b. December 15, 1997, Claremont, California, Hanko Akitas of Shinjitsu and Teika. I picked Hanchau up on Friday, February the 13th, during El Nino.
Main Entry: honˇcho
Pronunciation: 'hän-(")chO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural honchos
Etymology: Japanese hanchO squad leader, from han squad + chO head, chief
Date: 1947
: BOSS, BIG SHOT; also : HOTSHOT
Hanchau on his first climbing trip, to New Jack City, at 9 weeks. I hope I didn't irrevocably turn him into a hang-dog.
His second climbing trip, to Joshua Tree, at the Shorter Wall. Trad climber doggy.
And here after enjoying a milk shake at Soda Jerks, at 14 weeks. He's so serious for such a young pup!
Hanchau is almost two, and he's enjoying a scratch here at work.
Is this my bone?
In his normal state. Conventional wisdom has it that he's half cat, half rug, and half rabbit.
A pensive mood. Sunset, Queen Mountain, Joshua Tree. He draped himself like this all on his own. Hanchau is three years old in this picture.
September 2003. Hanchau and his buddy Ires in front of my house in Pasadena.
April 2004. Being a library lion at Williamson.
New Years, 2006. Me getting snowed out at the Happies made Hanchau very happy. Snow dog!
Hanchau is serious, except when he's not. Seven years old and still a puppy.
March 18, 2006. The newest addition to the climber dogs at Claremont St., Alex, a four month-old rescue Akita. Alex really does have four legs.
Hanchau and Alex posing.
Looking inscrutable.
Akitas taking over the dog park. Can you count all the Akitas in this picture? (Seven, and there's another out of the picture.)
The H dog just turned ten. Here we are back at the same place as the first picture at New Jack ten years later. I guess we are both hang-dogs since we haven't been to JT in a while.
Old fellow enjoying a nap on the porch.