Why I Write This Blog

Cranking out this blog is suspiciously like work. It's a one-person job, done late at night, on top of a full-time job, two kids, three dogs, a wife, a yard that needs attention, and a lot of other obligations.

So why do it? Mostly because it's a forced way for me to learn. Secondarily, however, it's because every once in a while someone writes in to say they have done something right by the dogs.

Dear Patrick Burns,

As the subject implies I would like to thank you for the information, knowledge, and experiences you have posted on your website and blog. My name is Caleb I am 25 years old and in February of 2008 I went out to adopt a dog. I was looking at all the local shelters and in all honesty was looking for a medium sized shaggy haired dog. While looking online I saw an American Eskimo mix that I thought was just the most beautiful thing, and decided I wanted to meet her.

Well I went to the shelter, a very beautiful well kept no-kill shelter at that, to meet this dog. She hated me and kept nipping at me. I was very disappointed and started just meandering around the shelter. Now at this shelter the dogs are kept in these little "rooms" instead of kennels or runs. My girlfriend was with me and passed one of these rooms and when she looked in there was a small travel crate inside. She asked if anything was in there and the man said there was and opened the door. He then proceed to open the crate and out ran this gangly, smooth coated, odd looking brindle puppy standing around 10 inches tall.

This little puppy was just the cutest thing to me. I asked what it was and was given an answer of "We aren't sure, it is some kind of terrier mix." I was smitten but the sinker for me was that this dog zeroed in on me and completely ignored everyone else in the room. I felt a connection that I had never felt with any canine before. So I adopted him on the spot.

He was about 5 months old and a whole new world for me. You see growing up we had shelties, medium-sized mutts, and a few Chihuahua's. Never once had my family owned a terrier. Boy was I in for a surprise!

The little dog, which was named Vario (it means various in Italian), grew and became a hell hound. As he matured he became increasingly aggressive towards strangers and other dogs. I did everything the books told me to do. I became so crazed on research that I looked up training methods from some of the most drastic things to the 100% reward training method, and every obscure training method in between.

This was all before he was even a year old. In my desperation I started researching terriers, something I should have done in the first place, and it was uncharacteristic of me to not have, because I've been an exotic reptile owner for most of my teen and adult years. I always told people before they purchased a reptile to always research first. Anyway in my research I realized that Vario looked like a slightly taller, smooth coated, brindle JRT. So my research switched to that breed.

I found that his temperament fit that breed perfectly. This eventually led me to the JRTCA and to your website. I poured through your website and then your blog. I devoured through every article on the JRTCA's website that I could dig up. Then I started to find terrier people in my area and asked lots of questions. Over time this led me to take him to "terrier fun days." I also completely changed my training methods to fit that of a terrier. Over all this time, I diligently stalked your blog and gleaned every ounce of information I could.

Vario is around a year and eight months now. He almost never shows aggression towards people or dogs. Occasionally he does have slip ups with people, but his temperament is constantly improving. We have been working on prey introduction. Sadly I won't be able to do actual earth work with him because he got a little to big, standing at 16 inches tall with a much too large chest span. Because of this little dog, I've become completely enamored with the JRT. I'm hoping one day to own a dog that I can do earthwork with, but until then Vario has been an immense learning experience.

All and all if it had not been for the information on your blog/website and the information on the JRTCA's website I probably would have given up one of the best things to come into my life. Thank you.

Sincerely

Caleb Malcom

Vario and Caleb -- full tilt happiness. Hat's off to the two of them!
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