Tag Archives: herding Pumis

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.

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

Quiet please, I am taking a large pizza order

 

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, remember, they do not do agility...

“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

The agility arena

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lotta Vuolera explaines to...

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 left…

 

some Pumis came...,

some Pumis came…,

 

there was always somebody working...

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

Pumi cookie cutter

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

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

Carita Friberg of Noisy Dog's Kennel

Carita Friberg of Noisy Dog’s Kennel

 

 

 

The Return (sequel two, part one)

March 22, 2015

 

I am pretty concerned about apossible Icelandic Culinary Month celebrated by Finnair. I am not sure if I am ready for a fermented shark fin and pickled herring mousse with sour sheep milk.

I am pretty concerned about a possible Icelandic Culinary Month celebrated by Finnair. I am not sure if I am ready for a fermented shark fin and pickled herring mousse with sour sheep milk.

Men plan, nature executes…  Based on Kaffogo Agyag’s reproductive cycle in the past two years

, we had a perfect plan until last week. Than everything turned into chaos and upside down as the four bitches have brought into heat each other, including Agyag.  Bitches…

I had to contact Marja-Leena Puranen to double check wether the male dog is available and wether Marja-Leena was ready for us.  Once we had the green light, I had to break the news to Laszlo while we had only a few days left for a massive rescheduling of all plans for the next two weeks and of course to buy a new airplane ticket to Helsinki.

Since we left late from home (as usual), we had a nail biting four-hour drive to the airport in an insane weekend traffic jam.  At check-in, our saga has continued with customer service.  They had no idea about “live animal traveling fee rates” and I ended up paying double ($400!!!)one way – for Agyag.  (What is wrong with weekend customer service…? Once I am back in the States, I have to recoup the money.)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LxaTT8uCV8. <——–Click here

according to

according to the yellow label, Agyag is in the  121lbs category that cost $400 (twice the standard price) each way to transport.  Is it a slightly over weight Pumi or a traveling crate carved of stone?

I waited until Agyag’s crate was conveyed into the belly of the plane then I finally boarded too.  When the plane took off and we were ascending, after all the stress, I could only hope that this was not an Icelandic Culinary Month for all Scandinavian airlines when they serve fermented shark fin, pickled herring mousse and sour sheep milk while someone is out-loud reciting from the Kalevala in Finnish.

My anxiety disappeared in an instance when we reached cruising altitude and  I heard the captain in the loudspeaker, “ladies, gentlemen, it is time to start your cocktails….”

Marja-Leena was waiting for us at the Helsinki Airport. It was so good to see her again.

Marja-Leena was waiting for us at the Helsinki Airport. It was so good to see her again.

If you had one too many of the cocktails on the plane, you might freak out that you ended up on planet El-Adrel from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and bumped into a Tamarian when encountering Kim Simmonnsonn's ceramic sculpture in the Art Port at the Helsinki Airport near Gate 37 (Curtesy of Finavia Corporation).

If you had one too many of the cocktails on the plane, you might freak out that you ended up on planet El-Adrel from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and bumped into a Tamarian when encountering Kim Simmonnsonn’s ceramic sculpture in the Art Port at the Helsinki Airport near Gate 37 (Curtesy of Finavia Corporation).