for us humans slideing down one side of a ditch looking for a easy crossing and then climbing up the other steep side is really tireing. When it is hot Tess finds a ditch with water really refreshing and enjoys the water so much she seems to forget about the track. Today we were lucky because there was a threathening thunderstorm moving around us when we laid the track, and when the track was ready and done and we were safely back in the car the sky opened and the rain was pouring down for more than an hour. It will be interesting to see how the rain affects the blood track, will the bloodsmell be washed away or will the smell be spead into a 4 lane highway. Tomorrow we´ll know.
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Tess' blood track testTuesday 5/19/09 time 8:19 PM - Fred Last weekend (16-17.5) we went with Tess for a bloodtracking test in Eurajoki some 150km north of Nagu. On Saturday we laid the track and on Sunday the tracking took place. Tess participates in the winners class where the track was 1200m long with four corners (one corner is a non continuous) and four lays. The forest was a typical Finnish forest, well kept except for a one part which was very bushy and difficult. There were a lot of animal tracks and the locals said that this area is full of wild animals; moose and different deers. Tess started very well, she was concentrated but after a while she started to be more interested in forest mice and animal tracks. The overall performance was not very good this time, it was judged a 3.
Next wekkend we will make a new try, this time in Ypäjä. |
TrackingThursday 4/23/09 time 10:10 PM - Fred Tess has done some bloodtracking before and she performs well. We are participating in a course on tracking aiming at human tracking. First we had some theory on what it is and how it is done and last Sunday we made the first practice. The track was done in our case by pulling broiler meatballs in a stocking. For Tess we made a track 200-300m long and for her it was a piece of cake, she went along the track like a train, on the right side of every tree. Very impressive. The trainer suggested that we make the next track more difficult by lifting the meatballs from the ground every now and then. Hopefully she understands to follow the human track. Viggo had a much shorter track and first he was very confused, did not know what to do, he just sat there. When he finally understood what he was supposed to do, he did a good job for a short while, then suddenly he was frightened by something, lost his concentration and it took some time before he resumed tracking. Considering Viggo is only 6 month old and this was his very first track he performed well. It will be interesting to follow him develop his skills. |
Tess is C.I.B (International Beauty Champion)Tuesday 2/17/09 time 6:03 PM - Fred Last weekend there was an International Dog Show in Tallinn, Estonia. We went there on Saturday with the ferry leaving at 17.30. The trip from Helsinki to Tallinn takes about 2h and you have to leave the dogs in the car on car deck. We stayed at the Tallink Express Hotel on Sadama 1 very close to the harbour. The hotel is nice and tidy, no luxury but ok (52€ for 2+dog). We could have left on Sunday morning because the Curlies were due only at 13.09 but that had meant leaving home at about 04.00 (not a very inspiring option). There were a lot of dogs in the hotel, you could hear some barking from the rooms but all in all it was pretty quiet. The venue for the dog show was the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds which are some km:s away from the very city centre, easy to find. The place was very narrow and crowded. At arrival we could not find a place for us close to our ring, later we found. The show was quite good on time. Tess' coat is not yet it's very best after the puppies and we were afraid of the judge's verdict. Tess and Gunveig performed very well and the show critique was very good/excellent except for the coat which was only rather good. Tess got what we came for so now she is International, Finnish, Swedish and Estonian Campion. Only the paper work is left. We did not dare to participate in the group show because this started at 16.00 and our ferry left at 17.30. Everybody was happy to be back home late on Sunday evening and it was a real joy to see how happy Tess and Viggo were to see each other.
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Walking Viggo and TessSaturday 1/17/09 time 5:33 PM - Fred Now it is cold again but no snow. For those of you interested in knowing the weather we have in Nagu please go to the links and choose Weather Station Nagu and if you want to see what the weather looks like click on webcams. The first view is the view from our chimney. The camera is attached to our chimney. The weather station is operated by our neighbor. There are also other webcams from different locations in Nagu. Today I went out on a walk with Tess and Viggo, I walked ca 2km and both Tess and Viggo walked at least double the distance. I was a little worried about Viggo because this was by far the longest distance for him, but no reason for worries because even at the end of the walk he was still very playful. We were walking parallell to the see which is frosen close to the shore and Viggo was very interested in checking out the ice. When I called for him he came at once (for once). |
Winter ends?Monday 1/12/09 time 6:54 PM - Fred Is the winter over? There is no snow anymore only wet soil. This type of winter is so boring and depressive. Mid-January is suppsed to be the coldest time of the year and it is almost 5°C. Now we are back to normal after the Christmas holidays, Anton has left for Vasa and the dogs are on their own for quite a long time (8-15). Today we had them in Anton's room behind the iron fence. When Derek came home averything was ok, not too much dirt. Tess' fur is slowly recovering, as worst she was almost bald, it will be interesting to learn how long it takes. Viggo is growing fast, he now weights 11,6kg |
The new family member ViggoSaturday 1/3/09 time 2:16 PM - Anton Today Viggo got his own page at the homepage, there we will put up news and pictures.
I took Viggo out for a walk in the snow, and he sure likes the snow. I've uploaded some pictures for you to see.
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Two little curliesThursday 1/1/09 time 5:29 PM - Fred Two little curlies were sitting in the sun, one left for Joensuu and then there were only Viggo. First of all we would like to wish all of you a Happy and Prosperous 2009 in spite of the dark skies. Indeed Blue left today for Joensuu so there is just Turqoise left. Turqoise or Viggo from now on, will stay with us. Now life will be back to almost normal (one extra dog) and we can start to sum up this project. It started in August in Lillehammer and ended 1.1.2009 in Nagu. We have met a lot of nice people the whole way, it has been very nice and interesting but also a lot of extra work. We have been washing the floor of the house I don't know how many times, but many times. Constructing the puppies' box and the yard, vet's visit, feeding on regular basis, deworming, etc. etc. Now the house is very quiet with only Tess and Viggo at home. It will be very interesting to follow the five puppies, will they participate in shows, in tests, agilities, real hunting or just be happy family members. When will we see them the next time.
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Video clipsMonday 12/29/08 time 2:06 PM - Fred Now the Christmas is over and life is back to normal more or less. Of course only two days and then it is New Years Eve. For Christmas Anton came home and his room is still used for the puppies but Anton decided that he wanted to stay in his room together with the puppies. The puppies have grown a lot, they weight almost 9kg. On the first of January Blue will leave for his new home in Joensuu. Then all five puppies (one stays with us) have found a new home. Unfortunately all live far away, between Vasa and Switzerland so the possibility to see them on a regular basis is minimal. Yesterday Anton put some video clips on YouTube with a link from this site (under "Puppies/Video")
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Three little CurliesSunday 12/21/08 time 3:20 PM - Fred Three little Curlies were playing near the loo, one went to Jyväskylä and then they were only two. Yellow (Nelli) was the one going to Jyväskylä, close to where Oodi (White) is living. In fact the puppies were exactly two months old on the 17th of Dec. when Nelli left us. The house feels a little empty with Tess and only two puppies left but they are very active so there is a lot going on. We have removed both the puppy box and the puppy yard instead we have installled a pet door restricting the puppies to this room during daytime when we are away. For Christmas Anton is at home so he can use his old room. Blue is still lacking a new home but we hope that this will change after Christmas. Turqoise we have decided to keep. |
Four little CurliesSunday 12/14/08 time 11:07 AM - Fred Four little Curlies looked at the sea, one went to Vasa then they were only three. Yes indeed, yesterday afternoon Orange's new owner together with her friend came to fetch Orange (Oili in the future). They had started early in the morning from Vasa/Vaasa then they went to Helsingfors/Helsinki to the dog show and from there to Nagu. Quite a trip; more than 600 km lasting over 8h, but I am sure Oili is worth it. This mornig they left for Vasa via Parkano, that's another 450km. Tess is whining and is clearly stressed but that will disappear in a while, we hope. |
Five little CurliesSaturday 12/13/08 time 6:16 PM - Fred Five little Curlies listened to a lore, one fell asleep and then they were only four. Today Violet left us for Switzerland, he will live in a family close to Zürich. Of course it is sad when a puppy leaves because they are not a black mass anymore but individuals with their own behviour. When I washed the puppies today Violet was the only puppy who did not try after a while to escape from the bucket. He really seems to enjoy water. |
Six little CurliesThursday 12/11/08 time 11:07 PM - Fred Six little Curlies were dansing jive, one left for Saarijärvi then they were five. Yes indeed, White (Orchid) left us yesterday. We miss our big brave girl but she came to a home with 2 Curlies and we know that she came to a home with love for and knowledge about Curlies. It is interesting to follow Tess reaction, it looks like she from time to time, counts the puppies, looks confused, sighs and sighs again. Of course it is probably only our imagination a dog does not count (not in the human way anyway) but for sure she understands that one is missing. |
Passenger trainingTuesday 12/9/08 time 12:32 AM - Fred Today we took both Violet (Odin) and Orange (Ottilia) for a car ride. They are the first to leave us so we better start to train them. We carried them in a bag to the car and once in the they were allowed to climb from the bag into Gunveig's lap. Everyting went very well. Ottilia fell almost asleep after some km. Odin was more active climbing around in the lap for some time before finding his peace. With Odin we still have to train his sitting in the bag on the car floor because his new home will be in Switzerland and he will be flying there. In an aircraft the rules for transporting a puppy are usually very demanding: the puppy must be kept in a bag under the seat in front of you. |
Out in the forestMonday 12/8/08 time 1:03 AM - Fred Travellig the whole week, that is why there are no news. I will try to fill in last weeks highlights as they were told me. To day we took the bunch into the forest for the first time. First they were a little anxsious but very soon they looked like trackers. They really sniffed around and were clearly interested in a wet spot on a stone where they sniffed and sniffed moved away and came back. Back home they were very quiet the whole afternoon. Obviously there was a lot of information and new things to process. |
Fence still higherSaturday 11/29/08 time 6:03 PM - Fred On Friday I had to make the fence higher, in the evening the puppies climbed over, today I made the fence 20 cm higher and now the height is 65 cm and this semms to be enough for the moment. Today the puppies were outside for the first time. In the beginning it was a little scary but very soon they wanted to conquer the world. Suddenly a dog barked nearby and all the puppies run straight back in. Only when Tess went in and then came back out did they dare to come out again. |
> 20 kg of puppiesSaturday 11/22/08 time 10:20 PM - Fred Today the total weight of the puppies exceeded 20kg. Their weight is more than tenfold compared to their first reading. Except for White, she has some hundred grams more to increase before her weight is tenfold. Little Blue has gained weight nicely, he is still the smallest but the increase is steady.
The fence was too low, Yellow managed to climb over the fence, she must have some mountaineer's genes inherited. Right from the beginning she has been the best climber.
We made the fence higher. It will be interesting to see how long it will hold them. |