Rocco's birthday vol 2

10 years is respectable age, so don't be surprised about one more birhtday posting.

On wednesday we celebrated Rocco's 10 years birthday with his breeder, Inna Tolli.

Thank you, Inna, for this amazing dog, thank you for beeing our friend and shareing your experience for last 10 years.

Rocco is 10 years old

It's Rocco's 10 years birthday today!!!

Link to birthday photos

In most of postings here Lucky is main character, so this will be Rocco's. There's a lot of sweet memories considering our long history together, so it's going to be long one :o).

I start with a sweet habbit he has, that goes back to his second day with us. It was Friday, so we went to our country home after work. Weather was cold and so was the house so when it was time to go to sleep, I didn't dare to leave him on the floor, but took to the bed with us and under the blanket.

He slept all night as my teddy bear. Next weekends we repeated the same procedure and since

that time it has been his tradition every night. No matter what time I go to sleep, he comes with

me and cuddles under the blanket beeing the most calming teddy bear in the world. He can't stay long

because of his long coat, but he hasn't skipped a day.

Next thing that definately needs to be told is his kind help raising Kelli :o). When Kelli was born, I had 0 experience with children before, so often even his heart-warming presence was a big support for me. Kelli was wonderful baby from her first day and slept all night long. But few nights we stayed awake because gas pain and it was scary then to think that everybody else in the house are sleeping but my baby doesn't feel good and nothing I can do can help her. It was much easier then, if little furry friend stayed with us, curled on my toes and helped me watch her. And boy was he worried when Kelli started to cry. Kelli was always in good mood and only reason she cried as a baby was when she got hungry .It always happened very suddenly and then she had to complain loud. Then it was always a big fuss, baby to my arms and again it was peace in our world :o) But not that Rocco could ignore the crying. He too had to act very quickly and usually ended up somewhere next to us, as close to me as possible. So I think he newer knew that baby was saying she is hungry by crying, he tought the reason was him beeing in wrong place :o). And what ever he was doing or where he was, until Kelli told she's hungry by crying, came Rocco as fast as he could and setteled as close to me as possible, beeing happy for solving his little friends problems so skillfully :o) Later they two became good playmates (poor neighbours :o) ) who were always ready to stand up for each other. Like when "no's" of a 2 years old got beyond my patience level and I tried to fix the situation by nagging on Kelli, Rocco was immidiately there, so very worried and quilty, trying to climb in my arms and apologize, so that I had to make a pause in nagging to comfort Rocco's tender soul, after what it was hard to get in nagging mood again :o) and when I tried to spray a very unpopular medicine under Rocco's paw and Rocco of course struggled to save his paw from me, his little friend helped him by starting to cry, so I had to release Rocco and comfort my little girl :o)

One thing that's unusual for a dog is Rocco's playing.

He did play with toys a little as a puppy but later had almost no interest in them. He got (still gets) happy, no, crazy and thrilled when somebody takes water from well:o). And when car  wipers are working. Later he learned to enjoy retrieving game with his friend Jossu - Jossu retrieved the toy and Rocco herded him  by bouncing on his way and barking. With clicker I teached him to like toys too, you should hear his crowl when tugging, very impressive :o). One toy he has always liked, it's Kong stuff-a-ball. This game started years ago, when, wanting to know what Rocco does at home, when we are at work, I hided some dog bisquites for him. Obviously he wondered around the appartement - he found them all. So we continued hiding food for him and he just loved it. It was hard to catch him for his daily "I go to work, be a good boy" lecture :o), he was so focused on going to search his "candies". Later we started to hide food with Kong ball, so he should work more to get it. And from that he created new tradition. Told him to find the ball and bring it to me for filling in the mornings. Now I don't even have to tell him any more, he goes himself after he has eaten his breakfest. When Lucky came, second Kong ball came too and he found and brought them both. In the beginning Lucky only watched him doing it, but soon he got the point and now it's competition who get's first. And as they get revard for bringing the ball, they try to cheat a little too :o) Rocco some days comes a toy or hair donuts or what ever he can find in his mouth. Some days I get quite big collection of thing he has found :o). But little about Lucky too - he has different strategy to earn candies - he brings the ball and put's it on the floor. I give him candy and he quicky grabs ball and escapes with it :o), to come back with it soon again :o). And there's no sad dogs in our home if we go to work, on the contrary, daddy takes them out for 2 minutes last thing before we leave, (just in case they forgot to do something during our morning walk,) they rush back home and sit and wait for us to leave, so they could get their filled balls :o).

Then a topic very important for Rocco - eating ;o). He was very picky eater as a puppy. Dry food in his bowl was ignored all day long, only late in the evening he went and eate it. Well, at some moment, when Kelli made her first steps, it was so interesting for her to go to kitchen, take one kibble, take it to Rocco who was in other room with us and then go to next one. This kind of attention Rocco appreciated and eate all that Kelli brought to him :o). His attitude to try food (all food)
changed totally when Lucky came to us. Lucky had very good appetite, finished his bowl first and usually tried to help Rocco. At some point they changed their roles, now Rocco is like vacuum cleaner - just breathes in all that's in his bowl. He is just always hungry. He is over motivated for food in training and if I give him a tiny piece from my hand he usually takes 2 fingers too :o). With my mom and dad he has his own agreement. After breakfast he gets a piece of cheese from my dad.
He is so silent under the table and appears when he thinks it's cheese time :o). If dad tells him it's too early, he goes back and tries again after a little while :o). And when we are cleaning table he goes to my mom, saying "hi" to her so happily like he wouldn't have seen her for ages. And next to praising and petting usually gets something good too :o)

I think thanks to the genes he got from his father he was born a winners class obedience dog :o). Quoting to a colleaque of mine, he is smarter then some people :o). He has never really needed the leash to control him, he just understands everything I tell him. Something even without the words. This last one - whitout the words - has sometimes been disadvantage :o). He senced me beeing nervous on our first dogshows and obedience competitions and made his conclusions out of it. My last nerves died on our first agility

competition and after that, I think, I have behaved better and better :o), but Rocco hasn't changed his mind during the years :o)

Every dog has something that makes him unforgettable for his family. Those were the sweet and funny sides of Rocco I never forget. And of course his kindness and loyalty to me.

So happy birthday my dear little friend.

I wish strong health to you and many many happy years more with us.

Summerfun with friends

Summer is time to do a lot of fun and meet friends to collect warm memories for cold winter. Same comes to dogs and here are some photos of Lucky and Rocco and their friends having summerfun

First a walk with Kaire and her Cavaliers Winston and Morris. We definately have to take it one more time, the real 30 C summer wasn't arrived then yet and because  of rain we had to hide our cameras and don't have much photoevidence to show you :o)

Look at little Morris flying

Then a beautiful sunny day with Karin and Inna and 7 Shelties.

Here's the slideshow of photos made by Karin

and bigger pictures you can see here

Then a wonderful day with Free Soul Dachhounds Lotte and Annu (Luna was left home this time) and their family

We didn't get 4 dogs on the same picture this time, because it's very cruel to waste huntingdog's time with your camera if the world if full of smells :o). But here are Lotte and Annu before they escaped to chace mices and other prey animals fields and forests are full of :o)

And we managed to catch Annu for one more picture

But a proper Dachhound has more hobbies then hunting, here's Lotte, doing her 10 points diving

1. And should you blame my innocent Shelties - no, it's not because she's escaping Lucky and Rocco :o)

Then, visiting Helle and Uno and Cheddarhill Welsh Springer Spaniels in their wonderful summer home, photos are taken in the bog near to it

Next to Lucky and me is witches broom :o)

And now we are back in town.

I have wonderful pictures to show you of our walk with Karin and Fancy and Pippi on our beach, look at this link.

But here one photo made by Kelli on the alley next to our city home

We very much miss a day with Kristina, Kendzi and Joker, but summer isn't over yet, hopefully we have time to fix this.

Celebrities ;o)

I have reason to be happy and proud again: first of all for Karin and Fancy, because Karin's photo of Fancy is on the cover of America's next year Sheltie calendar!!!

And Lucky and Rocco are in too!!! Pictures are taken by Karin on our last summer Sheltiephotoday. I'm sure you recognize Lucky (well, just in case - he's the tricolour with sweetest face in the world) and Rocco is the one standing tall in the lake.
Real celebrities, aren't they ?

:o)

Sheltie-photo-day with friends

We had wonderful day today with Karin and her Shelties. And our cameras ;o)
And no diversionists interfereing us of takeing out all the fun of Shelties and cameras and wonderful weather and beautiful scenary combination ;o). Don't get me wrong. My little daughter is cooperating very well, if I want to go somewhere and take some pictures, but her patience has limits. And daddy too can spend a few minutes to take very very few photos of my dogs- well, on his kindest days :o). But that's definately not the same as to go out with a real Sheltie photographer for full day.
We started early in the morning, sun was shining and there was nobody else in many kilometers radius, so the "puppies" could run just as they wanted. We only stopped them to take pictures. My ambition was to learn from Karin, how to really use the possibilities my camera has (not only auto modes). Well, I have to think and try hard, maybe I'll manage some day ;o). We got a lot of beautiful pictures, I'll load them to our album and put the link here for you. But here's some samples for you. I even managed not to distroy links for bigger pictures this time, so click on the picture to see bigger picture.

First a picture of all our dogs: Lucky, Fancy (Bridemoors Blue Fantasy), Pippi (Kuukivi Pippike), Kiku (Kuukivi Kallike) and Rocco

Here's a sample of what we learned on winter nights :o)

What do you think, to whom are they talking to? :o)

Such a good boys

Isn't he gorgeous?
Lucky with his friend Fancy, I'll link to Karin's album when she has pictures ready so you could see more pictures of her
Look how sincere face, I'm sure, when looking at next 2 pictures, you don't believe me, if I tell he can have very selective hearing and he consistently steals from cat bowl every time he has the opportunity :o)

Rocco couldn't resist water and had to perform trick for us

2 more pictures of my good boy Rocco.

I don't know correct name for the plant behind Lucky and Rocco, could it be cotton grass. Usually it grows in swamp, but this picture is made in our forest after the State Forest Management Centre (RMK) converted all the trees to kronas :o). It was amazing - all white field, I haven't seen this ever before.

The real star of our day was Kiku, Karin's oldest Sheltie. She is 13 years old and suffers heart problems. But she is sooooooo optimistic. We carried her when we went off the road to make our walk easier for her. But she for sure would have followed the "candies" we had for them to the end of the world. Karin told she was the last to go to sleep when back at home and first to wake up in the morning. Such a wonderful old lady.

Link to Karin's album

It's Roccos 8 years birthday today!!!

Happy birthday, dear little friend!!!

Obedience competition in Võru, 19.07

Dog school "Tubli" on obedience competition in Võru. Rocco's result was III rank, 1 place in winners class.

11.07 Lucky is 4 months old

Happy birthday Foxy, Shadow, Max and Isac!

Lucky is 31,5 cm and 4,2 kg.

Rocco and Winnie on Kõrvemaa

Learning to know the world

Lucky met cow today. He was very suspicious and had a lot to say to her,

and cow seemed to like the company of little herding dog, as she came as close as she could to look at him

It was fun to see Lucky and cow getting acquainted, it remembered me when Rocco first saw the cows, he sneaked near to them and just lied there and watched them for quite a long time.

Today he was watching us, wondering what's the big fuss about a cow :o)