Evening

[Taya is Tranevang's MA Tayatax, 7.5 months old.]

I was called off work this evening. So after taking a bunch of photos this morning, I also got to spend time on this cold and gorgeous day taking pictures in the afternoon. (See previous posts.)

This evening, in fitting tribute to such a glorious day, the setting sun was very bright. I took Taya out for a run. (She is still separated from the males.)

I took my camera out again, too, hoping to get a few nice shots.

[Taya is Tranevang's MA Tayatax, bred by Lise-Lotte Schulz in Denmark.]

Two and a half weeks ago,  I thought Taya was coming in heat. She was slightly puffy in the nether region and the males seemed to think she had spritzed on some girlie perfume.

I separated her away from the males. She tolerates the isolation but of course she does not like it and neither do I. Especially when, day after day, Taya is showing that she is not in heat yet (after all). So we are playing a waiting game and most days I still take her for a daily run in the field. It is small consolation but excellent exercise.

Today, the field grasses were all coated with ice. Taya loved it!

I got lucky with the camera when she flopped herself down for a moment. (It is not easy for me to get decent photos when Taya is on the run!)

Siiri is Taya's grandmother : 
C.I.B FIN CH FIN WCH-C FI WCH-W SE CH EE CH LV CH FINW-06 
MAXI-TAX HESTIA
bred and owned by Ilse Kokkonen
Kennel Maxi-Tax, Finland

Sylvi is Maxi-Tax Nirvana
daughter of Siiri's sister FIN CH FIN WCH-H MAXI-TAX HERMIONE
bred by Ilse Kokkonen
Kennel Maxi-Tax, Finland

Sybilla, 9 months, is cousin to my 6 month old Taya. She was bred in Gotland, Sweden by May-Gun Bandinge. 

Sybilla's sister Bossa lives in California with Diane Webb and John Willmore.

Terra is Tranevang's MA Terratax, sister of Taya. The 6.5 month old sisters were bred by Lise-Lotte Schulz in Denmark.

Terra has remained with Lise-Lotte. She looks a lot like Taya, and about the same size. Taya weighs 17 lbs.

On the phone a couple of days ago, I commented about something that I have been seeing with Taya and that is imitation.

The habit in this house is that when the three adult dogs, Nexus, Owl, and Viljo, come in on lead, they sit nicely inside the door while I remove their collars and leads. They are all required to stay sitting until I tell them "okay." <Mad dash>

Sometimes the stay is for 10 seconds. Sometimes it is for 60 seconds. Sometimes I stay with them, other times I walk into another room, remove my jacket, take a water from the fridge, get a Kleenex...Then I walk back to them, tell them how good they are, and say "okay."  <Mad dash>

Taya has not been a part of this process. She is nearly always coming in without a lead because she nearly always doesn't need one. And in all of the many times that she has come in without a lead, she has just mozied around wherever she wants to go - until last week.

Last week, I saw Taya sit and stay with the boys when I left and went into the kitchen. She was still there when I walked back. She was looking at me intently but I didn't really think it was deliberate behavior on her part. A fluke. Yes, must be!

But the same thing has happened several times since then. And of course I am now aware that the behavior is deliberate. She sits with the boys. She waits with the boys for however long they wait. And when I say "okay" <Mad dash>.

The behavior is completely self-taught and she learned it by watching.

Then...today. Today, I gave Owl a bath. Afterward, I wrapped him in a towel and carried him outside. Taya was all happy that Owl had gotten a bath; she was jumping up and carrying on and she came outside with us. I rubbed Owl with the towel, then I removed it. As soon as I took the towel off Owl, he gave a vigorous shake. And you know what?  Taya, who had been bouncing around Owl being a nuisance and even vocalizing a bit, stopped right then and shook herself, too. haha! I believe the term for that action is "automatic imitation." I would love to have it on video!

That dogs can and do imitate the actions of other dogs is not a new concept to me. However, seeing such explicit demonstrations of imitation in one of my own - young - dogs is new.

This evening, I googled "canines imitating canines" and have read two interesting articles so far. The first, in the Washington Post, is titled What Were They Thinking? More Then We Knew. The other is Imitation #2 on Patricia McConnell's blog The Other End of the Leash. Some interesting stuff.

It was a fairly good size doe that my neighbor shot on my property this afternoon. Jimmie had already field dressed it and dragged it for a way in the woods. When he was walking back to his house to get his ATV and a line to drag it with is when I saw him 'cause I happened to be outside at the time. When he told me that he had a deer in the woods is when I ran in to put on a jacket. Taya was already with me, as usual, and I wanted her to see the deer.

Following Jimmie, we went down the ravine into the woods. I inspected the doe and ran my hand through her beautiful thick hair. Taya was mildly curious about the deer but for the most part was surprisingly uninterested. I thought she would investigate it and want to taste it, chew on it a bit but she didn't.

What she WAS interested in was the blood line that was there from Jimmie having previously dragged the deer about 50 yards. Taya was going from leaf to leaf licking the blood. She followed the scent line up and down. Jimmie remarked, too, on how she was interested in where he'd dragged the deer. But the deer itself she was not impressed with. Not scared (she came up to it okay), not excited, not sniffing, licking, or biting it, she just wasn't that interested. She pretty much acted like she has seen a dead deer every day so what's the big deal. haha! The blood on the other hand, and there was a decent amount of it, really drew her attention. Wouldn't you love to know what they're thinking sometimes!

Jimmie tied his rope around the deer's neck, I grabbed a front leg, and we heaved and pulled the doe straight up the ravine to the edge of the woods. Jimmie went to get his ATV which he'd parked by the pond and Taya followed him. When he started the ATV up, Taya ran back to me. Which was good because I did not want her running around in the tall grass while he was driving it. (Although I do think she would have stayed clear of it, still...) That was the thing that bothered her some, the ATV. It's a small old Kawasaki that makes a lot of noise. I was still standing by the deer and was holding Taya then when Jimmie drove up. Taya did not like the ATV coming right at us and up to us! But when he tied the deer to it and began dragging it across the field toward his house, then of course Taya followed him. Or should I say followed the deer. She did not continue following Jimmie once he left my yard and went onto his own place. I was happy that she knows where she belongs! She is such a good girl.

So, I would say all in all it was a good experience for her. Jimmie said that he would give me a couple of parts and some meat when he is done cutting his deer all up.

Later, since he doesn't have a computer, I helped Jimmie report and tag the doe online which was cool.

[Taya is Tranevang's MA Tayatax, bred by Lise-Lotte Schulz, Denmark.]

Happy Six Months Birthday to Taya, to her sister and brother Tasha and Thor who are also living Stateside, and to their three littermates overseas!

Because she is a puppy, I have been weighing Taya every week.
Today, since it has been quite a while that I weighed the males, I weighed all four dogs.

Nexus, 10.5 years old male, weighs 20.2 lbs / 9.1 kg
Owl, 8 years old male, weighs 18.2 lbs / 8.2 kg
Viljo, 2.5 years old male, weighs 20.2 lbs / 9.1 kg
Taya, 6 months old female, weighs 15.8 lbs / 7.1 kg

From the AKC Standard as revised in 1992 -
Weight of the standard size is usually between 16 and 32 pounds.

From the FCI Standard -
SIZE AND WEIGHT/ IMPORTANT MEASUREMENTS:
Weight: Standard Dachshund up to about 9 kg.


Photo is Nexus who was V rated by DTK judge Wolfgang Trumpfheller.
Not ALL American-bred Standard longhairs are giants!

[Taya is Tranevang's MA Tayatax. The M is for her father Mars and the A for her mother Ami. Tax is the Swedish word for dachshund. Taya was bred in Denmark by Lise-Lotte Schulz and came to Ohio at eight weeks old.]

My puppy is growing up! I am glad that she is growing up here. I like her very much.

As for the photos, Viljo started it. He started rooting around in a small weed patch not far from the house and Taya joined him. Viljo thoroughly checked it all out and left. The boys and I went into the house. Taya stayed. She must have been in those weeds for 20 minutes. Something smelled very good to her in there! I went out once to watch her and decided to let her continue. Then I thought I should go back out with my camera and get some new pictures of Taya.

[Mars is WUTJCH KBHV2011 DECH VDH DECH-KLB CIE CIB Maxi-Tax Maroon Marstax (Best in Show -1) Weight: 8 kg/17.6 lbs, breeder Ilse Kokkonen, Finland.]

Taya's father Mars, handled by owner Lise-Lotte Schulz, was BOB and BIS 2 today in Vamdrup, Denmark!

Congratulations to Lise-Lotte and Mars!

It is really very easy. This is how I do it.

From the very first time that I cut a puppy's nails, I reinforce her cooperation.

I hold the puppy on her back on my lap with a container of small bits of something very tasty - chicken! hot dogs! - on the desk or table in front of us. And this is what they learn:

Lie on your back. Get a treat.

Hold still. Get a treat.

Have a nail clipped. Get a treat.

Hold still some more. Get a treat.

Have second nail clipped. Get a treat.

Third nail. Treat!

I remember the moment when Viljo, as a young puppy, got the concept. He became very still like a statue and willed me to cut a nail so that he could get a treat! ha ha! That's the idea, little guy!

After a couple of nail cutting sessions, I will cut two nails between each treat. Then three. Then a whole paw. But sometimes I will cut one nail and give two treats!

After several sessions, they don't get any treats while their nails are being cut but they always get a treat afterward.

The result of a bit of patience and reward with young puppies is having adult dogs who ask to be next to have their nails cut!

Photos below are of Taya getting her nails done on September 7, 2012. She was 14 weeks old and not new to this although we were hours away from home at the time. I have wanted to put a post like this up for some time but needed someone to take the pictures. Diane Webb took these photos for me and did an excellent job of it! Thank you, Diane! And thank you, Taya!

I am in the process of getting young Taya, born in Denmark, registered with the American Kennel Club. While I am at it, I thought I would post the specifics on how to accomplish this. Maybe the information will be helpful to someone.

NOTE: "Effective for imported dogs registered on or after March 1, 2006, any imported dog registered with the AKC must have an AKC DNA profile prior to registering its first litter whelped in the United States." As I did with Viljo, I am going to get the DNA profile on Taya now, while I am registering her, instead of waiting months or years to do it.

Okay, so here are the instructions.

To get the DNA profile:

1. Click on the link http://www.akc.org/dna/certify.cfm

2. Click "Order DNA test kits" at the bottom of the page

3. A new page will come up with two products. First one is a prepaid kit for $35. This is the one I ordered. They will send it to me, I will collect the sample with the cheek swab and return it to AKC.

Second option is a kit that AKC will send you for free but then you must submit $40 when you collect the sample and return the kit to AKC.

4. Return the DNA test kit to AKC together with the completed Registration Application, see 1-7 below.

OR you can just do the registration (1-7 below) now and do the DNA profiling another time.

The reason I like to send both together is because "for dogs individually registered at the time the DNA sample is received by the AKC, the DNA Profile Number will be added to that dog's registration record, and will appear on all Registration Certificates and Pedigrees issued in the future." I also just want to get it out of the way.

To do the registration:

1. On the American Kennel Club website, go to the Foreign Dog Registration Application.

2. Print the PDF form and fill it out according to the specific instructions included with the form.

3. You will need to include a check, money order, or charge card information for the processing fee of $50.

4. You will need to include a *photocopy* (not original) of the foreign registration certificate.

5. You will  need to include a *photocopy* (not original) of the official pedigree issued by the foreign kennel club.

6. You will need to include two 3x5 color photographs of the dog. See "Required Attachments" on the Registration Application for more specifics on photo requirements.

7. Send the completed application with $50 fee and attachments to The American Kennel Club, PO Box 900058, Raleigh, NC  27675-9058.

I have ordered the DNA test kit and it should arrive in a few days. Then I will collect a sample of skin cells from the inside of Taya's cheek using the swab from the kit which I will send with the registration application and appropriate fees to AKC.

Taya saw her first snow at 4:30 this morning. Not surprisingly, she liked it as probably most longhairs do! I cannot say that I shared her enthusiasm, or gave the dogs many minutes in it at that time of day. Snow gave way to sleet, then to rain, and it looks like it is all trying to make up for the hot, dry summer. I was up and down all night, heavy winds rattling the house, beating the flag pole, flapping the metal roof on the tractor shed. I am up on a higher elevation so thankfully do not have to worry about flooding. The wind, however, can be something else. Nonetheless, the strong gusts here were NOTHING compared to what millions of Americans  went through during the night and are enduring right now. I keep thinking about the evacuation of 200 patients in a NYC hospital. My God, what a job, but especially in the midst of such a storm! Many unsung heroes are born at times like this. KUDOS and BLESSINGS to ALL of them.

[Mars is father of littermates Taya , Tasha (see 10-29 post above), and Thor ("Seymour"), born in Denmark and all living in the US.]

WUTJCH, KBHV2011, DECH VDH, DECH-KLB Maxi-Tax Maroon Marstax at the International show in Leuven, Belgium today was Excellent 1, CAC, CACIB, and BOS to a kennelmate; both the BOB and BOS longhairs were owned and shown by Lise-Lotte Schulz of Denmark! Mars finished requirements for CIE and CIB at this show!

CIE = Champion International d'Exterieur: The dog has been CACIB 4 times in 3 different countries under 3 different judges.

CIB = Champion International de Beauté: The dog has been CACIB 2 times in 2 different countries under 2 different judges and also 1 Prize in a Working trial.

Lise-Lotte writes, too, that the Danish Kennel has confirmed Mars' DKCHS = Danish Champion: Mars has been CAC 3 times under 3 different judges and 1 Prize in a Working trial in Denmark.

Born Dec 7, 2008, his breeder is Ilse Kokkonen of Kennel Maxi-Tax in Finland. Mars' father Simo and mother Siiri are both hunting dogs, Show Champions, and Hunting Champions in Finland!

Mars lives with Lise-Lotte Schulz of Kennel Tranevang in Denmark. He is an excellent size of 8 kgs or 17.6 lbs.

Congratulations to Lise-Lotte, Ilse and Mars!

Tranevang's MA Tayatax at the wonderful Northern Illinois Beagle Club grounds in Roscoe, Illinois.
Like Viljo was as a puppy, Taya is thoughtful. She likes to sit and think. I like to stand and watch her.

We had more excitement in the kennel building today. Taya and I were in the house shortly before I had to get ready for work. Nexus, Owl, and Viljo were outside. All was quiet until I heard The Noise, aka the dachshunds are after something again. Leaving Taya inside, I ran out. There was a black snake curled up on the floor in the kennel building. Nexus was close by in a kennel run but he did not have access to the snake, he was just barking like crazy. I picked Viljo up and took him to the house. I did not want Viljo and Owl to squabble over a snake. When I came back, Owl was darting in on the snake who was striking back at Owl. Black snakes are not harmful but neither are they timid. I like them and would just as soon have gotten this one and taken it into the woods. I have done it before.

Owl, however, had other ideas. When I was three feet away, he rushed in and took hold of it and began shaking it like crazy. I was really hoping that he would not let go and fling it onto me! I have my limits. But no, he ran with it out a dog door and continued shaking and biting it outside.

I was interested in Taya's reaction to all this so I went to get her. I kept her on the other side of the fence but she was not put off by the barking and behavior of Owl or Nexus or by the snake.

Why this snake came into a room with three dogs is a mystery but it obviously was not afraid of them. At least now it will not be living in or under the building someplace to keep the dogs hunting for it for days.

Owl, of course, was in seventh heaven. He stood guard over the snake for awhile afterward but I couldn't give him much time to do it.

Eight-week-old littermates Taya (front) and Thor arrive from Kennel Tranevang in Denmark! They are doing great after their 12 hour flight! You can see much more about them and their parents, grandparents, etc on Taya's page. Taya will live in Ohio with me; Thor with Derek and Jennifer in Virginia. A third littermate, Tasha, will arrive in mid-August and live with Cliff and Cheryl in Louisiana. Many, MANY thanks to their breeder Lise-Lotte Schulz!