Curvy Italian Greyhounds

NKK Int Drammen, June 4th 2011

2011-06-11T20:25:00.006+02:00

Long time, no see! We've been really busy lately, and that is the reason for the lack of blogging. Its also been a slow spring for shows, so not a lot of news to publish. June will be a busy show month, with NKK Int Drammen and Norwegian IG Speciality last weekend, the Norwegian Sighthound Speciality this weekend, and Swedish Sighthound Speciality weekend next weekend!

NKK Int Drammen, 04.06.2011 (10+13) Judge: Rudi Brandt, Denmark

BM-1, CACIB, BOB, BIG-4 - Ch Eugenios Amenhotep
BM-2, CAC, R-CACIB - Ch Qvickelyckans Filiberto - New N Ch!
BM-3 - Ch Flying Spirit's Forever and Ever
BM-4, R-CAC - Dervisch Sky is the Limit

BB-1, CAC, CACIB, BOS - Dervisch Happy Go Lucky
BB-2, R-CACIB - Ch Eugenios Mrs Robinson
BB-3 - Ch Eugenios Posh Spice
BB-4 - Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses

Esso - C.I.B. Nord NL Ch NV-08-09 AmsterdamW-10 Biscotti Esclusivo - EXC/unplaced Ch class
Maskulin, utm str. Bra hode og uttr, bra underkjeve. Korr bitt, typisk hjortehals. Flott overlinje i stående, velvinklet fram/bak. Dyp brystkasse, korr frontfylde, fin benstamme. For mye hvitt på ene frambein. Rør seg ganske bra, vist i flott kondisjon. // Masculine, exc size. Nice head & expression, good underjaw. Corr bite, typical neck. Nice topline standing, well angulated front/behind. Deep chest, corr filled out front, nice bones. Too much white on one front leg. Moves quite well, shown in great condition.

Easy - N Ch NV-10 Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses - EXC-3 Ch class, CK, BB-4
4,5 år. Vakker helhet, utm str. Fem hode og uttr, korr bitt. Korr øyne, fine ører. Utm hals og overlinje, rør seg vakkert. Prima pels og kondisjon. Bra temperament. // 4,5 years. Beautiful all over, excellent size. Feminine head & expression, corr bite. Corr eyes, fine ears. Exc neck and topline, moves beautifully. Excellent coat and condition, good temperament.

Curvy Limited Edition - 5 weeks old

2011-02-14T10:31:00.011+01:00

Our little hippo is slowly starting to look more like an IG puppy :) She did very well on her 2nd week of stacking - her tail was wagging constantly! Just got to love her temperament!

"I'm hungry! Where's my food at?"

Curvy Limited Edition - 4 weeks old

2011-02-03T22:23:00.008+01:00

The little Hippo is now 4 weeks old, and it's time for her first stacked photos! She's such an easy puppy, she loves to be with the rest of my pack, but has no problems sleeping in her puppypen on her own. She's quiet (except for some playsounds now and then) and always so happy to greet us with a constantly wagging tail!

Curvy Limited Edition - 3 weeks old - January 26th

2011-01-29T00:06:00.013+01:00

And now the last photos - 3 weeks old on Wednesday

She's starting to (unsteadily) move around, and she's started to discover her voice <3 <3

Curvy Limited Edition - 2 weeks old - January 19th

2011-01-28T23:46:00.009+01:00

Then at 2 weeks old:

No open eyes yet, they came 2 days later; but she'd already learned that the best place for an IG is under cover! I've seen her actively seeking under blankets when mommy's not around, so it's a very strong breed trait to appear at this early age!

Curvy Limited Edition - 1 week old - January 12th

2011-01-28T23:33:00.009+01:00

I'm sorry for not posting these photos earlier, so here's a puppy-photo-frenzy :)

First 1 week photos:

Introducing: Curvy Limited Edition!

2011-01-06T12:57:00.004+01:00

Yesterday evening, Easy gave birth to a silvergrey little girl that was 174 grams. She's got a white chestmark and white toes. I'm very happy that I brought Easy with me to work yesterday, as she decided to go into labour at 16.30 - and the girl was born around 17.45. I did an Xray of her on Tuesday, so I knew there would only be one puppy, and I'm very happy she was normal size and that the birth went without any complications. Both Easy and the puppy are doing great, and Easy is an excellent mother!

Parents are: Am Nord Ch Alfheim's All Things Considered and N Ch NV-10 Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses

My pre-Christmas trip to Belgium

2011-01-02T01:14:00.006+01:00

As usual, I'm a bit late to update the blog - I'll try to do better this year! No New Year's resolutions though, they tend to don't work out anyway - I just have to be better at doing instead of wating for when I have better time or whatever.

A week before Christmas, I grabbed Ira and jumped on a plane heading for Brüssel. It was time to let Margrét have Ira back; he'd done his "duty" as a stud, he got his NO and Nord Championships - and although it has been very nice to have him for a visit, I'm sure he was happy to return home! It was so good to meet Esso again, and he was indeed very happy to see me too :)

I'd entered Esso for the Brussels Winner Show, and Margrét had her CC and her visiting Bichon Frise entered. There were 27 or 28 IGs entered for Waltraud Peschges, knl vom Sausewind in Germany, but not everyone turned up due to generally snowy and bad weather. Esso got Excellent and was placed 3rd in Championclass. Best male with CAC/IB was won by Ch Yori vom Sausewind, and Best Bitch, CAC/IB and BOB was the lovely Daisy du Domaine de Chanteloup (littersister of Djinn Tonic, daughter of Talata Chanteloup who is 3/4 sister of Esso). I must say I find it strange that it is allowed to enter a dog when the judge is the breeder of the dog - it would not be allowed in Scandinavia!

Margét did very well with Phoenix, her visiting Bichon Frise who's going to Iceland in a while, but who is getting showed while waiting for the time to do the rabiestiter bloodtest. He beat his half-brother in class and went best male with CAC/IB and the Winner title - then went all the way to BOB!

I was supposed to return home Sunday evening, and Margrét gave me a ride to the airport. But my flight was cancelled due to the snow - they usually have 1 or 2 days of snow around Christmas, so 2 weeks of snow was seriously stretching their capacity to keep roads and runways clean of snow. So after standing 2 hours in line (or sitting), we finally got to re-book my ticket for Monday evening, get a taxi voucher and head back to Hamme. Same procedure on Monday - a trip to the Airport (taxi this time) and another cancelled flight. No help with re-booking the ticked, they just handed out a piece of paper with the number to the Danish SAS costumer service - luckily the line was a lot shorter this time! I'd be pissed to stand 2 hours in line for that note, but 10 minutes was ok. I called and got my ticket rebooked for Tuesday, and if I payed for the taxi, I could send in the reciet instead of standing in line again (the line was getting long now) and I'd get my money back from them. I took a taxi back to Margrét and Nick, and I had a feeling it might take some time to get back home to Norway. Sure thing - mixed messages on Tuesday - Teletext and Airport homepages said the plane was not cancelled, but it was marked as cancelled at the SAS homepage. Nothing else to do than call SAS Costumer service in Denmark again. The flight was cancelled - again, and I got my ticket rebooked - again, hoping Wednesday would be the day.

Wednesday WAS the day! No cancellation on SAS homepages, so I got to take another one-hour taxi drive to the airport, this time talking African politics with a political refugee from Rwanda. A big difference from my first taxidriver who hardly said a word, and my second one who offered me to stay at his apartment while waiting for a plane to leave for Norway, and who had to stop the taxi to have a look at Esso, so that he'd know how a beauty champion looked like ;)

I finally got home on the 22nd of December. I'd started to get pretty nervous that I'd not get home for Christmas! My mother arrived Friday just before I left for Belgium, and I just got to say "Hello" at the airport in Oslo before checking in. My brother even got to Oslo before me on Wednesday! At least I was not home to participate in most of the pre-Christmas cleaning and general preparation ;)

I'll make a "2010-summary" soon, and I'm working on the Norwegian IG TOP-10 list for 2010.

NB! Forgot to mention (haha, Margrét) that on Wednesday morning - early morning - Bling desided that now was the time to deliver her puppies! And of course they had to be delivered in the masterbed of the house, nothing else was good enough. Bling took her time, and both Margrét and I fell asleep several times during the birth. When the first puppy was born and weighed, we understood why she took her time - the puppies were huge! 249, 257 and 219 grams each, 2 boys (seal and blue) and one red girl. The parents are Caeles Let's Get Ready to Rumble and Ch Topaasin Bling Bling. More info can be found on Margrét's homepage: http://www.caeles.net

Nordic and Amsterdam Winner Shows - November 28th

2010-12-09T17:26:00.005+01:00

A bit late, but we had a nice Curvy weekend at the end of November!

Nordic Winner Show 2010, Norway
We had 3 IGs and 1 saluki entered. Easy was also entered, but since she'd been mated about 3 weeks earlier, I didn't want to risk anything.

No winner titles for us, but all 3 IGs were placed in Best Male/Best Bitch competition. Here's the full results:

BM-1, CAC, CACIB, NordW-10, BOS - Eugenios Amenhotep
BM-2, R-CACIB - Ch Alfheim's All Things Considered

BB-1, CAC, CACIB, NordW-10, BOB - Ch Py's Lyrica - New NO Ch!
BB-2, R-CACIB - Ch Biscotti Mademoiselle
BB-3 - Ch Dervisch Haze of Smoke
BB-4 - Ch Aviendha

Chivas - NO Ch Arab Bahari's Baytor Abdullah - got excellent and a great critic, but no placement in championclass for Saija Juutilainen, Finland. There were more than 50 salukis entered, so we're happy to get an excellent.

Amsterdam Winner Show 2010:

This was Esso's last show in the Netherlands, so he needed to do well to gain his last CAC towards his Dutch Championship. Judge was breed specialist Terry Nethercott, UK. He'd judged Esso as a youngster, and gave him excellent but no more. My hopes were not the highest, and I knew some of the most-winning IGs in the Netherlands were coming, but one has to try, right?

Esso won championclass and beat the winner of Junior class for Best Male! That gave him CACIB, the title Amsterdam Winner 2010, and a double CAC to complete his Dutch championship!!! Then Margrét wins Best Bitch with er junior Caeles It's Showtime (Ira daughter), for JCAC, double CAC and two titles: Amsterdam Junior Winner 2010 and Amsterdam Winner 2010! Margrét got help from her friend Asta to show Esso to BOB over Penny - thanks both of you! Nothing in group, but we got to show "them" a different type of IG than what usually wins in the area :)

Esso is now officially called:
Int Nord NO SE DK NL Ch NW-08-09 AmsterdamW-10 Biscotti Esclusivo

New champion!

2010-10-31T19:46:00.006+01:00

At the Norwegian Dalmation Club Show (national show), Vita went BB-2 with CAC! She turned 2 years on October 2nd, and only needed a "small" CAC to complete her Norwegian championship!

She's my first home-bred champion, from my first (and so far only) litter, and I'm extremely happy and proud! She's also Esso's 3rd champion offspring (from 3 different litters), so this is indeed a big day for us at kennel Curvy.

Full results:
BOB: N Ch Eugenios Posh Spice
BB-2, CAC, Champion: Aviendha
BB-3: Zaira Feritte Bugsy
BB-4: Nord Ch Talata Yvett

Vita - Aviendha - 1AK 1AKK CK CERT BT-2 - NO Ch!
Nice eyes, good angulation in back legs. Nice head, uses ears well. Good expression. Nice black pigment. Nice bite, nice coat. Moved & showed well.

Easy - NO Ch NV-10 Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses - 1CHK 4CHKK CK
Good body, nice head. Good angulation in back legs, nice dark eye. Moved & showed well.

Chivas - NO Ch Arab Bahari's Baytor Abdullah - 1CHK 4CHKK BH-3
Nice dog. Nice head, good expression. Good topline, well muscled back legs. Moved & showed well. Nice neck, good ears.

NKK Int Hamar, October 9th 2010

2010-10-10T18:03:00.004+02:00

Off we went to Hamar - thought we had enough time, but because of several detours due to roadwork, we barely made it in time for Chivas to enter the ring! No time to warm up, so not the best performance of his life. He ended up 4th in champion class without CK. But I dreaded a 2.prize, so I guess I'm ok with the placement.

Chivas - NO Ch Arab Bahari's Baytor Abdullah - 1CHK 4CHKK
Masculine male, good head & expression, good body and bones. Could have a firmer front, lowered (?) in topline. Enough angulations behind. Could have more power and spring in his movement. A bit short tail.

In IGs, I was hoping for the last CAC for Vita - she turned 2 years old on October 2nd, so this was her first chance on her championship. Also, I'm always hoping for a CACIB for Easy, and it would have been nice with another CACIB for Ira as well. But that was not going to happen today. BOB was Nord Ch Talata Yvet, BOS and new NO Ch was FI Ch Dervisch Papavero, coming all the way from Finland.

Ira - Am Nord Ch Alfheim's All Things Considered - 1CHK 3CHKK
Masculine head, well placed & well carried ears. Could have more underjaw. Nicely angulated in front, harmonic top/underline. Could have more angulated knees. Almost too much white on chest. Parallell up and down. Could have longer stride and more drive from the side.

Easy - NO Ch NV-10 Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses - 1CHK 2CHKK CK BB-3
Excellent type, feminine and well balanced head. Elegant neck, excellent coat. Harmonic top/underline, parallell up and down. Could have slightly longer stride in front (sideview).

Vita - Aviendha - 1AK 2AKK CK BB-4
Excellent breedtype, feminine head, could be slightly more filled out under eyes, could have stronger underjaw. Well angulated front and back, harmonic top/underline. Parallell down/behind, slightly narrow in front, balanced from the side.

So, better luck next time!

N Ch Cheerinova Alladin

2010-09-18T19:38:00.002+02:00

Esso's son Cheerinova Alladin became Norwegian Champion today at Sortland, 3+2 IGs entered. He went BOB, BIG and BIS-4! Huge congratulations to Cecilie and Pål, talk about earning his championship with style!!!

Norwegian Sighthound Club Show

2010-09-05T20:26:00.003+02:00

Another show today, this time the Norwegian Sighthound Club's Autumnshow. I only had Chivas entered, and he got excellent and CK (champion quality) but was unplaced in Champion Class due to a happy tail. Well, I'd take a happy dog with a happy tail any day over a dog that doesn't want to be in the ring!!!

He got an excellent critic from British judge Diana Allan:
Smooth cream, beautiful and elegant lines. Strong, well muscled neck into correct shoulder assembly. Correct lenght of brisket. Correct bend of stifle. Moved very well, side and front action.

I'll post photos later :)

I also helped show an IG puppy - my friend Mylene has 2 males who's both 8 months old. I helped her with Alvin, her black male, and he was awarded Best Male Puppy. She took him herself in breed, and won BOB. He was later BIS-4 puppy!!!

My sister had Keira (N Ch Biscotti Mademoiselle) and Sasha (N Ch Sasha) entered. I helped her show Sasha in Veteran, and she got Excellent. Keira was Best Bitch and BOS!!! This is her first show as a champion - nice work!

Norwegian Saluki Speciality

2010-09-05T00:32:00.002+02:00

Chivas was entered at the Norwegian Saluki Speciality today. This was his first time out as a champion, and I couldn't be there myself to show him, as I had to work... Anyway, Evy did a great job and he got excellent with CK, but were unplaced in Champion class. He also got picked out to compete for Best Movement! Later, he participated in the competition for Best Smooth (won by Caravan Zariefa) and Best Movement (won by Heidi and Evy's Iba).

Our new houseguest

2010-08-22T14:46:00.002+02:00

When I visited Margrét earlier this month, we did a little switch - Esso stayed behind with her and I brought her American import Ira with me back to Norway. His official name is Ch Alfheim's All Things Considered (Ch Kimson's Countryboy of Alfheim x Ch Anthony's Poetic Edda O Alfheim). The goal with this switch is for Margrét to show Esso in Be-Ne-Lux, hopefully winning some CAC and perhaps even finish his Dutch Championship (he has 1 CAC there from last summer). And I'll show Ira here in Norway, the goal to finish his Norwegian and Nordic Championships + whatever CACIBs we can get our hands and paws on!

Plans for the summer

2010-07-30T23:33:00.004+02:00

Tomorrow's my last day at work before the holidays. I'll be driving down to Margrét in Belgium together with Elisa (knl Berylline), who I've never met before, so I do hope we get along :)

After a couple of days in Belgium, we'll all 3 head down to south-western France for the 50 year Anniversary of the French IG Club! There'll be about 200 IGs meeting at one place, and over 25 are entered for Lure Coursing. Of course, we're bringing a camera or two ;)

I'll be showing Esso, Easy and Vita in France. Chivas are staying in Norway with Evy while we're on the road, running in the fields with the other salukis :)

2010-07-12T17:03:00.003+02:00

Dervisch Midas Touch
(Ch Ylladian Eugenios Gavino x Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses)

A belated posting of these photos of Vestar at the age of 4,5 months. He was born on December 1st 2009, and is now 7 months old.

He looks like he'll be well within the standard, and I'd like to thank Deb Pupo for taking such good care of "Mr Norway"!

Biscotti Q-litter, 4 weeks old

2010-07-03T21:24:00.013+02:00

4 males born June 3rd 2010
father: Int Nord Ch NV-08-09 Biscotti Esclusivo
mother: Biscotti Isadora (3rd placeIG in European LC Championship 2009)

Boy nr 1

Boy nr 2

Boy nr 3

Boy nr 4

World Dog Show 2010 in Denmark

2010-06-28T09:22:00.013+02:00

We're back from our trip to the WDS in Denmark. There were 90 IGs entered for Italian judge Claudio de Giuliani. We'd entered Esso in Champion Male, Vita in Intermediate Bitch, Keira in Open Bitch and Sasha in Veteran Bitch.

Males:

Junior Class:
1st, Excellent, JWW-10 - Vindhauses Alto (V. Sorento x Ch V. Marisa of Fairy)
2nd, Excellent - Ercule des Princes de Kazan (Caviar Noir dPdK x Bee dPdK)
3rd, Excellent - Skogsville's Eye of the Beholder (Ch S. Shut Out the Ligth x S. Keep on Dancing)
4th, Very Good - Fiefoerniek's Franki Feels Groovy

Intermediate Class:
1st, Excellent - Batter D'ali Sistoquarto (BD'a Ottaviand x BD'a Pizzamargherita)
2nd, Excellent - Dipsy du Domaine de Chanteloup (Ch Tipsy dDdC x Ch Anthinea dDdC)
3rd, Excellent - Hotfarfale of Devils Pigeons (Ch Dynastie Durani's Yehundi Blue x BD'a Riecomi)
4th, Excellent - Soltar's Mio Min Mio (Ch Sobers Galante x Ch Soltar's Beyond Belief)

Excellent - Qvickelyckans Leonardo (Dark Legend's Ulvsbane x Tunamara Vanity Flair)
Excellent - Lux Loral Ilario Innocenzo (Ch Alibaba x Ch LL Dorella Delizia)
Excellent - Ubaldo del Barone Rampante (Holiday of Devils Pigeons x Iknusa del BP)

Open Class:
1st, Excellent - Ch Ascanio dei Raggi di Luna (Ch Sobers Galante x Mimosa del BR)
2nd, Excellent - Lux Loral Hector Herberto (Ch Alibaba x Ch LL Cleopatra Victoria)
3rd, Excellent - Gilberto dei Raggi di Luna (Ch Dynastie Durani's Yehundi Blue x Mimosa del BR)
4th, Excellent - Ch Giaguaro of Devils Pigeons (Ah! Lutin des Pitchoun Diables x Ecomerossa of DP)

Excellent - Ch Dervisch Very Valentino (Ch Italo della Caveja x Ch Talata Caramel Cream Dream)
Excellent - Py's Lemetto (Ch Be Bop dDdC x Ch Py's Electra)
Excellent - Skogsville's Venom (Ch S. Down the Willow Garden x Bella-Nana-of-Skogsville dDdC)
Excellent - Eugenios Amenhotep (Ch Strippoker's Schöne Blaue Donau x Ch Eugenios Mrs Robinson)
Not met - Oscar el Aakash (Ch Insolitoazzuro's Da Vinci x Zenobia el Aakash)
Not met - Ch Flying Spirit's Forever and Ever (Attimo x Japonica's Auradance Fairy)

Working Class:
1st, Excellent - Ch Dervisch Open Sesame (Ch Exess Timon x Ch Iso-Brina's Ramina Cona del Matra)
2nd, Excellent - Ch Dark Legend's Pegasus (Ch Cappuccino ein Goldkind x Py's Shamare)

Champion Class:
1st, Excellent - Ch Giosue dei Raggi di Luna (Vertragus Tintoretto x Mimosa del BR)
2nd, Excellent - Ch Holiday of Devils Pigeons (Balsa des Pitchoun Diables x Ecomerossa of DP)
3rd, Excellent - Ch Zapatero dei Raggi di Luna (Ivaldo Bohemia Skara x Roberta dei RdL)
4th, Excellent - Ch il Cagnolino Genghis Khan (Ch Nubiad' Versace x Ch il Cagnolino Fona)

Excellent - Ch Domaniomai of Devils Pigeons (Batter D'Ali Lausvitae x Anatalia of DP)
Excellent - Ch Biscotti Esclusivo (Ch Movado Ric Rosso x Talata Gloriah)
Excellent - Ch Lux Loral Dorato Diamante (Ch LL Camelot Glorioso x Ch LL Bella Patricia)
Excellent - Ch Soltar's King of My Castle (Ch Dogcastle's Unforgettable x Ch Eugenios Juliet Capulet)

Bitches

Junior Class:
1st, Excellent, JWW - Charlotte Forum Romanum (Ch Calicanto dDdC x Ch Desert Queen Dior Donna)
2nd, Excellent - Soltar's Ants in the Pants (Ch Giosué dei RdL x Ch Eugenios Juliet Capulet)
3rd, Excellent - Oh My God dei Raggi di Luna (Ch Sobers Galante x Penelope del BR)
4th, Excellent - Vindhauses Alessia (V Sorento x V Marisa of Fairy)

Excellent - She is the One Pustynny Wiatr (Ch Adonis dPdK x Ch Corazon Pustynny Wiatr)
Excellent - Edition Speciale des Princes de Kazan (Borsalino dPdK x Aquarelle dPdK)
Excellent - Skogsville's Eternal Love (Ch S Shut Out the Light x S Keep on Dancing)
Very Good - Al-Shên Billie Jean (Ch Dervisch Trendsetter x Ch Dervisch Blue Song des Ombreuses)
Not Met - Vindhauses Amelia (V Sorento x V Marisa of Fairy)

Intermediate Class:
1st, Excellent - Ursetta del Barone Rampante (Ch Holiday of Devils Pigeons x Iknusa del BP)
2nd, Excellent - Nouva Idea International dei Raggi di Luna (Ch Sobers Galante x Dadaumpa dei RdL)
3rd, Excellent - Honey dei Raggi di Luna (Ch Vertragus Sergio x Roberta dei RdL)
4th, Excellent - Aviendha (Ch Biscotti Esclusivo x Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses)

Excellent - Gratsija Afrodita (Ris x Gratsija Esenia)
Very Good - Sissala Sandy (Ch Valmiki du MdO x Sisse)
Very Good - Gratsija Afina Pallada (Ris x Gratsija Esenia)
Not Met - Sobers Mamma Mia (Angelo Anselmo dMdO x Bel Etual Fabricia Fabula)

Open Class:
1st, Excellent - Constanza dei Raggi di Luna (Ivaldo Bohemia Skara x Dadaumpa dRdL)
2nd, Excellent - Carmen du Domaine de Chanteloup (As de Cour dDdC x Ch Anthinea dDdC)
3rd, Excellent - Py's Indira (Ch Sobers Indigo x Ch Sobers Pelopia)
4th, Excellent - Halle Berry dei Raggi di Luna (Ch Vertragus Sergio x Roberta dRdL)

Excellent - Talata Yvett (Talata Valentino x Talata Ida Cicilie)
Excellent - Fiefoerniek's Femme Formidable (Ch F Frutsel x Fiefoerniek's Florence)
Excellent - Vindhauses Sandra (Ch Cabernet Sauvignon Pustynny Wiatr x Ch V Letizia)
Excellent - Dark Legend's Atlantis (Ch Bel Aghios Minos dDdC xCh DL Iron Lady)
Excellent - Manola dei Raggi di Luna (Ch Zapaptero dRdL x Celeste dRdL)
Excellent - Biscotti Mademoiselle (Ch Strippoker's Schöne Blaue Donau x Ch Sasha)
Excellent - Ch Twan-San-Yen Excel Mio Amico Dorina (Ch Strippoker's Schöne Blaue Donau x Ch TSY Dignity Mirabella)
Excellent - Zhemchuzhinka Dark iz Ozherelia (Ch Chilitefei Barmaley x Shelli)
Excellent - Ch Eugenios Posh Spice (Ch Caeles Magical Mr Mistoffelees x Ch Soltar's Eugenios Boheme)
Excellent - Skogsville's PS I Love You (S Just a Kind of Magic x S Calleth You Cometh I)
Very Good - Py's Lyrica (Ch Be Bop du DdC x Ch Py's Electra)
Very Good - Qvickelyckans Tosca (Ch Skogsville's Fool For Your Lovin x Qvickelyckans Evyos)
Very Good - Ch Twan-San-Yen Dignity Mirabella (Ch Canta Libre the Sundance Kid x Ch Movado A Prioritaire Par Avion)
Not Met - Ch Dervisch Electra des Ombreuses (Ch Volubilis dMdO x Ch Iso-Brina's Ramina Cona del Matra)

Working Class:
1st, Excellent - Ch Dark Legend's Unicorn (Ch Smithis de Kenty'O x Ch DL Binti Siri)
2nd, Excellent - Skogsville's Sweet Little Lovin' (Necku French Toast x Ch Necku Lovesick Blues)

Champion Class:
1st, Excellent - Ch Pazzaidea del Barone Rampante (Soltar's Spiccio Diluna x Gennarina dRdL)
2nd, Excellent - Ch Serenata Rap dei Raggi di Luna (Giosué dRdL x Tirabaci del Barone Rampante)
3rd, Excellent - Ch Skogsville's Kickstart My Heart (Ch S Get it While You Can x Ch Necku Free as a Wind)
4th, Excellent - Ch Dogcastle's Leslie Blue Angel (Fiefoerniek's Frutsel x Ch Abolla Lady von Dogcastle)

Excellent - Ch il Cagnolina Gemma (Ch Nubiad' Versace x Ch il Cagnolino Fiona)
Excellent - Ch Soltar's New Sensation (Ch Eledielmo of DP x Ch Soltar's Beyond Belief)
Excellent - Ch Selene Pustynny Wiatr (Ch Adonis dPdK x Ch Corazon Pustynny Wiatr)
Excellent - Ch Lulu del Barone Rampante (Ch Sobers Galante x Umanera del BR)
Excellent - Ch Py's Hestia (Py's Angeluccio x Py's Randezza)
Excellent - Ch Lux Loral Felicita Fiorella (Ch Alibaba x Ch LL Bella Patricia)
Excellent - Ch Eugenios Mrs Robinson (Ch Caeles Magical Mr Mistoffelees x Athea il Piccolo Azzuro)
Excellent - Ch Zahara de Escriba Divino (Vincento dPdK x Katy de Escriba Divino)
Excellent - Ch Celeste dei Raggi di Luna (Ivaldo Bohemia Skara x Dadaumpa dRdL)
Excellent - Ch Marisa Pustynny Wiatr (Ch Umberto dPdK x Giabell Z Ivaru)

Vetaran Class:
1st, Excellent, VWW-10 - Ch Movado B'doria (Fiefoerniek's Flits x Ch Talata Diva)
2nd, Excellent - Ch Loral Rebeka (Ch Pizzigotto vom Pellerschloss x Loral Dolce)
3rd, Excellent - Ch Sasha (Nash de Shirkan x Dunrobin's Winona)
4th, Excellent - Ch Dark Legend's Iron Lady (Ch Sobers Bravissimo x DL China in Your Hand)

CAC Male - Batter D'Ali Sistoquarto
CAC Female - Constanza dei Raggi di Luna

JWW-10 Male: Vindhauses Alto
JWW-10 Female: Charlotte Forum Romanum

CACIB, WW-10 Male - Batter D'Ali Sistoquarto
CACIB, WW-10 Female - Ch Pazzaidea del Barone Rampante

VWW-10 Female - Ch VWW-08 Movado B'doria

Esso's first Champion offspring!

2010-06-19T22:22:00.003+02:00

June 5th at the Jämsän show in Finland, Topaasin Dahlia was awarded CAC and BOB for Harri Lehkonen! This was her last CAC for her Finnish Championship! Huge congratulations to breeder Sirpa and owner Leena :)

Esso has become a father - again!

2010-06-15T23:50:00.004+02:00

On June 3rd (the day before Esso's birthday), Biscotti Isadora, "Lotte" gave birth to 4 males. This will be the Biscotti "Q-litter", and it is co-bred with Christina Horn, the owner of "Lotte".

Esso has sired a total of 15 puppies:

Born 17. October 2007 (1+1) dam: N S Ch Iso-Brina's Ramina Cona del Matra
- Dervisch Biscottino (m)
- Dervisch Biscottina (f)

Born 29. November 2007 (2+2) dam: Keylee Afrodite
- Cheerinova Alladin (m)
- Cheerinova Amigos (m)
- Cheerinova Anastasia (f)
- Cheerinova Angel (f)

Born 12. April 2008 (2+1) dam: Topaasin Blues for You
- Topaasin Dajm (m)
- Topaasin Dubbel Nougat (m)
- Topaasin Dahlia (f)

Born 02. October 2008 (0+2) dam: N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
- Avendesora (f)
- Aviendha (f)

Born 03. June 2010 (4+0) dam: Biscotti Isadora
- Biscotti Q... (m)
- Biscotti Q... (m)
- Biscotti Q... (m)
- Biscotti Q... (m)

Happy belated Birthdays to the Boys!

2010-06-15T23:43:00.002+02:00

Chivas, Arab Bahari's Baytor Abdullah, was 4 years old on May 29th - and Esso, Biscotti Esclusivo, was 4 years old on June 4th. Happy Birthdays to the best boys in the world!

Esso's International Championship

2010-06-13T23:49:00.002+02:00

In April, I got this in the mail - Esso's diploma and confirmation of his International Beauty Championship - C.I.B.!!!!! He's my first real showdog, and he's gone all the way to Int Ch - or Int Nord Ch ;) The diploma is now framed and is hanging on the wall in our diningroom.

Norwegian Greyhound Club Show - May 23rd 2010

2010-06-12T18:36:00.005+02:00

We'd entered Esso, Easy, Vita and Sasha for this show - Sasha has only been shown once before as a veteran (at the IG Speciality 2009), and since we've entered her for WDS, we thought she'd need a couple of times in the ring to warm up!

The results were:
BM-1, BOS - N S Ch N S LCCh Dervisch Very Valentino - congrats Ludmilla!
BM-2 - N Ch NV-07 Dogcastle's Let Me Entertain You
BM-3, CAC - Eugenios Amenhotep

BB-1, BOB - N Ch Eugenios Posh Spice - congrats Tone!
BB-2, CAC - Soltar's Créme de la Eugenios
BB-3 - Aviendha
BB-4 - N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses

Sasha was the one to make us proud today - not only did she go BOB Veteran, but she went all the way to BIS-3 Veteran! This looks promising :)

Norwegian IG Speciality

2010-06-10T23:20:00.014+02:00

Last Sunday it was time for our 2nd IG Speciality, at beautiful Disen Gård at Vormsund. Judge of the day was Henrik Skog, kennel Skogsville.

BEST IN SHOW - Biscotti Mademoiselle!
BOS - N Ch S LCCh Dervisch Open Sesame

BM-2 - Int Ch NV-08-09 Biscotti Esclusivo
BM-3 - Eugenios Amenhotep
BM-4 - N S Ch N S LCCh Dervisch Very Valentino

BB-2 - N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
BB-3 - N Ch Eugenios Posh Spice
BB-4 - Biscotti Oprah

BIS Puppy - Dogcastle's The Little Big Man
BOS Puppy - Biscotti Palmira

BIS Junior - Casa Italiano Athos Micah

BIS Intermediate - Dogcastle's Charcoal

BIS Working Class - N Ch S LCCh Dervisch Open Sesame

BIS Pet - "Wilma"

BIS Veteran - Int Nord It Ch NV-06 Movado Ric Rosso

BOS Veteran - N Ch Sasha

BIS Breedersgroup - kennel Dervisch

BIS Movement - Int Nord Ch NV-02-07-08 NordV-06-07 VWW-08 Movado B'doria

BIS Head and Expression - Dogcastle's The Little Big Man

BIS Brace - Aviendha and N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses

Time to start blogging again!

2010-06-10T10:57:00.006+02:00

I got a new job just a few days after last time I blogged, and I've just been too busy after that. But now the time was right to start blogging again. There's so much to tell, I'll just have to do it bit by bit for the next couple of weeks.

First of all, my sister and I has moved together into a house with garden in Ytre Enebakk, 30 minutes drive from Oslo. There's still a lot to do before we get totally settled - it's only been a week since we finally got our sofa! But we like it here, and it's very nice for the dogs. Since I work in Oslo from 12-20 every day, the dogs get an hour in the woods in the morning before I leave for work.

Kennel Curvy

2010-01-26T22:13:00.000+01:00

Finally, my kennelname is confirmed with the Norwegian Kennel Club! My sister and I will now be the owners of Curvy Italian Greyhounds :)

Puppies 6,5 weeks old

2010-01-18T18:05:00.010+01:00

New stacked photos of the puppies, 6,5 weeks old. I really like how they look!

They are both very social and outgoing puppies, but other than that, they are two opposite personalities. The girl is a spitfire, everything is full speed, and her tail is constantly wagging. The boy is the calm one, more of a thinker, and he likes to "finish one project" before he starts a new one ;) I'm extremely happy about their temperament.

Dervisch Let Lady Luck Smile

Dervisch Midas Touch

End of the Year summary - TOP IG list

2010-01-12T23:14:00.006+01:00

What a year it has been!

Int* Nord Ch NV-08-09 Biscotti Esclusivo
- #2 IG in Norway 2009
- #1 IG Male in Norway 2009
- #4 IG Male in Sweden 2009 (only 2 shows)
- #5 Stud in Norway
- New International Champion (Echt, the Netherlands)
- 2xBIG-2 placements
- CAC winner in the Netherlands
- NV-09 and BOB at NKK International Lillestrøm, 24 IGs
- BOB at SvVk Summershow at Lövudden, 51 IGs for breed specialist Waltraud Peschges

N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
- #7 IG in Norway
- #4 IG Bitch in Norway
- BIS at the Norwegian IG Speciality, 25 IGs
- BIS Movement at both Norwegian and Swedish IG Speciality

Aviendha
- 3 Puppy Shows; 2xBIG Puppy, 1xSpeciality BIS-Puppy
- then from juniorclass:
- #7 IG Bitch in Norway
- 4xBOB, 5xCAC (3 in Norway, 2 in the Netherlands)
- 1xBIG, 2xBIG-3
- BIS-3 Junior at SvVk Summershow at Lövudden

Puppies 4 weeks old

2010-01-02T15:44:00.008+01:00

Late update, but here are the first stacked photos of the puppies, taken last Monday.

Dervisch Let Lady Luck Smile

Dervisch Midas Touch

Puppies 3 weeks old

2009-12-29T18:46:00.007+01:00

I really should have posted these photos a week ago, but I forgot. So, here's photos of the puppies last week, when they were 3 weeks old. New photos were taken today, but I'll wait a bit before posting them.

Dervisch Let Lady Luck Smile

Dervisch Midas Touch

Merry Christmas to all of you!

2009-12-21T16:54:00.005+01:00

Puppies 9 days old

2009-12-11T19:54:00.009+01:00

- Here are some photos of the puppies at 9 days - enjoy!

Dervisch Midas Touch (male)

Dervisch Let Lady Luck Smile (female)

Then some sleeping beauties!

Dervisch Midas Touch with the cutes belly in the world :)

Dervisch Let Lady Luck Smile just loves sleeping on her back <3 <3

Puppies born December 1st

2009-12-07T15:05:00.005+01:00

Easy gave birth to 2 puppies last Tuesday, an isabella female and a blue male. Easy is a great mother, and the puppies have more than doubled their birthweight :)

This is a Dervisch-litter, and the theme of the litter is "Luck". Their names will be:

Dervisch Let Lady Luck Smile (female)
Dervisch Midas Touch (male)

NKK International Lillestrøm - Norwegian Winner

2009-11-30T14:18:00.003+01:00

I'd entered Esso and Vita for this years Norwegian Winner Show at Lillestrøm. It moved from Hamar to Lillestrøm this year, to a much larger location - although the parking area was not designed for all the dogpeople cars that arrived!

There were 32 IGs entered for whippetbreeder Arne Foss, Norway. Not all showed, but 24-25 IGs were there. Esso won championclass, then went best male and NV-09!! He also won breed over N Ch NV-09 Dogcastle's Leslie Blue Angel!

We got picked in group for top 6, but were not among the 4 placed.
BIG + BIS-4 - whippet - INT NORD UCH NV-07 Siprex Siri
BIG-2 - greyhound - N S UCH JWW-08 NV-08 KBHV-09 Showline Sporting Step
BIG-3 - scottish deerhound - Manticorns Isabella
BIG-4 - afghan hound - USA NORD UCH NV-08 Elan Sebring The Matrix

Vita was placed as 3rd in juniorclass with HP.

Critic Esso:
Overall very pleasing. Good size, good proportions. Pretty, "expressionfull" eyes. Good shape of head, nice ears. Typical neck, good topline. Appropriate body, well angulated hindquarters. Good movements, excellent coat. Shown well, excellent temperament.

Critic Vita:
Pleasing junior, very feminine. Expressionfull eyes, correct bite. Head a tad rounded. Promising front, good topline. Well angulated hindquarters. Short body, good proportions. Moves quite well, but can do better. Very well shown. Nice temperament.

Since Esso went BOB, we went to get his photo taken for "Hundesport", where they present all BOB-winning dogs from the Norwegian Winner Show in their first issue in 2010! Just waiting for the photo to be uploaded to the photographers webpage, I want to see how it turned out! Until then, I'm posting a ringside photo taken by Ludmilla (hope it's ok!).

Esso will now be known as Int* Nord Ch NV-08-09 Biscotti Esclusivo

*pending FCI confirmation

Success in the Netherlands!

2009-11-09T22:08:00.004+01:00

photo by Minga

As I blogged earlier, I went to visit Margrét over the weekend. I had a really nice time - we went to visit this nearby town called Dendermonde, where we did some shopping - and on Saturday we went to Waasland shoppingmall in St. Niklaas. I'm very pleased to say I got some Christmas shopping done! On Friday, we had a "red wine and Buzz" night, and someone claimed they just let us girls win out of pure charity!!!

Of course I came down a weekend where we could go to a show - Bleiswijk International in the Netherlands! 8 IGs entered for Danish judge Gunnar Nymann. Vita first won juniorclass, then took Best of Breed over Giaguaro of Devils Pigeons, who won his last CAC for his Dutch Championship - congratulations to Leona! He's a pretty boy, so it was well deserved.
Vita now has 2 jcac towards her NL JCh title - she only needs one more before turning 18 months (which she'll do on April 2nd), so I guess we'll be going back ;) She also has 2 CAC out of the 4 required for her adult title NL Ch, but she has to be 27 months before she can become a champion, so we have plenty of time. PS - sorry about lack of photos, but most of them were blury due to poor light.

Vitas critic:
"Up to size, very nice outline, good parallellity in head, correct bite, good eyes and ears, could have better underjaw. Correct shaped neck, good topline and croup, ok bend of stifle. Good front, nice feet, ok coat. Good lenght of step and drive, could be more stable in front"

We were the last breed in the ring, so we didn't have to wait that long for Group. What's different in Belgium/the Netherlands vs the Nordic countries, is that no matte what you have to be there before judgings start and have to stay until the Finals start. I'm used to more or less come and go as I please, but at least if you have to stay until 3 o'clock anyway, then if you win BOB you might as well stay for group. There were 10 sighthoundbreeds present in the group with plenty of famous dogs and faces. Vita did great, and floated in the ring, so that I had to run to keep up with her! She showed herself to a splendid Group 3 placement!!!

Tomorrow'll be busy - then Belgium on Thursday!

2009-11-03T16:26:00.003+01:00

Time is going so fast, suddenly it's time for packing my suitcase an getting ready for my long-planned trip to visit Margrét in Belgium. I went there for 10 days in July, and we immediately started planning for the next visit ;)

Tomorrow, I'll have to take a trip to Oslo to deliver Esso to Ludmilla and her boys - he'll have a blast - and my sister will look after Chivas and the very-pregnant-Easy (she'd sit on your lap 24/7 to cuddle and to get her ears scratched - only disrupted by the neccessary eatingbreaks) + my car. Vita will come with me on the plane, we do have a show to go to on Sunday!

I'm glad I'm able to travel Thursday and Monday, as the tickets were more than 1000NOK cheaper each way when I don't travel on a weekend-day! Vita will come with me into the cabin - she went with Esso into cargo when I went to Margrét in July, but when travelling with only one dog, I'm glad she could come into the cabin with me.

I hope it won't rain, as Margrét and I have planned to go to some large Beigian city on Friday to do some Christmas shopping - and in the evening, we'll have a Buzz-night with good food and red wine - Yummy! Saturday is open for more shopping, if I have the need - and if the weather is OK, we'll go to a racing/coursing practice. Sunday is the day of the Dog show, don't know how far we'll have to drive, but it's in the Netherlands. And on Monday evening, I go back home.

Easy is pregnant!

2009-10-29T16:19:00.005+01:00

Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses

It's been a few days since I first felt some small "bumps" in her abdomen, so she's definately pregnant. No surprise, as she's been behaving like she's got puppies, but it's nice to feel them there as well ;)

sire: Ylladian Eugenios Gavino

This will be a Dervisch-litter, her breeder is entiteled to one litter on her. Father of the puppies is the Finnish import Ylladian Eugenios Gavino (Ch Calimero de la Roche Hue x Ch Dervisch Dial L for Love) owned by Tone Fischer of kennel Eugenios. This will be his first litter, he turns 2 years old in February. He's been one of the most-winning IG's in Norway this year, and has won 7 CAC in Norway so far in 2009.

Puppies will be born early December 2009

Pre-Christmas trip to visit Margrét

2009-10-22T22:38:00.002+02:00

I've been looking forward to this trip a long time now! It started this summer when I went to visit Margrét in Belgium, and we did a successful show in Echt, the Netherlands. Wouldn't it be great if I came down sometime during the autumn for another show weekend? We just had to find a show in the Netherlands with a Nordic judge (don't know if it's just us but it seems a greater likelyhood of winning for a Nordic judge than a "local" judge from Belgum or Holland). If I am to take the trip, why not ensure greatest possible chance of succeding?

So I entered this International show in Bleswijk, NL - judge is Gunnar Nymann. At least I've shown Vita for him earlier, resulting in 2 Group 1st, one as a puppy and one as an adult. I'm so excited, only 2 weeks left!

I've found doggysitters for the rest of the dogs, the trip has already been paid for and I still have lots of euros left from my puppysale of Nina, Vita's sister, to Bas and Jessica in Rotterdam. Perfect for some Christmas shopping!!! So, anyone who wants a Belgian X-mas present, just let me know, haha ;)

Kennelname

2009-10-20T15:39:00.002+02:00

I just got a letter from NKK (Norwegian Kennel Club), my 1st choice for kennelname was approved by FCI! Now, I only have to wait for it to be publised in the next issue of "Hundesport", and wait the appointed amount of time where people can protest against it - then it's mine! Or not just mine, as my sister is also in on it ;)

Yesterday's walk by the river

2009-10-18T14:59:00.014+02:00

Here's some photos from our walk by the river yesterday, in beautiful autumn weather. Enjoy!

Chivas and his 2 IG girls - Easy and Vita

Chivas loves to run!

In need of cooling down

Esso on the Run!

The dogs were crazy, running and running, chasing eachother in the sand

Chivas

Chivas plunging into the river
Don't know if it was totally intentional or not...

One of my favourite photos
Vita comming to Chivas as he comes out of the water

Saluki vs Italian greyhounds

Chivas the Goofball

And one final photo of my beloved Chivas

Not much happening here at the moment, so these pictures is all you'll get this time ;)

A little update

2009-10-12T17:50:00.004+02:00

I guess it's time for a little update on what's been going on here. It's mostly nothing, which is the reason it's been a while since I blogged.

My mum was in Oslo this weekend, first for some workrelated stuff, then stayed with my sister from Friday to Sunday. I met up with them on Friday for a trip to IKEA (yet again, and I always find something to buy) including dinner. I also went to my sister afterwards, mainly to borrow the 9th Sookie Stackhouse book, Dead and Gone. Both my sister and I have been totally hooked on these books - too bad the 9th is the last one so far (new book out next spring, can't wait!). I've watched both Seasons of True Blood (based on book 1 - "Dead until Dark" - and 2 - "Living Dead in Dallas"), and I'm looking very much forward to Season 3 next summer!!! Meanwhile, I look forward to "New Moon", the 2nd movie from the "Twilight series". Just gotta love those vampires, haha ;)
I went to Evy for a visit yesterday. 2 of the cirnecopuppies has left (largest boy and smallest girl), the last 3 had to have their shots and microchips done. I also chipped a couple of neighbourhood huntingdogs - it's kind of smart to have if they get lost during the elk hunt ;) I really like these cirneco puppies - can't decide which one of the males I like best. Just hope some lucky new owners show up soon!!! They have a lovely temperament, and are so good at doing their bussiness outside already, only 9-10 weeks old.

I got a bunch of IG critics from 2009 shows, so now it's time to start working on the 2009 Yearbook! Just hoping those critics will keep coming, then I'll be very happy. I just can't resist just sitting down and read them all when they arrive, very interesting. You should all put in an order for it - it's fully possible to reserve one already ;)

NKK International Hamar today

2009-10-04T18:29:00.005+02:00

I've only entered 1 show this month, and it was today at Vikingeskipet in Hamar, who was built as an arena for the 2004 Winter Olympics, and is shaped like an "upside down" copy of a Viking ship. This has earlier been the site of the Norwegian Winner Show, who's up in late November, and has moved to Lillestrøm this year, due to a larger indoor space.

2 males and 6 females were entered for Swedish judge Dan Ericsson. He was the one to give Esso his Swedish & Norwegian Ch last June, so I was pretty optimistic.

BM-1, CACIB, BOS - Ch Biscotti Esclusivo
BM-2, CAC, R-CACIB - Ylladian Eugenios Gavino

BB-1, CACIB, BOB - Ch Eugenios Posh Spice
BB-2, CAC - Aviendha
BB-3, R-CACIB - Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
BB-4 - Ch Dogcastle's Leslie Blue Angel

I'm very happy with BOS for Esso and BB-2 with CAC for Vita (just from juniorclass) - although I still wish for a CACIB, not just Res-CACIB for Easy.

Critic Esso:
Bigger champion male. Beautiful head, good front. Nice bones and feet. Could have more curved profile. Cannot be coarser.

Critic Vita:
Very beautiful female. Ideal proportions, type and size. Pretty and feminine head, excellent front. Beatuiful body with pretty curves and outline. Could have a bit more coat. Very beautiful sidemovement.

Critic Easy:
Nice female. Very nice head and expression. Good front. Excellent bones and feet, excellent body. Wish for better movement.

When I got home, my sister had just gotten a letter to me from NKK (the Norwegian Kennel Club), which confirmed my application for a kennelname - all 3 suggestions were approved by them, and are now sent in to FCI for final approvement! That might take a while, but I'm still very excited!!! What I've applied for, you ask?!? I guess you'll just have to wait and see!

Happy Birthday to Vita and Gloria!

2009-10-02T16:52:00.003+02:00

Today, Vita is 1 year old and grandmother Gloria is 6! Happy birthday to them both!!!

Marie has come for a visit, so the girls have had a nice run on the fields. We've just taken the heavenly "brownies-cheescake" out of the oven, so we humans can have something nice to eat ;)

Vita 1 year old today!

Winter on the way...

2009-10-02T12:07:00.004+02:00

The last 4 nights, it's been below zero degrees outside, and the grass has been white with frost in the morning. A sure sign that winter is definately on the way - I'd rather have a couple of more months of summer... I've never been a "winter-kind-of-person", it's either cold and freezing or wet and freezing for months and months. You have to dress up in warm clothes to do anything, the dogs hate the cold... Need any more arguments?

This morning, it was 16 degrees in the livingroom - and last night I had to lit a fire in the bedroom, because it was so cold! That's the nice thing about winter - being inside with a nice fire burning in the oven! And tea, lots of warm tea ;) The dogs love it, and happily curl up beside the woodburning oven.Both my girls are in heat. Vita is certainly on her way down, and were never really bothered about the whole thing. Easy is a bit tricky, as she doesn't bleed - and she was suddenly very ready on Monday, doing her best to drive Chivas nuts!!! As Easys breeder, Dan, are entiteled to a litter from her, and we had planned to mate her on this heat. The chosen male is Ylladian Eugenios Gavino, a Finnish import to Norway. Parents are Fin Est Ch Calimero de la Roche Hue and Int Fin Est Ch Dervisch Dial L for Love. In about 3 weeks time, I'll see if I can feel any puppies there - and puppies are expected at the very beginning of December.

Vita's first heat...

2009-09-21T10:45:00.003+02:00

Vita is now on day 6 of her first heat. She's really not bothered about it at all, except for increased need to cleanliness ;) Looks like mummy Easy is going to accompany her soon.

The boys are not taking in as lightly - she DOES smell FANTASTIC! Still, it's not too bad, this morning, Chivas was more concerned about his food than the little temptress right under his nose ;) But Esso, I don't trust at all when it comes to bitches in season. He can lie there all day, pretending NOT to be bothered - then you turn your back in 10 seconds, and he's smack-right-at-it! So, for that reason - and that it's his daughter that's in season - he's gone on a "holiday" to Ludmilla and her boys. He'll spend some time as a "city-boy" in Oslo, and some time as a "countryboy" at her house in the woods of Sweden. And there'll also be a trip to Eastern Sweden, he'll be cheering Ludmilla's boys and Christina's Lotte at an LC Trial!

I forgot to tell, but Lotte (Biscotti Isadora) went BIF (Best in Field) at the Norwegian International LC Trial last weekend!!!!! Huge congratulations to owner Christina and breeder Evy!

A memorable trip to Helsingborg...

2009-09-14T21:13:00.004+02:00

Our trip to Helsingborg started well - driving to Ludmilla's Swedish house on Thursday, so that the dogs could relax and we could walk in the forest before packing up the cars and drive on Friday. We picked up Dan in Hällevadsholm and continued all the way to Helsingborg. We stayed at an Apartment Hotel in the middle of the city - a large room/apartment with a small kitchencorner, a large bathroom and a large "livingarea". Unfortunately, the Hotel's parkinggarage was full, so we had to park on the street outside the hotel.

Esso - Int Nord Ch NV-08 Biscotti Esclusivo

Saturday was SKK Sofiero - the showground in a beautiful garden (Sofiero Castle), but half the rings were close (IG rings) and half the rings were on the other side of the garden, in quite a bit of walking distance away - and there Ludmilla were showing Dakar. There were 25 IGs entered for Spanish judge Angela Hauncher Ayucar (12+11 and 2 puppies)

BOB + BIS-5 puppy: Lovoly's She's a Lady

BM-1, BOS - Int Nord Ch NV-08 Biscotti Esclusivo
BM-2, CAC - Dervisch Electric - New Swedish Champion!
BM-3 - N S Ch Dervisch Very Valentino

BB-1, BOB - S Ch Skogsville's Saturday Night Live
BB-2, CAC - Dervisch Strike a Pose
BB-3 - Dervisch Electra des Ombreuses
BB-4 - N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
BB-5 - Aviendha

New S Ch - Dervisch Electric

Critic Esso:
Excellent head, good neck. Very good topline, good angulations. Moves very well.

Critic Vita:
Very good head, neck, body and angulations. Now she doesn't move OK in front.

Critic Easy:
Good type, beautiful head. Good neck, topline and angulations. Good movements but crosses legs in front.
Kennel Dervisch also won BOB Breeders Group, but nothing in the Finals.

We drove back to the hotel, took in the dogs and the stuff we needed - I then went out to the cars again, and someone had broken into them... The right sidewindows on my car and Ludmilla's car were broken open, and our GPS's were stolen. It's so maddening that people just cannot let other people have things in peace! The stolen GPS is one thing, but it's horrible that the car has been damaged like that, glass everywhere... Dan had to be doggysitter while Ludmilla and I went to first vacuumclean the cars, then get the open windows closed with some plastic. We were going to go out to eat, but no one felt like it after this.

CAC-winner Sunday - Dervisch Electra des Ombreuses

Sunday, it was time for the SvVk (Swedish Sighthound Club) Show. 33 IGs entered this day (15+13 and 4 puppies), for French judge Bernard Barjot.

Puppy BM-1, BOS - Qvickelyckans J Frode
Puppy BB-1, BOB - Lovoly's She's a Lady

BM-1, BOS - N S Ch Dervisch Very Valentino
BM-2 - S Ch Dervisch Electric
BM-3 - S Ch Flying Spirit's Forever and Ever
BM-4, CAC - Skogsville's Shut Out the Light
BM-5 - Dervisch Smoke on the Water

BB-1, BOB - S Ch Skogsville's Saturday Night Live
BB-2 - Nord Ch Skogsville's Kickstart My Heart
BB-3 - S Ch Skogsville's One Hit Wonder
BB-4, CAC - Dervisch Electra des Ombreuses
BB-5 - Dervisch Strike a Pose

Critic Esso (5 in championclass, no ck):
Good proportions. Nice head, long neck, good upper and underline. Beautiful angulations, very good movement.

Critic Vita (Excellent, number 2 in juniorclass):
Good proportions, feminine head. Correct neck, under and upperlines, good angulations. Good movement from side, should be more parallell in front.

Critic Easy (3rd in Open Class, CK):
Good construction. Correct head and ears. Correct upper and underlines, good angulations. Very good movements.

We finished early, and could start on the road home before 2 o'clock. Not the fastest drive home, with the plastic instead of a window, we had to keep a certain speed, or the vibrations were horrible! We didn't have to drive all the way to Oslo, but spent the night at Ludmilla's Swedish house. No long walks, as we came at nightfall, and the woods were too dark to see, but today the dogs got to run a bit. We saw 2 Elks/Mooses on our morningwalk, and luckily Chivas was leashed! The iggies tried to run after them, but Dacar the "fearless" Azawakh were scaring them away with his barking. It was very interesting to smell where they'd been, and my IGs did a lot of running and sniffing in that area. Afte a while, Chivas also got to run, and was sooooo happy! He really is the King of those woods! We took another walk later on, to open up a couple of beaverdams, they block the river on numerous places, and there is practically no waterflow in it.

Off to Sweden tomorrow!

2009-09-09T20:46:00.003+02:00

Ludmilla and I are going to Sweden for the weekend. Tomorrow, we go to her "Summerhouse" just across the border, where we'll spend the night, and the dogs get to run free in the forest. Friday, we drive to Helsingborg. We'll be showing at SKK Sofiero on Saturday - 25 IGs entered for judge Angela Hauncher Ayucar, Spain. The Swedish Sighthoundclub is hosting the Sunday Show - 33 IGs entered for Bernard Barjot, France! Of course, I'm hoping for a CAC and Swedish Championship for Easy, we'll have to see how that goes. I mean, someone has to get the bitch CAC, so why not Easy?!?

Cirneco puppies

2009-09-08T18:03:00.005+02:00

I went to Evy yesterday, and this time, we managed to get some photos of the cirneco puppies! The weather was, as usual, not behaving very well, so we only got some indoorsphotos. The puppies are in the process of erecting their ears, you can literally see them fold up day by day!

I'm not at all an expert on the breed, but there are a couple of very promising puppies in this litter ;) I'm looking forward to see how they turn out, so I guess I'll be back for more photos as they grow - until they leave home, then I'll have to be satisfied by waiting for updates LOL - it's always so much better to photograph or stack the dogs myself!

All photos are stolen from breeder and photographer, Evy Fredhjem of kennel Biscotti ;)

A trip to IKEA

2009-09-08T17:34:00.003+02:00

As my sister has just moved to a new appartment, she also needs to update her "state of furniture" ;) But she only has a small car, so I had to go with her to IKEA today. I write had to as if I was forced, haha

She bought 2 bookshelfs (so that she can start unpacking the book and CD/DVD boxes), a couple of carpets (for the livingroom and for the hallway), some small neccessary "stuff" and an orchid. Finally she's got room in the "windowframes" to have some plants there! I also got her a succulent, they usually live through anything (believe me, I've tried; my hands are far from green!)

The best part of it? Applecake with "softis"!

Not much to blog about really

2009-09-06T11:23:00.003+02:00

But I'll do it anyway ;)

The weather has been horrible the last couple of weeks - pouring rain only broken up by less heavy rain... Obviously, this means mostly indoor activities, like working on the IG database. The dogs are more than happy to stay inside, they really hate being outside in the rain!

Thursday, I went to Oslo to do some socializing - of myself LOL My friend Camilla (childhoodfriend from Svolvær) were having a "getting rid of half my clothes and shoes" day, so I went there to say hello and see if I could find something interesting. No shoes, as she's not my size, but I got myself a couple of nice jackets and some "basic" shirts and t-shirts. I brought Esso and Vita with me for some doggiesosialization as well, and believe me - IGs at a "clothes and wine party" is never wrong!!! My friend has a pomeranian bitch, so there were also something to cuddle for those who prefer dogs with much coat.

I went to visit Evy on Friday. The plan was to take some nice outdoor photos of the cirnecopuppies, who's 4 weeks old, but our request for OK weather was not granted... The clouds were litterally wide open, I can't remember last time I've seen such heavy raining! Bummer... The puppies are so cute - especially the smallest female, such a nice girl - and so attentive. She stares you right in the eyes, willing you to keep contact with only her!

It's always nice to visit Evy - all dogs are so happy to come and say hello! Especially Don and Saoudie. Looking at the weather and the amount of mud everywhere, I wisely kept my raincoat on during the greetingseremony ;) I was surprised to see the amount of water everywhere, both in the river (no safe crossing there now!) and all the "new lakes" on fields in the area. On the way back from Evy to Spydeberg, there were several places where the water was flooding the road (at least partially), that was not anywhere like that when I drove down there, earlier in the day!

Yesterday was quiet, but I had to drive down to Oslo to rescue Marie after work. In order to see the dashboard when she's driving the long tunnel by Lillestrøm, she needs to turn the lights on - but her car doesn't beep when she opens the door with lights still on, so they'd been on all day while she was working. So when she was on her way home, the car wouldn't start... Flat battery... So I had to drive down with "startingcables" (startkabler ;) to help her get started again. It worked like magic!

Today, it's actually sunny outside. Where did that come from?!? So, we'll take the dogs for a walk later, but we just discovered that the apples are getting ready for picking! That means only one thing - Apple Cake! Now, this instant!!!

Skydiving Voss

2009-09-02T15:47:00.007+02:00

In June, the day after my last workingday in Lærdal, I went to Voss at "Ekstremsportveko - the Extremesport Week" to try skydiving! My colleage Eivind is a skydiver, and has been tempting me all winter with photos and filmclips from various jumps - so I just had to try!

It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day - there was plenty of waiting to do (why am I reminded of going to dogshows, LOL!) before it finally was our turn. There were room for 10 people in the plane - 3 tandemjumpers with instructors and photographers (one for each tandemjump, to capture it all on film) - and then we managed to squeeze Eivind in as well ;)

I wasn't nervous at all before the jump, mainly because I knew it would be an unbelievable experience. Not even when I sat on the edge of the planefloor, ready to just let go and be hanging by the straps - it was great! The tumble out of the door was a bit weird and disorienting (summersault!), but we were soon hanging the right way - facing down!

It was actually quite a long freefall, a lot longer than I'd expected. It was a very exciting feeling - knowing you are falling so fast, but still being (hopefully) perfectly safe. The googles were a bit of a nuisance, though ;)Voss from above - quite a view! It takes some time from the parashute unfolds untill you get close enough to ground to land, so there was plenty of opportunity to enjoy the view.

Then, finally it was time to land. That's actually the scary part of the jump! You fly in quite fast, and it looks like you'll crashland big time - of course it came to a crashlanding, I'd be surprised if we'd managed to land standing ;)

Skydiving was a mindblowing experience, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat! Too bad it's so expencive...

Helping my sister moving

2009-09-02T01:12:00.002+02:00

Time for some late-night blogging (yes, Margrét, with your speedblogging, I couldn't be a lazy blogger, and had to write something ;)

The last couple of days has been devoted to my sisters moving to a new and much larger apartment! Her small basement 1-room apartment was up for renovating, and she had to move. She wil now be living at Fetsund, a bit north-west of Oslo, in a 67m2 apartment with a separate bedroom, a large kitchen, a sizeable livingroom and a bathroom where the shower alone is almost the size of her last tiny bathroom! Congratulations Marie, you deserve it! I can't wait to see how it will look when you get some furniture for it, haha

Topaasin Dahlia another BOB!

2009-08-30T18:23:00.002+02:00

At Tervakoski International in Finland today, 14 IGs were entered for judge Louis Dehaes, Belgium

Esso's daughter Topaasin Dahlia were entered in intermediateclass, and went BB-1, CAC, CACIB and BOB!!!

Huge congratulations to Sirpa and Leena with this pretty girl!

Eye and knee exams

2009-08-22T20:01:00.002+02:00

Today, I went to get the knees and eyes of Esso, Easy and Sasha (Esso's grandmother, who turns 9 next month) checked. There were no signs of any eyediseases in either of them, and no signs of any patellaproblems :) I'm especially pleased about Sasha - at 9, there could certainly be problems, but all the opthamologist could see were age-related thickening of the lens, nothing that looked anything like a disease.

I always knew Vita was a bit crazy, but the other day she really proved it. Because of the "little" rabbitproblem here (there used to be 3, now there are >10), the dogs are always very eager to look out the windows in the livingroom. When they see rabbits, some are quiet and shaking (Chivas) while some turn on the sirens (Esso). They've hardly ever seen a rabbit outside - Esso is always glad to give the rabbits long notice (he starts at the kitchendoor, so all rabbits are gone before the dogs even get to the front door) that they are coming ;) I guess Vita was tired of this, so she took matters in her own paws and jumped out of the window to hunt.........!!! Luckily, she was totally unharmed, but it could easily have resulted in broken bones! Needless to say, no Ground Floor windows are open where's there any chance of a crazy one to jump out :-0

Time for an update - NKK Int Oslo + Saluki Speciality

2009-08-19T17:50:00.002+02:00

I definately needed a couple of days of rest after our drive down from Lofoten. Sleeping in the car is not to recommend for a good night's sleep ;) The dogs are really getting used to life on the road, and as long as they get to strech their legs now and then, they are perfectly happy to drive for hours and hours. I'm just so glad that all dogs seems to enjoy driving in the car, and that I don't have any stressed, nervous or vomiting dogs!

Saturday was the day of NKK International Oslo. 22 IGs entered for Lotte Jørgensen, Denmark. She only gave out 7 CK - t0 3 males and 4 females. Esso was placed 3rd in championclass, no ck. Vita went 2nd in juniorclass, and was placed BB-4. Keira (my sister's Sashadaughter Biscotti Mademoiselle) won juniorclass, and was placed BB-3 with CAC! Easy went 2nd in championclass, and ended up BB-2 with R-CACIB. I'm very pleased with the results, although I'd love for Easy to (for once) NOT end up with the R-CACIB! Keria has been shown 3 times as a junior, all times at International Shows, all times ending up BB-3 with the CAC, only beaten by champions - congratulations to Marie and Evy!

On Sunday, I went to the Saluki Speciality at Linderud, Oslo. I was going to help out, taking bloodsamples for a Finnish Genetic Project on mapping genes of different hereditary illnesses. I'd also entered Chivas, although I knew this was not a judge for him. And I was right - he got a 2nd price. I'd also made some tomatosalad and my "usual" cake (browines with cheesecake filling) for the lunch. Although I'd doubled the cake, I was not quick enough to eat to actually get to taste it! I guess I'll have to make one for myself ;)

Tomorrow, I'm off to Lærdal for a last "settling of affairs" trip. I'll drive up and down, it's about 4,5 hours each way, so it'll take most of the day. The dogs are coming too, so I hope for not too nice weather ;)

No pictures this time, the "photo-uploader" is having a bad day. Maybe I'll add some later, I might have to restart the computer first. But not now, it's time to have something to eat!

Show weekend in Lofoten

2009-08-07T21:38:00.011+02:00

Thursday the 31st of July, I packed my car and headed north. It's been almost 2 years since last time I was home in Svolvær, so it was about time!!! I left Oslo at 13.30 (had to do some shopping first, among other things a "coolingbag" for food/drink to hook up to the car's 12V electric plug (sigarettenner). With the light summer evening/night, it was easy to just keep driving through the night (with periodical stops for the dogs, of course) - I had to sleep for 1,5 hours, but then the sun was shining, and I couldn't possibly sleep any longer. One thing is sure - coffee is very good to have in times like that!! I was 5 minutes early for the 9 am ferry from Bognes to Lødingen, and hardly any queue at all, so I was home at 11.30 :) My brother had only just gotten out of bed, or I'd sent in all the dogs for a "wake-up round" LOL

Saturday and Sunday, the lokal double show weekend is arranged by the 2 Dog Clubs in Lofoten - Vågan Hundeklubb (Svolvær) and Vestvågøy Hundeklubb (Leknes), this year in Leknes, 1 hour drive from Svolvær. I'd entered all 4 dogs both days.

Saturday, the weather was grey, almost raining. Judge for all sighthounds (1 afghan, 1 greyhound & 1 puppy, 1 irish wolfhound (though I don't know if it showed), 10 IGs & 1 puppy, 2 salukis and 13 whippets & 3 puppies) was Rita Kadike-Skadina. Esso was BM-1 and BOS, his son Cheerinova Alladin was BM-2 with CAC - congrats Cecilie! Vita went BB-1, CAC and BOB, Easy BB-2. Esso's daughter, Cheerinova Anastacia got a CK, but was unplaced in Best Bitch. I had to hi-jack a handler for Best Bitch (I just discovered the pain of having two bitches getting CK), so thanks to Leigh for being a good sport and showing Vita for me!
Groupfinals: Saluki - Ritzas Safiy al Din 4th in Group, Italian Greyhound - Aviendha 3rd in Group, Greyhound - Azravi's Smokey Night 2nd in Group, Whippet - Suna Regens Keylinns Maria 1st in Group and BIS-2!

Critic Esso: "Correct proportions, enough condition, enough angulation, correct tail, typical movement, excellent".

Critic Easy: "Good condition and proportions, feminine head, good top- & underline, strong back & loin, very well angulated, typical mover, excellent"

Critic Vita: "Happy junior, good condition, feminie head, good topline and condition, enough chest for age, well angulated, typical mover"

Cheerinova Alladin (Ch Biscotti Esclusivo x Keylee Afrodite)

Sunday August 2nd, Vita's 10 month day, the Sighthounds were judged by Gunnar Nymann, Denmark. He thought there were too many large IGs present, and handed out zero to anything measured >38cm, including Esso. He only gave out 2 CK, to Vita and Easy! Vita took Breed once more, putting her mother as BB-2.

Groupfinals: Saluki - Ritzas Safiy al Din 4th in Group, Whippet - Suna Regens Michas Oberon 3rd in Group, Afghan Hound - Kingsleah French Cancan 2nd in Group, Italian Greyhound - Aviendha 1st in Group!!!!!

Nothing in BIS, but this little elegant girl just turned 10 months old, so I'm more than satisfied with a Group Win, haha

Critic Esso: "3 years, large male. Nice model. Gorgeous head with good parallelity, correct nose and bite. Good ears, correct neck. Magnificent topline, a bit short tail. Excellent chest and underline. Normal angulation, good front. Good parallelity behind, sufficient length of stride and drive. Could be more stabile in front. Excellent coat. DQ because of size."

Critic Easy: "3 years, a bit large bitch. OK parallellity in head, excellent nose, correct bite, good ears. Very good neck, good topline. A bit short tail, nice underline. Well angulated. Could have slightly deeper chest, OK bones. A bit weak pastern. OK length of stride and drive, a bit loose in front. Excellent coat."

Critic Vita: "10 months. OK size, good model. Good parallelity in head, good nose, correct bite. Could have stronger underjaw. Good ears, correct neck. Excellent topline, good length of tail. Nice underline, well angulated. Could be more stabile in front. Good bones, nice feet, good coat. Parallell behind. Good length of stride and drive."

Yesterday, the whole family + dogs went for a hike (and rowboat) to a small island in a lake by our cabin - named the "Rabbit Island". The goal was to pick berries, but I spent more time behind the camera than picking ;) I'll post a separate post from the trip, maybe on Sunday, but tomorrow I'll be busy all day. A friend of mine from Svolvær, Camilla Irén, is getting married - I've never really attended a wedding before, but I assume it'll take all day and night ;) I even bought a dress and new shoes for the occation!

Sweden Sighthound Speciality July 25th and 26th

2009-07-28T13:12:00.004+02:00

As I couldn't go there last year, I was very eager to go to this show this year. It's the biggest Sighthoundshow in Europe, with Sighthound Speciality one day (arranged by the Swedish Sighthound Club) and breed specialities the other day. This year, there were 64 IGs entered for the IG Speciality (Sighthound Specialist Elena Ukhabina Tripoli, Russia/Italy) and 51 IGs entered at the Sighthound Speciality Show for Breed Specialist Waltraud Peschges, Germany (vom Sausewind IGs).

The IG Speciality didn't really do us any good. Only Easy did some winning

Esso got excellent, and went reserve (nr 5) in champion class, no CK (champion quality). He got picked out (the judge only picked 8) to compete for Best Movement.
"3 years. Typical, good head, eyes a little bit too prominent. Good neck, good topline, good angulation. Good chest, very good movement."

Vita got excellent, and came 2nd in juniorclass with HP (honorary prize).
"10 months. Very typical. Good head, good neck. Sufficient angulation in front, good angulation in back. Good topline, good movement."

Easy also got excellent, but no placement in open class. She won Best Movement!
"3 years. Typical, good head, not perfect teeth. Not perfect set on neck. Good topline, good angulation, good movement."

The Sighthound Speciality Show on Sunday went so much better! Critics loosly translated from German.

Esso went Best Male, then Best of Breed!!!
"Complete scissorbite. "Gepflegte" teeth. Isabell. Very nice general appearance. Typical head with very typical proportions. Medium brown eyes. Well set rose ears, long neck. Correct top- and underline. Correct front- and hindangulations. Excellent movement both from the side and coming and going. Friendly."

Vita won junior class, Best Junior and was placed Best Bitch-4!
"Complete scissorbite. Grey. Graceful bitch with good proportions. Narrow head, dark brown eyes. Very good set/carriage of ears, long neck. Correct topline, deep chest. Correct front- and hindangulation. Sufficiently long "Rute". Good sidemovement. Friendly."

Easy got an excellent, and was placed 4th in Open Class with CK
"Complete scissorbite. Grey. Very good head with dark brown eyes. Small rose ears, long neck. Correct topline, deep chest. Correct front- and hind angulations. Sufficiently long "Rute". "Aussreifende" movement. Friendly."

2 upcomming show-weekends

2009-07-21T14:38:00.002+02:00

It's weird to actually do nothing these days - I'm so not used to a quiet life anymore! well, I went to Lærdal from Saturday to Sunday (4,5 hours drive each way) to do some paperwork and also go to a party, and I didn't leave Lærdal untill 21.30 on Sunday night. With a couple of stops of eating/coffee/letting the dogs out, I was back in Nannestad at about 02.30.... I suppose I'd get used to all this latenight driving, but I was more than happy when I parked the car!

On Thursday, I'll deliver Chivas at Evy's + pick up Beida, then sleep over at Ludmilla in "svenskehuset". Friday, we're off to the Annual Sighthound Speciality Weekend in Sweden (earlier Skokloster/Tammsvik/Mariefred - now Västerås). Saturday it's the Italian Greyhound Speciality - 64 IGs entered for judge Elena Ukhabina Tripoli, Russia/Italy. On Sunday, it's the Sighthound Club arranging - 51 IGs entered for judge Waltraud Peschges, Germany (IG kennel vom Sausewind).

The following week, I'll be driving "home" to visit my mother in Svolvær, Northern Norway. I'll be in a friends wedding on August 8th, and on August 1st and 2nd, the yearly show weekend is taking place at Leknes, 1 hours drive from Svolvær. Of course, I'm entered!

Back in Norway

2009-07-12T15:16:00.008+02:00

The last 4 days in Belgium were gray and rainy - I think I had 2 "Sundays" during those 4 days ;) Nothing to do but sit inside on the couch with a blanked (filled with dogs) and watch old episodes of "Sex and the City". Thursday, we took a trip to Rotterdam to visit Nina (Avendesora, sister of Vita) and her family. Bas and Jessica + all their dogs: Nina, 2 pharaohounds, 2 whippet and old Harry. We went for a nice walk on a looooooong stretch of sandy hills, which will become a new Highway next year. For now, it's a very popular place to walk dogs :)

We got some really nice photos of the dogs running and playing (see my picasa webalbum: http://picasaweb.google.no/LenaHSD/BelgiumHolidayJuly2009# ) and also some nice stacked photos + headshots of Nina! There are some really crazy photos of the dogs there ;)

I flew home to Norway on Friday evening, and I've never been through a quicker or smoother arrival. I was sitting in the backrow of the plane, and they opened the hinddoor - quick exit. When I got down to the luggagearea, I went to the SAS desk to ask where to pick up the dogs later, and then headed straight back to the luggagebelt. They had already started to unload baggage, and my suitcase was the 3rd on - quick pickup. Then I went to the other end of the hall to pick up the dogs, who was already there, waiting - another quick pickup. Because of the dogs, I had to walk on red through customs - there were 3 people sitting there - I tried to get eyecontact with them, but none of them were paying any attention - so I just walked straight through - quick exit. So if I spent 15 minutes from exiting the plane until walking through customs, that's maximum! Rox was going to pick me up, but wasn't prepared for such a storming through the airport - and was just leaving home when I called from outside the airport!

Yesterday, I took the bus to Oslo to pick up my car at Marie's (my sister) work. Then I drove down to Evy to pick up Chivas - he's spent my holiday in the countryside with Evy and Knut Erik and their gang of salukis, iggies and cirnecos. I got a very warm and loud welcome from Saoudie, Chivas and Don ;)

While I was there, I got a call from Rox. Vita had been a bit eager to hund in the garden, and had been tasting a toad - not just once (although it tasted awful) but several times, as the toad tried to jump away from her (hunting instinct, no - not at all...?!?). She got sick - vomiting, peeing and having diarea all over the place... After checking a book (luckily in my car), Rox forcefed her lots of milk. The vomiting stopped immediately, and after shaking a bit, she fell asleep - really sleeping like a rock. When I got back up to Rox, it was all over, and Vita was as crazy as usual - it takes more than some toadvenom to stop a daughter of Esso!

So, now I'll have to adjust to "vacationmode". No work for at least a month - we'll see when, I'm applying for jobs at the moment in the Eastern part of Norway (close to friends and IG activities). There are quite a few dogshow on the agenda - first I'll go to Sweden with Ludmilla and her boys for the annual Sighthound Summer Show (formerly known as Skokloster or Tammsvik), then I'll pick up my sister and her dogs in Oslo, and we'll drive home to Svolvær, Lofoten. I'm invited to a wedding on August 8th, and (by lucky chance) there's a double dogshow at Leknes (1 hour drive from Svolvær) the first weekend of August! Of course I've entered all my dogs ;) Friday August 14th, I've bought tickets for "Øya Festivalen", a music festival in Oslo. I'll be going with my sister Marie and also my friend Malin & Catharina. I see my "non-doggyfriends" far too rarely, LOL And either Saturday 15th or Sunday 16th, I've entered the IGs for NKK International Oslo at Bjerke Travbane. That's my summerplans - nothing more, nothing less - except a trip up to Lærdal to do some paperwork and tie some loose ends (and PARTY!!!)

Holiday in Belgium - Echt International, the Netherlands

2009-07-06T13:10:00.011+02:00

I'm on a holiday in Belgium at the moment, visiting Margrét and Nick - and all the dogs! I came her on July 1st, and will stay until Friday the 10th. Before I came here, I had to move out of my house in Lærdal, as someone else is moving in today. It's amazing how much junk you can collect in less than a year! I filled my car twice with stuff, and also once with junk for the scrapheap... It was so much to do that I just marginally managed to drive down to Evy (starting from Lærdal at 01.00 in the morning on July 1st), deliver Chivas and pick up the flightcrate, then drive up to Gardermoen - check in myself, Esso and Vita - get them to special cargo, deliver my carkeys to Rox, then go through security and run for the plane! But I made it!!!

Margrét picked me up at the airport, the flight went quickly (probably because I was halfsleeping, no sleep at all in the night...), the dogs survived the flight beautifully, greeting me with happy, wagging tails at special luggage delivery. I was a bit worried about that, but I guess I'm just a worried mummy ;) Sending them together in a crate was a relief though, knowing they had eachother.

Thursday July 2nd, we went to Tienen to visit Katrien - owner of Dervisch Fiorina des Ombreuses (littersister of Easy) and also Biscotti Maya of Ashra (littersister of my sisters Biscotti Mademoiselle). We had a great time, Katrien and Peter were so nice! Lots of dogtalking in the heat - not much photographing done, it was so hot that the dogs were mostly flat out in the shade (except for Esso, who was in love with all Katriens bitches - especially the sloughi Uva).

On Friday, we went to this local shoppingmall - got to buy some summer tops and a skirt - why do I have to come to Belgium to find clothes, when it's in the same stores as I'm looking in in Norway?!? I also went looking for a new lense for my camera - found one, but decided to check vs Norwegian prices before buying anything. In the evening, we went to dinner at a friend of Nick, and had some nice steak :)

Saturday is marketday in Hamme, so we went to look and do some groceryshopping. A long street was closed off for all the stalls and shops, selling everything from clothes to flowers, fruits and food. We brought some dogs for socialicing, and they did great! Their rewards were raw chickennecks from the butcher :)

Yesterday, we went to an International show in Echt, the Netherlands. Down here, you have to be at the show 30 minutes before the judging starts in the rings, and you'll have to stay for the judging to finish at around 3. Both Margrét and I had dogs entered - I'd brought Esso since he only lacks his last CACIB for his International Championship (1 year and 1 day since his first was around June 10th) and Vita was entered "just for fun" as she only turned 9 months 3 days earlier. There were 11 IGs entered for Paul Stanton, Sweden. I've never shown for him before, so it was quite exciting to see if he liked my dogs.

Males:
Best Male, CAC, CACIB and BOS - Nord Ch NW-08 Biscotti Esclusivo - now International Champion!!!!

R-CAC and R-CACIB - Bidule (Diavolo des Achka Rapidoss x Poesie D'Amour du Domaine de Chanteloup)

Junior CAC - Caeles Let's Get Ready To Rumble

Females:
Best Bitch, CAC, Junior-CAC, BOB - Aviendha!!!

R-CAC - Carmen il Piccolo Azzuro (Ch Angeli il PA x Ch Evita il PA)
CACIB - N Ch Topaasin Bling Bling
R-CACIB - Geluksoek du Chien d'Ebene (Ch Fiefoerinek's Forza del Destino x Ch Clementine du Chien d'Ebene)

Esso now needs 3 more CAC to finish his NL Ch - and it has to be at least 1 year and 1 day between the first and the last CAC. The same goes for Vita, but she also needs to be 27 months to become a NL Ch. If she wins Junior Class with Excellent 2 more times, she'll become a NL JCh! I guess I'll be coming back here, bringing the dogs with me ;)

Critic for Esso: "A little big; elegant; beautiful outline. Excellent expression, excellent ears, could have a little more underjaw, good eyes. Very good neck and topline, excellent underline. Fine bone, good feet, good angulations. Good skin and muscles. Very sound and typical mover. Excellent style."

Critic for Vita: "Very elegant junior. Excellent long legs. Lovely expression, good eyes and ears, needs more underjaw. Very good body for age; excellent bone and feet, quite good angulations, good coat and muscles. Light and elegant sidemovement, excellent behind, good in front for age. Excellent style."

We took a ton of pictures at the show, amongst others of the salukis. Only 10 salukis were entered, and I think we got them all on photo - they were the breed directly in front of the IGs, so the female championclass/best bitch didn't get really good photos. I'll post a separate salukipost later ;)

I/we have taken almost 800 photos so far (ok, also quite a few of them have been deleted by now), and today is another photoday - this time Margréts dogs are up. It's not as hot today, so it'll be a better day for photographing than the other days so far.

I don't remember if we have any plans tomorrow, but wednesday we'll hopefully go to racingpractice at Beringen (?), and Thursday is Lucy's visit to the Vet hospital in Gent to check up and x-ray her injured foot. Afterwards, we'll go to Rotterdam (NL) to visit Nina, sister of Vita, and her family! Friday is my last day this time, but don't be surprised if I suddenly disappear for Belgium again this autumn! We do have some showplans ;)

Topaasin Dahlia BOB!

2009-06-27T16:28:00.003+02:00

Esso's daughter Topaasin Dahlia was entered to a show in Finland today, and went BOB with her first CAC! There were 11 IG's entered, and judge was Tuula Plathan. Congratulations to Sirpa and Leena - and of course to Dahlia herself :) *Photos by Elina Lind*

"Elegant bitch of right size, noble head, good ears, eyes could be a bit darker. Beautiful neck-line. Typical angulations for the breed, front and behind. Good tail. Moves typically. Beautiful coat."

Oh so busy!

2009-06-23T20:49:00.005+02:00

I have 2 days left at work here in Lærdal, and I'm moving in a week. I'm acutally sad to leave, I've made great friends here, and I've enjoyed living and working here. So, I'll have to come back to visit a few times - I can't just walk away and never come back! Where did the last 11 months go? It's a year since I came up here for an interview, I moved here for August 1st, and now I leave!

There's so much to do - packing (both for moving and for holidays in Belgium), cleaning, paperwork from work that needs to be finished, bills for June to send out (not ready for that yet...), finishing the updates on http://italienerutvalget.no (won't be able to do much after I leave until middle of July), washing clothes/bedstuff/doggieblankets etc. I'm tired, so I've started drinking coffee to keep awake - this doesn't sound like a good week to come ;) If I'd only NOT had to work, only packing, I'd not be stressed right now - but I have 2 days on call, starting tomorrow morning at 08.00, ending Friday morning at 08.00.

On Friday, I'll be crazy and drive to Voss for my first ever PARACHUTE JUMP! Thanks to my colleage Eivind (who's a passionate "jumper"), I've decided to give it a try. I know it'll be amazing, I can't wait!

Open Show

2009-06-19T19:31:00.008+02:00

The Norwegian IG Comitee held our Speciality (unofficial show) on June 6th at Disen Gård, Vormsund. Judge was Tone B. Fischer of Eugenios IGs, Poodles and Chinese Cresteds. There were 31 IGs entered, of which 27 were there. 2 puppies + 12 males and 13 females.

We had a great time, the weather was nice and people seemed to enjoy themselves. Half the entries had never been close to a showring before, but everyone did a great job! Hopefully this will be an opening for them to start showing their IGs at official shows.

RESULTS:

BM-1, BOS - Nord Ch NV-08 Biscotti Esclusivo
BM-2 - Dervisch Very Valentino
BM-3 - N Ch Dunrobin's Verdi
BM-4 - Alwin

BB-1, BIS - N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
BB-2 - Biscotti Mademoiselle
BB-3 - Talata Uma Rose Noora
BB-4 - N Ch Sasha

Best Head & Expression: Talata Uma Rose Noora

Best Movement: Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses

Best Brace: Dervisch Fiorella d O og Aviendha

BIS Puppy: Aviendha

BIS Junior: Biscotti Mademoiselle
BOS Junior: Alwin

BIS Intermediate: Dervisch Very Valentino
BOS Intermediate: Biscotti Jill Illy

BIS Pet: Dexter
BOS Pet: Biscotti Kahlia

BIS Veteran: Dunrobin's Verdi
BOS Veteran: Sasha

BIS Breeder: kennel Biscotti
- B Mademoiselle, B Esclusivo, B Jill Illy

BIS - N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
BOS - Nord Ch NV-08 Biscotti Esclusivo

The next day, we went to the International show in Drammen. There were 12 IGs entered (4+8) for judge Stefan Stefik, Slovakia.

BM-1, cert, cacib, BOB - Dervisch Very Valentino
BM-2, r-cacib - Ch Skogsville's Fool For Your Lovin
BM-3 - Ch Biscotti Esclusivo
BM-4 - Ch Dervisch Open Sesame

BB-1, cacib, BOS - Ch Dogcastle's Leslie Blue Angel
BB-2, r-cacib - Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses
BB-3, cac - Biscotti Mademoiselle

Of course, I wanted the CACIB for Easy - the judge took forever to choose between her and Star (D. Leslie Blue Angel) for Best Bitch, but Easy just wasn't in the mood for showing at all... Esso wasn't in his usual showmood either, I think the open show the day before "killed" their enthusiasm a bit - but we had fun at the open show, and that's the most important thing - there's always another Int Show!

Critics for Esso:
3 years old, good looking. Very good character, head quite good, eyebrow bald. Topline correct, scissor bite. Movement could be more free.

Critics for Easy:
2,5 years old, nice looking and moving. Head ok, scissor bite. In moving a little free in elbow. Good character.

I'd also entered Chivas in open class (13+9 salukis) for judge Marja Talvitie, Finland.
Chivas won open class with CK - there were only 6 males with CK. He didn't get placed in best male, but I was so happy! Last year, he was my "blue boy" (2.prize), but this year he's gained 2 CAC, won BOB and BOS + getting CK in such a large entry is just great!

Critics for Chivas:
Very good type. Good head and expression. Very good neck, topline and withers. Very well angulated behind. Moves very well from the side, a bit loose in front.

I'm very happy with Chivas, and if he continues to move like he did at Drammen, I can actually start hoping that we'll get that last, "big" CAC for his Norwegian Championship!

Italian Greyhound Open Show

2009-06-04T21:13:00.002+02:00

This Saturday, the Norwegian IG Comitee are arranging an unofficial show - Open Show - at Disen Gård, Vormsund. There are 27 IGs entered - 2 puppies, 12 males and 13 females! Judge is Tone B. Fischer, kennel Eugenios, who is on her way to becoming a judge. She's a breeder of poodles, chinese crested and IGs.

There's so much to do and so many things to remember! I'm working on the cataloge and prizes, and it's a lot of work. And I'm also on call at work - and I have a cake to bake :)

Holiday in Belguim in July :)

2009-06-01T19:53:00.002+02:00

This year will be the first year since I moved from home (-99) that I'm having a proper holiday with money to spend! I'll visit Margrét in Belgium in July, and I've just entered 2 IGs for the Int show in Echt, the Netherlands on July 5th :) I'm so looking forward to this - showing in a new country and seeing new IGs!

Topaasin Dahlia BB-2

2009-05-31T14:44:00.003+02:00

Topaasin Dahila, Esso daughter in Finland, went to her 2nd show this weekend. From junior class, she went BB-2 with res-CAC! There were 10 IGs entered. At her first show (March 15th), she went BB-3! There were 25 IGs entered.

Congratulations to breeder Sirpa and owner Leena!

A patient of my own...

2009-05-31T00:33:00.002+02:00

The weather's been brilliant today - sun from a (mostly) cloudless sky all day! I haven't had too much to do at work, so I've spent a lot of time at home. I've got a fenced garden, and my backdoor can be open all the time when I'm at home. I've spent a lot of time in the garden today, cleaning up dogpoop and later just relaxing and reading a bit. I went inside at 8.30 pm, and after maybe 30 minutes, I noticed Vita looking kind of strange. She'd started to get a swollen lip, by the corner of her mouth. I got a few phonecalls, and didn't have time to examine her closely for half an hour. Then, the lips on both sides of her mouth was swollen and hanging, and her nose was almost twice s wide! Her right eye was beginning to look poofy too, so I had to be vet to my own dog today. A shot of cortisone and some antibiotics did the trick, and now she's almost back to normal again! But if you think this slowed her down for even a minute... Nope, not at all! Full speed ahead!!! She's a bit too curious for her own good, and my guess is she tried to eat a wasp - not the smartest thing she's done in her life ;) A farmer told me today, that I live on the side of the river where "huggorm" (in english? some sort of snake) can be found, but I doubt there's any in my garden, I've been stumping around all day :)

Happy Birthday Chivas - yesterday!

2009-05-30T20:37:00.002+02:00

I was so busy yesterday that I totally forgot about Chivas and Beida's Birthday! Happy Happy Birthday to you both!! 3 years old, and I've soon had Chivas for 2 years - time sure flies :)

Hot Hot Hot

2009-05-30T17:14:00.003+02:00

I'm on duty this weekend, from Friday at 8am to Monday at 8am. It's supposed to be quiet now, but surprise surprise this doesn't always seem to apply for me...!

Yesterday started easy - 5 phonecalls during phonehours (8-10am), resulting in 3 cats coming in to the clinic, starting at 1pm. One of them even called and cancelled - the cat found a way to escape the house. I got some paperwork done, and left the office at 4 - heading to Liv to pick up the container with sperm (bulls) in liquid nitrogen. While there, I got another phonecall, and had to head back to the clinic, this time a puppy with a sore ear. It turned out to have a hole in it's thympanic membrane - no wonder it hurt! I got to be at home for 2 hours, then back to the clinic at 8. This woman called, her dog had hurt his foot in their yard, and wasn't able to stand on it, and it was starting to get really swollen. OK -sounds pretty acute, so I went to see the dog. It turned out to be pure bullshit - no limp, no swollenness, no pain - only a tiny red mark under it's right paw, between the toes. It might have stepped on a grasstub or something, perhaps some sticking insect. I was pretty pissed, the whole trip down to the clinic was a huge waste of time. In the meantime, I got a few other calls, and had to jump in the car to treat 3 sheep with mastitis - in 2 opposite directions of the district. I started driving at 9pm, and was home around 1am. Busy? No, not at all!!!

Today's luckily been better. First call came after 10, and I went down to the clinic at 12 - to look at the cat that ran away yesterday. It had a nasty wound on it's hindleg, V-shaped, 5-6 cm long and deep. I had to do a lot of cleaning and also take away the upper layer of started-to-heal tissue. Did it bleed? Yep! The wound was pretty deep down into the muscles, and with one severed tendon - too small and narrow to stitch back. But after about 20 stitches, it didn't look half-bad. I'd expected worse when I first saw it. I was happy, owner was happy - so now, hopefully it will heal nicely too :)

I had to take a detour to Borgund on my way home, to deliver a sheeps head to a vet in Mattilsynet. I was supposed to go see a sick sheep after stitching the cat together, but when I was almost there, the farmer called to say the sheep was dead. Not only dead, but already stiff, so she probably died right after he called me the first time. It had a bit of neurological symptoms (stretching it's head back and behind), so Mattilsynet (Food Safety "Department") need to test the brainstem. Since I had to go to Borgund, I decided I might as well do something useful and take the dogs for a walk. I went up Vindhellavegen (old road between Lærdal and Borgund, built sometime in the 1790's), which is pretty steep - in places 1:5 (=20%) steepness!

When I got home, I had to check the temperature, and it's 25 degrees in the shade! The hottest day so far this year! I think 20 degrees was the last "record". Enough talk, it's time to get out and pick some dogpoop in the garden, then I'll sit outside a while - I think I have some ice cream in the freezer :)

On a rainy day...

2009-05-26T21:00:00.004+02:00

Lærdal is the driest place on the West Coast of Norway, and usually all farmers have constant watering of their fields - but not today. It's pouring down! None of the dogs want to be outside, even for a quick pee.
The weekend was very quiet, I had no plans. The weather was very nice, so I spent a lot of time in the garden with the dogs, and we also went for a few walks. I've been on call today and yesterday, but it's really quiet now. Just a few sheep with mastitis and a load of perscriptions for deworming for lambs and ticktreatment!

The Norwegian IG Comitee are arranging an Open Show for italian greyhounds (unofficial show) on June 6th - and we have 25 IGs entered!!!! It'll be lots of work, but so much fun :) And on Sunday, I've entered my dogs for NKK International show at Drammen, hoping for a CACIB for Easy, and a nice placement for Esso. At that point, he's only got like 3 days left until he can take his last CACIB for his Int Championship - it's so typical that the Calender is moving in the wrong direction, or he might have gotten it that weekend...

Other plans - maybe a trip to Belgium in July? And the Swedish Sighthoundshow last weekend of July. Then I'll drive North, home to Svolvær for a holiday - and luckily just in time for the Lofoten Showweekend first weekend in August! August 8th, a friend of mine is getting married, and of course I'll be at her wedding! That's my big excuse to drive home to Svolvær this summer - it's quite a long trip, so it's not something I do every year. There's also NKK International Show in Oslo in August, where I HAVE to go - I need to hunt that last CACIB for Esso, and he won BOB and BIG-3 there last year :)
ps - if anyone wonders why it's mostly pictures of the salukis in my blog, it's because they tend to stand still more often and for longer periods than the IGs, so they are 10 times easier to get a good photo of ;)

BBQ and Laksen

2009-05-23T20:23:00.003+02:00

Eivind invited to BBQ yesterday, and of course he didn't have a BBQ and had to borrow mine ;) Nice food, good beer (from a local brewery in Flåm, named after Ægir, the brewer God of the Vikings!) - and then we went out at Laksen. Live band, so it was CC 150kr. I had a great time :)

And today was a pleasent surprise - no hangover, no headache! And that's despite mixing beer, Gin&Tonic and some Whisky/Cognac thing (don't like it, but was kind of dared to drink it...). The dogs woke me up at 10, and I was too much awake to NOT get up. It's a nice and sunny day, so I spent some time with the dogs in the garden, and later (when I was a bit more rehydrated) took them for a walk. When I came home, it was 19 degreed Celcius in the shade, nice!

It's been a while...

2009-05-21T17:43:00.008+02:00

Sorry (especially to you Margrét, haha)! But I've really been superbusy the last weeks. I thought lambingseason was coming to an end, and that it would be less to do at work - but I was totally wrong! Monday 4th to Wednesday 6th I worked 41 hours, I was so exhausted on Wednesday afternoon that I fell asleep during dinner! After that, it was still busy, but not lifethreatening ;)

Today is a national holiday, don't know what it's called in English - Kristi Himmelfartsdag. I'm on call, as usual, but it's very quiet. 2 phonecalls so far, one visit to a sheep with mastitis. If I weren't on duty yesterday as well, I'd probably make someone call me to check if the dutynumber was coupled to my phone! I went for a walk with the dogs and my colleage Liv - a plan like that would normally make some farmer call immediately, but for a change, I got to walk in peace :)I had a visitor today, the daughter of my colleage Bjørg (I rent my house from her and her husband) - Ingrid. She's 4 years old, and loooves my dogs :) Especially Chivas. Above, you see her with Saoudie. She got a baby brother just a week ago, and I got to say hi to him today. He's such a cute little thing! But I'm not very comfortable around babies, they're kind of scary really... ;P
Tomorrow morning at 08.00, I go off duty - and I have the whole weekend off! Eivind has some friends for a visist, and I've heard rumours about party :) Wonder if I should go to Sogndal tomorrow and do some shopping?!? Last time I was in Oslo, I only had time to brush by a bookstore, before heading to Sweden and another catastrophic LC trial for Chivas... Stupid dog! Anyway, I need some new summeroutfits, and I need it badly. I have a confession to make - I have become addicted - to the Twilight series. When Chanett Orre were here 3 weeks ago, she had the Twilight movie on her computer, and I suddenly realized that I'd actually bought the book a couple of weekends earlier (the weekend of the first catastrophic LC trial for Chivas - stupid, insecure dog), but never got around to start reading it. Thought it sounded potetially good though, and I never miss an opportunity to buy a book (I easily get addicted to books...). I had no idea it was already a movie, I'm a bit slow on these things, since I don't have a TV and no radiosignals either. We watched the movie, and I loved it. I think I read the book twice the next week, before I headed towards Oslo and larger bookstores - I just had to buy the next 3 books in the series as well. I've finished the 2nd and 3rd ages ago, but still saving nr 4 - until this weekend - I needed something to look forward to! And I'm so used to either work weekends or go somewhere, that I'm afraid I'll be bored with 3 full days with NO PLANS!

I got some new dogbooks as well (did I say that I love Amazon.com?):

The Winning Edge - George Alston (superfamous professional handler from USA)
New Secrets of Successful Show Dog Handling - Peter Green (superfamous professional handler from USA)
The book of the Bitch - book on how to best take care of a bitch/puppies etc - don't know how much I'll learn from that, seems pretty basic so far, so it might be something to give away (Margrét?)
Raising a Champion - not opened yet, no time!

I'll probably end up with a dog book library before I turn 35, haha

Almost summer!

2009-05-02T23:59:00.005+02:00

I'm having a visitor this weekend - Chanett Orre is here to see what it's like to be a vet in lambingseason... And it's been so quiet on duty! Not one lambing, not a single one! Yesterday, we went out to have a look at one sheep with a uterusinfektion after a bit of a difficult delivery, where the farmer had to help her getting the lambs out. Then, in the evening, there was a sheep with mastitis - she'd given birth to 5 lambs! Last year, she had 6. That's A LOT for a sheep, who's only got 2 teats... But the weather was awsome, sunny and warm (21 degrees C when I checked) - a summer day on May 1st!

It's been quiet today as well. We went to the same farmer 2 times, he had 3 sheep with the same symptoms - classical listeriosis, but they'd all been outside for at least 4 days, and on different pastures. A mystery! While I was there, they got doubletreated for hypomagnesia - just in case. It's been an early spring this year, with a lot of fresh, quickgrowing grass.

I think I have an appletree in my garden - this is what the flowers look like. Beautiful, right?!? I'm not too good at remembering my camera, but this time, I've been good - photos for my blog! There's so much to photograph, if I only remember to! Lambs outside, beautiful waterfalls (lots and lots of water from melting snow in the mountains) and the rivers are wide from all the melting water.

LC-trial 9.-10. May, Bråviken in Sweden

2009-04-30T22:20:00.002+02:00

I entered Chivas to this LC-trial, and got the papers on e-mail today. He's to run on Sunday, and there are 29+21 salukis entered! First start at 08.00. I'm draging my sister with me, and we'll probably have all the dogs as well. Since she's finished work at 18.00 on Saturday, it'll be nightdriving. I'll find us somewhere to sleep from Sunday to Monday though, and then well drive back to Oslo. Mum is comming down to Oslo on Monday at 13.30, but it'll be easy to get there in time. Then it's probably off to IKEA!

Halfway through the worst part of lambingseason

2009-04-30T21:02:00.003+02:00

It's not been so much work as I'd feared, but still enough to keep all 3 of us quite busy every day! I'm on duty this weekend too, and I'll have my own personal assistant! Chanett Orre will come and stay with me for the weekend, to experience what a vet do - other than on the small-animal clinic. The only "problem" is that I have to go and pick her up at the busstop at about 04 tonight, and I'm not good at being tired and getting up in the middle of the night, haha

I've had a few easy lambings (those are always very nice) and a lambing that went really bad. Lamb comming with the hindfeet first - or not even that, just the hindhooks, so the cervix ("livmorhals") was only partially (and badly) opened. I managed to block her up quite well, and also to correct the hindfeet so that the "toes" came first - and got the lamb halfway out. Then it was stuck. When I went in to feel what's wrong, the frontfeet were pointing behind, and were following parallell to the chest - so it was too large with both chest and feet - and the lamb was stuck. As the sheep contracted, I could feel the hoofs (?!) making a tear in the uteurs wall.. That means the deathsentence for the sheep, nothing to do about that. Poor sheep, poor lambs and poor farmer... But as they said, we get to try to fix the worst cases, and they are happy if we can, but they also know that it's not always possible to save them all.

Apart from lambings, there's quite a lot of mastitis ("jurbetennelse") and sick lambs. Today, it was pretty warm and pretty sunny (a bit cloudy), and it's so nice to see the sheep and lambs outside on the grass in the nice weather! Lambs jumping around, trying to get the hang of those long legs! I guess I'll have to start bringing my camera in the car ;)

I'd better get back to cleaning the house - I suddenly realized how dirty it gets when you're busy busy at work, and don't have time to keep up with the vacuuming and cleaning! Not that I'm a cleaningfreak, but it has to be done once in a while! And having visitors suddenly pulls off my "dirtglasses" and I see how it really looks, haha. Dishes first, then vacuuming and at last washing the floors. That'll do.

My first C-section!

2009-04-27T20:14:00.003+02:00

I was on call yesterday, and had to drive out on a difficult lambing at the far corner of the district - up in the mountains on some narrow zig-zag road. It was a young sheep, her first lambing, and her pelvis was too narrow for the lamb. That gives 2 choices - euthanizing or c-section. The farmer went for the c-section, so I just had to get my stuff and start. The mobilephone reseption was very poor up there, but I managed to get a "peptalk" with Ingjerd (our veterinary "telephoneguru", who's on maternal leave). This was my first c-section after finishing vetschool, and it was pretty scary! It took somewhere between 3 and 4 hours (next one will be quicker, practice makes perfect ;) ), and 2 lambs were delivered - one dead and one alive. Success! It sure feels good, mastering an operation like this for the first time - all alone! I was home at almost 03.30, dead tired (I fell asleep in the car (after stopping at home) while writing in my "driving-journal"! When I was almost home, Eivind called (he took my dutycalls while I was out of reception) - there's a lambing with 2 lambs trying to come out at once... Lucky me didn't have to take that visit, as he offered to do it for me (ok, I owe you for that) - and I could go to bed and sleeeeeep!

I'd forgotten to close the babygate at the top of the stairs, so Chivas took a trip downstairs, opening the livingroom door - so that the girls (who sleeps downstairs) were free to come upstairs. I woke up with 3 IGs and 1 saluki in my very narrow 1-person-bed, without ever noticing that they'd gotten there in the first place. It clearly reminden me WHY it's so important to close that gate (Chivas opens doors as he pleases) - it's very uncomfortable to sleep in a crowded bed! When I sleep, I always give in when the dogs move, and end up in weird, uncomfortable sleepingpositions (arms up, half the body twisted to the side, a foot halfway outside the bed; or on my side, balancing on the edge of the matress/bed)

Amazon.com...

2009-04-24T21:02:00.002+02:00

This is a very dangerous site for me to go to... Last time I went there, I ended up ordering 2 books, which I've now recieved - so now it's time for a new look, haha

The books I ordered were:

Saluki in History, Arts and Sport by Hope and David Waters (used but nice contidion). I'm really looking forward to reading it!
Saluki: The Desert Hound and the English Travelers who brought it to toe West. A newly published book about the recent history of the breed

Wonder what I'll find today... Maybe something Italian this time? (OK, I'm hooked, but I really can't help it!)

Quiznight at Laksen

2009-04-24T20:06:00.004+02:00

Apparently, it's quiznight at the local restaurant/bar called "Laksen" (the Salmon, there's a famous river for salmonfishing going through Lærdal). We'll enter a 4-person team of 3 vets and a boyfriend - unless there's some sheep in need (it probably will be, but we'll try to make it)!

Today's been my day off before duty the rest of the weekend. I took the dogs for a nice, 2 hour long walk, about 10 minutes drive from here. It's an old road going down the steep, narrow and winding vally between Lærdal and Borgund - and it's a great place to walk. The downside (literally) is that it's a steep fall on one side untill we meet the "main road" again, so only Saoudie and Easy can be off leash (Chivas is leashed - period, and Esso and the puppy is too playful) - they are calm and listens when I call. No danger, and none of the dogs are suicidal, but I don't trust Esso NOT to come runnnig and accidentally push someone. We had a really nice walk, and on the way back we hiked the old "postal road" which is more of a trail in the woods (hilly woods, lots of exercise!), and I think I'll take that road more often, I loved walking there - and no danger of letting Esso and the puppy run free either! Next time, I'll bring the camera too :)

Looks like quiznight is cancelled - the team is lacking 3 of 4 members due to sheep in need! So now, I'm having an appointment with Dr. House for an hour or two ;)

Quiet day at work

2009-04-23T19:14:00.004+02:00

It's in the middle of lambingseason, and usually pretty hectic at work. We're 3 vets working together - 1 doing the clinic, and 2 driving out on the farms. We've split the area in 2, 1 vet responding to calls from each area - to make a quicker response. One area is Lærdal, the other area is Aurland - to get there you have to drive through a 25km long tunnel (booooring). I'm on Aurlandsduty today, and so far, I've not had ONE SINGLE PHONECALL!
Luckily, the weather's been fantastic, sun from a cloudless sky and 17 degreees C. I've had my backdoor open all day, and I've spent several hours outside in the sun. I've even been a good girl and read about parasites! Now it's time for dinner - fishcakes (Lofoten Fishcakes that is, not some cheap flourtasting crap) with homemade mashed potatoes, carrots and onions!Always trying to get that one perfect headshot... I guess practice makes perfect?!? At least it will eventually!

Esso son went BOS with CAC

2009-04-22T19:22:00.000+02:00

At NKK Int Harstad last weekend, Esso's son Cheerinova Alladin went BOS with his first CAC! There were 4+4 IGs entered for Göran Bodegård, Sweden. This is Esso's first offspring to win a CAC, so I'm very proud of both boys!

Switching to English

2009-04-22T19:08:00.002+02:00

If I am to use this blog as a substitute for the webpage for a while, I'd better switch to a more international language. I have quite a few foreign visitors to my homepage, and it would be a shame if they didn't understand anything!

I'm working on a little presentation of each of my dogs, it's just taking some time (too much to do, too little time). At the moment, I'm very busy making a database over all Norwegian registered IGs - take a look at http://italienerutvalget.no

At the moment, it's very hectic at work. It's the middle of lambingseason, so more than enough to do for all 3 of us!

Biscotti Esclusivo - "Esso"

2009-04-15T18:25:00.010+02:00

Nord Ch NV-08 Biscotti Esclusivo

Summer-08, photo: Margrét I. Veigarsdóttir

Esso is my heartdog. I've had him since he was born, and at 3-4 weeks he chose that he was the one to stay with me :) He's full of personality, he does leave an impression on everyone he meets. He's born June 4th, 2006 - father: Int Nord It Ch NV-06 Movado Ric Rosso - mother: Talata Gloriah.

Esso 5 months old on his first puppyshow - going BIG-2!

If he'd had his way, he'd be following me around where ever I go. He loves to sleep on my lap and in my bed - and at the moment, he's the only one of the dogs sharing my bed.

Esso tried Lure Coursing, but he's got a bit of a focus problem!

We've had a lot of success together at shows. He's become quite the little showman lately, and he really enjoys being in the ring. He earned several CAC in junior- and intermediateclass, and won his Norwegian and Swedish Championship on his first try, only 6 days after his 2nd birthday in June 08! In November 08, I went to Denmark together with Evy, and Esso returned home as a Danish and Nordic Champion! To top it all of, he went BOS and Norwegian Winner-08 at NKK Int Hamar later in November, and ended up as Most Winning IG Male in Norway 2008! I'm so proud of my special boy :)

Esso on the move, June-08

Esso has sired 4 litters, with 11 offspring:

17.10.2007 (1+1) at kennel Dervisch in Sweden - dam: S N Ch Iso-Brina's Ramina Cona del Matra - Dervisch Biscottino (m) and Dervisch Biscottina (f)
29.11.2007 (2+2) at kennel Cheerinova in Norway - dam: Keylee Afrodite - Cheerinova Alladin (m), Cheerinova Amigo (m), Cheerinova Anastacia (f) and Cheerinova Angel (f)
12.04.2008 (2+1) at kennel Topaasin in Finland - dam: Topaasin Blues for You - Topaasin Dajm (m), Topaasin Dubbel Nougat (m) and Topaasin Dahlia (f)
02.10.2008 (0+2) at my house - dam: N Ch Dervisch Fiorella des Ombreuses - Avendesora (f) and Aviendha (f)

Esso going BIG-3 at NKK Int Oslo, August-08

Arab Bahari's Baytor Abdullah

2009-04-14T23:22:00.009+02:00

Chivas, min franske sletthårssaluki, som kom til meg i juni 2007, 1 år gammel. Jeg eier han sammen med Evy Fredhjem, kennel Biscotti. Han er født 29. mai 2006.

Chivas BIS-Junior, salukispesialen 2007

Han fant seg fort til rette i flokken, selv om han ikke var vant til små, spinnville og oppmerksomhetskrevende italienere ;)

Chivas, SKK int Växjö, november 2007

Han ble stilt ut noen få ganger som junior og unghund, uten stort hell. Det var nok en kombinasjon av dårlig handling (det blir bedre, men jeg har enda langt igjen) og en tenåringsgutt som trengte mer tid.

Chivas vet å gjøre livet behagelig - han elsker å ligge på rygg i sofaen, med beina oppetter sofaryggen. Da er livet godt! Hundesenger er ikke lengre så mye i bruk, nå når vi har stor hjørnesofa ;)

foto: Jan-Erik Sandbæk

Er det noe Chivas virkelig kan, så er det å løpe! Han startet 3 prøver i 2008, og endte opp som beste hannhund på alle 3! Han sprang seg til 3 cert (2 norske og 1 svensk) og 2 cacil (i Norge og Sverige). Vi gleder oss til årets sesong, og håper på championater!

Chivas på Salukispesialen, august 2008, foto Evy Fredhjem

Etter å ha vokst seg litt til, har Chivas gjort det bra på utstilling i 2009. Han ble BIR med cert for Gunnar Nymann på utstillingen til Ølen Etne og Vindafjord hundeklubb i februar, og 1. mars ble han BIM for Petr Rehanek på Nord-Hordaland Hundeklubbs utstilling i Manger. Så plutselig står han for championat!

Chivas 2 år og 10 måneder, mars-09, foto Evy Fredhjem

Første innlegg

2009-04-14T22:57:00.000+02:00

Hmm, ser ut til at jeg også har begynt å blogge :) Den enkle årsak er at hjemmesiden (start.no) legges ned 1. mai, og siden jeg enda ikke har funnet meg kennelnavn, så blir det ikke eget domene på en stund. Hjemmesiden trenger dessuten en seriøs ansiktsløfting, og sånt tar tid! I mellomtiden trenger jeg en blogg hvor jeg kan forteller store og små nyheter om meg og hundene mine.