Agenor, born 03/95, was our first American Akita and it was the best which happend to us.
In
heavy-going times he is always cool and loyal and we can rely on him every time.
Like many othes he became a temporal victim of the final acknowledgement of the breed mid to end of the 90's.
But the son of famous american fathers (see pedigree) nevertheless swept the younger competitors away from the gangways of CACIB shows and he had tremendous success 2001 to 2003 when he gained several champion titles and group placements.
Unfortunatly, in the age of 9 years, he was diagnosed with tumors in his testicles, so we had to neuter him immediatly to save his life.
Agenor's Pedigree:
Prost Kansas Sierra de Altea |
CH USA North Star's Madd Maxx |
CH USA O'Bj Zack
The Spotted Bear |
CH USA Kuroi Kao
Dallas Alice |
CH USA '94 Princesa de Prost |
CH USA, CH E '95 Prost's
Kobi of Valkan |
CH USA Prost's
Spanish Nina |
Jana de Laguna Escorpion |
Shogun de Araruna |
CH CO
Raiden Becker |
Hibachi
de Gegar |
Beyla de Laguna Escorpion |
Claran
Maltese Marble |
|
CH E '91
Danae
|
Agenor, and how he had chosen us
from Carola Biermann
In March 1995 in had to move our residence to Leiria (Portugal) for a while. It lasted some days to get my rented house comfortable for my own. After that I went freshly to work and took a look to my projects. I just knew some portugues and so I quickly got in contact with the population; besides, the people there had taken me very nicely and helped in each conceivable way. Despite all good experiences I became hardly homesick before Easter, and to get home to Germany was almost 2500 km (about 1800 miles). To be home for the holidays only, a lot too far. I concluded to visit very good friends in Sanlucar (Spain); to get there was only a few hours. We had won these friends during our time as international truck-drivers, and we still were in good contact. Next morning I took my toothbrush and all the other stuff and left Leiria.
When I arrived at the spanish border, I phoned Fochi, our friend, to announce my visit. The mutual delight was huge, because we didn't met for more than two years. During continuating the way I reminded of earlier meetings in the area of Jerez de la Frontera und Sanlucar, and how we had gotten to become friends. I always enjoyed to have met Fochi and Rosario, his wife, and their dogs, looking as if alert, but always very friendly and accessible. At that time they owned the male Julk, which was equal to a little bear (apart from the curly tail); and his sister Jana, both from the kennel Laguna de Escorpion.
When I arrived at the friend's house, Julk welcomed me very delighted, and I was astonished, because I wouldn't have thought that the dog would recognize me after more than two years. The frontdoor opened and Fochi appeared in the yard. After joyful greetings he asked me to come in. By then I had not seen the female Jana and asked about her whereabouts. "Jana has a surprise for you in the house, just come in", Fochi said and gave me the precedence. When I entered the hallway, I was suddenly surrounded by Jana and her four puppies. Exactly like Julk she reminded of me and welcomed me, though she had very young puppies. To see and meet that small Teddybears was overwhelming, and Fochi was really proud about his dog-family.
In the next 3 days I experienced what it means, to have a litter of puppies in the house. The whole day long happened somewhat; there was always one of the puppies, which made nonsense or tried to escape. In this 3 days I also learned the name of this breed, finally!
American Akita
Before I always forgot the name in between of one hour. However, I began to set up a relationship to this nice dogs. I noticed generally things with the Akitas, which I never had oberserved with other dogs before. So for example the male Julk, the paternal uncle of the puppies. He didn't take only care of the babies of his sister Jana, he guarded my 10 weeks old son Florian. Julk laid for hours in front of the bedroom and observed the babies' bed. When Florian awoke, the dog ran to me, pushed me with his nose and looked at me like:" Go and take care of your baby before it cries." He also was not very glad, when anybody without me entered Florian's bedroom.
The four puppies were each by different colour and drawing. So it was easy to differentiet them. The most striking for me was the only male, a brown pinto like his uncle Julk. He was very tranquil. Yes, almost to mark him as lazy or inert. From this point on I'll call him Anton. When the door opened, all dogs ran out to play or do their business. All Akitas without Anton: he didn't leave the house, he ran into the kitchen and went potty there, for the displeasure of Rosario, who had to clean it up. When he was ready, he also went outside to see what the others were doing. The others had run far into the field and played there. But Anton was too lazy to follow his family so far out, he prefered to play with me. His sisters interested him not anymore, when he had the chance to be with me. Friend Fochi observed this very amused, and on the last day of my visit he said to me, that he couldn't sell Anton anymore, because the dog just selected his new owner by himself. He also thought, that an Akita would fit quiet well with us. I would have loved this idea, but first I'ld had to talk with my (very critical) husband and not to forget the only three month old Florian.
So I left Spain with a wonderful idea in my head, and when I phoned to Michael, I told him what happened in Spain. Fundamentally he was not against the acquisition of a dog, but he thought, that the burden (baby, job, dog) could become too much for me. We came to the agreement, that we could go to Spain again on his holiday in May, that he would spend with us in Portugal.
May came, and on his first morning in Portugal we went immediatly to Spain to see the dog. When Michael saw the little Akita-man, he fell in love with him just in the same moment, and all concerns were pushed aside. On the next day we drove back to Portugal as a real complete family.
Several years are gone now since then, and today we can not imagine to live without an Akita anymore. And if God blesses us, we'll be owned by Akitas lots more years.
