Thistleridge Kennels, Texas Jack Russell Terrier Breeders

Thistleridge News!

Winter 2010

Things have been slow around here! Work and more work! Check back soon for updates.



Sparkle has still got it! (L) Me & Sparkle after some dirt (M) Me & Steph taking a break (R) Sparkle ready for action

(L) Love me some Nebraska road kill! (M) group swim in the Missouri heat (R) Toast taking time to smell the flowers

(L) Sunny dives and retrieves! Who knew? (M) Chigger & Monster drying off (R) Shorty Rat (my dear friend and gracious hostess, Janet's dog) entertains us by chasing the ceiling fan

Me and John on opening weekend of Dove season 2010



Thistle Ridge Cisco (Thistle Ridge Sunny and Jeeves Jones)

In the spring I attended and judged at the Gulf Coast trial and had a great time. Old Harley tore it up on the racetrack. Ok, well he was the only one racing in his class, but still..... Pretty impressive booty if I do say so myself! And boy did the girls go to town on the lure course. A good time was had by all, and Cisco and Lefty got some great social time.



Harley tearing it up on the racetrack and showing off his winnings from the weekend

(L) Cisco getting the hang of lure coursing (M) Chigger doing her coyote impersonation (R) Red dogs run too! Sunny hits it hard.

Is it time to go home yet? Cisco and Lefty take a little break.

A little winter hunting - first (unproductive) pheasant hunt - I got shot but didn't do much shooting! And me, Chigger, and Cleo doing a little ground work.

(L) Mom, dad, & me with our fish!                             (R) Mom and dad and her big old catfish



Grits fighting her instincts against her training! Wes doesn't want her going into the ground for obvious reasons, but you can tell she wants to!



Here are a couple of pictures of Wes & Tex, a friend and his goshawk 2008

Wes's friend Terry and his new bird, Billy



More photos of Tex with the bunnies

Happy Hunting!

Wendy and the wild bunch

December 31, 2007

Cson with her camera, and me in the dirt working with Sparkle (in the hole) and Shiner (you can see his butt, he's catching the dirt coming out of the hole!) What a way to finish out the year!

Me and my "Coot" - not my proudest hunting moment, but one I'll always remember (Thanks John!)

December 2007 - Last weekend I got an excited phone call from Cson about Mick's son, Chili. His owner, Dawn Weiss in Illinois (who besides Chili has some very beautiful working Jack Russells) had heard of sightings of a red fox out by her sister's house, and Chili, true to his heritage, got to it before Dawn even knew what was happening. I am so proud of both of them, congratulations and what an amazing Christmas gift for both Chili and Dawn!!

Dawn & Tim Weiss with Chili (son of Mick) and their first red fox

December 2007 - Yesterday we ended the year with an an incredible finish. I finally was able to get out with the terriers. There were awesome, active settes everywhere, but it was a beautiful day, so I guess the animals were smart like us and out enjoying it. I always find a million excuses not to get the dogs out, and mainly it's because I am working or feel guilty because I feel like I'm neglecting responsibilities. Yesterday reminded me that this is one of my important responsibilities. A terrier in it's prime that isn't hunting is not a terrier. It becomes a housepet, or a kennel dog, or a frustrated, destructive pain in the butt. I remembered very vividly yesterday why I keep these dogs and have dedicated most of my adult life to breeding and keeping true working terriers. I'm ashamed of myself for letting other things get in the way of that. I owe it to my dogs, myself, and the terrier community to reestablish that as a priority or there is no use in continuing to produce and keep these dogs.

David Day with my dog Shiner and Cson's girl, Sierra



Me and Shiner watching Sparkle dig down in a tight earth

Hey! Anyone seen the scissors? I can't see from under here!! More proof that I should be forbidden from having rough dogs.

Maybe if I squinch up my eyes a little more and shiver they will feel sorry for me. This was the point where poor Sierra went from patient to Princess...

The only time Sparkle found anyone home, it was a huge earth with many entrances and big enough that Sparkle could practically walk through it. When she opened up and started baying, I stuck my nose down, and wouldn't you know, the first thing I smelled was skunk. Sparkle is an obedient dog, and I was able to call her right out, but oh my goodness, was she mad. You can plainly see it on her face below!



David with a VERY disappointed Sparkle!                                                                                Fortunately every minute is a new day for Sparkle so she got over it!



(L) Now where did I put that dirt clod??? Maybe it was one that I ate already.....                                           (R) Me watching my tiny wonders and trying to figure out where they keep their huge hearts.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

November 2007

Daisy in the front and Chigger in the back after running the lure at the SWJRTN Trial in November

And here's my Chigger by herself

Saint the week he was picked up

And here he is ten days after I picked him up. He went to the JRTCA AGM with me and Cson

This is him now, 33 pounds heavier than he was 2 1/2 months ago! Amazing what a little food and TLC can do!

Thanks so much to PBRC for assisting with his neuter.

Remi at Bark in the Park with the Ft. Worth Cats this year. She's a fine representative for the City of Fort Worth, don't you think?
Guess I know how she feels about working for a living!!

Got Gophers?? If you've never seen a Jack Russell shoot you the finger, now you have! Obviously age has not mellowed Harley!

Fall 2006

Not too long after my summer update in June, the Jack Russell world in Texas, and throughout the United States, got thrown into a tailspin. Two hundred and seventy dogs were seized not far from Fort Worth and it turned out to be someone in the JRTCA. In a nutshell most of the dogs were Jack Russells and while the SPCA placed a lot of those dogs, Russell Rescue ended up with about 50 of them. Because of the sensitivity of the situation and lack of foster homes in Texas, there was a need to get the dogs transported to the east coast. For some crazy reason I volunteered to be the person to transport those dogs to Maryland, and somehow talked Cson Johnson into going with me. What happened during the weeks following the the seizure profoundly changed me, and I know everyone involved feels the same way. I won't rehash the details, they've been written about, published in True Grit and on the internet, and debated. One thing is for certain, the dogs involved suffered the greatest, and the ones that weren't euthanized and are still going through both physical and mental challenges. I received an e-mail from Cson today that recounted the past three months with her rescue dog from the seizure. Cson is one of my best friends and we talk often, so I know the struggles she has been through. The placement today was truly a success. There were days we debated whether or not he should be euthanized. We just didn't know if he would be placeable or if he could truly be a happy and whole little dog. Well, as with most things, it looks like it has worked out. There was a special person for this special dog, as there have been for so many of the others. Godspeed to the family that has taken Sprout aka Riley into their home. I know that everything happens for a reason, and I hope that this wonderful family can continue the amazing progress that Cson made, and help him continue to become a whole dog. I wish I had a before photo (I have one somewhere, just don't know where at the moment there were SO many). But the photo of what he looks like now speaks wonders. He looks almost "normal" and I am so proud of the breakthroughs he has made because of Cson and her wonderful family.

"Sprout"

I also had a very special dog come into my life because of the seizure. I named him Captain Jack Sparrow. You see, Captain was missing a foot due to a kennel incident, and he looked kind of like a pirate because of the peg leg. He also was missing an ear, was deaf, and without most of his vision. We thought he was about 10, but later found out he was closer to 16 years old. Once I got him home, his decline was pretty rapid and his little body just gave out. He lived out his last few weeks in the peace, quiet, and comfort an old dog like him deserved, and when he told me it was time, I did the best thing I could for him and held him while his last breath passed through him. Even though he was just here for a short time, his absence is greatly noticed every day.

Sparkle, Captain, and Harley

Despite the rough end to the summer, the fall has been outstanding. Late September brought the Oklahoma Trial and it was a great trip. Cson and I hit the road again and got to see a lot of good friends that have been greatly missed during my break from showing. October came in a whirlwind and once again we were back in Maryland for the JRTCA National Trial This time it was all fun (and we flew!!). I saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones, and was thrilled to meet and spend some time with the Crawfords, who are responsible for the club we know as the JRTCA. My puppy, Shiner, got to be the travel dog of the week and took his first airplane trip and participated in a huge puppy class at the trial. He was excellent and proved to be what I hoped for in a puppy. He may never be a show dog but his temperament is amazing and his drive can't be beat. I think he'll be a good cross of his mom, Sparkle, and his dad, Phoenix.

Shiner at the JRTCA National Trial

Me and Cson at the National Trial with "Dixie" - one of the dogs from the Seizure that lives with Jennifer Carr in Connecticut

Thistle Ridge Sparkle spent her short life in East Texas with Joanne Hammond, Brad Dawkins, and Quiz at the Dream2B Ranch. You'll be missed Sparky.

Which way did they go ??!! Remi looks for critters in a brush pile with the terriers.

Happy Hunting and Happy Holidays!

Summer 2006

Wendy with Sparkle & Phoenix's puppies, Shiner and Squirrel

Myself and Tina Rosado kicking back at the Gulf Coast Terrier Trial in May 2006.

Wendy, Sarah, Woody, and Remi at the Fort Worth Cat's Baseball Team's Annual "Bark in the Park" Fundraiser for Cowtown Loves Animal Shelter Pets.
Thanks to Mike Forrester for helping us pull this together!

Wendy, Vicki, Jill, and Randy Rogers at Wolfdance Memorial Day '06! Thanks to our Buddies Tim and Karen for getting us backstage with the bands!
It's nice to see how the other half lives ;)

Vicki, Jill & Wendy with Stoney Larue at Wolfdance Memorial Day '06

Mia, Wendy, & Honor at Honor's bachelorette party, June '06. Honor is Squirrel's new mommy!

Our favorite Cat!!! Obviously it has to be an awfully big cat to be a friend to all of these terriers!!!
Thanks, Dodger, for the great night out at the ballpark with all of our four-legged friends!!!


Squirrel & Shiner	Squirrel looking cute!!!

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