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"The one and only Tigara, Reg." (Retired 1984)
by Dorothy Dillingham  

We retired with our name “Tigara” in l984.  Many of the AMCA members that have
been in this sport know our history in the breed. The Alaskan Malamute, by some 
may have just heard the name and know that I was one of the Charter Members 
of the Alaskan Malamute Club of America.  However, my beginning in the breed 
did not begin until D.C. Dillingham and I met at the Santa Ana Valley Kennel Club
and I was a single mom at the time with two “Kotzebue” from 
Bras Coupe Alaskan Malamutes.
   
D.C. was a well-known breeder of Chows and the President of the 
Santa Ana Valley Kennel Club and I had just become a member. 
We married a year later and started our family. Also started with what became 
“TIGARA” Alaskan Malamutes. We bred many Alaskan Malamute Champions, 
in which this line produced Multi Specialty winners and National Ranked 
Tigara dogs. Our Alaskan Malamutes came known for our genetic bank in 
producing consistently correct breed type and Alaskan Malamutes with 
good angulations that covered ground when watching them in the ring. 
This became a family affair with our daughters, D.C. and me showing them 
against the Top Pro Handlers of the day.   

BISS Ch Tigara's Torch of Arctica  ROM

Looking back of the many years in the breed and the many people 
that came for companions joined us at shows with their families 
showing their dogs and making them Champions. The memories 
at Tigara Kennels on Katella Ave in Orange where we gathered for 
many picnics and many weekly training classes to teach these 
people how to show their dogs.  Many wanting to learn, to breed 
to the true, correct type with consistency.  People who came 
World Wide to add our dogs to their breeding program to improve 
in what they needed because our dogs were very tightly line bred.
 
Pictured is one of our most important dogs that came from 
Tigara Kennels. Ch. Tigara Jo Dan Of  Arctica. We sold Jo-Dan at 
8 months old to a Pro Handler that lived locally.  Eventually he was 
sold to a young couple who were very impressed with our dogs and 
wanted to breed him to their M’Loot bitch.  So they could improve 
on what they had.  Jo Dan was 9 years old when he went to his 
new home.  A year later Jo Dan was entered at the l973 National 
Specialty here in California and won the very large Veteran Class.  
My daughter Shelly showed Jo Dan in the Best of Breed class.   

Ch Tigara's Jo-Dan of Arctica
Best Veteran in Show - National Speciality Show 1973 
10 years old!

The judge pulled out 3 dogs for his consideration for the breed and Jo Dan was one of them.  The Memory of that day I will never 
forget----although Jo Dan did not win the Breed---people witness that day this Veteran Dog covered ground and not letting down.  
The owner of this dog at the time was Bernadette Quercio—Artic Luv Kennels.

Bernie was a frequent visitor at our kennel and talking for many hours with D.C. on breeding and the dogs. D.C. mentored her on 
his formula and teaching her to see the Alaskan Malamute on what they are suppose to be.  Bernie has applied his formula and 
his mentoring to what she has bred today.   Like us she has tightly line bred pedigrees which produce the Correct Type and 
dogs that have the angulations to cover ground.   It is good to know our many years in the breed were not wasted.