finnish lapphund calendar 2012

The winning photos to feature in next year's SFLS Lappy calendar have been announced and you can see all the photos as well as order your copy here. The front cover of the calendar will feature none other than our sweet Marja, as her photo, taken by me when she was barely 4 weeks old, won the most votes overall.

We were thrilled to win the coveted cover spot! Especially as the calendar gets so many wonderful photos from all over the world entered for the public to vote on. So all the hard work trying to get that photo was worth it in the end.

Last xmas we put up a tree and I kept it there long past it's best-before date until well into the new year. In fact, it only left the premises just in the nick of time to make the last local tree recycling day. While it's true that I love having a fragrant evergreen in the house, my motives for waiting so long were a little more specific. I was determined to get some cute xmas puppy photos. I took hundreds. No really, hundreds. And of the hundreds, approximately two were calendar worthy. Who am I kidding - there was no 'approximately' about it - the calendar worthy numbered actually two. Both photos were of Marja (who was Marilyn in those days) contemplating the tree at close proximity. Here are the 2, with the calendar version top:




























You might think that Marja was the only puppy I even attempted to photograph with or near the tree. But no, everyone had a go. One or two puppies could not be trusted to stay securely on the stool without trying to leap off, so there are very few photos of, for instance, Buddy. Or Sisu.

However, here are a few outtakes for your amusement.

There were set problems with poorly chosen background colours.






Sisu & Tippi (both still for once!)








Problems with lighting all round - what's atmospheric about a decorated and twinkly-lighted tree in broad daylight? Yet, the vast majority of photos are as well-lit as an operating theatre. Oops.






Ukko








Then there was the issue of getting the puppies to pose. Or just behave. Or even keep still for 2 seconds.





Bo, Marja, Kuura













Ukko, Tippi, Kuura













Buddy, Marja, Kuura








You can see I was going for a multi-coloured selection for most shots.

Is it time to start planning a photo or two to submit for the 2013 calendar? No? Phew!

family reunion

Yesterday we drove up to High Littleton in Somerset to meet a bunch of other Lappy folk for a walk in Greyfield Wood. We've been there before and yet somehow I always manage to get a little lost when trying to find it. I was amazed when the other people who came - and who had not been there before - all found it quite readily. Especially as the directions were wrong. Who wrote the directions? Uh huh.

Don't ask me what the moral of that story is.

Anyway, we had a fantastic turnout of 12 Lapphunds, at least twice that number of people, and one honorary Lapphund in the form of Toby. Missing from this photo is said honorary Lapphund and one ornery little madam off to the right who didn't squidge in close in time for this particular shot.











Dogs, L-R: Marja, Keskiyo, Maija, Neka, Kaija, Usko, Taika, Minna, Ben, Seppo, Miika

What was particularly nice for us was that, in addition to our own 3 dogs, of the 12 Lappies were at least one member of every litter of puppies we've ever had. Later at the pub (which, needless to say, we had no trouble finding), We tried to get a few family shots but had to make do with just a couple.

You might remember Marja who was the Marilyn of the last litter. She's 5 months old now, still platinum blonde, very little and super sweet. She wasn't too sure about getting out of her car when she first arrived at the walk. I don't suppose she has seen so many dogs in one place at once time - let alone 11 Lapphunds all in one place. Then granny Neka spotted her and started to bark with excitement. When Marja heard her and recognised her, that was it - she was off and utterly fearless from that moment on.






Trying to keep up with the big dogs














Scrambling up the water fall


















Pause for a treat or two









It's pretty tiring stuff for puppies, but there was plenty of time for recovering at the pub later.

















Marja's sister Tippi is coming to stay next week and I can't wait to get the 2 girls together for a play date. Check back - there should be plenty of news over the next couple of weeks.

In the meantime, here is Taika and a selection of her kids.












L-R: Kesä, Taika, Minna, Usko

lappy walk pics

After bearing a little criticism from Jay last night for not posting photos yesterday, I thought I'd better get on with it now. I did say to check back 'later'. Well, this is 'later'. Just more 'later'.

And so, a few shots from the SFLS Lappy walk last Sunday. It was so great to see so many of Neka's kids and even one of the grandkids. There was a very sweet joyful reunion between Usko & his beloved granny which I would have loved to capture on video. Did I? Of course not.

As expected, the weather wasn't exactly wonderful, but we didn't have more than a short, very light drizzle either, so no one was complaining. Predictably, my less-terrible camera was at work, so I had only the more-terrible one to take photos.

I know that I have many excuses for my dreadful photos, and that particular one is my excuse for today. Sheesh, how do animal photographers do it? (Well, for one thing they have much more expensive cameras with much quicker shutter speeds. Even in digital.)
















Front L-R: Katie with Sukka, Emma with Rauhan, other Emma with Taito, Matilda & Isabelle sharing a very svelte looking Taika, Emily with Kaija, Daniel with Keksi, Jim with Ismo.
Back L-R: Jay with Maija & Neka, Ian with Ben, Liz & other Ian with tiny Usko












Dogs L-R: Ben (with no head, oops), Taika, Taito, Maija, Neka, Ismo, Keksi, Kaija (lying in front), Usko (in Ian's arms at the back), Sukka & Rauhan.

It's difficult see anything from these group shots, of course, so I did try to take a few of individuals as well. Some are, ahem, better than others and most were taken in the car park - not the best of backdrops.




Kaija with Keksi in the background










Keksi














Rauhan
















Rauhan's big sis Sukka











Maija & Taika











At the pub later, Taito illustrates that famous gentle Lappy temperment as Usko takes advantage of his much bigger uncle. I wonder which way the size difference will go when they next meet...






A lovely day, as you can imagine, and I really ought to give a big shout out to the wonderful pub that Emma & Andrew discovered where we had lunch. If only I could remember where it is and/or what it's called...

As for the dogs, as you may well have guessed from the photos, they're all on strict diets in anticipation of the upcoming shows.

lappy walk

If you're in or near the southwest this weekend, join us for a Lappy walk in Leigh Woods, Bristol, on Sunday morning. The weather is going to be fabulous. No, really, it is!

Well, on Saturday, anyway.

But, as we know, the worse the weather, the better the Lappies like it, so we'll be there rain or shine. Come along! The walk is organised by the Southern Finnish Lapphund Society, but you don't need to be a member to join the walk.

I'm hoping we get lots of dogs & people - after all, it's going to require quite a few volunteers to take turns lugging Usko for 2 hours.

Here are the details, as borrowed from the SFLS website:

Walk Location: Avon Gorge Nature Reserve/Leigh Woods

Walk Leaders: James McGinlay and Daniel Spencer (representing SFLS)

Walk Location Details:

These woods are beautiful at any time of the year, but, being right next to Clifton Suspension Bridge, they are edged by cliffs to the gorge. On a previous walk we found that the cliffs were well fenced off but you will need to take care. One of those walks that can be short/medium or long depending on how convoluted a route you take!

Meet at car park in Leigh Woods - From the M5 take junction 19 and follow the A369 towards Bristol. After passing through Abbots Leigh you will find the site signposted on the left hand side. .?

See the following link for walk map details: www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3598359

Walk Duration: approximately 2 hours, 2-3 miles

herding cats

Well, not actually cats, but herding baby herding dogs is as difficult as herding cats. Maybe more so. A friend visited briefly on Monday to give me a lift to collect my new car and while he was here he gave me a great idea. He managed to line up all 5 sleepy puppies in a neat little row for a photo. Of course, by the time I ran to get the camera they had scattered to the 5 corners of the pen again. So yesterday I put the challenge to Jay and he's always up for a laugh. Which is just as well.

In the end we got a cute shot good enough to submit to the SFLS newsletter. If you want to see it, you'll have to join the club, which you can do here. Anyway, it was similar to this one.










L-R: Minna, Kallio, Jaana, Kesä, Usko


But the outtakes tell the real story and you don't need me to explain. Here is a mere selection.





At this point we enlisted the assistance of our friend & neighbour Kelly, who is also always good for a laugh as well as a quick puppy cuddle. We figured 4 hands are better than 2. Well, maybe.












































It was all much more fun than it looks from these photos. At least it was from where I was sitting with camera.

mmmffnnngggh

In case you're wondering, that's about as much sense as I can muster verbally at the moment.  I did, however, get a good hour of sleep, thanks to Jay.  Thanks, Jay!

Today's mum-and-babies portrait.  If you're thinking Taika is looking tired, don't fret, she gets very heavy-lidded and dozy when the puppies are nursing.  She's actually quite bright-eyed now and you'd almost never know she had just had surgery.  Also, by necessity for the well-being of the newborns, the puppy room is hot, hot, hot and Finnish Lapphunds don't really do hot.



And so today the gang went off in their hot water bottle warmed box to have their hind dew claws removed.  In our first litter, only about half of the puppies had hind dew claws, of which one was Taika.  In the second litter, all nine had them.  In this litter, not only do all the puppies have them, one poor little mite - Grey Wolf - had double rear dewclaws!  What's in store for the next litter, all with doubles?

Double dewclaws are actually required by the breed standard in some breeds and they're not completely unheard of in Lapphunds - Neka's dad Pacsha had them, for example.  Grey Wolf says, "thanks a bunch, great-grandpa."  I did manage to get a quick photo of them but the paws are pretty small and the photo is pretty poor.  You can just about see the tiny white dot of the second one pointing towards the back of the leg.

Oh, I hate the dewclaw removal event.  It's horrible to take those gorgeous, fat little wigglers and inflict pain on them.  I'm a complete and utter coward and I hide in the waiting room with my fingers in my ears lest I hear a squawk while the vet and nurse assistant get on with it.

However, having seen what can happen to these claws on adult dogs if they're not removed as puppies, I do still think it's worth it.  I even wrote a little article about it for the SFLS newsletter.  Since then I have had another conversation with my vet about it and he had some interesting observations.  He has noticed that since tail docking was banned, many breeders who would in the past have had tails and dewclaws removed now no longer bother with the claws.  And he has seen a quite noticeable rise in the number of dew claw injuries. 

So, off they came and now I'll add bathing the wounds in warm, salty water to my list of daily chores.

Today's photos:  a selection illustrating some of the reasons puppies suddenly start to scream blue murder and you have to run to extricate them from some dire situation or other.

Dino leading Butterfly into the temptation that is the corner-under-the-guard-rail tiny spot to get wedged in.  You can see I've stuffed the very corner with newspaper in the hope of keeping them from getting too badly stuck.  The rails are designed to give the puppies an escape route when their dam accidentally squashes them against the sides, but with each litter I'm thinking more and more that they do more harm than good.  The puppies just can't seem to resist wrapping themselves around the rails.

 Usually at this age the puppies are too small to get wedged in, they just crawl underneath and are fine.  But that was before the Brown-tosaurus arrived.

I'm guessing this is Butterfly again getting herself the aforementioned well and truly stuck by using Dino for a leg up.  He fills up that space completely and in a couple of days I'll either have to get rid of the rails or grease the brown pup so we can get him out.

In every litter there seems to be one puppy who can't leave the water bowl alone.  I guess they like the cool metal, but there is always a puppy who likes to sleep with head in bowl.  Here is Dino practicing already.  Frankly, he's so big and strong I'm afraid he'll fall in and drown.  I never dreamed any of them would be able to reach the rim of the bowl at this age. 






Tomorrow a weight update, the Neka Superhero story and everything you ever wanted to know about puppy poo.  I bet you can't wait, can you?

showdog returns

We had quite a hectic weekend. Or, should I say, I had one.

First, I zipped into the Newton Abbot show at the Matford Centre in Exeter bright & early to set up my stuff in a convenient place. I knew that by the time I finished with Neka's check up at the vet and got back to the show it would be heaving and I would struggle to even get through the door.

Next stop, vet, where Neka was given the all-clear. The second blood test revealed she did indeed have pancreatitis and we were lucky because one of the dogs who had been inflicted with it the previous weekend had died. She may or may not ever have another episode, but we'll take small steps in an effort to avoid a repeat performance.

At the moment we feed our dogs a mixture of Arden Grange or Purina Pro Plan complete and raw meat and vegetables. Because pancreatitis can be triggered by high fat or high protein content in the diet, we'll be looking at quality complete foods with a lower fat content for Neka. And from now on, no more raw. She'll be very disappointed with this news, as she is very fond indeed of her raw meals. Perhaps just an occasional chicken wing won't hurt.

Did I say in my last post that I was planning to pop into the show after our vet appointment if I had time? Well, I arrived there shortly after 8am to set up, returned by 10am. Yup, we had plenty of time. More than plenty, in fact. We finally got home at 4:45pm. Phew, long day!

But it was worth it. We had two big classes of Finnish Lapphunds entered but unfortunately with many absent, there was only Keskiyo and his half-sister Taru in attendance. Under judge Krystian Greenland Keskiyo got Best of Breed and then we had a long wait for the group judging. Again, I didn't regret hanging around for hours because Keskiyo won 2nd in the Pastoral Group. I really felt the judge wanted him to win the group, and he gave us every opportunity by getting us to move and move and move again. However, after the long day Keskiyo was a bit tired and as it was his first show in a very long time, he was out of practice, so he wasn't his usual sparkling self by then. Nonethless, we're certainly not complaining about coming 2nd.

It was a fitting result for my little showdog's return to the ring after his stint in semi-retirement! We've got a couple more open shows over the next few weeks to take advantage of him looking so nice at the moment.














Photo by Farlap

This was the photo I was hoping to use in our Yearbook this year. However, something went haywire with my order and so it didn't arrive in time and I ended up having to use (after some Photoshop-ing to try and improve the perspective) the pic I took myself. That should be interesting.

outtakes

Frankly, the title of this post could apply to just about any on which I post photographs that I've had anything to do with, whether behind the camera or in front of it. Any attempt at photography on my part results in far more outtakes than useful shots. In fact, I'm lucky to get even one useful shot at any time. But, perhaps that's true of everyone at least some of the time.

Except, perhaps, Kate Moss. But then again, even she has been the subject of photos that she had rather never saw the light of day.

You may or may not know that I'm the treasurer of the Southern Finnish Lapphund Society. As such, one of my tasks is to produce a little report of the year to be printed in our Yearbook. By far the most onerous job, though, is to get a photograph of myself to go with the report.

As if it wasn't difficult enough to get a photo of the dogs to go into the book! And I've wailed about that very thing here on this blog on more than one occasion. But a photo of myself is just too much.

Last year Pia took one of me with then-puppy Maija on my lap when we were at the Molesey xmas Lappy walk in Surrey. Unknown to me, she bunged it into the book and when I got my copy & opened it up, there we were. What a fright! I do usually try to stay away from the pointy end of cameras.

However, a pic is fair enough, I suppose. This year I thought I'd better seize control and so I sent Pia a photo that I actually like. You can't really see my face, and I'm dressed up like the Michelin man because it was so cold. However, I'm in my favorite place (on the beach) with a bunch of Lappies around me - Neka and various of her offspring. This photo, in fact. Unfortunately I neglected to check the size of the file and when printed it would apparently come out about 2cm high. Okay, so not quite large enough.

So out Jay & I went this morning straight after coffee and before doing anything less important like work, etc. Trying to get a photo - not only of me looking presentable enough to go into a book and so be committed to the annals of history for all eternity (yeesh!), but also with the dogs all facing the camera. Or all in the same direction, at least.

Here are a couple of outtakes.

First, trying to get everyone to at least sit.













Oops, our neighbour walked by.












As you can see, Neka is doing well. Thanks to everyone for asking. In fact, she has even improved throughout the day and I'd say she's totally back to her old self tonight. She had a great time on her walk this afternoon and was zooming through the woods with Maija as if nothing had ever happened. She has her checkup tomorrow morning and, if there's time after that, I'm going to pop into a local open show with Keskiyo for a little pre-Crufts practice... just in case Taika decides I can go and waits until the weekend after to have her puppies. Hoped for puppies, that is. Obviously.

more mud

On the first Sunday of the year I host my Devon Lappy walk for the SFLS. Last year we had 8 dogs (including one honorary Lapphund in the shape of Akita Anniebear) and a bunch of people and we met at Bigbury on a clear, cold, windy day and got lots of great photos.

This year the timing of the tide wasn't very helpful and we were in constant and imminent danger of being under way too much snow and ice to attempt the winding back roads to get there. So we did the ever-popular walk at Saltram House in Plymouth instead. It was busy over the holidays. I mean, it was - whoa! - BUSY. Plenty of dogs, too many people, lots of bicycles and kids on scooters. Not really my flavour. Thankfully it had somewhat improved in the new year when we went, and we had a nice walk followed by tea in the cafe.

In spite of the biting wind, and all the ice and snow we had before and after this day, it perhaps goes without saying that the dogs still managed to find rather a lot of mud.

















L-R: Alan, Liz & Helen with Koda; Jo & George with Tarkka; Jay with Neka & Maija

What were those dogs looking at, you ask? No idea. But there was plenty of action in the vicinity to choose from and it was quite handy for getting the dogs to sit still long enough for the camera moment.

The first Sunday of the year is a tough time to gather folk & their dogs as everyone always has lots of commitments around that time. So I think I'll try to pull something together later in the year when it's a little more convenient. Suggestions for location would be more than welcome. I love Bigbury, but I'm not sure how dog-friendly it is in high season. And Saltram is just too hectic. I'll have to do a bit of research & get back to you on that one.

muddiest walk

Apart from slipping on the ice & whacking my head on the 23rd, we've had some wonderful walks over the past couple of weeks. When the rain finally stopped and it got cold it was ideal walking weather and, of course, the dogs have been loving it.

You would think all these pleasant walks would be good opportunities to get dog photos, wouldn't you? As will always now happen to me this time of year, I'm desperately trying to get photos appropriate for the SFLS Yearbook. We went to a show a couple of weeks ago and although I didn't take any of the dogs into the ring (it's a long story), I did manage to bag a rendezvous for Keskiyo with the Dog World photographer on site. Luckily he was looking fab at the time and so I've got a good image for his Yearbook page.

I didn't have time to do similarly with Neka & Maija before leaving the show so I've been trying to get pics of them ever since. *sigh* Neka hasn't quite got her full coat, so any photo of her will only be ok. Here is a sample of my attempts to get a pretty shot in the bracken of Maija the Ever Moving Target.










You get the idea (and, yes, that is her bottom disappearing out of shot at the bottom of the 3rd one).

So yesterday we drove to Taika & Kaija's neighbourhood which is almost exactly halfway between us and Rauhan. There we all met with full families and, because all the pretty frost has melted, had the muddiest walk imaginable in Greyfield Wood. I'm hoping I managed to get a better photo with Kate's camera after mine died. Here's my 'best' attempt.















People L-R: Isabelle, Jerome, Emily, Jane, Jay, Adrian (with Dorothy on his back)
Dogs L-R: Taika, Neka, Kaija, Maija (with Keskiyo behind), Rauhan

What is everyone looking at, you may be wondering? They are watching Emma try to catch Sukka, who escaped. Ah, what japes. Anyhow, just have a look at the colour of the dogs - particularly Maija's formerly white legs.

congratulations

...to the SFLS. We are so proud to have won 1st prize in the Dog World / Midland Counties competition for our wonderful Yearbook 2009 and quarterly newsletter, Lappy Tails. If you haven't joined the Society already, then don't miss another issue of our award-winning publication! You can download a membership form here.

oops, no title

Here's the last snow pic of the year, and only so late because I've been a bit out of touch with my computer for a while for one reason & another. Anyway, I was delighted to get an update on Jaana a couple of weeks ago and very pleased to hear that she's being a little angel. No, she is. She is. Who have you been talking to?

True, perhaps Baz isn't so impressed with her tail surfing capabilities. And Mike & Sarah would rather she wasn't such an early morning songbird. But Sarah must be pleased with all her new stuff following Jaana's assistance in getting rid of the old. Not to mention how cute she is! And I'm loving her velvet coat.

































And a quick post-snow update from Tarmo who is growing into a very handsome lad. Surely he's the biggest of the litter by now? He still has wonderfully enormous paws and is cultivating a lovely coat.



































On a different subject, I'm very sorry to be missing the SFLS walk today being hosted by Karen in the New Forest. It's a bit of a drive from here, and we missed it last year too. But this year the weather is gorgeous & they must be having a wonderful time. Too bad I'm hobbling with a stick at the moment. Not much fun for anyone, dogs included. Maybe next year we'll make it. I hope someone is taking lots of photos.

more modelling

Keskiyo wasn't the only one who needed a photo for the Yearbook. Paula & Adam have been struggling to get a suitable shot of Inko as well. The quintessential moving target, that puppy.

We thought this one would be cute, and it is, but unfortunately just not sharp enough.



Besides, she is possibly just a teensy bit too sandy and bedraggled for this photo to be consigned to the official historical record of the breed. So, at the time of writing, they are still trying.

Tarkka, on the other hand, has numerous gorgeous photos to choose from. It sure must be handy having a committed shutterbug in the family. At least they won't be forced to use something like this one of him struggling against the wind, adorable tho it is.



Wendy managed to get an absolute corker of a photo of Karhu for the Yearbook. At the same time, she sent me this beautiful shot of them both.



Viivi won't be appearing in the Yearbook, but David & Sherralee did send some wonderful photos a couple of weeks ago. Here is pretty Viivi, looking so much like her mum as she grows up.