milestone

What's so funny???

Happy 10th birthday to the puppy blog!

And, of course, that means it's also happy 10th birthday to the Monta puppies who were the inspiration for starting the blog in the first place.  There were 9 of them - still the biggest litter of Finnish Lapphunds born in the UK to date - and we had several weeks of very hard, noisy work ahead of us.

All of Monta puppies - the Devon Nine!

Their mum, my beloved Neka, popped them out unbelievably quickly... except for the last two, who arrived after I had gone for a much-needed shower after being up all night with the mama and babies.  With so many of them - almost twice as many as my first litter the year before - we had to dash out and buy two of everything.  There was another indoor pen, another outdoor pen, several more vet beds for the whelping box, and more food.  Lots more food.

Then there were the towels.  Many of our good, human-grade towels went to the Monta puppies because as I recall, it rained every single day of the 7 or 8 weeks they were with us.  No sooner would we put them into the outdoor pen to quickly clean the indoor pen when the sky would open up again and drench all nine of them.  To say that we were quickly exhausted doesn't even begin to cover it.

Viivi & Inko - soaking wet AGAIN

We had our ups and we had our downs with the Devon Nine, and, boy, did I learn a lot.

So, happy birthday to my blog that has given me so much pleasure for 10 years and an irreplaceable record of 11 of the 12 litters born here.  And wishing the very happiest of birthdays to the Monta puppies who grew into 9 of the noisiest, most beautiful and sweetest natured Finnish Lapphund dogs you could ever hope to meet.  Special then and special now.

Here are some of my favorite photos of each one of them at various ages.  In some cases, they are some of my only photos.  If anyone has some great updated pics to share with me, please feel free and I'll happily update this page.

Infindigo Monta Jaana - Sybi

Sybi 7 weeks - photo by Joanna Bradshaw

Sybi with a "few" toys - age 9

Infindigo Monta Tarmo - Tarmo

Tarmo 6 weeks

Tarmo 5 years

Infindigo Monta Maija - Maija 

Baby Maija with Lenny

Maija 10 Years

Infindigo Monta Viivi - Viivi

Viivi 12 weeks with big bro Jaska

Viivi age 9

Infindigo Monta Tarkka - Tarkka

Tarkka 8 weeks - photo Joanne Bradshaw

Tarkka 9 years - photo Joanne Bradshaw

Infindigo Monta Aurinko - Inko  

Sand baby 9 weeks

Inko 9 years

We have lost some of the Monta puppies - taken far too early.  So we are remembering them today at the rainbow bridge.  Gone from us but never forgotten.

Infindigo Monta Jaska - Jaska

Jaska 7 weeks

Jaska 1 year

Infindigo Monta Sulo - Kaija

Kaija 7 weeks

Kaija 2010

Infindigo Monta Rauhan - Rauhan

Rauhan 7 weeks - photo Joanne Bradshaw

Rauhan handsome showdog

7 weeks old

Phew!  The photos are a very mixed bag this week.  But between the virus (mine), the hospital visit and operation (not mine), working, the big dogs and the puppies, I wasn't sure I would get any photos at all.  But here and there I still did manage to get some.  As they are - i.e. mainly amusing and/or blurry.

And we have some names to reveal this week, all newly minted by the Kennel Club.

Infindigo Sisko Suvi

was Patty

Infindigo Sisko Piia

was LaVerne

Infindigo Sisko Kukka

was Maxene

6 weeks old

It wasn't easy getting photos today.  For one thing, it's always hard!  I know, I make it look easy, right?  Riiiight...

Leggo of my tail!

But, as you see, it's not easy, not ever.  Well, almost not ever.  Puppies run, wiggle, jump, bite and generally mess about.  Posing safely on a table?  That's definitely not in their standard repertoire.

For another thing, it was 27°C this afternoon when we were trying to get these shots.  What do you suppose Finnish Lapphund puppies think about that kind of temperature?  Even when they're in the shade and there is a nice breeze?  And remembering that these puppies' absolute favorite thing ever is the frozen water bottle.  Exactly.

But we persevered, as we do on a weekly basis, dedicated as we are.  I was wishing I had put my shorts on before starting, though.  Luckily there are only 3 of them to contend with, so it all took only about one and a half hours 30 minutes.  Ish.

Patty

Is this my good side?

LaVerne

If I flap my ears, do you suppose I'll fly?

Maxene

It's not so bad, this bottom brushing

Their ears are all going up already.  In fact, LaVerne looks like hers will be almost completely up before she even leaves here.  Such cooperative ears are not completely unheard of in this house, but it is still a bit of a novelty.

Next week they will have their new names and be getting ready for the next big adventure.  Assuming I find the time to get the puppy packs together in the next fortnight, that is.

5 weeks old

Time marches on and suddenly it's worming week again.  If you have been watching on Facebook, you will have seen that the puppies have spent a bit more time in the outdoor pen this week.  When it wasn't too hot, that is.  Wow, I feel sorry for these ice-loving pups this summer.  With our unexpected, unusual and unrelenting 30-degree weather, they must think they were born straight into hell!  The frozen water bottles are on regular rotation.  And the fan is on double-time.  All the dogs are grateful for that.

These are wiggly, waggy pups, but everyone will be very pleased to know that we managed to get some photos.  Thanks mainly to cheese.  This is normally the week the puppies get their first taste of the beloved training treat.  Suffice to say they approve.  They also approve of scrambled eggs, in which I am delivering their wormer.  They love the eggs so much that the wormer just sneaks right past.

Patty

Oh, did you want to see my face?

LaVerne

There are 2 ears there, honest

Is this what you call a show stand?

Maxene

The Paw of Reason is strong in this one