25th Dec. Diva-mama turned 4 years today! And Santa gave the presents already yesterday .. :-)
14th Dec. Helsinki INT Finnish Winner 2008-show, judged by Mr Espen Engh (Norway) - Riina did it! First she won the big Junior Class (9 bitches) and got title FinJW-08, after that she took the Best Bitch and at the end she was BOS, gaining also title FinW-08 and 1st CC!!! :-) Total amount of basenjis in the ring was 38 males and 27 females. Judge himself wrote Riina's critique and unfortunately we didn't quite understand what it said but most of it you can read here.
23rd Nov. Jyväskylä INT, judged by Mr Paavo Mattila - Riina entered first time Junior Class and was placed 2nd with Excellent!
19th Nov. Arto got today his first roe deer today, handsome male had silver medal antler and the head is going to be filled. All the elks are down for this autumn and only few deers left.
17th Nov. Aatu -grandpa celebrated today his 11th birthday - still going strong (and wild) and no grey hairs :-)
4th Nov. Today one of our "dreams" came true and we got a brand new Lada Niva 4x4 at home! :-) This small legendary offroader may not be the nicest car to drive on big roads but outside the asphalt it's simply the best - and it's soooo cute ;-)
20th Oct. Aatu visited the vet last week for checkup, we took full blood panel and thyroid tests. Vet admired the old man's outgoing personality and good condition, only "fault" was some dental calculus in his teeth. All the blood-values were nicely between the limits and Thyroxin is working like it should, no problems with that either.
22nd Sept. Okay, back from Salla ... Arto still stayed there with Diva and Neida to finish the painting of the house. Unfortunately there was NO BIRDS up there .. only few old lonely birds who were very shy and in bad places, so there was no hope in getting on a point. Let's hope that next year the nesting will go better. Otherwise it was as lovely as always to be up North :-) And we do have one big hunter in our pack, who got her first dropped bird ... and that was Diva! Arto has been out in the forest with her and she works really well, keeps contact and goes with such a passion even when it's raining sleet full sky :-) So she got a very nice situation for a hazel grouse, she drove it up to the tree and then waited pointing at the bird until daddy came there with shotgun .. and she also gave up the bird to Arto after retrieving it ;-)
6th Sept. Helsinki show, judged by Mrs Dagmar Pordham (England) - Riina entered first and only time to official puppy class (7-9 mhts) and was placed 2nd in bitch puppies with honour prize!
23rd Aug. L-S KKH arranged Hunting Trials (forest) at our hunting club area and we were both working there - Arto as official. Day was very nice and one GSP bitch got a result, winners 2nd pr. so congrats to Vesakon Fani & owner Vesa Suominen! Photos from the trial can be seen here.
24th July Since beginning of this year the title 'Nordic Champion' has been official in Finland again and today Finnish Kennel Club confirmed title to Aatu!
11th-20th July Arto was fishing in Salla!
6th July In June we started to plan a puppy meeting at our place with Tero Tuominen (owner of Aatu's halfbrothers Onni and Nappi) and today was the big day - "our own" puppy Riina was though in Pudasjärvi for summer holiday with Eija but we got 8 puppies and their owners as our visitors. Weather was wonderful, puppies had fun and food was good - photos of the happening can be seen here, thanks to everyone who were there!
28th June Finnish Sighhound Club Specialty in Mustiala, judged by Mrs Eli-Marie Klepp (Norway). This was a first possible chance for Diva's puppies to enter a dog show, as they just got 5 mths old few days ago. Cisse started in 5-7 mths male puppies, no placement but he showed beautifully! Riina darling also showed like a pro and first she won the 5-7 mths bitch puppies, then she won the older bitch puppy class-winner and ended up as BOS-puppy! Diva wasn't at the "show-mood" at all but with routine she first took the Champion bith -class and Best Bitch and was after all BOS! So it was a great day .. :-)
8th June Finnish Basenji Club Specialty in Nurmijärvi, judged by Mr Hans Lehtinen (Finland). This time there was 21 Champion bitches in the ring and even though Diva didn't place we are happy about her Excellent. Diva's sister Fin CH Bulldobas La Soprano from Rovaniemi took the jackpot, Hasse chose Milla as Best In Show! :-) Huge congrats again to Marita & Rami!!!
10th May Challenge competition between our club L-S KKH vs UKH in Lieto, from retrieving and shooting. We didn't have our own dogs this time with us as we were working there. In gunshooting Arto placed 5th and in retrieving he took the 1st place with gorgeous GWP male Fin CH Kokkilan Santeri :-) With total points 273-228 our club took the win this time!
24th-28th April Arto was a long weekend in Salla at fishing!
21st March Today we visited Muurame to see Diva's puppies and took sweet little Riina with us - her official name is Bulldobas AmberElla. Riina moved to Kirkkonummi to live with Arto's parents & Unto The Cat. From the looks this princess is gorgeous and is full of energy and action like her mama! It was lovely to see the babies again! Good luck to all to their new homes :-)
16th March Happy 2nd birthday dear Neida! :-)
6th March Pupppies left to Muurame this morning to spend few weeks with Tiina the breeder (and Pitsi-granny & Neela-cousin) .. felt so sad to let them go. Diva was the "best mother on the earth", so devoted to her pups and was even nursing them (despite the sharp teeth) until the last morning. Now it's time to get mama back to shape, she looks pretty lousy ;-)
13th Feb. L-S KKH annual meeting in Turku, Arto was chosen as vice-member of the Board.
25th Feb. Puppies moved downstairs today where they have big "puppy pen" - other dogs are very exited and are just staring at them but Diva don't let them go to the pen yet (if they ask her :-)
22nd Feb. Puppies are 4 wks old today and the biggest one (Cisse) weights already 1390 gr. They are all eating solid food and have a "basenji 500" going in the box!
10th Feb. Puppies are now over 2 wks old and first ones are opening their eyes :-)
5th Feb. Puppies are now 11 days old and first ones are starting to get on their feet, they weight between 640-700 gr now.
1st Feb. Piitu turns 9 years old today!! :-) Puppies are 1 week old, all have doubled their birth-weights. Diva is wonderful mother, and all our free time goes sitten next to puppy box staring at the babies ...
25th Jan. Diva's puppies were born this morning! :-) Tiina-breeder came to us yesterday evening and was "horrified" of how big Diva was .. ;-) In the morning after 5 AM she started and it all went very easily. There was totally 6 puppies, three boys and three girls and only one of the boys is brindle/white, all others are red/white! Puppies were quite big, middleweight was 250 gr. Birth times and order: 5.25 AM red girl (Riina), 5.45 AM red boy (Aksu), 6.05 AM red girl (Lumikki), 6.31 AM red girl (Taika), 8.18 AM brindle boy (Cisse) and last 8.45 AM red boy (Robin).
13th Jan. Happy 4-yrs birthday dear Nessa!! :-)