Annika

 "You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us."
- Robert Louis Stevenson

Nika - March 2016  (Born May 17, 2012)

A new dog for our little family!  We had been looking at different breeds for several years.  (As Kitt aged, we wondered If we could ever find another dog that might become that kind of companion.)   We'd seen photos of Buhunds - they were much smaller, but similar in appearance.

2/18/2016 In the Woods~

With Butch's Norwegian heritage - the Norwegian Buhund breed was associated with the Vikings.  Rare - only eight breeders in the United States, so it was difficult to find puppies.   The Norwegian Buhund Club of America had a Facebook page - I posted a few questions there.  Everything we read, sounded like the kind of dog we might be interested in.  Used as herding dogs, farm dogs & guard dogs - loyal to their family, but wary of strangers.

Timing is sometimes everything - it was strange how ours worked out.  On my way home from a trip to Colorado in July, 2012 - I received a message from the one breeder in our state who had a litter of puppies born in May.  We scheduled a weekend visit & made the drive - returning home with a new puppy!   

With Rascal - 12/1/2013

The first four-years went by in a flash!  Nika will be four in 2016.  Super smart, quick, fast, high energy & independent - she's been a handful to train.  A good guard dog & yes, wary of strangers.  The bark can get incessant - we had to resort to a bark collar, but now it's seldom needed.

She's adapted well to our move from Washington to Iowa & enjoys more time in the house, even if I don't enjoy all the vacuuming!  :-)  When we sit on the swing - she's in the middle!