CH. SAUVIES ISLANDER
DANTE
Sometimes I still can’t believe I’m surrounded by white. When I bred my Gordon daughter Hillary, I sent her to Ch. Whisperwind’s on a Carousel, whose 101 Best in Show wins included the 1991 Westminster Kennel Club show, America’s renowned dog show that we watch on TV (or online) every year in February. See him smile below…..he knew he won! I chose Peter in part because my impressions from photos, videos and word of mouth suggested a good match, but also because I saw beautiful puppies from Peter daughters bred to Gordon. Couldn’t help wondering if that nick worked the other way!
Peter at Westminster KC Show 1991
It did. I wanted a nice black bitch (and got her), but from day one the litter standout was a white dog. Because Florence Graham co-owned Hillary at the time, she got second pick puppy, who became Silvi, Ch. Graphic Sauvie Quicksilver, now the top champion-producing silver Standard bitch of all time and a major force behind so many of today’s outstanding silvers. The black girl became Hailey, Ch. Sauvie Graphic Shahala (photo below)—so typey with outline and style and one of the prettiest heads I’ve seen. Sadly, given demands of my day job, Hailey was never bred.
Dante Sister Hailey
And that white dog became Dante, Ch. Sauvies Islander, who finished his championship as a puppy and went on to multi Group and Specialty wins in a short Specials stint with Kim Russell. Kim commented time and again on Dante’s great temperament, and I nicknamed him “The Force.” In his book The New Poodle, Mackey Irick wrote, “…it has been my experience that to be a super successful stud dog a male must, in addition to excellent breeding, show quality, and abounding health, have real vigor of personality and be aggressively masculine. It seems to take an exaggeration of every poodle characteristic to successfully stamp Poodle character on the progeny…..” That’s our Dante. He was the kind of guy who bursts into the room and says, “I’m HERE! The party can begin!”
Dante at PCA 2000
He had faults of course but wasn’t bred to bitches sharing faults and stamped puppies with his virtues, proving especially useful for his attitude and carriage, body, front and gait. I feel so fortunate that he consistently produced his wonderful dancer’s movement that we see far too seldom–such poetry in motion!
In limited breeding, Dante became a top producer of conformation and performance titlists, with (to date) 10 AKC champions, two top-producer sons and a top producing daughter. He lived more than 15 years, still “The Force” right to the end, and his legacy continues through new generations. I snapped the photo below just a few days before he left us. I believe it was his goodbye gift.
Dante at 15
Pedigree of Ch. Sauvies Islander |
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| Parents | GrandParents | Great GrandParents |
| Ch. Whisperwind’s on a Carousel | Ch. Primetime Kristofer | Ch. Chase’s Bushwhacker |
| Ch. Valhalla’s Kristine | ||
| Ch. Pinafore Whisperwind Brooke | Ch. Pinafore President | |
| Ch. Pinafore Pride N Joy of Vodanz | ||
| Graphic First Lady | Ch. Maneetas Del Zarzoso Fuego Fatuo | Harbovi’s Heaven Can Wait for Vanitonia |
| Del Zarzoso Boquita Pintada at Maneetas | ||
| Graphic Investment | Ch. Ascot Easy Money | |
| Graphic Opalescent | ||
Photos below show just two of Dante’s 10 champion offspring: Ch. Graphic Poltergeist, Casper, shown winning First Award of Merit at the Poodle Club of America National Specialty, and BIS winning Ch. Makapuu’s Island Boye, Bonus, top Non-Sporting dog in Hawaii for two years. For more on the Dante son who graced our Sauvie Island lives more than 13 years, see Ari’s page.
