Merry Christmas!

Christmas time is here, and I want to say merry christmas to all my friends and readers. A desire for a peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year. I have found my christmas star. I hope everyone else also find her.




Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees
Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees
African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats
Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden
Arabic: Milad Majid
Argentine: Feliz Navidad
Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand
Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun
Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal
Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On!
Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha
Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce
Bosnian: (BOSANSKI) Cestit Bozic i Sretna Nova godina
Brazilian: Feliz Natal
Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat
Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo
Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou!
Chile: Feliz Navidad
Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan (Catonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun
Choctaw: Yukpa, Nitak Hollo Chito
Columbia: Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo
Cornish: Nadelik looan na looan blethen noweth
Corsian: Pace e salute
Crazanian: Rot Yikji Dol La Roo
Cree: Mitho Makosi Kesikansi
Croatian: Sretan Bozic
Czech: Prejeme Vam Vesele Vanoce a stastny Novy Rok
Danish: Glædelig Jul
Duri: Christmas-e- Shoma Mobarak
Dutch: Vrolijk Kerstfeest en een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! or Zalig Kerstfeast
English: Merry Christmas
Eskimo: (inupik) Jutdlime pivdluarit ukiortame pivdluaritlo!
Esperanto: Gajan Kristnaskon
Estonian: Rõõmsaid Jõulupühi
Ethiopian: (Amharic) Melkin Yelidet Beaal
Faeroese: Gledhilig jol og eydnurikt nyggjar!
Farsi: Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad
Finnish: Hyvaa joulua
Flemish: Zalig Kerstfeest en Gelukkig nieuw jaar
French: Joyeux Noel
Frisian: Noflike Krystdagen en in protte Lok en Seine yn it Nije Jier!
Galician: Bo Nada
Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!
German: Fröhliche Weihnachten
Greek: Kala Christouyenna!
Haiti: (Creole) Jwaye Nowel or to Jesus Edo Bri'cho o Rish D'Shato Brichto
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaiian: Mele Kalikimaka
Hebrew: Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
Hindi: Shub Naya Baras (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Hausa: Barka da Kirsimatikuma Barka da Sabuwar Shekara!
Hawaian: Mele Kalikimaka ame Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
Hungarian: Kellemes Karacsonyi unnepeket
Icelandic: Gledileg Jol
Indonesian: Selamat Hari Natal
Iraqi: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah
Irish: Nollaig Shona Dhuit, or Nodlaig mhaith chugnat
Iroquois: Ojenyunyat Sungwiyadeson honungradon nagwutut. Ojenyunyat osrasay.
Italian: Buone Feste Natalizie
Japanese: Shinnen omedeto. Kurisumasu Omedeto
Jiberish: Mithag Crithagsigathmithags
Korean: Sung Tan Chuk Ha
Lao: souksan van Christmas
Latin: Natale hilare et Annum Faustum!
Latvian: Prieci'gus Ziemsve'tkus un Laimi'gu Jauno Gadu!
Lausitzian:Wjesole hody a strowe nowe leto
Lettish: Priecigus Ziemassvetkus
Lithuanian: Linksmu Kaledu
Low Saxon: Heughliche Winachten un 'n moi Nijaar
Macedonian: Sreken Bozhik
Maltese: IL-Milied It-tajjeb
Manx: Nollick ghennal as blein vie noa
Maori: Meri Kirihimete
Marathi: Shub Naya Varsh (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Navajo: Merry Keshmish
Norwegian: God Jul, or Gledelig Jul
Occitan: Pulit nadal e bona annado
Papiamento: Bon Pasco
Papua New Guinea: Bikpela hamamas blong dispela Krismas na Nupela yia i go long yu
Pennsylvania German: En frehlicher Grischtdaag un en hallich Nei Yaahr!
Peru: Feliz Navidad y un Venturoso Año Nuevo
Philipines: Maligayan Pasko!
Polish: Wesolych Swiat Bozego Narodzenia or Boze Narodzenie
Portuguese:Feliz Natal
Pushto: Christmas Aao Ne-way Kaal Mo Mobarak Sha
Rapa-Nui (Easter Island): Mata-Ki-Te-Rangi. Te-Pito-O-Te-Henua
Rhetian: Bellas festas da nadal e bun onn
Romanche: (sursilvan dialect): Legreivlas fiastas da Nadal e bien niev onn!
Rumanian: Sarbatori vesele or Craciun fericit
Russian: Pozdrevlyayu s prazdnikom Rozhdestva is Novim Godom
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Sardinian: Bonu nadale e prosperu annu nou
Serbian: Hristos se rodi
Slovakian: Sretan Bozic or Vesele vianoce
Sami: Buorrit Juovllat
Samoan: La Maunia Le Kilisimasi Ma Le Tausaga Fou
Scots Gaelic: Nollaig chridheil huibh
Serbian: Hristos se rodi.
Singhalese: Subha nath thalak Vewa. Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak: Vesele Vianoce. A stastlivy Novy Rok
Slovene: Vesele Bozicne Praznike Srecno Novo Leto or Vesel Bozic in srecno Novo leto
Spanish: Feliz Navidad
Swedish: God Jul and (Och) Ett Gott Nytt År
Tagalog: Maligayamg Pasko. Masaganang Bagong Taon
Tamil: (Tamizh) Nathar Puthu Varuda Valthukkal (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Trukeese: (Micronesian) Neekiriisimas annim oo iyer seefe feyiyeech!
Thai: Sawadee Pee Mai or souksan wan Christmas
Turkish: Noeliniz Ve Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun
Ukrainian: Srozhdestvom Kristovym or Z RIZDVOM HRYSTOVYM
Urdu: Naya Saal Mubarak Ho (good New Year not Merry Christmas)
Vietnamese: Chuc Mung Giang Sinh
Welsh: Nadolig Llawen
Yoruba: E ku odun, e ku iye'dun!

Best regards
Leon

Characteristics of the Shar Pei

The Shar Pei or Chinese Shar-Pei is a breed of dog known for its distinctive features of deep wrinkles and a blue-black tongue. Because the name "Shar-Pei" means "sand coat", harshness is a distinctive feature in its two accepted coat types, either horse (short) or brush (up to an inch long).



For larger image, click on the picture

Shar Pei usually comes in two varieties: one is covered in large folds of wrinkles, even into adulthood (the Western type). The other variation has skin that appears tighter on its body, with wrinkles just on the face and at the withers (the original type).

Their tail is carried over their backs on either side exposing the anus. The first tail set is a tightly curled tail, a "coin" tail. The second tail set is the loose curl, and third is carried in an arch over the back. The Shar-Pei with his tail sticking out straight or between his legs was thought to be cowardly. The tail should denote bravery.

While viewing the body head on, if the toes were slightly turned out this was thought to help the dog with balance according to old-time dog-fighting fanciers. The Chinese crawling dragon with his feet pointed east and west was considered a sign of strength.

Other unique qualities include black mouth pigment, a slightly "hippo-like" head shape, small ears, deepset eyes and rising topline.

Read more about the Shar Pei, here.

Something for the cold winter days

Today I got a “Dog Fighter”. This is a toy that is a fun activity where the purpose for the game is to find the goodies that are hidden. This I can strongly recommend, and is nice to have now when the cold Norwegian winter days are here.

Best regards
Leon

This year's first snow

I love to be out playing in the snow. So when the first snow of this year fell on October 29, I did not need to be asked twice to go out to play. I Post some picture so you can see, my first impressions in the snow for this year. Since I have become so fond of using the slideshow, I post some pictures of this just under slideshow.

Leon

My two-year birthday

October 28, I filled two years. I promised earlier that I would come back with photos from that day. I got cak.e and a present. The cake I had was a muffins with two candles on, and it was very good. To see more photos from my birthday, and when I blows out the candles on the cake, you can see the slideshow a little further down the page. Enjoy!

Leon

Leon likes to shower

I'm for sure not a swimming dog, but rather prefer to shower. But only if I do not get water in my face and frown's, something I do not like. In the link's on the left side, under slideshow, you can see more pictures where I showers.

Leon

New items on the blog.

Now I have added new items to the blog. Bottom on the left side, I have added to the slideshow, where I will eventually post more photos.

Best regards
Leon

Leon and the other animals.

I like to go hicking. Sometimes I meet on other animals such as horses, dogs, pigs and others animals. Sometimes I meet the animals on a farm, but often I meet them on my many trips. I like virtually all animals. But not cats, for they tend to tease me, and I do not like it. I attach some pictures where I meet other animals, so you can see for yourself. Hope you like them.



Leon.

Loves to drive a car

I love being a passenger in the car, and I are almost always in front. When I look at my owner that he will go for a drive, I tend to nag until I get to be with him.

Leon.

How to photograph a dog. Part 1

Photography of pets is not always easy. Animals are unpredictable in their movements and it can sometimes be difficult to get them to pose, as you want. Photography of the dog can sometimes be time-consuming, and you need to be patience and have knowledge of the dog to be photographed. The dog will notice that you are irritated and angry, so work on the dog’s premises. Not work against the dog, but with the dog.

Environment
What you should think about to get good pictures is that the dog feels comfortable. Therefore, you may want to select areas where the dog feels well. About shooting inside or out is up to you and your dog. If the dog is calm and comfortable outdoors, it is preferable, because of the light. Take pictures in places without too many distractions, a cluttered background will get the animal to disappear. Is this hard, you can choose to go close and fill the entire screen with the dog’s body or it’s head. Feel free to use the zoom if you want some distance during the shooting and the animal might be unsafe. Or you can get to the funny photos with a wide angle.

Flash
The bright flashlight may frighten the dog. Photographers also outdoors, if possible, or indoors near a window. Avoid using too much flash as this can provide an undesirable effect as red eyes, and you can get to burn out the structure of fur.

What angle?
Photographers dog in the angle you want. High or low angle can create a fun effect, but in most cases, it may be best to take pictures from the dog’s own perspective. Try to get the dog’s attention, and you will get photos with good contact.

Take many photos
Dogs move fast and often unpredictable. Therefore, it is likely that many of the photos will be out of focus and blurred. Therefore, you may want to take many photos. Please also photos of the dog when the dog least expect it, often while eating, sleeping or playing. You will get exciting and natural images in which the dog is in his proper element. Are you looking for traditional portraits trying to capture the dog’s attention with a pipe toy, which can be purchased in a dog shop.

My first birthday

Here is a picture of me when I had birthday and filled one year. I did not have a cake, but there was some extra goodies. But this year I fill two years, and I am been promised cake. Photos from the party, I will surely return to later.

By the way, my date for birthday is October 28.

Leon.

Competition

I have competed in a contest for Shar Pei. For this I got a great loop. But I later found out that the competition was nothing for me. Actually, I just want to be a common dog. But I put out some photos so you can see me with the prize loop.

Leon.

Facts about the Shar Pei

The Shar Pei or Chinese Shar-Pei is a breed of dog known for its distinctive features of deep wrinkles and a blue-black tongue. The breed derives from China. The name (沙皮, pinyin: shā pí; English name probably derived from British spelling of Cantonese equivalent sā pèih) translates to "sand skin," and refers to the texture of its short, rough coat. As puppies, Shar Pei has numerous wrinkles, but sometimes as they mature, these wrinkles disappear as they "grow into their skin". Shar Pei were once named as one of the world's rarest dog breeds by the Guinness Book of World Records. The American Kennel Club did not recognize the breed until 1991.

The origin of the Chinese Shar-Pei can be traced to the province of Kwun Tung and has for centuries existed in the southern provinces of China. These dogs helped their peasant masters in various tasks such as herding cattle, guarding the home and family, and have proven themselves to be qualified hunters of "wild game, usually wild pigs."
The Shar-Pei is believed to have shared a common origin with the smooth-coated Chow-Chow because of the blue-black mouths and tongues, possibly the Great Pyrenees, a source of the double dewclaws, and the Tibetan Mastiff. It was believed in ancient times that the dark mouth of the Chow-Chow, exposed when barking, helped to ward off evil spirits. The Shar-Pei when translated means "sand-skin" or "shark skin." This uniquely rough, loose, prickly coat enabled the Shar-Pei to wriggle out of its opponents grasp while fighting in the dog pits.
(Incidentally, any dog in China that protects property is called a fighting dog, whereas in Canada and the United States they are referred to as guard dogs.)

The coat when stroked against the grain may be abrasive, producing a burning, itching sensation. Their tail is carried over their backs on either side exposing the anus. The first tail set is a tightly curled tail, a "coin" tail. The second tail set is the loose curl, and third is carried in an arch over the back. The Shar-Pei with his tail sticking out straight or between his legs was thought to be cowardly. The tail should denote bravery.
While viewing the body head on, if the toes were slightly turned out this was thought to help the dog with balance according to old-time dog-fighting fanciers. The Chinese crawling dragon with his feet pointed east and west was considered a sign of strength. Because of these poor breeding practices many of the Shar-Pei have bad fronts. A dog with straight forelegs is correct.

Following the establishment of the Peoples' Republic of China as a communist nation, the dog population was virtually wiped out. If not for the efforts of Matgo Law of Hong Kong, the Shar-Pei would not be here today. Due to his dedication to the breed, a small number of Shar-Pei was brought to the United States in the 1960s and early '70s. In 1974 American and Canadian fanciers answered Matgo's appeal for help and in 1976 the first Shar-Pei was registered. The foundation stock brought over from Hong Kong were of poorer quality than the Shar-Pei we see today. In August of 1991 the Shar-Pei officially completed the requirements for recognition by the American Kennel club and was placed in the Non-Sporting Group. In 1992 the Canadian Kennel Club also officially recognized and grouped the Shar-Pei in group 6, Non-Sporting n g events. Since that time several Shar-Pei are now and continuing to become CKC and AKC champions.

Shar Pei comes in many different colors such as fawn, red (rose), sand, cream, black, lilac and blue. They resemble the Chow Chow due to having the same blue-black tongue. There are over sixteen recognized colors in AKC. The coat must be solid in color and any Shar-Pei with a "flowered coat" (spotted) or black and tan in coloration (i.e. German Shepherd) is a disqualification. Colors include black, cream, fawn, red-fawn, red, sable, apricot, chocolate, isabella, and blue. The nose may be black or brick (pink with black), with or without a black mask. A Shar-Pei can also have what is called a "dilute" coloration. Meaning the nose, nails and anus of the dog is the same color as the coat, (i.e. chocolate coat with chocolate nose, nails and anus). All of these color variations are acceptable and beautiful, but the coat color must be solid and well blended throughout the whole body of the dog.

Shar Pei comes in three different coat types; horse, brush and bear coat. The unusual horse-coat is rough to the touch, extremely prickly and off-standing and is closer to the original Shar Pei breed in appearance and coat type than the Brush or Bear Coat. This coat is fairly prickly, and can be rough or irritating when petting in the opposite direction of the fur. The Horse Coat is generally thought to be more active and predisposed to dominant behavior than the Brush Coat. The brush-coated variety has slightly longer hair and a smoother feel to them. The Brush Coat is generally considered to be more of a 'couch potato' than the Horse Coat.

The Chinese Shar-Pei is a unique and intelligent dog most often recognized for its wrinkles. Initially developed as an all - purpose Chinese farm dog, the breed does well today in obedience, agility, herding and tracking, with skills that would have been needed on the farm. Because the name "Shar-Pei" means "sand coat", harshness is a distinctive feature in its two accepted coat types, either horse (short) or brush (up to an inch long). Other unique qualities include black mouth pigment, a slightly "hippo-like" head shape, small ears, deepset eyes and rising topline.

All Shar-Pei, but especially the horse coat needs early socialization with children, strangers, and other animals. They can be stubborn, strong willed and very territorial. Early training can help control these traits before they become problem behaviors. Some people may experience sensitivity to the harshness of the coat of either length. This is a mild, short-lived rash, that can develop on the skin that has been in contact with the coat, most commonly on the forearms.
The brushcoat matures early to be a stocky strong dog, therefore early socialization and training are essential, in order to have a dog that is a good family member as well as a welcome member of society. The brushcoat is not always as active as the horsecoat, and are often more content than the horsecoat to laze around the house. Like their horsecoat brothers, they are strong willed, stubborn and territorial, but these are often exhibited to a lesser degree. Both coat types, brush and horse are true Shar- Pei.

Wrinkles
Shar Pei usually comes in two varieties: one is covered in large folds of wrinkles, even into adulthood (the Western type). The other variation has skin that appears tighter on its body, with wrinkles just on the face and at the withers (the original type).

Temperament
The Shar Pei is often suspicious of strangers, which pertains to their origin as a guard dog. In general the breed has proved itself to be a loving, devoted family dog. The Shar Pei is also very independent and reserved breeds. Nevertheless, the Shar Pei is extremely devoted, loyal and affectionate to its family, and is amenable to accepting strangers given time and proper introduction at a young age. If poorly socialized or trained, it can become especially territorial and aggressive. Even friendly and well-socialized individuals will retain the breed's watchdog proclivities (such as barking at strangers). It is a largely silent breed, barking only when playing or when worried. The Shar Pei was originally bred as palace guards in China. While this breed is adorable it is also very protective of its home and family, a powerful dog that is willing to guard its family members.

The breed is amenable to training, but can get bored from repetition. Overall, the Shar Pei is a dog that is loyal and loving to its family while being very protective and independent.

Source: Internet