At Paula's Grannie's

Paula, Daniel, and I visited Paula's grandmother today. Paula's mother was also there. It was a nice visit, not only because I got some liver pate. It is always nice to visit places where you seldom are. I have been to Paula's grandmother's house before, but it was a while ago. We will have to see when I can come again. Liver pate is always tasty.

Corroding Lamp Posts

Some people say that there is a problem with male dogs urinating on lamp posts. The reason would be that the urine makes the steel that the lamp posts are made of corrode. There are some ideas on how to save the lamp posts, but none that are hailed with great gratitude by the lamp post owners.

I never urinate on lamp posts, I am no male dog. Dad does once in a while, though. I think an easy solution could be to just wrap the lower parts of the lamp posts in some plastic coating. It should not be more complicated than that.

Paula at Work

It feels like Paula just came home from America, but she left us again tonight. This time, it is only for the night. She went to work at the hospital. Nevertheless, I miss her more than I usually do, since she was gone for so long just recently. We will have to greet her in a nice way tomorrow morning when she gets home.

Early Morning

We got up early this morning, despite getting back one hour by the clock taken from us this spring. Paula and Daniel worked at an unofficial dog show and had to be there early. Some of us dogs came along. We were not shown, however. It would be of no use to show me at such a show, since you cannot get any certificate there, which is what I need to become a champion. Daniel and Paula thought it was fairly interesting anyway.

Loss

Paula and April got home today. Mum, Dad, and I came with Daniel to the airport to pick them up.

However, an important person left us today, too. Paula's dear grandfather left this life. We mourn with Paula.

Red Hair

Most Shiba Inus have red coat, but some, like Dad and myself, are predominantly black. Humans are different. The most common human hair colour is black, though there are people who hav brown, blonde or red hair. Red hair is the most uncommon colour. I am told Daniel's dad used to have red hair, before it went white with age. Recent DNA studies have now shown that even the now extinct Neanterthals - a different branch of humans - could have red hair.

This is interesting, it seems to show red har can originate in different branches of a species. Black and tan in Shiba Inus is a recessive gene, so I have no genes carrying the red coat colour. If I would get pups by a black and tan male Shiba Inu, we could not get red coated pups, unless there would be a mutation. Mutations are rare and far in between, but it has occured to me that there may be red coated pups anyway by a combination of two black and tans, in the unlikely event that there would be a mutation in the genes about coat colour. I would never expect this to happen to me, but it is interesting to think about it anyway.

Hunting Season

Sometimes, I wish I was a hunting dog, helping out in the hunt for big game in the forests at this time of the year. I believe I have some talent for it, but I do not know how much. However, neither Daniel nor Paula hunts, so it seems like I will never try. Perhaps it is not as fun as it seems to be when you hear about it? I guess I hope so.

Relatives in America

On the daily updates we receive from Paula and April, we got to know that they went back from California to Washington today. They stopped in Oregon on the way, to visit seven weeks old grandchilden of Mum. This means these pups are my nieces and nephews. Mum sent a special greeting back to the pups, to be delivered by Paula.

It seems like a long time ago that I was so young, yet it is not more than about two years ago. I am still young, but not that young, today I am an experienced young lady. Mum says I am not yet in the prime time of my life, but somehow, I believe I always am. I cannot help feeling happy about life.

I wonder if I will ever meet all of my relatives. Both Mum and Dad have many children besides me. I hope I can get to America sometime, like April. Maybe I can meet some relatives if I do.

It Is Not Over Yet

The result of the Formula 1 World Championships is not final yet. There were questions on the fuel temperature of the Williams and BMW Sauber cars. The stewards of the race decided that there were not enough evidence to justify sanctions, but this decision may ye be appealed. If it is overturned and the questinoed cars are disqualified, Lewis Hamilton will get enough points from the race to beat Kimi Räikkönen to the title. I cannot understand why this have to be debated. Of course there is the honour of winning and it involves some prize money and perhaps better sponsor deals, but a subsequent questioning of the result like this would be unheard of for example at dog shows. Especially if you have to appeal a decision by the sewards in order to become a champion, you are not a worthy winner. I hope there will be no appeal. Lewis Hamilton seems to be talented enough to become a champion later, anyway.

Winners

Well, South Africa won the Rugby World Cup. This is nice for us in a way, since the name of our kennel, Aangenaam, is in Afrikans, one of the official languages of South Africa. On the other hand, this is about as South African as we are. Paula and Daniel thought it was a nice word with a nice meaning. The fact that the name comes first in most alphabtical lists is nothing that they thought of in advance, but still nice.

Kimi Räikkönen from Sweden's neighbour country Finland won the Formula 1 world championship in his Ferrari. It was an exciting race to watch, even though the pancake that Daniel ate while watching drew a lot of attention from us dogs as well. We got to taste some, but just small bits. Daniel said we had already had food, which was true, but a pancake is always a pancake. Well, we were happy with Räikkönen anyway.

Finals

It is the final of the Rugby World Cup today, England versus South Africa. Argentina beat France in the bronze game yesterday. Tomorrow is the final race in the Formula 1 World Championship, and there are three drivers who have a theoretical chance at the title: Hamilton (GBR), Alonso (ESP), and Räikkönen (FIN). An exciting weekend, but since there are not much interest in these sports in Sweden - especially not in rugby though that World Cup is the third largest sports event in the world - there is not much hype in mass media here. This is all right with me. My favourite form of competition is dog shows, but they never say anything about dog the results at dog shows in mass media.

Friday, At Last

When Paula is off on her holiday, we dogs have to be alone at home more than usual. Daniel has worked from home a lot, but he has still had to go to work many times. This was the last time this week, though, since it is Friday. Now I find a greater joy that the weekend is here than I usually do. Paula and April will be back in a week from now, we are all looking forward to that.

Canine Walk of Fame

Famous dogs of the entertainment world will get their own Walk of Fame at Battersea Park in London, England. It is about time. Dogs are so important in society and entertainment that it is surprising this has not happened before. I assume a lot of people and dogs will go to this Walk of Fame to honur the dog heroes and heroines whose names will be displayed there. I know I would like to. We will have to see if I ever get to England. Paula has a dream about showing a dog at Cruft's sometime, maybe I will be fortunate enough to fulfill that dream. Then we may be able to see this Walk of Fame at the same time.

Not Done Yet

Sweden only got a tie against Northern Ireland, 1-1, in the Euro qualification game today. If Sweden would have won, the team would have been qualified to the tournament next summer. I still guess it will be so. Norway won its game against Bosina-Herzegovina and may also be on its way to the tournament.

We Miss Paula and April

This is my 600th blog post. I do not feel like celebrating, though. There is a general blue mood in our house today. We miss Paula and April. I believe Dad misses Paula the most, whereas I am the one who miss my playmate April the most. We have heard from them, there were no problems on their journey to America and they feel fine. Still, we would rather like to have them at home. Right now, it feels like ages until they will return.

Daniel is glad for one thing, though, that he does not own any Ericsson shares. He did, some years ago. The price of Ericsson shares plumeted on the Stockholm Stock Exchange today, when it was disclosed that the profits of the company was much lower than expected. Maybe, just maybe, it is time to buy Ericsson shares now.

Paula and April Left for a While

Paula and April left us to go to America for a while. April is going to some dog shows over there. I would like to see America, too. Mum says she has had enough of travelling, she does not want to go back there. It is different for me, I have never seen Mum's and April's country of birth. I have been to Dad's home country, Norway, but that is much closer, a neighbour of Sweden. It is not the same thing as going to another continent. When I was really young, there was talk about me moving to the USA in a couple of years. There has not been as much talk about that lately. We will have to see what happens in the future.

Pet Killings

I am appalled at news from Puerto Rico. Cats and dogs have been collected from a housing scheme and thrown off a bridge to their deaths. While witnesses say some animals were already dead when thrown, they also say some were alive. A contractor hired to collect the animals would have taken them to a shelter, but did not. It turns out there was a no-animal policy in the housing scheme, but I can understand and support the outrage over the behaviour of the contractor. Even though it was wrong to live in a place with your cat or dog where you cannot have pets, there is simply no excuse for the cruelty shown by this contractor. I hope it never gets any other contract involving the transportation of animals.

Euro Qualifications

The national football teams of Europe played qualification games for the Euro 2008 championships tonight. The qualifications is almost finished. Sweden won its game against Liechtenstein by 3-0, leads its qualifying group, and most people believe Sweden will be qualified. Dad's home country Norway seems to have a bit harder to be qualified, third in its group now while only the two best teams will qualify, but it still has a chance. I hope both Sweden and Norway will make it. We will have to see what happens next. The qualifying rounds are over on the 21st of November.

Ups and Downs

Yesterday, we could read about the factual faults in Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth (I mentioned it in this blog). Today, it was announced that he will get the Nobel Peace Prize. How ironic. I just wonder what his movie has got to do with peace?

Paula and Daniel bought some pork tails today. While Paula was away for a while and Daniel watched TV, Dad pulled the bag with the tails down to the floor from the shelf where it lay. Unfortunately for him, Daniel heard him and took the tails away. Later this evening, we got a tail each to eat. Dad's disappointment was turned into joy. I wonder if he would have eaten more than one tail, had Daniel not heard him. I guess so, I would have. On the other hand, the rest of us may have wanted to share, which could have turned into a fight. Daniel's swift action took away the incentive to fight. That is a peace keeping action, Al Gore's movie is not.

Climate Changes?

There is a famous film by former US vice president Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, about the Earth's climate and that humans destroys the world by living in a way that makes the climate warmer. A High Court Justice in England has now ruled that this film may not be shown in schools without guidance giving the other side of the argument on nine disputed points. I think this is a good thing. I do not want to think humans, among those my own humans, are responsible for changes in the climate that among other things, would make polar bears drown. Furthermore, I like car rides. You often have to go far by car to get to dog show, and I like to go to dog shows. I would not want us to be forced to go less than we want to by car because of the changing climate.

I will not hold myself out to be an expert on natural science and the climate. Maybe Mr. Gore is right in most of the things he says in the film. However, as Daniel said, Mr. Gore is not a natural scientist himself, but a politician and as such interested in promoting one view rather than pointing at scientific doubts. Thus, I think it is fair that the film must not be shown in schools without giving the other side of the story.

Regardless of what may be the truth in the debate on climate change, nobody blames anything on us dogs. This is good.

Advertising

I have decided to send an e-mail to one of the largest Swedish news papers. This news paper offer to promote any blog, whose owner sends it an e-mail on a certain e-mail address. It does not say that there are any costs involved, so I thought: why not? I will send the e-mail right after publishing this blog post, then we will have to wait and see what will happen. I will let you know if I get any more news on the issue.

Exciting Season Finale

The Formula 1 World Championship season draws to an end. For the first time in many years, one of as many as three drivers may become champion when one race remains. Exciting, isn't it? The final race is the Brazilian Grand Prix on the 21st of October.

Another Champion in the Family

My broher Jiro became Swedish Show Champion yesterday! It is fantastic, this close to our second birthday. It was the first show for him after this birthday, thus he got the title on the very first attempt where he was eligible to fight for it. We have all congratulated him.

Linni's Birthday

The 4th of October is Auntie Linni's birthday. She turns six today. Hooray for Linni!

We thought we would celebrate on cinnamon buns. Linni claims this is the Cinnamon Bun Day because of her, but the rest of us are not sure she is right. However, we got better food to celebrate on, Paula and Daniel gave us minced meat. Meat is always a great treat.

Sputnik

Exactly fifty years from tomorrow, the first man made satellite was launched from what was then the Soviet Union. It was called Sputnik, Russian for co-traveller. Sputnik marks the start of what is sometimes called the space age, even though the space flights have become less spectacular since the last Moon landing in 1972.

You can celebrate Sputnik with a cinnamon bun, since the 4th of October is also the Cinnamon Bun Day in Sweden. In the 80's, this day was known in Sweden for resistance against a kind of socialization scheme that the Government imposed on the corporations, but that is such a long story that I do not want to outline it here. It is sufficient to say that I rather think of cinnamon buns than socialization schemes.

Was the Sabre Tooth Tiger Weak?

New research goes to prove that the extinct feline that goes by the name sabre tooth tiger had a weak bite. It was probably a very specialised hunter, vulnerable to changes in the eco system. When such changes occured, it was doomed. Since wolves and many dog breeds, such as the Shiba Inu, are generalists rather than specialists, I presume we will survive much longer. It feels good to be a canine rather than a feline.

Sewing

Paula is sewing tonight. She bought a nice red dress the other day that she felt would be even nicer with a black lining at the lower end. Paula is really good at sewing, unlike Daniel, who hardly knows how to put a thread on a needle. I do not know anything about sewing either. When you have such a great natural coat as Shiba Inus have, you do not need clothes, consequently, you do not need to sew.