What's underneath the big coat..

How much can a dog shrink when it's wet? Answer. This much:

Poor Ninja doesn't look that happy..
After the washing..

Did her coat explode or something? Don't you think this is kind of bluffing? ;p

♥ Hilde ♥

Happy 5-year old day, Nelli!

Nelli is turning 5 years old today <3 No one would ever think she's that "old". Everyone always asks "is this darker one the mother and the more orange the daughter", well no, the other way around, actually :p I would have taken fresh pictures, but my camera is at the time in Japan with my brother, so you have to stand with these pics from summer :)

Also found this pic of english pointer Dani and me in Turku INT show. Dani is wondering what I might talk about..

♥ Hilde ♥

Turku INT show

Hey guys!

Now the first show of the year is over. I was there only on the first day, which was a shame, but no can do! In the morning I woke up at 5.30, because my ride left 6.45 from a 40 minute long trip away. It was definitely hard to wake up after a 4 hour sleep, but what wouldn't you do for a dogshow?

When we (I and the owner of the english pointer) got to the mess center we walked to the vaccination control. Why do they always ask me where the dog is when I show the junior handling-number tag (what is it called in English..?). Can't someone brief them to know, that there are almost 100 juniors coming in from the door with that same tag, and they don't need to have a dog! This happens in almost every show.. A little thing, but still :D

junior handling with borzoi Zowie
© Linda H

Well, we headed for the english pointer ring, which was next to the junior handling ring. I didn't move from that spot on almost the whole day! The pointers started at 10.30 and there was only 3 entered. Here in Finland there aren't many pointers, not as there are abroad, especially in Central-Europe. Anyway, one of them wasn't there so we were down to two participants.

The pointer I was showing, Golden Jump Point To Daniel "Dani" is a lovely 19 months old boy, who's lovely for the breed and has a couple of CACs already. I was at a "match show" (an unofficial show) when I saw this pointer. My long-lasting dream had been, to show an english pointer, but as I said, there are so few in Finland that it wasn't easy. I went to talk to the owner and told that I've always wanted to try a pointer, and so I trained with Dani a few moments. His owner told me, I could show him in the ring also. That I did, he was only 11 months old back then, and not that showtrained.

showing english pointer Dani
© Katriina M

Now I've shown him a couple of times, and still we're practicing for the perfect "show-performance". He's getting better and better every time I train with him!

Here in Turku INT show the judge was Chris Bexon from Great Britain. We went to the ring, the judge asked to move back and forward, triangle and one round around the ring. Then I stacked him. He's a little inpatient with the whole standing thing, so I had to stack him again pretty many times :D He always finds a target to stare at outside the ring, just not the in the right direction! The judge looked many times in his mouth and I started to think what it was.. He said "What a shame" the third time he looked at the teeth.

Dani got VG and the judge told me "It's really a shame that his teeth are slightly wry, he's a beautiful english pointer but because of the teeth, I have to give a lower price. Keep up the good work!". He was a very nice judge, I think. Maybe a little harsh on the price, he could've given an EXC without CQ, I think. We did know about his teeth, but not a single judge has said about them before. Well, at least he did know something, the judge! The critique was very nice:

"Really nice young male. Built of flowing lines. Really balanced head. Nice occibut. Good work around the eyes, clean cheek. Good length of neck. Pleasing shoulders. Nice depth of chest. Short, strong loin. Clean oval bone, straight forelegs. Excellent mover. Very disappointed to find that he has slightly wry bite."

Disappointing yes, but I'm proud of Dani that he's improving the performing every time.

I almost showed an irish wolfhound, but junior handling went on the same time, so I had to unfortunately say I couldn't :(

junior handling with borzoi Zowie
© Katriina M

Then the junior handling started.. 64 juniors stepped into the ring. The younger group had been judged, the winner was Karelin Kajander, a cute little boy with his whippet. The judge was Åge Gjentjes from Norway. We were divided in 5 groups, I couldn't make it to the first, where I should have been, because my junior handling-dog was in the breed ring at the time. I went with the last group, showing the lovely borzoi "Zowie", owned by Helena Håkansson from Sweden, who trusted her girl in my hands. Thanks! I'd never shown a borzoi before. Zowie's whole name is Japejukan Krasivaja Kira "Zowie". The judge wanted us to move in a group around the ring, then he took a quick look at the dogs' expression. I was first in the line, so I was first in turn. The judge didn't give much time to stack the dog, so I wasn't ready when he came to judge, but I don't think he minded. He asked how old my dog was and asked for a up-and-down. I did that, Zowie ran beautifully, and then I showed quickly the expression of Zowie towards the judge. He asked to make a round around the ring and to get at the end of the line. Our performance went really good, Zowie was really calm (what can you expect of a borzoi..:D). We were 10 in every group, so when everyone was judged, the judge wanted us to move once around the ring in two groups. After that he shortlisted 3 juniors and said thanks to the rest. I was glad when he pointed at me that he picked me!

Change-dog, coton de tulear Jerry
© Vilma H

As I was in the last group, everyone who had been shortlisted came back to the ring. We were around 20 juniors, and the judge asked us again to move around the ring. Zowie got much energy of the siberian husky in front of us and ran beautifully with long leash in the front of me. The judge made a cut down to 10 juniors, I was still there!

Change-dog, coton de tulear Jerry!
© Hanna J

Now he wanted to change dogs, I got a lovely cotton de tulear named Jerry. We all stacked our exchange-dogs and the judge went down the line asking some questions of the dogs. He asked what the breed was I was handling and what the breed is used for. I answered that it was a cotton de tulear and that they're company dogs. Then he wanted us to move up-and-down and the around to the end of the line. After that, we changed back our dogs and he said thanks to five more.

junior handling with borzoi Zowie
© Linda H

We were down to 5 and moved one last time around the ring. He called me to the 5th place! I was really, really happy! A 5th place out of 64 junior handlers is an incredible achievement! Zowie did a good work, but she was really tired after the breed ring plus junior handling. 4th place went to Tilda Rinne with a siberian husky, 3rd place to Janette Lehto with her samoyed. The two last moved around the ring and the winner was announced, it was Sofia Snellman with her cotton de tulear! (the one I got as an exchange-dog). The 2nd place went to Kashira Kajander with a pug.

This was a qualification competition for the Finnish Championship final. In the afternoon there was held BIS-Junior handler, and the winner of the older group won it, which means she won the place for the Finnish Championship, congrats! :)

junior handling with borzoi Zowie
© Linda H

After the competition we took some pics of Dani and me and Zowie, thanks Katriina Mäenpää!

It was a funny Saturday, with my lovely friends, and unfortunately I have to wait for the next show till April.. blaah! It will be Lappeenranta NAT show, and Ninja and I will be there :) A long time waiting..

..ps. we got the tickets! so here we come Croatia!!

See ya!

♥ Hilde ♥

trips here and there..

res. BIS-JH with poodle Soltar's Hardwood Stomp "Nemo"
in Hämeenlinna INT 2008

HERE WE GO IN APRIL (hopefully) !!

Yeey! Someone's happy :) 4xCACIB-show with junior handling every day! Perfect! As it seems now, Ninja and Nelli will both be attending.. Hoping for the last CACIB for Nelli. This trip depends now on if we got the "pet seats" on the flight.

It'll be FUN! :)

Junior handling, 3rd place in Tervakoski INT
2007 with portugese waterhound

and..
Turku INT show sent a letter today, that our junior handling judge has been changed. Now our judge will be Åge Gjentjes from Norway. I will compete with a borzoi, something new and exciting :-)


♥ Hilde ♥

the little tail-wagger "Nelli"

Cutie-pie Nelli without coat ♥   

Nelli 8 months old

"I'm cute" says Nelli

Hey again! This time I thought to make a post about my lovely, lovely dogs. Earlier in this blog I've told about Tipsu, who was my first dog and who's now resting in peace. Nowadays I have two dogs, Nelli and Ninja. They're both kleinspitzes. Nelli is going to turn 5 years old in the end of January and Ninja will turn 2 years old in May. Ninja is Nelli's daughter. They're both bred by Esa & Laura Ruotsalainen, kennel Tempore & Tirhan. This post will be only of Nelli as it is so much to tell..:p

There's not a lack of speed in Nelli!

Nelli 16 months old enjoying being petted

Nelli (FIN & N CH Tempore True Colors) is one funny dog, who never gets old. She's much more playful and active than Ninja. She's born 26.1.2007. We had thought about getting a new dog, a dog that I could spend more time in shows with. We had told Nelli's breeders that we're thinking about taking a new puppy, we wanted a puppy with a very healthy character and who was from the beginning outgoing and loved people. The time came, when they sent us e-mail that they would have a suitable puppy for us. A very friendly and funny puppy, also with a good body and type for the breed. We thought about it and decided to get us ready for a new familymember! I was over the moon that time, we had our Tipsu, but the everyday-life and specially shows was a challenge. We thought a puppy would make Tipsu happier and she could have someone to play with, as she had no sisters or brothers when she was a puppy. She'd never got to experience the "normal childhood" and try the limits for when it's too much and when it's time to stop.

Nelli when she came to us, 8 weeks old

Nelli 13 months old

   

Nelli came and everyone in our family fell in love with her. Well, who could not love a cute, little german spitz puppy..? She grew up and then was in the age to participate in puppyclasses. I had trained with her a lot, and she could do free-stacking easily and was nice on the table too. Movements was a little challenge, because she thought there was always something on the floor to eat. She did altogether 8 puppyclasses, being always BOB-puppy! Well, she was the only puppy except one or twice when there was 4 puppies. She got lovely critiques and I was very happy, finally I had a showdog!

"7 months old puppy who enjoy her day out. Lovely head with good mouth. Very nice outlines. Nice topline and tailset, well angulated and nice bone. Moves well, lovely coat" - Corry Saes, the Netherlands (Speciality show 26.8.2008 in Helsinki)

In this show her breeder showed her, and she LOVES her breeder, always when she sees them, she can't stay still, her tail is waving so fast! That's why it's written "who enjoy her day out", lovely ♥

Nelli 6 months old

Nelli 3 months old

Nelli 3 months old

When it was time for her first junior class, it was one experience! It was Lahti INT show in October 2007, judged by Annaliisa Heikkinen from Finland. Nelli decided to start it with style and won junior class with 8 juniors. That was too much already! Then it was time for Best Bitch, she ran ahead almost every champion bitch, and went runner-up best bitch! wow! The only one who won her was the most winning kleinspitz at that time, Orion Continental Lady. Nelli got her first CAC and I was totally overwhelmed! The critique she got:

"Excellent type and proportions. Beautiful head and expression. Enough angulated rear and front. Compact body. Good tail. Moves and shows herself well. Excellent character."

Nelli 11 months old

Nelli 8 months old

After that she went to several shows, getting EXC and VG. Also one in Sweden. There I got tired with Nelli's "there's something on the floor, I have to sniff it!"- thing. I chuck million treats on the hotel corridor-floor and walked over the treats a million times trying to get Nelli's attention to me. She got the idea and had a good eye contact with me. In the end she could sit in the end of the corridor the whole floor full of treats, and when I called her she would ran to the end of it right over all the treats she earlier couldn't resist. Next day at the show she showed herself beautifully not taking even one look at the floor!

Nelli in Budapest, speciality show

The next CAC came in Joensuu INT show 17.5.2008 under judge Nils Molin from Sweden. She was also BOS winning all the bitches. Before that she got a res-CAC in January in Turku INT show.

"Excellent type. Very promising junior. Beautiful, feminine expression. Nice filled muzzle. Excellent stop. Acceptable body. Very nice angulations and movement. Good coat." - Nils Molin, Sweden

We also went to Norway to an INT show in Bö February 2009. Kleinspitzes were judged there by Tino Pehar from Croatia. Nelli won all of them being BOB, getting CAC and her first CACIB as she was in the intermediate class. Wohoo!

Nelli BOB-JUNIOR in a speciality show
in Sweden

Nelli when she finished her
Finnish Champion-title, 2,5 years old

She ended her Finnish Championship-title in Rovaniemi INT show when she got her last CAC and her 2nd CACIB. She was also BOS. Kleinspitzes were judged by Marjatta Pylvänäinen-Suorsa from Finland. After that she didn't really need to get more. She wasn't the best showdog, as she got everything from "cannot be judged" to BOB. I mean really, everything! It was because of her knees, she has 1/1 knees, and when she moves it's a lottery. Sometimes she moves just normal and fine in the ring, when the other day she looks like she's limping. That's why the "Cannot be judged". Besides that, she's a beautiful kleinspitz with every little thing ok. Her coat is also one thing the critiques are unsteady. You can't know 2 months before the show, when you have to send the entries if she's going to be in coat or not. So, many times she's been "out of coat" in the ring. She got her 3rd CACIB in Eckerö INT 2009 when she was BOB competing in champion class.

Nelli 16 months old

Now I'm trying to get her the last CACIB which would end her International Champion Of Beauty, C.I.B-title. That's why she's only competing abroad. We've been in Lithuania and the Netherlands, from both she's got res-CACIB. So close but so far! Now when Ninja's in intermediate class, she will get the CACIBs from the front of Nelli, as she's "much better as a kleinspitz" than Nelli :D Well, you never know, someone might like Nelli more than Ninja, we'll see! After that she won't be showed anymore. Not much at least.

She loves to be in shows, always wagging her tail and being happy. It's sad that her knees aren't the best, otherwise she would be showed a lot more, as she loves it.. Her character is the best and she's the most lovely dog I've ever seen and I'm so happy to have her!

♥ Hilde ♥

a show in Croatia?

EUW-10 in Celje, Slovenia, showing havanese
Torcedore's Aria El Amore "Siiri" to BOB

Heey! Here we are.. went trough every country in Europe and thought where to go for a show. As it seems now, we'll head off to Croatia and a place called Zadar. There's a 4xCACIB-show with junior handling every day, perfect! The thing is, that it is on the same days as our Lahti INT show here in Finland, and I could be there too :D hmmph. Zadar though looks like a lovely place, it would be like a holiday on the same time as the dog show; we could catch two birds with one stone! ;)

We'll see! Now I've made a calendar on the shows me and my dog(s) will be in spring, just to keep myself on track.

21.1. Turku INT: Junior handling
8.-9.4. Lappeenranta NAT: Junior handling + Ninja
14.-15.4. Vaasa INT: Junior handling + Ninja
28.4-1.5: Zadar, Croatia INT: Ninja + Nelli, Junior handling
5.-6.5. Rauma NAT:  Junior handling + Ninja
12.-13.5. Tampere INT: Junior handling + Ninja
18-20.5 Salzburg, Austria, WW-12: Junior handling + Ninja
26.5. Joensuu NAT:  Junior handling + Ninja
27.5. Joensuu INT: Junior handling + Ninja

Junior handling in WW-09 in Bratislava, Slovakia
with tibetan spaniel Down-Goblin's Artemis Ingefal "Sipsu"

Junior handling in Estonia 2008 with kleinspitz
Tirhan BT Thanks "Nella"

Exciting :-)

♥ Hilde ♥

Salukis, german spitzes, dachshounds...

Hello there! We have finally snow here in Finland! January and no snow wasn't the best view I've seen..

Nelli has also finally started to grow her coat. Thank god! Last time she had a "normal" full coat was about two years ago.. Before the puppies. Maybe we'll go to some show abroad and try to get the last CACIB.. we'll see!
I've looked on the shows in spring, and as it seems now, Ninja will be attending every all-breed show this spring.. that'll be fun!

Nordic champion 2009 with saluki Aziz Cane Zadan

I thought about what I should write here, and didn't come up with anything. That's why I will show you these photos taken trough these years with different salukies, german spitzes and dachshounds. Why these breeds? Well, those are the ones that I've competed most with. I thank all those owners who have let me show their dogs, you are wonderful! ♥

Showing saluki Asarafi Orenda As-Siraj 2007

Nordic Champion 2009 with saluki Aziz Cane Zadan

Showing 8-months old saluki Aziz Fazel 2010

8-months old saluki Aziz Fazel 2010 at her first show

kleinspitz Ninja (Tirhan Quantum Hoops)
 BIS-3 baby in Slovenia 2010

Showing Nelli (Tempore True Colors) in junior handling
in Sweden 2008

Junior handling with pomeranian
Sinfonia Iz Kaskada Grez, 5th place
in Sweden 2008

Junior handling 2nd place with saluki Aziz Uzziah
in Oulu 2010

top-3 in World Winner 2008 with mittelspitz
Thomdy Dom's Domino

top-3 in World Winner 2008 with mittelspitz
Thomdy Dom's Domino

Showing Ninja (Tirhan Quantum Hoops) in a puppyshow 2010

Showing Ninja (Tirhan Quantum Hoops) in a puppyshow 2010

top-6 with saluki Aziz Shadman in Jyväskylä 2009

res. BIS-JH with pomeranian Tirhan Foo Fighter 2008

res. BIS-JH with dachshound Golden Dachshaund Cleopatra
 in Eckerö 2008

res. BIS-JH in Hämeenlinna 2008 with
dachshound Golden Dachshaund Cleopatra

top-12 in Finnish Championship 2009 with
kleinspitz Orion Mirror Image

showing dachshound Humisevan Harjun Honey Honey
to res.BIG-puppy

3rd place in Pori 2008 with dachshound Golden Dachshaund Cleopatra   

3rd place with my lovely R.I.P kleinspitz
Sun-power's Tiara Tabitha "Tipsu"

Nordic Champion 2009 with saluki Aziz Cane Zadan

Nordic Champion 2009 with saluki Aziz Cane Zadan

res. BIS-JH with dachshound Humisevan Harjun Honey Honey
2008

Nordic Champion 2009 with saluki Aziz Cane Zadan

Nordic Champion 2009 with saluki Aziz Cane Zadan

res. BIS-JH with saluki Asarafi Orenda As-Siraj

2nd place with dachshound Wheel's Winterberry 2008

res. BIS-JH with pomeranian Tirhan Foo Fighter 2007

res. BIS-JH with pomeranian Tirhan Foo Fighter 2007

4th place, but our best performance ever with
dachshound Golden Dachshaund Cleopatra
2008

4th place, but our best performance ever with
dachshound Golden Dachshaund Cleopatra
2008

res. BIS-JH with dachshound Golden Dachshaund Cleopatra 2007

1st place in Budapest, Hungary with kleinspitz
Thomdy Dom's Knight Of Glory

res. BIS-JH with my own Nelli (Tempore True Colors) in Budapest,
EUW-08

res. BIS-JH with my own Nelli (Tempore True Colors) in Budapest,
EUW-08

res. BIS-JH with my own Nelli (Tempore True Colors) in Budapest,
EUW-08

junior handling with kleinspitz Orion Mirror Image
in EUW-09 in Bratislava, Slovakia

Well, now this became a LONG and unfortunately an informational post, but hope you enjoyed the pics! This weekend there will be an international show in Kajaani, Finland. I won't be there, but everyone who's heading there - GOOD LUCK! I'll be waiting for results, someone's going to win the first qualification competition of the year there! :)

♥ Hilde ♥