Here is Chase, helping in the garden.

Owner #2 raises border collies and lives on 30 acres. Chase was allowed to run loose all day (and night) chasing critters, etc. Owner #2 trains dogs and trained Chase to do the normal dog commands, i.e., sit, down, stay, etc. but told me she was never satisfied with (and even embarassed by) the results. (Read on for my response to this assertion.) One of this person's border collies was a very dominant bitch who wanted Chase to act like a border collie, which, of course, wouldn't sit very well at all with an FT! The result was numerous and unpredictable fights with Chase winding up on his back but still unwilling to give up. Chase was crated a lot for barking.

As the result of the fighting, Chase goes to Owner #3, a very nice lady who doesn't have a clue about terriers in general and FTs in particular. She loves Chase, but keeps him tied outside for long periods and/or in the basement. After having free access to 30 acres, his exercise is diminished to a walk in the afternoon and bolting at every opportunity. This owner thinks that the way to get Chase to obey her commands is to shout at him, which he ignores. (When I witnessed this, I initially thought he was deaf!) Owner #3 develops an allergy to Chase and wants a dog who is easier to handle and decides she has to send him to a shelter.

This is where I came in--owner #4 and last owner--and I offered to adopt this wonderful little guy. He came to us in March of 1998, which is when I discovered the Foxy list, a group of wonderful and very supportive people who have given me all kinds of advice and help on Chase.

Chase has responded very, very well to all the love and, though he wouldn't admit it, the structure we've given him. He responds to us now, and will do all the commands he was trained to do--not immediately (which I wouldn't expect from him) but in a speeded up version of "in my own good time." He is always on a lead, but we've also experimented with a drag line on walks in the woods. He loves to be outside and help his mom with the gardening, especially when he can dig and bury something. He also loves to sit on the deck (which has no means of egress except through the house) and survey his domain, with only an occasional bark to let mom and dad know there's someone or something going through his yard. He has also charmed two little girls down the street, who think it's great fun to take him (and Maggie, our Scottie) for short walks. Chase seems very gentle with them and content to put up with their affection for short periods of time.

I hope this gives you something to include on Chase's page, which I'm very excited about and flattered by. The attached picture was Chase's first encounter last spring with the pond at the back of our property.

I hope you're right that it will help someone else choose to adopt and/or rescue an FT.