Jack – aka The Jackmeister General, The Yakster, The Boy Mittens
July 1997 - 12 March 2008
My first experience with Lurchers was in the mid 1970’s when my grandmother adopted a rescue Lurcher, Trudy (pictured left with the kitten she was also adopted with, Cobwebs - approximately 1976). I had the Lurcher bug and this did not change as I grew older.
In the Autumn of 1997 my life had a complete change and I decided that it was time to get a dog. A trip down to Battersea, looking for a medium sized bitch of at least 2 years old……I came back with a 3 month old male Lurcher pup. Well you can see the picture, who could resist? He was such a great puppy, very quick to housetrain, very undemanding in the house, never chewed anything and although he would counter-surf given any opportunity (and even with those little legs it was amazing how high he could stretch!), he also grew out of this habit.
Out and about was a different matter. People still say they can remember hearing us way before they saw us (usually me yelling ‘JACK!’ at the top of my lungs with a black and white puppy giving me the absolute run around!).
He matured into a wonderful and loyal companion, he still had his moments out on the heath when he’d decide to do things his way rather than mine, he is very strong willed and can be hugely stroppy (a bit like his owner!), but he has been a great dog to live with over the last 10 years.
Typical Lurcher indoors, sleeps most of the day away as long as he gets his two runs every day. He is an extremely calming dog to be around, very undemanding and extremely in tune with my moods. He is also terrified of the cats, which he wont thank me for putting on a website, but it’s true. Both my cats have bullied him and picked up on his fear. I have had to rescue him several times from a pasting from both of them!
When I adopted Oscar 18 months after Jack, Jack helped him out so much. Oscar was so reassured in having such a confident dog to live with and Jack really looked out for him. Gave me lots of space to nurse Oscar back to health and they were best friends from the first time they met. Still are today.
Jack was diagnosed with Cushings Disease in July 2006, and after a bad reaction to the medication was diagnosed with Addisons Disease in October 2006. He was dreadfully ill and I was devastated to think I may lose him. Thanks to a great on-line support group we nursed him through and as I write this in December 2007 he is fit and well and hopefully will be with me for a few years yet.
I work with all breeds of dogs and as much as I love all of them, it only furthers my belief that sighthounds are really the only dogs for me. Lurchers and Sloughis in particular. Nerves of steel are sometimes required when training a recall, but watching a Lurcher in full flight – well there really is nothing quite like it. As long as they get the exercise they require, they are extremely docile and quiet in the house in comparison to other breeds – and the bonus in the winter is the short hair, less shedding and less muck brought into the house after muddy walks!
For more pictures of Jack click here
Only 3 short months after this page was created I lost my dear Jack. He had a brain tumour which we knew nothing about, it took him very quickly and I had to say goodbye to him on 12 March 2008. You can read my tribute to Jack here
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