per email: October 8th, 2009

Hi Sabine!

Wow its been a long time since I spoke to you! I have to admit I've been quite lazy about emailing :) Mika is doing quite well. Although she is quite spoiled! She certainly gets non-stop love and attention from us. She is by far the best looking dog in the whole neighborhood. Lots of people know her now absolutely love her. She knows just how pretty she is too :) and absolutely loves the attention she gets. There is a very large park right near our house where many dog owners take their dogs every day and she loves to go there and play with many dogs every day. Her personality is quite fun too. She loves everyone and every dog. However while she does love to run her favorite thing to do is wrestle. In fact if other dogs just keep running away from her she gets quite talky and barks at them if they won' wrestle her. She loves playing with the other dogs tho and usually gets to play with 3-10 other dogs at least twice a day.

At that same park there is an ice rink...because it is a community centre/high school. Everyday they have to constantly keepy changing the ice so there is a huge pile of snow outside all year long. So Mika gets to play in the snow everyday! She absolutely loves this and we usually go there at least twice a day for at least 20mins at a time and let her play and roll around in the snow. Sometimes other dogs will come over there too and then she gets to wrestle in the snow...o mama that's just the best thing ever! Hehe. Most other dogs just don't seem to like the snow as much as she does though.

Mika just made a friend the other day who is a 3month old Husky pup. We met outside starbucks which is right next to our vet when i took Mika for her 16weeks shots. Both the husky puppy and his owner immediately fell in love with Mika and followed us over to the vet where the two of them wrestled in the lobby until Mika had to go inside. The husky puppy howled the whole time outside while Mika was getting her shots! Once she came out again he was much happier and they played again for a little while before I took Mika home to rest. That's a pretty good example of how much people love her...even I was surprised that the lady and her puppy followed us to the vet! But I guess no one can resist our Mika! :)

I know I'm going on and on about how good looking she is but I can't stop. :) I believe I told you earlier that there is another Samoyed in the area named Lily who is from Vanderbilt Kennels. I had seen her before we got Mika but haven't seen her in a while. I remembered that she was a gorgeous female who is almost 2yrs old now. However when Mika met her the other day I have to say...and Cindy agrees with me that Mika is a muuuuuch better looking dog. So we just wanted to let you know that RoughDiamond Samoyeds are by far superior to Vanderbilts!! ;)

Anyway...I think I've gone on long enough about how good looking she is! :) We would love to come visit some weekend or if you go to white rock on the weekend would love to come see you guys at the beach. Oh btw..Mika now weighs 25lbs. I think she is gonna be a big girl...more like her dad. :)

Have a great week Sabine!

Phil

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per email: August 2009

Hey Sabine,

..........Mika is doing quite well I believe. When we said she was a trouble maker we were really right haha. She has already destroyed a pair of Cindy's pants....while she was wearing them! Well, we've started to put a stop to that hehe. She has one funny little habit that we are trying to break. Often while she is napping, she goes to her water bowl and puts her two front paws in it, sometimes even splashing a bit out onto the floor. Then she lays down in the water to sleep. I guess she did this before we arrived to pick her up that first day...that was why she was so soaked. She seems to only really do it when she is disturbed while sleeping. If we are quiet she sleeps peacefully...but I think she gets a little mad when she is disturbed hehe. Anyway...she definitely knows its wrong...I watch her carefully and if she starts to put her feet in I say her name and she looks at me then stops. Hehe good times.

She is such a good girl...but still such a baby too. When eating she takes a few bites then kinda gets distracted and starts to wander so I have to put her back in front of the bowl. It takes a few tries but seh normally usually eats almost all of it. I think her favorite thing is water though...she loves to eat a couple bites of food then drink...and repeat.

She has been really good about pooing...but she's a really sneaky about peeing haha. If you aren't keeping close watch she can pee in just a second. All in all she's good though.

Anyway hope you all are doing well and as always thanks for all your help! Anyway tips, etc are always welcome!

Have a great day!

Phil