CH. IAM Suka V’Trivalent

CH IAM Suka V’Trivalent  6/14/2000-9/4/2014

Suka was my ‘entry Siberian’ into the world of dog showing,  after being in love with the breed for Oh! so many years and going the pet route for a long time.    I finally decided to widen my horizon, start this journey and find myself a show quality puppy.   And this journey, thank the Good Lord, took me straight to Mickie Punnett.   The day I called her, set up an apt. to go to her house and meet her was one of the luckiest days in my adult life.  Ever since that day, she has become not only my very good friend, but my mentor and confidant.  After meeting with her several times, getting to know her Siberians, going over my history in the Morgan Horse Show world, and chatting about my goals and objectives in wanting to show Siberians, she allowed Suka to come into my life.

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Suka fit in great with the rest of my gang and immediately showed her love of water, a Trivalent trait.  She was the pup who was always in the puppy pool first and out last.  As she grew up new challenges arose, and not of the wet kind.  She was the one who always would push the bounds just that one little bit to see how far she could take it.  She made me work for my alpha status and made me work to keep it!  And, she kept the 4 legged clan in line, too.  It was all in a days work for her.  She had just the kind of attitude that makes a great show dog and she got her Ch. in about 6 months.  Mickie and I were both so proud of her.

Not only was she one heck of a great show dog, but she became an even better mom for 2 litters.  She had 12 pups total.  Her son, Kaho, has 3 titles and carries on the very best of her traits right here at Amarok Siberians.  I also see her in her other pups and grand pups, which is so special.

But, Suka’s personality always carried the day ~ from 5 AM sharp when her loud single howl woke me up daily (who needed an alarm clock!) to giving you her belly for a nice rub in preparation for going to sleep.  Suka, in my mind, had the typical Siberian temperament.  Wonderfully welcoming to people she knew, but a bit stand-off-ish (and barky) for a few minutes if you were a stranger.  Gotta size up those newbies, you know!  REALLY special friends stop over and she’d automatically head for their pocket, knowing those blueberry treats would be in there (and NO others would do!), and she’d howl on command for them.  Suka was the one who would always get the pass for the special snacks in her geriatric years…corn on the cob, licking out the freezer for any dropped frozen goodies, hoovering up the kitchen floor after a spill, and the list goes on.  She was an ice crunching eating machine.

Everyone who has Siberians has pet call names for them and Suka was no different.  She came back from the show circuit called ‘Suka Boo-ka’ by Marie Falconer, who handled her and got her to her Championship.  But, the most often used and coined by yours truly is Sukiyaki…it just seemed to fit, or maybe it’s my love of Chinese food-who knows?  It’ll take a long while to stop saying that name.  About a year ago, her hearing started to go.  When she was outside  it was harder for her to hear me call.  A good loud “Sukiyaki” with the emphasis and elongation of the ‘sue’ always did the trick.  She’d hear that and come a runnin’.

As she aged, she met challenges head on.  We all don’t know what is in store for us as we age & Suka’s future included Cushing’s Disease.  She actually got “better” (not only physically, but behaviorally and mentally) once she was diagnosed and medicated properly.  So, I think she was feeling pretty punk for a while before then.  She lived almost 3 years with Cushing’s and those years were wonderful years!  — truly wonderful, healthy, happy years.

So, Suka has joined her sister, Isis, who passed several years ago.  Tseiko is up there, too.  He passed last year.  Both memorials are on the website in this section.  She’s also being met by all her brothers, other sisters and parents.  She’s the last of one remarkable litter, thanks to Mickie.  I know it was one heck of a reunion way up North of the Rainbow Bridge.  I can just hear her now ~