On November 14, 2013 Kuyu along with 14 other Rhodesian Ridgebacks earned their Herding Instinct Certificate (HIC).   The Orange Coast Rhodesian Ridgeback Club held Herding Instinct Tests at Winning Edge Dog Sports in Chino.  Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not classified as a herding breed by the American Kennel Club, however, many ridgebacks exhibit excellent herding instincts.  It is believed that in the early history of the breed, in addition to their primary jobs of hunting and guarding, some ridgebacks may have been used for herding in Africa.  The AKC does not allow Ridgebacks to pursue AKC titles in herding.  But breed clubs can offer Herding Instinct Certificates where dogs are evaluated by a judge to determine whether the dog has good herding instincts.

Kuyu has a strong desire to herd.  He began herding when he was just 8 months old and it is one of his favorite things to do, right up there with chasing the bunny in lure coursing.  The HIC day was difficult for him as he had to wait his turn and was not allowed off lead once he got into the ring with the sheep.  But a great time was had by all the Ridgebacks and their people.  And we have a whole new group of big red dogs with HIC behind their names.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation championship is the ‘must-have’ title for a pure bred dog. Kuyu began his show career working toward his championship when he was just 6 months old. He won his first point his first time in the show ring at 6 months. He earned 7 of the necessary 15 points toward his championship by 18 months of age. He then took a little rest to mature and ‘fill out’ so that he would be more competitive with the ‘big boys’ in the ‘Open Class’. Kuyu returned to the show ring at 22 months and in just 2 weekends of showing he earned the necessary two major wins and additional 8 points to become an AKC Champion. Handled by Mike Patterson he earned his first major (3 points) the Bonneville Basin Kennel Association in Farmington UT on Sept 14, 2013 under judge Mrs. Anne Savory Bollus. Two weeks later, handled by Don Rodgers, Kuyu won his second 3 point major at the Lizzard Butte Kennel Club show in Boise ID on October 10, 2013 under judge Ms Jeraldeen Crandall. This win was especially nostalgic as Ms Crandall was the judge who gave Kanzu his third major earning his AKC championship in 2009. On the 3rd day of the Idaho shows at the Idaho Capital City Kennel Club, Kuyu earned his 3rd major and final points for his AKC championship under judge Christine Erickson. It was an incredibly exciting two weekends of shows and a rapid finish to Kuyu’s AKC championship journey.

Kuyu with handler Don Rodgers winning second major under Judge Jeraldeen Crandall day before he earned his AKC Championship.

Kanzu with handler Mike Patterson winning 3rd major and his AKC Championship under Judge Jeraldeen Crandall at Palm Springs, January 2009. Ms Crandall has been a good luck judge for dad and son.

While the American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation championship is most important title for an American dog there are other organizations that offer conformation championships. For example, one such CH title that is popular for many Americans is the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) Championship. Another popular championship is the International Champion title offered by the International All Breed Canine Association (IABCA).The process for achieving a IntlCH title from IABCA requires that a dog compete with other dogs of the same breed and is judged against the standard for the breed. An IABCA IntCH title is achieved after receiving 3 Award Certificates at International Dog Shows. These certificates are awarded by 3 different judges with at least 2 of the judges licensed in different countries. More than one dog can receive Award Certificates in a show. However, only one dog is awarded Best of Breed and the right to go on to compete in the appropriate group.

Kuyu showed at the 2013 Southland Autum Sieger on Sept 28 and 29, 2013. Handled for the first time by his owner Linda D’Antonio he earned 4 consecutive Best of Breed wins. On Septmber 29th, under judge Mike Loller he earned his IABCA International Championship and a very competitive group 2 in the Hound Group. It was a fantastic, magical weekend for Linda and Kuyu.

Four BOB ribbons for Kuyu at the IABCA shows Sept 28 and 29, 2013.

Five new Ridgeback International Champions shared in the fun at the International shows in Sept 2013.

The Orange Coast Rhodesian Ridgeback Specialty was held April 12, 2013. Kuyu was shown by Valerie Nunes-Atkinson in the 12-18 month group and earned a 3rd place in a very competitive group. But the best part of the whole day was that Kuyu had the opportunity to have his photo taken with his grandpa Kumba. Kumba (CH of Affrika Kumbaya) is Kanzu’s sire and Kuyu’s grandsire. The photo of grandpa and grandson is a treasure.

Thank you Theresa Lyons for sharing this lovely photo of Kuyu with Val.

Kuyu got back on the truck after his accident in Washington in February. He joined Valerie Nunes-Atkinson and crew for a trip to Arizona. Kuyu settled right in and went to work earning a Winners Dog/Best of Winners with Valerie under judge Wayne Morris Thompson on April 7, 2013. Darn it! One dog was absent breaking the major. Thanks to Antonio and Lauren for giving such special attention to Kuyu as he got back on the ‘dog-show’ truck.

Following the Western Washington Cluster in Puyallup, WA in January 2013 Kuyu went on to Canada for two wins (4 pts) toward his Canadian Championship. He was on a roll so his stay with Don and Pat Rodgers and Emma Marshall was extended to include a 4 day show in Oregon in February before returning home. Unfortunately, the Rodgers and an assistant and truck full of show dogs, including Kuyu, were in a terrible collision with a semi-truck prior to the February Shows (see news story below). Linda was contacted by Kuyu’s breeder, Julie Eschilling later in the afternoon of the accident to assure her that she would locate Kuyu and make any necessary arrangements. While it was very reassuring to have Julie so near to Kuyu, it was hours before we knew where the dogs were and if any were injured. After a short stay at the local animal shelter all of the dogs were retrieved by another handler who volunteered transport and returned all of the dogs to Don and Pat’s kennel except for Don and Pat’s pet Whippet. Eventually even the whippet was found with the help of dog search and rescue teams. A few days later Emma accompanied Kuyu to the Oregon Shows in Albany, Oregon and Linda and Kuyu were reunited on February 22th, 2013. It was an emotional reunion.
Kuyu enjoyed his nights in the local LaQuinta with his human mom and friend Coby. He was indulged in several massages and chiropractic adjustments and he seemed to enjoy being pampered. He showed well and at the McKenzie Cascade Dog Fanciers show on February 25th Kuyu won Best of Winners for 2 points under Judge Lawrence J. Sinclair.

 
Click here to read more about the accident….
 

Truck carrying Kuyu and several ‘show dog buddies’ was in an accident prior to the Oregon shows in February 2013.

Emma and Kuyu in the ring

The American Kennel Club (AKC) conformation championship is the much sought-after (must-have) title for a pure bred dog.  However, there are other organizations that offer championships.  One such  CH title that is popular for many Americans is the Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) Championship.   The process for achieving a CH title from the CKC is similar to the AKC process.  A dog must compete with other dogs of the same breed and is judged against the standard for the breed.  For the CKC championship title a dog must earn 10 points under 3 judges and at least one win must be 2 points or more.

Kuyu made his debut in CKC shows in January 2013 at the Ladies Kennel Club of BC in Cloverdale, BC.  He showed for 3 days with handlers Don Rodgers and Emma Marshall.  Showing in the open class at just 14 months, Kuyu won Best of Winners on January 25 under judge Mrs. Sandra Alexander for a 2 point win. On Sunday January 27 he earned his second 2 points with a Winners Dog win under judge Mr. Harold Pybus.

Kuyu now has 4 of the 10 points needed for his Canadian Kennel Club Championship assuring more trips to Canada for Kuyu very soon.

Kuyu Best Puppy in Sweeps

Kuyu and Kaia (Kanzu x Kayta Dragon Littermates) were reunited for the first time since Kuyu left the litter in January 2012.  Now at 14 months the puppies met again at the Western Washington Cluster in Puyallup, WA January 2013.  The shows included Sweepstakes Supported by the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of the US (RRCUS).  This cluster of shows has special meaning for us as Kanzu earned a BOS and BOB at the Puyallup shows in 2012 earning his Grand Championship there.

This year, Kanzu’s kids Kuyu and Kaia kept the Puyallup-good-fortune going.  On Saturday Jan 12, Kaia won first in the Bred By Exhibitor class under judge Dennis Gallant.  She then earned an impressive Bred By Exhibitor Group 1 win in the hound group.  What an impressive win for a puppy!    On the same day, handled by Emma Marshall, Kuyu earned a Best Opposite Sex in Puppy Sweeps under judge Stephanie McLeod followed on Monday January 15 with a Best Puppy in the Ridgeback Sweeps under judge Elaine Young.  In the regular classes on Saturday Kuyu and Kaia earned Reserve Winners Dog and Reserve Winners Bitch respectively under Judge Dennis Gallant.

The Puyallup shows and the reunion were very memorable for Kuyu and Kaia and their wins were fabulous reflections on dad Kanzu and mom Kayta.

Kaia Best Bred By Exhibitor Hound Group First Place

Like his mom and dad, Kuyu has always shown a keen interest in lure coursing. Since he was a very young puppy he has demonstrated a crazed passion for the lure during practice runs. After his 1 year birthday he became eligible to do his first official run. At the So Cal 2012 Turkey Run he had his first opportunity to show his potential and he earned what we hope will be his first of many lure coursing titles. This first title is the AKC Junior Courser (JC) title. This title is available to sighthounds only. In order to earn the JC title the hound must be at least 12 months old and must run two courses of at least 600 yards with a minimum of 4 turns under two different judges. For the JC test, the hounds run alone. Kuyu ran two days during the Turkey Run and earned his title on the Orange Coast Rhodesian Ridgeback day of the weekend. This is Kuyu’s first AKC title and he will now have the JC suffix added to his name.

 
 
For videos of Kuyu’s JC run for Saturday Click here  and for Sunday Click here
 
 

On November 7th Kuyu and the other Kanzu x Kayta puppies turned one year old. Where did the time go? Happy Birthday to all of the Dragon Litter pups! Kuyu celebrated his birthday with his dad and many of his Tigris relatives who live nearby. A highlight was sharing Birthday Pup-Cakes with the rest of the pack and having a beautiful photo shot with his dad’s mom, Grandma Kaysi.

While Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not classified as a herding breed by the American Kennel Club, many ridgebacks exhibit excellent herding instincts. It is believed that in the early history of the breed, in addition to their primary jobs of hunting and guarding, some ridgebacks may have been used for herding in Africa resulting in honing of the instinct that seems to be present in some members of the breed today. It is amazing to watch a ridgeback who has never seen a sheep enter a pen and almost immediately know how to move the sheep and group them together.

That is just what happened when Kuyu, at just 8 months of age, entered the sheep corral with Chris Ashton of Enlighten Dogs. Under Chris’s watchful eye and guidance, Kuyu almost immediately knew his job was to keep the sheep together. Kuyu who is usually a very exuberant puppy was surprisingly calm with the sheep. He never once nipped or was overly active with them. Instead, he used his body moving back and forth to keep the sheep together. It was the most remarkable thing to watch! This was one of those times it was Nature more than Nurture that was most active!

Click here to see the video of Kuyu’s herding

It is a commonly held belief that Ridgebacks don’t like water. But no one remembered to tell Kuyu that when he visited the ocean for the first time with his dad, Kanzu and Ridgeback Gal pals Scout and Terra. All four Ridgebacks enjoyed an afternoon running leash-free on Fiesta Island in San Diego after an agility trial. Scout, Terra, Kanzu and Kuyu formed a tight knit pack as they walked the beach and played together interacting with other breeds but keeping an eye on one another and their people.

At 7 months Kuyu was excited to play with every dog he met along the shore at one point chasing a pack of other dogs up into the dunes. Later he surprised everyone when he charged into the water after a tennis ball thrown for a lab. Kuyu beat the poor puppy to the ball and proudly trotted through the surf showing off his catch and playing keep-away from the surprised lab.

Kuyu’s second foray into the conformation ring was a fun and new experience. At the Antelope Valley Kennel Club show (May 25, 2012-Day 1 of the Mission Circuit shows) with Mike handling, Kuyu was the only puppy in the Rhodesian Ridgeback 6-9 month class yielding a ‘Best Puppy’ win for the breed. At this show the club was holding a Best Puppy Competition so the Best Ridgeback Puppy win earned Kuyu a chance to compete in the Puppy Hound Group. Our friend Curtis Freeling took over as Kuyu’s handler for the group. There were 13 dogs competing in the hound group. Even after a very long day of showing and shopping with lots of noise and stimulation, Kuyu entered the ring with Curtis and showed as if he had been doing this forever. Judge John Shoemaker narrowed his choice for best puppy in the hound group to two puppies, a Beagle and the Ridgeback, Kuyu. It was thrilling! In the end, Kuyu earned a group 2 in the hound group (second place). The judge commented on how difficult and close his decision was in an almost apologetic tone. But we were thrilled with this placement and the opportunity for Kuyu to compete with so many representatives of the hound group.

Kuyu (Bakari Tigris African Legacy) lived up to the ‘Bakari’ name (One With Great Promise) when he debuted in his first conformation show just one week after turning 6 months old. And following his Tigris legacy, Kuyu was shown by his father’s breeder/co-owner and his own co-owner, Mike Patterson. We entered the Apple Valley Kennel Club Show on May 13, 2012 under hound owner and judge Lou Gurrero to expose Kuyu to the ring and to gauge his current show skills. To our surprise and pleasure, Kuyu made quite the splash when he trotted out into the ring with Mike and showed like little pro as if he had been showing forever. He stacked right up for Mike in the 6-9 month class where he was the only puppy. The judge commented to Mike on ‘this puppy’s great spirit’. Then with tail wagging and a ‘look at me’ attitude, Kuyu showed his way around the ring to ‘winners dog’ and his first conformation point.

Kuyu and his littermate Bomani, (Kanzu x Kayta son, Bakari’s African Draak Soldier) have been busy working on their bunny chasing skills at local sprint race meets. The brothers have been showing off their intensity for the lure, running individually and together. The boys will be eligible to begin competing officially in straight racing when they turn one year old. For now, they are taking every opportunity to do a few short practice runs whenever the big dogs have official competition days. Both boys appear to have their mother’s and father’s passion for the lure. Kuyu entertains observers and draws laughter by refusing to abandon the lure and insists on proudly carrying his catch( for all to see) back to the start line after his runs.

 
Click here for more photos of Kuyu at race practice – Photos by Gary Claggett
 
Click here for more information about straight racing
 
 

At the conclusion of the Western Washington Dog Shows near Seattle, Kanzu and Uncle Maxx accompanied by Linda and Aunt Jennifer made a very interesting drive in the unexpected heavy snows to pick up our Kanzu son, Kuyu. It was a very interesting two day adventure back to CA with our precious cargo. Kuyu was a fabulous traveler who had already had lots of experience in vehicles. He arrived home on January 24th at 10 weeks of age. He has fit in wonderfully with his dad. Ema is still getting use to him and is most definitely taking on the role of “the fun police”. But Kanzu appears to think that having a puppy around is a great idea. They are spending much time playing ‘keep-away’ and ‘tug-a-war’. It doesn’t seem that long ago that Kanzu was the puppy and I was having to take the role of playing all of these games with him. Now he is the greatest baby sitter and is wonderful at playing with Kuyu and not only keeping him busy but also teaching him some manners.

Kuyu also got to meet many of his Tigris relatives, his Grandma Kaysi and great Aunt Hermani and his aunt Kioni. Most recently he visited his Uncle Peyton and housemate Kali where he spent some time chasing them and playing tug-a-war with Kali. But his most favorite thing so far was his first day out at straight racing. He got to ‘chase the bunny’ for the very first time (at least for a few yards). The cutest part was when he caught the lure ( which was bigger than him) and he then so very, very proudly carried it all the way back to the start line. Looks like he has a definite coursing/racing career ahead of him!

 
CLick here to see a gallery of photos for Kuyu’s play date