Page 28 - JRT Magazine - 2023 Issue 2

Perspectives

and told Luca that I had found my way.
As a beginner I started the process to become a
As the impulsive person that I am, when I decided professional agricultural breeder and at the same
to start my kennel, I contacted a lady at a show time to develop my affix (registered kennel name).
near my home and asked her where her dog was At that time, it wasn’t enough to pay the Kennel
from. At that time in Italy, you could only see Club to have an affix, but you were supposed to
“vintage” type of Jack Russell Terriers even on own at least 3 bitches that should have received
the showground. But registering Molly with the at least three “Very Good” judging from 3 different
RSR gave me the opportunity of meeting other judges. This was to warranty that your stock was
“amateurs” of the breed, and we began to talk “good enough” to be used for breeding — it made
about the breed. I went to visit the kennel that sense!
lady had indicated, and I purchased there my first Did you have mentor/mentors and how have
breeding stock: 5 girls and 1 boy. They were all they helped you? Have you been inspired by
smooth coats and nothing like the
type we know today. But I had
been lucky enough to choose 3 Olaf Garetta
honest bitches. The male and 2 of with All Jacks
the bitches were not only ugly, but Be Special
also mad as killers, so I immediately
moved them to families, because
fights between them were a daily
event.

Talking with my new dog-friends,
I started to realize that there was
a world around every breed, and
discovering the one around Jack
Russells has been so much fun. I
met so many people, made new
friends, visited new kennels, and
realized that the style of JRTs I had
known at the beginning weren’t
the only representatives of the
breed.

At the same time, I started to
breed my founder bitches with
a male I purchased from San
Martino Delle Scale, in Sicily,
Paco. Paco fortunately was much
more like a little Parson than a typical old-style any other Kennels/breeders?
Jack, and thanks to him I bred some decent I didn’t really have a mentor, but one of the
smooth-coated JRTs for that time. breeders I started to follow closely and who
I considered more or less my mentor, was
Starting with my smooth breeding stock was Francesca Scorza, from Touchstar Kennel. I think
excellent experience in learning to manage Francesca was well-disposed toward me when
everything involved in breeding: food, health, we first met, and I’m sure she would have given
litters, vets, kennels, cleaning, etc. me a puppy, sooner or later, if my impatience
My kids were kids, and so were happy to share wouldn’t have made me buy Paco from a different
with me in this new life. Kennel…. but so it went. Anyway, I continued to

28 | A Worldwide Magazine for the Jack Russell Terrier / Russell Terrier • Issue 2/2023