So here's the thing..a pup of the same breed..

Lovely weather here tonight so made the most of it with the hounds galloping like racehorses over the usual track (or ambling like a weasel in Flo's case ) and me in pursuit on bike in a vein attempt at keeping up, summer weather gives them an extra flea up there bum! Anyway whilst playing in the river (again playing is a loose term and consists of Ralph doing his "spaniel" thing of just getting a bit weird !) we bumped into a couple who had a wee pup with them, a bouncing 15 week old wirehaired jack russel pup. And after having a stroke n watching my two swoon of the pup the couple departed, for the rest of our adventure I couldn't help but think about the wee thing, it made me miss the whole Russell presence so so much. We've looked into various breeds in recent years and visited various litters, but something always makes me realise they aren't suitable and my heart draws back to russells!
Now in an actuality aspect, it'd be no hastle to go out tomorrow and get my hands on a nice little rough haired bitch pup with a little face and big dumpy belly, HOWEVER I'm always discouraged as I feel i'd compare the pup to my old girl, gone about 4 years now..since Ralph was small, far too much. She really WAS a dog in a million, and posting about her and russells the other day on here lit the flame of passion for a wee stubborn jack again. It's quite hard isn't it? Not to feel like you're "replacing" them? Any thoughts?
I find myself becoming far too sentimental at times, part of me is screaming that it's only a bloomin breed of dog!

Perhaps we all sometimes yearn to find another dog that will fill the hole left by a previous ones departure. This is so natural isn't it - how many people go out straight away to search for a dog that looks like their dear departed friend.

In your situation, it is different because it seems that much of your yearning is not only for your previous terrier, but for the characteristics of the breed in general.

If it was me, I would draw up a list of reasons for wanting another JRT - having one column for thoughts of your last terrier, and another for general breed specific reasons for wanting another one. Study both columns carefully, and you should be able to determine whether your longing for another one is for the breed itself, or as a subconscious effort to replace a much loved character.

Luke, I think from that the time is nearly right, possibly not quite yet, but certainly I don't think it will be long before you have another JRT in your life.

I never gave myself time to consider whether I was replacing but OH and I often joke about the 'perfect' dog being something from everyone we've had. At the time we thought that Kip was perfect, but there are other things about our two now that I like more (like their cheekiness sometimes)

I guess if your girl was perfect in any way, that does make it more difficult, but maybe when you're ready for the new one you will see things in him/her that are different but that you realise you like as much if not more.

They do get under your skin When Tyler my prt died just before Syd my Dobermann came home I never expected to yearn for another in the way that I did but it sort of gnaws away at the back of the brain and wont go away. After Syd came Rio and then I saw Frankie up for rehoming on here and knew instantly without a second thought he was coming home with me and he did. I've now accepted there will always be a terrier of some discription in my life

I was exactly the same Luke.

I spent a couple of years without a dog after my previous Springer (Beau) died. When our circumstances allowed us to get another dog I couldn't decide if I wanted another Springer or not and in the end we got Skye.

He was a great little pup and we made a good choice however when it was time for him to having a little pal to play with I went ahead and got my next Springer (Fingal)

Apart from the odd remark I don't think I ever compare him to Beau. Yes they have similar traits as they're the same breed but that's all part of why people like a particular breed.

I don't think I'll ever be too far from a Springer.

Hmnn you're all as bad as me !
Ralph was only wee when the duchess was pts, i think if it was a case of just her n flo then another jrt pup would have arrived soon after her death, but the long awaited ESS pup found his way first, strange how fate works! Anyway I'm just musing away here, though I think it would be nice to have another russell learning to catch up with the other two! Of spaniels and terriers..it seems my future is set, I couldn't of chose a quiet mix could I?!

Well, we squeezed Breagh in as a third so wee terrier must be possible

Joking aside - Skye and Fingal are both 11 years old now. When we introduced Breagh the thinking (with ages in mind) was to have 3 for however long - then 2 - then 1.

We would then get a 2nd dog to go with Breagh by which point she would be of a more 'mature' age.

That's another thing that grips me, my two are four and five n a half, still plenty of life in them yet..I think i'm more tempted to wait till they are verging on middle age maybe..

Sounds to me like you're ready, Luke......

Hugs honey - Florrie was one in a million xxx

I know how you feel, I'd love another Yellow Lab, but Woody was another "one in a million" like your Polly. So as much as I'd love another, I can't help feeling I'd end up disappointed when it didn't turn out like him. And I know that wouldn't be fair on the pup, although tbh in reality I very much doubt I'd ever be disappinted with a dog.

I say go and look at some litters and see how you feel.