The quaility of these pictures, vary since some are form mobile-phone or compact automatic camera.

So we where going to the Swedish Fjelds this year. We prefer the Alps and the Dolomite mountains but enabling the dogs to join us we choose Sweden this year too. We had planned our route including shopping food in Karlstad (food-prices in Sälen = theft), as well as spending one night at a hotel both on our journey up as well as down. The dogs loved staying at the hotel, since that involves "certain advantages".  The staff had put a fluffy dog-bed, size smaller in the room. Kumi managed to squeeze herself into it and, enjoyed that! Anyhow we enjoyed a good meal at the hotel-room, and some good red wine that we had brought. The journey went all fine, we stopped for some "dog-breaks" on our way up and the roads where also OK.

The roof box was filled with skiing-clothes, food (including 2 mega-size breads of my own baking which lasted all week), dog-food and dog-equipment. Manuel in the trunk, Kumi in the back-seat with a car-harness on (not working very well).

We had rented a small house outside Tandådalen, and close to Hundfjället which suited us perfectly. There were still a lot of snow, and we looked forward to a nice week.

Well, the first days went fast and fine. Some cross-country skiing with the dogs. It was the first time for Kumi so she was a bit scared, but still we managed. Manuel remembered everything and managed very well. BUT no-one of them wants to pull...I thought for sure that Kumi wanted to since she likes to pull anyhow... but she had too much respect for the skis behind her - not understanding that she should stay slightly to the right. After some practice she reacted very fast on my "no" and jumped back to "her side".

At one time it went TOO fine, she got scared and ran faster and faster, so I pulled the safety plug, so I could stop, and so did she not having anything chasing her anymore. That wasn't the best experience for her, but the best thing was  that she managed to process the incident in a good way, enabling us to continue the "ski-training" and to progress.

Then Mikael "caught something" and wasn't feeling fresh. So I went cross-country skiing alone with one dog in the morning, took the car to the slopes during the day, came back, and went out with next dog in the afternoon. Then we bought mobile broad-band via Telia which worked really fine so that we could connect with our "dear Internet" in the evenings.

Both dogs just loved the snow, and the exercise and was physically and mentally satisfied. That was very clear to see, since we could pass other dogs very very closely with Kumi with no reaction at all (which normally isn't the case if not aware). The ate like maniacs and slept like "dead"...a good good dog-life.

We had to buy a new harness for Manuel since he has matured physically a lot since last year. The old harness looked like fish-net on him! We found a really good one, which is adjustable when it comes to the length, but he required the biggest size, so bigger male Japanese Akitas, or the American style - sorry, I do not think it will fit.

Both Kumi and Manuel where fascinated by the sledge dogs...and I tried to make them inspired..but no...no no...

/Charlotte