News from year 2007

21.12.2007 Christmas greetings!

The Leg Duo along with its crew wishes everyone a peaceful and warm Christmas and good luck for the year to come! See you again next year!

15.11.2007 Kumma 3 years!

Tiny Kumppis and her brothers Vilu and Frank celebrate their 3rd birthday today! Kumma'll celebrate the day by enjoying an extra-amount of dinner and a dried pig's ear. Let's hope there are still many more years to come!

The winter has arrived to Oulu and snow invokes strange feelings in our tiny Italians ... To Kinttu's pleasure a squirrel community has found a new home in our local forest. This forest happens to be along our daily morning walk and so Kinttu keeps bouncing back and forth on leash trying to catch the squirrels but so far she hasn't succeeded in getting any prey ... Kumma on the other hand has found a new hobby in shopping. She thinks circling around in shops, sniffing and meeting people is simply wonderful and as an important VIP she deserves a special treatment! Kumma would surely make a perfect model for Hästens's (a Swedish company selling beds) display window.

With Rommi we've started to go to show practice, sometimes being successful and sometimes less successful. Hopefully there'll be development of some kind - in the both ends of the leash. Rommi's tail was also x-rayed and photos will be sent to the Finnish Kennel Club some time in future. The fracture in his tail has ossified well and no abnormalities could be found based on those photos.

24.10.2007 IG meeting

Added photos from an IG meeting in Oulu held on 20.10.2007 into the gallery.

22.10.2007 Seinäjoki Int

Kinttu was shown at Seinäjoki INT and result was BB-2, CAC and her first CACIB! Naturally we're happy, this was Kinttu's fourth show and third certificate! Judge was Slovenian Barbka Novak and 4+10 IG's were entered.

Photos from the show can be viewed in the gallery.

And for some people I have relief to their curiosity on puppy page ... Hypermegahuge thank yous go to the breeders Karina & Peter for I'm forever grateful for this opportunity!

29.9.2007 IG forum

The Finnish IG discussion forum has moved: new address is now http://www.italiaano.net/foorumi/. Welcome!

22.9.2007 Site renewals ...

Updated the look a bit and made some corrections. Added introduction texts on dogs' own pages. Soon, soon there'll be some renewals at the photodepartment, since I finally got it: the SLR camera I've been dreaming about for ever! So there'll hopefully be lots of new photos of the dogs ... Hopefully.

Due to the lack of freetime, I've moved to a web-based photogallery. It's now located at http://berylline.1g.fi and is hosted by kuvat.fi. This way it's so much easier for me to upload new photos and make new galleries.

I've also added the old guestbook on the site! I came to the conclusion that I want to preserve all the older messages as well so now it's there in a bit newer version. Naturally, if there're some corrections that should be made, please use the form or send email to info[a]italiaano.net. I wish you'd rather not use the guestbook for such purposes.

The proceeding autumn is dangerously starting to shorten our daily walks. I'll be taking Kinttu to Seinäjoki Int in October, that's all we have planned for this autumn.

We finally managed to get a grip and take some new photos of dogs. Here's our French import Nubiad´ Cracklin Carlito at 6,5 months: he's turning into a typical, masculine Frenchman.

9.8.2007

16.7.2007

Some results from this weekend's shows.. In Orivesi July 14th Kumma was in champion class for the first time and was EXC/2. The judge was Tino Pehar from Croatia. In Kokkola International July 15th Kinttu was BB3 and received her second CC! The judge was Ligita Zake from Lithuania. Next weekend Kumma will be trotting in the ring in Pello for the last time in Finland, at least for now on. Kumppis thinks that life is exciting just as it is: sleeping, eating and relaxing in someone's lap every once in a while.

9.7.2007

The summer mystically disappeared entirelly from Oulu: wind, wind and rain, which naturally makes tiny Italians jump of joy. Kumma disappears strangely whenever it's time to go out, Kinttu doesn't mind a little wind and one's got to keep an eye on Rommi, in case the wind takes him with.

Let's hope for a good weather for the coming weekend, since I'll be entering Kumma in Orivesi Nat on Saturday and Kinttu in Kokkola Int on Sunday, last time in junior class.

23.6.2007

Time's gone since the last update.. Kinttu's patellas were officially checked and they were 0/0 (clear).

Today at Rovaniemi Int both of our girls were shown for the Finnish Säde Hohteri. Kinttu was EXC/1 in junior class but wasn't placed in BB-competition. I wanted to show Kumma in BB-class myself so Kinttu had to go to the ring with someone else and that didn't quite suit her as well.. She moved ok but standing on the ground - whaaat?! So no placement for her - as deserved. Kumma was in open class EXC/1 and later on BB-3 and finished her championships! This makes her now a Finnish and Swedish champion!

We spent the Midsummer in Rovaniemi, eating and going to the sauna, what else? On Friday we all got a few extra heart beatings when Kinttu ran after a reindeer. Yes, an IG weighing 4,6 kg went after a reindeer which at least is 10 times the dog's size. It happened in Ylinampa, 50 km north of Rovaniemi where neighbours live with 1 km distance and everything else is forest. Kumma and Kinttu got to go free at the yard and ran around happy as always. I noticed a reindeer (a very common sight in northern Finland) on the road and grabbed the dogs in my lap before they even noticed the creature. The reindeer kept on going to the field and I let the dogs walk. Unfortunately Kinttu noticed the reindeer and at that second she flew out like a shot after the reindeer. The reindeer ran towards the forest with Kinttu behind. I shouted, screamed, yelled but nothing. The reindeer vanished into the forest and Kinttu along with it. I went after them, kept running and running, shouting Kinttu's name at the top of my lungs but no, no sign of either one of them. Terrible images came into my mind - what if she had injured and was lying somewhere in the bushes where no one would ever find her? The road was only 100 m away and at time the traffic was quite heavy. I damned that crazy dog many times in my mind. A somewhat amusing detail was that in the middle of everything, I didn't have time to put decent shoes on so I left running in the forest with a pair of light summer sandals on. Sorrowful and dead tired I faced my defeat and decided to go back to the house and suddenly heard people shouting, that she was there! Kinttu had come back all by herself through another way, with a green coat. Of course the poor thing didn't understand what she'd done wrong but the joy was definetely mutual!

So that was the story for this time. And I thought that even a rabbit was too big a prey for an IG.

26.5.2007

Kinttu's hat trick at Iisalmi dog show for all breeds: JUN EXC 1 BB2 CAC! The slovenian judge Stefan Sinko surely took his time choosing between the two first bitches. He thought they were very similar in type and asked if they were related to each other! The bitch placed first was Soltar's Unbelievable who was also BOB. There were 1+8 IG's entered.

19.5.2007

We travelled to Piteå dog show for all breeds to spend a day in absolutely freezing weather. Kumma won open class and got CK. In best bitch -ring she was placed first and received her first Swedish certificate. Kumma was also BOS. The judge was the danish Annette Bystrup.

BOB Qvickelyckans Chagall, BOS Pumpkin Hilde

Copyright Margareta Johansson

14.5.2007

Rommi, Nubiad' Cracklin Carlito arrived to Finland! He is out of Amour Fou du Domaine de Chanteloup x Multi Ch Nubiad' Raffna Nilah and he's bred by Fabienne Becker, France. Rommi is co-owned with kennel Iosono.

Photo Elisa H.

24.4.2006

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KINTTU 1 YEAR!!!

Kinttu celebrated her 1st birthday yesterday on April 23rd. She's grown to be a beautiful and extremely elegant Italian Greyhound lady who's a passionate fan of shoes: everything from sandals to rubber boots.

Kumma went to health tests for the second time: eyes & heart both ok! These results verify our puppy plans for the end of this year. :o)

Results from SIC: Kumma was 6th show IG bitch of the year 2006.

Photo Jyri Moilanen

16.4.2007

At Vaasa Int Kumma was OPEN EXC 2 BB4. Judge was danish Leif Lehmann Jörgensen. Kumppis thanks whippets Hilla & Honda for a funny company long the way.

Kinttu Giigelskoj went to a local match show to practise her ring behaviour. I was positively surprised how well she behaved. We'll be waiting for future shows with great interest... Kinttu is an extreme model of an IG with her long legs so surprises can be expected, to all directions.

10.4.2007

Spring's coming and even The Leg Duo has started to enjoy our daily walks. Next weekend we'll spend at a dog show in Vaasa, where Kumma will be trotting in the ring. Kinttu's very first show as an adult will hopefully be in Oulu in May, if nothing special happens. We'll have to try to train as much as possible before that, since I'm the one to blame for Kinttu's bad ring behaviour.. Haven't really had time to practise (yeah right, as if!). Kinttu in a show leash makes you think of a mixture of a spider and a Bambi at the moment. In addition to Oulu I will be entering Kinttu in Iisalmi and Kumma in Piteå in May.

25.3.2007

Kumma and Kinttu gave their contribution to Hannes Lohi's genetic research in the University of Helsinki. At the moment the main aim of the research is to know more about epilepsy among different dogbreeds and even find out its genetic background. Read more about the research here. Kinttu took the whole thing calm as usual but with Kumma were preliminary negotiations needed. Apparently Kumma wasn't satisfied with our end result, concluding of her cold glaring that could've almost killed you.

18.3.2007

Kumma won her class in Boden and was placed 2nd in the best bitch -class. Certificate went this time to the first one. The trip went fine and Kumma got a lot of attention cruising in her new zebrapatterned jacket.

14.3.2007

New website on the web. Published the new breed info, although it's only in Finnish (at least at the moment). If you have any comments or feedback please send them via email or our guestbook.

On coming weekend we'll be showing Kumppis in Boden, northern Sweden. We'll see how it goes.

18.2.2007

Spring is coming with great speed and The Leg Duo has also noticed it. Yearly symbiosis with the couch is "in" this spring also.

The hunt after Kumma's last CC begins.. I've entered her to a group show in Boden, Sweden in March. During the summer we'll probably spend some time in local shows, nothing special. This season my aim is to get CC's from Finland and Sweden, we'll see if it'll work.. :o) For Kinttu I haven't planned anything yet.

Kinttu's pedigree finally came from the Finnish Kennel Club after 6 months of waiting.

3.2.2007

The last rabbit from our H-litter, Kolibrin Heavenly Blues aka Korva moved to his new home today being also the last rabbit moving from us. Hiitti went to enjoy nethie Hilla's company in Oulu, Pööki went to Tornio to amuse the lop Pörri, Lumene went to Kronoby and Korva to Oulainen. Blue, Laitti and 2 littersiblings from H-litter who all went to Sweden will hopefully keep the bloodline going on, at least in Silverstjärnans rabbitry so I can leave breeding for a while with happy minds.

During the last 16 years I haven't been a single day without a rabbit so home feels empty now and it seems like there's nothing to do. :-) Weekly cleaning's never been easier!!

We still have 2 gerbils Alli and Aliisa keeping the rodent population going on, at least for a while.

26.1.2007

Today we took control x-rays on Kinttu's leg. From now on we'll slowly start to increase exercise. The bandage was taken off already yesterday and Kinttu's using her leg ok. We have no rush in taking the plate away, still have to think about it. Maybe next autumn or in the end of 2008, we'll see. At the same time Kinttu's tail was x-rayed, since she had an accident with a door just before Christmas. X-rays showed a clear injury. Photos will be sent to Finnish Kennel Club and we'll have to wait for their opinion. There's a knot which you can see and feel where she injured it. "In the bargain" Kinttu was examined by the vet, he listened to her heart and checked her knees in case of patella. At the moment everything's ok.

We also x-rayed Kumma's leg since I was interested in seeing how her leg has improved. When x-raying the last time before Christmas, her ulna hadn't ossified. The gap between the bones had decreased a little but still there was a small gap left. We'll keep an eye on the situation and see if we'll x-ray the leg in summer. The leg doesn't bother Kumma so there's nothing that should or even could be done, just wait.

6.1.2007

A new year has arrived and we're anxious to see what it's got to give. Kumma and Kinttu had their share on the Christmas dinner but now it's time to get back to work. Kinttu's obviously sad about the time she lost during the past month of running and now thinks she should make it up.

© Elisa H.

 

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