R' Baby Lil Prince Jasper NJP

Jasper, Chihuahua

Owner/Handler: Deborah Ward

Photographer: Gary Dickinson

Jasper is a two-year old Chihuahua who earned his first agility title in May, 2011.

Finding Jasper was a long process. I was looking for a Chihuahua with scores in the performance dog range on the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test. Plus, the dog had to meet structure criteria that I picked up a Pat Hastings seminar, Puppy Puzzle: The Hastings Approach to Evaluating the Structural Quality of Puppies. I looked at over 50 Chihuahuas before I found Jasper. Surprisingly, I had a harder time finding a Chihuahua with good knees than one who would retrieve a piece of crumpled paper.

Jasper FAQ for inquiring minds

How much does he weigh?
He weighs 3 pounds, 12 ounces. (He has a tendency to beef up a couple of ounces.)

How much does he eat?
Two tablespoons of kibble a day.

Can he do the teeter?
On a really good day, yes. He's got to run all the way to the down. The teeter is Jasper's nemesis. We've been working on it for a long time. We will continue to work on it until he's confident.

Does he like agility?
He loves to play. He loves to run. He loves the extra teaspoon of treats he gets on training days. Agility is the highlight of his week.