Kiya Natasha

When I was in my twenties I wanted to get involved in dog shows. The AKC at the time only allowed pure bred registered dogs in obedience competition so I began to look around at various breeds. The Siberian husky caught my eye right away. They were beautiful and from the working group so I figured they would make good obedience dogs. I should have talked with more owners! Beautiful yes. Hard workers yes. Obedient NO. I should have expected the stubborn independence. After all I had grown up reading "White Fang" and "Call of the Wild". I knew that the lead dog sometimes had to refuse an order because he sensed danger the sled driver might not have known about, weak ice for example. Working huskies had to have a mind of their own, but I ignored that facet of the breed and began my search for my dog. On a budget, I was interested when I saw an ad in the paper for a registered Siberian husky for only $25. I called and went to take a look. The house was a mansion with white pillars. Next to it, set under a pine tree was a dog house built to look just like the house. As I pulled into the driveway, the most perfect husky I had ever seen came out of the house and went to the end of her chain and watched with interest as I got out of the car. I almost left then. This was not a $25 dog. This was a real show dog. The owners came out then and introduced me to the dog, Kiya Natasha, two years old. They had her papers with them and showed them to me. Every dog on it was a champion. Very uncomfortable, I asked if the price was a mistake. No, they reassured me. We just want to get rid of her. I asked they why and they said they had paid $800 for her and had sent her to a professional trainer, but she just wouldn't come when called and they wanted something smarter. I had a lot of confidence in my dog training abilities so with no argument I handed over my cash and took the dog.
I had a German Shepherd at the time and he took to her right away. I traced her ancestry and her line went back to Balto of the famed Nome serum run. I took her to my dog training club and began to work with her and I was thrilled. You only had to show her something once and she got it. She heeled like a dream, sat perfectly, came when called (on a long leash) and was a perfect lady in every way. I entered her in our first dog show. The day of the show it was perfect. We entered the ring and began our run. She responded to my commands as if she was sleep walking, totally unlike our training sessions, but we were squeaking through until the long down. This is an exercise where you make your dog lie down, tell her to stay and cross to the other end of the ring and wait for three minutes till ordered to return to your dog. She lasted 30 seconds them got up and sauntered over to the judge. Disqualification!
Undaunted I entered another show. Same thing. Disqualification. Show after show. You have to qualify in three shows to win your obedience title. Finally we passed one show then a second, but then show after show we failed.  Finally after three more years (!!!!!) of showing I had all but given up but decided to try one final time at a show near my home. Right before we entered the ring I leaned over to Kiya and whispered, "A steak if you qualify and you can even pick it out". About ten of my dog training friends watched outside the ring. We made it to the final long down and behind me I could hear barely audible whispers, "Oh please let her stay put. Please, please, please". One minute, two minutes,  two and a half. Everyone was holding their breath. Yes! We did it. The dogs were called back into the ring for their scores. First place was announced to polite applause. Then second place then third, and down the line and in very last place, qualifying by 1/2 a point was Kiya Natasha. Cheering erupted from everywhere, my friends and strangers who had seen us fail year after year in other shows went crazy. My friends rushed the ring and carried us out like we were the best in show, much to the judge's mystification. It was so exciting. She was now officially Kiya Natasha, CD. Later when we went to our car to return home, Kiya, who always rode in the back jumped into the front seat and took her place as royalty. True to my word I took her to the grocery store on the way home and I took her right into the store to the stares of the other shoppers. We went straight to the meat counter. She stood up against the counter and carefully looked over the steaks. Finally she selected one, carefully lifted it out and turned and carried it to the checkout. The clerk took my money, handed the bag to Kiya and we went home. She allowed me to cook it slightly then enjoyed her reward. Thereafter she acted like royalty and went back to being the perfect dog. I  guess I should have offered her the steak four years earlier!