Scout 2009

Scout 2009
Originally uploaded by Fiddler2B

Folks agree that Scout is a cracker Jack!

Geocaching sounds like fun

The terriers three (Casey the Westie, Scout and Abby the JRTs) and I think it would be fun to explore the concept of geocaching.

See geocaching.com

I'll keep you posted.

Miniature Dalmatian?

Scout (the Jack) is developing tan spots all over. At first glace, the spots appear to be ticking showing through his coat, but with closer inspection, you can see the coat has color pigmentation. He looks like a miniature Dalmatian.

Speaking of miniature, today, I threw a tennis ball at least a thousand times for Scout to fetch. He likes the little miniature size tennis balls--won't even look at a standard size. The game lasted for about three hours. I didn't get much exercise though. I was sitting, reading, and tossing the tennis ball between page-flips.

I'll have put an pedometer on him to find out how many miles he runs when playing fetch.

Snip, snip

Scout, the mighty Jack Russell Terrier, got his balls snipped today.

I worried about him all day.

However, Scout's got too many doggy girl friends to remain intact. His little nuggets had to go.

Trust me on this (else do your own research), there are already way more puppies available than there are good homes for them. While Scout is as cute, smart, and healthy as can be, in today's reality, I don't want him reproducing. So, at some calculated risk, he's been neutered.

The little guy is recovering nicely. He gobbled up his dinner and then curled up under his blanket to sleep. It's weird that he's not jumping all over me, begging for a game of fetch. I want his old self back!

::

Budding buddies

Finally, Casey (the Westie) let Scout (the Jack) lay his head on her to sleep.

Their relationship has always been amiable. They liked each other from day one, but until now, Casey wouldn't let Scout lay next to her. This as a positive step forward in their relationship. And it was so cute!

Terriers: The poor person's Thoroughbred

Terriers are the poor person's Thoroughbred.

Have you ever seen a Thoroughbred run free in an open pasture? It's one of life's most magnificent sights.

However, keeping a Thoroughbred requires acres of land and globs of financial resources, both of which are beyond the average person's means. You could, of course, visit a ranch that raises Thoroughbreds. If you're lucky the owners might grant you the privilege of watching their horses run about.


Five-day-old Thoroughbred running. See original photo here.



Mature Terrier running with a ball. See original photo here.


On the other hand, have you ever seen a terrier run free in an open field? It's another of life's magnificent sights. And it's a spectacle even a person of average means can experience.

Not that keeping a Terrier is cheap, but keeping a Terrier is a lot less expensive than keeping a Thoroughbred--and yet Terriers are just as thrilling to watch run.

Terriers are the poor person's Thoroughbred.

Squeeky clean

Now that Scout is house trained, I'm more comfortable with him. House training is a human expectation not necessarily shared by canines. A clean house matters to me, but, without training, my dogs wouldn't care where they peed and pooped.

That's not true of pot-belly pigs.

As a volunteer at the Oakland Zoo, I fed the pot-belly pigs, fluffed their blankets and pillows, and swept the dust out of their indoor living quarters. Those pigs never messed indoors, not once in the three years that I observed them. And furthermore, pigs don't need house training--sanitation comes natural to them. In fact, pigs purposely establish designated areas outdoors to do their business, well away from their shelter, bed, and food.

Given an appropriate living space, contrary to the popular saying, "Dirty as a pig sty," pigs are the cleanest mammals on the face of the earth.