Name (Last, First):
Valenski, Randy
Kennel:
City, State: Memphis, TN
Country: USA
Email:
rvalenski@hotmail.com
AOL: TnTarheel3
ICQ/Other:
Webpage:
http://www.angelfire.com/tn/tntarheel
Birthday: 01/28
Sex: Male
Years In Breed: 17
Number of Dogs: 2
Show or Pet: spoiled rotten pets
Spouse: Donna
Children: 2
Occupation: medical research
Hobbies: karate, scouting
Comments:
Our first Akita, Kuma, was a typical alpha female that let us share
her
life for 15 wonderful years. She accepted our children, Lauren now 13 and
Alan 11, as if they were her own when they were born. She totally hooked
us
on the wonders of Akitas.
We are currently blessed with our special adopted girl Keltey and her
partner in crime Kobe the wonder dog.
Name (Last, First):
Vanderlinde, Cheryl
Kennel: SheBogi Reg.
City, State: Wyoming, Ontario
Country: Canada
Email:
shebogi@xcelco.on.ca
AOL:
ICQ/Other: 20972794
Webpage:
www.caru.net/shebogi/
Birthday: 12/6
Sex: Female
Years In Breed: 12
Number of Dogs: 5
Show or Pet: Show
Spouse: Ray
Children: 1
Occupation: Sow Herds Manager
Hobbies: Camping, Ice Skating
Comments:
Hi, we are
located in Ontario Canada and really enjoying showing our Akita's! They are part
of our family and our vacations are spent traveling with them to shows! We are
members of the CKC and Akita Alumni. I also started the ROM Status for Canadian
Akitas.
Name (Last, First):
Walker, Phyllis
Kennel:
City, State: Knoxville, TN 37938
Country: USA
Email:
pwalker@utk.edu
AOL:
ICQ/Other:
Webpage:
Birthday: 7/14/62
Sex: Female
Years In Breed: 11
Number of Dogs: 2
Show or Pet: pet
Spouse: Mark Gately
Children: 0
Occupation: Paramedic
Hobbies: Biking, Hiking, Reading
Comments:
Left
vulnerable and scarred following a bad marriage and an even worse divorce, I
discovered the magical akita. My first one, Bushido, rescued me and gave me new
life with her spunk and spirit. The unthinkable happened when she was stolen.
Toshi, my next akita, stepped in with her own akita magic, and again I was
revived. My mother was completely taken with Toshi, so much so that I just knew
that she needed some akita magic of her own. I showed up at her house with a
lovely female akita puppy wrapped with a big red bow. After about a year Lesson
Number One was realized, it really is a bad idea to give a dog as a pet. Seiko
was too much for my mother. I was actually happy about it, I loved Seiko and
could think nothing but how great it was going to be to have 2 akitas. Ignorance
is bliss, and I was as blissful as it gets. That is until Lesson Number Two.
This is when I learned that the books were indeed correct in that same sex
akitas will most likely fight.!
Seiko and Toshi fought and
life was miserable. I found the perfect home for Seiko. She was an only dog with
a couple who worshipped her. She was their princess. Seiko was happy, Toshi was
happy, and I was too. We met Mark and decided to keep him. PJ, a chocolate lab,
came with Mark, and we decided to keep him too. Toshi liked PJ because he
understood that she owned all the toys. He also knew she was the Queen and he
didn't mind. About 2 years ago, Mark brought home a beagle he found on the
interstate. Soon she was Toshi's sidekick, the Queen's "Scout." Then
about a year ago we heard from the couple who had adored Seiko for the last 3
years. Their life had changed and Seiko was not included. In the same moment I
heard this shocking news, I knew Seiko was coming home to us, forever. That was
Lesson Number Three, I was responsible for Seiko and I owed her the best. I will
not put her through another home. She is here to stay as the reigning princess,
Toshi already has the Queen spo
t.
So that's our
nutshell history. Mark and I are the caretakers of our beloved pack. We both
work at a hospital, he's a nurse in the surgical intensive care unit and I'm a
parmedic on the helicopter. We live in the Tennesse Valley with the Appalachian
Mountains to the south and the Cumberland Plateau to the north. This area makes
it easy for us to indulge in our bicycling passion, we ride the road as well as
trails. I love hiking as well and Seiko is proving to be a great hiking partner.
Gardening is another favorite activity for me, Toshi is my buddy in the garden.
I'm a maniac for books, and all the dogs love it when I spend the afternoon
reading, they are all my reading buddies.
My akitas
have led me to yet another lesson, Number Four. I learned that you can indeed
form friendships and community on the internet. The akitas sent me looking for
information, and I eventually wandered into this wonderful place called
Akita-Friends. It's a place full of wise minds, kind hearts, and strong
shoulders to lean on. Positive solutions and attitudes rule the day. And I am so
happy to be here.
Name (Last, First):
Walker,Steve
Kennel: Westar Akitas
City, State: Brush Prairie, WA
Country: USA
Email:
walkers@columbiafunds.com
AOL:
ICQ/Other:
Webpage:
Birthday: 12/25
Sex: Male
Years In Breed: 10
Number of Dogs: 10
Show or Pet: Both
Spouse: Marilyn
Children: 0
Occupation: IT Manager
Hobbies:
Akitas, Golf
Comments:
We live in
Brush Prairie Washington on 2 1/2 acres. Basically our lives revolve around our
dogs, the place we live, the vehicles we drive, the vacations we take are all
dictated by our involvement with Akitas. I used to play golf 3 or 4 times a
week, now is is once or twice a year. I am not complaining, this is my choice.
We have bred 3 litters, about a litter every 3 years. We have 4 champions, 3 of
which were part of the 1996 brood bitch championship. We live for dog shows and
go through withdrawal if we go too long without one.
Name (Last, First):
Wentworth, Lorraine
Kennel: Katahdin Akitas
City, State: Orono, ME
Country: USA
Email:
wentwrth@maine.maine.edu
AOL:
MEBlackBear@aol.com
ICQ/Other: ICQ #34888991
Webpage: not yet
Birthday: 7-30
Sex: Female
Years In Breed: 20 years
Number of Dogs: presently down to 2 ;(
Show or Pet: Both
Spouse: A**hole
Children: 7 - all 4-legged and furry!
Occupation: Clerical
Hobbies: Show handling/grooming
Comments:
What can I
say? I've been involved in Akitas (my main breed) for 20
years now. I also have Bichon Frise but do prefer the Akita. Have
had a horrible past year where my kennel has been totally wiped out.
JD bloated and torqued and I lost him. Addie has been placed in a
retirement where she's the "queen bee" and "couch potatoe"
and
loving all the attention. :) My old Sumo passed away last February
just 2 months shy of 13 years old. :(
I bought a
brindle bitch from Tina Kuroda and that has turned out to be
a disaster. Not only did she screw up getting the sire AKC registered but
at 16 months old the litter is STILL NOT registered! Also Serena turned
out to have severe hip dysplasia and ended up in surgery. The entire
litter is dysplastic. My current pride and joy - Chippy -- whelped 3
weeks after JD passed away. He's a spittin' image of his Paw. Hopefully
I'll be acquiring a nice show bitch in the very near future!