Masasyu’s Muddy Waters WTD “Clay”

UKC ptd Jireh Kotzebue Kamishak “Mishak”
X AKC ptd/UKC CH Epona’s Leather N Lace Masasyu “Stevie”

b. 3/3/2005, 23″/70# skinny working weight @ 4y, AGOUTI/white masked male
10-gen COI 29%, OFA Excellent, CERF clear, Thyroid normal
Owner Sidney Helen Sachs/Wayeh
Co-Breeders Lori Hicks/Masasyu & Michelle Frank/Epona

Clay is a true agouti/white and thus was born mud-faced, hence his name. The first time I put him in harness he bolted down the driveway and didn’t stop for MILES. He is light on his feet, never puts a foot wrong, and is raising puppies Amak (male) and Honey (female).

Clay is 3/4 pure Kotzebue, his sire is pure K and his dam was half K. All modern dogs (save the few pure Kotzebue left) are a rough mixture of approximately half Kotzebue and half M’Loot, and that not-pure Kotzebue grandsire had plenty of Kotzebue in him, but after a while the fractions start to be a little silly.

The Kotzebue dogs were the ORIGINAL AKC Malamutes before the stud books were reopened allowing in the M’Loot and Irwin/Hinman dogs to come in. Modern pure K Malamutes are known for several things, including ORIGINAL correct sledding size 22-25″; easy temperaments and working drive; solid structure and especially good hips; dense and harsh coats that are weatherproof and nearly maintenance free; terrific inky pigment; and the lack of the genes that cause dwarfism or coat funk. Sometimes pure K Malamutes are born solid black, which lightens to mud faces, then lightens more to classic masks — but seeing solid black puppies in the whelping box can be startling!

Thanks Lori and Michelle for allowing Clay to come to Wayeh, we are very excited to get him on the sled team.

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