Every walk with the two Jack Russell Terriers is different.
Different weather, morning, evening, foggy, raining, snowing, well, you name it they're all different just as the terriers are. Barney is nearly twelve cantankerous but always in front checking things out and always ready to defend you. Lucie is almost one year old and she's bursting with energy, if you disappear from her line of sight for two minutes you are greeted like a lottery win when you return.
In both of the terriers the energy levels range from high to unbelievably high but the one common factor is the absolute undiluted loyalty to you. You are defended, loved, particularly at meal times, and the curiosity about everything is boundless. Trips in the car are a major expedition and in fact a simple walk down the garden to the shed is an adventure.
Our first Jack Russell, Pike, was a fisherman's dog. She went everywhere with me winter and summer. Trout fishing in Wales, pike fishing in Berkshire on the Thames and Kennet and ratting anywhere. Rufus would fight with anything and hated rats but the children used to dress him up, a softy really. Minnow was the ratter supreme and devoted most of her time to hunting and killing rats. As I said they're all different, they've all got different characters, attitudes, foibles and habits, they were all featured in the Terrier Book too.
The two we have now are no different, one is a little cantankerous and set in his ways, the other ready to learn and she seems to learn bad habits particularly quickly.
What's wrong with a quick scrap on the walk?
My friend's mother, who was in her eighties, at the time had a Jack Russel Terrier. She trained it so when she held her hand, as though it were a pistol and said "bang-bang" the dog would immediately lay down, on its side as though shot. Too funny!
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ReplyDeleteMost people say they are untrainable but they do just what the want. Get a bag of training treats out on the walk and the bum goes down with an audible thud. I just love them. John