A newbie

[ace_88]

Hi everyone!

My name is Ásrún, I'm 19 years old and I'm from Iceland.

Sadly I do not own a Corgi, but I'm hoping to get one in the future although it might be a bit difficutl since there are no corgi's in Iceland!

anyway, until then I'm happily satisfied with my little mutt girl Píla, a four years old German Shepherd x Border Collie x Terrier mix


Píla at 4 months


Camouflage, at 3 years


Offering a ride, at 3 years


posing at 4 years, she's such a model

[Jane Austen]

Welcome Ásrún, I have never seen that name before. How do you pronounce it? Are you male or female?

Your Pila is very cute, and the pictures are appreciated so we can see a little of your beautiful island country. ( I looked back on your profile and found out you are interested in Photography)

I always wanted to visit Iceland. A friend of mine worked there for a while on a mink ranch. Are there mink farms in Iceland now?

My family always had mutt dogs which we loved just as much as any purebred dog. But owning Duchess is different than any we had before. I adopted her when she was seven years old.

May your next pet be a corgi, June

[Michael Romanos]

Hi Asrun. Your dog must love cold water. Brrr (Perhaps there is a warm current). Great photos.
I am surprised that there are no Corgis in Iceland because there are plenty in Scandanavian countries such as Sweden and Norway. I suppose at great expense you will be able to import a Corgi from those countries or from Britain or is there a very strict restriction on the importing of dogs and tough quarantine regulations?
When you finally get one, you must get two and start a breeding programme.

[Peggy]

Originally Posted by Michael Romanos

Hi Asrun. Your dog must love cold water. Brrr (Perhaps there is a warm current). Great photos.
I am surprised that there are no Corgis in Iceland because there are plenty in Scandanavian countries such as Sweden and Norway. I suppose at great expense you will be able to import a Corgi from those countries or from Britain or is there a very strict restriction on the importing of dogs and tough quarantine regulations?
When you finally get one, you must get two and start a breeding programme.

If one is going to get into breeding they should have a goal, be breeding to the standards and work to improve each generation. NOT just breed because someone thinks there aren't enough of a certain breed around.

And I'll bet there are more around than you think. People often tell me there aren't many corgis in Utah. Well, when I start telling them about all the ones I know about they change their minds. Often even if you think a breed is rare it might not be as rare as you think.

Peggy

[ace_88]

Iceland is not a big country.

I'm a big time dog addict, I go to shows, I am a member of many Icelandic dog forums and I know a lot of people with my same interest.
- There are no corgi's in Iceland.

but I do believe there was one or two corgi's here nearly a decade ago but they weren't bred and didn't reproduce so there are none now.

I plan on hopefully moving to Sweden in a year to study photography and when I'm there I plan on getting a Cardigan.
I've already launched a search for a good breeder. I'm searching for good showlines with good temperment and yes I plan on getting two, male and female. I also plan to breed if they are compatable

I'll start with getting the one and will add a second one when my first is approx year old... I'll be staying in Sweden for two or three years anyway so..

It is very expensive to import dogs and cats into Iceland and they have to spend a month in isolation since this is such an isolated island. All shots and vaccintations have to be up to date and the whole nine yards

The costs of importing a medium sized dog (isolation, food and board, vet checkups etc) is about 250.000 ISK.

Anyway to answer some questions I don't know how to write my name as you prenounce it so you'll have to stay in the dark on that one.
On the other hand I know that I am female

[Michael Romanos]

Taflar must have forgotten that Iceland is a relatively small island and a Corgi isn't going to simply slip in un-noticed like they do in Utah which is part of a huge network of maybe 550,000 Corgis that encompasses the rest of the USA mainland, Canada and Alaska.

Good on you and I hope all your plans come to fruition. It will be lovely to have Cardis in Iceland and exhibiting them and breeding from them and cultivating interest in a breed which is well suited for your climate and the type of people in Iceland. I am also very very pleased that Iceland has given up whale killing. Thankyou very much.

No wonder your photos are so good. When you get to Sweden, send us many photos of Corgis you see there.

We could send you Cardis from New Zealand and we are one of only six countries which are considered the clearest from dog diseases and viruses (eg rabies-free) so that there is no need for any quarantine. Trouble is we are at both ends of the world so that travel expenses would be very high.

[ace_88]

Thanks Michael.

But it wouldn't matter if you would send me corgi's from NZ, they would have to be quarantined either way since the goverment and people here in Iceland get very paranoid when it comes to importing animals.

We are a nation that pride ourselves of our horsebreed, the Icelandic horse (I own two) and we export our finest to compete in competitions in Europe but we cannot bring them back to Iceland... never.

It's a sad situation I think. Of course I understand why but I couldn't export my horse knowing that I would never be able to bring it back home with me..

Anyway enough ranting
here are some more photos I though you might like


Píla posing in the flowers


Sunset


Another sunset


yet another sunset, this one seen from my backyard

And last but not lest

Píla... my little dolphin dog

[Jane Austen]

Ásrún, your pictures are exceptionally beautiful. I love lupines which are in the first photo.
I am very interested to read what you say about going to Sweden to study photography. and wish you good luck. But what you say about getting a corgi or two while you are studing does not seem like a good idea. You are young and can wait until you are settled to start a breeding program. Depending what field of photography you get into, it may be quite a while before you are settled in one place.
It is really not fair to the animals to be in such an uncertain situation.
On the other hand you seem thoughtful and responsible.
Last winter I was to go to Vermont to ride Icelandic ponies but it rained terribly hard so it is on "hold" till later. I have never seen Icelandic ponies. Will you post a picture of your animals?
What will become of your pets while you are away? Do you have brothers and sisters that will take care of them? Jane

[ace_88]

I try to be responsable.
I'm going to study studio photography so when I start working I will be settled in one place, not traveling around like journelism photographers for example.

"My" Píla acctually belongs to my mother and when I move out from my parents house she will be left at home with them.

My horses are Veröld a year old filly... I can't tame her until she's 4 or 5 years old so she'll spent the next 3/4 years grazing.

My riding horse is Ála, a 9 winters old mare *she's not Verölds mom*... whilst I'm abroad I'm going to have her taken to a stallion and they carry the foal for a year in their tummy so there's one year.
Then a very good friend of mine will take care of her and the foal.

When I get back to Iceland I have a place to stay with my dogs until I settle myself down and I know of MANY other people that are in a much worse situation than I'd be in, much more irrisponsable and who acctually just shouldn't own pets... But my argument is not that there are others worse than me.. that would just be childish

my whole life I've never been without pets.
from the new years until next fall, or when I've settled myself in Sweden I won't have a pet .. that's what ten months?
- that will be an extreamly difficult time for me, but my living arrangements wont be too stable so I'm not getting a pet at that time.. besides I wouldn't dream of getting a pup to such an unstable situation, move to sweden, settle there down and then move back to Iceland and settle down again.

Besides I wouldn't dream of starting with a breeding program until I settle down.
I concider myself to be very responsable.
I am a hardworker don't give up easily and am very hardheaded.

But on the other hand, if for some reason my living arrangements in Sweden would not be suitable for a dog I would wait.
And it's not like I'm going to jump and buy the first corgi I see for sale the minute I step out of the plane.

I will take my time and concider this weighing the pro's and con's

Well.. this has turned out to be quite the essay on my behalf, lol
here again are some photos.


Me and Ála setting out for a ride


Posing *I do not live in the house in the background... wish i did though, lol*


Tölting


Veröld my little filly


She's young but such a sweetheart

[Jane Austen]

Thank you for the pictures Ásrún.
It must be nice to live in that farming land. I live on a small plot of land with trees. I only can garden on the front lawn, but as I am a senior citizen it is enough for me.

[fogebotom]

Beautiful horses! I have had the chance to see the breed up close and really am taken by them. It's interesting that once they are exported, they are not allowed to return to the homeland, or so that's what I have been told.

I also grew up with a friend who's mother was from Iceland. We got treated to lots of stories about the various creatures-real and folklore that her mom grew up with.

Can't have small horses here though. Too dangerous with the Clydesdales around. Slightly afraid that they might get in too much trouble and end up hurt.

And I might add, that it looks like you have thought your dog dreams through. Good luck where it your work takes you.

Cindy and the crew at Foggy Bottom
www.foggybottomusa.com

[ace_88]

I don't live on a farming land, wish I did though.. that place is just where I keep my horses.
I stated in a previous post that if exported horses cannot be brought back, which I find sad..

The Icelandic horse is the only horsebreed in Iceland because of our bann to import any farming animals (horses, cows, sheep etc.)
I have thought my dream through and plan to follow it through as well.
I've found a nice breeder in Norway who I've been writing back and forth with.

She says she'd be happy to help me find great dogs to start a breeding program in Iceland... guess I'll just have to wait and see how that plays out.

[EvyKins]

Allow me to join the chorus of praises... Your pictures are absolutely stunning! You have an amazing talent and your Pila is beautiful!

[Michael Romanos]

Overall, our New Zealand) regulations are pretty tough on returning animals or the importation of same, but not to the extent of Iceland. You must try and influence your animal and agricultural officials to visit NZ to find ways of relaxing some of your harsh and un-necessary laws. NZ's economy is almost entirely reliant on agriculture so we are careful with export and import of live animals and pets. Countries such as Norway, Iceland and NZ have much in common.