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IF IT MOVES – CHASE IT!
(continuation) |
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The terriers mind is programmed to react in a split second to
anything that will provide the sport of a chase and a kill, and
if the prey should go to ground? Well better still. There is
nothing like the chance of digging frantically into the earth
after your quarry! After all, if you’re called a ‘Terrier’
(from the latin word ‘Terra’ meaning ‘Earth’), you might
as well live up to your name. Once the terrier catches the rat
it is all over very quickly.
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SUZIE. |
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One of the first Terriers we got was a Jack
Russell called Suzie. Often if I was in the barn Suzie
would be just outside about 10 feet away, knowing that
there was a chance I might disturb a rat. When one came
out she was after it in a flash, grabbed it, immediately
threw it into the air, and before it hit the ground it was
dead from a broken neck. It was of no further interest to
her, and by the time it landed she was already back on the
alert for the next one. She had done her bit as far as
that one was concerned – she knew it wouldn’t be
moving – so why should she be interested in it anymore? |
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CANINE CONTRACT KILLERS. |
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So, given that just about every farm in the
country had probably not just one but several of these
killing machines around the place, it is not surprising
that the little dogs ‘masters’ would take great pride
in the performance of their ‘canine contract killers’
and would do everything they could to keep the little
creatures on their metal. On one of the occasions when the
Kennel Club invited us to appear at Crufts, I spent some
time looking at some of the clubs art treasures which were
on display. Amongst the works of art was one depicting a
‘rat killing’ contest, a sport with terriers which has
thankfully not survived. A deep sheer-sided pit would be
filled with rats, and then as the onlookers peered in over
the edge, the terriers would be dropped into the pit one
by one. The ‘Champion’ would be the one who killed the
most rats within the designated time. A ghastly form of
sport, but no doubt one which played a part in developing
the ‘rat-killing’ lines of terriers that the farmers
desired, and at the same time gave them the chance to
proudly demonstrate their best ‘ratters’, and of
course to hope for a big win on a wager! |
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ORIGINS? |
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It is around this time, and in this sort of
environment, that Terrier Racing is believed to have found
its origins. As the story goes, somewhere up on the
Yorkshire/Scottish Borders, a bunch of farmers were in the
pub one night. They would undoubtedly have had their
favourite terriers with them, loyal little terriers
typically enjoy their masters company, and vice versa, and
there is seldom much distance between a terrier and his
master. Quite probably there would have been a pot of ale on
the floor for the terriers to lap out of. The men could well
have been talking about their terriers, and very likely the
apparently sleeping little dogs on the floor would be
listening to every word, giving a little irresistible twitch
of the tail if they heard their names mentioned. |
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