Jack Russell terriers zip, scoot, flip and bounce across a canine Olympic course - and one pup rises above the pack.
By ANNE LINDBERG
Published December 31, 2003
A dirt-brown rag whizzed along the ground. Then came five small dogs, stunningly fast, almost cartoonish in their ability to scoot and bounce.
As they cleared a final hurdle, the rag disappeared into a hole at the bottom of a stack of hay bales. The dogs slammed against the hay bales and crawled over each other, squeezing through the hole one at a time.
A man in a pen behind the bales called out the order of finish: "Red, blue, yellow" - the color of the ruffs around the dogs' necks. The dogs weren't done, however, still growling and clawing at the rear of the pen where the rag had vanished.
Dogs along the sidelines also were in a frenzy, barking. One climbed the fence to get into the pen. Another somersaulted in mid-air at the end of his leash.
This is Jack Russell terrier racing, part of the competitive chases and obstacle course events that showcase the live-wire nature of this impish hunting breed.
About 1,200 dogs participated in the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America's national trial this year and a Pinellas Park dog, Saddle Tramp Lucky Dice, emerged as one of the very best.
Lucky, as owner Anita Herman calls him, was one of 42 dogs invited to participate in the terrier racing component of the Purina Dog Chow Incredible Dog Challenge, a canine Olympics.
Lucky won the national championship.
At 3 p.m. Sunday, he'll also be a TV star. A replay of the Purina finals is scheduled to be shown for the first time on network television on NBC (locally, Channel 8), said Kevin Hennessy, Dog Challenge spokesman.
"Any time a Florida dog does good nationally, it's prestigious to us as a club," said John Tyno, president of the Sunshine State Jack Russell Terrier Club. "Any time a Florida person or dog does well, it's quite an honor. ... There were some good dogs there. Lucky, he did good."
A dog had to finish first or second at one of the five regional trials to advance to the nationals at Nashville.
"The dogs there were huge ... much larger than Lucky," Herman said. "I called my husband and said, "You know, if we take a third we're going to be extremely lucky. When he won it, I was just breathless. ... Those were big, big dogs and he's a little guy."
Jack Russell terriers range in size from 10-15 inches tall and up to 22 pounds. Lucky is on the small side - 131/4 inches, 17 pounds.
Herman said that unlike many Jacks who become "frenzied" when placed in the starting box, Lucky remains calm.
"He was focused straight on. He never veered his attention," Herman said. She said she told him, "Okay, Lucky, there's some big boys out here, so don't get hurt. Don't get hurt. ... Fly like the wind."
Herman got Lucky as a puppy to keep her first Jack Russell company. Now she has four Jacks - Lucky, Lacie, Logan and Lexie.
"They're virtually just our babies. They sleep with us. They go with us. It started out with one," Herman said. "They're like a Lay's potato chip. Once you have one, you just have to have another."
Lucky, who is 5, has been racing since he was 4 months old - a typical age to start Jack Russells racing, Herman said. At first, they run according to age only. As they get older, they're also divided by height because the bigger dogs have an advantage running a course of 230-250 feet with three 12-inch hurdles.
Racing is only one event at which Jack Russells excel. In something called "go to ground," there's not much to see but plenty to hear.
The dog must dive into a hole and follow a scented underground course. A rat in a cage awaits at the end. Then the Jack must bark, growl, chew or scratch at the cage for a set time in order to win.
The dog is judged on the quickness at getting to the cage and the sounds of his aggressiveness once there. (The rat, with water and food, is unhurt.)
Some terrier trials were developed to simulate the hunting that the dog was originally bred for. Other events, such as obedience and agility, test the training and are simply for fun.
"Not all of us can hunt our dogs, so we have different trials," said Tyno of the Sunshine State terrier club. "I think (fewer) of our dogs have frustrations because we get them out and work them. ... It's a great hobby."
He estimated there is at least one sanctioned trial in Florida every month through April.
Unlike a dog show, where the animals are judged solely on appearance, a terrier trial is all action. Jacks bark continuously. They bounce at the ends of leashes. They occasionally catch the rag during races, and they do not let go willingly.
Jack Russell breeders acknowledge the dogs are not for everyone.
"You gotta treat a Jack Russell like a loaded pistol," Tyno said. "They'll be a couch potato one second and in a frenzy a minute later. They're escape artists. If they want to get out of something, they're going to do it."
Said Herman: "These are big-dog attitudes in little-dog bodies. They don't let you rest. It's always bringing you a tennis ball, always wanting attention."
If you're interested
For information about the Jack Russell breed or a listing of sanctioned trials, see the Jack Russell Terrier Association Web site at jrtaa.org. For information about the Incredible Dog Challenge, go to http://www.dogchow.com/incred/incred.asp
