Peculiar, Puzzling, Perfect: An Introduction to Skippy, the Jack Russell Terrier

I guess to begin with, I should explain a little about Skippy's history: yes, that is her name. It seems fitting for a Jack Russell. Some initial ideas were Scampy, Scamper, or perhaps even Petunia. These last three were eventually discarded and the name, Skippy was chosen.

We got Skippy from the SPCA in 2002. She had been rescued from a puppy milll. My guess is her tail was removed for easier breeding. She was understandably distraught and clearly traumatized. These circumstances, I'm sure, are contributors to many of her issues, but somehow they cast a more pitiable light on many of her odd mannerisms (which we'll get to very shortly). 

The SPCA figured that she was about three at the time, which puts her at about 11 years old. Now, I am not a Jack Russell expert by any sort, but I recall our veterinarian on one occasion telling us that this breed enters old age around eight years, but can live twice that long while in that geriatric state. Naturally, I was pleased to hear this. I also heard somewhere (honestly can't remember where) that the first two years are critical for terriers with respect to their training. I've never been to a puppy mill, but I'm going to go guess that obedience training is not high on their priority list, assuming they had one.

So what we have here is Jack Russell suffering from the effects of severe emotional trauma from the first three years of her life, in addition to potential senility or dementia, rounded out by a complete lack of training or healthy social interaction with other dogs or humans during those first three years.

I'm not making light of the unfortunate circumstance of her early life: they only endear her to me more. But I find many things about this dog intriguing and with every day that goes by I continually wonder whether this or that mannerism is a Jack Russell thing or is it simply because my dog has issues; or better yet, is it because she is an oddity: a fluke among all other dogs. Although most of her behaviour no doubt falls within the first two categories, or any combination of the two, I am convinced that a select few of them–the truly bizarre, the most anomalous, are a product of something that is uniquely "Skippy". Whatever the case may be, I still have to wonder: What is up with my dog?

-camping is one of the few times where she seems to be a 'normal' dog.