It's a Dog's Life: Summertime Exploring in Colorado

We are blessed to live in a wonderful state that allows for many outings and exploring with our dogs. This summer, we have decided to visit many lakes and parks and do many hikes that we have not previously visited. So far we have visited two.

Brainard Lake Hike

The dogs really enjoyed Brainard Lake, near Nederland, CO. There were many hikes and lakes here but due to road closures and potential storms, we only visited one of the lakes in this area. The terrain was even and flat, and the trail was clearly marked, which is always a plus. There are not really any nearby facilities and the campground is closed indefinitely, but Nederland is nearby and has a few restaurants and shops.

Nederland is a very cute town and is worth a visit if you are passing this way.

Brainard Lake, Colorado

What are you lookin' at?

The dogs always manage to find a leftover snow pile :)

Echo Lake Hike 

The next lake on our adventure was Echo Lake, located near the entrance to Mt. Evans, one of the so-called "14-ers" in Colorado because its elevation is over 14,000 feet. Echo Lake is around 10, 300 ft elevation. This lake was a real surprise. Beautiful views await around every corner! There are many hiking trails here as well, but we only explored two this time: the perimeter lake trail and the Georgia lakes trail. The dogs really enjoyed the rocky hike and again found a leftover pile of snow to play in. This is one of my favorite areas I have explored in my area of Colorado. The Georgia lakes trail is not as family-friendly and wouldn't be ideal for small dogs due to the rocks, but the perimeter trail around Echo Lake is mostly flat and even. There are picnic tables, grills, facilities, a restaurant and a campground nearby. Our next adventure here will be camping out! 

Echo Lake

Taavi relaxing on a nice cool rock

View from the trail

Nella checks out the view

We will be exploring more of this amazing state throughout the summer. Check back for more photos and descriptions of our adventures! :) Next stops are Rocky Mountain National Park and Lake Dillon!

Website

We have recently finished our website! Please go visit us at www.snowdayfinnishlapphunds.com to see what we are all about, our plans, and more info about our dogs! 

You can also visit and like us on Facebook here!

More info to come on Nella and Taavi and their current activities! 

Happy Birthday, Nella!

Tomorrow, our girl Nella will have her first birthday. I can't believe how time flies. She has turned out to be such a sweet, intelligent and athletic pup. I wanted to see how she has come along over the past year, so I am adding a photo for each month of her first year.

Nella-7 weeks

Nella-10 weeks

Nella-3 months

Nella- 4 months

Nella-5 months

Nella-6 months

Nella-7 months

Nella- 8 months

Nella-9 months

Nella-10 months

Nella-11 months

Nella-1 year old!

 Looking at these pictures, it really amazes me how quickly a dog matures. She has grown into a beautiful lady. I look forward to what the future holds for us. Maybe some agility wins? :)

Happy Birthday, Nella-Bear!!!

Emergency Preparedness for Pets

Currently, there is a wildfire raging about 10 miles from our home. I was reading a news article about this fire that said that in the rush to evacuate, many pets were left behind. If you love your pets as I do, this is unthinkable. I wanted to make sure that I would be prepared in case we were called to evacuate.

So how can you make sure that you are prepared to evacuate your pets on short notice?

I have summarized some of the suggestions from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) below:

1) Get a rescue alert sticker and place it in a prominent place near your main entrance. This sticker can identify to firefighters and other rescue personnel that you have pets that need rescuing.

You can order a free rescue alert sticker here

2) Arrange a safe haven where you can bring your pets in case of evacuation. Not all Red Cross shelters or Disaster centers are able to accept pets. You can bring your pets to community organized pet evacuation centers, a friend or family member's home, a hotel that allows pets, or a local kennel out of range of the disaster.



3) Have an emergency kit prepared for your pets, in addition to the kit you should have for yourself and other family members. Keep any leashes, collars, harnesses and crates in an easily accesible location. It is a good idea to microchip your pet in case the pet runs away during the frenzy or gets lost. In high stress situations, crating your pets may be the best option. The ASPCA recommends the following to be included in your emergency pet kit:

• Pet first-aid kit and guide book (ask your vet what to include, or visit the ASPCA Store to buy one online)
• 3-7 days' worth of canned (pop-top) or dry food (be sure to rotate every two months)
• Disposable litter trays (aluminum roasting pans are perfect)
• Litter or paper toweling
• Liquid dish soap and disinfectant
• Disposable garbage bags for clean-up
• Pet feeding dishes
• Extra collar or harness as well as an extra leash
• Photocopies of medical records, pedigree paperwork and a waterproof container with a two-week supply of any medicine your pet requires (Remember, food and medications need to be rotated out of your emergency kit—otherwise they may go bad or become useless.)
• Bottled water, at least 7 days' worth for each person and pet (store in a cool, dry place and replace every two months)
• A traveling bag, crate or sturdy carrier, ideally one for each pet
• Flashlight
• Blanket (for scooping up a fearful pet)
• Recent photos of your pets (in case you are separated and need to make "Lost" posters)
• Especially for cats: Pillowcase or EvackSack, toys, scoopable litter
• Especially for dogs: Extra leash, toys and chew toys, a week's worth of cage liner.

4) Designate an emergency caregiver that is willing and able to evacuate your pets in the case of an emergency where you are not at home. This could be a friend, family member or neighbor that lives within a short distance (no more than 5 miles) from your home. Make sure they know where your emergency kit is located and how to communicate with you in case of emergency.

Your pets are members of your family, of course, but remember to not endanger your own life if saving them is difficult or impossible. Firefighters and emergency personnel are equipped and trained to evacuate pets that are left behind in emergency situations, if at all possible.

Be prepared and be safe!

Warmer weather is coming

The past week has been quite a weather change in Evergreen. We have had extremely high winds, snow, sleet, thunder and lightning, and now the nicest weather of all...60s and sunny! What do these snow-loving dogs think of it?

They LOVE it!

My two, in particular, love to dig up the thawing ground. I don't mind because I plan on planting herbs and veggies in that area in a few weeks. They are saving me some trouble. :)

Since we live on about 3 acres, the pups have plenty of room to run and play; this is a must, in my opinion, for Finnish Lapphunds. We have been using our barbeque grill frequently and the dogs love to sit on the porch with us while we cook and eat.

Taavi has been growing! Here is a picture of him doing what he loves best...sticking his tongue out!

Snow Lovers

Living in the mountains of Colorado, we get lots and lots of snow.....which the dogs love but I sometimes hate! Finnish Lapphunds are used to an environment of cold and snow, so the Lappies thrive in this environment.

Nella and Taavi could play outside all day, and sometimes have to be coaxed in to warm up and snuggle. They don't care if the snow is falling or lay in piles over 3 feet high. We are blessed to have almost 3 relatively flat acres for them to play in.

However, sometimes snow can even baffle a Lappie! Check out this video of Nella deciding how to conquer the high snow on our deck.

Meet Taavi

Name: Gaamosvalo des Royaumes du Grand Nord "Taavi" (male)

Dam: Davenaasti des Royaumes du Grand Nord

Sire: Lapinlumon Kuuraturkki "Elias"

Born: 10/28/2011

We loved Nella so much that we decided to get another Finnish Lapphund, a male to show and possibly breed in the future. Taavi also came to us from France in December 2011. We could not have asked for a better Christmas present. He is currently 3 1/2 months old. Taavi is the friendliest little butterball of a puppy that you could imagine. He is very smart too, and already knows sit, stay, speak and come. He is going to be a big boy and is already over 16 pounds. 

Taavi's favorite things to do are anything to do with food and treats, having his belly rubbed, playing with Nella, and being cuddled.