Siru Two Years Later
Siru at our parking lot photoshoot in September 2001.
We released Siru's original web pages in August 2000. They were well received by sighthound enthusiasts worldwide and the feedback was very positive. So now, almost two years later, we felt it was time for an update in order to let you know how Siru and friends are doing nowadays. This update consists of ten new pages and over ninety new photographs. We hope you'll enjoy them.
Siru sleeps on the living room couch in November 2001.
At three years of age, Siru has mellowed down somewhat. She is more cuddly than before, and if your face is within reach while she is stretched out on the couch it is likely that you'll get a thorough face cleaning. She enjoys company and often joins us on the couch when we watch TV. She likes to crawl into places much too small for her, for example she will often crawl behind the couch or under the bed. Getting into and out of these spaces is cumbersome and makes lots of noise but Siru seems to appreciate the coolness and solitude they provide. Of course when she crawls under the bed or behind the couch we're almost always in the same room.
Stretching... Siru can stay in this sort of improbable positions for minutes on end...
In season, she is wearing black panties. June 2001.
Sleeping is as important to Siru as ever. Her days are spent asleep, charging batteries as it were. Occasionally she has dreams of chasing rabbits (or, knowing Siru, perhaps dreams of being chased by them) and will yelp quietly while her feet make running motions. At other times she lets out moans reminiscent of monsters in horror movies as she stretches out.
Siru in June 2001.
Physically Siru has changed little. She eats any and everything she can so we've had the occasional weight problem with her, especially when she has figured out new ways of getting at cat food and/or our food. Her present fur coat is a vast improvement over what she had in the spring of 2000.
Rosa the deerhound and Siru stalk each other in front of
a barn and a well in Ristijärvi in June 2001.
Siru still growls at strange dogs as if she were very angry and we have not been able to get rid of that problem. Having had more time to analyze things, we've come to the conclusion that Siru growls because she is concerned about the intentions of other dogs. In part the problem is within our own pack, we seem to lack a strong leader figure. Siru should look to us or to Hippu for dealing with strange dogs but instead she feels that she must do it herself. So she growls, trying to sound dangerous and in control of the situation. She is of course neither and hardly ever manages to convince other dogs who tend to ignore her noises, though their owners sometimes need our assurance that Siru is not out to hurt anyone.
Luckily this is not a feature she shares with other silkens and is no doubt at least partly due to our ineptness at training our dogs. The problem is worse when Siru is on-leash (there is nowhere to run) and when the other dog is coming towards us without slowing down. The problem is often less severe when we people greet the strangers first with a friendly word or two.
But Siru does not growl at all dogs. Black dogs seem far more dangerous than lighter-colored ones (we're certain that Siru has never looked in the mirror), but the size or sex of the other dog does not make much difference. Siru is very partial to sighthounds however, a borzoi or another silken will feel right at home with her. She also loves collies, their long noses and ample coats making them look "right" to her. There is no end to tail-wagging when we meet a collie.
Siru learns to recognize friendly dogs from afar if we meet them often enough. Such friends are greeted with smiles, high-stepping and eager whining, and of course tail-wagging, followed by lots of sniffing.
Siru and Riinu pause to catch their breath in the common yard.
We had quite a lot of snow in November 2001.
The neighborhood kids still love her and at times one or more will run out to pet her and Hippu when we come from a walk. Siru is a dog whom children can pet without fear.
Siru has also improved her car passenger skills to the point that she does not always get sick in a car even on long voyages, though we do need to drive carefully and smoothly. She does however still harbor a strong dislike for these vehicles and remains convinced that every car ride is designed to take her to the vet's where she will receive dozens of painful injections.
At home, Siru has learned that clipping toe nails is generally not fatal to dogs and the operation no longer resembles a wrestling match.
Panting in November 2001.
Siru is a dog of contrasts. She can be cuddly but slightly paranoid, friendly but overly cautious, good-mannered but mischievous, hedonistic yet athletic, lazy but active, obedient yet independent-minded. And all on the same day. Siru is a wonderful friend and we love her dearly.
Siru sends her loving regards to all her progeny in the States: Dabisha, Daiquiri, Dante, D'Arktagnan, Dugal - she is so very proud of all of you !
Siru on April 13, 2002, a week before she was due to give birth to a litter of
silken swamp... no, sorry, silken windhounds.
In late April 2002 Siru gave birth to three male puppies at Kennel Starcastle in Sweden. You can read all about it and follow updates of how the puppies are doing on Kennel Starcastle's homepage !
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