3 Good Things (terrier edition)

From the AKC


These are feisty, energetic dogs whose sizes range from fairly small, as in the Norfolk, Cairn or West Highland White Terrier, to the grand Airedale Terrier. Terriers typically have little tolerance for other animals, including other dogs. Their ancestors were bred to hunt and kill vermin. Many continue to project the attitude that they're always eager for a spirited argument. Most terriers have wiry coats that require special grooming known as stripping in order to maintain a characteristic appearance.
1. Border Terrier


Alert, active and agile, the Border Terrier is willing to squeeze through narrow holes and sprint across any terrain to capture his quarry: the fox. This persistence made him an excellent working terrier back in England, and allows him to succeed in Earthdog, Obedience and Agilty trials today.
I have one word for you here, too: Benji. I don’t care what the media says, the original Benji looks an awful lot like a purebred Border Terrier to me. I like this dog precisely because he does look like my all-time favorite kind of dog: a mutt (with a streak of terrier in him, of course).

Rescue

2. Bull Terrier

Playful and clownish, the Bull Terrier is best described as a three year-old child in a dog suit. Given his muscular build, the Bull Terrier can appear unapproachable, but he is an exceedingly friendly dog, with a sweet and fun-loving disposition and popular in the obedience, agility and show rings.

Bull Terriers do not bark unless there is a good reason. When a Bull Terrier is barking, pay attention.

Since I was a child, I have called this dog “pig dog” because the one we knew was quite a bit more rotund and I definitely stayed away from it. They look like they could kill you with their massive heads and necks. That all changed two years ago when I first saw Rufus at Westminster. Immediately, I fell in love with this perfect looking specimen of a dog, and called it!

Rescue

3. Bedlington Terrier


The origin of the breed remains a mystery, although as far back as 1820, it is known that a Joseph Ainsley of Bedlington acquired a bitch, Coates Phoebe*, who was bred in 1825 to produce the first Bedlington Terrier. About this time, a colony of nailers in Bedlington took to the breed and became known for their plucky terriers. Their dogs were famous for their abilities in drawing badgers and ratting, despite their smaller size than most of the dogs of the day.
I bet Mary had a couple of these! It’s just the clip that gives this plucky little dog its lamb-like appearance. I suppose the gamboling doesn’t hurt the image either.

*This is not to be confused with Phoebe Cates who once lisped “Which one of you bitches is my mother?” in that famous made-for-TV moment in Lace.

Rescue




Next Up: The Sporting Group.
Why Dog Week?

Comments

Stephen Bourque said…
I just don't understand your attraction to the bull terrier. Its head is just weird looking!
February 3, 2009 at 8:59 PM
Lynne said…
You're just jealous because your pick didn't win.

Dalmation - hah!
February 3, 2009 at 9:05 PM
Stephen Bourque said…
If I'm not mistaken, I did pick the winner one year!
February 3, 2009 at 9:29 PM
Lynne said…
Again, hah!

I laugh at your silly American obsession with the beagle (reads better with bad French accent).
February 3, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Plainsies, Clapsies

A ball bouncing game from my youth instructed the player to throw the ball up ( plainsies ), throw it up and clap ( clapsies ) throw it up and roll your hands ( roll the ball ) and touch your shoulders ( tabapsies ). In trying to locate the rest of the ball bouncing chant, I found out not only is my “tabapsies” a mondegreen , but also the motion – touching your shoulders – isn’t even the correct movement! You are supposed to clap your hands behind your back and say “ to backsies .”  Yeah. That makes much more sense. Being only slightly deflated by this discovery, I will still share my exciting news.  In an attempt to counteract the stretching of my wrist from doing front squats two days in a row, I pulled out the tabapsies motion this morning.  This, in itself, is not newsworthy.  However, I grabbed both shoulders with all five fingers!!! Again, not exciting unless you know that when I was nine years-old, I broke my left elbow doing a running cartwheel; the repai
Read more

Memorizing the Preamble to the Constitution

Image
In preparation for celebrating the 222nd anniversary of the signing of the Constitution of the United States on September 17, 1787, here are a few videos that I hope will inspire you to at least memorize the brief, but powerful Preamble. First, here is my first attempt at video editing with the bare bones Windows Movie Maker (no ability to step through frame by frame with sound, or ability to mark stops before cutting). My daughters are reading the Preamble to the Constitution from the little book I carry in my purse. They can recite it by heart, but it I thought it would be a little different (and a little less exposed) if they did it this way. Let's not even talk about the 20 takes due to laughter. If you knew it as a child, don't worry, it'll come back to you as Barney shows in this video. Finally, a little treat for my sci-fi loving friends. And if memorizing and reciting The Preamble in creative ways leaves you wanting more, you can find out which Founding Father you&#
Read more

Why I am an Objectivist

I am a human being who values her life on this earth above all other things. The right and good is that which contributes to my life and the wrong and evil is that which destroys it. Every action I take must pass through the gates of identification before being pursued as a value which I understand will contribute to my life. Happiness is my ultimate goal. I understand the importance of identifying, applying, pursuing, and achieving those values which will contribute to my life, not just in the immediate sense (which every child understands), but in the long-term sense (which develops with experience). This is not to say that I’m really good at always identifying, pursuing, and achieving those values, or that I remain consistent in my applications of them; merely that I had already understood that this selfishness was the key to my happiness when I was relatively young. The importance of the fact that I understood I was responsible for my own happiness can not be overemphasized here. W
Read more