My husband and I were enchanted by these zippity, lickity-split dogs who were afraid of no one, human nor horse.  The Jack Russell terriers compact shapes and intelligent eyes captured us forever.  After arriving home, the next time I attended a major Arabian horse show, I couldn’t help but being on the lookout for a litter, and in Scottsdale, I found a wonderful puppy for my husband.  As I was flying, there ensued a mad dash through two different terminals in the Phoenix Airport with the puppy, since named Baby Alice.  She flew to San Francisco, I flew to Oakland, and after much chaos, our first Jack Russell Terrier, and the progenitor of most of our line, arrived safely home with us, to capture our lifestyle and our hearts. She still rules the human, horse and dog roost here, and looks as wonderful as she did as a young lady.

From the beginning we have had a clear philosophy for the raising of Jack Russell Terriers, which stems from our many years of raising and showing International Champion Arabian Horses.  We believe strongly in good temperament, in good form producing good function, and in maintaining proper type, essentially in that order. 

We appreciate the diversity of the Jack Russell Terriers, in size, coat and color, and are less concerned with a "look" as we are with the capacity of the pups we breed to become a great and loving companion and friend.  Our logo, "Spirit and Joy" expresses what characteristics we love most about the Jack Russell Terriers. We belong to the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America, Inc., and fully subscribe to the philosophy of not losing what has always been a Jack Russell, namely the capacity to hunt, to be brave, to persevere, to adore its master.  We choose not to enter into the AKC controversy.

We are dog breeders that care most about the dog itself.. where will our pups go, will they be safe in a fenced yard, will they not be in the rain unless the owner is standing out in the rain with them, will they never wear a chain tied to them unless the owner is willing to be chained also?  In other words, will they be cared for as a dear companion who is as devoted to his owner as could ever be asked?

** What is a Jack Russell? A Jack Russell is a small, white, usually spotted dog with strong devotional tendencies who is inclined to get into mischief, is energetic, and loves to DO something.

** Do they need exercise? These dogs are not "pillow" dogs, although they can snooze on the couch or in bed next to you with the best of them.  They require time to run (safely), and to hunt, even if it be only the lowly toad or mole.  Yesterday Hannah pounced on a snail, and made a crackly meal of it in flash, despite our groans of yuck!  One of ours, Roxie, has caught more than one crow in full flight.  There are NO gophers in our house area of one acre, and I doubt that there are any mice left.  A few stray cats have been nailed to our sadness, but these events ARE the Jack Russell.

** Can they be "off lead", especially in dog parks? We strongly advise that the Jack Russell never be off lead.  You can’t possibly think of enough events happening to protect them from themselves.  We barely saved one from a certain death when she (Alice) dove into an eight-inch culvert in the blink of an eye, where the culvert went under a cement parking lot of probably two acres.  My husband pitched down and grabbed her tail (there is a reason for those tails whose length is the width of a man’s hand).  She was on lead with a collar, but there is no way she could have been pulled a body length backward in an 8 inch round without choking her. The lead bought my husband the time to grab her tail, or she surely would have died.  A Jack Russell can go for months and never disobey nor stray, but then that one small squirrel moves along the horizon, and that JR is GONE, perhaps across a freeway in the distance that you cannot even see.  I can give you many true examples.

** Is a Jack Russell good with children? They are as good with children as with adults, HOWEVER, they are to be thought of as a perpetual toddler, with the same curiosity and perverseness as a child.  So, if you already have toddlers, do you want one more? And this is one toddler that does not like to have its ears pulled, or eyes poked, or its toys taken.  We suggest that about an eight-year-old child is the right age to begin a child/JR relationship.

** Why do we need a fenced yard? Most all of above, in addition to the fact that here in the foothills, (and even in Scottsdale, for instance), they are a favorite meal of coyotes, wolves and large dogs, and there are so many sad tales on this topic.  Don’t let your JR be a victim.  They will never give up on a fight and run, and that is their undoing.  They always protect their territory. Remember; they are brave unto their ending.

** Can a Jack Russell be left at home all day while I work? We don’t think so.  They become depressed and destructive when left alone too long.  They are highly sociable, and miss you.  They love to travel, and just be where you are, even in a boat or an airplane, or riding on a saddle.  These dogs are intensely interested in you and their surroundings.