my boy, knuckles...

like father, like son.

Pardon my ignorance, but what in the world are your dogs doing in those holes? Did they dig them???
Fine looking dogs.

[QUOTE=bigbossman]Funny you should ask - we just rescued a Golden Retriever about 3 months ago. The former owners got him as a pup, tossed him in the yard, and ignored him for 8 months. Wild as a March hare, but not a mean bone in his body, and smart. He's a handful, a constant source of entertainment, and an excellent partner for our 11 year old daughter.

This is why 6 year olds need a puppy! They both run out of zoom at about the same time!

These two rule my house.

...

The dogs are in groundhog holes, going toe to toe with the chuck that dug the holes. It's about the most bizarre form of hunting there is, taking shovels and other assorted digging tools out and watching dogs try to locate something in the earth. When they do, they search it out underground and either drive it from the earth - bolt - or to a dead end. When they hold the critter in one place, we dig them up. They wear electronic transmitter collars and we can tell exactly where they are in the ground and how deep. The deepest I've ever dug to a dog was a measured 10 1/2 feet. The dog was in the ground with two raccoons. The other pics are of my dogs racing. We go to Jack Russell Trials all over the U.S. and that is one of the performance events at the trials. Thanks for the complement.

Is there some kind of competition that requires a muzzle to enter? Is it just being carefull ?

That's awsome!!!! Are the dogs trained to do that or is it instinct????

Terrierman spake. . .

>>> When they hold the critter in one place, we dig them up. They wear electronic transmitter collars and we can tell exactly where they are in the ground and how deep. The deepest I've ever dug to a dog was a measured 10 1/2 feet.

That may just be the most bizarre pasttime I've ever heard of! [Laughed so hard, I think I peed myself a little.] The dog chases the whistle-pig into the bowels of Mother Earth. . .gloms onto it. . .and waits for you to retreive her and the whistle-pig. . .by digging them both up! Too cool. . .I wonder why you bike at all with this kind of stuff going on.

They have to wear muzzles when racing. They get pretty geared up and without muzzles there would be dog fights galore. And the people catching them at the end of the race track would soon be missing digits...

Instinct reinforced with training and experience.

Yeah, it's pretty crazy - but very exciting and a lot of fun. Terrier work has a very long history going back to England and other European countries where fox hunting was considered great sport. The terriers were developed and used to find and either drive the fox from the earth or hold it in place until dug to and then released so the hounds can keep chasing and the followers can keep riding and having more great sport. Lovey and I have been over there a few times to do just that. It's a blast. As to the dogs - imagine the courage needed to go into a pitch black den to seek out a good fight with a fox or a raccoon or a woodchuck... they never cease to amaze me.

The terrier work is fairly physically demanding and I need to do something at this stage of my life to be able to keep up with the program. With my bad knees and bad back, the bike is just the ticket. Plus it's great fun (the bike I mean) and is one of those overall good things to do...