Holy Christmas

It is Christmas :) Christmas, with all the wonderful things that come with it - good food, cakes and cookies, candles, decorated trees, gifts.. But the nicest thing of all is to be together with family. This year we are celebrating with Jurgita's parents - a part of Maja's "extended family". And Maja loves it: We are out a couple of hours every day, the rest of the time we are relaxing indoors. For Maja it is heaven on earth - everyone is collected more or less in the same room, no need to check where someone is, nothing to worry about, just relax and enjoy long, joyous, calm evenings in front of the fire place :)

The Armani Dog

I wish I was there to see this :)
Jurgita was out walking in town with Maja the other day. Maja loves these walks - it's a lot of things to sniff, a lot of people around, maybe even some compliments and some scratches to get. And there are lots of huge shop windows to look at and to see reflections in. This time she stopped by an Armani shop (sic) to look at either her own reflection or something in the window. Amazingly; the women working in the shop saw Maja through the window and fell so for her that she invited Maja and Jurgita in to the shop to cuddle Maja and show her to her colleagues. So, while the woman and Jurgita was talking, Maja was walking around and sniffing Armani shoes. Now.. I dare to bet a LOT that she is the only dog in Vilnius that has ever done THAT :D

And who says dogs and cats can't get along?

Just had to show you all this. It's not Maja, but I am sure she wouldn't mind a cat :)

A dead mouse

Me and Maja were out walking in the weekend when she suddenly fell behind a bit. I didn't pay very much attention to it - it was a "free" walk in nature, so she ran around as she wanted to herself. But suddenly I heard her bark - not the "boff-ing" that she usually makes, but some very high yelping. When I came to her, she was standing totally transfixed, staring at a dead mouse. I could see that mouses hole in the ground, and it seemed like it was a little bit dug, so maybe Maja had dug it up and caught her? Even so, she was really not happy about her catch; this was not at all things were supposed to be like. The mouse was supposed to breathe, and run, and play, not lie like that, not moving. I tried to call Maja to come, but she kept on staring and very carefully sniffing. When I pulled her away, she followed me for some steps, and then went back again. When I finally made her come, she was really not in the mood for any playing or wagging at all - she seemed quite upset, and it took me a minute or two and a snack to make her the usually happy dog.

Off, little naive Maja :) Really not a hunter and really not very used to the harsh realities of life..

Patience

Jurgita has been ill for some days, and had to stay at home with high fever. I managed to work from home a couple of days, but still I am tied to the chair somehow. All this time Maja has been the most patient dog :) Usually she is VERY eager to get up and out, but these days she has been so calm. I think she gets it: it is not because she is lazy that mummy doesn't get up and out, but because she is ill. And in that case - it is best to stay close to the bed and be a good companion. Such a good dog :) 

In general, she is so calm at home - usually she gets around 2 hours of walk every day, and some running and sniffing around in the garden. She is so full of joy and energy when we walk! And at home - so

The joy of reunion

More posts to come in the weekend, but in the meantime I cannot help but posting this video of an American soldier coming home from Afghanistan and meeting his dog again:

Have a look at the original Youtube-site to read his comments, it is worth it - they are thoughtful and touching. 

But - this is approximately what meets us every day when Maja has been alone for some hours and we come home :)

Run, run, run

Oh, I 've been away for quite a long time, and it has been a long time since last I posted anything here. I finally came home a little bit more than one week ago, and there are lots of things to write about .

I was good to come home. Good to come home to home after one and a half month in a hotel room, good to come home to my girlfriend, and good to come home to Maja - she went nuts :)

So many things to talk about, but for this post, let me restrict myself to today's walk. It is still a miracle - there is no trace of the limping that worried us for months and that in september was so bad that she almost couldn't walk. Nothing at all :) Maja is walking, running, playing, jumping, and having the time of her life :)

This evening we went fo along walk in town. For different reasons she hasn't played with any dogs for a while, so she really wants to run and say hi to any dog she meets. At the end of our walk, we passed by a park where she usually would meet some friends, and this evening we met a Labrador and a Beagle. This was actually one of the first times that I alone took her to the playing ground after her leg (somehow) became fine, and I still feel nervous about it - will it really stay that way?? I let her loose, and they were running so nicely - the labrador was the same size as Maja, no bumping or fighting, just running, running, happily running. And Beagle joined. Running, running, and Maja was the fastest of them all. She was always a "heavy runner", but now she is just flying. After a while though, it seemed like she got tired, and while Beagle and Labri ran off, Maja laid down to rest. My heart skipped a beat or two, because we have seen this before: other dogs continue to play, while Maja has to rest. I started to feel a bit worried, when... Wait.. That dog has short hair (remember - it was dark). Short hair.. That means that is Labri resting. Which means that the dog running like crazy over there is..... Maja :) No resting, no stopping, no limping, just overjoyed, happy running, running.

And when we broke up, Maja's tail was wagging in almost 180 degrees. I imagine she was proud: the fastest of all the dogs, and not tired at all. I couldn't help myself on the way home; I had to check a couple of times if she really wasn't limping, but nothing! It is so, so good! 

And now - happily sleeping on the floor :)

I just got these pictures from Jurgita - Maja was out on the countryside fighting the evil cows :D

Away

Out traveling again. New opera job, so I'll be away for one and a half month (luckily, I'll get home for two days next weekend). I miss my dog!! I miss the smell of dog, the sound of a wagging tale, small happy sounds, and a soft dog belly to scratch :)

It is funny though, that at the hotel where I am living, there is a dog show. The whole hotel is full of dogs, and I can hear dogs whining from several of my neighbor rooms.. :)

Today

Here are today's happenings:
We had a long and good morning walk. (No limping) 
Maja spent some hours on the lawn chewing on a stick

When I needed to do some work alone, I let Maja inside the house.  I hadn't noticed that the neighbor cat had sneaked in the open door, so when I came back to let Maja out, I found her and the cat face to face inside. When Maja is really excited, she always stuffs one of her toys in her mouth. She sooo wanted to get close to the cat and sniff it. The cat actually let her, but in the end it got a bit tired of the attention.

Evening we went for a loong walk again. It is such a miracle to see her walk happily ahead, without any, any limping. And in the end we barked at some really dangerous-looking cows.

After all this excitement, is it any strange that she is sleeping like dead in her bed already? :)

HAIR CUT

Maja received her first hair cut today, and you can see the result below :) She was almost starting to look a bit male lion-ish, with a huge mane around her neck. You can see bit of that on the pictures from some days ago. Now she looks like a dog from a proper, decent home, and she has a long and very lady-like neck. 

The lady that cut her thought that Maja has beautiful fur. That is almost strange to hear, just two-three months after her fur was so thin and so brittle that it made us really concerned :)

DUG

Next after Maja, this has to be the sweetest dog ever. And whenever I'll have time, I'll run off to see "UP" and more of Dug..

SQUIRREL

DUG

Next after Maja, this has to be the sweetest dog ever. End whenever I'll have time, I'll run off to see "UP" and more of Dug..

SQUIRREL

Miracle

The dog that was a geriatric patient with me for a week, is now walking so happily around, almost without any trace of limping at all. How that has happened is beyond my understanding. I know that she might get bad again, but for now we are just enjoying. We don't allow her to play with other dogs, and we try somehow to prevent her from jumping, but besides from that she is running happily around. yesterday we walked in town for almost two hours - I'm amazed her tail doesn't fall off, the way she is wagging. Life is great.

- Limping? Me? Oh, that is SO last week. Come on, let's go. Just follow me, I'll show you the way :)

Portraits

1 YEAR

WE GOT MAJA TODAY 1 YEAR AGO.

Now I could have gone on and on about how fantastic it has been to have a dog. But I actually think that I won't - it is enough to read the blog :) But I remember so clearly how we went to look at dogs and found this amazingly cute and a bit shy puppy - she became totally still when we picked her up. We "discussed" for another day, but we both knew we had lost our hearts to this little one. When we picked her up, she was brought in the trunk of a car - a little, white, scared ball of hair in the darkest corner of the trunk.  She sat on my lap in the car the two hours drive home, making strange sounds. We sopped once on the way and let her out on a lawn. She was jogging around, wagging happily and sniffing at this gigantic world that has suddenly appeared. Now and then she would return to us and then go off again ("off" then meant maybe 5 meters away).

We got her a bed and left her in the car for two hours while we went to a theater play. We were a bit nervous how she would take being left alone, but when we came back, she had fallen asleep. That bed became her safe, quiet place for the next days, as she slowly started to "explore" our appartment. To go to bed that evening and hear the breathing of a small dog beside us was special..

Thanks, Maja: It has been a great year :)

Duracell-bunny

Mummy came home yesterday, and the dog that has been an invalid together with me for the last week has been a Duracell-bunny today. She is so, so happy, and although she is limping a tiny little bit, it is just not the same dog - it cannot be the dog that has not been able to walk for more than 10 minutes for the last days. I cannot believe what I am seeing, but whatever: now we are all just enjoying the moment.

It has been a wonderful autumn day, so we went for a walk in the park. Maja has been running around with high head and high tail, sniffing here, running there, exploring the world as if it was new and fresh and tailor-made for a small dog. And picking sticks from the river.. And digging, digging, digging. The result you can see below:

Shot accident

- Maja, time for today's medicine needle..
- Really? 
- Yep.. No way around, I guess..
- Ok, I'll just lie down here in front of your feet.
- Wow.. I come with a needle, and you are wagging.. ?
- Well.. I guess you do it to be nice, after all? And I want to show I am a nice dog! But be careful, please!
- I'll try! So - collect some skin on the neck. Breathe deep. Needle in..
- WHIMP.... that hurt.. really! But, I'll bite my teeth together and lie still. Now, get it over with.
- Ouch, sorry about that! Just a little bit more.. Now, done! Really sorry about that.
- It did hurt a bit, but I tried my best! (Wag, wag). Now, can I get a goodie?? 

Home alone

Late Saturday evening, I am sitting by my computer and doing some stuff, and Maja is happily sleeping on the floor beside me after having spent almost the whole day outside.

Jurgita is gone for two weeks on a work trip, so I am a single parent for a while, which will both be nice and a little bit scary. It has been a while since last I posted anything, so I'll try to connect the threads in some longer postings the next days, but not all news are good news.

Maja's eyes have become almost normal again - it took quite some time, though. She was in perfect mood the day after eye operation, but her eyes were really red and swollen for more than a week. We were a bit nervous about it and wondering why it took so long, but with medication every day, she finally looks her old, beautiful self again.

It's quite worse news about her legs, and that is what worries me; she has dysplasia on at least one shoulder, which has led to arthritis. Not good, not good at all; lots of medication and patience awaits us.

But - more about that tomorrow. Maja is grunting in her sleep beside me and is the kindest and most beautiful dog in the world. So right now, all is well with the world :)

Recipe for instant happiness (serves 1 dog and 1-several persons):

1 dog /  water / a little fod / a good toy / a hug

JUST HAVE TO POST THIS ONE

How to ignore your little brother:

Before operation

Yes, it is operation day again.. Maja's eyes have been operated before - sometimes they are a little to full with yello yucky stuff, and they wanted to take away the reason for that. That first operation was not 100% successful (she was a bit better because of medicine, so they quite simply didn't see the full problem), so she is in again today. We have been delaying it a little bit, but now she has been free of other medicines and free of other problems for such a long time - it is time to fix it. It won't take long - an hour or so, but it is full narcosis, and afterwards her eyes will look red and horrible for a day or two. Now she is sleeping on the floor in front of my feet - we have had a really nice morning walk and she is happy (as she almost always is). She doesn't know what is coming up, poor. But, Maja, all will be fine soon, and your eyes will be much better :)

Two persons in a boat - and a dog

Yesterday we were in Trakai, a small historical town not far from Vilnius. The town is surrounded by one big and some smaller lakes, and you can rent boats to row around the several small islands and to see the castle from the seaside. It is fantastic, especially when the weather is as good as it was yesterday. A long walk first, then rent a boat. Maja behaved like an experienced sailor.. Well, almost.. She was a little bit shy at first, and found it best to hide her head between our feet, but she got used to it quite fast, enjoyed the view, and finally fell asleep in the bottom of the boat :)

How to walk slowly

How to slow down a walk when you are really, really tired :)

• First of all - walk slowly!
• Stop to say hi to every dog you see!
• Pretend that you need to pee, and spend a LOT of time searching for exactly the right place!
• Don't find the right place! That means you have to check the next lawn!
• When it all becomes too obvious - pee! You can still repeat the procedure for bigger things!
• Stop to drink anywhere where the ground is even remotely moist.
• Walk on the other side of lamp posts and trees - the confusion will give you some valuable seconds every time.
• Sniff at EVERYTHING! Especially flowers should be paid attention - your owner will think it is cute!
• Walk where it is difficult to walk - that naturally slows everything down.
• When everything else fails - just lie down :)

How does a dog drink?

How does a dog drink? With its mouth and tongue, of course, but really how? How does the water come in to the mouth? Sounds like a silly question, but I came across this video the other day, and it is really fascinating: It shows in slow motion exactly how a dog drinks :)

THIEF, THIEF

We had a small picnic party yesterday outside on the lawn - good friends, good wine, grill and some good meat. We had almost finished everything, just three small pieces of grilled pork was left on a plate, and we were all standing and talking about something else, our attention turned elsewhere, when we suddenly we discovered that Maja had taken a piece of meat from the (low) table and was happily chewing. Well.. too late to yell :) Our mistake - that is probably what you get when you place nice meat easily reachable - it's there to take, right?

It's not exactly behavior that we appreciate, but we really couldn't help laughing. It is the first time that she has ever stolen food, and she looked so incredibly happy with it :)

While talking about meat - we have been feeding her raw meat now and then lately (maybe that is why she considers meat "hers" now). She is really eager to get it, she literally snapped a piece out of Jurgita's hands the other day and ran away with a happy growl. Just to test, Jurgita went after her and took it away: no reaction, no growling, no protest. It is hers, but only because we choose to give it to her. Wonderful girl :)

THE OLD BED

Some few days ago we found Maja's old bed again. It was fun to see her with the bed, and to think that she once could curl up in a corner of it. And for Maja.. I think pictures speak more than words, here: look at that happy chewing with eyes closed.. Mmmmm... how good to get that old bed back :)

WATER DOG

This pisses me so off...

I just read an article in the Norwegian web newspaper Dagbladet, about people who leave their pets when they go for summer holiday. The police can tell about horrifying examples: cats put in plstic bags and dumped, dogs tied up alone in the forest, dogs thrown in the water with a stone bound to their neck or feet. I quite simply do note have words for it. About leaving your pet before the holiday: When you get a pet, you take a responsibility. You get someone that will live with you, be a part of your family, look up to you and TRUST you. You are the master of their lives. If you are not able or ready to take that responsibility, don't get a pet. If you end up in a situation where you cannot follow through, then take your pet to someone that will find it a new home.

About those that quite simply torture animals: It is unbelievable that the punishment for that is lower than for simple theft. If it was up to me, it would be prison for a year: not out of revenge, not because I am a biased dog owner, but because this such a horrifying attitude towards life and the value of life. I cannot image that people who do this are not a danger to people around them. And most of all because they kill or torture not for hunting, not for food, not for "sports", but out of pure "pleasure" and evil. I said "no revenge", but personally, I do feel a need for puling out their teeth or finger nails..

I could rant about this for ages, but let me try to be short: There is absolutely no excuse for this! You are despicable lowlifes that I never would be able to trust. Drop dead!!!

To those that spend their time, energy and money on saving hurt and left animals: I do sincerely believe that there is a special place in heaven for you :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY I

MAJA IS ONE YEAR TODAY

It is a big day for a small girl.. Oh, well, maybe it feels bigger for the owners. Maja has had a pretty nice day - playing a lot with one of her boyfriends, but besides from that I am not sure how much she is aware of her jubilee :) We haven't had her for a year, of course, only for about nine months, but it still feels like a day for some thoughts and "remembrances".

This is my first dog, so it naturally felt a bit strange for me: What will it be to have a dog at all?? Fun, troublesome, tiresome, what, what?? It has been a small miracle :) Sure, we have had our fair share of visits to the vet (and money used on that), our fair share of worries (about stomach infections, troublesome legs, troublesome eyes) and maybe some few moments when we though "oh, how much easier this would have been without a dog." 

But so much more important has been the joy of having her. She is always in a great mood, always ready for a hug, always happy to go for a walk and to meet people. There is a lot to lear about attitude here :) She had a rough start on her life - we now and then wonder if her siblings are still alive, and if they are - are they appreciated and loved? There are so many moments that I find touching - the joy she shows when we come home from work, how much fun she has on walks or playing with other dogs and how relaxed she seems in the evenings when she is tired and sleepy. I think she has become a very safe, secure and happy dog, and I am really happy about it - all dogs deserve to be!

I also quite often remember when we picked her up. The seller had put her in the trunk of his car. When he opened it, there was a small, white, scared furball that was curled up in the darkest corner. She sat in my lap on the long drive home and made small, strange sounds. When we let her out for the first pee, she said hi to some people, but came back to us again: I wonder if she already then had accepted us as owners, or at least found out that we were the best chance for some safety. 

It was maybe not the smartest thing to do, but we had tickets for a theater play that evening. So, we drove fast to a shop and got her a bed, and then left her alone in the car for two hours. But maybe it wasn't that disastrous: she at once got used to her bed as her safe place, and got a bit used to being alone. When we finally came home, the bed was already hers: she would curl up in a small corner there to sleep, nose tip and tail meeting and hidden. That was a HUUUUGE bed, we thought, but now it is almost strange to think that she fit in there. They grow so slowly and steadily that you just suddenly see that there is no way they can hide in the tiny little corner underneath the chair where she used to hide :)

And there have been things to learn for the humans, too. We have become great fans of Cesar Milan - the Dog Whisperer. We never took Maja to any classes, but she is pretty well behaving. Through watching Milan's series, we felt that we learned a lot about the relationship between dog and owners, about being steadfast, about walking with head high and broad shoulders. Not stupid - there are things here to learn for use in other parts of life, too.

So many small things to tell from this year.. But that is what this blog has been for! It is nice to be able to go back and look at joys and frustrations. And I have enjoyed writing :)

So - Maja: Happy birthday, even if you don't know (she is btw. wagging her tail in sleep beside me right now!). I'll end off this by posting (and re-posting) some pics from this year:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY II

We have only had Maja for nine months, but she is still one year, so I thought it was about time to create a small "non-inventory" - a list of things that she has destroyed during this time:
- some holes dug in the garden
- some tiny chewing marks on a table leg
- three soft toys (two dogs and a duck) chewed to pieces (but they are hers to chew!!)
- some pages of newspapers that were put aside for throwing..

AND THAT IS IT !!!! :) :) :) :) :) :)

Battleship swan

We were out walking here the other day when we came to a pond with swans. We decided to go to the waterside to have a look. They look absolutely amazing, and Maja was a bit curious, too. The were probably about 60 meters away from us, but one of them - when he saw us - came straight at us. Good lord, he looked like a battleship - straight course, full speed. When he came closer he spread his wings and made sounds like Sir Hiss - talk about being dominating, territorial and aggressive!! Maja watched in awe as he came closer, barked at him a little bit (hey - HE hissed first!!) and jumped a little back and forth - but in general it was safer to hide behind my legs. I don't blame her - I once fled myself from an angry swan ;)

Fountains of joy :)

We had a wonderful walk in town today, and Maja played with some small fountains in a square. Pretty skeptical at first - water coming up from the ground was something new, but after a while she was running happily around them, barking at them and trying to catch them :)

Today's lesson, though, is this: don't bark at a fountain while your head is right above it ;)