Category Archives: Catskill Pumis

CCCC or the Catskill Climate Change Chronicle…

June 13, 2018

Bad planning or bad execution?

Man plans, God executes … (or corrects what man keeps screwing up…) I am back in Hungary again, at this time with Anka. Even though, this trip has been planned in advance, our departure date has been seriously circumvented by climate change. As it turns out, climate change manifests not only in rising sea levels, more frequent and more intense weather events or dying coral reefs, it also effects my dogs’ physiology. To be precise, my bitches’ heat cycle have turned on like clock work in the past, however, this year, because of the unusual long winter (I believe…), everyone has been late.

When the tension is high enough, we are ready to travel,

Ironically, it was a relief to see the sudden growing tension between my girls, as their hormones finally started kicking in. It was the long awaited signal to set preparations in motion for my trip. Veterinary certificate, USDA papers and most importantly the airplane ticket with two dogs in the cargo hold. ( FYI I also planned to take Agyag along to give her a chance to finish her Hungarian Championship at the Budapest Grand Prix.)

Well, instead of " yes," I've got a middle finger from Luftwaffe - the second time...

Well, instead of saying ” yes,” and correcting the botched booking, I’ve got a middle finger from Luftwaffe – the second time…

I am not lucky with Lufthansa – to say the least. Back in 2013, Lufthansa have lost Fruska and Agyag for close to a full day that has created some major complications to reach the Budapest WDS, my destination at the time. Booking my ticket and two dogs in the cargo hold with the airline, has seemed unusually easy at this time. Once ticket purchase was out of the way (or so I thought), based on my flight schedule, I went ahead to plan my entire itinerary. However, as it has turned out, Luftwaffe not only friendly fired my plans and screwed up my ticket with the two dogs in the busiest traveling season, they also refused to honor my original reservation.

Since my trip has been time sensitive, I had no time to run after my loss. I had to look for a another airline that could accommodate two dogs and flew me to Hungary for a reasonable price. While I’ve managed to secure a ticket, unfortunately, they could accommodate only one dog. Obviously I took Anka.

My least favorite Hungarian traffic sign

So we made it to Budapest where I am staying with my sister and planning to see many friends and acquaintances while managing Anka’s dating schedule.

To be continued…

Seven Pumis In Seven Days…

May 30, 2015

Hello World, We Are Here

Hello World, We Are Here… We were happy to land on Planet Pumi during Memorial Day weekend, make it sure that everyone will remember us.

FYI, we are more than color coded cute monkeys, we are Pumis with real names… if you think you have speech impediment after reading our names, either ignore it or set up an appointment with your speech pathologist.

So here we go!

Hi, my name is Csucsai Csinszka or Csinszka from Ciucea. I am one of the pups from the Catskill Pumi C-litter. I will be the narrator of our first seven days today.

Sneaky little guys

My name comes from the romantic story (blah blah blah…) that Csinszka was the wife of one of the greatest Hungarian poets, Endre Ady. Unfortunately, he died of syphilis just before penicillin was available in 1919… (Sorry, I am a pup and sometimes not sure about appropriate comments or unnecessary extra information…) Anyway, since I started it, let me finish it… As a new born pup, my take away of this story is, that greatness might shields one from the consequences of getting in to trouble, however, not necessarily from contracting trouble…The wife, Csinszka was from a small town in Transylvania, Ciucea or Csucsai, that is between Oradea where our mistress, Ildiko was born and Cluj Napoca where Ildiko attended her undergraduate studies, so she was riding through Ciucea a lot.

The second girl’s name is “Csendes Csobanka” that translates as “Quiet Shepherdess.” I think this name is self explanatory. We were born into a herding kennel, and while anecdotes say that Pumis must bark when herd, our elder kennel team mates have proven that a good herding dog can work in silence.

“Cseresznyes Cio-Cio-San” is the third girl, that stands for “Cio-Cio-San with Cherries.” This name is a testament that we are from an artsy fartsy family, and supposedly when Laszlo was growing up, his family had permanent annual ticket to the Budapest Opera House… (I hope you got the Cherry connection…)

“Cserfes Csacsogo,” or Gossipy Chatterbox” is the fourth girl’s name. I do not want to be a party pooper, so I cannot identify the person she is named after… Pumis are certainly known about their chattery personality and gossip is also an important social tool getting to know your allies and enemies…

And here come the boys…

AKC’s Most Wanted

“Cifra Csaszar” or “Adorned Emperor.” A name that jumps out from the gilded history of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, folk fables, national operas, Francophile poets and the rest.

“Csipos Csuzli” or “Pinching Slingshot” is the perfect name for the perfect underdog, a peasant underdog I might add, recalling a biblical hero from the Old Testament.

Finally the last of us is “Csatakos Csoma.” His name can be translated as “Soaked or Muddy Csoma.” Either way, when you’ll see him, you know that he is just an adorable lovely dirty Pumi.

We’ve had a busy loud and camera flashy first seven days, so I think I am happy that I cannot hear and see for a few more days, otherwise, I would have a serious headache. We were photographed and showed around the world, I felt like a Kardashian Pumi or one of “AKC’s Seven Most Wanted…”

We also had a visit at the vet office that has become a subject of an international crisis, “dewclaw or not to dewclaw…” However, thanks to the twenty four-hour news cycle, FIFA took the center stage right after us.

dewclaw or not dewclaw an international Pumi crisis

Lately, we are subjected to some weird experiment, created by a person named Dr.Bataglia. Honestly, it is quite uncomfortable. We have to hang upside down, resting on cold surface, they push Q-tips between our paws and other weird stuff. It is supposedly good for us. The only thing I am concerned about is that a few decades from now some revisionist historian might come up with the idea that we were part of some weird Eugenist exercise, the “Post-Letterman Stupid Pet Tricks”.

So what will we become? I do not know. Words go around in the whelping box that they will send us to the four corners of the world, so I guess, we will be missionaries. Wait a second…, can we be Mormon Pumis?

From Planet Mars to Planet Pumi in 62 days…

Yes, She is Ready to be a Mom…

May 15, 2015

Did Snow White eat the seven dwarves…? we’ve found six… Agyag’s belly on the x-ray image

Day 54 from the first breeding. We went to x-ray Agyag’s belly to find out how many pups we can expect. The image has shown six heads, but it can be more pups, because these images are not precise. Well, I guess, we will find out the exact numbers in less than a week.

"The Bagpipe Band" with the six baor more(?) band members inside the bag. It reminds me "The Turk," the hoax chess playing machine that actually did hide a chess master inside the machine.

“The Bagpipe Band” with the six or more(?) band members hiding inside the “bag.” It reminds me “The Turk,” the hoax chess playing machine from the late 1800’s that actually did hide a chess master inside the machine.

"The Turk, " Wolfgang of Kempelen fake chess machine with a chess master hidden inside...

“The Turk, ” Wolfgang von Kempelen’s fake chess machine with a chess master hidden inside…

http://youtu.be/8oO2v-6TZkM<—-Click on link

After a few days of feeding frenzy, she seems to loss her appetite again. I am back to my canine culinary juggle to please her pregnant palate. Otherwise she is in a good spirit. I have to keep her on leash because she is ready to herd when we are outside during the day and she wants to make a nest outside after dark. Before I leashed her, she really scared me the other night when she started squeezing herself into a culvert pipe.

I looked up the the antonym of “bareback” on the internet. For my surprise, most entries brought up this photo. I guess the news is out…

We have less than a week to go…

The Burdens of Pregnancy

May 4, 2015

Nibbling on cat foot. Catskill Anka waiting for some kibbles to drop in the background…

Less than three weeks to go. Agyag is in a good shape and excellent spirit most of the time, however, when it comes to food she becomes so capricious. One day she doesn’t eat at all, then the next day she eats a few bits here and there, and when it is the least expected, she gables in of beef liver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjGSStCXo_Y <—–Click on link

I buy a wide variety of food for her trying to please her. Of course the kibbles, and canned food for ideal nutritional balance ( she cares the least about these). I bought her chicken. It scares me because of the raging chicken flu in the midwest. Chicken is suspiciously cheap these days. I dehydrate the meat. I also try raw gizzards and chicken liver. I got beef liver, fish, of course we give our lamb and goat meat. Sometimes she craves for lamb kidneys and raw tongue. I also caught her several times crunching on dry cat food kibbles. The other day we also located green tripes.

In short, she drives me nuts.

part of the food selection

The Preparations Begin

May 2, 2015

Agyag’s belly looks like an intercome call button panel. You press anipple and can talk to one of the pups.

We are lining up for landing. Kaffogo Agyag has approximately three more weeks to go until whelping. Her belly is swelling, and her nipples are protruding. She just rolled over and comfortably stayed on her back while I was shaving her tummy. What a girl.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXSwE18fTWo <—-Click here…

I am getting so excited.

Quiet please, I am taking a large pizza order

Announcing Catskill Pumi C-Litter, May 2015

April 3, 2015

We are announcing our upcoming Catskill Pumi C-litter in May, 2015.

Dam: Kaffogo Agyag, Hungarian Junior Champion, CM, PT, JHD, FCI Herding Certificate, Junior World Cup Winner of Hungarian Breeds, Budapest Hungary, 2013)

(D.O.B.03.08.2012),

Color Fawn (Maszkos Fako)

Health Tests: Elbows 0/0, Hips “GOOD” (OFA), PLL Clear (OFA), DM Clear (OFA) Health test certificates are available upon request

Kaffogo Agyag, HPJ, CM, PT, JHD (AHBA), FCI herding Certificate,

Sire: Pustan Helmen Karhunsammal “Daco” Finnish Champion, Estonian Champion (D.O.B. 05.01.2011)

Color Black,

Health Tests: Elbows 0/0, Hips B/B, PLL Clear (OFA), DM Clear (OFA) Health test certificates are available upon request

Pustan Helmen Karhunsammal “Daco”

Home Again…

March 31, 2015

they scanned me, and called Laszlo in New York that I will be home again soon…

Home Again… we said a heartfelt good by with Marja-Leeena and then we checked in with the airline. I could not be happier with the news that Agyag’s fee was only 75 Euro(!) . So I showed Agyag’s receipt from New York. I got a big apology and an even bigger refund for the gross over charge at JFK on the way here. I just love Finnair, I think, they just got a committed new customer. Before boarding, I kept asking one of the flight attendants wether the dog was on the plane yet. She was not too enthusiastic about my persistent inquiry, but finally she called the ground crew. She also asked me what kind of a dog I had. The magic word, “PUMI” finally brought a smile on her face and she told me that one of her colleagues also has a Pumi. “You mean Helena Matilla?” I asked… She said, “yes.” What a small planet to fly the friendly skies…

"Are you ready?" I asked, "are you ready?" she asked.

“Are you ready?” I asked her, “are you ready?” she asked me…

Agyag plans to sign up with FinAir as a sniff sniff dog (we might fly free next year…?)

The plane could not leave for an additional forty minutes. So while we were sitting on the ground, I decoded the airplane charmers’ hand signals on the tarmac watching them through the window.

the airplane charmers code to move those big mechanical beasts on the ground. It is all brain power and focus…

The flight was smooth and dry. It reminded me somewhat the prohibition era. (It took lots of button pushing to get a few glasses of wine out of the flight attendants. )

the airplane charmers’ hand signals to move those giant beasts on the ground…

Finally we landed, and we were home again. While I was enjoying the NYC sunshine in the traffic jam trying to get out of the City en route upstate, the furious periodic mini snow storms in the Catskills made me question the existence of Spring.

New Draconian measures in NYC to collect unpaid traffic tickects. Vialators are burried up to their head in the medians to inhale exhaust fumes so reduce pullution. Look at the heads, it turns out that blond types do not pay their traffic tickets more often than others…

snow flurries March 30, 2015 What is going on Mr. Weather Man?

I hope it will come in the next few days. I am ready…

I Think We Are Ready To Go Home

it cannot get better than this picture

March 30, 2015

One week. It went so fast and in the same time it also went so slow.

My favorite team today. This dog was such an animated trooper

sniff sniff… bear bear…

I woke up without my last night’s cold and was ready for action. This morning we checked out an agility competition and then took the dogs for a last long hike. Just between you and me, by the middle of the week I just called it the “Trail of Tears…” I have to confess that even though, we take our dogs for daily hikes in the woods on our property upstate NY, Marja-Leena elevated hiking with her dogs to a different level.

Agyag on the Trail of Tears (she trailed I teared)

I also talked to my sister on the phone, it was such a delight to be in the same time zone with her. We already started making plans for our upcoming fall trip to Hungary and Romania.

I start getting inpatient and somewhat uneasy about tomorrow’s flight for the dog. All should be just fine… Packed up my stuff and ready to go to bed. Tomorrow this time I’ll be back home in NY.

it is mine…

It is easy like one, two, three…

one,

two,

three…

It Is Not A Laughing Matter

March 29, 2015

"Naurava Koira" the Laughing Dog Agility arena. They do not make dog cheese

“Naurava Koira” or the “Laughing Dog” Agility arena. When you’ll go to Helsinki and want to eat cheese, remember, they do not make cheese…

“The Laughing Cow” cheese brand, or “Naurava Lehma,” When you’ll go to Helsinki and want to practice agility, remember, they do not do agility…

I wanted to see some Finnish Pumis in action, so Marja Leena took me to a Pumi agility seminar, held by Lotta Vuorela at the Naurava Koira or “Laughing Dog” Agility Arena. When we got there, a few of the participants asked us not to photograph them. Of course, we obliged their request so viola, here they are not…

The agility arena

Lotta Vuolera explaines to…

Although, I do not speak Finnish, I liked the trainer, Lotta Vuorela’s style while training the participants and their Pumis. It was great to see so many Pumis at one place (I counted 16 of them.) The facility is high, clean, bright and has a quality synthetic turf. I guess it is true after all, if you build it, they will come.

some Pumis left…

some Pumis came…,

some Pumis worked…

We also visited Carita Friberg of Noisy Kennel. We met Noisy Dog’s Dante”Musti,” Jellom’s Gigi “Pirre” and Noisy Dog’s Elegia “Piki.” Our host Carita invited us for breakfast, we ate some delicious Pumi shaped Linzer made with the Friberg’s home made Pumi cookie cutter. On the way home, we stopped by a cafe place to drink something warm to relieve my cold. I also skipped the daily hike to rest up a little before the end of the day.

Pumi cookie cutter

and the Pumi Linzers, shaped by the Pumi cookie cutter…

: Carita Friberg is getting an undivided attention – I wonder why…

Carita Friberg of Noisy Dog’s Kennel

City Hopping in Helsinki

March 27, 2015

The Central Railway Station of Helsinki

We’ve decided that we had enough of the dogs and went to see Helsinki yesterday. Strolled through part of Kluuvi, the commercial center of the City. It has a shopping center, the University of Helsinki, Movie theaters, museums and the Helsinki Central Railway Station among many other things. One interesting fact that I learned that the Square has two entrances, one for the public and a second one for the President of Finland…

Civic center a euphenism for a place where you smell th

“City center” a euphemism for shop until you drop dead…

The first Finnish brewery, an integral part of our city "hopping"

The indoor city market

vintage beer tanks. During WWI and WWII they justinstalled wheels and tracks and they had war tanks...

During our city “hopping” we bumped into these vintage beer tanks. During WWI and WWII they probably just installed wheels and tracks on them and they had war tanks They must have been useful during seize fires (they could brew beer until the fights picked up again…)

beer/war tanks I guess they nevermade it to the front line they were pulled over for drunk driving

beer/war tanks I would not be surprised if they had never made it to the front line the drivers probably were pulled over for drunk driving

buy buy baby who can resist in a narrow alley?

buy buy baby who can resist the great aromas of gourmet food and spices floating in the narrow alley of the city market?

Fresh fish

and the canned goods I bet I could find fermented shark fin if I looked more carefully…

Kapelli

We also checked out the exhibitions at the contemporary Art center, “Kiasma.” After the culture rush, we escaped to some fine shopping places and checked into some great food stores. It was such a breath of fresh air to spend some time in cafe houses, fine restaurants and (only…) browsing ( this is for Laszlo in case he reads this entry) in some high end department store after our local convenient stores and Walmart upstate NY.

our appropriations of one of the installations at the Kiasma:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7bOLNMGI9Q<—Click here

a very interesting drink that I learned from Marja-Leena if you want to know it contact me privately

yum yum pastries

the famous historic Kapelli cafe, bar, restaurant where the bohemians and artists, of Helsinki gathered the the past 150 years or so including Sibelius, the composer.

the famous historic Kapelli cafe, bar, restaurant where the bohemians and artists, of Helsinki gathered the past 150 years or so including Sibelius, the composer.