Jug Head's Page

Ok, where do I start. My name is Jug Head Cieslinski. I have also been called Juggers and Juggy by my mom. She thinks they are cute nicknames. I am a tri-color male weighing in at 60lbs. I have a boyish figure and am very muscular, any girls out there? I believe I was born on 11/21/1999 (makes me a little over 3) but those details are fuzzy since I am a rescue dog. I don't know who my parents are but I think my foster mom's dog Able, is my daddy. But those days are behind me because on December 31, 2000, Ken & Cheryl adopted me! Boy what a day that was. I went to this pet store and helped myself to all kinds of stuff. I got everything I wanted and more. It was on that day that mom and dad said I had no manners and that I needed to go to obedience class.

So off to class, I went...

Obedience class was fun. But the last day was better. There was all this stuff out, wasn't sure what it was. I got to climb stuff and jump over things and run through tunnels and that was my first introduction to agility. I was hooked! Mom signed me up for a class and that is how it all started.

Well I took classes for a long time and when the next summer came I got to go to private lessons. My instructor Deb, even gave me my own chair, since I won't sit on the ground (the grass tickles my, well you know). Mom spoiled me there. So as the lesson went on I got better and better. Then in the fall of 2002 I entered my first trial at my own kennel club in Racine. I got my very first Jumpers With Weaves leg and a big ribbon, which I tried to eat, and a toy. I still remember the judge saying "Boy that basset can run", as I ran past her. And the crowd cheered! People don't think that Bassets can run, but my sister can run 16 miles an hour (show off)!

I also like to do tricks. Late last summer I went to a nursing home for the first time to do Therapy Dog work. Boy I liked that. Those people gave me food and asked me to come back. So now, every so often, I go back and do my tricks for them. I also have my GCG, Canine Good Citizen Certificate from the AKC. I would have my TDI, Therpay Dogs International Certificate, but I just can't walk by food on the ground and "leave it". Can't do it, food is meant to be eaten, not left on the ground. So I keep practicing that, well maybe mom does but I keep getting the food!

I learn tricks fast, especially when there is food. I love to do them for crowds of people. That is why I do demonstrations where my dad works as an instructor assitant teaching obedience. My mom also teaches agility at For Pet's Sake and I help her showing people how to do things.

My mom dresses me up in costumes a lot. I have more costumes than she has clothes I think. I have won many contests incluing, Most Pawtriotic and the Best Male Beach Bum, complete with glasses and a squirt gun!

I think my favorite food is hot dogs, but I can eat anything. I have been known to eat remote controls, food, pencils, food, paper, food, toilet paper, food, the garbage can, food, the cat box contents, food, the cat's food, food, the couch, food, the rugs in the family room, food and more! Plastic is my favorite, I guess after food! I also have won many eating contests, I will eat anything. I ate anchovies and dill pickles once to win. Hmmm.

Last fall I went to my first Bassethound Nationals in Columbus, IN. It was great! So many dogs, I have never seen so many, seemed like thousands. When I got out of the truck someone yelled, "it's Jug Head". How did they know me? Well they have heard of me doing agility. So many people have. Not many bassets do agility but I love it! I ran 2 times and didn't do so well. I got nervous and ran out of the ring. Mom has it on video and in pictures.

About a month or so ago, Iams Dog Food Company saw me and invited me to become an Iam SuperDog. Check them out at www.superdogs.com. It is a traveling aglity show to create awareness of what activities people can do with their dogs. I get to do more tricks and agility. People love to see me run and I love the people. We perform at pet expos and shows in the area.

So when I am not doing all the stuff above, I volunter to do events with HAWS, Humane Animal Welfare Society in Waukesha, GABR, Guardian Angel Basset Rescue in Illinos and Happy Endings No Kill Shelter in Milwaukee amoung others. I like to do things to help animals not as fortunate as I am. I help raise money and create awareness of adopting pets from these types of groups. You can find me at local pet stores, pet expos and shows on the weekends. I travel through out Wisconsin and Illinios to do this.

So, how do I relaxe you ask? I play with my sister Little Miss "Libby" Liberty. She is a 2+ year old, small(30 lbs.) female with more energy than me some days. She does agility (not as good as me, but we don't tell her that) also so we get to spend a lot of time together. I also like to play with stuffed toys, my tug rope, play in the yard and eat. What else can a dog do?