The power of a bloodline is in the bitches!
Cricket
Ch. Sajo's One Track Mind (Cricket) finished her championship under Michelle Billings on the tough Florida January Circuit. Handled by Maigan Harvey, she was our first Champion of the first version of the new millenium.
The Daughter of Ch. Frakari's Dis Is Fred (Weejun) and Daitan-Ni Diamonds R Forever (Djinni), Cricket was extremely sound, a wonderful mover, and exhibited many of the strenghts we hoped to set in our lines.
Cricket died unexpectedly on December 15, 2000, in whelp to Ch. Daitan-Ni Freedom, and many of our dreams died with her. Her only litter was sired by Daitan-Ni Different Drummer, an American bred dog of full-import bloodlines. Sajo's Painted Lady, from that first litter, will be campaigned, we just don't know when!
It was a pleasure and delight to know this wonderful lady. Her friends included people, other Akitas, and a few Shibas. It never occurred to her to start a fight, or even to fence fight. We will miss her.
Hooker
Sajo's Painted Lady is our pick from Cricket's only litter. She has her mother's wonderful outgoing personality, and loves to be involved in everything, whether it's dogs shows, planting a garden, or checking out John's snake colony. She also likes to surprise us. She went into a silent season at 8 months, and became our only unplanned mom at the tender age of 10 months. All the professionals (veterinarians, that is) told us not to interfere - that nature said she was old enough, and we should just accept the accident and make the best of it.
We did, and she presented us with the Q litter. We are well pleased! Someday Hook may get some ring time, but it's likely she'll be at her best late, like her mom was. We can wait.
Shira
Sajo's Quiet Victory (Shira), shown here winning her first points at 10 months of age, is our first "plain brown wrapper" Akita in many years. She has the gentle nature of both her mother (Hooker) and grandmother (Cricket), and figures prominently in our plans for the future.
Shira is the result of an outcross (Drummer x Cricket) followed by a strong linebreeding. She is sired by Ch. Sajo's Notrump Grandslam (Dealer), Cricket's brother. Although the breeding was not planned for the time it took place (!!), it was definitely planned, and we are more than pleased with the results. Shira's colorful littermates, both flashy brindles, went to specially selected homes with known Akita people. Brother Sajo's Quiet Revolution (Freedom) lives with Richard and Molly Morgan; sister Jazz, Sajo's Quiet Defiance, makes her home with Lisa Casey. Shira really hated the show ring, and is no at home in Georgia, where she helps run a day care center! We didn't think she liked children, but she has proven to be "kid crazy," and a wonderful asset!
Mandi
Do you believe in magic? We do! We lost Djinni (Daitan-Ni Diamonds R Forever) on October 3, 2001. Her grandaughter Mandi (Tsunami's Diamonds R Forever), was born October 28, 2001. Mandi is possessed; she has been and continues to be every bit as crazy a youngster as her grandmother was, and as I get older, there are moments when the craziness gets a bit too deep under my skin. There's only one solution (and it's been so powerful I use it very rarely) - I grab the skin on each side of Mandi's jaws, look deep into those dark brown eyes, and say "Djinni, make her stop before she drives me nuts!" Whatever the behavior that put me on edge has, it has, to date at least, been PERMANENTLY extinguished!
Mandi is all the good things that Djinni was, but she seems to be missing two drives that made Djinni's life difficult at times - "kill Mom's cat" and "kill the competition!" She is every bit as protective, and every bit as brave, and seems every bit as likely to demand to be the boss.
John and I thank Rita and Shawn Robert's, Tsunami Akitas, for breeding their wonderful girl, Frakari's Tess Truehart, to our Dealer. We thank them even more for recognizing the moment she was born that Mandi was a "retread" and needed to live with us!
