Introducing John Gonzo the JRT.

[brinneee]

Hello!
I am just posting to introduce my six month old Jack Russell Terrier, John Gonzo (aka:Johnny), named after Johnny Depp, and the great, writer/journalist, Hunter S. Thompson.

Comments

[brinneee]

The wheezing worries me too. He doesn't pull on the leash so there is never any trachea pressure. He usually wheezes at random times, like when he is playing, and sometimes he even does it when he is sleeping. The severity of the wheezing varies. A few times it got so bad that I thought he was choking and couldn't breathe. It even sometimes sounds like he is suffocating. The intense wheezing even occurred while we were talking to the vet in the exam room but the vet didn't seem very worried, and just kind of brushed it off. I am somewhat tempted to get him a chest x-ray to make sure his lungs and respiratory system are okay. He was actually born with several oddities like a pronounced overbite, some of his toes are connected (almost fused) together, and his teeth have no real regular arrangement in his gum's, they are just kind of scattered. He has two smaller "canines" but they by far are not the same as is normal for most dogs. All of these "deformities" make me wonder if he may have a misshapen lung or trachea? Sorry about this being such a long post. The more I think about it the more I worry and I just want him to to comfortable.

I definitely agree about what you said that JRT's kick Border Collie butt. I actually used to have a Border Collie. He was an excellent dog and I loved him dearly, but in my opinion Johnny has more personality and is even more willing to learn than my previous Border Collie, even though Border Collies have been dubbed as "the most intelligent breed".

[jennie_c_d]

Yeah, that sounds worrisome. I'd be concerned about the toes, too, and later arthritis. I would ask the vet to listen, again, and ask him exactly what he meant by "a puppy thing", and what is it, and are there any diagnostic tests that would help settle your mind.

I adore Border Collies, but a focused JRT is far more animated in the ring, faster, and more accurate. It's astounding, at times. Of course, the secret is to get that focus. We have had zero consistency, over Emma's career. I'm working on improving my consistency as a handler. My puppy is a hairless Chinese Crested, so also a non traditional obedience breed. She has already achieved (at 17 months) her RN AND RA titles. She finished her RA with a perfect score. I'm pretty proud!

[brinneee]

Yeah, I will definitely have to talk to the vet again.

Border Collies are great, and have excellent focus. I agree that JRT's are not consistent all the time, which makes them even more interesting. To me they are like crazed geniuses,(that is part of the reason I named him after Hunter S. Thompson) barely ever predictable, but it makes them even more endearing.

I used to be very interested in owning a hairless Chinese Crested before being taken over by "Jack Russell fever". It seems like you have had great success with yours, especially since you don't see them doing obedience that often, (I can't remember ever seeing one in obedience actually). Is your Chinese Crested fairly quick to pick up on training? Or is she less attentive than your JRT? You certainly have the right to be proud. That is a big achievement.

[jennie_c_d]

The Crested was raised to do obedience, and went to her first dog show at 6 months. She did conformation, as well. It's a completely different experience. I'm told (by many) that she's extremely unusual for a Crested. She gives full, consistent attention. She is a beautiful sight to see, when she's working, and she's a workaholic. It's amazing!

The JRT is just as likely to blow me off as she is to work nicely. It's night and day.