Farewell Hudson

I will do this specific text in English, with Hudsons new owner and admirers in mind.

It's been almost four weeks since Hudson left me, left me as far as he could possibly go travelling to the other side of the world. Although I knew it all the time, it was harder than I ever expected, and I've needed time to find the proper words to describe my emotions and sum up almost five months with this peculiar puppy - closing the chapter, and giving room for new chapters.

It was decided quite early in the puppies' lives that one of the boys would go to Australia - if they developed as we hoped. Before the decision was made, I went through quite a mental prosess to find out if I felt comfortable with the idea of sending one of my puppies so far away, and hence preparing mentally for the practical issues and his final departure, probably never seeing him again, ever.

To have two puppies at the same age can be quite a challenge, but it worked out better than expected - also because Hudson and my girl Foenix were quite easy puppies to take care of - well behaved indoor not doing much trouble, and confident and easygoing outside.

Hudson was supposed to leave in October, but because of findings of rabies in polar foxes on the island of Svalbard, Australian authorities couldn't accept his import permit - as Svalbard is a part of Norwegian territory (and as close to my place of being as Africa is...). Eventually the "rabies crisis of Norway" was cooled down, and Hudson got his import permit and with some luck he could be ready to leave in October as planned - it's quite a puzzle to make everything work, as the blood tests can't be older than 30 days when he enters Australia, and it takes more than two weeks to get them analyzed, and also a lot of other treatments and preparations had various deadlines.
But of course a new obstacle occurred - there were no room in the quarantine station for Hudson at the time Kim was coming to Norway. So Hudsons departure was postponed for a month, until the end of November, when there finally was room for him at the quarantine station.

Of course I felt privileged to be able to have him for an extra month, get to know him even better and get a nice opportunity to know my own breeding better. And Hudson is such a sweetheart, I've been so close to him even though I've tried to brace myself, keep a distance and telling myself he's leaving. But he's impossible to not love. So easy going, so cuddly and devoted, so confident, so cute and adorable, but also such a pain and headache producer when he did his mischiefs - he is such a creative guy always finding things to destroy and testing my tidying and hiding abilities. I failed his tests. Often.

I won't forget easily the time he found a paint brush I had hid quite high, and because I planned another layer of paint later in the evening I hadn't washed the paint brush. I had also put up fences and obstacles to prevent the dogs from entering my living room were the redecorating business was being done. But somehow he managed to find the paint brush, enter the living room, and lay down in my black couch to chew on the brush full of white paint. I was gone for literally 15 minutes to buy dinner at my neighboring food store, and came back to a white couch!
Immediately and quite stressed I gave a call to a 24/7 poison information phone service, and we found out he couldn't have eaten enough paint to be in danger.
Then I had a rescue operation to save my couch - a lot of white spirit to make it black, a lot of soap to remove the spirit, and then body lotion to make the leather soft again...
I can find tiny white spots from the paint in the couch, and then I always think about Hudson. With a smile, and with a sigh.
He seems like such a calm guy, relaxed and just sleeping and cuddle. But I am convinced he is constantly thinking about what he could do next.

Oh well, most of the things are forgotten by now, and I just remember him as an adorable pup. Well, I ended up with a new mobile phone thanks to his destroying abilities. And I had to find a new remote control for the TV after he had been checking out the programs.

Hudson is such a sweetheart, he is a charmer and hearts smelt. He has got the looks, and one should think he has got a certain kind of brain to be able to find out all these things to do. But in other situations I think he was quite brainless.
So many nights I woke up because he was whining annoyed - he was stuck and did not understand how to get out. I tried to wait to see if he would get a clue, and I tried to give him hints. But nope, he was stuck, and just vocalized his misfortune. I have a small gap between the couch and the wall, and he would crawl into that "passage" during night to sleep - but never understood how to back out again.

Sometimes when I was out with the puppies, I would test their noses - as I do some tracking with X'en, I would like to see how her kids' noses were as well. So they got puppy-challenges, really easy. I filled my hand with treats, let them see it, and threw it maybe one or two metres away on the ground.
Foenix immediately ran off to sniff it out and eat, while Hudson stayed by my feet, looking at me with a tilted head, wondering were the treats disappeared and why I wouldn't give him new ones. I tried several times to make him understand he would have to find them himself, but it took time for him to adjust to that idea. His nose was just for cuteness, not for use.

When I came walking with the two puppies, Hudson was the one everybody saw and aaw'ed and found cutest - he had a massive puppy coat standing straight out as if he had been electrocuted, while his sister lost her puppy fluffyness quite early and didn't look as cute with her more adult coating.

I had the joy of showing him in two puppy shows, and he did such a great job, loving the judge and the ring.

Hudson is a really cool dude - he wasn't as curious as Foenix, and didn't have the same need to examine everything. He was more of a "whatever!"-kind of guy. He adapted to any situation and position, and was really easy to bring to new places. He just sat or laid down, while Foenix was eagerly checking things, looking with interest at people and things. They are quite different, but I like them both in their opposite approaches to the world. Both confident, but with various strategies and curiousness. I think Foenix will be nice for tracking and working, as she has so much interest in things, curiousness and will to do. While I was so confident Hudson would deal great with his travel to Australia and the time in the quarantine station.

The day for his departure came, although I dreaded it and tried to postpone it mentally, and the last 24 hours were rough - the last time we did this and that. I actually could not sleep more than a couple of hours the night before he left, and then I slept terrible, with Hudson in my arms, crying in his soft coat.
He got his supper quite late the evening before leaving, as he wouldn't get any breakfast. I took him, Foenix the sister and X'en the mother for a walk and play, so he could burn off some energy before the long journey, they could be together for the last time, and I could take more pictures. But how can you tell three dogs to bid farewell to each other?

At the airport office his papers and micro chip were checked, more papers filled out, and I tried to make his crate as practical as possible - a lot of newspapers to absorb the pee, some wet beds to absorb the pee, and some soft blankets on top. He got plenty of water on the crate, in case he would be thirsty.

I put him into the crate, he lay down and watched me with his head tilting as he often does, being relaxed and not bothering about this thing.
A man from the authorities closed the crate and he was carried away from me, leaving me crying my heart out. I thought I was prepared, I thought I could take it, I thought I would be able to control myself in public. But a piece of my heart was leaving for Australia.

The hours and days went slowly while I followed his journey on an online tracker, to see when he arrived Frankfurt, Singapore, Australia. It was really good to hear he had arrived his new home country safe, sound and happy.

I've been asked why I did this - when it was so hard for me, how could I go through all of this? Getting so close and connected with a puppy, and sending him so far away from me.
I remember quite well how it was in Norway before the borders to Europe were opened with rabies shots, and we depended on imports to get new blood for our breeding - yes, I was young, but I remember it very well. So I can quite easily relate to the situation for Australian breeders - they have NO easy access to foreign blood, and depend on imports. As a fellow BMD-breeder I believe in international cooperation and solidarity. Some day maybe I would like to import, and how easy would that be if every breeder says "no way will I send a puppy far away to that cold isolated ice hole up north by the north pole".
As a breeder I have a responsibility to find a good home for the puppy, and Kim made me think she would give him a really good home. Unfortunately she lives in Australia ;)
To find a good home for the puppy is the most important task for me, no matter if the owner lives in my neighbor house or in another country.

Hudson has been in the quarantine station for three weeks now, only nine more days left, if nothing should occur. I wouldn't be surprised as there have been plenty of obstacles on his journey so far, but I do hope Kim and her family can have him home soon - she has been longing for him enough now. I am so glad for all the reports of his well being, and I know he will be loved and taken well care of by Kim. Soon his new life can really begin. I remember him with fondness, and no sorrow, now. It seemed easier for Foenix and X'en, though, I haven't been able to see any signs of them missing him.

Good luck in Australia, dearest Hudson - remember the official name I have given you; Latrudas Four Leaf Clover. I do hope you can bring luck and fortune to Kim, to me and to the owners of your father.
Bon voyage in life, and thank you for being in my life for five precious months!