Thanks, Treefrog. It can and does get cold here...I've seen 8 winters here and the average low is has been 25....with a low of 19 one year (2003) and two years with nothing below 30....the 19 degree year dessicated all of my freshly planted citrus, but all survived. The "zone pushing" plants I do have, are planted on the south side of my house with tall oak canopy, which gives me another 3-5 degrees warmth. I used to have a couple of very mature passiflota edulis vines, producing hundreds and hundreds of dollars worth of commercial quality fruit, until some sort of fungal problems got them after the 2004 hurricane season. Dr. Wallace from Armstrong Atlantic came and took cuttings from the plant ( a purple possum and a black knight) because they, like lots of things, weren't supposed to grow this far north. Having less sunlight and heatting days in the winter, I am firmly convinced, increases most subtropical plants cold hardiness. Good luck and lets hope my next freezes aren't severe, and you have no more in your forecast.

I came home to find a package at the door. Oh, the wonders to behold! first I will list Hosannahs part of the swap! A bag of Woofles A set of Greenie Dog bones A grooming glove, (she's in ecstacy!) A plush Flamingo bird toy with rope legs to pull and it Squeeks! She just loves it The first big thing I took out was a metal spotted dog door/wall hanging with a "newspaper" in mouth with the words, "Wipe your paws. " on it. A bottle of Cappuchino Toddy (serves 6) Wanna bet? heh heh Row Marker with a pack of Suttons White Lobelia tucked in the top. A bag with a note and pen caddy with pictures of german shepherd on the outside. the note paper has paw prints and the pen has german shepherd pictures on it. I will prize that. Hosannah looks just like the pictures! There was a German shepherd pencil 10 green tea bags (5 plain, 5 red) I just discovered green tea is. I love it, plus a packet of flavored Hot Chocolate. AND a geranium Cantabriense Biokovo! I'm still gloating over that one and I did not have one of those! I don't know how I can thank you, Mamabirrd. This was a wonderful surprise for me and Hosannah, who is now flipping her new bird up in the air after downing half of the Woofies. One of the green bones she hid under a sofa cushion. I guess thats for later on! Thank you again, Dawn This was the best ever! Doris

Melanie, follow your instincts. If this dog is too much for you, then talk to a rescue organization by all means. You have not failed this dog, this dog may have some big, BIG problems that you are not prepared to deal with. JRTs are a great breed, but there is a huge span of personality and temperement in the breed. I know first-hand, because I have had them for many years, but I had to give one up to Russell Rescue due to escalating, terrifyingly violent aggression against my other dogs (including her own mother.) It really came down to the commitment I had made to the oldest dog 12 years ago when I adopted her - I just could not allow the attacks to continue, because one of them was inevitably going to be fatal. We went the whole route when the problems began, from weekly visits from a dog trainer recommended by our vet for aggression problems (with much homework in between visits), to medication (which did not help), to dividing the house with baby gates - with the constant risk that one moment of inattention would launch another savage attack. At one point, the troublemaker was in her crate, and got herself so worked up into a rage that she got the OTHER TWO to start fighting on their own, just by watching her. It really was h*ll on earth for many months. It all came to a head one day when my boss took me into his office, shut the door, and said, "I'm really disappointed in your performance lately." I started crying, and it all came out - living in a war zone - the tension, the stress, the disturbed sleep, the fatigue, the arguments, the guilt, the fear, the disappointment, the injuries to the old dog (a trip to the emergency vet with a torn jugular once, a ripped eyelid another time.) My boss was really understanding, but it all suddenly became crystal-clear to me what this situation was doing to all of us, and I understood that it was time to move on. After much soul-searching, tears, and long talks with my wonderful vet, we were THIS close to putting her down (we had literally dug her grave anticipating taking her in to the vet the next morning), when Rescue called back on a Sunday night with a temporary placement, fully understanding all of the dog's problems. The Rescue people were absolutely terrific. The last I saw of my beloved pup (the dog whose birth I'd witnessed, the dog I thought I'd grow old with) was seeing her sitting on the Rescue person's lap exchanging kisses after a parking lot hand-off. Within a few weeks, they placed her with a family out of state who had experience with the breed, had lost their own aged JRT, had a fully JRT-proof backyard, and fully understood the behavioral problems. Last I heard it was working out great. Like Migo, mine was a fabulous buddy and just adored people, but could not tolerate another dog. Serious aggression between dogs is terrifying and unmistakable - it is NOT playing - not even aggressive playing. Your comment about your other dog screaming gave me chills - I remember that sound so well. Do what you have to do to protect all of the other animals to whom you have made a commitment, and do the best you can by Migo. You're not a failure - everything you've written shows that you are a sensitive and responsible dog-lover, and you need to be strong and do the right thing for everyone concerned. Best of luck, Susan

Darn smoke KRISTINE...Wonderful pics! NEW SUMMER THREAD HERE: [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/doggie-days-of-summer-seasonal-thread-part-three-dsvw-vd~5412219[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/doggie-days-of-summer-seasonal-thread-part-three-dsvw-vd~5412219) THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE GREAT PICS AND CONVERSATIONs IN THIS THREAD!