Rissas Reporting

Seven Weeks Old

Cami — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:41:00 +0100

Cami's plan to stop my breastfeeding has not succeeded: once a day I nurse my puppies their nightsupper. I still love and take care of my puppies: I just don't understand mothers that abandon their children in their early development phase. This is the age when Finnish Kennelclub allows breeders to give out the puppies. All too early, if you ask my opinion! You can see my good influence from my puppies: they are all very self-confident, social and they are all very high quality of beaty and healthy. Ardebil is still the packleader, because he is the fastest and strongest; second in order is Abrash with the same qualities. Arabesk and Afshar would be perfect for agility games: they both are most agile. Abade is the most calm of the litter: he is always the first to fall into sleep.

Weekend with friends

Cami — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:20:00 +0100

When Cami brutally left me and my puppies on Thursday evening and left to Munich, we started to protest. We have nothing against of Mika's mum, (who took a day off from work to take care of us on Friday) but my puppies are quite demanding in this development phase. I helped Sirpa as much as I could on Friday, but for my relief of workload, on Saturday we got extra help from our friends from Estonia. Kerli has taken care of me since I was only 3 months old. She invented me my first nickname "Kikkura" by my curly tail. Kerli's mum Maire is a professional with animals and specially with dogs. So from Saturday I started to enjoy my weekend. On Sunday afternoon Cami came back with Mika, so I thought now the weekend is perfect. Unfortunately my family took our friends from "Farlanders" (Kerli's kennelname) away with a car fo the ferry almoust as soon as they arrived. Cami got some good advise from our visitors, which chainged her plans a bit.

Six weeks old

Cami — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:27:00 +0100

Puppies have visited outside and got introduction to the element called snow. Cami made a track to the snow and tested, which one the puppies follows best: me Ciara or Cami. Cami won the game of following the leader, because she took advantage of puppies following familiar noices. I would say, she cheated, because basenjis seldom make any kind of noice, when they want their pack to follow them: basenjis hunt in a silence! Puppies started also training to be alone (first in pairs) in the transportbox with closed door for a few minutes.

Now it is time to stop breastfeeding: we made it gently by decreasing the milk delivery times every day in a week. I still play with my babies by wearing a jacket protecting my breasts. You should have seen Cami's expression - which was full of love and respect for me - when I brought toys one by one for my puppies from the toybox -> so that they would learn to play with the toys more than wrestling and arguing with eachothers. Yes, I still care my babies!

Positive Feedback

Cami — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:43:00 +0100

We were so proud, when visitors gave us lot of positive feedback on the weekend! We got visitors from children to senior citizen ( = excellent socializing training), but this time there were lot of basenji experience in the background of some visitors. When an experienced person gives high markings of temperament, beaty and quality of the litter, it is more valued than normal gratitude. Now the feeding is balanced with my milk and puppy food - thanks to the advise of my breeder Henriette from Liljeborgs; she has been very supportive from the beginning! Soon the roles will change: Cami has to take the main responsibility and I'll just supervise her. My mother instincs are still strong by protecting my puppies, even if the hormone level has got lower.A group photo session will be arranged, when the litter will turn 6 weeks.

Five Weeks Old

Cami — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:36:00 +0100

My puppies still prefer my milk instead of puppy food and I have nothing against it. Cami tries to find out the right Gourmet-food to change this situation. Cami has also started the collar training as well as playing with special agility baby tunnel => my puppies did not like wearing collars, but they surely loved agility tunnel!

The age of the puppies is the best time for behavioral lessons and me to be a model dog for them. I think that the mother basenji is the only one who can gently (but firmly) guide the puppies through basic behavioral models and give them a feeling of safetyness. Without the feeling of safetyness and a strong parential model, the puppies may get poor self-confidence, which may cause behaviour problems when they get older. That is why I wonder why only 20% of Basenji breeders in Finland allow their basenji puppies to enjoy company of mothers after age of five week. Most breeders separate mothers and puppies at this age. Perhaps they have not thought basic needs of the mother and puppies?

Four Weeks Old

Cami — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:24:00 +0100

Now my puppies have basenji typical expressions: curly tail and wrinkles in forehead. They develop more beatiful every day! New photo session will be arranged on weekend. My hostess has started their training: Cami whistles every time, when she brings food. So that the basenji puppy will learn, that whistle mean "Come here!". It is the most important command for a basenji when keeping it running free outside. Puppies has also started companionship training with other dogs - that mean with family members Nala and Simba. The older dogs keeps their distance to the puppy, but still they are curious to observe "the little moving thing" as they might think about a basenji puppy.

Three Weeks Old

Cami — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:23:00 +0100

My puppies has started to play. Their teeth has also grown. Now they have started to show their differences of personality: Ardebil is a natural pack leader, Abade is most playful, Arabesk behaves nicest, Afshar is most peaceful and Abrash is most social. The puppies have started the toilet training (toilet paper covered corner in the puppy room) in a good way. They also started to taste some baby food, but only little, because they love my milk more. New basenji puppy photos in photo gallery

Their Eyes Are Open

Cami — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:22:00 +0100

Ardebil and Abrash opened their eyes on Thursday and rest of the basenji puppies on Friday. A new photo session was arranged to celebrate the eye opening phase. Puppies are in the middle of strong development phase both in pigmentation and ears. Now they have their own impressions, like Afshar in the photo hereby. More puppy photos in photo gallery

Two Weeks Old

Cami — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:28:00 +0100

The puppies have increased their size as double every week. Soon they will be bigger than I am, if they keep on growing so fast! Their eyes will open any day now - I guess on weekend it happens. There has been change of roles in the litter, when Ardebil has taken the leader position from Abrash. He is now the one, who tires to climb up to my hostes laps when she is checking the status of puppy box. Ardebil is now the strongest and fastest of the litter. New puppy photos will be captured as soon as puppies open their eyes!

These Puppies Are Made For Running

Cami — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 13:03:00 +0100

On the weekend the puppies started to use their feets in order to move faster. Of course, their balance is instabile, but cause of their enthusiasm to move, Cami had to increase the size of the puppy box as double. Abrash (f) is at the moment the fastest in development and movement. Abrash does not only look like her Ruben-father, but she has as huge appetite (I don't like her sugging force, when breastfeeding them!) and react positively to human attention (already!). Ruben is exceptional social for people and dogs as a basenji

From my side these puppies are from runner family in the third generation. My father Manu was the fastest basenji male in Finland and my mother was one of the first basenjis in Sweden to gain inofficial (=basenjis are not allowed to compete official in Sweden) lure coursing championship. My puppies father Ruben is as fast as me in the track, but he is much stronger both mentally (winning desire) and physically (indomitable), when I'm more agile.

My hostess also noticed that some of the puppies has tricolor factor: you can notice it from the black color in the basenji puppy's tail. That black color will faint when the puppy mature, but it is useful information for breeders interested of certain basenji colors. Abade (m), Arabesk (f), Afshar (f) carries the tricolor gene - they also have inherited my beatiful color of coat. Later on Abrash (f) got the same tricolor marking on her tail.

Basenji puppies 1 week old

Cami — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:07:00 +0100

Today it is exactly one week when I gave birth to my 2 sons and 3 daughters. My children has grown a double since then. They got their first manicure, because their nails has grown quite fast and that does not feel nice, when I'm nursing them.

Registernames decided

Cami — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:49:00 +0100

Today the godparents (family Nissilä) came to announce and celebrate the naming of my puppies. The theme of Aittakankaan A-litter is persian quality rugs (called also oriental rugs). Therefore the first group photo of my 4 days old puppies was taken on a persian tribal rug (photo added later on in the Aittakankaan A-litter photo gallery) . The name giving for each puppy was based to the colors and look of it. Boys got masculine registernames and girls feminine registernames. Only one name was decided beforehand and that was Aittakankaan Abrash, which went to the girl who reminds most of his father Ruben ( by look and manners). The girl named Arabesk reminds most of me by look.

Basenji Puppies Born

Cami — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:29:00 +0100

I'm proud to anounce that my babies are born: 2 boys and 3 girls - all the equal high quality. Esa Nissilä was the most experienced doctor: everything went smoothly just like in theory books (and even better!) THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR HELP ESA and I'm sorry to wake you up so early this morning (but the mother nature does not ask time, when puppy delivery is concidered). There will be puppy pic's soon in the Kennel pages and one can follow the live web-camera as well!

Building Nest For My Basenji Puppies

Cami — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:25:00 +0100

Today I decided to build a nest of my own for the puppies - even if Cami has prepared the official version. My nest was based on the furry rug which Mika bought specially for me. Cami started to suspect that I'm starting to labor a week too early and phoned to veterinary. Of course, she had the false alarm and both veterinary and our friend Esa had to calm my hostess down. Meanwhile my master Mika is enjoying scuba diving in Indian Ocean near by Maledives. The weather there is warm: over +30 Celsius.

Two Weeks Left For Basenji Puppies

Cami — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:51:00 +0100

There are only two weeks left for my puppies estimated birthday. My waistline has increased over 10 cm. My hostess refuses to put any pictures of my big belly to internet, because she dislikes photos of bregnant animals or people. The puppy room is prepared with web-camera, so that it will be easy to follow the development of my puppies. The web cam is now in testing phase until puppies born. My hostess don't want to show the birth of my puppies, because she dislikes showing blood. Cami is not sure if she will faint when I start giving birth. Luckily bitches from Liljeborgs basenjis have been supermums, so they have not needed any help of human's, when fertilization, giving birth or motherhood is considered.

Celebration and worm prevention

Cami — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:55:00 +0100

Fortunately today is Simba's (the Corgi) 9th birthday, so we all (Simba, Nala and me) got B'day cake specially prepared to us. The specialists estimated that Simba will achieve maximum 6-8 years old - thanks to inborn heart hyperthyroidism - so every year from now on are very precious.

I started my second treatment to prevent my puppies to get any worms. There are no upper limit of worm medicine so my owner has decided to give double amount and as often as recommended, because this is the easiest way to protect my puppies.

New Year 2010

Cami — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:57:00 +0100

My waistline has already increased with 5 cm, which indicates that I'm expecting a lot of basenji puppies. Even if the new regulations limit the new year's rocket performance time and I'm not afraid of banging noices, we will spend our new year eve in the country side for poor Nala's sake.

May the new year preserve all that you love,
may it bring all what you need and
take away what you carry as a burden.

Happy B'Day Liljeborgs G-litter!

Mika — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:29:00 +0100

Today is my and my sisters (Gloria, Mille, Alice) and brothers (Jambo, Seppe, Dollar) birthday. I have met Jambo, when I was 8 months old and Gloria, when I was 2,5-years old - both in a dog show in Norrköping (Sweden). I'll enjoy my B'Day cake with 4 wieners in the afternoon. We will visit our friends family Nissilä in Kirkkonummi: maybe this time I'll jodel 4 times, when I meet them, because number 4 is today popular

Christmas 2009

Cami — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:22:00 +0100

This year I have a special Christmas wish for Santa Claus: give me healthy and easy puppies on January! Help us to find loving homes with common sense, understanding the basenji temperament and activity needs. Give me chance to quide my kids the proper start of living: enough self-confidence and courage to meet every day challenges, initiative thinking to avoid problems and a lot of adaptability and sense of humor to meet the new owners odd manners.

Sending lot of X-mas yodels to all my friends!

Lucky Day

Mika — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:50:00 +0100

This was my lucky day, because after a months break I finally met my nine-year-old Munich Basenji friend Tsula (Jangua G'Tsula). We played together and with other dogs in our one hour walk in English Garden. The temperature was +10 C, even if it was cloudy and December! Tsula is now in better condition than I am, but I'll try to improve a bit. This time I was more eager to get some tidbids than normally. My developing puppies need a lot of food!

Finally Free!

Cami — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:41:00 +0100

I have been about 3 weeks connected to the dog leash. Finally this afternoon I was let to run free in Ottobrunn nature park, after ensured that no male dogs around 1 km, because even if I'm not more interested of males, but they are still interested of me. Mika took some videos with his new HD camera and put the worst one (I hated to stand still on command and I show that clearly in the video shot) in the public YouTube with the name Ciara the Basenji. Only thing you can observe from the video was the fact that we had a lovely weather today.

Yesterday Cami took me to the veterinary in order to get the stample of echinococcus treatment in my animal passport, which is compulsory, when travelling to Finland. Same time I had clinical examination and the vet said that I already have some minor pregnancy symptoms. I have learned from Nala that you have to be acting as nice as possible in the veterinary in order to get out as soon as possible. You have to be out of your mind, if you love to visit doctors!

We are travelling together with Cami by train and ferry to Finland from 17th December, so that we are finally in Finland on 19th December. We are looking forward to the X-mas in Finland!

Basenji Puppies Expected 23rd January 2010

Cami — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:59:00 +0100

Ruben and I knew immediately what to do, when we met. We have been planning this from last March, when we flirted with each others in Zurich Zoo together. Our owners has been planning the wedding for some longer time, before they arranged our first date. Of course, we had met the first time briefly in a Finnish dog show last year (where Ruben was judged Best of Breed and I was Best Opposite Sex - the same happened in Switzerland this year), but dog shows are totally wrong place to arrange a romantic date.

My hostess decided that no progesterone tests were needed, due to the reason that I'm so predictable and one can read my signs very easily. Cami hopes that there won't be many puppies, so that I don't have to suffer. I'm in the first position in her priorities, so she is not so disappointed, if there won't be any puppies. Though my signs are now more pro puppies: I became so relaxed and satisfied after the weekend.

Thank you Nora Lindqvist to let this happen and thank you Esa Nissilä for your support!

Wedding On Weekend

Cami — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:11:00 +0100

Yesterday I declared that now it would be suitable time for pairing: no doubt of that! So we reserved an appointment with Ruben for the weekend. Ruben has already three litters in UK so he is experienced.

For me this will be my first (and Cami hopes that it will be also the last) litter, but it seems to be so, that my hostess is more nervous than I am. This morning she packed the luggage when she believed that it is already Friday Fortunately my master has his legs on earth!

Cami did some calculations and noticed that the puppies can be delivered to their new homes just for Eastern holidays when they are 10 weeks old (if someone does not want to collect the puppy two weeks earlier). Then she has better time to educate the puppies ready by the clicking training method like Nala, as a puppy, was successful done by the breeder. My puppies (with Kennelname Aittakankaan) will born in the city of Espoo, which is situated about 15 km from Helsinki. Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes as planned!

My Puppy Plans

Cami — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:01:00 +0100

Nobody has asked directly from me about MY puppy plans! I would like to have puppies with every handsome and virile male in town! Even today, when a daddy-candidate (= a Bernese Mountain Dog) came to offer his help of breeding puppies, Cami brutally alarmed him off. I tried to motivate the male by signaling, that the breeding will be more successful, if he would wait for a couple of days (and meanwhile I try to get rid of my hostess).

First of all, we disagree with Cami, that the daddy candidate have to be a Basenji like myself. If the temperament of a male would be so important to Cami as she claims, then she would choose another, more sympathetic, dog breed as a male candidate. When putting the breed as the first condition and their character as the second, she got under 10% of basenji males to choose from. All too few, if you ask from me.

Of course, we both would like to have very healthy male as a daddy for my puppies, otherwise the puppies won't live a happy life. But Cami has wrong way to check the health by checking the health test results and corresponded with the owners extensively. She knows that the most common basenji healthy problems are not shown in tests or the owner does not know like: allergy, hormonal problems, lack of infection immunity and accident vulnerability. My nose would tell that immediately!

Finally, we both have the same idea of the appearance: the male should remind of my dad Manu: masculine with strong muscles. There are a lot of Rhodesian Ridgebacks with those appearance qualities, but again, we disagree of the first condition (a Basenji).

My seasons has begun!

Cami — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 +0100

My folks has acted strange recently. They have checked my back part more than once a day. Even if I use to check other dogs geneticists quite often, it hasn't been so obvious. This morning they were very happy to notice that I'm in heat. Earlier years they haven't put so big interest to my seasons: only male dogs has been interested.

So Ruben: I'm looking forward to our wedding