Easter holidays

Office rat like me loooooves 4 days working weeks. Would be only fair, if Friday would be weekend too, specially if it's so nice spring outside. OK, not so spring yet, but it's definitely coming, here's some evidence of it. On the left snowdrops that have very appropriate timing, Kelli found them when we went looking for spring on 20/3. And on the picture on right is a little bit hope already, that snow will melt some day. Around the rowan tree is little mountain of sunflower seed shells. Bird dining house has been very popular this winter, several dozens of visitors every day.  

Below are before and after pictures of a snow lion from our snow zoo. We built it with Kelli in February, it was so fun to build our zoo exhibits that we spent half a day in the snow and finished in dark, when temperature was below the zero already and we had to use water to retouch last details :o).

                

Main fun of Easter holidays was skiing. Yes, I remember, couple of postings back I said I don't like skiing. But it was more like hike on the skis, we went to explore new places, out of official routes where we didn't meet any dedicated skiers who want to ski over my child and dog and myself too :o). Actually we met nearly nobody. Only saw couple of fisherman's from long distance and couple of more hikers. The weather was just wonderful and landscapes we saw too. Only as my cameras life isn't insured, it won't come to ski with me :o). I'm the one who's able to fell even on flat land, but on mountains (even tiny ones) definitely :o). So I only have couple of phone photos to share

Fancy's and Lucky's puppies 1 year old

We have one more very special birthday to celebrate in March - Fancy's and Lucky's puppies got 1 year old today. 

photo: Karin Põiklägu

We had all the family members living in Estonia together yesterday:

Photo: Karin Põiklägu 

Our party took place at Simba's home. With real birthday cookies Simba's owner Mae baked for them. 

Even mentioning Fancy and Caily to Lucky makes him very happy, so we try to meet them as often as possible. But last time we saw Simba was in June, he was just a little puppy then, but now.... amazingly beautiful Sheltie boy. Lucky tried to make up for lost time and teach him some important things :o), at least all the time there was quiet chatter between them and Simba listened so patiently, kissing daddy's nose time to time. Such a good little boy <3.  I think mum and dad must be very proud of all the puppies, they all are so very beautiful.

Too bad distance is too long for all the family to get together, but at least we have internet and so we can get part of the 3 puppies in Finland celebrating their birthday with their friends:

Leya and Lily, photo Sirpa Saari      and      Nemo with his friend, photo Merja Kivelä

Winter summary :o)

It has been spring outside for one day already, so it's last time to write winter summary. Actually I started it long time ago but wanted to fulfil and old promise first and now it's done, there's more then this posting, I wrote 3 more to last summer – Lucky’s 3^rd litter, Lucky’s show and our Sheltie vacation with Karin and her Shelties. At least 4 items deleted from my list of things-to-do-when-I-some-day-will-have-spare-time-for-it :o). Considering I have there photoshop, photographing, html, all the books I have ordered but haven’t read yet ... well, plans are still much bigger then my possibilities. Not to forget that Kelli and dogs will always get the time they need.   But to the point:

I’ll start with an interesting event from December. We visited dog show in Finland with Karin and Fancy.  First the most important part of it – Fancy was BB2 with CAC and CACIB, she is FIN CH now. And Fancy’s and Lucky’s daughter Lily was best puppy day before. Congratulations Fancy and Lily!!! It was so nice to see dear “old” friends – Lucky’s daughter Lily and son Nemo and to meet people I know from FB but have never really met before. And additional bonus to all that was ... shopping :o). We had a lot of time to search through all the corners of shopping area :o) and my personal saboteur (don’t blame my innocent dogs, I mean 2-legged saboteur :o) ) wasn’t with us,  so couple of very necessary findings I did. Like fancy winter jacket for Lucky. Not that I would underestimate his coat, definitely not. But we have agility trainings in building that has same temperature as outside, where, for the time his trainingcompanions run, Lucky is in crate and to keep his muscles warm, wears the jacket now. And as Fancy was kindly helping to find right size we call our fancy jacket Fancy-jacket. Couple of pictures too of Lucky in his new Fancy-jacket ( that I promised to take for Yana – thanks Yana, for keeping us company in Finland, it was really nice to meet you.)

Then Christmas. As every year, dogs had school vacation with Kelli and spent the end of the year in country. We had nice real Christmas with a lot of snow, very cold weather and all the Christmas traditions. As every year, we took hey and carrots to forest. We haven't noticed big demand of what we have taken there, but it's something different from our everyday life,  it's tradition,  it's just Christmas. This year, I have to confess, we adapted our tradition a little, as weather was really cold, we used the sleigh you see on picture background instead the real one :o).

I’m sure I don’t even have to mention Rocco and Lucky have been good boys for whole year, you know yourself. Well, Santa knew too and this year brought them dog bed. It's very popular, shared between 3 – Rocco, Lucky and Tikker (Tikker is our dear old Tiger, but when Kelli was smaller, then due to her spelling changed his name. Tikker is sweet name too, means Gooseberry :o) ).

I had couple of days free between Christmas and New Years Eve, so I got long holidays too. Our good trainer Kristina warned us not to eat too much ;o),  so to be good students, we took this very seriously :o) and went skiing every evening. Skiing in dark or in moonlight is nice, nobody else on the trail and speed feels much higher. Lucky was happy to run free between me and daddy and cheer us both. I put my sport watch on Lucky and used mobile app myself - Lucky's distance was 1,5 x longer then mine :o) . We stole time to go skiing on new years eve too and hopefully my family doesn't read it, but it was best time of the evening. The starry sky was much more beautiful then the fireworks at midnight.


This winter has been generous with the snow but not with the sun. According to  Estonian Meteorolgical and Hydrological Institute  during first  81 days of the winter  there was 49 hours of sun.  Certainly too little and most of it probably on workdays . All the pictures I have made are dark and grey. But there was a cold and sunny day in January on weekend. To be as much as possible in the sun, we decided to go to bog. To save even a little of sun for following working week, I took camera with me. It wasn't easy to get to the bog, first we had to dig out a car that was stuck on our way :o). Our good car and good driver took us safely to the goal, but still there was quite a long walk to the bog. Temperature was below -20 C so I gave up my good plan to take good photos to tempt Karin there at wintertime too :o). But without trying at all I just couldn't leave, so couple of snapshots I got  and one of them for you to see here too.

 Then a topic that can’t be skipped  is of course skiing :o). After trying it for 2 winters I have decided I don't like it :o). But then again, my calories don't like it too and Lucky likes it very much, so we'll definitely continue :o). Of course there's one more good reason to continue - it's that skiing is so popular in Estonia, that you can hardly find opportunity to move any other way then by skiing :o). Ski trails are everywhere and they are overcrowded.  When we go skiing at country we meet much more people then when we walk in forest and on beach near to our city home on evenings :o). And when in town people walking, running, skiing are OK for Lucky, then in country he just has to bark on every single person he meets in forest. I have to see someone coming first and keep Lucky in contact with me until we have passed the skier.  So if Kelli doesn't join us,  with daddy we have changed to ski on car roads:o). Small country roads are covered with snow and cleaned to the level that makes them good enough for skiing.  We have met only couple of cars there and anyway cars are less dangerous then dedicated skiers :o). Or we go skiing later, when dedicated skiers have returned to their homes. For Lucky skiing is fun :o) He hops next to my ski tips barking or runs after daddy and back to me, still barking all the time. So his vocal chords are in as good physical condition as he is, very sporty :o). Skiing gives him good opportunity to use his energy, which, though, seems to be endless. Kelli participated on President's hike, it's 10 km on skis and about 2500 participants including Lucky, me and our daddy :o). Not to give Lucky opportunity to bark on all 2500 skiers he was on leach and pulled me all the way as real sleigh dog. This was our first time to ski on leash and included mountains and slalom between other people. Huh, though. This winter we  have collected quite a lot of kilometers on skis. But still, every morning I run to to window to see if snow has melted :o).  But no sign of melting yet, and as  this week is school vacation and my vacation too, and we are in country we have no other option then to collect more kilometers. With daddy late in night with beautiful moonlight and starry sky, or with children at day time, when I have opportunity to be a sleigh dog for my brothers son :o) .Soon, I hope, melting at daytime and freezing at night will create the hard surface on snow we can again go to river banks we have skied previous years. This is real fun, can't wait. As I'm still not good at all in skate skiing (shame on me, Kelli learned in 2 try), I don't carry camera with me and so I don't have photos for illustrating. So just one more to end this posting, made of first snow last autumn. 

Lucky is 4 years old. No, young :o)

Our wonderful, dear, sweet, fun, beautiful little Lucky is 4 years young!!!

Happy birthday, my dear, sweet little puppy! Happy birthday Foxy, Isac, Max & Shadow.

I have written quite a lot about him here, but there's always more to tell, so here comes Lucky's birthday posting.

It’s just like yesterday when he came to us –  little white tail tip proudly waving, checking his new world. Little king of universe, so self-confident, so independent. Only way to change his mind if he wanted to go and check something, was to catch him. And if it was time to rest at day time, I had to put him in Rocco’s crate and ask my good grandmother to "tell him fairytales" until he fell asleep :o).  He was born brave and socialized and his mum did very well telling him all the good manners a little Sheltie must know. Well, during last 4 years and with the help of Rocco, he has forgotten one good manner - he loves barking now :o). With our good boy Rocco, when he is happy, it's possible to hear it :o). When Lucky was puppy, he came to Rocco and looked at him barking wondering what's the reason, but now it's possible to hear Lucky being happy too :o). And Lucky is a lot happier dog by his spirit :o). And Rocco has ON/OFF button, but Lucky's doesn't work so well :o). Also we have found couple of things he is afraid of - 1) big fly in the room, then he immediately wants to evacuate :o) and 2) grooming, then he immediately wants to emigrate to dog shelter :o). Except the few last aspects, Lucky hasn't changed much. He still has the same sweet puppy soul as 4 years ago, only in couple of numbers bigger coat :o). Still owns the whole world, and all his self-confidence and independence are still there.  Lucky can’t believe someone could not like him or tell him no.  As answer to Rocco’s most serious cRoccodile growl  he uses the opportunity to check all his teeth :o). And when done, washes his ears too :o).  He never waits for his turn, because it’s always his turn and then you don’t have to wait, right? When some other furry friend comes to say hi to me, he definitely has to be between us. 

And this also comes for this furry friend greeting his owner or Rocco or who ever. Lucky always first :o). Rocco is very modest dog, he lived  7 years without asking food when we were eating. Lucky just comes to me, puts his little paws on my knee and looks me in the eye. You have seen  his sweet face, guess if my heart melts :o). Rocco loooooves the food, but he still has some modesty left, so he sits next to me with his most modest look. And of course my heart melts again :o). Don’t you now think, that we don’t have any order in the house. We do. If I tell them no they are gone. And They don’t misuse my softness, it’s not very often they come to ask. And they choose what to ask :o). When Rocco is oriented to meat in every possible form, then Lucky would appreciate yoghurt & honey too, sometimes even more then meat. He is real little dandy who puts really  high focus on his outfit. As I have mentioned before, he has all the hair counted in his coat, so when I take out grooming bag, he is gone. Even if he thinks I might think about taking out grooming bag he is gone :o). He can’t afford donating any hair of his precious coat. Also he is weight watcher.  Dry dog food is not popular at all. Here we have good helper in Rocco, who empties his own bowl like vacuum cleaner and makes Lucky worry the same can happen to his bowl too :o).  It was vice versa when Lucky was little puppy, then he emptied his bowl in a second and then went to help Rocco.  Now his policy seems to be using calories first and then eating according to what was used :o). And thanks to that we have to watch out that people won’t call animal protection when he comes out of water :o). OK, I exaggerated. He just has a slim, sporty body. My show-friends are telling me he should weight little bit more and my agility-friends tell me he could weight little bit less, so I think he has good sound average weight for being my happy active friend as he is. We have tried different brands – Hill’s, Orijen, Magnusson, home-made food and now they are eating Acana. Home-made food was popular, even gaining the weight. But how could I know they get everything they need from it. And with Magnusson Active even Rocco lost weight :o). One dry food Lucky can’t resist is the one in cat’s bowl. He just has to grab a mouthful every time he has the opportunity even he knows it’s not allowed :o). As we were talking about food – could you please, please comment – the brands, your experiences – here in blog or by e-mail – I would very much appreciate.

Now Lucky’s favorite topic – action :o). He is always ready for all kind of activities. 

  In town, our preparations to go out with him take ages from his point of view. He runs rounds from one room to another keeping safe distance from my hand that might want to grab his coat, as to running is connected barking :o). When we finally get out of the door he takes speeding up the process to his paws – when elevator arrives and doors start to open, he usually pushes his nose between the doors and lowers his back like it would open the doors and let him in faster. And out too. In country his preparations to go out start even sooner. When we have finished breakfast and rise from the table :o). He won’t even consider possibility, that we might go to another room or something. He is sure we have plan to go out.  And if I let only him out, he will stand behind the door and hope we plan to go out :o). We try to take longer walks on weekend so he could use his energy.  He really has very good batteries. When we go to ski, he usually hops next to my ski tips and barks all the  time :o). I don’t even aim for high speed, we just have nice walk on skis, little faster and longer then our evening 

walks. On the skis nobody could beat Lucky in speed anyway.  At summer daddy raced with him couple of times on his fancy bicycle and even then Lucky was faster. Lucky is a small dog, I don’t want them to race long distance and Lucky wouldn’t even go, he would return to me, if I don’t go with them. But it’s possible to see he loves to race, he hops and barks next to bicycle too asking to go,go,go... .  It’s not so many possibilities in town to use his energy. I try to let him run out of leach in the forest next to our home and we play. But there have been many times, when after coming back home when I plan to give myself a medal for tiring Lucky :o), he comes to me with his toy before I can get my coat off :o).  He can get invitation to play out of anything. If we go to sleep and he isn’t tired yet, it definitely looks to him like we want to play hide and seek game and of course he is ready to be the one seeking. Guess how Rocco likes it – he usually has settled in to be sweet calming teddy bear and someone starts to dig him out :o). And as Lucky is very thorough, sometimes additionally to digging uses his teeth too.   To save my little digger from daddy’s revenge :o), we tell to daddy about big moth with biiiiiig teeth flying around in our home :o)    He still can read from sleeping cat's body language, that he is missing someone to play with and in return, he is very happy, when cat stretches his paw to crab him, when he walks by - it's definitely start for a loud and happy play.  To him also Rocco’s most serious cRoccodile growl is invitation to play too. Rocco has from the very first minutes had the opinion, that who brought the puppy should also play with him. But Lucky doesn’t let this to interfere. Rocco’s not playing with Lucky doesn’t mean Lucky won’t play with Rocco :o).  At country, when Lucky goes to invite Rocco to play,  we play Angry dogs game :o). I’ll go to Rocco and holding him back tell him steady-ready-gocatchthepuppy. And then Rocco goes like bullet on his direction and Lucky runs around him soooo happy. As I have wrote before all and everything in Rocco is about kindness, so he’ll never really attack Lucky. Lucky’s favorite games are without any doubt all kind of splash games and football.  It’s very easy with him on wintertime when all the ground is covered with white treat – if it’s necessary to get his attention, then throwing snowballs or just splashing snow should be enough. Even mentioning it.  In summertime it’s much harder, me jumping to puddle would be too fun for those I don’t plan to motivate too :o) . But there’s more options, equally he likes football too. Preferably he is the judge who has to run after ball and comment all the time. But if there’s only one football player, he agrees to bring ball back too.  As it comes to playing with another dogs – Lucky won’t play. He liked a lot wrestling game with his Jack Russell classmates in puppy school. But there isn’t many other breeds in the same weight class with a little Sheltie and after a few takedowns he doesn’t want to try any more. He loved chasing game too, but  there’s a little violent babe who grabbed from his precious coat when caught him, and that of course Lucky couldn’t bear :o).

  I’m sure you don’t believe me if I tell that this little violent babe was Fancy :o). She practiced at home on Pippi and though Lucky was faster, she made shortcuts and ...well, Lucky doesn’t want to risk running without pants :o).  So Lucky doesn’t play with other dogs. When we had Pippi, Fancy, Caily and Simba (Lucky’s & Fancy’s tric.son)visiting us in country this summer, then when others played together Lucky came to me with a toy :o). Dog trainers dream, isn’t he? Well, not always. He knows he is very important stud dog and very important stud dog has to collect very important stud dog information :o). But I’m not “real” trainer and for me he really is a dream to train. I’m afraid I have wasted a lot of his capabilities, he is a free soul, commands are all optional to him :o). But he is only 4 and we have a lot of time to continue.  He is such a clever student.  And only possible to train positive way, saying him no takes all his will to cooperate. I don’t know what to tell about us in agility. He is eager and fast for sure, but his translation of my body language is  something totally different then what I ment :o).  Agility takes 2 full evenings, so obedience we only train for fun on our walks. Sometimes. Seldom. Same with tricks. Shame on me. I have real treasure for training tricks  - Silvia Trkman’s training DVD’s. Our holding the flowers trick for birthday card comes from that source and we really had fun training it. So I promise to continue with others too and you could help me by asking very often how it is going with that promise. Then I can’t sweep under the carpet :o). He is good student to Rocco too. I have written 

            before, that I give KONG stuff-a-ball filled with treats to Rocco and Lucky when we leave home in the morning. It started from a dog bisquit I hided for Rocco when he was a puppy. Just to find out how much he wonders around apartment when he is home alone. Well, he found it and so we continued this tradition. Later I hided stuff-a-ball so it would be harder to get the candy. Next step was, that I told Rocco to get the ball for me in the morning, so I could fill it. When Lucky came he got his own ball and in the beginning Rocco had to bring me both. Lucky observed him doing that until one day he brought one himself. And now, when we come home from our morning walk they responsibility to wake daddy up. And before I wake up Kelli, Lucky has searched on ball and can’t wait until I ask him to bring it to me. Sometimes he manages to take one ball and stand next to other with it.  Then Rocco is in big trouble, because polite gentleman as he is, can’t grab it from Lucky :o). I try to tell them to bring correct ball, but they don’t really care. Rocco has figured out additional way for earning candies – after he has brought the ball, he goes to find some more things to bring.  Everything suits for him he can get from the floor – from toys to daddy’s shoes :o). And Lucky follows him, soon I’m sure all the footwear will be brought to me to kitchen :o)   When we are getting ready to leave, they are sitting  noses toward candy-balls waiting on the case. And one more funny thing about Lucky related to candy-ball – I’ll give ball to Rocco first and he goes to other room with it for privacy :o), but when I offer to Lucky his ball, he never takes it from hand, when it’s filled. He points toward floor with his nose like telling me to put it there. I consistently offer it to him from hand every day but he consistently waits until I put it on the floor  :o) and then methodically empties it by rolling it with his nose. And when it’s empty, it’s no problem for him to take it from floor, from hand - every way.


There's so many things to tell  more, so many sweet or fun or interesting moments. Going trough our old photos so many of them came back to me. But I'll leave something for next birthdays too and end this posting with some photos

This photo is made by Linda Ottesen, owner of Lucky's sister Foxy. Sooooo sweet, mum watching Lucky's dreams.

This photo is made shortly after Lucky arrived to our home. He had long day, without sleeping (only a little in airplane). So when we game home, he checked  everything and then came to me and fell asleep.

 Also not very artistical photo, but it reminded me of a sweet moment. We were tenting on the beach and thanks to Lucky who asked out at night, I saw sunrise on the sea. I have watched sunsets on the sea and seen sunrises in other environments. But this view really was so wonderfully beautiful. I don't have photo of it, but I hope to always have it in my memory.

This photo is taken in Lithuania.  We took Lucky everywhere with us and he always acted same way - curious and bold. Lucky has even been shopping with me. If you wonder what's the big deal about it - Estonia is very unfriendly to dogs and dog owners. Dogs are prohibited in most of places. But on the other hand - we estonians are very fashion oriented people too. After a "big world" mega-babe suddenly little Chihuahuas appeared to list of accessories of our mega-babes too. And next thing was that you could meet one even in food store. And though I'm as far from mega-babe as Lucky from Chihuahua, nobody denied us to walk in too :o).