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Şansal and Sharon's Site

The Dogs' First Summer in England

August 2000--Dagger and Piper got out of quarantine on April 6th, and have been enjoying life on the "outside."  Three days after arriving at our new rental house, Piper managed to get through the fence and killed the neighbor's 15 year old cat.  No blood--it apparently died of a heart attack.  But since then, Piper has to be tied on a cable whenever he's in the back yard.

Dagger has just been enjoying lots of walks, but doesn't have any responsibilities.

Woburn, a few blocks from where Piper takes obedience classes.

Tuesdays, Piper has been going to obedience classes at the Woburn & District Dog Training Club.  I started going because it was the closest club to where we live.  I found out soon afterward that it's one of the top-ranked competition clubs in the UK--no wonder every one of the other fifteen dogs is a border collie! 

I didn't realize that classes and membership were by invitation only, and just started showing up, as I would at a U.S. club.  Luckily they found Piper's "obedience" so entertaining, that they've made us members!  Unfortunately, we don't like British style obedience much.  They only do half the number of exercises we do in America, but the dogs have to do those perfectly, and in a very exaggerated position.  Dogs cannot advance at shows unless they WIN their entire obedience trial class multiple times.  Therefore, only border collies--the best obedience breed--are considered competitive here.  Jack Russells don't stand a chance!

With this in mind, we've also started doing another equally unlikely sport for a Jack Russell Terrier.  We've started taking Working Trials classes weekly, as well as attending a full-day seminar.  Working Trials are these British events that are for amateur police dogs.  The lower levels, in which we'll be competing, involve basic obedience (heeling, retrieving, recalls, out-of-sight stays), tracking, searching a field for "dropped" objects while the handler stays outside the field, 50 m send-aways, and various jumps and scaling walls.  The good news is that Piper has shown a talent for all of the exercises.  The bad news is that he'll have to do them outdoors, off-leash, in fields full of rabbits, deer, sheep, etc.  Well, for those that know Piper, he'll be off and running (and killing!) every time…

Which brings us to Piper's OTHER event--outdoor training for recalls!  We've been taking private lessons at our Working Trials center and consulting (for free!) with behaviorist John Rogerson, who is a well known Trials competitor and judge.  So a few times a week, Piper goes out to a field to practice recalls on fishing line so we can grab him if he fails to come back.  So far, it actually seems to be working.  He's sent in his entries for two trials in September.  We have our fingers crossed!

Finally, Piper is now licensed in Britain as a Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog.  Here, unlike the U.S., PAT dogs are allowed to visit hospitals, as well as nursing homes.  We've already done a one-time stint at a brain-injury clinic, and this week we'll be starting our permanent placement at a 32-bed retirement home.  I'm really looking forward to resume doing volunteer work again, and I'm sure Piper will love the placement.