FIN CH PIHKATAPIN SAKO FIN30949/01

sako

Koillissanomat 5th of August 2002
written by Marja Myllymäki

Pihkatapin Sako became the best-looking dog of Jahtihaukut

Pihkatapin Sako, owned by Vesa Haataja from Salla, became the best-looking dog at Jahtihaukut in Taivalkoski. The chair of Finnish Spitz Association Antti Aarnio, who evaluated all Spitz and chose the BIS, thinks that Sako has a right combination of tempo, posture and streching among other things. Sako is a Russian-European Laika and competes still in juniorclass.

"The grade of this weekends show has been very high. There has been many participants and plenty of material of which to choose the good from " says Aarnio after the show.
Pihkatapin Sako is now 15 months old and according to his owner he has shown from the very beginning that he'll become a fine dog to be taken to shows.

"I have raised Sako myself and desided straight after he was born, that this dog will be staying with us " tells mr. Haataja,  the leader of Russian-European Laika section of Finnish Laika Club.
There is nothing fancy or out of ordinary associated in breeding a top class dog, thinks the owner. Sako spends his days by eating right kind of food and staying physically active, like almost any other dog. Sako is a huntingdog and spends much time out in the nature. "Still he has fairly gentle temper, so he is also a family- and petdog for us" admits mr. Haataja.
Antti Aarnio thinks that these top class dogs like Sako, represents national cultural tradition at its best. In Japan these kind of dogs would have been nominated as national treasures since 1930's, but unfortunately the appreciation of  good representatives of their breeds in Finland isn't always at the level it should be.