Here at
Good Dog News

If you're interested in learning more about Jack Russell Terriers, dog care or dog behavior, browse our articles section. Feel like a little laughter? Then check out Jake's Jokes.

Looking for more dog sites? Load our dog links page. And if you'd like to get some Good Dog News in your in-box, sign up for our newsletter.

Use the form on our contact page for your questions and comments or to submit a dog joke for Jake's Jokes page.

This site is valid xhtml | Web Design

for Households with Good Dogs!

Meet the Jack Pack!

We started with one..then we got her a play mate.
And now we're living with
SIX Jumpin' Jack Russells!
We'd like to introduce our pack to you.

Hello Molly!

A.K.A: Molly Good Girl, Pretty Girl.

Molly came into our lives in June of '02. One night I had a dream about a dog I had as a child and in the dream the dog morphed into another dog I had never seen before. That little dog was my best friend while growing up and after her death I just wasn't able to bond with another dog. Not for the lack of trying, mind you, it just wasn't happening.

After that dream, I started thinking about that wonderful little dog and I began to think about getting another one. Three days later I called the local pound and made an appointment. Molly was the first dog I saw and she looked exactly like the dog my childhood dog had morphed into during the dream. It frightened me a little so I looked at every dog in kennel, but came back to Molly and took her home.

Molly was very skinny. I could see her hip bones and the first few times I fed her she threw up. She would gobble food without chewing and she has had food issues ever since. After months of care and love she became a beatiful, muscular Jack Russell and I've made sure that she never has to worry about going a day without food again.

She is so smart. Within three weeks she had learned so many tricks that I was bragging about her daily, just like I would my own child. Like most JRTs, she has a lot of energy and likes to play alot. We're not spring chickens and so we decided to get her a running mate.

Enter Jake

A.K.A.: Tasmanian Jake, Baby Jake, Studley.

I used to work as a cook in a one of our local restaurants and one day a friend of a co-worker walked into the kitchen with a little bitty Jack Russell stretched out in the palm of his hand. It was love at first site. I made the arrangements and as soon as he was weaned, Jake came home with me.

Molly loved him. Infact she loved him so much that she started lactating for him within 24 hours. I was concerned that she might accidently hurt him because he was so small but soon realized there was nothing to worry about. Molly was so gentle and she only played rougher with him in increments as he grew up.

Jake is the quintessential Jack Russell who appears to have a ball attached to his muzzle. He loves to play fetch and Molly really doesn't like balls. She winces like maybe she'd been hit with one before. By the end of any one day, our arms were worn out.

We decided to let the dogs have one litter of puppies and that we would keep just one. Well...that really worked out. Not!

The Kiddos

Annabelle

A.K.A: Teeny Eeny, Annabelly, Adorabelle.

Annabelle was born in August of 2004. She was the first born and the runt. When her head came out and I saw that lovely little face I turned to my husband and said "We're keeping this one". I named her before the day was over and she knew her name before her eyes opened.

Annabelle is simply adorable. She's sweet and a little shy. She's very smart. So smart, in fact, that she learned all her tricks by watching me go through the motions with the other dogs. She's also an escape artist. Luckily, she stays close by and usually just runs around to the front door and scratches on it to be let in. Everybody loves Annabelle and Annabelle loves everybody. She licks all the other pack members faces every night before we go to bed (both canine and human).

Bullseye

A.K.A.: Sweetie Pie, Buckaroo, Handsome Boy.

Bullseye was the third born in the litter. He was also the largest. Long legged and slim, his body matches his goofey personality. He's also extremely sweet, hence his nick name Bullseye Sweetie Pie.

I had decided beforehand that we were only keeping one puppy. Bullseye had other ideas. When he first opened his eyes he focused on me. Now, I've heard of puppy love, but never experienced it before Bullseye. That pup was in love. With me. The first time we let them out of the whelping box when they could barely walk, he scaled the sofa to curl up in my lap, where he spends every moment that my lap is available to this day.

I was determined not to keep him and tried very hard not to get attached. He was so beatiful that I knew he would be the first to go once they were old enough. Anyone would want him. It might have worked out that way but for one thing. About a week after the pups got their first shots, I decided to introduce them to the great out doors and took them to the back yard for a little while. They seemed to have a great time. About two hours after they came in, Bullseye started swelling up. Before long he was a lumpy dog. A quick trip to vet and we learned he had been stung by a wasp. He had a strong reaction and I had to give him medication for about three weeks. Consequently, with that lumpy face he didn't apprear to be the pick of the litter to families looking for house dogs and by the time he was well again, he was my baby. So we had four and that was that.

M.J. (Molly Junior)

A.K.A.: Emmy, Impy Girl, Emmy Lou.

The way Emmy ended up staying with us is a little different story than the others. She was the last born in the litter and her markings were most like Molly's so we started calling her MJ, since we called the male puppy that looked most like Jake JJ.

Emmy was very independent from the start. An actual natural Alpha dog. About two hours after their birth she crawled around the whelping box and placed her chin on top of each and every other puppy's head. That's one way a dog establishes dominance over others. She was never shy or stand offish, however she never gave the impression that she needed or wanted any attention or affection. Her attitude made it so that the families who came over looking for a house dog just didn't give her much consideration. In fact the three people who expressed an interest in her wanted a dog to stay outside in a kennel. Well, I just wouldn't have that. She was our son's favorite anyway, so Emmy Lou stayed.

Only after she was two years old did she start coming around. When they were about 12 months old I got a salt water fish tank. None of the dogs paid much attention to it. About a year later all of the sudden Emmy started sharing my hobby. She would watch the fish all day. She learned their schedule. If I was late to feed them, she let me know. When it was tank cleaning day she was jumpin' jack crazy. And somehow, I guess because I care for the tank, she bonded with me. She spends a couple of hours in my lap in the evenings now and she even gives quick, unmessy kisses. Really, she is an excellent doggie. She knows the house rules and she minds without us having to say something twice. However that first year had it's moments. She didn't get the nick name Impy MJ for nothing!

Here's Gigi

A.K.A.: Little Miss, Geeger.

About a year and a half after the first litter, we decided to let them have one more because so many people we knew expressed an interest in having one. In February of 2006 Molly gave birth to a litter of six. Once again the runt was born first. The last born was the only female and she was spoken for before she was a day old. Our son's girlfriend's mother wanted her and she came to visit the little girl a few days a week. Then, just as the puppies were weaning, the woman found out she would have to go out of state for a prolonged period and decided it wouldn't be very good for a little puppy to stay alone all day until the neighbors came to feed their pets. At this time all the other puppies were spoken for.

I really didn't worry about it. Gigi is about cute as they come with her tri-colors and pajama like spots on her legs. Plus she has a great personality. I figured the first family to come over would scoop her up and I was right. A young couple paid for her in advance because I won't let the puppies leave their mother until they are eight weeks old. JRTs have a tendency towards separation anxiety if they leave their mothers before eight weeks of age. That is what happened with Jake (he was 7 weeks when we got him) and I hoped to help others avoid the condition.

The day Gigi turned eight weeks old the young woman came over and picked her up at 9 o'clock in the morning. She was so happy and I was really pleased that we found such a nice family for Gigi. They had two other small dogs and I could tell by the way she spoke of them that they were spoiled rotten. So saying good bye to Gigi was a very happy event, even though I knew I would miss her.

The next morning, Gigi's new mom called to say that her two dogs wouldn't accept Gigi. She said that they kept attacking her and that poor Gigi had to befriend their cat just to have some company. So she brought Gigi back.

When the young woman came into my house and handed Gigi to me the little puppy placed her front paws on either side of neck and pressed herself against me. Then she leaned back, looked me in the eye and started fussing at me in way that almost sounded human. What can I say. I was never pushing her out again. When my husband came home I informed him that we had one more. He didn't seem to mind.

Four other families wanted her after that, but I said "Sorry, she's not for sale".

Annabelle was pleased. When Molly had the second litter, Annabelle was fascinated with the babies. When they cried she was right there and in a couple of days Molly let her baby sit. When Gigi came back I think Annabelle thought that she was her puppy. They love each other. They are about the same size, though Gigi is a little larger than Annabelle now, and they play all day.

These doggies are our family. They lounge on the furniture, sleep in our bed and participate in all the family activities. We love them very much. Life just wouldn't be the same without them.