CH Pikkinokka’s Far Darrig Kodiak, CD, RAE, BN, CGC

“Kodi”

 

October 1, 2001 – January 23, 2012

 

Counting his breeder, Til Niquidet, I was Kodi's third--and final--home.  When she first sold him, he was supposed to be going to a great forever home with a lady who loved the breed.  However, she and her new husband came to the conclusion that Kodi would never be a champion and could not be trained.  Thanks to their decision to send him back to Til, I was able to bring him into my home.  The minute he jumped out of her van and she handed me his lead, I knew we were meant for each other.  Perhaps it was because we had both just recently gone through a big upheaval in our lives, but I think our souls were good for each other.

 

After some time to settle in, we attended the Finkie national the fall of 2003, and he finished his championship in that week (9 shows), with 4 majors.  Since I knew he would not be competitive as a special until he fully matured (which took until he was 6!), and since I found myself in the unusual position of having only one dog, I succumbed to my friend's request to try competitive obedience.  It wasn't long before he and I discovered that it's actually kind of fun.  Though he still made sure we were the comic relief in the show ring, he earned his CD in 4 shows.  Then we discovered Rally, which he really loved.  He earned both his Rally Novice and Rally Advanced titles with little trouble, and eventually earned the elusive (for us) RAE—the highest rally title offered by the AKC.  He never would fetch a dumbbell, so the CDX remained unattainable (if I could’ve used his stuffed pig, there would’ve been no problem!).  Last year, when the AKC introduced the Beginner Novice title for obedience, I decided to go for that one, too.  It was “back to the basics”, so he was often wondering where the “catch” was.  He just KNEW it had to get hard somewhere . . . . And he won Best Veteran in Obedience at the Colorado Springs show, with the highest score of his obedience career.

 

Unlike many dogs who retire from the show ring by the time they are 7, that’s when he started really doing well.  He started consistently being in the Top 15, earning 5 invitations to the AKC/Eukanuba Championship Dog Show.  Two of those years, he won the First Award of Excellence.  One year he won Second Award of Excellence -- losing out to his son, Dancer.  At the age of 9 he was #4 in the nation and garnered an invitation to Westminster, where he did compete (and chase pigeons).  Last year, at the age of 10½, he took his first group placement—a Group 2!

 

At home, Kodi took his job as an alert system very seriously.  You have heard of MP's.  We dubbed him the "FP"--which was either Finkie Patrol or Finkie Police.  He monitored the block for unauthorized dog walking, and made sure that all stuffies and squeakies were where they belonged at all times (preferably on his bed). 

 

He was my protector from goblins while I was in the shower (safely on the other side of the bathroom door, in case I forgot that I was the only one supposed to get wet).  He was my shadow everywhere I went, though was never one to want to cuddle.  Just be where his humans were.

 

The house is awfully quiet without you, Kodi-Monster. . . .

 Kodi's TWO Award of Excellence wins at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Dog Show, in 2006 and 2008!  BIG wins!

BEST of BREED, Denver shows, 2009!!  Another HUGE Win!  And not bad for a Veteran!   And next to it, Kodi and I posing with some of our cherished Q ribbons from his CD and one of his Rally titles.

Checking out the new "river" in our back yard.  And lounging in "the throne" in the living room.