Flawed thinking
This winter I have wanted to be anywhere other than Utah. Friends living in Arizona asked if I would be willing to watch their house and dogs for the month of April. We are talking a house one block from the golf course, with pool, stocked freezer, bar, and my sheepies are welcome too.  A little piece of heaven for someone looking to escape the backwater mundane of Utah.I've been here since Tuesday and the weather has been perfect. The house is comfortable and the black desert sky sprinkled with stars is the perfect setting for time in the spa. I had come to terms with the two JRT's who have never know any person to be in charge. Yesterday the two JRT's thought it would be a good time to kill one another. Most dog fights in my house sound and look bad but in the end it's mostly show. Not with the JRT's. It started in the bathroom while I was showering. DH was unsuccessful at trying to break it up. I jumped out of the shower grabbed one by the scruff, DH grabbed the other. Each of us holding a dog that refused to let go of the other. Then I remembered the owners saying the dogs hate water. I promptly opened the door to the shower and both dogs went in. I left them in the shower for a minute to make sure any future thoughts of biting had been washed from their minds. Through the entire event, my three were looking on with priceless expressions. I'm sure the discussion went something like: Buffett: OMG Margie: What are they thinking!!!! Wait til Mom gets hold of them! Ellie: Let me in there, I'll sort it out! Margie: Sure you will Ellie, the cat can kick your behind. Just keep you nub on the sideline and look entirely innocent when Mom comes over............. The smaller JRT took the brunt of the fight with a large gash on his front leg and several smaller nick's and dings. The next 24 hours was full of trying to nurse that nasty, growling, biting, little #^$%*&@ back to health. Called the owners with the report and news of a potential of a vet visit. They said not to bother, happens all the time.  I hung up from the call wondering why some people have dogs. Then I took my three out to the pool for extra ear scratches and lots of praise for not getting involved.So, if anyone in the Tucson area wants to get together for some Sheepie time, I'm here all month. I'm sure the kids and I will be more than happy to spend time in the normal (no JRT's) social world.  |
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| Wow, "dont bother, happens all the time" It must for them to be that blase. I was hoping for your sake that it was just a settling in to you and the dogs thing. So glad your darlings knew better than to get involved in a "little" dog bust up. Enjoy the sky, the stars and the spa and keep the littlies separated. |
Quick thinking on the shower  Enjoy your break and remember - it's not your house they are pottying in....  |
my father got a jrt late in life. i found myself questioning the fact i was a lover of all animals when i was around that brat.  |
There's 1 in our agility class. I just can't understand what people see in a dog that looks like it's ready to take flight at the drop of a hat! I will say I envy how well it does the tunnel & wish it could convince José to like it.  |
| Lucky the little snarlers didn't get you guys! Good lord. |
My dogs best doggy pals are a pair of JRTs   Makane and Kolohe would be very disappointed in me, if I didn't stand up for Jack Russels here, just a bit! My friend Karla who owns them works very hard to keep their active little brains and energetic bodies constantly busy. People approach her all the time to say: "Those can't be Jack Russels...they're way too calm!" The problem, I think, is often them being the wrong breed for the people who have them. I dog sit them once in a while, and love them to pieces...my ball throwing arm just gets a bit tired!  |
| Right Laurel, this is a super hyper dog that needs to be doing something all the time. All that pent up energy comes out as being bratty to us and fiesty to other dogs. Exercise the paws until they fall off, challenge the brain until their eyes cross.......then they are a pretty nice breed...for a few hours. |
| Some !@#$ Jack Russell would not leave Owen alone at the dog park last week. He kept attacking him and Owen would try to shrug it off. We'd move to the other end of the park and that little jerk would come blasting back. Finally Owen had it and took him down when it happened the third time. Clyde went nuts barking and the owner of the Jack Russell had to come and pull her dog out of the fray (and he wouldn't give up), yelling at Clyde the whole time. I ended up getting nipped and the woman seemed angry with us that her dog was running the length of a football field to attack poor Owen. Needless to say, you have our we-hate-JRT vote this week. |
Laurel: I give your friend a lot of credit. She must be very committed to providing her dogs with a quality life which includes a lot of her time. Unfortunately, my few experiences over the years with that breed have been the opposite. As long as people know what they are getting into when they get a breed I don't have an issue. It's the owners that get them because they are the "dog of the hour" that usually wind up trying to blame others for their dog's actions.  |
| A good friend had a wonderful JRT when our kids were younger. We often laughed about "Dooley" because he was too nice to be a JRT - she got him from a breeder and he was a purebred. The couple created a TV show for PBS called Wishbone, based loosely on their life. That's why Wishbone was a JRT, though he was played by another JRT. I met the dog actor once. After Dooley passed, they got another JRT. As good as Dooley was, this one is just that bad. <shakes head> |
| Oh bless you! I fostered a group of 4 JRT's/TT mixes by accident. (Mom was pretty much a full blooded TT so, they were able to place her) It was not the best summer  When I put them out to potty they would slam against the door like a group of tree frogs! Look on the bright side though, it does sound like a nice place to relax when you aren't playing the bouncer! |
| It seems like you have your work cut out there!! The Spa sounds amazing, well done to your sheepies for keeping out of it |
Donner's Mom wrote: When I put them out to potty they would slam against the door like a group of tree frogs!  Thank you! That's exactly the analogy I've been searching for as I watch the little growlers slam dance around the yard. I started taking them out for a walk in the evening, knowing it's not enough, but hoping it will help. They don't know how to play, so exercise with a toy or ball is currently not an option. I bought a pack of Sniffers 101 this morning to help calm them enough to work on fetch and play without exercise time turning into a blood sport.  The owners told me the tree frogs were very picky eaters and their kibble could sit on the floor all day without being touched. Hard for me to believe when both dogs are between 5-7 pounds overweight. I put them on the same schedule as my pack for food and treats. It was the only way I could see making it all work with 5 dogs. It took 4 days to catch on  and realize the one with thumbs makes the rules. Now kibble disappears in a heartbeat because cookies are given on a limited basis. |
Mmmmmmm tree frogs, Tiggy has been known to do that on my back glass doors when she's really pleased to see me get home.  I've never met an actually picky eater dog. Met plenty of "supposed" picky eaters but that didnt last long around here. Its eat it or someone else will. |
| I forgot about "tree frogs!" My last one jumped beyong the "dog guard" over the screen, plastered his paws and nails on the screen tearing a hole and when gravity took over he ended up with is nail still in the screen, trapped behind the dog guard. Oh the noise!! No damage (except to the screen) and suddenly the tree frog disappeard and he became a body slammer....and a new door of choice. He won't go near the screened door Also loved "the one with thumbs" is in charge. Yeah, those JTRs have been ruling to roost. Time for some mental realignment. |
| OMG...... I have laughed so hard at your post my ribs hurt, I have tears running down my cheeks, in fact I laughed so hard and with all this pollen I had to use my inhaler. Kathy |
| It takes a Sheepdog to rule the JRT village. Miss Ellie, my terrorist sniper, has been extremely understanding and patient since our arrival in Tucson. In general she likes small dogs, so I wasn't surprised that she was tolerant of the little tree frogs, until last night. The Sheepies and I were playing in the living room last night, tugging and chasing, having a great time. Jack and Russell (yup, that's the frogs names) decided to join in, even though they have no idea how to play. Russ is ok, doesn't take toys away, doesn't snap or bark endlessly. Just get's in the way mostly. Jack will take the toy away, snap, snarl and growl at any dog that try's to take it back, then run and hide the toy. I put Jack outside and kept playing with the Sheep’s. The little growler found his way back in the house and jumped back in the mix. It came on so quickly I almost missed it. Just as Jack streaked into the room with a bark and snarl, aiming for the toy in Margie’s mouth, Miss Ellie twitched, at least that's what it seemed like. What really happened was Ellie saw him coming, turned lightning fast and head butted the little frog! He screamed (a real drama queen) and ran to his closet. Russell stayed and the games continued while Jack barked at everyone, from his closet in the back of the house. Today has been a quiet day without doggie (Jack) drama. Miss Ellie is queen and deservedly so. I'm always shocked at how fast she is at 7 years old. |
| You go Miss Ellie!! Make sure you keep the little frog in line. Where's the dusting of hands icon. Job well done. |
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