TerraRosa Terriers (2025)

12/07/2025

Crunch and I have recovered from our big trip out west to the Border Terrier National Specialty in Longview, Washington

While we were out there she competed in the Puppy Sweepstakes show in the 12-15 months bi***es class and earned a first place from breeder Judge Peter Holson. Peter is one of the breeders behind the lovely McHills Border Terriers.

In the national show with breeder judge Amanda Pough of Bandersnatch Border Terriers, Crunch placed fourth in the Bred By Exhibitor Adult Bi***es class. I considered this to be a huge honor not only because it was the largest class at the specialty but also because our competitors were very talented and successful people who have been honing their breeding programs, their grooming skills and their handling skills for decades.

While we were in Washington, we got to sightsee up in the mountains a little bit and took an afternoon to go see Mount Saint Helens. It was a such beautiful scenery especially for someone like myself who works in natural resources and conservation. Forty six years later you can still see the landscape altering effects from the 1980 eruption.

Thank you to the Border Terrier Club of America for putting on such a wonderful event!

21/06/2025

The terriers and I went to the work day that the Low Country Rat Wranglers Barn Hunt Club had this morning. After all the old bales were cleared out and new rings were built, the dogs got to hunt. Claire the most experienced hunter of the TerraRosa crew decided she didn’t want to play by the rules and fouled the ring twice! Crunch found the rats with a little guidance but said it’s kinda hot out here mom. How right you are Crunch!
Rowan for her first time at barn hunt did great! She correctly identified the rat tube on the instinct board and went through the tunnel. She did think jumping on the hay bales just for the heck of it was kind of silly though.

14/06/2025

Claire’s Grand Championship certificate came in the mail!

30/05/2025

I have been incredibly remiss in updating everyone on Miss Soleil’s adventures!

In the last couple months since she turned a year old she has been tearing up the fastcat field. She has been going over 23 miles per hour in the straight 100 yard dash and racked up over five hundred points to earn both her BCAT and DCAT titles! Her fastest time is 8.742 sec for 23.40 mph. Her current 3-run average is 23.29 mph!

She has also been very keen with her nose and earned Scentwork Handler Discrimination Novice and Advanced titles. She earned the advanced title just today! She very cleverly sniffed out hidden cotton balls that had her handler, Papa Matt pictured below, scent on it. She was two for two today in her classes.

She has also been a shining star in the conformation ring earning three more points and even a best of breed one day!

Her current name pending AKC is:

TerraRosa Here Comes The Sun! DCAT SHDA RATN STR TKI

I am so beyond proud of Soleil and all her adventures and accomplishments with Ann and Matt Leist!

Pictured is Matt and Soleil with her SDHA ribbon today!

24/05/2025

Claire earned her Grand Championship (AKC pending) last week!
We want to say thank you to Judge Robert Hutton and all of the others that saw the value in Claire over the last three years!
I also want to thank her breeders Monica Errico and Leslie Sprando. Thank you to all of the people that taught me how to be a better handler, a better groomer and a better dog sportsperson. Thank you to my mom the best bucket lady around. Thank you to my dad for being a great problem solver and Sophie sitter. Special shout out to Kate Mitchell, Jody Michel, Faith Langford, Sarah Avila, Erin Schwartzkopf, Jessie Fuller, Hohyun Lee and so many more people!

*GCH* CH Scentsible Sassenach O' Redwine RI NE CAA FCAT RATN CGCA TKN FITB BTCA-V

Claire now only needs one more Junior Earthdog leg for the title which will earn her the next level Versatility Award with the Border Terrier Club of America - Versatility Excellent-VX. Claire has put in a petition that we start doing more agility, so look forward to that sure to be entertaining spectacle coming to a trial near you!

17/05/2025

Claire had a big day at the Greater Kingsport Kennel Club show! First she went and got best of breed which was also the third champion defeated event which means (pending AKC confirmation) that she has completed her grand championship!

Then to put a cherry on top she got owner handler group four!!
I didn’t cry toooo much about my best girl’s wins today.

*GCH CH Scentsible Sassenach O' Redwine RI NE CAA FCAT RATN CGCA TKN FITB BTCA-V

10/05/2025

Claire, Crunch and I went over to Perry today to take advantage of the cardiac and eye health clinic put on by the Macon Kennel Club. Crunch got an echocardiogram and both Claire and Crunch got their annual CAER eye exams. All three tests were pronounced normal! We will be sending the paperwork in to OFA shortly. Thank you to Macon KC for bringing these clinics to South Georgia!

22/04/2025

Hey look another dog show where I forgot to take pictures!

Despite this, Rowan had a great weekend in Maryland!
She was awarded Select Bitch and Best of Breed Owner Handled twice for a total of ten grand champion points!

It was so wonderful to meet so many new friends who welcomed us so warmly to the breed. The Potomac Skye Terrier Club hosted its regional specialty along with the Columbia Terrier Association’s specialty. I had never seen so mant Skye Terriers in one place before! The folks of the PSTC had wonderful prizes, ribbons and hospitality! They freely gave of themselves in knowledge and camaraderie which made the long drive very worthwhile!

We also got to see many Border Terrier friends we otherwise only see at the national specialty. Crunch won the Bred By Exhibitor class at the terrier specialty on Friday!

Last but definitely not least thank you to my mom who bravely joined the terriers and me on this adventure!

09/04/2025

Week 52

It has been one year!! It’s hard to believe it but a year ago today the eclipse babies were born! Soleil and Crunch have been on many adventures this past year and accomplished a lot of great things!

In the last few weeks, both Crunch and Claire have gotten new titles and certificates along with their professional photos!
Claire earned the Coursing Ability Advanced title. Crunch earned her Virtual Home Manners Puppy title and her certificate for becoming a Puppy of Achievement came in the mail!

Rowan did a fun run at FastCAT where we were able to get some fabulous pictures of her hair flying around. She is such a great breed ambassador wherever we go!

Soleil returned to the conformation ring after weeks of being a little rockstar at barn hunt! She was awarded a Best of Breed this past Saturday and followed it up with a Winners Bitch on Sunday for three more points towards her championship! Congratulations Ann and Soleil!

I plan to document Crunch with stack and snack box photos monthly for this next year. We have some exciting adventures planned that we will update as they happen.

21/03/2025

Weeks 48 & 49

I forgot to post last week because I was so busy getting ready to leave town and then subsequently leaving town! We went to the Kentuckiana Cluster in Louisville, Kentucky. It was a big week and very much worth the drive. I got to see Soleil for the first time since she went to her new home last July! Both puppies got to participate in a judges seminar which was a really neat experience!
Soleil showed Thursday and Friday and then went back to Ohio to compete in Barn Hunt where she earned her second Open Level leg while also going High in Class!
Crunch competed in conformation all four days. There were majors in girls all four days! On Thursday and Friday Crunch was awarded reserve. Then on Saturday and Sunday she was awarded winners and got both of her major wins out of the way for four and three points respectively!
Rowan also participated in the show cluster by strutting her stuff around the breed ring. On Thursday Kate Mitchell took her in due to a ri g conflict with Border Terriers but they earned Best of Breed for two grand points. I took her into the group ring that evening. Then on Friday I was able to show Rowan and she earned a Best of Breed and Best of Breed Owner Handled for three grand points! We went to the group rings again and didn’t get done until 8:30 pm that day!
On Saturday and Sunday Rowan earned Best of Opposite for two grand points each!
It was a bit stormy while we were in Kentucky so that was a new experience learning how to show groom a coated breed on a rainy day.
I want to offer congratulations to Kate and Valko for their big wins of best of breed and best of opposite on huge entries on a specialty weekend!

I have been practicing more on my leather braiding which has been fun. This next lead is going to be for Kate who picked out all the details.

Claire finally got stripped down to her jammies much to dismay.

I also got to take a Japanese Terrier into the Open show for unrecognized by AKC breeds which was a fascinating little dog to meet.

TLDR: We had a fun week in Kentucky and the terriers won some cool ribbons! We saw lots of new and old friends and lots of beautiful dogs. Over 4300 dogs were there on the largest day!!

04/03/2025

Week 47

This week was a wild one outside of the dogs but pretty routine from their perspective. We are working on Rowan and my debut in the ring together and growing coat. Crunch is getting ready for her first chance at a major. Claire says please excuse her wooly appearance because she is growing her coat for being a demo dog for a grooming lesson.
I also started practicing my leather braiding skills. I have a long way to go but I always enjoy learning another crafty hobby!

26/02/2025

Week 46

Simone the Standard Poodle was back in town this week and brought some food puzzles for all the girls to play! We decided to put the five girls to the test and timed their efforts!
In “last place” was Rowan because after getting one of the treats out she decided that this was a very dumb way to pass the time and quit. 😂
Next in fourth place was Simone who got most of the puzzle out by herself but ultimately decided this was a lot of work for just a tiny little piece of biljac.
In third place was Sophie who really could have benefited from the puzzle being nailed down. In her excitement to find the treats she slung the puzzle across the room with each swipe of her paw losing valuable time chasing the puzzle around.
In second place was Crunch. She was really excited about her first food puzzle experience and became really proficient the more experience she got opening each one.
In first place by over a minute was Claire. Claire was alternating methodical and frenzied in her go at the puzzle. She was very excited to get at the biljac and her experience with food puzzles gave her the edge… for now.

Rowan got her weekly spa treatments and her hair is growing in beautifully!

TerraRosa Terriers