Please click on the photos to see them full size
The Beginning
Pete and I have owned dogs all our lives. Together we have owned and loved Borzoi, Akita and finally the Shiba. We first met the Shiba when Kath and Gerald Mitchell imported three from the USA. I immediately fell in love with them but Pete said that no way would we have a small dog in our house. Kath had made a brother/sister mating between two of her imports (the third was now owned by Kath Hindley) Shogun Hisui Yukihari Kiskas (Yen) was mated to Shogun Hisui Yukitamahime Kiskas (Dixie). They produced Kiskas Jack Daniels. By now they had imported Ogon-No-Takame Ogon Taiyo-so Kiskas (Muffin). Muffin was then mated to Jack Daniels and produced a litter of five which included our Suki (Kiskas Satsuki at Mymsin) Suki became the top shiba bitch in her year (1988). Suki sadly passed away aged 15 on 30th April 2003. She will be sadly missed.
|
|
In the meantime Roy Mulligan had imported some lovely Shibas from Japan with his partner Mr.Kadawaki of the Makoto kennels. We should all be grateful for the stock they imported. Without them I believe the Shiba would not have progressed as well as it has in the UK. Amongst his stock was Jap.Ch.Juho of Suishoen at Makoto. This was the dog I chose for our Suki. He was SOUND.
|
|
Some of the first Shibas over here suffered from luxating patella. Some carried the long-coat gene and as lovely as Suki was I wanted to improve. Suki produced a litter of two bitches and two dogs. I immediately fell in love with Seigan and we decided to keep him and Obai. Megi was sold to a lady in Buckingham and Tosho went to Emma Stevens.
Lessons to be learned
This was where I learnt my first lesson. I was so proud of my first litter that I just couldn't wait to get them lead trained and ready for the ring. They were so good and willing to learn but poor Siegen's front rapidly deteriorated from a lovely "H" front to a wild paddling motion on the move. I am certain this was because I was too eager. In later litters I have kept training to the minimum and just concentrated on socializing. Obai was doing very well in the ring only ever being beaten by her brother but when she was thirteen months her mouth suddenly became overshot. This was in a matter of a week! At the same time the lady who owned Megi decided she was too much trouble and asked me to take her back. Which of course I did. I gave Obai to my friends father and spent the next four years trying to undo the mental trauma that Megi had undoubtedly suffered. When Megi was two I decided to mate her to Roy Mulligans Makoto Aka Danshaku.
He had the most beautiful head and expression. Another clear red. He had black and tan behind him so I was hoping that by mating him to Megi who was a stunning red I would increase the depth of colour. No-one except myself and Megi believed she was in whelp. On the great day even the milkman was laughing at me but she produced a litter of ONE.
Konara was the most handsome Shiba. Perfect in every way except that he grew too big. Only 1/2" over the top and today many dogs much bigger than him are in the ring but I had decided to try to breed as close to the Nippo standard as possible and I still believe that if we adopt a foreign breed we should adhere to the standard of the country and not dilute it to suit the dogs we are breeding. Kon didn't move until he was four weeks old. He was like a fat slug. Each time he whimpered Megi washed him, fed him and caressed him. In fact she washed him until he was sore.
The vet suggested I mate her next season as she was making herself ill. I took his advice and did a repeat mating. This time she had five puppies and I had another lesson to learn. One of the pups was a lovely little bitch that I named 'Matsuri'. Megi would have nothing to do with her. I wondered if it was because she was a missmark (She had too much white). In the end I had to take her to the vets and he told me she had an infection in the umbilical cord so I kept her away from her mother and the other pups. She cuddled up to Snoopy and a hot water bottle.
All the pups from this litter went to pet homes. Troy lives in London, Tsuga has moved to Canada, Bhuna lives near Manchester and Reilly went to live with a friend in Harpenden. He was trained in obedience and even to the gun. Unfortunately he and his Rotti friend went to stay in kennels and Reilly got out. Only to be run over at the age of four years.. Megi would never accept Matti back into the fold. Sadly, two days after she went to her new home, Matti also was run over. Pete said I should never have tried to save her and it was fate but whilst there is life there is hope and I don't think I will ever be able to harden myself to not even try to save a pup.
Whilst all this was going on we were still going to shows and doing quite well. We were on the 'Import Register" which was an interim register for breed new to the UK and meant we could not compete for Best in Show so we used to ask the Show Secretary if we could do a lap of honour before BIS was judged. Most Shows agreed as this was the only way we could get folk to see our lovely Shibas.
Our Kon was growing apace and I decided to go to Roy's and obtain a bride for him. I saw the most beautiful bitch who really stole my heart but Roy was adamant she wasn't for sale. So I went without. Some months later I met Roy at a show and he told me that his wife had persuaded him to let me have the Baroness. "Nessie" came home and Kon fell desperately in love.
Nessie (Makoto Baroness At Mymsin) and Kon (Mymsin Konara)
Nessie was used to life in a kennel. When we put her on the carpet she refused to move. Once she started to move it was up and down her imaginary kennel. She drove Pete mad. All he could see out of the corner of his eye was this little red person charging up and down. She had no idea of playing games. The other Shibas gave her toys and she totally ignored them. The only thing she didn't ignore was Kon. He was her hero. She finally learned to play ball after watching Wimbledon. A tennis ball was hit off screen and she tried to follow it. She nearly knocked herself out on the wall! When Nessie came into season we had to part the young lovers. There were tears on all sides. The next season was worse. Kon was beside himself and I finally took him to the Vets to see what could be done. He gave Kon an injection and told me he would be no good at stud for three months. That didn't matter because I only planned to use him on Nessie. A week or so after her season I let them back together again. It was lovely to watch them kissing, playing and then lying down together holding paws. Some time later I took Nessie to a show. Much to my delight she went BIS and the judge told me how well she was bodying up. Shortly after this Pete and I were helping with a Seminar and assessment for the Japanese Shiba Club of GB (by now I was Secretary). It was a beautiful venue near Bristol and we had decided to take the caravan and make a short holiday out of it. I was becoming a little concerned about Nessie - she was bodying up too well. I took her to the vets and told him I thought she may be in whelp. He said it could not possibly be so because of the time factor. After an examination he confirmed that she was indeed in whelp and could produce puppies any time within the next two weeks but he assured me that my weekend would be OK. Until this point I had always thought that there was no such thing as an unplanned litter. During the weekend Nessie "dropped" and we hightailed it for home. The next day she produced three beautiful red puppies. Chiko, Katie and Taro. We called them Nessies Secret Litter. When I next saw the Vet we worked out that she must have been mated on the 60th day! He said that unless he had seen it with his own eyes he would not have believed it. I have since noticed that Shiba bitches have two types of season. What I call "mating seasons" when they will move heaven and earth to get mated and seasons when they are not even attractive to my Shiba males.
Nessie meanwhile had been mated once more to Kon and produced a repeat of the first litter two boys and a girl . These pups were all booked. Max went to live in Israel, Tikka joined Toshi in Brighton and Sidney went to live with my friend Mary who had lost Reilly so tragically. Nessie loved her puppies so I mated her again this time to Makoto Red Alert. I had seen him many years before as a puppy and was most impressed with him. We had three red boys. Hikaru (Hickey), Jiman (Jimmy) and Aka Kisa (Barnaby ). I kept Hickey, Jimmy lives in London but comes to visit Suki and Megi quite often and Barnaby lived in Chingford with two cats. He contracted a virulent form of cancer at 7 years and had to be put to sleep. I still wanted another Nessie daughter so decided to try just one more time. I chose Bill and Jenny Cowlands Ch.Kerrilands Total Majic. He had produced such a lovely litter with Katie that I thought I would try the same mating with her mother. It was even better! Two red boys and two red girls. I kept Amy and Jenny kept Henry (Mymsin Yuko). Hoshi the other little girl lives just around the corner and Tojo, well you will have to read Taro's story! I felt that this really must be Nessies' last litter but she is always so keen to have puppies that I have had her spayed. She still tries to take other pups but at least I know she can't get into trouble herself .
Unfortunately Kon was desperately jealous of his son and we had to part them. Kon went to live with a lovely couple who lived just ten minutes from us so we saw him quite often. He had a wonderful life but passed away on the 9th January 2007. He was 16 years of age.
My Nessie 17/11/90 - 23/05/05
Nessie was the light of my life. She has given me so much pleasure over the last fourteen years but tragedy had to strike. The story of her last few days goes thus; My poor Nessie had a stroke on the 17th May and Pete has told me I must make a decision about her future. It is so hard. She is 14 and my most favourite girl. I believed she had gone blind and I know a blind Shiba just can't cope but today (18th) she seemed stronger but is terrified of moving. She hasn't eaten for two days and is not drinking either. I have asked my vet to call. When he arrived he said she had had a stroke but was not blind. While he was here she started to stand up on her own and even took a couple of steps. She did a wee on the carpet. He thinks she will recover in the next few days. I have decided that if she gets any worse or has another stroke I will definitely have her PTS but I can't do it now. She still is not eating but if she is taking water things can't be too bad. I take her out every hour or so to do a wee and to try to get her to walk. I am very good at giving advice but she is so precious to me. Now I know she is not blind I will give her a few days grace. I know she couldn't cope in a world of darkness. We are now up to Sunday 22nd. Nessie is improving every day and now walks between 25 – 40 yards quite easily. She even manages to jump over the front doorstep but she still hasn’t eaten since last Tuesday and although she is drinking and weeing she hasn’t passed anything solid. Monday 23rd. Nessie has taken a turn for the worse and now I know I have to ask the vet to make that last visit. He arrived at 4pm and agreed. He gave her the injection and she fell asleep in my arms. She was such a special girl. We had so many names for her – Happiness, grumpiness, puppyness, all depending on her mood. I would like to thank Roy and Janet Mulligan for allowing us to have 14 wonderful years with a unique little person. Everyone who met her was aware of how special she was. I have her children here with me - Katy, Amy and Hickey but there will only ever be one Nessie. I cannot part with her. She is the only Shiba that I have buried in the garden. She has a Japanese lamp that lights every evening and now even though it is 2009 I still say 'Goodnight - sleep well' to her when I bring the other Shibas back from their evening walk.
****************************************
Chiko - Mymsin Chikara
I kept Chiko (Chikara which means strong and true) and Katie (Katsuko which means Peace) from Nessies' Secret Litter. Chiko was a beautiful boy but never really keen on showing. He gained one CC but He was such a lovely chap and gave so much that we kept him all to ourselves. Taro (Boy Hero) went to live with a couple in Vauxhall. He has a story of his own to tell.
Mymsin Chikara (Chiko)
16/06/1992 - 23/07/2002
Most of us have shared the company of a number of dogs throughout our lives. Just occasionally one is blessed with a dog that touches the soul. I have been fortunate to share my life with four such dogs. The first was Minnie the Moocher a soft coated wheaten that helped me through a lonely childhood. The second was my Nicky my second Borzoi. He was a handsome, loving dog with a dry sense of humour. He introduced me to the world of dog shows and liked nothing more than to sit next to my brother in law who hated dogs and rest his chin on Eddies shoulder. My third is Nessie. She is irreplaceable. We had a special subliminal way of communicating that I have shared with no other creature. My fourth was my Chiko the Clown. I am afraid this weeks breed notes in OUR DOGS will be very self indulgent as I had to have my lovely boy put to sleep. I wrote the other week about his problems and how I had taken him to a homeopathic vet. He seemed just like his old self for a few weeks and then the pain came back with a vengeance. On the morning of the 23rd he was blind in both eyes and in excruciating pain. I telephoned the homeopathic vet hoping he would tell me what I wanted to hear but he didn’t. He advised me to do the right thing and contact my regular vet. This I did. I asked him to come home, as Chiko was terrified of the surgery. I gave him Arnica and finally went to my vets for a sedative and for the next few hours we sat together until my vet came to put him to rest. I stroked him and thought of all the wonderful times we had together. He was such a handsome boy. So outgoing and funny. Everyone loved him. He was such a character. He had given me ten years of love. The least I could do was to save him pain and to let him go knowing he could still feel my hand stroking him and loving him.
Rest in Peace Mymsin Chikara. My Chiko the Clown
***********************************
Taro's Story
Taro was devoted to his master Richard who used to take him to work every day. One day he could not take him and Taro stayed at home with Consuello, Richards' partner. She went to the front door to see if Richard was on his way and Taro dashed out! He just vanished. We all looked everywhere for him. Richard used to take him for walks in the Royal Parks so we went to St James, Kensington and Hyde Park on a regular basis. The Keepers in Kensington Gardens said they had seen him early in the morning and last thing at night. They thought he was keeping well fed because they kept finding piles of feathers. He lived there for three months evading capture. The last time he was seen he was going towards Knightsbridge Barracks. We finally gave up hope of finding him. We knew he hadn't been run over because we had asked to be informed if a Shiba body was found.
Seven months later Nessie had her final litter. Two boys and two girls. Richard and Consuello asked if they could have Tojo and we agreed. He fitted in immediately and loved Consuello as much as Richard.
Another three months passed and I received a phone call from a friend who lived near Battersea Dogs Home. It seemed someone had bought a little red dog in and Sue immediately thought it must be one of mine. I told her the only one that was missing was Taro and he had been gone for ten months. I phoned Richard and Consuello in case they wanted to look. Consuello rushed up there and sure enough - it was Taro! He had been living wild in London for ten months. We worried whether he would accept Tojo but they get on like a house on fire and are inseparable.
It never ceases to amaze me what resilient little creatures our Shibas are.
Tojo and Consuello
************************************
Katie (Mymsin Katsuko)
My two babies were doing very well in the ring. Chiko won BIS at only ten months of age. I didn't show Katie as much because she didn't enjoy the experience as much as her brother. When she was 18 months I decided I would mate her. This time I chose Makoto Aka Danshaku her grandfather. She had two boys and a girl. Button (Botan) was the prettiest bitch I had seen. I wanted to keep her but she was sesame and Pete only wanted clear reds. When she was nine months she went to live with a whole load of English Bull Terriers, of course she is in charge. She has been shown very lightly but was very successful. Her brother Boycie (Kuri) grew too large so I gave him to my sister-in-law. The other Boy Kashiwa was a lovely clear red and he went to live with GSDs. His owners bought him a wife from Roy and he has since sired some lovely pups. Since then Button has bred two litters: the first to Cowlands Ch Kerrilands Total Majic (two boys) and the second (an accident when she was eight and in kennels whilst her owners were on holiday) to her son. She had two pups a girl and a boy. Both were utterly beautiful.
Katie later had another litter, this time to the Cowlands Ch.Kerrilands Total Majic. She had three boys and a girl. All were red. I kept Mirai who has since gone to live with my friend who was devastated when her two Shibas, my old Suki and Megi died of old age. Suki at 17 years and Megi at 15. Chibi lives with Affenpinchers, Dobermans and a Grande Bleau de Gascoigne and Ty is with a Pyrenean and a Leonberger. The third boy Kodo, went to live with a famous theatrical family and lived the life of luxury going to first nights and staying in the best hotels. He had a Country Estate and his owners doted on him. His lady became pregnant and just before the birth he went to stay with a carer. After the baby was born he was introduced and was so good! They decided to bring him home on Christmas Eve. As he and his carer were walking through Kensington a car mounted the pavement and ran into them. Poor Kodo was killed instantly and his walker had both arms broken when he tried to save him. His family were devastated.
Katie was not very keen on motherhood. Nessie thought she made a very poor job of it and took her pups away as soon a she could. As she had had two litters she was spayed. It made it much better from her point of view as she no longer had to be separated from the others every six months. I became quite worried about Katie. She seemed bottom of the pack and always lonely. The people who had her father Kon asked of they could have her. Pete & I agreed and she went off to join him. The next day I had a call to say she had escaped. We put up posters everywhere locally (she was only ten minutes away) A local headmaster gave his pupils the morning off to look for her as she had been seen walking along the railway track. The next day Pete was out looking for her and there she was trotting along the road and coming home. A few months later we found another lovely home for her where she would be the only dog. We gave her away again and once more she escaped. This time she made the mistake of running in the wrong direction. We were really worried as the weather was dreadful. I had a phone call from a kennels about ten miles away to say a kennel maid had found a fox she thought had been run over. Of course it was Katie. She had the sense to go into a kennels and the owner read her tag and phoned me. We then decided that she would stay with us forever and we would never give her away again.
Katie is now 13 years of age. We were camping at Bath Championship Show in our caravan. I was judging and after the show we had dinner and then visited friends to congratulate them as the Shiba I had made Best of Breed had gone on to win the Utility Group and then to be the first Shiba to go Best is Show at a Championship Show. We got back quite late and I took the two puppies and Sonny and Amy out. When I came back I needed help to put them away. I foolishly opened the caravan door to call Pete and Kate leaped out over the pups heads. She was gone! We looked until 3am, had a couple of hours sleep and then drove around Bath but all to no avail. We had to go back to Hatfield as Pete had a hospital appointment for a hip replacement. I contacted everyone, RSPCA, Doglost, the Police, the Bath Chronicle, local radio and there were a couple of sightings but nothing definite. She had now been missing for 10 days. Someone had seen her killing a rabbit and taking it off. I went to Bannerdown on Sunday with my friend Mary Kalaher. We were putting up posters everywhere when Pete phoned to say she was in Claverdon Down RSPCA. It was just a short journey. When we arrived and the chap bought her out I almost cried. Apparently she had got into a garden and the owner thought she was a fox and wouldn't go near her until the next day (Sunday) when she threw a T-shirt over her and took her to Claverdon. They don't give out names so I will write an article for the bath Chronicle and hope she reads it. Katie took a very dim view of the bath that I gave her as soon as we got home and she was even less impressed with her evening walk. She had two chicken wings for dinner instead of her usual one and is now being plied with egg & milk and all sorts of other treats. The rest of the Shibas are wondering why she is being treated so well after being so naughty. This is her third escape run. What stories she could tell!!
Katie is Back!!
**********************
Sadly Katie was never the same after her last escapade. She developed a doggy sort of Alzeimers but seemed happy in her little world. We decided that as long as she had a quality of life we would just look after her and love her. She gradually stopped enjoying her walks and so we just used to take her outside to relieve herself. Katie then became incontinent. She would leave a little gift for me in the mornings but managed quite well during the day. We could never tell how bad her hearing and sight were because sometimes she would bump into things but others she would spot a cat at a hundred yards. One day she screamed as Pete was putting her collar on and I made the appointment for the vet to come but she had a miracle recovery and I cancelled it. The next two weeks were wonderful. It was our old Kate back again - a bit grumpy but eager to go out for a walk and eating like a horse and then quite suddenly she deteriorated and was in distress. This time there was no cancellation and Katie slipped peacefully out of this world and across the Rainbow Bridge. I will be buying a 'Peace' rose to remember her by. Katsuko means 'Peace' in Japanese. Thank you for all the pleasure you have given us Kate.
Amy (Ch Mymsin Amai)
Amai means "sweet" and she certainly is. She has the most perfect temperament and loves everything around her. Who could I mate her to? Once again I had planned a mating for her third season or two years old. Amy had other ideas. Luckily I had decided to mate her to her half-brother Hickey. They beat me to it and on her second season at 18months they got together. I had hoped for an Amy daughter but once again three dogs! Barry Day had wanted Amy herself so I had promised him a pup from her first litter. He chose Akira (Sonny). Oki lives with a little boy and girl in Cheam. I wanted to keep (Akiko) little Red but Pete said quite rightly that I could only keep two males. Kate Chellew bought her children to see him and it was love at first sight. He now lives in Essex with Akitas, an Irish Water Spaniel, cats, chinchillas, his own little girl Yoshi and fish. He has a whale of a time with Tom and Mathew. Quite the 'Gang of Three'. Little Red is now a father of a lovely little girl.
Amy has had a spectacular show career. She and Henry both won their first ticket at Birmingham under Debbie Mulligan. Her second was at Leeds under Chris Thomas and her final and crowning ticket was under Keith Nathan at Windsor. Incidentally her friend Rocco the Bracco (Photo-Album.htm ) was Best Import Puppy under Anne Arch at the same show. Our next show was Welsh Kennel Club where we had an unbelievable day. Our Judge was Chris Barry and she gave the bitch CC to Amy and the dog CC and Best of Breed to Hickey (Mymsin Hikaru) Her total of wins so far at Championship shows are 9 Best Bitch and 1 Best of Breed without tickets (challenge Certificates). 8 Best Bitch, 1 Best of Breed and a Utility Group 2 with tickets
For those of you from abroad who are kind enough to read this a British Champion is created by first winning one's class at a Championship show where Challenge Certificates (CC's) in the breed are on offer. All unbeaten dogs then go in for the Challenge where the BD is selected. Then the bitches have their turn. The BOSD (Best of Sex Dog) and the BOSB both get a CC they then go in and challenge each other for BOB. All BOB's compete in their appropriate groups are graded Group 1, 2, 3 and 4. The Group winners then compete for Best in Show. To become a Champion a dog has to win three CC's under three different judges
Amy was now seven years of age and I desperately wanted an Amy daughter to carry on the tradition. I mated her to Liz Dunhills' dog Vormund I'm Picasso. They had three lovely daughters 24th September 2004. I called the girls Akimitsu - Autumn Child, Emiko - Beautiful Child and Kimiko - Noble Child. Kimi has gone to a lovely family not far away. She will be shown but her owner has had a knee operation and is not up to running around the ring yet. I couldn't chose between the other two so I kept them both. I have been so delighted with this litter that I asked Kennel Club permission to mate Amy to Picasso again.
Amy has her final litter.
The great day had arrived and Amy took to her bed. We waited with baited breath as she began to puff and then she turned her back on me. Usually she gave me her pups to look after as she concentrated on the next one - but not this time. She was washing and washing this one and I thought there must be something wrong. In the end I lifted her leg and what did I see?
A small pink face appeared. In twenty years of owning Shibas It was the first white I had bred. It was a boy and I called him Yukishiro which means 'Snow White'. The other three boys followed quite normally. Amy appeared to have finished and we went to bed pleased that all had gone so smoothly. Suddenly in the night I could hear through the baby alarm the sound of more licking. I rushed downstairs to see she had given birth to one more and this time it was a girl. Once more Amy had done me proud. They grew apace and in no time at all I had a queue of folk coming to see them. My fiend Marilyn wanted Hanako (Flower Girl) the little red girl. Belinda had a red boy Benitaka (Red Hawk) better known as Sprocket. Benitomi (Red Fortune) now called Kenji went to live with Elaine. Benitaro (Red Boy lives with Emily and is named Dexter. Our little white Shiro had the sweetest nature and some apparently very nice people came to see him but that didn't work out. We became very protective of him and when we had an enquiry from a family with six children we were not at all sure. As usual we did a house visit and discovered the children were charming. Shiro fitted in straight away and it is a wonderful home.
Hanako has done very well in the show ring as has her brother Benitaka who has also studded his first litter.
Emi (Mymsin Emiko) & Mitzi (Mymsin Akimitsu)
The girls are so different. Emi is robustly built like her grandmother Nessie and loves to be cuddled. Mitzi is tall and elegant and very clever. She is the one that gets poor Emi in trouble. I have been amazed and delighted at the success they have had so far, not only at Open show level but at Championship Shows. Mitzi was Best Puppy, Best Bitch and Best of Breed at Southern Counties (without CC's) and then went on to Border Union where she gained her first CC at the age of 8 months under judge Liz Dunhill. She was also third in Puppy Stakes at South Wales. Emi not to be outdone was Best Puppy and Res Bitch CC at South Wales and was 2nd in the Puppy Stakes at Southern Counties and Windsor. What a start to their careers. Pete and I take all the shibas to many of the shows in our caravan. This is our holiday. Pete was due to go into hospital for a hip replacement so our last holiday with the caravan was to Paignton. Once more the pups did us proud. Emi won Best Puppy and Mitzi was second in the puppy stakes. I took the car to Bournemouth where it was Emi's turn to be the star. She was Best Puppy, Best Bitch and Best of Breed. Unfortunately she received a bad scare in the big ring which turned her into a nervous wreck. I bought her home and took her to ringcraft and she crawled in on her tummy, tail down. A sight I have never seen in her before. After three weeks at ringcraft she didn't seem much better. Pete by now was recovering from his operation and we decided to take them to Richmond Championship. It was a beautiful day and Emi brightened up so we took her in and she behaved impeccably gaining second in the Puppy Bitch class. Mitzi beat her and won the reserve Best Bitch and Bitch Puppy. Since then Emi & Mitzi have continued with their winning ways.
Emi has babies of her Own
I usually like to mate my girls when they are between 18months and 3 years of age so I began looking for a nice boy for my girls. The task was very difficult. I had used a completely unrelated dog as their father so now I wanted a boy who would take me back into my own lines. The lad I chose was Marilouvale Viva Las Vegas. His mother was a Champion American lady and his father came from Makoto lines, that was where it had all started with my Nessie (Makoto Baroness At Mymsin)..
Emi & Vegas
He came to stay with us for a week and Emi fell in love much to her sisters' disgust. Vegas had already come to stay once before to try his wiles on Mitzi but we had missed the 'magic moment'. This time all was well and the whelping pen was put up and new fluffy white vetbed put down. Emi moved in the week before the birth. The magic 27th arrived and at 12.30pm she started digging and scratching and shortly after the first boy arrived. He was very long but a lovely red. Emi was shocked and tried to wrap him in vetbed. She just didn't know what to do with this thing. A few minutes later a little red girl with a black mask was born followed a while later by a breach birth boy. Poor Em had trouble with this one. This was the first time I had had a complicated birth. The boy finally put in an appearance in a rush and he was quickly followed by two more girls. Both red and with complete uragiro markings (no black mask). I slept with them the first night and helped Emi by putting them to her and getting them out from under her when she sat on them. I have never had a shiba that was so clumsy with her babies. After that it was the baby alarm by the bed and popping downstairs if I felt they needed help. The second night she had me downstairs twice - the third time I shone the torch and it accidentally went straight into her eyes - she gathered he babies to her bosom and after that all was well.
Sadly one of the puppies (the firstborn boy) had breathing problems in the night of the 30th. He seemed better by about 4am so I slept on the floor beside the pen but he started having trouble again. He was moving about in the morning but when I went to look at them after breakfast he was lying as I thought asleep in the corner but he had passed away.I know this happens but it is the first time it has happened to me in 18 years. Since my first litter in 1989 I have bred twelve more. I called the vet out to check the others and Emi as I was so worried but he told me I had just been very lucky not to have lost more and that my methods were exemplary. The other pups and Emi all passed with flying colours. It doesn't stop the sadness though. He was perfect and unmarked. Our vet thought he had an undeveloped trachia. We have buried him under a ceanothus in the garden.
All those on the waiting list have been informed and I will send them all a weekly email updating the pups progress. The successful owners will be given a DVD of the pups from the minute they start to move about with their eyes open and with a section on grooming and health. My Shiba owners are all my friends and we keep in touch for the life and after of their precious charge.
The pups have now gone to their new homes. We have kept Taro the boy and their owners have all given them their new names. The Last Geisha (Little Tart) has gone to live with her daddy and will be shown. Kiichi (Momo) will be living quite close to us and Zoe (Socks) is living near Newmarket. We all met up recently at Newmarket racecourse and had a picnic. The pups had a wonderful time and Emi gave them all a good wash. The Geisha couldn't come because she lives too far away.
Kentaro
He was quite lonely when his siblings left so we gave him Moosie, a big green stuffed moose.. He takes him to bed with him and loves him dearly. Taro has started going to ringcraft and John and Sandra take Kiishi too so they meet up once a week which is wonderful. Pete and I took the caravan to Wales for the Welsh Kennel Club Show. This is our holiday. We take all the Shibas and the little lad had a wonderful time. The weather wasn't great but that didn't make any difference to him.
Taro and Geisha had their first show in October. It was the Club Championship show so it was definitely something to look forward to. Taro came second in his class to his half brother Diego and the Geisha won her class and went on to become Best Puppy In Show (BPIS). Since then they have both done very well. Taro was BPIS at Beckenham and they have both continued their winning ways.
Taro and Geisha have now attended the Club Open show judged by Dr Ron James and Taro was Best Puppy and Res Best Dog. Geisha, now owned by Marie Bryans was Best Puppy Bitch and was only beaten by her brother for Best Puppy. Well done you two.
Emi's 2008 Litter
 Kenszi |
 Yoshiaki |
 Yuki |
 Harvey |
Ben |
Yoshi
Unfortunately Yoshi's new home didn't work out and she has returned to us. All the shibas were happy to welcome her back into the fold. she had only been in her new home for ten weeks but had become very frightened of children and we are trying to socialise her gradually, She goes to an excellent ringcraft where she meets and plays with many dogs of all breeds. This week she accepted a little girl. She has now been back for 8 months. She will never be sold on and is here for the rest of her life. Yoshi has dipped her toe in the show ring and and has been very successful at an Open level. The next big challenge will be to take her to a Championship show.
The story continues............
Holidays
 |
 |
 |
 |
We have a caravan at West Wittering near Chichester. It is a beautiful place and a heaven for dogs. The shibas love the beach and run and play in the pools to their hearts content. Pete and I try to get away for a few days whenever possible.
Amy who is now almost 13 spends most of her time in the caravan watching the world go by.
