More happy pictures

For the sake of of Valentine´s day,

I´ll put again some pictures on Picasa. Pictures of me and my best friends spending time together. In my life a beardie is not an object, that I would do things for, but an addition to my personality. There are different kinds of ways in enjoying dogs company and mine is not very social or dependant on group activities. I´m not too keen on taking classes with my dogs or gathering together in training dogs or competing. I just enjoy the company of my beardies. My reasons are purely selfish; beardies make my life better and my every day life happier. I prefer harmony and overall positive vibes that the connection with a beardie gives as it´s best. I expect a lot of my dogs. Trainability is today´s idea that means that a beardie has the potential to learn and endure the training pressure. I expect my beardies to be obedient and eager to please me without calling it training. Once I took part in obedience course to see how things should be done and ready to learn something new. I told how we trained dogs 30 years ago when I started with my first beardie. I told we never used any treats in training and the others wondered loudly why a dog would do what you want him to do unless you pay him after work. Typically they compared human work and getting paid for it; earn your livind-idea. Although this comparison between man and dog is absurd I came to think that there is also voluntary work some people do. It means work you do with your heart and for no other reason than wanting to do exactly that, trustworthy dog works just like that. He does what he does because it´s the right thing and it makes him feel good. I also do right things for my dogs; feeding, giving shelter and protection, all kind of care that is required plus affection.
Tricks and learning quick is although easiest and fastest to teach with treats, but perhaps only in the learning phase. Working together with master/mistress is the biggest treat for a true beardie and it is shame if all doing together would be corrupted.
All mentioned above work with some beardies, but sadly not with all. Sometimes the fault is in the dog and sometimes in the owner. Many times dogs potential is left unknown which is pity like a book left unread. And some dogs just don´t have it. Today we always think it´s owners fault if the dog has some faults in his behaviour. By that you can make the owner responsible on what the dog is like. You cant blame the dog unless you have been taking classes, taking the dog to a therapeut, given medication, homeopathy and all kinds of sometimes useful ways to treat sickness. Is it always needed because the owner has done something wrong or could there be fault also in the quality of dogs we use in breeding? It should not be that difficult. Life doesn´t have to be that difficult. People do make most of the problems dogs show, but when an experienced dog owner can´t handle his nervous, shy, constantly barking and manic dog, there is something too difficult in the dog too. Some dogs are nicer to own than others, it´s a fact.
There has been a lot of talk about beardies suitability to live in todays families and society. Beardies nowadays aren´t always easy and nice to live with so what do we risk if we try to improve that? No one can honestly say that we now have problem free stock of beardies when talking of temperaments. Shouldn´t we always want the best for the breed?

So far I´m so pleased with these puppies that I would do the same mating again any time, if only possible.

Instead of painting imaginary threats and assumptions of using beardies to todays showlines, I only can objectively tell about our experiences with beardie+showbeardie (showbeardie according to her lines, not her appearance or temperament) mating and offspring. Wolfies and Rillas puppies are now 10 months old, all living with experienced dog people, beardiepeople, so we all have some backround in noticing the type of what our pups are made of. There hasn´t been any excessive boisterous behaviour, nor difficult ages when they fear of everything, no uncontrollable herding habits, no continuous barking. Instead we are happy to tell about young dogs that are open both in meeting humans and other dogs. They are very wise in their instincts; that means you can trust them to behave correctly with different kinds of encounters. They are very sensitive in reading their peoples mind and always ready to follow our instructions. They have that beardielike sense of humour in their eyes and their cleverness surprises us daily. They are active and as with all my previous beardiepups, they have left their marks on the household. They are calm, thinking, funny, fire&ice when needed and never over excited. Their ears work even when they are deeply involved with something interesting. There is no signs of any kind of nervousness.
I must say their mum is also mentally of super quality, pretty also, but her pups seem to be even bolder and more inventive.

Sick dog is a misery for the whole family

During these past 30 years I´ve had my share of mentally unstable, fysically sick (Addison Disease, HD, panostitis...), and behaviourally challenging types which I´ve loved and taken care of. But since we have these dogs with us to give us pleasure and joy we should use every opportunity to improve their health status. Taking care of a sick dog is not a joy and this whole hobby is turning into nursing hobby because the odds you get a healthy puppy who lives happily till 14-15 years of age, are getting smaller year after year.
Using WBC registered beardies is an opportunity that many breeds don´t have. Like the mom of my puppies who isn´t typical showbeardie, there is still variation in lines in that sector also. If there is variation in showlines it means there is even more in working stock. We have the opportunity to in co operation with breed clubs, genetic researchers and, breeders, owners of worker beardies pick exactly those genetically interesting, breed typical and mentally balanced dogs that would benefit our breed and use them as a cure for today´s bottleneck. That is great! We are given a chance to correct our wrong decisions! We should already have enough knowledge to put secondary subjects aside and concentrate on the overall picture. Better future starts with grown-up and responsible behaviour with an ability to acknowledge the mistakes that have been done.

Beauty of a beardie should not be hidden under overlong coat.
It still is the "villakoiran ydin" ( a finnish saying of pointing out that the most important part that makes those woolly balls behind doors and under sofas is the tiny particle that starts to collect beardie hair around it, making the hair easier to clean up from the floor) That tiny particle is beardies special way of beeing a dog, something special and definitely worth to treasure.


Pictures taken on last Sunday hiking in the beautiful archipelago of Raahe while there was -17 degrees. This 3 hour hiking is easy for these happy creatures and they make my outdoor life more meaningfull and satisfying. Good company is hard to find, I´m happy that I´ve found it.

Winter pictures

Can´t think of anything better to do on sunday than walking on ice in good company and enjoying the rare January sun. Our oldest beardie, Ruuti, must be left home because she can´t walk too good nowadays, but the younger ones love these free walkings and are always ready to come along.

Link 1

Link 2 Some days older pics of Memma.