I’d like to start a feature on here to get to know some of the shibas that were top winners or producers and their owners called “Getting to Know You”. If you have a dog that has won a BIS, BISS, any of the Japanese shows, or is an ROM, or has an obedience degree of CDX or higher please feel free to use this as a model (does not have to be exact, but a sense of humor is good) and I will publish one every few weeks or so. Please feel free to send a photo(s) along as well.
This GTKY profiles Ch. Reno Sakura Jackpot ROMX, HOF-XP one of the top shibas in the 90s, those funny letters after his name are producing titles, ROM is an NSCA title, Register of Merit, for producing a certain number of champions, and HOF-XP is issued by Shibas USA, HOF is Hall of Fame for producing a certain number of champions, X is for producing even more champions and P means he has a puppy that has also qualified as a Hall of Fame producer. Mickey was the winner of over 300 Best of Breeds, 76 group placements, including 10 group firsts, the most for any shiba in the continental U.S. at the time and a record that held for nearly 10 years. Other accomplishments included Best of Breed the day before and the day after the 1998 National Specialty.
But now, he’s long retired and just plain ole Mickey.
Mickey & Lynda (this photo taken on Mickey’s 14th birthday, the Group First photo taken in his heydey 1999)
What is your favorite color?
Mickey: what’s the color of dog food?
Lynda: I would say two colors purple & gold, it’s the color of the Best of Breed ribbon and I used them for my wedding colors. My dad said, why not Red, White & Blue for the Best in Show rosette colors and I had decided against that because we were getting married to close to July 4th and also Purple and Gold is the color of the Westminster BIS rosette!
Who is your best friend?
M: my mom!
L: it WAS Mickey, but he has to share the affection with Jonathan now 
If you’re a shiba owner you know that shibas have a startling capacity of affection at just the right time. Mickey always knew if I was upset for some reason and would do his best to make me feel better somehow.
What is the best thing that ever happened to you?
M: being shipped out to Illinois
L: Mickey was bred by Jacey Holden & Christopher Ross and Jo-Ann Gray purchased him when he was a couple months old I believe. Mickey’s name is Jackpot because Jo-Ann had had several males that just didn’t work out, but Mickey had a good bite, both testicles and he made size 
One of the best things that ever happened to me in my life is that Jo-Ann brought Mickey to a match and she was having some trouble getting him to bait properly. I took him out to work with him and he was doing so well with me that she put her armband on my arm and somehow it never came off again. A few years ago I was at Jo-Ann’s house when Mickey was already pretty much retired, but I had never returned him and she presented me with an envelope that contained his signed AKC registration papers. That was another of the best things that ever happened to me. (Mickey as a baby shown left)
What is your biggest regret (assuming you have any)?
M: not enough bitches around here and not allowed to get fat!
L: LOL!
Now that you’re completely retired Mickey, what’s next for you?
M: maybe I can get fat?
L: I do believe in putting a LITTLE more weight on an older dog just so they have something to fall back on if they get sick. But he’s not ever going to be FAT!
If you had one word to describe yourself, what would you choose?
M: Studmuffin!
L: I can’t even use just one name for Mickey, he’s also known as Mickey Mouse (sorry Disney), Mouseman, Mooseman and sometimes just plain Mouse. To use one word to describe him would be nearly impossible.
What is your pet name, and derivatives?
M: I think mom answered that one already!
L: Yup, I sure did, I didn’t see that next question coming.
When is your birthday?
M: May 14, 1994
L: April 15th, Happy Income Tax Day!
What is your favorite dessert?
M: no favorite dessert, I would eat nearly anything I can fit into my mouth
L: I can verify that, I once gave him a spoon to lick and nearly lost it … and I’m not kidding. He would not let go and I was starting to lose my grip on it!
What is your dream car to go to dog shows in?
M: I don’t drive, but I prefer a cushy pillow in his crate and a window seat
L: Probably something sporty with the top down I used to say that my Dodge Caravan “Elizabeth” had the heart of a Viper so that would probably do but a minivan holds more dogs
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?
M: maybe Japan to see my roots, or more likely PetSmart for the counter treats
L: only if you can drag me on a plane!
Who is the judge you’d most like to lay a big slurpy kiss on?
M: there are several … but probably Peggy Hogg or Barbara Alderman, they both understood me and that I didn’t like to waste time on the table when I could be moving on the floor! I might give a little slurp to John Connolly & Sam Draper. I don’t actually slurp on men much, but I do enjoy a good sniff through of a big beard right after lunch!
L: That would have been Robert Wilson up at Manitowoc, Mickey nearly velcroed to him sniffing at his beard!
What is your biggest pet peeve?
M: Judges who thought I would give ears for no food and getting my nails trimmed
L: I’m not sure I can pick one! People who buy a shiba without researching the breed and then want to dump it are high on the list though.
What is the thing you look for the most when looking for a possible girlfriend?
M: uhhhh… she’s female and in season?
L: fortunately Jo-Ann was somewhat more picky. (Jo-Ann owned him during his breeding years). She required that they be a good example of the breed and had their health tests done.
What is your favorite past time?
M: probably sleeping
L: probably tripping me by getting up when I’m trying to step over him sleeping and he wakes up
Who’s the best looking shiba bitch you know?
M: The only one I see anymore is my daughter, Guess, and she’ll kick my butt if I don’t say her (and I have the scars to prove it)
L: Mickey was quite the casanova in his day, for myself, I was very partial to Pat Doescher’s Cho Cho who was bred by Leslie Engen and Rosie Van Laanen’s homebred Cheesie who won the Classic, but I also liked Cozzie, Crystal and Maya a lot (even though they kicked Mickey’s butt in the ring sometimes)
Who’s your least favorite person or dog?
M: I don’t like many male dogs, but I really give the snarky looks to my son Larry.
L: not touching that one with a ten foot pole! But truthfully I don’t have an answer, it depends on the day LOL I wasn’t too fond one day of a Ridgeback that someone handed me to hold outside the ring when he clamped down on my arm (fortunately through the jacket) because I asked him to stop jumping around. Kim Booth the photographer was standing next to me and said “I think he’s serious” at which point his handler came back and removed him from my arm.
If you had one day left in this world, how would you spend it?
M: Eating and being petted
L: probably getting my affairs in order and making sure the dogs were taken care of
What is your favorite movie?
M: the Shiba Puppy Web-Cam, there were some cute girls there!
L: he’s a furvert isn’t he? I really loved Titanic, Jurassic Park and Michael
What’s your favorite treat?
M: Pedigree Dentabones, but I don’t get them any more 
L: that’s because you started eating them WHOLE instead of chewing on them. I obviously have a lot of favorite treats.
