Introduction

Our family has grown up and lived with dogs, cats, fish and other animals ever since we can remember.  Before we got into Alaskan Malamutes and Golden Retrievers, we had owned and bred Cocker Spaniels, Maltese, various cross breeds and rescued two lovely dogs from our local SPCA.

Gavin and Sharon married in 1986 and our family was made up of a Cocker Spaniel called Butch and a cross breed called Popsky.  Sheeba, our rescue dog from the SPCA later joined our family and brought us many years of joy.  She was a cross Golden Retriever/St Bernard with the softest nature, big round eyes and soft cuddly fur.  Sheeba even won the SPCA Dog of the Year competition and stole the hearts of many people that day.  She lived until the ripe old age of 13. She instilled in us the love for large breed dogs that were well natured, structurally sound, good working dogs and most of all good companions.

Interest

For many years, Wolves – their pack behaviour, build, hunting abilities, majestic looks and ability to survive against extreme conditions, mystified Gavin.  It was during this time that he came across an owner walking his Malamute dog.  Gavin was enthralled with the dog and its resemblance to the wolf.  Gavin started researching the breed and realised that the Malamute and wolf were not related but were so similar in many ways.  One day in 1998, we by chance, walked past a pet shop and found an Alaskan Malamute puppy for sale.  We knew this breed was uncommon and that they were not supposed to be sold in pet shops.  We enquired about the dog and immediately purchased our first Alaskan Malamute puppy, aptly named Balto.

Balto

Balto turned out to be the most well natured Malamute we have ever known.  He disciplined all our other dogs in a gentle but firm manner, became best friends with out cat Fluffy, loved socialising with our families and friend’s pets, obtained his Canine Good Citizen Award, attended and passed his Beginners and Advanced Obedience classes, loves humans with all his heart and he even led our pack of dogs.  Balto was the Alpha dog.  Balto unfortunately had Cryptorque (only one testicle dropped) and at the early age of 13 months was neutered.  It was at this time that we realised we could never show with Balto but he helped us make a decision to add to our family and get another Alaskan Malamute who we called Shamrock.  Balto and Shamrock became best friends and did everything together… attended Obedience class together, slept next to each other, walked and ran next to each other when Gavin exercised them, worked and ran together on the gang line… they loved each other.  Balto taught Shamrock well but ensured he was top dog and Shamrock knew his place in the pack.

Shamrock

Gavin and Sharon started showing Shamrock in 2000.  Gavin practised with Shamrock often and the two seemed to float around the ring as if they were one.  Shamrock won many Best Puppy places, was often placed in the top 3 of the Working Group, went onto win 18 CC’s, several BOB’s and winning the Working Group several times in Open Shows and a couple of times in Championship Shows.  Shamrock’s registered name is Ch Yakutat Inuit Teeyan of Tanneg HD00 ED00 – Inuit Teeyan means ‘little Indian’.  Shamrock is by no means little and did us proud in the show ring and on the gang line as anchor dog on wheel.  Shamrock now lives with very good friends in South Africa and is top dog in their family. 

In South Africa, a dog can be awarded the title of Champion after obtaining at least 5 CC’s which have to be earned at local and away shows.  Once they have become a champion, they then compete in a Champions class.  They no longer compete in the open class, unless an owner specifically enters them in that class for whatever reason.  Only the CC Dog, CC Bitch, Champion Dog and Champion Bitch then compete for BOB and RBOB.  Most open and championship shows awarded rosettes to the first three places of each class with the CC, BOB, BP, RBOB etc getting fancy rosettes and often other prizes as well.  The BP, CC, RCC, BOB and RBOB all got certificates as well.

Kintyre

By now, the showing bug had bitten and the whole family got involved.  Our daughter, Janelle, got her first Golden Retriever puppy in 2000.  Janelle started showing Kintyre in the ring at the young age of 10 years old.  At her very first show, Janelle and Kintyre won Best Puppy and RBOB at the age of 6 months.  Kintyre won 6 BOB’s, 3 RBOB’s, 8 CC’s, 4 RCC’s, and 6 BP’s with numerous group placings.  She was one of the first Golden Retriever bitches to win so many BOB’s and was often placed in the top 4 of the Gundog Group.  Kintyre was one of the first Golden Retriever bitches to qualify for the 2001 Olympic SA Ladies Junior Dog of the Year and go through to the semi-finals.  She also went onto win the prestigious June Pretorius Memorial Challenge at one of the Championship Shows.  Janelle and Kintyre became best friends and did almost everything together.  Janelle championed Kintyre when she was only 12 years old – the first child to handle in the breed ring and champion their own dog.  Janelle thoroughly enjoyed showing off her beautiful prized dog.  Kintyre was so well natured and easy to train that our son Matthew often handled Kintyre in Child Handling winning many of the competitions.  Kintyre’s registered name is CH Lymond Kingussie of Tanneg HD00 ED00.  Kintyre could unfortunately not join us in New Zealand and now lives a peaceful life together with Balto and our cat Fluffy.  They are well looked after and loved dearly by my mother in SA.

Success at child handling

Matthew started Child Handling at the age of 8 years old.  The first dog he handled and won numerous Child Handling Stakes with was our Alaskan Malamute bitch, Nikkita (SAF CH Yakutat Nikkita of Tanneg (Imp-SF) HD00 ED00.  Many on-lookers were amazed that such a young child could handle such a powerful dog.  Matthew won numerous Child Handling competitions with Nikkita, Kintyre and another Malamute called Phoenix. Matthew then went onto winning the South African KUSA National Child Handler of 2004 with Kintyre.  A year later he moved up the ranks and started competing in the Junior Handling Stakes which is for handlers between the ages of 13-18 years old.  Matthew was placed amongst the top 3 in the shows he competed in before leaving SA to live in New Zealand.

Max

We are a small focused kennel that breed selectively and only when we intend keeping puppies for ourselves.  Kintyre produced a beautiful litter of eight Golden puppies in February 2003.  We kept one of the males and named him after Sharon’s beloved father (Ray) and his dog (Max), who had both passed away a couple of years prior to this.  Tanneg Max Ray O Light started off his show career with a bang winning a two point CC and RBOB at 9 months old under a Canadian judge.  Max won many Best Puppy, RBP, RBOB, RCC’s and often placed first in his class.  Unfortunately, owing to the fact that he had to fly out of SA to be quarantined in New Zealand, he couldn’t attend the last few shows in SA.  He only needed one more CC to be made up as a Champion and regrettably missed the chance to achieve this.  Max has had to start his show career again in New Zealand from the bottom and is slowly working his way up.

Nikkita

Talking of Nikkita, she is our prize Alaskan Malamute bitch that was born in April 2001.  Gavin started showing her the following year and together they turned many heads.  Nikkita is a powerful bitch with a big heart.  She loves people to death and used to mother our cat Fluffy and helped raise Kintyre’s puppies.  Kintyre allowed Nikkita into the whelping box with her and the pups at 4 days old.  Nikkita loved being able to lick the pups and hep raise them.  As soft as she was with the puppies, she also has a very strong work ethic and loved sledding with Balto and Shamrock.  The three of them formed a formidable bond and pulled with all their might, enjoying every minute that they worked.  Nikkita has done exceptionally well in the show ring winning many BP’s, RBP, CC’s RCC’s, RBOB an of course Best of Breeds!  Nikkita’s parents are both from USA imported bloodlines with her mother’s bloodline winning many Weight Pulling events in the USA.  Nikkita produced her first litter of seven beautiful puppies in November 2004.  We were fortunate to home one of the males with a show home and this male and his owners have now relocated to New Zealand.  Tanneg Artan Nanoek arrives in NZ in February 2007.  We kept his sibling, Tanneg Aragorn Aitana (Imp-SAF) whom Gavin now shows in the ring.

Aragorn

Summary

We strive to keep involved as a family and will continue to grow our pack of Alaskan Malamutes and Golden Retrievers in New Zealand, who love happily with our Persian/Exotic cat.