The thread of Kuma, the Akita - Kuma and Nyx turned 3 today!!

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  • edited November -1
    This weekend we had another show, this time close to Lisbon, just on the other side of the river.
    Here goes some spam.

    Saturday
    Breed judging
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    Junior male final
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    Group final
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    Today
    Breed judging
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    Junior Male final
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    Group final
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    The podium of the group. The Shiba won :-) It's one of Silvia's
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    The trophies Kuma got for being best of breed
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  • edited November -1
    Congrats Kuma!!!! He's cleaning up huh?
  • edited November -1
    oh my god. xD I love the trophies.
  • edited November -1
    wow, that is awesome! Congrats to both of you!
  • edited November -1
    Congrats...That is so cool, and those trophies are great
  • edited April 2009
    Very nice....Congratulations....Kuma is maturing nicely.
    Nix kitty is beautiful too!

    Snf
  • edited November -1
    Awww, Kuma looks GREAT. I love the trophies.

    Congrats to all of you!
  • edited November -1
    Congrats to Kuma, and you guys.
  • edited November -1
    woohoo! Congrats! Cute trophys, too!

    The size comparison with Kuma and that pom is really funny... he's looking at it like "lunch?"

    Great job guys!
  • edited November -1
    Thanks guys!

    He gets a kick out of it too, the hardest part is having him stand still. He's not into that!
    The trophies are really cute, at first I thought it was a pig, lol!

    Jen - The size comparison between Kuma and the Pom is pretty cool. I also like to compare the different height/length ratios of the breeds, like the difference between Kuma and the Husky.
  • edited November -1
    Congrats to Kuma! He is getting handsomer every day. :)
  • edited November -1
    Rui, Do you take Kuma to any training classes for learning his "show ring" manners? Or are you just doing it yourselves?
  • edited April 2009
    We're just doing it ourselves. I don't know of any classes like that around here.

    Of course we helpful tips from Nat's cousin Alison and from Silvia.
  • edited November -1
    Wow, you guys are doing an excellent job then!

    Im sure as you all learn more and more about the show ring and everyone gets more comfortable Kuma will really SHINE! He is such an awesome Akita!
  • edited November -1
    CONGRATS to Kuma. Well done. BTW. How much does Kuma weigh?
  • edited November -1
    Kristin - Thanks! He's a very good Akita (in what has to do with conformation, and keeping it as honest as possible), maybe even an excellent one, as the judges keep grading him. But he does have his limitations, and I'm aware of them. Luckily, they can be worked out, for the most part. But he'll always be a companion that does shows, never a show dog.

    Barbara - Thanks! Kuma's weight has been fluctuating a bit, but he's around 30Kg right now.
  • edited November -1
    Congrats to you and Kuma!! I can't get over what a handsome boy he is!! LOL, I love the trophies, vey unique!
  • edited November -1
    I honestly can't believe the weight difference between a Japanese and American Akita. That's why I asked. Keigo is nearly double his weight and Keigo isn't chunky. At any rate. Kuma looks beautiful He's really muscular too. AND, I love his facial expression! When he has his mouth open, he just looks like he's smiling.
  • edited November -1
    Yeah, there are huge differences between them. (this would take us to the two separate breeds discussion)
    The American Akitas I've met on shows aren't that clearly bigger than Kuma. Some of them have even been smaller, I don't know their age.
    I also don't think Kuma will ever hit the upper end of the standard, but I think he'll gain a few Kg still. I suppose he'll get to 35/38Kg, but not over that. He still has a few months of growth, then it will mainly be filling out.

    Even being relatively small right now, Kuma is surprisingly strong for his apparent size. At the company I used to work there was this huge GSD. He should be about 50Kg+ although a bit of that was fat (he was a bit overweight). Kuma is much stronger than Rudy, the GSD.
  • edited November -1
    WOW! Congrats to Kuma! He's doing great in the shows now, huh?

    The pics are good - looks like you have the hang of it too!

    ----
  • edited November -1
    Thanks!
    Yeah, he's much more comfortable with the show environment now. Only the first one got to him, really.
    After that it was a matter of getting both of us to do it right, actually it is still about that. There's loads to improve.
  • edited April 2009
    I forgot to post this video.
    It's from our trip to my Dad's home town two weeks ago.
    We came across a pony and a horse,and here is Kuma's reaction. It looks kind of tame, because we noticed the horses in advance and were prepared, so Nat got a good hold of him.



  • edited November -1
    Awww, Kuma wanted to play with the ponies!
  • edited November -1
    Yeah, he wanted to play "catch & chew"! LOL
  • edited November -1
    Just walking down the street and bam, there's a horse and a pony! COOL.
  • edited November -1
    Congratulations, you look like a pro showing Kuma off like that. Nice work to you both.
  • edited November -1
    That's nothing! When Rakka met Melvin, she was like that, only jumping up and down on her back legs and barking in this high-pitched bark like crazy. She's coming along surprisingly well, though.
  • edited November -1
    The first time Kuma saw a horse, he wanted to get out of the car without rolling the window down, hehehe.
  • edited November -1
    For some reason I'm always surprised when our Akita's prey drive kick in... I just never expect it because they spend so little time showing any signs of having a prey drive.

    Kuma really wanted to have a horse steak in that vid!

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  • edited November -1
    Wow Kuma! Congrats to you both!
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