Vale Kita Girl - NZ CH & NZ Neut CH Eldivino Senorita Nikita

Our hearts are breaking today, as we announce that our beloved Kita Girl has crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Nikita came to us as an 8 week old puppy in 2014, bred by Tracy Gannaway of the Eldivino Kennels. Kita and her little brother Mexico were our very first show dogs and the etymology of the name "Kitaco" - the "Kita" is for Nikita and the "co" is for Mexico.

Nikita was a stunning dog in so many ways. She had a stellar show career and an even more impressive career on the stage. She starred as Bruiser, in Legally Blonde, The Musical, at the Court Theatre for 3 months, and then filled in as the NZ Mr Piffles, when world renowned Las Vegas magician, Piff the Magic Dragon, brought his show to Christchurch for the World Buskers Festival.

Nikita’s show career was no less impressive and includes:

•     107 Champion certificates – 77 in the main event and 31 as a neuter

•     3 times Best Bitch at the National Dog Show – 2016, 2017 and 2018

• 1 Reserve Best of Breed at the National Dog Show

•     3 times qualified for Crufts

•     3 Best in Shows

•     1 Best Neuter in Show

•     3 Best Intermediate in Shows

•     1 Best New Zealand Bred in Show

•     4 Best Veteran in Shows

•     1 Best of Group

•     4 Best Puppy of Groups

•     6 Best Junior of Groups

•     2 Best Intermediate of Groups

•     7 Best NZ Bred of Groups

•     1 Best Open of group

•     14 Best Neuter of Groups

•     49 Best of Breeds

•     20 Best Neuter of Breeds

•     19 Reserve Best of Breeds

But it wasn’t Kita’s show career that made her special. She was just the most amazing dog. Friendly and calm, nothing bothered her, nothing upset her.

Her nickname at home was “the 2IC” because she really was in charge of the pack. She kept the young ones in line and there was not a litter she did not step in, as they got older, to help the mums and teach the pups what they needed to know. None of our mums ever objected to Nikita supervising their babies. They seemed to know, instinctively, that she was the Matriarch and they always deferred to her position in the pack.

But most of all, Nikita was Tracey’s heart dog. Her favourite place to sleep was under Tracey’s left arm. We jokingly called it the “arm blanket”. She would come up to Tracey and scratch at her arm until Tracey lifted it, so she could snuggle down under Tracey’s arm and stay there all night. This was their ritual every night for nearly 11 years.

We are heart broken by her loss, but are comforted by the knowledge that her legacy lives on. There are 37 Nikita descendants in our lines including Ben (her grandson and the most like her in colouring) and Serena (her great-granddaughter - and the most like her in attitude!), who is due to give birth to Nikita’s great-great-grandchildren in a couple of weeks.

Those wonderful progenies of our beloved Nikita, with their perky temperaments, text-book perfect heads, bossy tendencies and their endless capacity for love and snuggles, are a testament to one fabulous little dog who brought us nothing but joy and happiness her whole life.

Rest in Peace, Kita Girl.

And beware up there in Heaven. There’s a new sheriff in town.

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