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~

May 17, 2012 - January 26, 2023

March 2016 - on the  Homestead~

A new dog for us!  August 12th, 2012 - Nika joined our family.  We'd looked at different breeds for several years. Doing some research, Buhund's drew our attention.  A smaller dog & beautiful too - resembling an Arctic Fox.

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 WA state who had a litter of puppies born in May. We scheduled a weekend visit & made the drive - returning home with a new puppy!

8-12-2012 Nika as a puppy~

  Super smart, quick, fast, high energy & independent - she was challenging to train. A good guard dog & yes, wary of strangers. The bark can get incessant & it's impossible to break her of the bad habit. 

 When we made the move from Washington state to Iowa in October of 2016, Nika came with us.  She adapted to being more of an inside dog, since we had yet to fence the yard.  Once the fence was completed - she was back to her day job of guarding the property. The mailman is not her friend & she lets him know it!  She must run full speed from one end of the house to the other at least 20 times every day when he comes by.

1-21-2019 - Iowa winter~

Nika has always loved walks, trying to pull me along just as fast as she can.  We walk along the creek & through our woods at home.  Every day she checks out the entire perimeter of the backyard.  She's always watching me at whatever outside task I might be doing.

Annika ~ December 31, 2020 

The snowy winters are Nika's favorite!  The deeper the snow, the better she loves playing in it!  The cold really doesn't seem to bother her - but she has a heated dog bed on the back deck.  When we sit out together, I use a radient heater to keep us both warm.

Our friend Doris hosted Tuesday Bible Studies.  Nika was invited too, so we'd make the walk through the neighborhoods once a week.  (Nika enjoyed greeting everyone in the study, before falling asleep in the middle of the living room.)  Doris takes care of Nika when we travel & is Nika's very favorite person!

1-23-2022 Nika, Gracie & Mari Jo - ready to go!

Mari Jo & her dog Gracie are two other friends.  In the winter months we make the drive to Silver City to walk the Wabash trail together.  There are lots of wonderful scents out in the great wide-open! 

8-15-2022 Nika as sidekick!

June of 2022, she became Butch's Over the Road companion.  Nika traveled the country & guarded the truck for four-months.  In October though, when Butch returned home for a few days, we decided her days OTR were over.  Her heart was in it, but at ten-years young, it was time for her to stay home. 

10-19-22 Catching up on her sleep~

She was very unhappy when Butch left without her.  I was very happy to have her home again, I'd missed her so much.  We returned to our weekly walks to visit Grama Doris & daily routines.  Doris can be quoted as saying; "Nika is a perfect dog!"

The loss of Nika~