Photo by Chris Spooner, one old friend guards another at the 2001 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, Hillsdale NY
A Fond Remembrance of a Dear and Silly Old Dog
August 1986 - June 7, 2002
Originally written for True Grit Magazine by my ex-wife Karin Franklin, and moderately amended and augmented by me
Teddy was born in August of 1986, in Glastonbury, CT to Farmcliff Kennels owned by Bob and Genie Franklin. He was just the second litter born to Farmcliff and he was the "runt" of the litter. His first name was "Spectacles" because of the brown markings over both eyes. He was so fuzzy that you couldn't even see his toes. Even though he was small, he was tough and told the other puppies off on a regular basis.
Teddy is the cute little guy in the middle
It was his tenacious attitude and his fuzziness that attracted me. I was in college at the time and left for my junior year expecting that he would be sold as a family pet before I would get home on holiday. But no one seemed to want him and when he was still at home at Christmas time and my parents saw how much Teddy and I had bonded, they decided to keep him. He was named Teddy in honor of my great-aunt Mable's dog Teddy who was so fuzzy, my aunt didn't realize "he" was a "she" until she had the dog clipped.
Initially, we worried that Teddy was weak in the hind end. He learned to climb up the wicker sofa like a ladder and we speculated that he hadn't properly developed in the hind end because of that.
After he was a year old and living in the kennel, we began to realize there was no reason for concern. He quickly showed an aptitude for the straight races over hurdles becoming popular at Jack Russell Terrier club events, often winning races by charging through the narrow haybale hole at the finish line in hot pursuit of the fox tail lure when other dogs would slow down. He grew to be right at the 12 and half inch height limit for racing.
At two years old, Teddy began to win races regularly. And he continued to win until he was retired at the age of 11. He was Jack Russell Terrier Club of America National Racing Champion in 1988, 1990, 1991 and 1994. In 1992 and 1993 he raced in the Veteran class and therefore was ineligible for the championships. In 1994, the Veteran division was removed from the trial and Teddy raced and won the championship division at the ripe old age of 9. Teddy was also the winner of the 10-12 1/2" Stakes Race Challenge in 1988, 1989, 1992, 1993 and 1994. Based on the fact that he won the Stakes Race in both 1992 and 1993, he could have conceivably won the championships those years as well if I hadn't entered him in Veteran.
A rare unmuzzled race, but a typical scene; other dogs watching Teddy from behind heading over the hurdles towards the finish line. He's only two years old in this photo.
Still, Teddy's most spectacular and publicly noticed accomplishments seem to come in the Terrier Races at the International Horse Show in Washington DC. Competing for the first time as an older dog in 1993, he won the championship 4 years in a row without ever losing a heat and was the darling of the Horse Show crowds. We decided to let him go out on top and retire him as an undisputed legend at the age of 10
The next year the Horse Show invited him back for a special retirement ceremony on the Saturday night, dimming the lights in the arena save a single spotlight on the track and letting him run once last time by himself. His popularity at the Horse Show got him invited to race at the "George Michaels Sports Machine Invitation Challenge Race" held in the halls at Washington DC's NBC4 TV station, and he won there three years in a row before he retired.
I always considered Teddy the "Babe Ruth" of the racing world. When he ran, it was all or nothing. In years he didn't win the national championship he crashed into jumps in the championship race. his hurdling was a thing of beauty, and thanks to the years of television taping at the horse show and NBC we had the opportunity to see his technique in slow motion on the VCR. He always pushed the envelope, aiming to clear the hurdle with maximum forward and minimum upward motion it seemed, and thus would occasionally hit one and crash and burn. The years he did win, often he would enter the hole at the finish line behind another dog and come out first on the other side to win. The other dog's hesitation nearly always cost them when they raced with Teddy.
Teddy was also an amazing personality. He converted many a person who said they hadn't met a Jack Russell Terrier they liked. He was so calm and cuddly compared to many Jack Russells, that he was even able to convert someone who was deathly afraid of dogs to the point where Teddy would sleep with her when she came to visit. Teddy first lived with me in an apartment in Newport News, VA. I didn't know a soul there, so Teddy and I made our own fun going to the beach and the park for walks every day. He became the frequent flier dog too as we flew home to CT three or four times. Teddy didn't mind, even when he was placed on the conveyor for the luggage when we had a flight delayed.
Teddy did a lot of hiking, canoeing, sailing and camping. He even did some crazy stuff like inner tubing and sledding. He was willing to try anything. We tried to discourage him from hunting but he got his share of mice, groundhogs, an unfortunate opossum family living under the porch, and even crabs at the beach. He loved to graze in the garden, eating tomatoes, peas and even corn right off the vine. Most of all, he liked being with people, following the humans around wherever they went.
Hanging out on a lazy summer day as he so often would, snoozing through a rousing rendition of some old time fiddle tunes with Drew and pal Dana Robinson
In his later years after Drew and I split up, he became Drew's constant touring companion and traveled all over the US, sleeping in the guitar case during the shows and making friends everywhere he went. He had a girlfriend or two in practically every town in the eastern two thirds of the US, and was quite comfortable as a house guest in different places from night to night.
As much as the traveling must have been tough on him as he got older, he simply always wanted to be wherever Drew was going and he took him everywhere he could. As I did, they enjoyed a great many hikes and walks through amazing places from national parks to urban dog runs wherever they went.
Teddy riding in the van across Utah, in his normal king suite in the back
I was blessed to have the opportunity to share my life with Teddy. He comforted me when I was sad, forced me to stay active because he had to have that morning and evening walk (or he would become quite unmanageable) and was a constant companion to me and later Drew. He never fathered any puppies, a source of regret to both of us, but ensuring that he was truly one of a kind. We both miss him very much.
June 7, 2002
My faithful old canine companion Teddy passed away this morning, at home in the warm sun in my arms with the help of his vet. On Monday we discovered the cancer that has been slowly consuming his vital organs for several months. We decided that it was best to end his suffering as soon as we could arrange to be here together here at home. My ex-wife Karin and my girlfriend and touring companion Mary Byrd were both there with us yesterday and today, along with our dear friend Susan Rickard. He was two months shy of his 16 birthday.
I have a huge hole in my life, my home, my van and my heart, but I have no regrets, as we did everything together that I could have ever wanted. He has traveled over 100,000 miles with me in the last three years, climbed mountains and rode rivers that most dogs would only dream of, and all of those bonus years on top of his 5 Jack Russell Terrier Association National Racing Championships and 4 World Championships at the International Horse Show. He was a very special soul and has touched an enormous amount of people with his light in his sixteen years.
Teddy now rests here at home in the shade of a favorite mulberry tree with a lovely view of all his favorite things. We had a beautiful day and a beautiful time helping to send him on his way. In due time I'll be able to respond to all of the emails and beautiful wishes that folks have shared during this incredibly difficult week, but thanks in the short run for your patience and know how much all that is appreciated. Teddy is very deeply missed, but was never left wanting for love.
Andrew
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Saturday, June 15, 2002