Member Profile

JAN LEIKAM

Since 1997

I was born in Bogalusa, LA which is where the accent comes from and it‟s renewed each time I visit my relatives!

Moved to Camas, WA when I was 12, then to Antioch, CA when I was 16 where I graduated from High School and also started my University education at UC Berkley.

Moved to Seattle, WA to attend the University of Washington.

My first pure-bred dog was a Boston Terrier acquired in Louisiana. "Nails" followed my family around the country until his death at 16 in Pt. Townsend, WA . However I fell in love with the Borzoi after receiving a copy of the National Geographic book on AKC breeds for my birthday.

I bought my first Borzoi from an ad in the Sunday Seattle Times which stated "free Borzoi to anyone willing to spay". When I arrived the bitch was already claimed but there was a litter of 5 ½ wk puppies and I went home with a self-sable bitch. As I lived in a 3rd floor walk-up apt in the Fremont area of Seattle, housebreaking was difficult, but I soon moved into a house with friends. I paid $50 for her at the rate of ½ down and the other half at $10/mo plus I had to breed her and give the entire litter to the seller. I was stupid and at that time there were no mentors or sources to tell me otherwise. I did breed that bitch (who had a flat topline, stick straight shoulders with a rear to match and prick ears) and ended up with an emergency C-section in the middle of the night in the middle of a snow storm in December.

I acquired more Borzoi as time went on and have bred a number of additional litters, each one better than the one before I hope. I've bred/owned many nationally ranked dogs and have had many Specialty winners.
Additionally I have owned a Saluki and have had at least one Whippet for the past 35 years. I've even owned/bred one Smooth Fox Terrier litter and have Champions from that.

Currently I am a member of the Puget Sound Borzoi Club – a founding member and have held many positions in that club; the Western WA Whippet Association acting as Show Chairman for their Specialty; the Borzoi Club of America holding the office of Recording Secretary and I am the trophy chair for the National Specialty,

As a member of Sammamish Kennel Club my proudest accomplishment is the admittance of our Club into the AKC in 2003. This took a number of years and I had the help of many people including Patti Strand from Portland who coached me through the process. I have held a number of positions for Sammamish including Board member, Treasurer and President and am current Show Chair for both the August and January shows.

I live on 5 acres with my long-suffering husband, Wayne, and my grand-nephew Bryan plus 7 Borzoi and 1 Whippet (soon to be 2).