Meet Tofi!

So. Remember that thing where I said it was just going to be me and my pack of bitches? Yeah, well.

An opportunity to get another hot Icelandic stud dropped into my life and I just couldn’t say no.

Tofi av Isheim was born in Norway at Kennel Isheim, and then went to live in Indiana at Pikatti Icelandics. He was born 4/21/08, so he’s almost six years old. Tófi means “great” in Icelandic, and I have to say that the name fits!

Here is his pedigree.

He has a passport! Did you know dogs had passports? I didn’t.

He is the father of Galdur, who I had arranged to breed Gaela to on her next heat (any day now). (See: Seeking Gaela’s Boyfriend.)

So Gaela and I did a whirlwind tour of New York State this weekend, driving up to pick him up at the midway point between Vermont and Indiana. Poor boy did extremely well for as confused as he must have been, being kidnapped like that.

Then, because I’m insane but really wanted to meet Galdur as well, we then drove down to the Catskill area and it was a bit of a family reunion for Tofi and Galdur. What made it extra interesting was that Gaela is pretty close to being in heat, so the two boys were so interested in her that they paid very little attention to each other. I really like Galdur a lot in person, as much as I did from just seeing his photos, or more, really. What a sweetie. Father and son are alike in temperament — both pretty calm and steady for an Icie, which is really nice. So I am going to keep the arrangement to breed Gaela to him as planned. I’m watching her very carefully. She’s very close, maybe a week away.

Tofi is doing really well, fitting right in. I’ve only had him three days now, so I know this is the honeymoon period, but I’m really pleased. He’s had no exposure to birds at all, and hasn’t chased a single one. He really isn’t interested in them at all, which is a relief. Stina is giving me more problems in that department. (oy! my naughty girl) Tofi had no experience with cats, and again, no real interest at all, much to Tara’s disappointment. She’s very curious about him and I keep telling her “sorry, honey, he’s just not that into you”.

He’s very affectionate with me, and warming up to Frank. He likes the girls, especially Gaela, of course. He tolerates Stina’s puppy behavior really well, treats her like the baby she still is. Even though he’s eating the same thing with us that he did before, he’s had a bit of stomach upset, but I’m attributing that to the stress of all this change. I am going to have to change my free-feeding habit, though, because that’s not how he was raised. Anyway, I really like him a lot, and the transition has been far easier than I’d feared it would be.

I just love his coloring and coat. He’s a chocolate tri, soft as can be. He’s thinner than I keep my dogs, but his vet paperwork says he’s at the ideal weight and that leaner dogs do better. I will try to resist fattening him up too much.

He has sired 17 puppies so far, so if we stick to the AKC limit of 35 puppies to a stud, I hope to have that many again with him.

Random pretty shot of my gorgeous Gaela girl: