The cat always comes over for a pat when we pat dogs as well and no drama
Helane:
So these dogs are very adaptable (as most dogs) and fit into the family unit. They learn that the cats are part of the family and the cat will always win over a dog as far as smarts go from what I have seen.
The good things are don't need a wash as they have a wool coat. Bad thing is they need to be brushed in Spring daily to till they loose their winter coat. Good thing is they are intelligent and fun dogs. bad thing is they take work to train and need daily exercise. (its not like you will be out running them every 5 mins but a good walk each day.
We find they are a lot like kids, need to be stimulated and included otherwise they will get into trouble.
This is the checky nature of these dogs. When I came home from work one day found Wulf snoozing on my chair outside. She new she shouldn't be there but maybe Mum wont really see me. Yeah right.
Kulta and Brianna
Kulta born on 11/1/2013, Brianna is 2.5 years old
Helane:
They noticed the cat last night. Finally. They cat put them in their place. Now they give her a wide birth.
There are pros and cons, a puppy will cause disruption in you quiet life but their love and companionship is worth it. (my opinion of course haha)
I have found a air cell blanket that both the kids used in the cot and she can have that as her blanky.
They are getting really cute, running but still so small. Playing at being big dogs.
Helane:
Oz and NZ have got together to bring dogs over so the breed doesn't die out. It nearly did about 30 years ago so there is a world wide FS club to try and bring the bread back a bit. Trish will be bringing in a couple more dogs over the next couple of years to increase the line. We do not do in-breeding either, so its a 10 year plan to bring in different lines from around the world for Oz and NZ. We may have a litter in a couple of years but that would be it for us. Just happy to have them back in NZ. Dad (Riley) came from England last year. His brother is current champ over there.
Anyway enough of that. If you give me a mobile number I can pix pictures for you of Kulta and what she is up to. Are we saying it right. Sounds like quilta (which I am)?
I can probably find you a few clickers in the bin if you are interested. I know it works so give it a go, I just could never find one when I wanted it and I hated wearing it all the time. Some dried bits in a pocket or in bowls around the house was far easier for us. If you get some roast chicken for the first couple of days she will be your friend forever. They will bend over backwards for it. It is not part of their diet, it is like chocolate for them. I cant wait to see what happens to your cats to. She will never hurt them but the cats noses will be out of joint just the same.
You should start a blog.
Don't get the welping box I am sure we can train her to not need anything but the litter box and outside. Yes we leave them on their own. Will send pix of how we have it set out. Andrew barricades them in the dining room for the avo sleep and I leave them on the deck for their morning nap. The dining room is lino but Andrew didn't put newspaper down today and they were there 3 hours and no accidents when I came home. They all rushed outside to do their thing. Had their play and are all asleep again.
The problem we have is it is so fun to watch them that time slips away on us. This morning we had to run out the door and some nights we are all playing with them and I forget about getting dinner on. They are so cute and fun.
Helane:
Kulta is already interested in the cat but keeps her distance. Sits and watches her, will try and get a we vid of them. Cat sits on the floor with them and if one at a time come to her she is fine, its when all of them come sniffing she give a swipe. All have learned to be careful but one (Not yours and she is going to a none cat home) and all give her distance. She is a rescue cat and wont take any mischief. Good for the pups to learn to respect others. She will have Kulta well trained. But good for them to have some of their own space.
My best friend is a cat woman and she does the same with her cats and the shower. So you are not so strange as you think. When the others go we will put a kitty box in with newspaper and see if we can train her in that for you. She is very quick to learn, she was the first to understand that is she sits she gets a treat. Tonight we used some cooked chicken, and they went nuts. Cheese is good to or cooked sausage. Just something they don't normally get. Its like choc to us.
Yes pups are outside in a covered deck. It has been so hot up here and we have had no rain since they have been born. We had a kennel/welping box that they stared in but at about 3 weeks old they all just used it as a toilet box so we have a beanbag for them to sleep on and the newspaper at the corner. They seem happy. Our section is fenced and with the dog door they come and go. Even the cat uses it, but not with the pups out there. But in summer they like to be outside and come in later. You just have to think where you would like her long term and she will settle. I don't see that she wouldn't be able to hold on all night by the time you get her so would not think she will have any accidents.
We are lucky to have a vet up here who also does natural remedies, but to be fair we don't (touch wood) go to the vet. Til, who we imported Kiki from does minimum vaccines so I will ask her, I think you get the first one and that's it. We just get the blood test to see how them immune is and it has always been high and never needed more vaccines.
Will cover food in chapters 4 and 5 for you. haha
Helane:
At the moment they are turning into a brat pack. All together and into everything. Last night I cant have closed the gate enough and two got out at 5am this morning. I new about it as I heard 8 feet stampeding down the hall. They had come through the dog door and were looking for trouble. Hate to tell you that one was Kulta. Tonight I will have something jammed up against it to make sure. haha. It was kinda cute. I just let them all out to run around and play went back to bed and read my book until it was time to get up.
They are so much fun to watch, you kind of get lost in it.
She will dig but they don't seem to go down and under. They will dig themselves a nest in summer, usually somewhere cool under tree they can rest. But if it looks like she is making progress just an rim of concrete or stone should stop that.
She will try everything. Just don't spoil her to much to begin with and she will be a good grown up dog.
She comes already when called or I whistle and loves to please. Always a good start.
Pregnant and tell me she was hungry please
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Wulf guarding the strawberry plants I had just planted.
Family Photo :-)
Helane:
Toilet training we have already started a couple of weeks ago so by the time you get her she will be well trained. We use a couple of methods. When we get up at 6.30 we let them out straight onto the grass and let them have some toilet running around time for about 10 mins before breakfast and play. Then we let them in for inside play and the start to get tired about 8am when they go into their kennel for morning sleep and we are out the door. I have newspaper in a corner for if they need it during the night or day. Very good about using it. So you could put paper down anywhere you would like her to go and then she will get into a habit of going there. Our girls have a corner of the garden they use for poo and that's it. Then anytime they have a nap first thing I do when they get up is take them out to the grass and they have to pee before they come back in. We have very few accident inside, most days not. Just if I forget to take one out. The other thing you may want to invest in is a kiddy gate. You know the one, wooden you put in doorways to keep kids (dogs) out. We don't let the dogs up the hallway to bedrooms and now our girls just don't go there. Or maybe the kitchen, bedrooms? Our cat is allowed all over. It is also where she can come and go through our bedroom window and out back without dogs around. We are lucky to have our section into two, back vege garden. No dogs cat comes and goes. Main garden off lounge where dogs come and go. We have it fully fenced and a dog door. We let the cat up on the couch and chairs (how can you stop them) But dogs are on the ground. So as long as the cats have cat only areas, ie beds couch you will be ok.
I am unsure how you will work it as I don't know the layout of house and grounds but ultimately if you just lock her out in the kennel by herself all the time she will be unhappy and bark. If she has an area fenced from some part of your house so she can be let in for some family time and she can be out for some time that would work. It will come down to routine. If she learns this is how it is day in and day out she will settle. Hard to explain so I hope you got that. Although we have a dog door they sleep on a couple of sleeping bags on the covered deck. We have the pups in a cage (like the one you are looking at) on the deck at night and when we are out. But when we are home they are in and out of the house with us. But they also have each other to play with so she would look more to you for companionship and toys. Hope the kids are good at picking up after themselves, if not they soon will be. hehe. Mine have learnt the hard way. The Big kennel will deep her well safe when you are not there that is for sure.
We have also started training for coming and sitting. Food rewards is our training method and hand signals. I cannot recommend puppy training enough. Ifs not for the dog its for us owners. We learnt so much and its good socialising for the pup.
Kiki on left and Wulf on right. This used to be our beanbag but they love it so much it is their bed.
Helane:
A Finnish Spitz is a working dog so will require walks every day. We live in the middle of the city (Unfortunately) and although they are called the barking dog it is not for reasons people think. They are hunters who take their owners to the tree where the birds are and different barks let the owner know how far away they are from them.
We have found that, like children, if they are bored they will get into trouble. Bark, dig and chew. The first year of any dogs life if going to be lots of mischief, they are like toddlers with more legs to move even faster. But with training they make great family pets. Maybe its not the type of dog so much as the age for you. Any pup is going to be disruptive and a lot of work, but the long term is worth it. Or an older dog more settled?
As for having a FS as a first dog, we did. Nalle was our first baby, before the kids came along. We learnt a lot about ourselves and having a dog. Even though we had both grown up with dogs it is quiet different being responsible for one. When our beautiful Nalle passed away we could not find another FS in NZ and long story short we brought Kiki in from Canada. She was looking for a home and the breeder there sent her over in welp. The mother of this litter is Kiki's daughter from and the mother of Nalle has since brought a boy in. That is how much we love this bread. They are fun, good size (only med dog) and very cute. To be fair they are probably not the easiest first dog. (a quiet by the fire dog would be a Lab or Retriever) but they are worth the effort. What you put in in the beginning you will get out. Do some homework, let me know your thoughts. They end of April dose not worry us as we are more interested in a happy home for our dogs.
Cheers
Helane
PS yes that is a chicken bone, our dogs are raw fed
BUMMER, I can't seem to upload a video...
Helane:
The pups are eating like teenagers. Chicken is their main diet but they love rabbit. The easy feeding is what I got from Til, the lady who sent me Kiki from Canada and I still always refer to her for anything I am not sure of. We are feeding three times a day but will drop the lunch time feed at the end of next week and just do morning and night.
