Elbereth Finnish Lapphunds

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Int Ch Elbereth Toive - 26/4/2000 to 6/5/2015

It's ever easy to say good by to a special friend, and with Toive it has been a roller coaster of emotions, not fully understanding when the right time had come.  After our lovely day at Crufts my plans to celebrate at the hotel after the show were quickly changed when I realised Toive was poorly, so I hastily jumped in the car to drive home - so I could check her out and get her to the vets first thing in the morning.  My lovely vets, agreed we should try and buy her some more time, so antibiotics and loxicom for pain relief were administered and my super strong girlie rallied to see her fifteenth birthday  - but there were good days and bad days, and soon the bad days started out numbering the good.  She was always keen to eat, and sometimes keen to walk albeit slower and stiffer as the days progressed, but some days she simply preferred to stay home in comfort.  But I had to accept that those previously bright eyes just started to show a sad dog, who was I am sure just trying to be brave and strong for my sake, so I had to make the horrid decision to let her go.  

Elbereth ToiveToive means hope in finnish, she was from the Uk's first Pet passport litter, and there was a lot of hope on my behalf that Echo & Nörri would produce some lovely pups, and boy did they!  Toive was a lively pup, and I always joked that had I sold her she would have been sent back quickly! A high energy girl with a terrific keenness to please me and work. One of the most obedient dogs I have had - she was very attached to me - and this meant she did not like me out of her sight - so the down stay was not going to happen, she simply crawled along on her tummy so she was at my side - preferably touching my foot with her paw!  She took to agility very well and even dabbled at working trials.

Toive was a lovely friendly dog - being a regular visitor to Discover Dogs, and thoroughly enjoying the attention she received, she was also very child friendly - loving it when Phillip's school friends visited, and happily enjoying a rough and tumble.  A great ambassador for the breed she met up with many prospective new owners here at home and worked her charm on them.

She had a good show career, starting out as the Top Puppy in 2001, where she finished her puppy career in style with BP under Hans Lehtinen at Birmingham National Ch show. 

A number of BB awards followed and a very successful career overseas - where she was much appreciated for her attitude and terrific sound strong movement, easily gaining her Int crown long before CCs were on offer in UK, in fact she was unbeaten as a bitch, and only once beaten for BOB, a pretty impressive record:



  • 24/03/07 - Leiden - CACIB/CAC and BOB
  • 4/12/05 - Rouen - CACIB.CAC and BOB
  • 19/11/05 - Kortrijk - CACIB/CAC and BOB
  • 1/10/05 - Charleroi - CACIB/CAC and BOS


Crufts 2003 was the first year that Finnish Lapphunds were allowed to compete, and it was fitting the honour of judging went to Sue Dunger who introduced the breed to UK, and in fact bred Toive's dam.  Toive was Best bitch - and her brother Nalle BOB. 



Just love this photo of Toive & half brother Peikko doing the double at Leeds.

I think her biggest mark on the breed here in UK is as an amazing brood bitch, to date the most successful brood bitch in UK, in three litters she had 18 pups, nothing special there, but from her litters, producing 8 best of sex winners (1 more than her dam), notably:


  • Elbereth Kimmi (by Osky des Chevaloupsgreg) - born 6/10/2003
  • Elbereth Kyky (by Int/Fin Ch Lecibsin Hapmi) - born 24/4/2006
  • Elbereth Suvi at Cochochr ShCM (by Int/Fin Ch Lecibsin Hapmi) - born 24/4/2006
  • Elbereth Mikko ShCM  (by Int/Fin Ch Lecibsin Hapmi) - born 24/4/2006
  • Elbereth Keskiyö ShCM (by Int/Fin Ch Lecibsin Hapmi) - born 24/4/2006
  • Elbereth Kaisa at Arktinen (by Fin/WT Ch Lecibsin Kultakuono) - 12/8/2007
  • Elbereth Penikka (by Fin/WT Ch Lecibsin Kultakuono) - 12/8/2007
  • Elbereth Riku (by Fin/WT Ch Lecibsin Kultakuono) - 12/8/2007
I am also proud to say that all her 18 pups have reached good ages themselves - the first litter being 11.5 and the youngsters a mere 7.5, fingers crossed they have the longevity of their dam, and give their owners as much joy and love as Toive did us.

my beautiful girl, Toive
Elbereth Toive

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