Page 11 - News Letter

Owen Wilkes to thank for training Sakura to perfection (although he
was a terrible food thief) and Debbie Williams for developing his ring
craft. Some 10 months after his relocation he met up with Owen and
Debbie again at the MA Champ Show. He ran to Owen and put his
paws on Owens shoulders and kissed and kissed him. Owen had tears
running down his face. Debbie had a similar experience. So nice to
know that he still loved them as much as they still loved him.
Eventually we ran out of judges and Sakura retired again from the show
ring.

Sakura loved his food. He was the smartest of dogs and would watch
me carefully outside in the garden. Earlier this year he watched as I
reached into a courgette bush growing in a raised bed as I twisted and
pulled out a courgette. As soon as my back was turned his head was in
the bush and he too came out with a courgette. He pulled down the
runner bean wigwams and many of the beans had been chomped off an
inch from the end. I have a video of him climbing a plum tree to pull
branches down and he stole raspberries and strawberries too and was
never, ever remotely sorry. And his antics with Nesbo to get his own
way were legendary. He knew exactly what to do to get the bed or toy
that he wanted and he continually outwitted Nesbo who never did
manage to win. He had successfully come through a gastric torsion
operation in May and was back to his old self, hurtling around the
garden at great speed. We had talked about entering him in the Veteran
Class at the MA Champ Show and Crufts as he was looking and
moving so well.

It seems though that something sinister was afoot and Sakura had a
benign tumour in his aorta which had been there for some time as it had
partially calcified. Suddenly it began to grow and caused a blockage in
his aorta whenever he exerted himself. He would fall to the ground for a
few minutes, fully conscious with limbs relaxed, then get up with his
tail wagging. Blood tests revealed an issue and we took him to see Jane
Marshall, Director of Cardiology, Woodcroft Vets in Cheadle, who is
an old friend. She sent blood tests off and did scans which revealed the
tumour.

11