Cold days

We have bought socks for Elbereth. When we are out walking in minus 22 centigrades, she is much more happy with socks on her feet. They are very thin and they can't add any warmth, so the positive effect must be from keeping her feet dry and free from ice.  We are happy as long as she is happy.

Yesterday we went to the dog club for the first training session in 2010. Six dogs were present, but it was much too cold to work on obedience, so the dogs were allowed to socialize for some minutes and then we all went home.  Jan Erik had brought Zazza along for the first time and they promised to come back when the weather turns more favorable for outdoor activities.  We are looking forward to getting better aquainted.

On cold days Elbereth prefers to stay in front of the heating source.

Making new friends at the end of the year

Elbereth has had a wonderful Jul. She has enjoyed lots and lots of powdery snow, having her people at home all day and making new friends.
The daughter of a neighbor came home for the holidays with a pack of dogs, mostly Border Collies. Elbereth played with them all, but loved most being with the two ten week old puppies.

We borrowed IQ (his given name) for a couple of hours

Then we borrowed Rubin for a walk

At the last day of the year Zazza came to visit - and yes, she is a lovely, young Picard!!!

Yesterday we received a phone call from Jan Erik in Drammen. He told us that he is the owner of a Picard, Zazza, who is five months old and born in Sweden. What a wonderful surprise! We had wanted to get in touch with other Picard owners, but didn't dream that there would be any that close. And today they have been visiting. Zazza is a beautiful little girl. Her coat is a mix of dark and light (brindle?). She is at that age where they have very long legs and very big ears. She and Elbereth got along very well. We are looking forward to seeing much more of her the coming year.

We are staying at home tonight, hoping that Elbereth will not be scared by the fireworks, but having contingency plans ready. :-) Our primary wish for the new year is that Elbereth knees will get well and stay well. She is now being medicated for her right hind knee which she hurt right some time the last week (it was her left hind knee she hurt in November).

We wish all Picards and Picard owners,
four- and two-legged friends and family
a Joyful and Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays to all!!!

Elbereth celebrated 9 months on X-mas eve. She got her perfect gift; lots and lots of new, fluffy, white snow to play in. Click here to see Elbereth play in the snow.

In the evening, our traditional Yuletide family feast kept her on her toes almost all night. As the evening wore on, she started nodding in our midst, but wasn't able to give in to sleep until around ten o'clock. After all the guest had left, we went for an after midnight stroll along almost empty roads while Elbereth jumped around our legs trying to catch our frozen breaths. This morning we woke up to even more snow and the sound of dogs on the road, it will be fun holidays for us all.

We wish all our friends happy holidays and a wonderful midwinter feast!!!

December brings better moods

The last Sunday in November, Elbereth's knee was finally up to longer walks again, and we went for a long walk in the woods along paths new to us. All the while thinking of our Picard-familiy in Germany who were attending their traditional Advent-spaziergang the same day.  We felt a little alone, but the trees were frosted and the woods seemed enchanted and bore tidings of better weather the coming month - that lifted our spirits.

That same evening, snow started to fall and the next morning the world was wintery again. After work I took Elbereth out for a walk, and decided I needed to try walking her along the roads. I have mostly avoided this  because of the way she has behaved towards passing cars since we got her. The first she did when we came out the door was to bark at her favorite neighbor - she absolutely adores him, but this time he was holding a dangerous snow shuffle and she obviously doesn't see well in the dark. After she realized who it was, she crawled over to him to be scratched under her chin.

We then proceeded down to the main road which had a lot of passing cars at this time of night. Up until this time I had not had one walk with Elbereth ignoring passing cars, but this walk was the turning point for me. She sniffed her way along the pavement only occasionally looking at a car, but no barking and no pulling. We were almost home again when she barked for the second time on this walk. It was a really scary stone, the size of a shoebox, with a hat of snow on top. :-) I was so relieved after this walk and it was another reminder to be patient and peristent and remember that Things Take Time.

November - that awful month

The second day of November Elbereth hurt her knee. We are not sure how, as we think it must have happened indoor while none of us were present, but we suspect a combination of a passing cat and a slippery hard wood floor has some of the blame. We were off to the vet's in a matter of minutes when we disovered she was walking on three legs. After drugging and examing her, the vet concluded with a hurt knee (some relief) and prescribed pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs and rest. Walking only on leash for ten days. :-(

Already the next morning Elbereth starting putting her hurt leg on the floor again, but she favored the leg for at least a month. Our walks in the woods became short and rare. As the weather was typically for the month, cold - wet - dark - awful, it didn't matter much. And it gave us the push we needed to work on Elbereth's behavior towards passing cars and people. We took her to the city (if Drammen can be called such) and walked the most popular route.  Tom also started walking her more alone along the trafficated roads in our area. And he reported progress.

Elbereth is now on YouTube

2009-10-31 Elbereth on her Halloween-hike

Elbereth has recently started to perch on top of rocks in the forest. She is obviously aware that I like her doing that, because she jumps onto every suitable rock and stares expectantly at me. And of course I immediately give her a treat.

 

My new camera allows me to record film and I have started experimenting with it. The quality is not very good yet, I move to much and do other stupid stuff, but under are links to the best three from october.  

NB! When the video page opens, you should hit pause immediately and wait for the whole movie to upload before pressing Play again. Then the whole thing will play more smoothely.

• Youtube-movie: 2009-10-11 Elbereth and the sand quarry
• YouTube-movie 2009-10-14 Elbereth and ice on the puddles
• YouTube-move: 2009-10-31 Elbereth on ice (not quite Bambi, but...)

Elbereth - the nose

Today Elebereth has been tracking in the woods for the first time.  She has of course followed scent trails on her own initiative many times before, but this time we practised with Kjersti from Klikkerglede.com.

Kjersti started the first trail by dragging one of Elbereth's toys behind her. She went out of sight for a little while and then reappeared from another direction. When she came back to us, she showed Elbereth her empty hands - no toy - and Tom put Elbereth on the trail. She needed no instructions, put her nose to the ground and went ahead - a little to fast and then suddenly she had lost the trail and had to sniff around a few seconds before she was on it again. Tom was instructed to make sure she couldn't go so fast. She then sniffed her way to the toy, barely nodded her head at it and continued to track Kjersti's trail back to the starting point. Then it was my turn making a trail. No problems this time, except that she again didn't stop at the point we defined as the end of the trail. The toy didn't interest her, and when I left a little heap of food, she didn't care for that either. She just went on following my trail back to the start and it seemed that she had great fun.

Kjersti was impressed with Elbereth - that she figured out right ahead what she was excpected to do - and told us to go right ahead with longer trails the next time. We will, maybe already this evening. :-)

Elbereth and Kjersti
after the third trail was successfully completed.