Our second Jack Russell Terrier

Our second terrier was a Border Terrier/Jack Russell Terrier cross. The mum was a broken coated all white Jack Russell and the father a pedigree Border Terrier. Rufus, or the Ruffe as he was known was a true handful with other animals. Not just dogs but any animal including birds, how did he catch birds that can escape by flying away? Don’t ask me. He was delightful with people, especially children but boy was he trouble. He could start a fight with his own shadow and he held grudges. Get a dog and meet people is what people say, stand and have a chat with those you meet, not with the Ruffe. Dog walkers crossed the road to avoid us. Once on a boardwalk over the swamp on the local common two travellers wouldn’t put their Lurcher on a lead despite being asked twice, ‘he can look after himself’ they said. When Rufus had finished, still on his lead, the lurcher ran away through the swamp with the travellers wanting to buy Rufus. He stole footballs, well any balls, and trashed them. He hunted every dry stone wall in Snowdonia whilst terrorising local dogs and cats. In the local park he’d jump in the lake, swim to the island and refuse to return until he’d caught a rat then he’d swim back with it, the rat biting his face and kill it at my feet. He was also so hairy that you couldn’t quite tell which end was which, in the photograph he’s had a trim for his holiday in Snowdonia, that’s Barmouth in the background. Sadly he had to be put to sleep at the ripe old age of seventeen and a half and that really was a hard day believe me. Rufus, he certainly put the word ‘terror’ into terrier. His ashes are buried under a spiky rose in the back garden. Quite appropriate really

Rufus aka the Ruffe. A four colour woodcut printed on 300gsm Madrid Litho White in an edition of ten. Image size 80mm x 124mm. £50.00