Entering the Alaskan Klee Kai
Community -
A Life-Long Dream Come True!!
Discovering the
existence of Alaskan Klee Kai and joining the AKK Community is a
lifelong dream come true! Throughout my 30+years in dogs, I
wanted to become part of a new breed's move into the future. In
1999, that dream became a reality because the Alaskan Klee Kai
is that breed.
AKK breed development
only began in the 70's...really just when I was getting 'into'
dogs. I encourage you to read
Linda Spurlin's own
story on the origination of this wonderful, unique, and
Adorable Alaskan Klee Kai
To be honest, I can
not remember a time when animals (dogs, cats, horses, hamsters,
birds, and even reptiles) where not a part of my life. But at
nine, I knew that I was going to train and show dogs. To this
day, I still believe that clarity of purpose was instilled by
the movie "Big Red" (Disney - 1962).
It took another 10
years before I began my life in the dog world with a sweet,
gentle-hearted, long-eared, black and tan Doberman who I titled
in obedience. And with Dahlia, I was definitely hooked on
showing and training dogs.
Widdershin Estates,
as my kennel name, came into being at that time. Mostly because
I liked the sound of the word, widdershin. Widdershin means
counter-clockwise, and I have a tendency to do things counter to
the norm (like deciding on an avocation before vocation). The
estates part because at the tender age of 19, I didn't think I
would limit myself to dogs. So I wanted something more generic
than Widdershin Kennels and so Widdershin Estates was created.
Over the years, I
enjoyed the companionship of Dobermans, Basenjis, Miniature
Longhair Dachshunds, and now Alaskan Klee Kai. Each move into a
new breed was made for specific reasons and each has been a rich
and rewarding experience.
In 1988, at the end
of Gem's ( MLH Dachshund, in sleigh on right) show career, I met
Frank Din. We married in 1991. Gem's son Facet (Face, in sleigh
on left) was born that year and was Frank's first real
experience with raising a puppy. In 1995, we lost our cat to the
combination of old age and cancer, and added our birman-mix cat,
Mystic (behind Gem & Face). In 1999, Jazz (right foreground)
joined
 the
household, followed in 2000 by Melody (left foreground) and
Harmony (middle foreground). And this was how our family looked
as of Christmas 2000.
In November 2001,
Widdershin Estates were happy to produce our first Adorable
Alaskan Klee Kai litter. The picture to the right shows
Frank with part of our family (not sure where Gem was, but she's
missing from the family portrait....sigh). Anyway....Frank
is holding the two pups from our first litter.
In 2006, our family was super lucky and were able to move out of
New Jersey to our own "little piece of heaven" in West Virginia.
When we got the relocation okay from Frank's company.....our
main property search criteria was "good for us BUT great for our
canine kids". See picture to the left. The property is
slightly more than 21/4acres.
Before moving in we fenced in around one acre for our Alaskan
Klee Kai to play and run around in......LIFE IS GOOD!!!
Widdershin Estates has always been and will
always be a hobby kennel.
Our dogs have always been and will always be part of our
family, raised and
living in our home as our companions and more important our
'kids'
Long ago, I found a sign
whose saying:
this house is maintained for the comfort
and security of my dogs...
this sentiment
became my motto and still defines our belief.
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