This is a Saki Christmas update email I sent to the dog sanctuary were he came from. I would like to share it with you as it is also for the whole world that helped Saki get to us

Hi Sue, Chirs and all other Saki supporters

Sorry we are a little late for the Christmas update.

Hope you all had a great Christmas.

I am wishing for you that it did not get busier for you at the dog sanctuary with the Christmas holidays. I have a friend that works at the SPCA here in NZ and they are unfortunately overrun at this time of year. Grrr makes me so angry people think so little of their pets.

I thank you all that you do such a wonderful and commendable job. I have so much respect for you all. It is something I do not think I would be able to do.

I am just pleased I could help you with re-homing Saki the Estrela.

Saki is doing so well!

One has to take pity on him sometimes having to live with so many adoring females (dog and human type) LOL.

A couple of weeks ago we had our last “school day” and were asked to dress up to the Christmas spirit. As you see in the photo Saki “tinseled up” rather well don’t you think hahaha. We humans also dressed up so what you cant see in the photo is that I wore a lovely pair of antlers and small Christmas hat.

Saki and I did a “good canine citizenship” coarse that we passed! He is generally a very lovely social boy so my only worry was one husky dog I knew I had to keep him away from. I guess those perky husky looks don’t agree with a lot of dogs so Saki isn’t so special in his ways. Other than that he did excellent and charmed the 2 examinators right from the start. “oh you want to pat me? Cool Ill lean against you so you can do a better job”.

Next 2 photos you can see butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth…. But ummm yes well he will help the Lagotti break open a rubbish bag.

The first time Saki entered our house I saw how he quickly looked at door handles and I commented “this dogs knows how to open doors”. Well all our handles are round so no chance for him there ;-).

But he soon proved that there are other doors much more interesting that he could open. The first time I naively thought I must have accidently left the door of the fridge slightly open so that he could break in and share 4 kilos of goat meat and bones with all the other dogs!

But then a few weeks later when he did this trick again eating 3 kilos of mince meat on his own, least I think he did as it wasn’t that easy for others to steal this bounty, and he lay looking like a big fat male seal elephant and I knew he was opening fridges himself.

After that we saw how he lay on the ground and from the underside he would flick open the door with his paw. He is very sneaky and you got to be quick to see him do such things. We now have a lock on the fridge door and live in hope he doesn’t follow his mother and sister in knowing how to chew off such things. Yes after telling my story to the Estrela community his breeder shyly spoke up and said it must be a hereditary thing hahaha.

He also used his brains and paws to open gates knowing how to pull it down, up or over and get out to be with me. Now my brother has put in little rods and different locks, lowering other gates etc all to defy the escape artist LOL.

Saki really is one very cleaver boy!!! When he didn’t think you were looking it was a joy to watch him work things out. Now he has pretty much given up as he knows when he is defeated. But I saw him give the ranch slider a quick once over this week ;-).

As you can see his coat is nearly all grown back! His head looks in proportion now LOL.

EVERYONE that meets him loves him. (except husky owners… ops)

Last photo is of our complete dog family.

So I can only end this email with yet again THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

Happy new year to you all!

Love

Saki and Suzanne