Pluto’s character

Pluto was born at 03/03/2000 in Reisjärvi (in a small village in the middle of Finland), at Hanna-Mari’s childhood home. Pluto is our (I mean Hanna-Mari and Tommi) first dog. Pluto learns very quickly and he is very willing to commend to us, really good dog. Pluto is very curious, and always very observant. He is very playful and he likes every kind of toys, especially balls, sticks, ropes and Frisbee. So, he likes to rip and get the balls back to me. He is also quite a refined feeder, so likes food a lot, like meatballs and sausage. Pluto is very loyal and obedient dog.

Pluto’s main hobby – agility – it is soooo fun!

Pluto was very active dog when he was puppy, so we looked around a hobby in which he can takes his energy out. We started to train agility from basics at summer 2001, so Pluto was 13 months in those days. Earlier I had trained obedience with him. Because Pluto is much willing to commend me, it is easy to train him.

Agility trial autumn 2005, nice seasaw. 

Judge Jarmo Jämsä.

Photo: Kuittinen Riitta-Liisa.

At spring 2002 we competed the first time at unofficial competition and it went great! In June 2002 we competed first time in official trial. We moved very fast to the highest level to compete in Finland.

10/29/2004 Pluto and I reached title, Finnish agility championship and at September 2005 we reached Swedish agility championship. At summer 2005 my team won Bronze medal at Finnish national team competition. My best result in individual Finnish national trials is 9^th place at 2006, there were 139 dogs in my class, so it was pretty well, and notice that I was also pregnant (5^th month) at that time.  

Bronze medalists in Finnish Team Nationals 2005,

from left. Kirsi Arhippainen ja Capri, 

Sari Pietilä ja Nelli & Keissi,

Hanna-Mari ja Pluto.

Photo: Studio EppuAppu.

We compete at medium size class and the highest level in Finland. We have taken part to the elimination of Finnish national team competition many years, not managed to get there yet, unfortunately. But it has been close. (National team represents Finland in World’s championship competitions every year – and by the way this year the competition is in Finland, see page http://voittaja.kennelliitto.fi/EN/agilitywc2008/etusivu.htm .)

So, our goals are high, but first of all agility must be fun to me and my dog!

Pluto is very nice dog, who is quite easy to train, he is so smart and learns quickly. My lovely dog!

At October 2007 we moved to U.S., California and the dogs were at first time at aeroplane. It was long flight to our dogs, but they doesn’t stress at all. Both of our dogs were peacefully and didn’t even bark at all.

We train once a week with Sharon Freilich, in Martinez, at Freilance Dogs Sport. We like it very much! We have competed couple times at USDAA trials (Santa Rosa, City of Indystry and Fillmore) and we are going to compete as much as possible here in CA and of course have a lot of fun time in agility!

Other hobbies

We have been some times at dog shows (conformations) in Finland, managed to reach grades extremely good, so judging with very good grades. But shows are not so interested than agility trials. We have also trained flyball a little bit, but in Finland there it is not very usual to train that and there is no competition in flyball.