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Bianca's Diary

We collected BIANCA in Randers on 3 September 2007  - she was 8 weeks old - this is a Diary about her life with us! 

05 December 2011              "Maggie"   Bianca, and my husband and I went to see Maggie (pup number 8) recently. It was a marvellous experience, and the first time we have visited one of our puppies on their "home ground". We decided not to take Dovita with us so that Bianca could have a chance of having Maggie all to herself.  We left Bianca in the car in the beginning as I wanted the opportunity to  say a proper hello to Maggie, and boy it was fantastic, there was no doubt that she knew who we were, she  literally went bananas when she saw me.  We haven't seen Maggie for several months, and she has grown into a beautiful dog, with a fantastic temperament. Bianca was so happy to see her and the two of them, Mum and daughter, really enjoyed being together. Maggie is thoroughly spoilt, and it was so rewarding to see that she is loved to bits by her family, who are obviously very proud of her.  Maggie's mum proudly showed us how clever Maggie is, and it was fun to see them working together.     Whilst on the subject of Bianca's pups, then today, Bluey (pup number 4) came to visit for a couple of days.  Bluey has also grown into a beautiful dog, and she is so cheeky (and lovely with it!).  Dovita was a star today, previously she had been a bit cross when one of the puppies came to visit, but today she welcomed Bluey just as much as Bianca did, no cross words all three are happy playing and sleeping together.    It's a privilege to be able to have so much interaction with Bianca's puppies, and something that I enjoy immensely.

5 June 2011 Our adventure is over this time around, and we have sent our 8 wonderful little Super Stars out in the world to new experiences and new loving families.  I'm a bit heavy hearted, but also very proud of our achievement.  It was plain sailing from the start and everything has been in our favour.  Bianca whelped with no difficulties, 8 healthy puppies came into the world, Dovita was the most fantastic "auntie" from the very beginning and the weather was fantastic so they were outside in the garden from 4 weeks old for hours every day.  We've been inundated with visitors, both those who were our "puppy families" and friends and neighbours and children in the neighbourhood.  If I had taken admittance, I could have made a fortune!!!  It's been the most positive and wonderful experience and I have learnt so much.  I've seen new sides of Bianca and Dovita and it's all been positive, and believe me I haven't been looking through rose coloured glasses.   My life has been on hold for 8 weeks, no problem there, I have enjoyed every minute of it including the early mornings and all the washing of floors.  I'll do it again at a drop of a hat.......................just watch this space.    I am so proud of my girls, Bianca and Dovita have been fantastic, thanks team SUPER STARS, I love you all to bits.   This may sound awfully cocky but I'll write it anyway, I'm proud of the 8 pups we've sent out in the world, they've been socialised well and had a lot of love for the first 8 weeks, and we couldn't have done a better job. So pat on the paw to all of us! Bianca has been a bit sad for the last couple of days, and has been looking for the puppies, which surprised me a bit because she was quite tired of them at times.   Whilst Dovita has gone back to playing with herself (or me if she's lucky!).  I had thought that it would have been the other way around because Dovita played with the puppies all the time and it should have been her who missed the action, so to speak.  But in retrospect, realising the kind of dog Dovita is, I should have realised that it would be Bianca who would be looking for them.  (Bianca is the sensitive one, Dovita is the more "what's in it for me" type). We took them over to the lake today for a good walk and a swim which they both throughly enjoyed, and in a way it was good to get back to a more normal routine.  However, routines are there to be broken, so I really hope we can have another litter of pups with Bianca some time next year.

7th October 2009 – Dansk Kennel Club’s Seminar – HTM (Heelwork to Music). Bianca and I have been on a 1-day course to learn about HTM.  The two instructors were Kath Hardman and Karen Sykes, two British ladies who have won numerous HTM competitions, including the prestigious  Crofts Championship.  It was a very rewarding day, we learnt a lot, laughed a lot, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I was told that my English was really good, so I had to own up to my heritage! Bianca was very attentive, very willing to perform, and I was dead proud of her.  Bianca’s sister was there with mum Rikke and “brother” Milo.  Bellis was a spectator as it was Milo who was the "dancer". At the end of the day we took Bellis, Milo and Bianca into the garden and they romped around and played for about half an hour whilst Rikke and I caught up on the latest news. Can’t wait to start my next HTM classes in two weeks time.

2nd October 2009 - went to meet Essie in Brønderslev See “meet Essie” for pictures. Bjarne, Bianca and I got up really early and drove to North Jutland (a 5 hour drive) as we had a date to meet Essie and his mum Leni.  We have been talking and corresponding with Leni for the past couple of months about the possibility of Essie and Bianca mating, but had not yet seen him. I was really excited, and also a bit hesitant ,because what if he didn’t live up to my expectations.  Well he did; Essie is a lovely Kooiker, very active, very happy, not at all shy, and very handsome.  The two dogs hit it off immediately, so now Bianca has a boyfriend.   Leni made us so welcome, and it was a great day. Whilst in North Jutland we took the opportunity to pop in and visit Marie and Torben at Kennel Baschko. They bred Essie, and in fact Essie’s mother has just had a litter of pups sired by Bianca’s brother Tjalfe (so we are all one big happy family!).  We couldn’t pass on the opportunity of seeing the newborn puppies.   What a fantastic day!

20 September 2009 - DKK's International Dog Show in Brøndby. See show results for judge’s comments.   I was a bit nervous today because Bianca pulled away a bit from the judge at last month’s show.  However my anxiety was unnecessary, Bianca was a star in the ring  and I was very very proud of her.  I think it helped that I kept talking to her, and when it was time for the judge to examine her she took it all in her stride, and I must say he prodded and poked her a lot. Although a star in my eyes, the judge did not agree, and she was given yet another 2nd prize.  I didn’t really expect her to get a 1st prize because I know she doesn’t have the perfect exterior necessary to get that kind of recognition.  However, I was very happy with her performance (and mine) and it was a good note to end on. I don’t think that we will be going to any more dog shows with Bianca, we’ve got as far as we can I think. So now we can concentrate on Agility, Rally and other fun things (which is much more up her street anyway as she really enjoys the action of these activities).

15 August 2009 - DKK's International Dog Show in Hillerød. See show results for judge’s comments.  It was pouring with rain and we were absolutely drenched within 5 minutes of arriving, so much for giving Bianca a bath and blow drying her coat. Luckily Bente og Malene invited us into their tent so we could get a bit dry.  It was, as always really nice to see the other Kooiker people, and their dogs.  Everyone is competitive, but in the nicest possible way.  Bianca behaved well in the show ring, she pulled away a bit from the judge and made his job a little difficult, but in all he said some nice things about her.  What really disappointed me was the fact that  because of the black hairs on her tail he pulled her down a whole category (he said she was “three coloured”).  Meaning she would have got a 1st place – very good – but for a few black hairs!!!  I really can’t take it seriously, sorry if I am treading on anyone’s toes here.  I know there are standards to follow, and I understand and agree with that, but.............   Anyway to end on a more positive note I was pleased  that he said she had the correct size, correct ears etc., and no mention of her being small boned so that was good. Bianca's body structure has definitely developed well over the last months.   I wasn't alone on the "three colour front" as the judge made  the same “three colour” comments to a lot of Kooikers today so that was obviously his “thing”. At the end of the day what’s important to concentrate on is that Bianca has a great temperament and is a happy, cheeky, super dog.  What happens when she gets old and gets grey hairs, will she be judged as “four coloured” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

10 July 2009 - Summer holiday in France. We have recently come home after nearly three weeks holiday with Bianca..  To read all about out trip click here :Summer holiday 2009,  and see the pictures here: picture gallery.

May 21 2009 - The first steps towards a litter of puppies..   Things have been progressing in connection with preparations for our first litter of puppies.  The last phase in becoming an official Danish Kennel Club approved breeder has been achieved, and I have received their official stamp of approval .er. Hence the new logo on the front page, which I am quite proud of.                                                          Bianca has undergone a test for Patella (a knee condition which sometimes occurs in Kooikers) and has been found to be 0/0 on both knees, meaning she is 100% okay. The same applies for the eye examination that she has also undergone. She already has the show results that she needs i.e. a 2nd place. Curious as to what my criteria is for a suitable male.............well of course he must be 100% healthy  AND have a fantastic temperament, not too large but broad boned to compliment Bianca's very female exterior.  WHERE ARE YOU MR. DOG!!!

30 November 2008 Not much in the way of entries since our holiday in the South of France in September, but that does not mean that things have been at a stand-still on the “Bianca front”.  On the contrary a lot of new and exciting things have been happening. In October we received an e-mail from Værløse Dog School that there was a possibility that we could join the club (subject to a 3 week trial period). I’ve been on the waiting list for ages, so it was a welcome message.   From the first day, I knew that Bianca and I would enjoy being part of this doggie club, and we were lucky enough to be approved, so now we are fully fledged members.  Every Sunday morning we go for a couple of hours of fun and training.  We train Rally, Obedience, Tracking, and Agility, and its great fun. The trainers are really clever, and there is such a pleasant atmosphere..  Mum here has a bit of a problem with left and right on the Rally course, but the trainers are very patient!!!  T Today – 30 November – there was a little Rally test and I was a bit nervous (the left and right thing!!) but Bianca was so clever and we ended up with a super result of 98 marks out of a 100 – and I am so proud.  THEN............to round off a perfect day Rikke and Henrik contacted us to ask if we wanted to go for a walk in the woods with Bellis and Milo – it’s great being a dog owner! We’ve also had Bindi for a few days (her mum collected her last night) and the two “girls” have thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. Bindi makes herself at home here, and we love having her, so she is welcome to come and stay anytime.

Saturday 18 August 2008 – Annual Kooiker Get-together This was a day I had been looking forward to for ages, it’s not very often that you get to see around 50 Kooikerhondjes all in the same place and it’s such a joy to see these beautiful dogs together.  They are all so different in appearance too, like leopards no two Kooikers have the same markings!  Merete and Bindi came with us, and for the first time Bianca had a fellow traveller in her crate. There were a couple of growls from Bianca in the beginning just to let Bindi know who was boss – but apart from that the two of them settled down very quickly and were quiet for the 1.1/2 hour journey.  It was a fun day with lots of different activities, Bianca and I tried Rally (a bit of a problem that I don’t know my left from my right so I ended up going the wrong way sometimes but never mind it was fun to try, although not anything I should take up seriously as I would probably end up with zero points). It was lovely to see our favourite Kooikers Bellis and Milo too.  Bianca had a great time of course, she is so social, and just loves playing with other dogs. I've started looking at male dogs now, trying to see if there is a potential "husband" for Bianca.  The Kooiker Club had put a lot of hard work into making the day a success.

Thursday 14 August 2008 – Looking after Bindi We had Bindi all day today (14 weeks old), and she was an absolute joy to have.  Bianca and Bindi played together all day, and it was so lovely to see them together.  Bianca is really good with Bindi, puts the little pup in her place at times, but isn’t too harsh on her, and Bindi is also a very confident little puppy.  Bianca is turning out to be a really good Auntie to Bindi.

Tuesday 12 August 2008 – Agility We started Soft Agility again today.  Bianca really does love it, and is getting the hang of it now.

Saturday 5 July 2008 - a new Kooiker in town Merete, a friend, got her new Kooiker puppy Bindi on Wednesday.  Friday we popped over to see the little darling and were quite excited to see how Bianca would react. Bindi is absolutely adorable, and Bianca was so good with her.  Merete came over to our house on Saturday and these pictures show just how much they interacted with each other.  I must say I was really quite smug, and again this goes to show what a lovely temperament Bianca has.    It was good to see how gentle Bianca could be with a puppy, I am so used to seeing her playing with Bellis and “gentle” is not a word I would use in that forum!!         Bianca 1 year  Bindi 9 weeks             Sunday 6 July 2008 – fun with best mates Bellis and Bianca. We had been invited to a pre-birthday get-together (puppies are a year old tomorrow) today at one of Bianca’s siblings houses, but unfortunately Jane was ill so she had to cancel.  Quick change of plan, thanks to Henrik and Rikke, and they invited us over to them instead, and obviously Bianca was more than delighted to spend the day with Milo and Bellis.   See the picture gallery for some super pictures of happy dogs.  Monday 7 July 2008 – 1 year old Bianca got tons of presents and treats, and Mark came which really made her day.  She got more birthday cards than I ever do!

A very eventful weekend in June (28-29 June 2008) This was a weekend we have been looking forward to for ages, first there was the dog show on Saturday, and then we were borrowing our favourite Kooiker dogs for the rest of the weekend.  Yeps, we were looking after Milo and Bellis whilst their owners went out on the town to celebrate some important events in their lives.      Saturday 28 June 2008 – International Dog Show –Brøndby  click here for judges comments and results.     I have been very apprehensive about entering Bianca in the dog show this time for various reasons, but I am so glad I did because Bianca did so well and I am so very proud of her.  She was very attentive in the ring, made all the right moves, and she was very happy.  It was a long day as the judging took ages and although there were lots of lovely Kooikers to sniff,  and loads of people to give her attention (and boy does she like being the centre of attention) she must have been quite tired when it was her turn to “work” in the ring.  Even the fact that she was behind Bellis in the ring didn’t deter her,  and for the first time they both seemed to realise that it was time to be on their best behaviour, and that it was not the right time to play - (that came later).       Bianca and Bellis go to Soft Agility and HTM together so they see each other twice a week at the moment, and it seems that they are slowly realising that first they “work and play” with us, and afterwards they get to play together.      Saturday & Sunday 28-29 June – Doggie Sitting Milo &  Bellis                              After the show we put all three dogs in the car (in two dog cages) and drove home. This was a first for Milo and Bellis, they had never been in our car before, let alone in the dog cage, and they tackled this perfectly.  It was a bit difficult getting Milo into the car in the first instance but a couple of dog treats did wonders!!!!!!!!!!!!  The three of them didn’t make a sound on the way home, and when we got back to our house our “guests” remembered the way from the car park into the house. We had a quick pit-stop first so “calls of nature” could be sorted out!  It’s really amazing how they just walked in the house as though it was the most natural thing in the whole world and they have only been here once before.  The girls started playing straight away and Milo did a tour of the house and then went looking for the big soft football that he played with last time.  At one point when the girls were playing outside I tried some HTM tricks with Milo (he is so clever) and I think we both enjoyed our little dance together, so now I am eager to teach Bianca more HTM tricks. It's great fun I can highly recommend it!   Milo and Bellis have never slept away from home before, but they are absolutely more than welcome to sleep over her any time, they were a joy to have, and we thoroughly enjoyed our weekend with them. I’m so glad that I know the two dogs well, because it was easy to read them – especially Milo – so I could be attentive to when he needed to go out etc.   click here to see more pictures

Activity up-date May 25 2008 Bianca and I are now 2 weeks into our “soft” Agility and HTM (Heelwork to Music) activities. . Agility is on Tuesday evenings, and is quite a few miles from where we live, but definitely worth the journey.    HTM is on Thursday evenings, a little closer to home this time, and very different from agility.   I’m not sure which is the more challenging for Bianca and me, but we are agreed that both our evening courses are GREAT FUN.  There is also the added attraction that Bellis goes to both activities.  This does have a down side because when the sisters catch each other’s eye during class they lose their concentration, but it is also an excellent learning curve for them, and it’s good for them to discover when to “work” and when to play. The reward comes at the end of class when they have “playtime”.   Bianca is really clever and very willing to learn, there is no doubt in my mind that she is having great fun.   We are doggie sitting this week – Nanok is our house guest until Thursday evening.  Nanok is a 4 year old Coton De Tulear, I think he finds Bianca a bit too playful, but when I was training a few tricks with her this afternoon he joined in and got quite elated.  He is very sweet , in fact quite a character and feels very much at home with us.

Whitsun - May 10-12 2008       We started our HTM class (heel to music) this week. Bianca was a bit of a monster , she continuously dashed off to play with sister Bellis instead of “working”.   Next week I will endeavour to motivate Bianca more successfully in an attempt to compete with Bellis and restrict their play time until after the class.  We’ve been practicing what we learnt, and Bianca is really clever, she has even got the hang of “rolling over”, something which we I had great difficulty in teaching her.   Friday we went to the coast.  There were lots of other dogs for Bianca to play with and she discovered the joys of playing in the water.  Today (Monday) we took her  to Furesøen (large lake about 15 minutes walk from our house) luckily one of her favourite play mates was there (Buller 7 month old Rottweiler) . Thanks to Buller,  Bianca got to swim for the first time today ,and she just loved it.  We spent ages throwing an old moth-eaten slipper (which somebody had very kindly left on the bank) into the water for Bianca to retrieve. Must remember to take a more suitable toy with me next time.               Tomorrow with start Agility – watch this space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Danish Kennel Club’s International Dog Show Hillerød 3 May 2008 We entered Bianca into the Junior Class; Bellis was entered too, and guess who won!  And quite rightly too I may add because out of the two of them Bellis definitely has a far superior exterior, and I have no doubts that Bellis will go far in her dog show career.  Bianca and Bellis are like two peas in a pod they are both beautiful inside and out, one pea is just a bit more well proportioned than the other!!   I can’t help wondering if the fact that Bianca has such a poor appetite has an influence on her “body work” (of course it has), but we have done everything we possibly can to get her to eat, you name it and we have tried it.  She just doesn’t have much of an appetite.  I don’t expect Bianca to win grand titles at dog shows, we are happy to enter just for the fun of it, and enjoy the fact that Bellis does so well.  We really like going to the shows and meeting up with other Kooiker folk and seeing the other dogs.   All we really need in the way of Dog Show results is a 2nd place, and we’ll get that at some point.  We need this, together with the  “all clear” for knee problems etc., so Bianca can have puppies. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that Bianca should have a litter of pups, she might lack exterior perfection, but she is definitely the most delightful little dog with the most fantastic temperament.    She is loving, inquisitive, naughty, playful, quick to learn, and she just loves other people, children and of course other dogs, what else could you possibly wish for.

Introduction to Agility by Danish Kooiker Club – Sunday 20 April 2008 The Kooiker Club arranged and introduction to Agility afternoon today, and even though Bianca is too young to start Agility training we decided to go along anyway.  The reason I say she’s “too young” is that until your dog is over a year old it’s not good for them to jump over obstacles etc. as it puts too much strain on their legs and backs. Luckily the trainer had been pre-warned that there were several young dogs attending the course so he had put out a gentle track with small jumps for the youngsters to try and of course tunnels.    Bjarne and I were really looking forward to seeing how Bianca would react to the agility training, I have always wanted to try it out, and so I was quite excited.   Bianca took to it like a duck to water, she absolutely loved it.  She got the hang of it really quickly and I felt like a kid with a new toy because it was just so much fun.    The day was a great success, also because Bellis turned up with her mum and dad and brother Milo.  So when everyone else went to drink coffee and eat muffins Bellis’ mum and I stayed behind with the “kids” so they could play together.    Bellis and Bianca have a very special relationship and it´s lovely to see them together.    So now I plan to take Bianca to agility...............................

Vitovani Kooker Træf – Randers 12 April 2008  Today was the day when pups from both of Bella’s litters, together with their families’ decended on Randers for a Vitovani get-together. All the pups from Litter B (Bianca’s litter) and all but 2 from Litter A attended – wow.  In all there were 17 Kooikers and their families. It was an absolutely fantastic experience to see all the dogs together.  We started off by going for a walk in the woods, which gave us an opportunity to talk to different people and share experiences about out dogs, followed by a really nice lunch. The most exciting part of the dag for Bjarne and I (and I am sure for Bianca too) was when, after lunch, we went down to the lake the dogs were let of their leashes, and they just played, swam and generally had fun.  There was absolutely no problems between the dogs at all, an occasional growl when one of them was a bit too adventurous (often Bianca) but just plain doggie fun.  Once in a while, in the midst of all the games, Bianca and Bellis would get wind of each other and it was so obvious that they knew each other well, and then they played together for a few minutes, then re-joined the “pack” .  It was really a wonderful day, and I am sure that Torben and Vibeke must have had a certain sense of pride in seeing their offspring all together, and functioning so well.    /

Danish Kennel Club Dog Show Næstved 23 March 2008 Bianca got her 1st place today (thanks maybe to Bellis who very kindly did not enter the show but came with brother Milo and mum and dad just to cheer us on!).  It was a fun day, we had Merete with us, a friend who will shortly become a Kooiker owner, so she could meet some of the other lovely Kooiker folk and dogs.  Both Tjalfe and Mirko entered the show (Tjalfe won best puppy – congratulations).  Vibeke, Torben and Anna were there.  Torben was in the ring with Alfa (she got BIM) and Anna entered the Junior Handling ring with Bella.

10 March 2008 – Obedience training test It is quite an achievement for a puppy of just 8 months to take an Obedience Test.  Our trainer Eric has praised our progress a lot over the weeks, and has also said that it is seldom that such a young dog gets so far so quickly.   Today he told me that he has spoken about us to several people because we had done so well. He really likes Bianca, and has voiced an interest in having one of Bianca’s puppies. Quite an compliment when you think of the number of dogs he has trained over the years.  I have trained with Eric previously when we had Daisy, so it is an advantage for me that I know the programme and the trainer. The test didn’t really go that well, there were several things that Bianca and I didn’t do correctly, but the judges gave us really good points anyway because they felt that I understood my dog and we worked really well together.  So, I am dead chuffed.  I have decided to take the same course again though and not go on to the advanced course as I don’t want to force anything on Bianca, it has to be just “fun” and she has plenty of time to learn.

4-7 March 2008 Holiday in Harzen Germany Our first holiday with Bianca – we had a wonderful time – see link to Holiday in Harzenfor details

16 February 2008 – Danish Kennel Club’s International Dog Show Odense Bianca got a 2nd place and a SL.   It was  a fun day also because so many other nice Kooiker people were there like Vibeke and Torben , (and of course their daughter Anna who is a great hit with me always), as were Henrik and Rikke with Bellis (Bellis won  first  place -congratulations!) and Mirko’s mum Pernille and Mirko’s dad.

27 January 2008 – Sjællandsk Hvalpetræf – A fun day ! Four of the pups (2 males and 2 bitches) from Vitovani’s B Litter (Bianca’s siblings) ended up in Zealand. Henrik and Rikke parents to one of the other bitches (Bellis) invited us for a get together.  Bianca, her brothers Tjalfe and  Mirko visited sister Bellis (and her big brother Milo) on 27 January.  We had a fantastic day (see picture gallery) especially Bellis and Bianca seemed to be overjoyed to see each other, but they were best friends from day one anyway, and seemed to remember each other. We all had a fantastic day, it really is amazing how strangers,  from  different walks of life and of differing ages  can meet up and get on so well, but I suppose that is what happens when you share a mutual interest.  We all agreed that this is not the last time we will all get together again.

17 January 2008 Bianca has been very quiet, and not herself so I took her to the vet.  He kept her all day and found that she had a gastroenteritis She came home, but she was still quite unhappy.  She would not eat or drink, so we took her back to the vet for further examinations.  Bianca was put on a drip, given an ultra-sound and x-rays and loads of blood tests were taken.   It seems she has eaten something that has totally disagreed with her system. She´s fine now, but we were quite worried.

Christmas 2007 – Bianca’s first Well guess who got spoilt.  She got so many toys and treats.  She had great fun in taking the balls off the tree and didn’t think it strange at all that we had brought the forest into our lounge.  Mark stayed over for a few days and the pair of them had great fun.   Went to the UK just before Christmas and when I came back noticed that Bianca had dropped the corner tooth on one side but not the other, whilst both new corner teeth were half way through.  After having checked the “net vet” I ‘phoned our vet and he said that if the baby corner tooth had not fallen out after Christmas it should be extracted.  So, on 28th December Bianca had a “quick” operation to remove her baby corner tooth.  No problems.   Bianca has learnt a pile of tricks now. She absolutely loves to be activated and knows immediately when I go to the drawer to get certain things that we are going to train “fetch” or “touch” and I think she smiles ! Well maybe not, but her eyes certainly light up.  My only concern is that she doesn’t eat very much. She hardly ever eats anything from her food bowl, I have to activate her to get her to eat, ie. Hide the food in a bottle, throw food outside in the garden, or hide it in house, so I do get concerned that she doesn’t get enough of the right diet.

November 16. 2007 I had to be hospitalised for a few days and when I came home, I could see that Bianca was demonstrating a more dominant behaviour pattern towards Bjarne.  I had only been away a few days and she was trying to move up the ladder already!  We soon got that sorted out again, but it was actually very interesting to observe.

November 9-11 2007 – Dutch Championships Asperen : Bianca is 4 months old. Danish Kooiker Club arranged a coach trip to Holland to the Annual Dutch Kooiker Club Match. In all 24 participants and 12 dogs in the coach for the 12 hour journey to Holland, an overnight stay in a Hotel, and return journey in the coach.  126 Kooikers were entered into the Show and it was fantastic to see so many all at one time. Bianca was entered into the Baby Class, the judge found her to be a bit on the small side.  Bianca, as usual, took everything in her stride was her normal happy naughty little self. What she lacks in size she has in confidence which is much more important.

October 14-15 2007  Dog Exhibition (expo) Brøndby. Bianca is 3.1/2 months old.7 Danish Kooiker Club had a stand at this Expo and Bianca and her sister Bellis participated for 2 days. They are now 3.1/2 months old. There were tons of people and children all fussing over puppies and it was amazing to see how happy the pups were and took everything in their stride.  Tails wagged, kisses were given, and they were very inquisitive.  A fantastic exercise in socialisation for both of them, and for us it was great to see how unperturbed Bianca was by the whole thing.  An excellent PR exercise for the Kooiker Club too, as puppies always draw a crowd.

Week 4 Bianca has been with us for 4 weeks, she is 12 weeks old. Went to training yesterday (1st October) for third time. She is very clever! Bianca isn´t housetrained yet.  Have had success with her being alone home. No more howling. She has been alone for up to 2.1/2 hours with no problem.  We tip toe back to the house when we come home to hear if she is unhappy or not, and she has been fine.     She is a very  clever little dog, with a very determined nature, not reserved at all, and SO happy.  I don’t have that fear of will she growl or snap like I sometimes had with Daisy when she met new people. Daisy was a sick little dog, we just didn’t know how sick she was.   Mind you Bianca is a bit of a monster at times -  I keep thinking of the song “she looks like an angel, acts like an angel, but beware she’s a devil in disguise. It fits Bianca perfectly. Went on the train to Værløse  – tannoys, trains, lorries, buses loads of experiences -  including a class of 8 year old kids who all wanted to say hello to Bianca.    It is obvious that Bianca has a fantastic temperament. She reacts well to training (short spans).

Week 3 Being alone home is a problem – in fact it’s a problem for Bianca when she cannot see me. She is not a nervous dog so it’s not because she is anxious that she sits and barks and howls. Have tried for several days to leave her just for a little while, but it’s not working at all. After a few seconds she howls.  Phoned Vibeke to get some advice, have also read every bit of information about “alone home” I can get my hands on.   So now, with advice in hand,  I start all over again just leaving her for a minute or two at a time.   Began obedience training at DDI with trainer Eric. Bianca is the smallest dog both in size and in age, but so willing to learn.  She seems very relaxed and absolutely adores playing with other dogs.  Have also started Puppy Training at the Kooiker Club which is good as it’s just puppies and they get to play together a lot.    Had dinner guests which was a bit of an experience as Bianca dived under the sofa (where we were sitting) and started to bark and bite in the sofa just to get attention. We ignored her which helped until she decided to have a mad 5 minutes chasing round and round in the lounge. She was so obviously trying to get our attention.  She now sleeps up in our bed (was not my intention, but she is so sweet) and she doesn’t get up at all now during the night.

Week 2 – stopped writing every day now – so these are the highlights from the week.   We went for a car ride to Hillerød to the judge’s office.  Bianca was a big hit, and everyone, made a fuss of her. Went to a couple of shops, and walked a bit in the town to get her used to traffic.  She seems very happy to meet new people and takes new experiences very much in her stride. If there is s something she isn’t sure of then it is so obvious that she looks for me. I don’t pick her up but just let her sit between my legs. We went to visit Kira and Nanok .

Week 1 Tuesday 4 September – day 1 Bianca had a restless night. She slept in the bedroom in a cardboard box. I found that putting a towel over the box helped her settle a bit more.  So far, only one “wee” inside, but that will change I’m sure.  She is very happy. We had 2 visitors today.  Bianca is eating well.  She does not like the vacuum cleaner, but she’ll have to get used to that!!!! Wednesday 5 September – day 2 Bianca slept better I had to get up twice, and in both instances took her outside – bingo each time.  Kira and Nanok (dog) visited.   Bianca met the neighbour.  No wee or pooh in the house at all today – I’m sure she’s not house trained yet!! As soon as we stop watching her all the time accidents will happen. Thursday 6 September – day 3  Some friends popped over. We went for a short walk, just around the outside of the house. Bianca is sleeping better. Friday 7 September – day 4 Tried to leave her alone which was a disaster, the young lady just sits and howls – very loudly too, and it sounds as though she is being tortured. Saturday 8 September – day 5 Mark came - he was a bit hit.  Went for a bit longer walk and also tried a short walk in the dark. Sunday 9 September – day 6 Started a little bit of training with “sit” and used some ham as a reward.  Bianca has a good appetite and is putting on weight. She is much livelier now and not so shy.  Mickey (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) came over and played for a while. Bianca definitely enjoyed that experience.  Mark came again.   I cleaned Bianca’s ears and cut her nails.  Spoke to Vibeke to give her an update on Bianca’s well being.

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