Summer

Thinking positively it’s still wonderful summer outside. But  we are back in town, school has begun, it has been -2 C at night and it’s dark in the mornings and evenings– it all smells like it’s latest time to write a summer summary.
First of all, I just have to mention the wonderful weather we had  – sunny and warm for the whole summer. What we missed last summer, we got double this year. Rain was kind of gift (very rare), then there was no need to water all garden that day. Well, not me of course. As proper office rat, I was sitting all days in office. But even office rats are let out of offices for vacation and thanks to that we do have news (a little) to share with you. As usual, we had some big projects planned at our country home – like renovating the water supply system - so by Lucky’s opinion vacation probably makes no big difference , as office rat then turns to some other boring kind of creature, mole for example. Rocco was quite happy about us being so local, he was just lying next to us and appreciated the company. But Lucky was double happy, when we came out of our mining and accepted his offers on toys, walks etc. As weather was so wonderful, we went swimming each evening and often by bicycle.

It’s 12 km to the lake and back ( including (next to swimming of course :-) ) Lucky’s drinking brake and ice cream brake), but Lucky’s batteries would definitely last longer – when back home, he still had energy to bark and jump next to bicycle.
To ride longer distances we bought basket for him on bicycle and he traveled very nicely.
Unfortunately the camera didn't travel with us so I don't have evidence on that. Here's one we made to illustrate it, with Rocco in basket on our way home from picking mushrooms :-).
As I was telling about our big projects, here's one more - stairs from sauna to river. Multifunctional  I, as designer, project leader and assistant saw it as half day work before midsummer, but reality is always something else :-)

And one more "project" Here Rocco is on water trip with children and demolition-mother :-) to destruction of beavers dam

Then my very own agility field :-). Quite modest yet, but I'm working on it . I got my jumps and tunnel quite in the end of the summer. And also Silvia Trkman's agility DVD  (which, I have to say, I looooove! ). But at least we have possibility to have fun with Lucky on weekends there and  a lot of good  ideas that can be practiced even with such a little of equipment. Below is the proof - Lucky loves it.

But though I think we were quite active, living at country seems to have quite bad impact :-) to Lucky and me - we have both collected new calories. That's definitely another sample of  life being unfair :-) - the doors have been open at country whole days, why then dog who has possibility to do what ever he likes gains weight compared to when we are walking in town? I'm already worried thinking of the moment we go back to agility training :-) Then again, maybe we have some kind of new muscles ;-)

But, to take advantage of this regrettable situation - I registered Lucky to dog show :-). Because every extra gram in his agility-weight takes him closer to good show-weight :-). The show took place in South-Estonia, Väimela which is almost most distant place in Estonia where dog shows are held (OK, there are 2 even further). Long distance is only advantage in company of good friends. My plan was to tempt Karin and her Shelties with us (specially Caily, who needed her last Jun CAC)  and to have our yearly Sheltie vacation in connection of this show. And as Karin agreed, we had really really nice trip together. First about the show.

Lucky was skilfully handled by Karin, his result was open 1/1, best dog 4. And his daughter Caily was BOB Junior, got her 3-rd Jun CAC and is Est J CH now. Lucky's show critique too, (translated, very unprofessionally, from estonian by me) Especially good type, good bone structure, muzzle could be more filled, very good pigmentation, beautiful ears and neck. Back could be little longer. Well developed chest, stright front angulation, good back angulation. Nicely carried tail. Excellent coat and good handling.

And now to our Sheltie vacation. Karin had spent a lot of summers in her childhood near to the area where show was held. So we wondered around there and it's really different if you walk and look places yourself or if you walk with someone who knows those places and to whom they have ment a lot.

 

Sometimes time is very cruel. Ruins of the house on the photo where Karin is with dogs are the ruins of her grandparents home. And on the right are ruins of the mill where Karin's grandfather used to work.

This is Vana-Antsla's manor. Or actually what's left of it. It is still beautiful, but how wonderful it must have been when it was really life in there, buildings, roads, garden, ponds maintained. Lately there was school of agriculture, but it was closed and the old dignified manor is empty and decays. Only thing maintained there was herb garden, but even this wont probably last long

To add here that we drove old romantic, winding postal road   to get there,  it was quite historical trip we had. But not only, next photos are made on "European window" - some great views are marked with yellow frames, I didn't even know, but now when I do, good idea I would say

And couple of more made on our way back home.

It was wonderful day and real vacation, something to think back on the cold winter, that definitely warms the heart. Thank you Karin and Fancy and Caily. I'm already looking forward for our next Sheltie vacation and I'm sure Lucky agree.

And one more trip to South-Estonia with family:

Kelli, her cousin and dogs at "european window" in Tartu

Rocco and Lucky at Pokuland

Eku, Rocco & Lucky at Pokuland

Kelli, Jarek & dogs at Piusa caves

Rocco on Taevaskoja nature trail. How do you leave old
friend waiting to car? So we helped him with daddy :o)

New friends

Rocco and Lucky have new friends to introduce to you – Bosse and Bessie – the kittens :-). Not that we planned to take more cats, but ... their mum just moved to us as Kitu, Miku, Atsi and Tikker during the 25+ years we have had our country home - she just appeared on autumn and didn’t leave any more. Only exception is, "good people" have supplied us with very social male cats this far, but this one was girl and totally wild. Which brings us to second exception - she brought us 3 kittens this spring :-) (and our Tikker is neutered, so he can’t be blamed :-). ) She hide her babies between first floor ceiling and second floor floor, so it was quite a job for daddy to catch them. But unavoidable, considering mum + 3 kitten would make ... house full of cats in no time :-(. Of course nobody of us had heart to make the hard decision for them..., so I built baby-box for them to our bedroom and their mum moved in after them. By now, one kitten has moved not far from us and though we wanted to find new home to one more - surprise,surprise, :-) world is full of kittens at springtime so we have 2 of them at home. And wouldn't give away neither of them now, such sweet and funny friends. Rocco has new TV serial running around the house 24/7 and even better then rat-TV, as he can participate in movie too :-). Additional bonus to Rocco is that there are sweet little bowls on the floor that he no way touches... until we close the front door behind us :-) - then the bowls are washed in a second. Lucky too likes kittens, he sometimes even plays with them - nice innocent playmates, won't bite his precious coat and also definitely no takedowns :-). But then again, Tikker, Rocco and Lucky agree, that there is no peace in the world any more, you can never know when they come and turn their noses to your bowl or mouth when you eat; try to sleep on your aura and so on :-).

And one more new friend. But first I have to tell you sad news too. Our weekend-dog Jossu was diagnosed cancer just couple of weeks before Christmas and doctor said he won't see Christmas. He did, he even saw spring, but then he left us. And now, last week, Riki too. They were both around 14 years old, so a lot of memories to think back. Jossu was found wondering on streets with his brother as a puppy. As days went by and there was no sign of them having a home, Jossu came to live with our daddy's parents and his brother to daddy’s brother’s family. Jossu chose daddy to be HIS person, and just as Rocco always follows me, Jossu was agree with everything daddy wanted to do. He has been with us on our trips in Estonia and Lithuania, slept under our table in restaurants, visited us at our 6th floor city home, all that with no socialization as a puppy. He had his kennel and chain at home, but when visiting us on weekends, he was running free and never left the territory. Just the opposite. Last summer he suddenly appeared to our country home, piece of his chain still hanging. The distance is 4 km and there are other dogs on the way and road to cross over.
If you really know the dog, there's always something unforgettable in him. Jossu too had one unique habit - he never wanted to turn back :-). When we turned around and wanted to go back, he came to us jumping up on us and giving a lot of very wet kisses until we turned around again and continued our walk. And of course, when dog thinks up something by himself, you have to support it. So we tried to sneak back on every opportunity and always let him be happy about changing our minds. And that's even when we came from nice long walk and couple of steps before home turned around - he also came to kiss us and ask not to go back... and not because he very much wanted to go home and get chained :-)
About Riki I wrote a posting some time ago. Him we found on our walk here at country, under a tree next to road. We walked by with daddy's parents old german sheperd, teenager Jossu and my old Rally with us then and thought he is with someone, but next weekend he was still there. We took him food but as we only went to country on weekends, weather was getting colder and colder and he didn't leave anywhere, one weekend we invited him to come with us and he did. At that time we only started our "own" life so we didn't even consider taking second dog and Riki stayed with daddy's parents hoping we'll find his home. But nobody missed him and he stayed there. As loyal as he was to his tree the weeks he lived in forest, he was to his territory in new home too. There was no collar or harnesses that he wouldn't get rid of, but he never left from home alone.Now both old friends are gone and we miss them very much.
But back to more positive news and to this new friend I promised to tell about. This is Hannah. I promise I'll post better photo when she will learn to stay on one place for a second :-)

Hannah is from Tallinn shelters. In old age Jossu and Riki  gained a lot of privileges from daddy's parents. Including living inside the house, a lot of attention, walks and so on.  Hanna came so they would still have the reason to go walking and to have a happy soul in the house who wouldn't let their life get too boring. And Hannah gives her best by eating computer cables, shareing the bed and sofa, being the first in the car and so on :-). Fair dog life this far, I would say :-). In countryside it's very usual, that "watchdogs" are living outside chained. By my opinion, security company's home surveillance agreements are cheaper and work better. And additionally to security company's agreement those people could rather take a  pig - then it's not only feeding it 2x per day but then they could eat it later :-). So should she gets chained we'll change her to pig and everybody is happy :-). But for now she is free and very happy. We had Rocco and Lucky with us when we went to pick her up and she loves them. Trying to be most friendly Duracell rabbit when she meets them and do everything to please them. She has too good batteries by Rocco's and Lucky's opinion, so they don't much appreciate her trying. Lucky, who doesn't like pushing puppies is doing his best to teach her Murphy's Sheltie law :-) :
If it's mine it's mine,
if it's yours it's mine,
if I like it, it's mine,
if I can take it from you it's mine,
if I am playing with something ALL of the pieces are mine,
if I think it is mine it is,
if I saw it first it's mine,
if I had it then put it down it is still mine,
if you had it then you put it down it is now mine,
if it looks like the one I have at home it is mine

Lucky herding

Starting to read this and knowing Lucky I’m sure you have as high expectations as I had. But I don’t have much (good) to tell you.

I had loooong planned to introduce to Lucky sheep, so we participated on Sheep and cattle dog club’s herding day.  Isn’t it very romantic to think about Shetland isles and little Shelties herding there? To add there  couple of documentarys like Lassie and Babe :-) it’s almost all I knew about herding before. Well, reality was a little different. When I was child my grandparents had friends who had sheep. Every time we visited them, we had bag full of bread for sheep and sheep
loved us. I expected something similar to happen so we bought bread so Kelli could get the same sweet memories from her childhood. But guess what, sheep didn’t want bread. They were afraid of dogs they saw walking not even near to them. Not to be surprised, considering part of our Lassie’s and Babe’s were more or less agressive (which was called good herding instinct???). So when it was our turn with Lucky, the sheep were standing like glued to the fence and we just couldn’t get them moving even one millimeter. The trainer told to make dog to go between the sheep and fence and here’s the part I’m shamed about – I tried to do that. I went with him, but still, forcing isn’t what you do when your Sheltie is supposed to like what you want from him. Thinking back on it (better late then never, as I obviously didn’t think at all when we were there)– 5,8 kg dog should push himself between 5 animals (at least 10x his weight) he saw first time???... Well, after that Lucky lost all the interest to be there :-( . I’m

proud Lucky isn’t agressive to other animals so if that means he has no herding instinct, then OK, very good. But still, I have seen him with different animals and to me it seems he could have that Lassie or Babe kind :-) of herding instinct and I would like to see it. Other Shelties were in better situation, the sheep was moving when it was their turn and it was really nice to look at them there. And how should we find it out with Lucky now? Considering we have my 2 dogs, Kelli’s rat, Tikker + kittens at home, why couldn’t we take 2-3 sheep too? :-) :-) :-). Well, I won’t go home asking it, because after that I could be homeless with my dogs :-). But who knows, maybe we will think something else up some day :o)

Spring summary

I thought I can write about our ski hiking until the midsummer :-) , but it ended up very fast. Just like we had only some weeks of real summer last year, we had very short spring this year, summer came almost right after snow left. Next to that spring was short, it was very, very beautiful, which I hope explains and excuses my posting being late again – I just haven’t met my computer very often. And as spring was short I’ll make spring summary very short, just some photos.
First 3 are taken just 2 weeks after last posting

Walking with friend :-).About this little black and white friend I should say, that I wouldn’t suggest to take rat as pet to a child. I have had hamster and guinea pig myself, and when I agreed taking the rat I thought he will be something similar, only smarter. We built him agility equipment and hoped to train him tricks. But it turned out we got a very dominant specimen, who wants to mark his territory and fight for it. I tried to proof him I’m bigger boss,but it ended up with my hands being covered with band aids :-) and now he is a little prisoner in his crate and we only let him run free outdoors, where he is very hypermodest, with no aim to conquer the world. Outdoors the world is full on signals of danger and if he can’t hide anywhere, the safe place is between Rocco’s paws, that’s why he is running after the dogs on the pictures

Lucky playing noseball :-)

Another walk with friends - Karin and her girls

And then some more walk photos, made on our beach. Kelli bought a flying kite and by delegating the opportunity to assist her to daddy, I got some spare time to bother Lucky with my camera :o).

And just 4 more spring photos