The start to our year has been completely focused with the last couple of weeks of puppy raising, which has been anything but a sacrifice given how lovely the Moonstones were to raise. Somehow I just never got past the "I could keep you all!" stage which normally disappears at about 7 weeks of age.

Sunday four of our pups - Astrid, Lyyti, Zarhni and Darcy - left for their new homes.  With mum Kajo flying home to Perth Monday morning, and the last pup Liina then leaving for Tasmania.  So it is very very quiet being back to just Louis and Baby at home.

Astrid (Armahani Moonstone Mureus (AI)) and and Lyyti (Armahani Moonstone Myrsky (AI)) both go to lovely families in Victoria, as their first lappies.  While Zarhni, Darcy and Liina - our show prospects - are with already existing Armahani families.

Zarhni (Armahani Moonstone Mainnas (AI)) and Darcy (Armahani Moonstone Mahti (AI)) will be shown by me.  Zarhni will be much loved by the Russell family, living with Keeko (Armahani Kunzite Kaunis).  While Darcy has gone to be adored by Cherelle and Taija (Ch Neut Ch  Armahani Crystal Cuovgat).

Liina (Armahani Moonstone Movtta) has gone to be part of of Zuleika Finnish Lapphunds, where she is loved by Rachael and hopefully eventually loved also by Benni (Supreme Ch Armahani Heliodorr Hulivili (AI) ET and Fleur (Ch Armahani Iolite Ilo (AI) HT)

Because he is completely amazing, Leevi again earned another two titles today, this time in agility at the Frankston Dog Obedience Agility Games trial.

He gained the last quallies he needed for both his Strategic Pairs Dog (SPD) title and his Gamblers Dog (GD) title!

​Way to go Leevi and Nicole.

Our Moonstone litter arrived very early this morning.  Born to Kajo (Armahani Heliodorr Hohdo (AI)) who is the sister to our handsome boys Benni and Tortik, and from Alaska (Am Gr Ch Aus Ch Teelikamentten Iikka (Imp Fin)) a boy who I co-owned before he moved to the USA several years ago, we are excited about the possibilities of this combination.

We have four little girls and one noisy boy, all doing very well.  All black tanpoint. They will have photos updated on their page in the Current Puppies page shortly.

​All pups are spoken for at this stage.

Leevi (Armahani Kunzite Kuutamo (AI) RA JDX ET JC) was our with owner Nicole doing rally and obedience today.

Four quallies, three first places, one second place, and two new titles later, he really has cemented himself as a complete star.

He now has his Community Companion Dog (CCD) and Rally Excellent (RE) titles to add to the back of his name.

With the need to arrange the ‘custody swap’ for Loki this weekend, I took the opportunity to have a final show weekend before the Moonstones arrive, taking Baby (CIB Am Ch Aus Ch Calaban’s Dirty Dancing RE ET JC (Imp USA)) and Uno (Armahani Jade Jalokivi) to Echuca.

​It was a weekend of far too little sleep and way too much driving (given I had to do the back and forth) and not without its dramas with the grass seeds littering the ground resulting in me having two limping dogs in the group specials ring for the first show.

But wasn’t without its success with 3x BOBs for Baby and 3x DCCs and 2x RUBOBs for Uno, as well as a Best Aus Bred in Group at yesterday afternoon’s show.

After Baby’s big success on Saturday, and a rest day on Sunday, it was the boys’ turn to shine for our second and third days of showing for the Cup Weekend.

Yesterday was the Vic Women’s Dog Club, which is my ‘non handler’ show of the year. A big thanks to Rachael Holloway for handling Avicii (Armahani Lapis Lazuli Lurjus), Tortik (Sup Ch Armahani Heliodorr Halu (AI) RA JC) and Baby (CIB Am Ch Aus Ch Calaban’s Dirty Dancing RE ER JC (Imp USA) for me, and to Alex Mulady for doing such a great job with Loki (Ch Armahani Jade Jylha) taking him to 1st in his class in very good company!

With an entry of 30, Tortik took BOB, and was shortlisted in group. Avicii also, in a huge minor puppy group was shortlisted down to the final 4.

The highlight though, would have had to be watching Rachael and Benni (Sup Ch Armahani Heliodorr Hulivili (AI) ET) compete in Battle of the Ashes (a sweepstakes just for all breeds Best in Show winners) and gaining a spot in the final!!
​
Today was the Sunbury Canine Club, where it was Loki’s turn, taking BOB with a entry of 26.

Yesterday was the Finnish Lapphund Club of Victoria's 8th championship specialty show. We had an awesome entry of 82 lappies, and the added excitement of having breed specialist Elaine Short (UK) of Glenchess Kennels here to judge.
With Tortik and Benni "benched" for the day (Elaine being the breeder and owner of their sire), it was up to Baby! And she didn't disappoint....

Bitch Challenge & Runner Up Best in Show ⭐️⭐️
C.I.B. Am Ch Aus Ch Calaban's Dirty Dancing RE ET JC (Imp USA)⭐️
⭐️
So proud of my beautiful girl who really was on fire.

In property classes judged by Jill McDonald, Baby only competed in the one class and was also awarded Best Gaited.⭐️

Of course, it wasn't only Baby having fun in the ring, there were several of the younger Armahani kids out all placing in the top three in their classes:

Kira (Armahani Lapis Lazuli Loimuta - Best Minor Puppy in Show - graded Excellent

Avicii (Armahani Lapis Lazuli Lurjus) - Best Opposite Minor Puppy in Show - graded Excellent

Piper (Ch Armahani Kunzite Kruunu (AI) JC) - 2nd in Intermediate Bitch - graded Excellent & CQ

Leevi (Armahani Kunzite Kuutamo (AI) RA JDX HT ET JC) - 3rd in Intermediate Dog - graded Very Good

Uno (Armahani Jade Jalokivi) - 3rd in State Bred Dog - graded Excellent & CQ

Loki (Ch Armahani Jade Jylha) - 3rd in Aus Bred Dog - graded Excellent & CQ

The success for the day didn't end there. This was the forth year that the perpetual trophy for Best Owner, Breeder Handler, donated by Tonya Syme in memory of Vanessa Brotto was awarded. Tortik has won twice now, and this year I took in his son to compete under Elaine judging. I was a more than a little surprised, but incredibly proud, when he maintained the family tradition!
⭐️⭐️
Best Owner, Breeder, Handler
​Ch Armahani Jade Jylha
⭐⭐️
A big thanks to all of the Armahani owners and friends who made it down for the day, and were such a big help with wrangling, handling and providing champagne and food!!!

Home from another ‘annual’ adventure to Tasmania with Baby (Am Ch Aus Ch Calaban’s Dirty Dancing RE ET JC (Imp USA)) and Tortik (Supreme Ch Armahani Heliodorr Halu (AI) RA JC) which involved a substantial amount of very good food, a little bit of wine tasting, a little bit of gin tasting, and a couple of dog shows thrown in!! 

The big achievement for the weekend was Baby, who earned the forth CACIB she needed on Sunday for her International Beauty Champion (CIB) title!

​Baby is the second Finnish Lapphund in Australia to earn this title and the first through the agreement between the ANKC and the FCI.

We're very pleased to confirm that we will be welcoming the Moonstone babies in mid November!

Mother is the beautiful Kajo (Armahani Heliodorr Hohde (AI)), sister to our handsome brothers Benni and Tortik. Kajo normally lives with Trish in Perth.

Father is our old boy Alaska (Am Grand Ch & Aus Ch Teelikamentten Iikka (Imp Fin)) who I imported with Vanessa Brotto many years ago now, and who eventually made his way to show in the USA where he still lives. He was the father of our Bloodstone litter, and we're really looking forward to having his babies here again.

Back into the agility ring today. I’ll admit to being of two minds as to whether to go again, and changed my mind about 50 times!

After getting the all clear injury wise, we had a go a few weeks ago and Baby really didn’t want to jump at all and kept baulking. I really wasn’t sure if it was (1) still sore, (2) wind (was a super windy day and she hates jumping in the wind), (3) some bad associations with being sore before.

Another all clear health check and some value adding work, and I decided to try again - but then the wind forecast came.

She had three clear runs. Her first run she was happy, and committed, just a little unsure and unconfident, but getting more confident throughout. A draw to the wrong tunnel entrance and a bit of wasted time calling her off and redirecting her saw us 0.5 seconds over time. By the time of her third run she was getting tired but still happy and engaged and no sign of not wanting to jump. There was a judge in her ring however, and she had a couple of deviations where she thought they may be lost and need some attention and cuddles, so again some wasted time getting her back on track which saw us a second over. I didn’t feel so bad when I found out no novice dog passed that course!

But the second run was the kicker! A lovely lovely fun course which we both had a ball on. Quallie and first place.

So pleased she had a fun day throughout, some positive associations back jumping again (importantly in both trial and windy conditions). I just now need to keep working on building her confidence back up (and convincing her that judges in the middle of the ring are to be ignored and not for cuddling purposes).