Roxy's Tale of Three Jack Rascals

By Maija S. Prentler

Once in a lifetime a very special little dog comes into your life. Roxy was one such little dog. This is her story. Her autobiograpy.

From her birth to her death Roxy was and will forever remain a unique little Jack Russell. Her vibrant display of virtue, affection, courage, tenacity and the joy of living is next to none. She enlivens her tale with humour and forethought and never ending garrulous optimism - spoken like a true Jack Russell.

A stoic and extremely loveable little dog who pens her vivacious life with fond memories about her two Jack Russell compatriots and other dogs in her life and how her interaction with them and her human parents impacted astoundingly on her life and theirs.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781503562851

Maija S. Prentler

Maija Prentler has always had an avid interest in dogs and writing. In the late sixties she completed a three year correspondence course with the Famous Writers School which inspired her even more to persue her writing interest. She is a voracious reader, gardener,lover of the outdoors and animals especially Jack Russell Terriers. Having worked for twenty five years in the Public Service sector as a Clerk for the Australian Air Force and Army she retired to a small farmlet and settled down with her husband and Jack Russells and began writing in Ernest. This is Maija's first book.

Book preview

ROXY’S TALE

OF THREE

JACK RASCALS

MAIJA S. PRENTLER

Copyright © 2015 by Maija S. Prentler.

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-5035-6284-4

eBook   978-1-5035-6285-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 05/13/2015

Xlibris

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Once in a lifetime a very special little dog comes into your life. Roxy was one such little dog. This is her story.

Dedicated to all Jack Russells.

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I

was born on the 15th of October 1993. I didn’t know the exact date but my human mum decided on the 15th. So there it was, I Roxy was born 15 October 1993. In fear of sounding vain I still have to say I was a pretty little dog. Small in stature and certainly much smaller than a normal size Jack Russell should be. I was about the size of a large Pomeranian. I heard my former mum say that I was a mini Jack Russell, but to be honest I’d never heard of mini Jack Russells before but I let that one slide because I wasn’t entirely certain that they didn’t exist. My coat was short and white with beige markings and I had neat beige ears that at will I could turn into either drop ears or button ears, which in Jack Russell terms of pedigree means I could drop them half way or all the way down almost to my cheeks. I had a large half circle of beige and brindle down the left sight of my neck running from my left cheek almost down to my shoulder and curving slightly back up again towards my chin, it was quite furry and flecked on the tips with black giving me the appearance of sporting a furry collar. My body was covered in tiny pale beige flecks, barely discernible which my new mum laughingly christened Roxy’s little freckles. I had of course the docked short tail which sported a furry little tuft curling downwards sort of like a bird’s beak. It was quite unusual and I was proud of my tail. I sometimes wished though they’d left me with my original long tail. I was pretty sure it would have been furry and have a marvellous sweeping curl to it and I could have swirled it around and shown it off. It would have been a sight to behold I’m sure. Mum could never understand why people did that docking of tails on little dogs and to be honest neither could I. A cruel and unnecessary practice. My front paws were large with ebony toe nails except for the one single one on my right paw which was opaque.

My dad labeled that one Roxy’s little bondie. He and mum would constantly delight over it. He used to come over to me and ask. How’s your little blondie today Roxy? and try to pat it. I did not like my paws being touched so I would withdraw it quickly, but on the odd occasion when I was in one of my benevolent moods I’d allow him to trespass on my paws and pat my blondie. It seemed to give him so much pleasure so I didn’t mind indulging him so long as he didn’t overdo it.

I don’t remember much about my puppy- hood. My first and only real recollection of my life was me being owned for a short time by a young woman by the name of Kylie who had me for seven months before she decided to sell me- for personal reasons – I was told, and that’s how I came to my new mum and dad.

My new mum Mai first set eyes on me in the car park of Centre link where she was working at the time. Kylie had just let me out of the car for a bit of a wee when my new mum, on her way to lunch spied me sniffing around on the grass verge. Being an avid dog lover and especially of Jack Russell terriers she just couldn’t help herself and came over quickly, gushing all over me. I heard her tell Kylie that one of her little Jackies had died a few months ago and she was now seeking another as a companion for her remaining one. She babbled on, I thought a bit excessively, and excitedly about how much she loved dogs, especially JRs and how very beautiful and cute I was and could she pick me up for a cuddle? My small inquisitive ears pricked up immediately. I liked the sound of that! I loved to be known as beautiful. Although I must admit I wasn’t too keen about all the gushing stuff, but being a vain little dog I even considered condescending down to the lowly levels of gushing.

I allowed this strange woman to pick me up and kiss my nose while still the literal gushing. I kind of felt a bit sorry for her but I liked her as well, she was kind and well-meaning and as I was also a friendly little dog I gave her a hearty lick on the nose just to reciprocate.

As it was I was totally unaware at this stage that my old mum wanted to sell me as I heard her explain to my soon to be new mum. I was a bit perplexed but still young and puppyish not to be overly upset because I could already see myself with this new mum whom I was absolutely certain I’d be able to wrap around my little claw, just judging by the way she carried on about me.

The deal was made as my new mum was pretty besotted with me, and that very evening she came after work to collect me. She paid $60 dollars for me. I was a bargain! Kylie wanted $90 but my new mum bargained me down to $60. She would have paid the full lot I’m certain if Kylie wouldn’t have relented on the price. That evening as soon as I heard the knock on the door I bounced out, and as I had the habit of doing I licked her nose as soon as she picked me up and hugged me to her. I could tell she was overjoyed to be getting me. Kylie was crying a bit and telling me to be a good little dog for her new mum, but I was a bit hard hearted I confess and ignored her keen to be on my way to a new life on big acres and a new doggy friend. I was a wee bit resentful that Kylie had sold me so readily that I didn’t even spare a backward glance at the flat that had been my home for the last seven months. I felt a bit mean doing it but I was still a puppy so I was impressionable and forgot things readily and without guilt. At least that’s what I told myself.

On the trip back to my new home I had already decided that I wasn’t going to sit in the passenger seat next to my new mum. I was a lap sitting dog and that’s where I was going to sit. I felt I had to assert myself from the very beginning or I’d never earn the status that I was convinced I so thoroughly deserved. I wouldn’t have a bar of the passenger seat that my mum placed me in but hopped nimbly onto her lap time and time again until she weakened and there I was allowed to stay the whole trip home wriggling, squirming and staring out with my two front paws pressed up against the window. It wasn’t that far to the new home about an hours drive.

You’re so sweet and cute Roxy, she cooed to me. How can anyone resist you? she said having tried to place me back on the passenger side for the umpteenth time. Normally my mum wouldn’t allow me to sit in such a precarious spot as I was to find out later on when she showed me the doggy car restraints, but for this first trip home to a strange place she allowed me that one liberty.

That was the moment I knew she would be a pushover but in the nicest way of course I meant, because I was not a malicious little dog, just a bit bossy and forthright, and she did become a pushover as I had predicted.

I was very excited when she finally let me out of the car and into the huge two acres of lawn and trees. Wow! I thought. This is doggy heaven. I had always lived in a flat so this expanse of land was a wonderful sight for an active yard deprived little dog such as I. I was then taken indoors and cautiously introduced to Heimi the resident Jack Russell. Heimi was a lovely looking dog. A long legged tall Jack Russell, short haired, also white like me with beige markings. However, only his ears and tail were beige the rest of him was totally white. His eyes were an amber colour unlike mine that were dark brown and luminous but they were just as alert and sparking as mine. I took to him immediately.

He looked a real softy and he was as I much later discovered. I did the puppy thing and rolled on my back and played submissive all the while scheming how I was going to become top dog in this outfit. Of course Heimi tried acting tough, after all he had a pecking order to uphold and I can’t say I blamed him. He growled a couple of small half hearted growls and circled me a few times but I continued playing dumb and submissive and lay on my back squirming and wagging my little stump of a tail. I knew all the tricks, well most of them at this tender age and yes pretty soon I’d won Heimi over as well. Things were looking good. He gave a little bark and a skip and began to wag his tail. All of