Tikaani (pronounced Tuh-Kah-Nee)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Humble Beginnings
I was born at Tina's New Zion Shiloh Kennel in New York on April 8th of 2009. I have six brothers and sisters. Cheyenne and Warba are my parents. I was temporarily named "Lavendar Girl" at the kennel. At 8 weeks of age, Tina ran each of us pups through a Litter Evaluation Test. This is where she , and accompanying ISSR breeders, can rate us on our temperaments, our prey drive, our intelligence, our shyness with loud noises, and more. The report (LER) that Tina compiles afterward, on each of us, indicates to her which pup goes to which buyer, based on their specifications. The LER also indicates where we might excel in the future; for example, Search and Rescue, Agility, Obedience, etc. Tina is very, very good at matching pups to humans. So are her fellow ISSR Shiloh Shepherd Breeders.
My New Forever Home
On June 18th, exactly one week ago today, Tina flew me from Buffalo, NY to Atlanta, GA and then on to Denver, CO, priority, to be with my new humans. This was an incredibly long day for me, but Delta Airlines made me comfortable and made sure I had water. Tina also made sure I was crated sufficiently and comfortably. I was on and off and back on airplanes most of the day. I slept most of the day. When we landed in Denver at Denver International Airport, I had to be taken to the Cargo area of the airport where my humans were waiting with anticipation and worry about my well-being with flying so far.
When my alpha human female, Tj, and male, Steve, got all the papers signed, we went out to the parking lot. Right away, Tj opened the door to the crate. Apparently, Tj and Steve had been waiting since Februrary for me! It was love at first site with all of us! I was so relieved to be out of that crate!!
We live in the beautiful Lakewood, Colorado area near Red Rocks Amphitheater. Although they don't have acres of land, like some of the other Shiloh owners, I do have ample room to run! My favorite thing though, is to be in the house with my alphas. I also love the Beta of my pack family. His name is Ian and he's 28 years old and lives with us. He loves to play and hug on me, although he isn't home much. Tj has taken time off work to be home with me to teach me things--like where I can and can't poop or pee, where I need to sleep, what I can and cannot chew, and basic commands like "sit" and "down". She's got me retrieving balls and my fun "big mouth" disc. She's always kissing me right between the eyes too!
Im teething, like a baby human, and this chewing thing is really fun. Tj, Steve and Ian don't like it, though, if I get get ahold of their fingers, arms, ankles and toes!! Can't figure that one out so I'm really not obeying as well as I should! It will come with time. For now, I just have the "need to chew!"
Tj, Steve, and Ian are trying to housebreak me too. I do fairly well, cause Tj takes me out every 1.5 hours or if I start sniffing etc. It's good she is taking time off work to bond with me and help me to get into a routine.
My alpha male, Steve, is working on re-landscaping our front yard so I often spend time with him out front, on a tether of course. I love to sit on his lap while he is trying to do the sprinkler system. I believe he is kneeling down, just to have me on his lap!!
Tj starts back to work next week, and it sounds like I will be crated just from 9 am to 11 am. Tj won't go to work til 9 and Steve gets off work at 11. I'm so lucky! They want me inside with them often.
I'm doing great on retrieving my tennis ball and my "big mouth" disc. I'm having a little trouble with the release command tho. BTW, I hate a leash! Tj is persistent though. She keeps telling me that I will like the leash one day because we'll take great walks and runs.
I'm getting fairly good at going up and down the stairs to the basement. I have also been good at going up the stairs to our deck, which opens to our kitchen. All in all, I'm having a blast and loving life.
I'm excited to share my life with you!! Please also check out the great links at the bottom of the page to learn more about my breed and our breed founder, Tina.
When my alpha human female, Tj, and male, Steve, got all the papers signed, we went out to the parking lot. Right away, Tj opened the door to the crate. Apparently, Tj and Steve had been waiting since Februrary for me! It was love at first site with all of us! I was so relieved to be out of that crate!!
We live in the beautiful Lakewood, Colorado area near Red Rocks Amphitheater. Although they don't have acres of land, like some of the other Shiloh owners, I do have ample room to run! My favorite thing though, is to be in the house with my alphas. I also love the Beta of my pack family. His name is Ian and he's 28 years old and lives with us. He loves to play and hug on me, although he isn't home much. Tj has taken time off work to be home with me to teach me things--like where I can and can't poop or pee, where I need to sleep, what I can and cannot chew, and basic commands like "sit" and "down". She's got me retrieving balls and my fun "big mouth" disc. She's always kissing me right between the eyes too!
Im teething, like a baby human, and this chewing thing is really fun. Tj, Steve and Ian don't like it, though, if I get get ahold of their fingers, arms, ankles and toes!! Can't figure that one out so I'm really not obeying as well as I should! It will come with time. For now, I just have the "need to chew!"
Tj, Steve, and Ian are trying to housebreak me too. I do fairly well, cause Tj takes me out every 1.5 hours or if I start sniffing etc. It's good she is taking time off work to bond with me and help me to get into a routine.
My alpha male, Steve, is working on re-landscaping our front yard so I often spend time with him out front, on a tether of course. I love to sit on his lap while he is trying to do the sprinkler system. I believe he is kneeling down, just to have me on his lap!!
Tj starts back to work next week, and it sounds like I will be crated just from 9 am to 11 am. Tj won't go to work til 9 and Steve gets off work at 11. I'm so lucky! They want me inside with them often.
I'm doing great on retrieving my tennis ball and my "big mouth" disc. I'm having a little trouble with the release command tho. BTW, I hate a leash! Tj is persistent though. She keeps telling me that I will like the leash one day because we'll take great walks and runs.
I'm getting fairly good at going up and down the stairs to the basement. I have also been good at going up the stairs to our deck, which opens to our kitchen. All in all, I'm having a blast and loving life.
I'm excited to share my life with you!! Please also check out the great links at the bottom of the page to learn more about my breed and our breed founder, Tina.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
I am an ISSR Shiloh Shepherd
I was born on April 8, 2009. I am an official ISSR Shiloh Shepherd, a breed under development by Tina Barber. For three decades, Tina has made perfecting our breed her life-long passion and goal. She, and the other ISSR breeders, have bred us to be strong, intelligent, large, beautiful (as you can see from my photos!) and gentle. As Tina says, we are truly dogs straight from the heart of God!
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