Leading the way to Chinook magic!
TIKAANI
“…and though she be but little, she is fierce!" ― William Shakespeare
I celebrate the life of Tikaani (RL1 GRCH GreatMountain Lyric Tikaani NSDC CGC HIC) a truly remarkable Chinook. Tikaani has left her mark on my life, Vanguard Chinooks, and in fact the Chinook breed - leaving all of us the better for having benefited from her presence.
Grand Champion GreatMountain Lyric Tikaani RL1 CGC HIC arrived in this world on October 17th, 2006, the first pup in the litter of GreatMountain X Tanacross and CH Hurricane Nokomis Dream. She arrived with high hopes pinned to her paws as a fourth generation cross -- the purebred eligible generation --from the GreatMountain cross line descendants of Glendon’s Sweetie, an accomplished non-Chinook lead dog on a Maine State Championship sledding team. As a puppy, Tikaani was described as a thinker when she was chosen to help found the Vanguard pack, and she has grown into a gentle, thoughtful, serious dog who sometimes disguises her deep streak of joy de vivre and sly humor behind her inscrutable Chinook beauty.
Tikaani was a star from her first outing in harness- not flashy but simply, deeply reliable as a working partner whether on a gangline or Rally Obedience course. It is not surprising that Tikaani is the first Chinook to earn an APDT Rally Obedience title – in three straight qualifying runs with two first place finishes. In fact, she earned an APDT Award of Excellence for qualifying for the Novice title with exemplary competition results. She easily earned her Herding Instinct and Canine Good Citizen certification as a young dog as well.
After passing her health tests, Tikaani fulfilled the hopes pinned to her and qualified for the "Cross to Pure" process under the COA CrossBreeding Program. She is the first descendent of Glendon’s Sweetie and the GreatMountain cross line to obtain registration as a purebred Chinook with the UKC-- the ninth Chinook overall through the Program. With her classic Chinook looks, she quickly earned her UKC Championship and Grand Championship, finishing in the Top Ten. Tikaani’s image has been chosen to represent Chinooks in many venues- from the Dog World feature on the Chinook to magazines from as far away as Poland and Belgium.
Perhaps her most lasting achievement will be the mark she is leaving on the breed as a UKC Top Producing Chinook with just 11 puppies over three litters as the foundation dam for Bashaba/Vanguard Chinooks. Tikaani was a natural and outstanding mother, taking immediately to all of her duties of a mom and teaching me what good and normal mom and puppy behavior was. Her puppies are first and foremost well-loved family companions, renowned for their solid outgoing temperaments. Those pups have also, however, accomplished much! – 2 National Bests of Breed, 4 Grand Champions, 3 United Weight Puller titles, 1 Coursing Aptitude title, 1 UKC United Rally Obedience title, 3 COA Novice Sled Dog Certifications, 1 COA Novice Pack Dog and 1 COA Working Pack Dog. In addition, Tikaani and her final litter positively introduced many to the Chinook breed after their appearance as stars in Animal Planet’s “Too Cute! Puppies” Polar Puppies episode.
Thus far, Tikaani has 67 grandpups, 118 great-grandpups, and 112 great grandpups carrying forward the health, temperament, structure and work ethic she exemplifies. 13 of the total 92 COA Working Dog titles (14%) have been earned by Tikaani’s descendants. 99 of her descendants have been health-tested so far- of them 100% have passing eye evaluations, 88% normal hip evaluations (with 86% of them being Good or Excellent), and 97% of her descendants are seizure-free. In addition to raising her own litters, she is a superb Puppy Nanny and Manners Coach for all of the litters of her descendants that come through the house.
Grand Champion GreatMountain Lyric Tikaani RL1 CGC HIC arrived in this world on October 17th, 2006, the first pup in the litter of GreatMountain X Tanacross and CH Hurricane Nokomis Dream. She arrived with high hopes pinned to her paws as a fourth generation cross -- the purebred eligible generation --from the GreatMountain cross line descendants of Glendon’s Sweetie, an accomplished non-Chinook lead dog on a Maine State Championship sledding team. As a puppy, Tikaani was described as a thinker when she was chosen to help found the Vanguard pack, and she has grown into a gentle, thoughtful, serious dog who sometimes disguises her deep streak of joy de vivre and sly humor behind her inscrutable Chinook beauty.
Tikaani was a star from her first outing in harness- not flashy but simply, deeply reliable as a working partner whether on a gangline or Rally Obedience course. It is not surprising that Tikaani is the first Chinook to earn an APDT Rally Obedience title – in three straight qualifying runs with two first place finishes. In fact, she earned an APDT Award of Excellence for qualifying for the Novice title with exemplary competition results. She easily earned her Herding Instinct and Canine Good Citizen certification as a young dog as well.
After passing her health tests, Tikaani fulfilled the hopes pinned to her and qualified for the "Cross to Pure" process under the COA CrossBreeding Program. She is the first descendent of Glendon’s Sweetie and the GreatMountain cross line to obtain registration as a purebred Chinook with the UKC-- the ninth Chinook overall through the Program. With her classic Chinook looks, she quickly earned her UKC Championship and Grand Championship, finishing in the Top Ten. Tikaani’s image has been chosen to represent Chinooks in many venues- from the Dog World feature on the Chinook to magazines from as far away as Poland and Belgium.
Perhaps her most lasting achievement will be the mark she is leaving on the breed as a UKC Top Producing Chinook with just 11 puppies over three litters as the foundation dam for Bashaba/Vanguard Chinooks. Tikaani was a natural and outstanding mother, taking immediately to all of her duties of a mom and teaching me what good and normal mom and puppy behavior was. Her puppies are first and foremost well-loved family companions, renowned for their solid outgoing temperaments. Those pups have also, however, accomplished much! – 2 National Bests of Breed, 4 Grand Champions, 3 United Weight Puller titles, 1 Coursing Aptitude title, 1 UKC United Rally Obedience title, 3 COA Novice Sled Dog Certifications, 1 COA Novice Pack Dog and 1 COA Working Pack Dog. In addition, Tikaani and her final litter positively introduced many to the Chinook breed after their appearance as stars in Animal Planet’s “Too Cute! Puppies” Polar Puppies episode.
Thus far, Tikaani has 67 grandpups, 118 great-grandpups, and 112 great grandpups carrying forward the health, temperament, structure and work ethic she exemplifies. 13 of the total 92 COA Working Dog titles (14%) have been earned by Tikaani’s descendants. 99 of her descendants have been health-tested so far- of them 100% have passing eye evaluations, 88% normal hip evaluations (with 86% of them being Good or Excellent), and 97% of her descendants are seizure-free. In addition to raising her own litters, she is a superb Puppy Nanny and Manners Coach for all of the litters of her descendants that come through the house.
Biography
Formal Name:
Date of Birth:
Sire:
Dam:
Status:
Date of Birth:
Sire:
Dam:
Status:
'PR' GR CH GreatMountain Lyric Tikaani RL1 CGC HIC DNA-VIP
17 October 2006
GreatMountain x Tanacross
CH Hurricane Nokomis Dream
Spayed
17 October 2006
GreatMountain x Tanacross
CH Hurricane Nokomis Dream
Spayed
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Tikaani in Spring
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She's so pretty!
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Born to Run
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Tikaani & her grandpuppy, Jesson
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Tikaani visits Arthur Walden's Grave
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Grandma likes to play
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The Tikaani in her natural habitat.
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Tikaani loves to run!
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Tikaani and her first Litter
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Tikaani's Third Litter
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Stately
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Big Smile!
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Tikaani's Second Litter
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Tikaani runs lead on the team
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What a pup!
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Tikaani was featured in Dog Fancy with her mama and grandma.
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She was blessed with incredible structure and movement.
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Tikaani ended up in magazine articles from the Mt Washington Valley in New Hampshire....
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.... to Poland.
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She was the best girl.
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Tikaani could take your breath away with her beauty across a field.
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Health
Hips:
Eyes:
Thyroid:
Cardiac:
Genetics:
Other:
Eyes:
Thyroid:
Cardiac:
Genetics:
Other:
PennHIP >90th %ile DI .33/.29
OFA Prelim Good (@ 18 months)
CERF /OFA Normal
OFA Normal
OFA Normal
Chondrodysplasia (Dwarfism) CLEAR
MultiDrug Resistance (MDR1) CLEAR
Degenerative Myelopathy CLEAR
Collie Eye Anomaly CLEAR
Clear of Seizures & Allergies
OFA Prelim Good (@ 18 months)
CERF /OFA Normal
OFA Normal
OFA Normal
Chondrodysplasia (Dwarfism) CLEAR
MultiDrug Resistance (MDR1) CLEAR
Degenerative Myelopathy CLEAR
Collie Eye Anomaly CLEAR
Clear of Seizures & Allergies
As she aged, Tikaani never lost her keen intelligence, dignified reserve, and maturity tempered with a streak of mischievousness that would pop up out of nowhere. She enjoyed the occasional frisk with her great-grandpuppy Ankaa in the yard and imperiously informing me of her needs (generally a late meal) with a querulous bark. She snuggled every night, greeted every morning with a wag and a puppyish smile, and enjoyed her well-deserved naps in the sun. Tikaani had been slowing down for a while as her aging body struggled to keep up with her magnificent spirit. She began to exhibit signs of discomfort the medicine and most tempting foods couldn’t overcome. Her wonderful vet came after work to help us say goodbye on a day Tikaani spent sleeping in sunbeams, eating beef and ice cream (not at the same time) surrounded by the local people she loved the best.
It’s hard to articulate the void Tikaani leaves behind- she was not a social butterfly that everyone noticed, but she was the bedrock-steady, thoughtful, smart, loving, immensely talented partner of almost 16 years that I relied on without always acknowledging of it consciously. I’m blessed to have her daughter Calista, granddaughter Nashira, and great-granddaughter here to dry my tears – they are unsettled but devoted and we will figure the new normal out together.
I can never thank Penthea Burns and Jessica Maurer of GreatMountain Chinooks enough for entrusting me with Tikaani those many years ago. I don’t know where I would be in life without Tikaani but it surely would be a less blessed place. May Tikaani’s bright, steady light continue to shine through her descendants far into the future. Godspeed, my very good girl.
Find more out about the COA Cross-to-Pure process at http://www.chinook.org/xbreeding.htm.
Miscellany
Hobbies: Rally Obedience, Nosework, Agility
Favorite Cartoon Character: Penelope Pitstop
Favorite Quote: "Work hard, nap long"
Career Ambition: Olympic Coach
Awards: Novice Sled Dog Certified, APDT Rally Obedience Level 1 (with an Award of Excellence), UKC Grand Champion, Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Herding Instinct Certified (HIC)
Favorite Cartoon Character: Penelope Pitstop
Favorite Quote: "Work hard, nap long"
Career Ambition: Olympic Coach
Awards: Novice Sled Dog Certified, APDT Rally Obedience Level 1 (with an Award of Excellence), UKC Grand Champion, Canine Good Citizen (CGC), Herding Instinct Certified (HIC)