Friday, 9th of June 2006

It took a couple of days for Manuel to recover and start feeling that this was his home, and who can blame him for that? He is an amazingly harmonical dog with a very steep graph when it comes to developing. "A new dog every day". Me and Manuel came to Sweden on the Thursday. I was really worn out since I had not been sleeping during the journey.

Once at home Manuel was troubled. He did not want to sleep, and left piles and pools here and there, and of course on our finest carpet. So I made a trick I had seen on Tv. I took one of his "creations" and put in the garden, so he could smell it. After that it was no problem... The first night he slept in an area we had fenced, and I slept close to him for some hours. But then he was calm and a sleep, so I moved to the bed-room.

We went to the vet for an examination, which is required if you want to have a full insurance. Manuel was calm and was sitting in his bag, with the head sticking out from the hatch on top. Everybody was charmed by him. He is such a cool guy. The examination was a joke. 425 SEK for somtehing that anybody could have performed, and that really could not have found that much at all! The vet also told me that his balls not was in place, but Silvia had told me that they were last week. Well I know that happens, they go back and forth into the stomache, but honestly I believe it was only the vet who could not do it the proper way.

Manuel was very early to inform os of that he needed to go out, but we did not really understand, so the result was a small puddle oustide the elevator, and then later also in the elevator. The weather was nie and we spent some hours in the garden in the evening. Manuel fell a sleep at last for several hours. Micke gave Manuel a shower, since Manuel did not really smell that well. During the night Micke went out one time with Manuel and I went out another. You meet a lot of your neighbours when you have a puppy. Also due to the fact that we spend a lot of time in the yard, since we do not want to go out that mucht - he is not fully vaccinated yet.

We put a lot of energy on cuddling, postive learning, touching him and the word "no". He is learning his name too. He is not much for contact. He does not raise his head when you want his attention, but I just have to be more patient. I am used to sheperd's dogs, and they have lost all instinct when it comes to that staring is to challenge. On the opposite they stare a lot, more than many other breeds, since they use it when herding. This is a new breed, and a new individual...

He now sleeps by him self without any protests, he has a soft rug to choose, but he prefers the cold floor in front of the tile stove. I fully understand that, since it is very warm and his coat is thick. He eats well, without throwing himself over the bowl. Food is often served outside. After sleeping, playing, eating we go out. Usually we carry him, and avoid an "accident" that way. He has no problems regarding the elevator at all.

Saturday, 10th of June 2006

We met the we met the chair of this housing cooperative, Bernt who is considering buying a miniature Schanuzer. So who knows, very soon here will be a dog-hullabaloo. Manuel has 2 gears. "ON" or "OFF", nothing in between. Micke had to learn that... Manuel ran like a maniac, and then threw himself flat down on the ground. Micke approached him to pick him up, .whereupon Manuel got a fit. Oo I laughed when I saw Micke's reaktion, he was totally surpised. Me and Manuel spent many hours in the garden when Mikael went shopping for some more pices of lattice gate. Today we the claws some fractions of a millimeter, and had our daily training of posing. Practise makes perfection.

Silvia told us today that it had went very well for Asayake, Goshi and Koi in Finland. Congratulations!

Sunday, 11th of June 2006

A normal dya with puddles, food, playing and sleeping. We also went to Björn (Ingela is in Shanghai) and met Golda. Manuel travelled in his bag. The bag was strapped to the back-seat and Manuel could look outside through the window. Usually small puppies like to travel in not too big spaces, since they get sick if they need to have control over that much space. Manuel was no exception. We brought some nice herring deluxe from the fish-store in Lomma and ofcourse many people had to admire Manuel, but he really does not bother to give strange people any attention.

Golda realised that Manuel is just a puppy and soon she just ignored him. Manuel on the other hand, followed Golda without being insufferable. They live by the sea, and they have separator made of concrete dividing the beach from the garden. Manuel fell down and I got really scared, but he landed softly on a pile of seaweed.

Tore won the group 5 in Finland last Friday. Fantastic! We are talking Japanese judges here! Congratulations!

Monday, 12th & Tuesday 13th of June 2006

Two tought days for me since I was all alone with Manuel. I moved all what I needed out in the garden and sat there with my computer. It was easier that way, since Manuel loves being outside. It was really really hot, and he lay flat like a toad, glued to the cold bricks of stone so that he could absorbe as much chill as possible. Many puppies have it hard adjusting the temperature.

He loves his green ball and I felt we connected more and more. I belive I have never talked to so many of our neighbours as I do now, and Manuel has started to show somewhat interest to people now. We sat outside from that Mikael left for work, until he came home. Now we have contact. Manuel looks at us, and is seeking for us to look at him.

We payed a visit to Åsa, Adam and Sebastian in Bjärred. (Kjell was working). It was lovely to let Manuel spend time in a garden with a hugh lawn. He was very good in the contact with the boys (and the boys where very good) and we sat there in the garden enjoying life. Manuel grows every day, I actually believe I can see the change! Sometimes he gaines more than one hectogramme per day.

Thursday, 15th of June 2006

One week has already passed! I spent more time inside than before. We went to the yard now and then, and he had to wear a leash, which he accepted without problems. The news of today is that he got to spend some time on the balcony which he liked. The balcony door was open, and I sat there working with the home-page and he could see me all the time.

Today we deiced to junk the living-room carpet since I believ we can never get rid of the result of the piles and puddles to 100%. So now "accidents" can only occur on magazines placed here and there on the floor.

Since everybody wants to pet him, he has now started to runt towards strangers. I have now asked the neighbours to totally ignore him when he does that.

Today he protested for the first time when I put him in his fenced area. He was very tired, over tired like a child. Then this method seems to work fine. Very soon he understands that it is time to rest, and he sleeps in a few minutes. I went to Dalby, to the vet for vaccinatione (distemper plus some others) but we discussed it and agreed upon to wait another 2 weeks so that it was made according to Swedish routines. I had not really thought about that, just counted the weeks since last shot, but of course that should be the way to do it, so that all papers are ok.

When in the car Manuel likes to have a smaller area to take control of, this means that the bigger cage we have is too big. And then Manuel becomes sick, which he doen't become if in a smaller area. So I will put some padding in the cage. In the evening Inge, Karin and Linnéa came to see Manuel (and us). Manuel spent most of the time sleeping by himself in the kitchen, but finally he came to us so they could cuddle, touch and meet him. Karin also showed me that everything was ok when it comes to his "nuts". Even I could feel everything was ok. phui

Friday, 16th of June 2006

Today he had a lot of energy and it started already in the morning. He was running with full speed, cutting the corners like a race-horse, then mixed with digging in the sand-pit - style mole!  Hise nose was so filled with sand that I do not understand how he could breathe and the colour was all brown, not black anymore. When Mikael arrived Manuel got a total fit inside as well. He chased a pine-cone, and it ended ut under the sofa. He was crawling back and forth, flat to the ground, using a style the mostly reminded of swimming. It's a wonder he did not panic. Then he managed to push a wine-glass so it fell to the floor and I believe he became quites surprised. Manuel's teeth has started to itch...

Mikael will have some vacation now, and that is good for me. Sleeping in nowdays equals 06.30 in the morning on a Saturday.

Saturday, 17th of June 2006

In the picture to the right you can see how his right ear is up, and his left is down.  Manuel is getting more and more lively and as puppies do, he likes to use his teeth. But he is very careful and does not hurt anybody or destroy anything (Except paper rolls from the bath-room). As he is so occupied with "fun things" he tends to forget when it is "time to go". Ooops he notices, and informs us that it is time to go NOW. Which put's a bit of a pressur on us to act fast.

Today my sister Helena and mother Birgitta came to see us. All animals are drawn to my sister, and Manuel was not exception. He gave her high-five with both left and right paw. I believe Helena and Birgitta had imagined that Manuel would be hugh and beefy. I could notice some kind of relief when they meet this littel charming cuddly mini-bear.

People might think we are crazy, but we take our responsibility seriously. As Manuel not is fully vaccinated, we do not go to public places where a lot of dogs have been. But we needed some variety to the yard... So we drove 45 minuters by car to a lake, Yddingesjön, and found a spot where not so many people walked their dogs. We used a harness and a long rope. The rope is running loose on the ground behind him.  This to make Manuel believe he was running free, but still making us have control. I believ it went very well, it was the first time, and Manuel is only 10 weeks old. We spent some 5 minutes there amongst attacking mosquitos and then we headed home again. Haha.

Sunday, 18th of June 2006

Full speed ahead! In the afternoon Mikaels father and 3 of his brothers payed us a visit. They tried to play with Manuel, but please...the came in the middle of the siesta! Manuel knows for sure, that when siesta it is time to rest.

In the eveneing me and Manuel drove to Ingela, Björn and Golda in Bjärred. Ingela had not yet met our little Manuel. She will baby-sit for him at the beginning of July when me and Mikael are going to Gothenburg to watch and listen to Robbie Williams. Manuel likes Ingela and I believe it is mutual. Golda and Manuel actually played a bit this time, and Golda treats him very well.

A good thing is also that these kind of trips is good training for Manuel when it comes to going by car. Cars are no problems anymore, the only thing he doesn't like is when I alone, is trying to lift out the cage.  We keep on working with contact, positive feed-back. I believe Manuel will have a good nights sleep after today.

Monday, 19th of June 2006

We went to my parents' summerhouse. We went 08.30 and nowdays, one has been up for many hours already.  We had planned to stay only one night, but still we had a lot of luggage, most of it belonged to Manuel. Once there everything went very smooth. He learnt to use the steps very fast, he ran up and down the hills (which we have in the garden) without falling, and then he could rest. In the evening we went to the beach, to the area where dogs are allowed. We stayed a bit away from the other dogs and splashed around in the water. Then we met Wilma, a Rottweiler puppy just the same age as Manuel and they played together. Then we realised how big Manuel is and that yes, he plays the "akita-way", i.e. wrestling-style. All went just fine! They behaved reall well, both of them. The started with at 10 meters distance, moved in a cirkel, and then approached each other slowly step by step. After the game we went to a horse-stable and Manuel said hello to a Welsh-cob, nose towards muffle. We also met a  cat, which had no fear what so ever regarding Manuel. (Very good)  It is great that it was a cool cat, that did not run away. When we got home, Manuel was tired and cuddled with Mikael for a while.

Tuesday, 20th of June 2006

There was no problem sleeping in a new house. Manuel slept out-side our bed-room in his playpeln, as he also does at home.

During the day we had to give him several cool showers, since it was really really hot and Manuel suffers from the heat. He seemed to ejoy being showered and did not object. Afterwards he was very fresh and alive, and ran like a maniac in the garden. and managed to fall and roll down the slope. It went all in slow-motoin and he was not scared. Later that day my parents arrived with the gentleman Santhos. Santhos is also very much into different smells..including the smell of urine - hrm this is not included within the titel gentleman.  We let them meet under our controlled supervision and all went fine. Santhos showed a lot of calming signales and we wanted to be sure that Manuel understood them, and behaved as excpected. During our stay Manuel no "accidents" occured inside. It is much easier when the door can be open. Once we got home, it happend both once and twice.  

Wednesday, 21st of June 2006

Today we took a day-off concerning new impressions. Manuel might not understand that he needs to take it easy sometimes and just "exist". We trimmed some claws, made some grooming, playing and cuddling. Right now he does not approve to posing. Why should he stay all still when he can play? As it was a bit cloudy and not so hot, Manuel enjoyed being in the yard. He had his normal fits, ran around, digged in the sand-pit. By the way he eats a lot now, and is developing correctly when it comes to height and weight according to his age. The only thing is that he does not approve to wet food (As recommended puppies his age). So I don't care, I give him the food dry. He likes it, he is in a good weight, and and his soil is ok.

Today's news is that he has not spent a second in his baby-pen, but spending all day being with us. This since he actually have been able to relax and sleep outside the baby-pen.