Levi
Levi is from the Greek Gods litter, Oliver x Siri. There were 4 boys in the litter, Levi being the last born so his puppy name ended up being named after the half horse/half man, Newton, from the Hercules TV cartoon show because I had run out of Greek God male names. However, even though he was not named after a Greek God, there was a special presence about him right from the moment he was born and I just knew that this would be the pup who would get the special name I had picked out a few years ago for the first home bred boy I would keep - Chimini's Living Like a Legend - from and Arlo Guthrie song.
When you have a name like "Living Like A Legend" it gives you a lot to work towards and Levi has certainly done that especially considering he did not have a single title either in front or behind his name prior to his 5th birthday! However, since then we just keep trying something new together each year and he never disappoints me. After a couple weekends of my handling Levi I quickly realized my short legs could not do him justice so I asked my good friend John Macdonald if he would handle Levi and when his secretary duties prohibited him from doing this Susan Shepherd took over.
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Levi's first weekend out with John saw them pull off a Group 1st win to finish Levi's Canadian Championship. The next weekend out John skillfully piloted Levi all the way to the top making Levi my first home bred Best In Show winner! By the end of 2004 Levi was the #6 Siberian in Canada.
However, it was not just in the show ring that Levi shines. He is one of the most intelligent and versatile Siberians I've ever owned and as one can see from the titles on both ends of his name, he has done very well in a variety of activities including agility, obedience, running in harness, and free style dancing with is Levi's signature activity. Everyone I know, knows that Levi is my "dancing boy". Although we do not compete in free style dancing we have participated in a number of demonstration. Even in his "retirement years" this is not a boy to be left at home on the coach as he has taken up a new job of being a therapy dog, visiting seniors at a near by seniors home. The seniors just love this boy, especially when he shows off his various dance moves.
Thanks to the help of Karen Ramstead, who sent me the perfect girl for my boy, Levi became an excellent producer for me. Levi was just bred twice, both times to Ch. NorthWapiti's Freya. The first litter produced a singleton pup, Weaver, and the second 5 pups - 2 boys and 3 girls. Three of these pups obtained their Canadian championship. His daughter Jive is a Reserve Best In Show winner and with her sister Ceilidh, a Best Brace in Show winner. Levi's offspring also have Working Dog and obedience titles. This combination of Levi and Freya is the foundation of my current line of Siberians.
But above all else what makes Levi so very special to me is the joy that he brings into my life each and every day - his soft looks and "woo, woos" to tell me he wants to cuddle (try telling Levi that a 50 lb. dog is not a lap dog! ;), his intelligence shown in his dance moves and his drive to work in harness - these are the things that mean the most to me. He is my shadow and is VERY much a "mommy's boy" and wants to go where I go and be involved in whatever I'm involved in. I think that each dog I've owned has taught me new and sometimes very important lessons. It was Levi who really made me realize just how important my dogs' companionship and welfare as my pets is to me. He KNOWS he holds a very special place in my heart.
Levi went over the Rainbow Bridge on April 19th, 2011.
More About Levi
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