Akira
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Our
original dog had been called Tini. She was a tireless companion
for our children until she died at a good age. With Tini gone, there
was an emptiness in our lives, which will be familiar to those who
have lost a pet. We had been accustomed to her constant presence
and couldn't get used to her not being there so we decided to get
another dog.
This time though we would get a pedigree
dog. Given our domestic arrangements the list of possible breeds
had soon narrowed done to one. A Wolfsspitz.
A breeder offered us the chance to have
a Wolfsspitz for a short time, on probation as it were, and it was
a useful and pleasant experience. Unfortunately, we would have had
to wait more than nine months before the next litter was due.
The breeder told us at this time about the
origin of another breed; the Eurasians. They are a relatively new
cross-breed of the Wolfspitz, the Chow-Chow and the Samoyed. After
a little research and a meeting with a breeder of Eurasians we knew
that this would be the dog for us!
We were immediately impressed by the breed-typical,
calm and friendly nature, the well-proportioned head, thick fur
and, last but not least, the unique markings. We used the time before
the litter arrived to prepare ourselves for our new addition; finding
out about the breed, their dietary, exercise and accommodation requirements.
(Attention to detail is what marks out a responsible pet-owner from
the irresponsible.) We also came to the conclusion that our new
dog should not be fed the kitchen scraps which Tini had enjoyed.
Three long months later we heard that the
litter had arrived and we arranged to go and see the breeder to
view the pups as soon as practicable.
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The puppies were only a couple of weeks
old at that first meeting and there were only two bitches in the
litter. We had decided that we wanted a bitch and as the smaller
of the two was bright, quick-witted and not too impetuous the choice
wasn't too difficult.
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Whatever
could we call such an extraordinary and exotic dog? Fortunately
there are guidelines covering names. With Eurasians, a first litter
is called an ‘A’ litter. All the animals names start
with an ‘A’. The second litter would be the ‘B’
litter and all their names would start with a ‘B’, and
so on. Keeping to this rule means that there aren’t many names
starting with X, Y or Z, as dogs having 25 litters are rare! Our
dog’s name therefore would start with an ‘A’.
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All pups are handed over eight weeks after
birth. As the date approached we became more and more excited and
couldn’t imagine having the sweet little thing at home with
us.
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The
day came. It was the 30th May 1998 and as the breeder lived some
distance away we started early. We arrived at midday, quickly completed
the formalities and the three of us set off for home.
Akira showed no signs of fear, hopping into
the car and being totally unperturbed by what was for her a big,
new experience. She was immediately and has remained an excellent
traveller, jumping onto a seat as soon as the door is opened though
we might have to become a little more strict if she tries to sit
in the driver’s seat!
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On reaching our home, Akira looked around
and decided on her place immediately. It was, of course, her master’s
seat!
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A
few short weeks later she was fully house-trained and could be afforded
all the privileges of a modern dog e.g. watching T.V. in the living
room. Her good taste soon became apparent as she doesn’t like
commercial stations and leaves the room, screwing up her nose in
distaste when they come on. Who said that dogs aren’t intelligent?
Akira has become a valued part of our daily
lives and apart from our natural bond with her, we are very pleased
to have chosen her breed.
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