| Zik is very well known for all of his show achievements. He has been highly successful and has been seen in the ring in a number of countries, always attracting a lot of favorable attention for his excellent breed type, soundness and movement, outstanding head and expression, and super temperament. He has sired some outstanding puppies, that are following in his footsteps in various countries.
But for me, Zik is simply a sweetheart. From the time he was a small puppy, he has always been very affectionate and loving. Showing him has not been easy, since he loves to lean against my leg and look up at me in adoration rather than acting like a show dog.
On the other hand, Zik is like a steel spring, all muscle, who can jump like an Olympic athlete and enjoys showing off. As a youngster, he would effortlessly jump up on the windowsill so that he could watch what was going on in the house. When he is in the kennel, and thinks something is going on that he has to pay attention to, he does running jumps from the floor of the kennel, up the wall, to the roof, and back. It is impossible to describe, it has to be seen to be believed, and when people see it, they tend to stand there open-mouthed.
If he wanted to, he could easily jump over the outside fence of the yard, but he has no desire to go wandering. He is perfectly happy here at home with his pack- mates and me, letting me know if something is going on, and greeting visitors with a flurry of barking and a smile. But he is ready to defend me if there is danger (in his opinion, anyway) – one day a foreign photographer came into the yard with me and started to point her huge camera at me and the other dogs, and he was quick in coming up behind and giving her a nip to show her that he was on duty.
It was very hard for me when I left him with my friend Laurence Aries in France for a year for shows and breeding. Although I have total faith in Laurence, my heart dropped when I had to say goodbye to him, even if for a relatively short time. How I would miss that smile! But he has been back home for a while now and here he will stay. Although he is still quite young for a Canaan (six years), for me, he has achieved all he needs to achieve. I am sure that he could have many more victories in the show ring, but he has proved himself enough for me, and now he is enjoying life here at home.
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