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.

    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.

    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’.

    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.

    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!

    On reaching our home, Akira looked around and decided on her place immediately. It was, of course, her master’s seat!

    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.