Watercubs & Kivisilmän

working show-quality newfoundlands

International, Finnish, Swedish Champion
Larinkallion Brysselinblicca "Capri" 
(9.1.2003-  31.3.2014)


Good Canine Citizenship Silver & Bronze
Draft: UK level 1 & 2
Rally obedience: Qualifying Score level 1 (UK)
Waterwork: BE level 1, FI level 1, DE bootsredder and level A, UK level A & B
Shows CAC: BE, LUX, FR, FI, SE    CACIB: FR, BE, ESP, SE

Picture gallery

Litters:

Larinkallion H-   b.17.05.2005
Kivisilmän M- b. 23.11.2008

We got Capri spring 2003, after a long search for the perfect dog. Fortunately the dog that we finally got was perfect, at least to our eyes. Bettina flew to Helsinki, where she saw Gasparo and then traveled on to Turku to see the mother and the puppies.

Capri's active (though after her first litter she calmed a lot!). She's stubborn, dominant and smart. Capri's appearance and structure are good: she's got a strong body, good angulations, good chest and a beautiful, dark brown, coat -not to mention her flying gait. She’s also slow grower; her last cm’s she grew just before turning three. Her head and body were more or less finished at five years. 

Capri’s very eager to learn new things, but like a typical newfie only obeys when she wants to or when you have irresistible treats in your hand. We have done obedience, waterwork, doggydancing, carting, frisbee and conformation with her. The main thing we love about Capri is that she is not limited to just one hobby, but is able to do so many different things. She'll succeed in the beauty rings, but she"ll do equally well in real working situations. You don't have to choose; you can do anything! :-)
 

RESULTS:

      

                                   Shows                                                                   Waterwork                                                             Obedience, Draft and BH                

Capri's been healthy except for the hip dislocation in spring 2009. She has had no skin problems and no allergies. The only "health" problem Capri has, is that she eats very little for a dog of her size. She gains weight very easily and we always have to make sure she doesn't get too many extra treats or too much food. Fortunately when she gets overweight; a few days diet is enough to bring her back to normal.

Capri was sterilized in Autumn 2009 after having two litters.

Heart: Healthy (ultrasound with doppler-technique -05 and -08)
Hips: D/D (taken spring -04,)
Elbows 0/0 (taken spring -04)
Cystinuria: free
 

Hips and elbows in pictures

Capri. Larinkallion Brysselinblicca.

Official Belgian K9 Lifeguard
International Champion
European Veteran Winner 2011
Finnish Champion
Swedish Champion
Good Canine Citizen Silver & Bronze
UK draft levels 1 & 2
UK Rally obedience qualifying score 1 
Waterwork tests passed in Belgium, Finland, Germany and the UK
Mother to Larinkallion H- & Kivisilman M- litters
Grandmother to Kivisilman N-, R-, S-, T- litters
Great-grand-mother-to-be to Kivisilman V- litter

There really are no words to accurately describe what Capri meant to us. I tried, and ended up writing almost a book long memoir. Her joining our family directed our future to what it is now. "She will be missed" is an understatement.

Years -00&01 we spent researching the concept of "dogs". Summer 2002 we finally visited a few breeders, and selected where we wanted our first brown newfoundland from: Larinkallion. Winter 2002 we contacted Pertti Hartmanvagain, and a couple of months later, pretty much exactly 11 years ago during my Easter break -03, I flew alone at 13 yrs from Brussels to Finland. Our relatives drove me first to see the sire and then to pick Capri up from the breeder. I had just finished reading Turid Rugaas' Calming signals-book, and remember yawning and licking my lips the entire flight back home. After the holidays were over, at the end of a class, we were asked "what did you do during the holidays", I had the chance to tell everyone the surprise of "we got a puppy". Capri joining our family had been the result of a lot of research, planning and waiting. I cannot thank Pertti Hartman enough for believing in us to be the perfect fit for Capri, and always being only a phone call away. 

We started (had actually been going without a dog for a while already) dog school with Capri immediately after getting her, training with Päivi Reijonen. Summer -03 we joined a waterwork club. Later that summer we participated at our first waterwork camp in Finland. We also participated at our first dog show, the Finnish Speciality show, that summer. Capri did really well, which motivated us to pursue showing in conformation.

Capri really was a real character in all senses of the word. She was a dominant girl that taught us more than we could have ever hoped for during her first few years. She was a stubborn and persistent girl. We had to teach her rules, and learn how to motivate her - because when motivated, she worked like a dream. We learned that she was motivated by not only food, but also just by the act of working with us, getting a task to do. This type of motivation is what allowed us to achieve together so much especially in waterwork. She was a dog that you could trust with your life. She had excellent stamina due to her swimming style and strength. But most importantly she would never, ever give up without finishing a task. She was always listening for further commands, but would cleverly give her own input to what would be the most efficient way to complete the given task. Capri's true character came about mostly through embarrassing incidences that I probably shouldn't share with you to keep her gracious old lady act up  !

Summer 2005 she had her first litter (Larinkallion H), and in 2008 she had her second (Kivisilman M). Capri was a healthy, healthy girl that would never ever have an upset stomach, skin/coat issues or dirty ears etc., apart from her FH&NE in 2009 and this very recent Laryngeal paralysis surgery which's complications were just too much for her (perhaps internal bleeding?). She got very weak quickly and it was time to let her go, as I always tell everyone else "better a day too early than a day too late". Today was that day. Time to let her go. Time for us to say "goodbye" to a dear family member. Capri is and always will be the Perfect dog in our eyes and she will be missed more than any words could convey. She is our Capri.

PEDIGREE:
 

(c) Salmelin