Jamshedpur, Jan. 7: Amidst an impressive display of 32 breeds, Koko and Hatchi drew attention of the crowd at the hockey grounds of JRD Tata Sports Complex in Bistupur today.
Standing under the shade of a stall, the Akitas - both males - woofed and waged their tails as children, men and women clicked pictures on Day Two of the three-day 59th, 60th and 61st Championship Dog Show, attended by around 55,000-plus pet lovers.
"Please, wait for some minutes as we have to take Koko and Hatchi for the show," their respective owners-cum-breeders told the shutterbugs, before rushing the canines to one of three competition rings.
While 10-month-old Koko is owned by Cuttack-based Jaiprakash Samantray, two-year-old Hatchi has been fielded by Subhokanto Patnaik from Bhubaneswar.
"Akitas, which originate from the mountainous northern regions of Japan, are loyal, protective, affectionate and loving by nature. They are family dogs and are great stress-relievers," Patnaik told The Telegraph.
Both Koko and Hatchi are American-bred who have competed and won prizes at dog shows in Calcutta, Bhubaneswar and Hyderabad. They have come to Jamshedpur for the first time.
"I also own three female and one male Akitas, who are named Kelly, Luso, Sina, and Jumbo, respectively. I thought to field Hatchi here since all others have won prizes at different shows. I am glad that Hatchi has grabbed this opportunity with elan," a proud Patnaik said.
The elder Akita, who competed in the intermediate section, clinched as many as five trophies and mementos in different categories while Koko had four under his collar belt. There were three sections - puppy, intermediate and adult.
Like Hatchi, Koko, who was fielded in the puppy category, also debuted at the dog show. "Koko is very shy and wants to go home as quickly as possible," his owner Samantray said.
The best thing about Akitas is that they are sans odour.
"Unlike other breeds, Akitas have this natural quality of being odour-free. You can bathe them even after six months. They have a life span of 15 years," informed Samantray, adding an Akita puppy is worth Rs 1.35 lakh in the market. Both Hatchi and Koko relish chicken and rice.
Akitas apart, other breeds like Afghan Hound, Saluki, Caravan Hound, Dalmatian, Labrador, German Shepherd, Doberman, Great Dane and their miniature counterparts also displayed their prowess.
The crowd will be even bigger on Sunday, the concluding day of the event being organised by Jamshedpur Kennel Club. Dog owners from Calcutta, Ranchi, Dhanbad, Delhi, Mumbai and Chandigarh have fielded their respective breeds.
"I am coming tomorrow with my Labrador Tim. Though he is not competing, I want him to watch his counterparts in action," said Prashant Mahto, a resident of Kadma.
