Yomi has been special since conception. Her mother, Nafti, was pick female from our first Canaan Dog litter, and special dog of our daughter Aviva. We bred Nafti to Barak just once, before he and Cheryl Hennings headed off to a weekend of shows. Right before the ICDCA National Specialty, I brought Nafti in for an ultrasound, but the vet saw no puppies. She said I could come back in a week or two, but she did not think Nafti was pregnant. Barak won the Specialty, but tragically, died accidentally a couple of days later. When I brought Nafti for the second ultrasound, the vet was amazed to see two puppies. So Yomi and her litter sister, Lila, were my miracle Barak puppies.
Yomi’s mask looks like it just slipped off to one side of her left eye. It’s a minor flaw, but a major cute factor. (She does have very black eye rims and nose.) Cheryl Hennings said some judges would downgrade her because of the mask, but others would look at her structure and movement, and consider the mask a very minor issue. She was correct; most judges loved Yomi, and she charmed them with her happy personality, too.
Yomi’s full registered name means “Good Luck My Day, Daughter of Lightning.” And she has been lucky (although she is no fan of rain of any kind!). She was the second-ever female Canaan Dog UKC Grand Champion, and at various ICDCA and CDCA Specialty Show weekends she’s earned Awards of Merit, Best Veteran, Best of Opposite, Winners Bitch, Champion of Champions…
But more importantly, Yomi is a love. She’s been a favorite of our kids’ friends, she loves parties, and she was mascot for our synagogue’s Sunday School last year. Yomi knows tricks and commands in English, Hebrew and hand motion, and she’s pulled a sled in Minnesota winter. She’s even inspired a children’s novel I’m writing! Since she was a puppy, our family has told her, “They just don't come any cuter than you, Yomi!”
|
