Slandering the Good Name of Ireland

I came across a few puppy peddler ads on the internet that should astound those who dig and work their dogs in Ireland.

You are being seriously slandered, my friends!

For example, we have the "Irish Jack Russell Terriers." Irish Jacks, the puppy peddlers, tell us, are better than regular Jack Russells, because the Irish Jacks "...are not bred for their hunting abilities [and so] make better pets." Beautiful! See >> www.irishjacks.com/aboutbreed.asp for more nonsense.

I note that there are very few pictures of adult "Irish Jack Russells" on these puppy peddler sites. Apparently the bow-legged and barrel-chested adults (a function of a genetic defect called achondroplasia) makes for an adult dog that is a little less pleasing to look at. It is certainly an odd-looking dog, and one that cannot work well in the field due to its expanded chest.

The "Irish Jack Rusell" people are selling their dogs under several names and now they are promoting a dachshund cross as (wait for it!) a "hunt terrier". They have even created "The Hunt Terrier Club of America" at http://www.huntterrier.org/ Ironically, this web site appears to come out the Southwest U.S -- an area of the country where almost no one hunts their terriers at all. The say they hope to get their bow-legged dachshund crosses registered with the AKC. Say no more! The very definition of success for a working dog!

A quick search turns up more puffery about "hunt terriers" from the "English Jack Russell Terrier Association" web site at http://www.ejrtca.com/huntterrier.html where they prattle on about a dog "famous around Limmerick".

Limmerick eh? Well of course, I remember the limmerick:

The internet ads offer puppies,

To rich and quite silly young yuppies

Romantic histories are told

So more dogs can be sold

May I recommend "Jack Russells for Dummies"?

Of course, the "Irish Jack" puppy peddlers are offering no less of a load than you find with most dog registries with their nonworking dogs and their also-invented histories.

If anyone can find a honest history of a single breed of dog registered by the Ameican Kennel Club, you are doing a better job than me!

A rose by any other name ... and the same can be said for puppy peddlers.