Crufts 2016

Well what a show - a thrilling, amazing day at Crufts 2016.  With Matkamies taking BOB back in 2015 it was going to be a hard act to follow.

Elbereth Valkotassu

It started in Post Graduate dog  - I had honour of handling Gemma & Rob's Elbereth Valkotassu - as Gemma is a little too close to the arrival of their baby to be running around the ring - and from a class of 12 dogs  - Tassu was placed 1st, he was so good, showing beautifully for me, and I came out of the ring to a jubilant and very emotional Gemma.  Rob captured their lovely boy on camera.

 In open it was the turn of Multi Ch Elbereth Matkamies ShCM who was second behind one of the top winning dogs from Finland.

Then onto the bitches, where in the veteran bitch class Kia was second, Suvi 4th and Apina VHC, then Tilkkuturkin Hallantuoma to Elbereth JW won the Junior bitch class, and Elbereth Kaikki Meille Allforus won a huge post graduate bitch class of 19 with owner Caron Bell.

Then it was the turn of Elbereth Pelinainen JW who won the strong Limit bitch class, with her best buddy Elbereth Suvituuli taking second in the Good citizen class.

So for the bitch challenge - I was delighted to see three half sisters standing proudly and competing for the bitch CC.  Then over the moon when best bitch was awarded to Pelinainen, and res BB to Hallantuoma.  Peli's second CC and Halla's 4th Res CC.

Then it was the challenge for BOB and we were head to head with the lovely Marymead Muskateer, and so it was a very emotional moment for me, when our judge, Miss Eliina Haapaniemi from Finland awarded BOB to the young (2 year old) Pelinainen, not sure who was more over the moon, owners, Barry & Angela or me!

Especially significant for me is that my four first placed dog/bitches are all sired by the UK's number one dog - Matkamies, from each of his three UK litter and his litter in Finland.

Elbereth Pelinainen JW

Ruth Dalrymple/ The Kennel Club ©

Photo by Yulia Titovets

OnEdition/The Kennel Club ©

Five weeks - and we get outside

Finally there has been a break in the weather and the puppies are now getting regular visits outside.  It is funny because at first the big wide world is so scary they want to come in, but once they realise they can run about and frolic/play in the bigger place, then they don't want to come in!  A couple of organised escape plans were put into action to get out of the puppy pen, so have had to resort to more cable ties to secure the panels!  Wednesday the weather was very kind, so plenty of outside fresh air, and now they are very peaceful in doors as Zoomies are outside, plus as a bonus all the poos have been outside.  At moment energy levels of a five week pup are such that they sleep for 2 hours, then run about for 15 mins, then back to sleep for 2 hours etc Plus now eating 4 hearty proper food meals a day with top ups from Tullu.

Managed some quick head shots outside

Lightening

Tanny

Triangle

Creamy

Dotcom

Tullu Puppies at Three Weeks

This week sees major development changes, the puppies are now more active, walking, playing, making a noise! and endearingly wagging their tails!  I have also started them on softened food and as ever with Lapphund pups they took to it immediately, greedy for semi solid food.  They now look more like puppies than otters!

Cutting their nails is now harder as they wriggle a lot more, and they were quite wriggly for these pictures!

Lightening

Tanny

Triangle

Creamy

Dot.Com

Diamond

Tullu Puppies at two weeks

Ahh well definitely need to invite Pia around to get some decent pictures of the puppies!!!  In artificial light and needing flash its just not easy to get the colours looking right - in fact they all look wet!

As  a contented litter feeding well they are pretty heavy at week two - all around the 1kg mark and now they are in the bigger pen they are trying to "stagger" about more!
(Don't forget if you click on the pictures you can see the bigger versions)

Lightening

The biggest girl - who is paling fast, with a face marking pattern developing similar to her mum and dad, starting to camouflage the white smudge centrally placed on her nose.  She is named for the long zig-zag of white from her chin to her tummy.  Her wolfie colouring is now spreading.

  Tanny

The most compact of the litter, and with the least white, she has a tan strip across her chest with only the tips of her hind feet dipped in white.  Her face markings are broadening along with pal spectacles.  She looks to be a wolf sable - but is still quite dark in body.

Triangle

Has a large white bib - triangular in shape, and white tips to all feet.  Another wolf sable whose colouring is changing daily.

Creamy

OK so hardly the most original name, but when whelping the pups I quickly weigh each as born and note any distinguishing marks, and this boy stood out for his obvious cream coat.  He is deceptive as lying in the pen looks to be the biggest, but maybe that's a illusion of his colour.  He certainly has a very broad head, with a noticeable small white blaze.

  Dot Com

Has a white bib, and then on his tummy a small white "dot".  Joint heaviest in the litter he already has the look of a boy.  Another wolfie whose face marking are developing.

 Diamond

Is the only tricolour of the litter, with her very noticeable face making and white smudge on her nose, and thin white blaze, she has white socks on all her feet.  Named for the black shaped mark on her extensive white bib that runs from chin to tummy.

Lightening & Creamy have a cuddle

Puppy Pie

Tullu's puppies at week one

The puppies are very good feeders and is common they have each at least doubled their birth weights, at their weekly weigh in.  They seem a very content bunch - I guess its a combination of Tullu having enough working teats, and the six of them being able to feed easily, she is one of the accommodating bitches who roles over a little more on her back to unveil both rows of teats, unlike the bitches who will only lay on their sides, making it harder for pups to access the two rows.

Tullu is enjoying plenty of extra food to help her with the demands of the pups, I am a firm believer in the Royal Canin Mother and Baby/Starter formula, which certainly goes down well, she is on three meals a day, and her in take is more than double her normal daily allowance - plus its a much higher energy level food that the adult maintenance she was on before being confirmed pregnant. 

So onto the pups and the week one rogue's gallery!  Not great pictures, as had to use flash, and although pups still had their eyes shut they were squirming lots when camera flashed.  Next week will aim for natural light, so you can see their colours better, as look quite dark under flash.

"Lightening"(wolf sable ♀)

"Tanny" (black & tan/wolf sable ♀)

"Triangle"(wolf sable ♀)





"Creamy" (cream ♂)

 "dot.com" (wolf sable ♂ )

"Diamond" (tricolour ♀)

 

Puppies growing up

Well its been a while and I have been promising myself to share the delightful pictures of Matka x Tiia's babies as they grow up.  I have received a collection of pictures through November as the babies approach their 4 month birthday (tomorrow).

Matti (aka Friday) 

a special boy to me who has the unusual colouring of his grandma, Taru

Elbereth Matti

 

Helmi (aka Saturday)

the moment she was born Elliot and Jayne knew she was a keeper!, very much her father's daughter

Elbereth Helmi

Pikku (aka Sunday)

If Helmi is a copy of her dad then Pikku is very much a copy of her mum, Tiia, not to mention similarly a little fond of her voice !

Elbereth Pikkuinen

 Otso (aka Monday)

Handsome man who has gone to be a trail blazer - the first lapphund on Guernsey, a cheeky chap

Elbereth Maanantain Otso

 Tassu (aka Tuesday)

He may have been last born, but think he is first in many hearts

Elbereth Valkotassu