Recent News at GrawPaws

We got some very sad news earlier this month and Kulta's owners are letting me tell their story in the hopes that it will warn others and save another dog from going through the same problem.
Grawpaw's Kulta's owner Steve had her out with him target practicing.  She had crawled under his truck while he did his shooting.  Everything seemed normal but after they got home they tried to get her to move away from the door and noticed she could not hear them.  Steve tried blowing a whistle, etc. but she was completely deaf from the gunshots. 
Acoustic trauma can be tremendous enough to cause immediate, permanent hearing loss although we hope that is not the case with Kulta.  It may be that her lying under the truck amplified the gunshots.
People, during target practice, wear ear plugs but dogs, whose ears are very sensitive to loud sounds, wear no protection. Target practice is different from hunting because you are shooting many rounds at once (not just one or two shots) and the dog is generally further away from you when hunting.  So please NEVER take your dogs to a shooting range or any target practice and when they are pups do not even take them to fireworks.
If there is a recovery, it can take up to 16 weeks so there is a good chance Kulta's hearing will come back with time.....we really hope so, because we know how much she and Steve enjoy their time in the bush.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Kulta hoping she gets even partial hearing back and with Steve, because we know how guilty he feels and hope he remembers that this was an ACCIDENT and no ones fault.  We will let you know if there is any change.....

Update as of October 20, 2009

Hi Anna,
Just an update on Kulta's hearing - on Friday she started to hear low pitches, such as talking and other dogs barking, but she seemed to have trouble locating the source of the noise. Over the weekend, that appears to have improved and she can still hear low frequency sounds, but the higher ones, such as a whistle or the beeper on her collar are beyond her hearing at present.I've been in moose hunting(got a small bull yesterday) and Kathy has been walking her off leash in the fields by her sister's house and just using voice commands with no problems. Hopefully more of the higher frequencies will return, but even if they do not she is a much happier and lively dog with her limited hearing.
We are going back home in about 1 1/2 weeks, so I will send you another update at that time - I still have my fingers crossed.

Steve & Kulta

We are so proud of our Grawpaw's Jalo.  On October 4, 2009 he entered his very first rally competition and came in second in his division.  Way to go Jalo and Doug....Congratulations.

To see some new pictures and read stories about Eeva's littermates click here

We have been too busy lately to update the website but all of the puppies who stayed in Ontario went on to their new homes the weekend of June 20th, one flew to the Yukon June 22nd and two to Alberta the same day.
A special Thank You to Dan and Lisa (in picture), Maire's new family for taking puppy Liisa home with them and putting her on her flight from Sault Ste. Marie, MI to Colorado Springs.  It was so kind of them to do this for us as we had family come from Finland on June 23rd making it difficult to be in two places at once. 
Also, a special Thank You to Jennifer in Alberta for taking care of paperwork and for putting Rauha on her connecting flight from Edmonton to Whitehorse.  It was a big relief for me to know she was not just being carted from one plane to the next, that she got food and water and got to run around with Väinö/Koda in between.
Your kindness was much appreciated !!!!
All of the puppies are doing well in their new surroundings and adapting well to their new homes.
We will have a hard time parting with little puppy Eeva who will be staying with us until August 10th when she will be flying to her new home in Denmark......it has been nice for mom Anu to have one of her babies stay on a little longer.

 
Anu's Puppies pictures taken May 31

The first time I went to this beautiful area was in 1996 for the FinnFest in Marquette.  I, along with everyone one else I went with, was so impressed.  The local residents were all so kind and helpful and made us FinnFest participants feel so welcome to their beautiful city.  We have been to the Upper Pennisula of Michigan five times since then and I fall in love with the area more and more each time I go.  Not only the landscape but the architecture in the area remind me so much of Finland.  There is no mistaking the influence of the early Finnish settlers to the Upper Pennisula.
Gail and Gary, at Running Bear Dogs, have become wonderful friends over the past years and make us feel like family each time we visit!  Gary, Gail, Ilo, Kesa and Kukka thank you to you all.  Anu and I had a great time!  Wonderful people and wonderful KBDs at Running Bear Dogs!

 
Anu and I went to Upper Michigan to visit the gang at Running Bear Dog.   The picture was taken on a very cold day when Gail & I had just got back from a morning of snowshowing with Ilo, Kesa & Kukka and Gary took a break from plowing their road.   Ilo and Anu are in the picture on the top right!

To see more pictures of our visits to Ilo please click here

....
Talvi has been staying with my mom due to the fact that she is in heat and I couldn't have Sisu and Talvi together. (She is way too young to have puppies, plus it is her first heat)
She enjoys it there, gets along well with my mom's corgis. A couple of days ago (I believe that it was Saturday night) she kept on pestering my dad. Pawing at him, sitting on him, following him around everywhere he went. My mom asked me if that is what they are like when they are in heat. This is her first heat so I wasn't really sure how she would be like. Anna told me that Pitsi and Anu act differently when they are in heat. My dad told me she was annoying him. She would even get on the back of the couch so she could put her paws around him when he was sitting down. Even sleeping, Talvi had to sleep on my dad. (she usually sleeps in a crate, but mom said that she would cry and bark to get out. Once out she would run to my dad and sit on him.) She wouldn't do this to anyone else.
Her behaviour was very strange…. On Tuesday night my mom phoned me and asked me what the signs of a heart attack were, she thought that my dad might be having one. As a paramedic I have to diagnose people having a heart attack and my dad, by the symptoms being explained to me he was having one. I told them to get to the hospital ASAP!!!!
They kept my dad over night at the hospital and found nothing; all the test results came back negative. They were about to release him Wednesday morning (my mom was on her way to the hospital to take him home) when he got severe chest pain.
My father had a massive heart attack. Thank goodness it happened where it did. He was rushed to a bigger hospital where they specialized in cardiac care. He had surgery within a couple of hours. He is now in the ICU recovering and should be home early next week.
The reason why I am telling you this piece of my life is the fact that Talvi, my 11 month of Karelian Bear Dog, sensed something wrong with my dad.. Her behaviour was showing us that she knew. We overlooked her behaviour because she was in heat, and just thought that she was uncomfortable due to that and wanted attention.
I am very proud of our little Talvi. She is a smart and beautiful KBD. I knew that this breed would touch the hearts of many; I didn't realize that she would try and save one.
Anna, the way you put your heart into your puppies, how you raise them with love and affection is more than anyone could ever ask for. It is because of you, that our Talvisota, our Winterwar, is the way she is today. I hope that Zane and I are giving her as much love as you did when she was born. Thank you.

Sincerely
Muffy & Zane
And our two remarkable Karelian Bear Dogs: Sisu & Talvi

Just a side note to this, Dec. 7/08, I called the owners of one of Talvi's sisters, Grawpaws Tuulikki, and they had a similar thing happen.  She said her mother in law has been living with them and Tuulikki had been going to her room and just staying with the Mother in Law....shortly after, she had a stroke.  They also believe that Tuulikki had a sixth sense and knew something was wrong...quite amazing.

We had a wonderful surprise visitor come by our house on May 17/08.  Sala, a beautiful 10 year old purebred Karelian Bear Dog.  Her mother came from the same kennel in Finland as Pitsi and Anu's mother, Pepita.
It was wonderful to meet this gentle Karelian and to hear about her stories.  She lives with many other dogs, chickens and rabbits.  It was nice to hear how Sala is gentle enough to let a chicken steal food from her mouth yet she is fierce and brave enough to protect her human and non-human family from bears and other predators which try to come on to her property.  Who knew we had another purebred Karelian in Northern Ontario?  Thank you for coming to see us and we will be sure to invite you to our next KBD get together.....

We arranged for a KBD get together... Click here to see Finn Grand Fest Pictures

While on our hikes Pitsi and Anu follow the scents of deer, bear, moose and other animals that have crossed their paths.
Pitsi just recently proved her tracking ability by leading us, in the dark, directly to a wounded deer. 
Just as I had written the above sentence today, Oct. 20, 2007 someone came to get Pitsi to find another wounded deer and she found it within 3 minutes.  She definitely has the Karelian Bear Dog hunting instinct.

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