| Newsflash!
Sally and Cary off to Westminster at Madison Square Garden (click for story) |
Hello
! Thank you for visiting Mileka Siberians. My
name is Sally O' Connell and my dog family and I reside in sunny Gainesville
Florida. I am a member of the Siberian Husky Club of America and the Siberian
Husky Club of Tampa Bay I am a columnist for the Siberian
Quarterly magazine and am a member of the Dog Writer's Association
of America. I would like to invite you to visit with me for moment so that
I may properly introduce myself and my dogs.Mileka Siberians strives to produce sound, healthy, happy Siberians conforming to the breed standard in type, working ability and temperament. Thus our dogs are tested by their ability to compete successfully in the show ring, obedience ring and their natural proclivity to work in harness. We have Champion/Obedience titled dogs that enjoy visiting nursing homes and are registered therapy dogs with project P.U.P. (Pets Uplifting People) of Florida. I am proud of my dogs accomplishments in the ring but perhaps what I am most proud of, however, is raising a Siberian Husky that is a pleasure with which to live.
All
breeding stock at Mileka Siberians have had their hips certified by OFA
(Orthopaedic Foundation for Animals) with either "Excellent" or "Good Ratings."
In addition, prior to being bred, our dogs have had their eyes certified
by a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists as
being free from any hereditary eye disease. Now, it is my pleasure to introduce
you to the grand old man at Mileka Siberians, Demavand's Akela.
Akela
and Sally: Akela is the great grandfather of many
Mileka Siberians. A working sled dog, bred by Siberian historian and writer
Mike Jennings, Akela retired to Florida in 1990, where he happily spends
his days in the snowless climate. During his show career, Akela was handled
by his breeder to win Reserve Winner's Dog at the 1988 Siberian Husky Club
of America's National Specialty in Manchester New Hampshire. One
of his daughter's was awarded Best of Opposite Sex as this same prestigious
show. Akela is featured in the Siberian Husky Club of America's Breed Standard
video, and in Outdoor Life Channel's dog series "The Siberian Husky." (Click
here to see Akela's pedigree.)
photograph: ©
1996 Allen Cheuvront
Sally
and Champion Veleah Affectionately Yours, C.D., C.G.C., T.T. (Leah)
Another charter member of the Mileka Siberian family is Akela's daughter,
Leah, formally known as Ch. Veleah Affectionately Yours, C.D., C.G.C.,
T.T. (Click
here to see Leah's pedigree).I remember showing Leah as a pup. It seemed
like it took forever for her to grow into her lean and lanky body.
In fact, Leah was almost three years old before she was awarded any championship
points ! By that time she had completed her C.D. (Companion Dog)
obedience title and had been a fine mother to her first litter. However,
once she finally grew up there was no stopping here. Leah won 10 points
including a 4 pt. major within 10 weeks. She finished her championship
by being awarded a 5 pt. major over 32 other fine competitors at the Siberian
Husky Specialty of Greater Atlanta all owner/handled. Leah is now known
around here as "Mama Leah" as she has consistently proven herself in the
whelping box. I only show Leah now on special occasions. In one such instance,
she was awarded Best of Breed and Group II at an all Breed
Dog Show her last time out. Leah is a member of Project P.U.P.'s therapy
dog team.
Juvenile cataracts is a serious problem in Siberian Huskies and is inherited. It is evidenced by an opacity in the lens of the eye of the dog. In Misha's case you can actually see the cloudiness. Misha has been neutered but it sure didn't calm him down. Misha is the featured character of many of my short stories that appear in "Shenanigan's", my regular column in the Siberian Quarterly magazine. And yes, if Misha is in the story, the hilarious incident described therein is actually true! Despite all the above, to his credit, Misha completed his C.D. title in only 5 shows and his C.D.X. title (Companion Dog Excellent) in 8 tries. Like Leah, he is a member of Project P.U.P. We are still trying, albeit unsuccessfully , for that elusive futility, uh, Utility Dog (U.D.) title.
Ch.
Mileka U Oughta B N Pictures "Kitten" (Click here to see Kitten's pedigree)
Just
like her mom, Kitten won Winner's Bitch for a nice major at a Specialty.
Kitten is my lead dog on my team. (Yes, you can run dogs in harness even
in Florida !) (Click here to see Kitten leading the team on one winter
run )
And
now Kitten is a Mama as well! On March 11, 1998 Kitten delivered
5 beautiful puppies sired by Cadohi's Red Sky of Veleah, "Sky". Sky was
bred by Doug and Carol Himes of Cadohi Siberians and is owned by my friend
Vel Leahy. Kitten had 4 males and a female) (Click here to
see picture of Kitten and her pups)(Click here to see puppy's pedigree).
BIS,
BISS Brazilian Ch. Veleah's Ensign of Mileka, "Ensign" (co-bred w/ H.L.
Leahy)
In
1998, Ensign was named the number one imported Siberian Husky in Brazil
by winning Best in Specialty Show at the Siberian Husky Specialty in Sao
Paulo Brazil where he lives with his owner.
Veleah's
Reveille of Mileka, C.G.C. "Bucky" (co-bred w/ H.L. Leahy)
(Click
here to see Bucky's pedigree).
Bucky
earned a leg towards her C.D. obedience title on her first try (Click here
to see Bucky sailing over the high jump with a dumbbell)
and
has won Best of Breed from the classes multiple times.
Veleah's
Cadence of Mileka, "Cadence" (co-bred w/ H.L. Leahy)
Mileka
Fire Dance At Sunset, "Sunny"
Little
Sunnybuns has only been showed 4 times but has won Best in Sweeps at one
Specialty and the Bred-by Exhibitor class on to Reserve Winner's Bitch
at another. Sunny will be shown more as she matures.
