Microburst (aka Micro) is my “heart dog.”  Jack Russell Terriers are the opposite of couch potatoes, and Micro is no exception.  I named her “Microburst” because that’s the term for a very intense, short-duration storm with high winds that does lots of damage – I have to admit that when Mikey first entered my household, the name was a perfect fit.  Her combination of shyness and insanity could have pushed me over the edge, but instead it pushed me to fully embrace clicker training, with amazing results.

Anyone watching Mikey’s repertoire of tricks or success on the agility field would have no idea of the painstaking efforts it took to instill the confidence and enthusiasm for play that Mikey displays now.  The challenges she presented made me a better trainer of my students’ dogs, as well as my own.

Micro’s agility accomplishments include an invitation to represent the United States as a member of the twelve-dog team that competed at the IFCS (International Federation of Cynological Sports) World Championships held in Spain in 2004, and a year later, an invitation to participate in the ESPN Great Outdoor Games (VI), where she placed 8th.  In USDAA, she has earned a silver Lifetime Achievement Award.  Micro was ranked among USDAA's top ten dogs nationwide in Jumpers for 2001 and 2003, and among its top ten dogs in both Snooker and Gamblers for 2005.

Mikey’s repertoire of tricks include:  backing up, crawling, rolling over, weaving between my legs, being a poodle, admitting she’s the guilty party by raising her paw, being dizzy (spinning in a circle and throwing herself to the ground), jumping into my arms and showing what rigor mortis looks like.  But her claim to fame comes from her ability to stack plastic rings in size order on a base.

Did I mention that she is also very cute?  (See photo!)  Her resume includes a commercial for a renowned national drug store, as well as a local feedstore, and she got to be the February calendar girl on the Brown Trout Jack Russell calendar for 2003!