Welcome, Mister Mystery!

WELCOME, MR. MYSTERY!

He might not look like much yet, but this adorable little puppy is a purebred Toy Fox Terrier (TFT) puppy. For those of you unfamiliar with the breed, it has its origins in early fox terrier litters, from even before the “fox terrier” was divided into the wire fox terrier and smooth fox terrier breeds. The TFT was developed from the smallest puppies from the larger breed litters. If breed historian accounts are true, they were recognized for their ability to maneuver easily underground, flushing foxes from their dens. Other small breeds were used to “fix” the small size and make it a consistent breed feature. Eventually, TFTs were no longer used for fox hunting and moved on to being vermin control agents on farms, performing as circus dogs, and simply living as family pets. In 1938, they were recognized as their own breed for the first time.

So that is the legacy behind Mr. Mystery. He has champions and grand champions in his bloodline. He has the hard-working fortitude of the working terrier strengthening. But Mr. Mystery doesn’t know yet that he is "royalty" of a sort or that he’s got the strength of hunters. All he knows is that he is a beloved little mite, working hard to get his breeder to pick him up or play with him some more. He is happy, healthy, loved, and secure. And soon--although he does not know it--he will be coming here to live with me. Like his breeder, I show my dogs and participate with them in dog sports. Not just the "beauty pageants" of conformation shows, but also agility, Rally obedience, traditional obedience and more. He will have all the fun in the world from which to choose.

Maybe you've seen some of these events on television. Maybe you've never heard of them at all. All dog sports from conformation to heelwork to music to skijoring to canine parkour provide a means for dogs to form a bond with the people who love them. Whether a person has a herding breed that is supposed to move three balls from one side of an arena to another (treiball) or a working breed that is tasked with finding hidden swabs soaked in various scents (nosework), dog and handler spend hours upon hours together developing skills and honing instinct. That's what I'd like to share with you in this ongoing series of articles: the development of a tiny and undeveloped puppy into a handsome, confident show and performance dog. Over time we’ll discover whether he has the structure to compete in the conformation ring, the intelligence to compete as an obedience dog, the independence to compete in agility, or the instinct to find a rat hidden in a tube (barn hunt). On the way, I’d like to share his training in the basic skills he needs to be a “good boy” and maybe have a little fun, as well!

At the moment, Mr. Mystery is just that--a mystery. I don't even know his name yet, only that his registered name will begin with "Snocrest," his breeder's kennel name. His "puppy name" has been "Damien" up till now. I don't know if I like it, as it conjures up images of that creepy child from The Omen. I have time to choose a name and may even wait till he gets here to pick one. Puppies’ brains are remarkably malleable, and he will learn a new name in a day or two once it’s chosen. Given enough “cookies,” he will be happy to have a new task ahead of him. We'll see what happens, but for now, he's simply Mr. Mystery to me. So, WELCOME Mr. Mystery! I can’t wait to finally bring you home!