Kevin, the charmer... He was my friend Marianne's Staffordshire Bullterrier and he walked right into the heart of our entire family. Myself, I had never even thought of owning a Stafford. Why? Well, Kevin was the one!

But when he died he left such an emptiness in all of our hearts...

One day I asked my husband and my children - what if I, maybe, would purchase a staffie? The children, by then 16 and 18 years old, screamed out their happiness!! I knew my husband would approve - he had always defended the Staffordshire Bullterrier, and always told people about Kevin.

The day came for Marianne to bring home her new staffie pup, Iris. I accompanied her, as company for her in the car but also to look at the two males who still were fore sale.

I feel in love - with the brindle male puppy... I decided immediately that his name was to be Isak!

 

Isak was a happy but calm puppy, but naturally he had a few mischieves down his sleave, like all pups do.

He had a special kind of love for shoes and slippers. Several times daily we had to do a big search for them - in the backyard, in the couch, under cushions, in our beds... 

Some shoes got more or less bruised, others thrown in the trash immediately after they were found.

Isak found the emptly PET-bottles before us - no re-cycling needed!

 

It took Isak a month before he had the guts to leave our yard - his world ended by the dustbin, he refused to walk any further - no matter what we did. We even tried with the help of friends, his sister Iris - but NO! He really refused! He sat down on his bottom and sat there like a rock - "I'M NOT TAKING EVEN ONE STEP!!"

When that block was removed from his mind, it didn't take long before he proudly walked beside me even in the big city, surrounded by people, buses, cars and strange noises. THAT was FUN!

 

At 4 months of age he made his debut in the show ring. I so regret I hadn't brought the video camera - he acted like he was born in the show ring, he moved freely with his head proudly looking up at his handler, showed like a rock!

 

 

 

 

Marianne is Isak's handler, they're made for each other and Isak ADORE their outings together! Nowadays when I do my pre-show preparations he knows exactly what's going on. I recall one time in particular...

 

I walked around the house, gathering his showleash, the papers, fetched the crate - suddenly Isak was disappeared! We found him in the shower!!! Normally he hate being bathed, and now he refused to leave the shower!! He was bathed a couple of days before, but what was I to do?! I had to do the whole procedure all over again. When we were done he went out in the kitchen and hallway and stood there in a show stance, over and over again!!! The whole family thought we were hallucinating! But, what a blast to see such joy and anticipation in a dog - you could almost hear him talk "Isn't Marianne coming soon???".

 

 

 

 

 

Isak is exremely easy to handle and take along wherever I go. He's calm, relaxed, never picks fights with other dogs and his body language is easy to read. Many times he's just too good-natured...

Our Whippet is a much tougher dog and Isak never tells him NO "chew my ears off if you want, take my food if you're hungry - I can always eat tomorrow...". They are the best of friends, Isak and Elias!

 

 

 

 

Isak's love of his life is the Giant Schnauzer Tina. He love their walks and he always show me the way to their rendezvous. The feeling is mutual!

 

He like cats and greet them with kindness, but he know Marianne's pet rabbits are TABU, and so are the wild rabbits in the woods. They're bunnys too, right?! But, I have to admit that he probably would like to chase after them, you can see that in his body language and his eyes - "I'm sure that's yummy...".

 

 

 

 

I have tried to do some obedience work with him, but he's difficult to motivate enough. He enjoys the training for a short period of time, but after a while he thinks it's enough. He doesn't have the patience for any serious kind of

obedience work, but in the daily life there's no problems. He hardly ever wears a leash, and he always comes when called.

 

We tried the agility track once. My plan was to make him jump a 30 centimetre hurdle -  pretty easy, I thought. Well, he began nicely but when he was nearly there he stopped, pulled down the upper crib with his nose - and he STRODE over it! The tunnels... "NO WAY!!! was the unspoken words of my Isak!

This dog sure makes you laugh!

 

This summer Isak, Bjorn and myself went on vacation to Finland - you notice that the breed is numerously bigger over there and that common people aren't as prejudiced as they are in Sweden.

Isak loved to play with the children who came to visit - their parents were totally relaxed, not at all worried that the dog would do any harm to their children. They never even mentioned the word "dangerous". I myself was more worried that the children would be to rough on my little friend when they played with him - I kept a watchful eye on the children the whole time...

18-03-2003

 

 

 

The years pass by... Isak is now soon to be 6 years old, and the love between us is just as strong today as it was that day in December 2000 when Isak walked into our lives. Our family has now increased with a grandchild, Amelia 10 months, and he treats her just as gently as he plays tough with his dog friends. Our old Stegg has passed away and a new German Pointer puppy's living with us - Isaks recent love :-)

It's hard to grasp the fact that I never even thought of owning a Stafford when Kevin was alive - now Isak's heremy own very first Staffordshire Bullterrier, but certainly not the last...

ISAK - the apple of my eye...