This article is entitled...

Profile of Jane Kuska

by Tam Cordingley

Jane was and is first and foremost a real dog person. She could always appreciate a great one in any breed. Jane was a child of a very good family and was, from childhood, an individualist. She was an artist. Did beautiful charcoal and pencil portraits of the dogs, and her cartoons were an everyday source of amusement at the ranch, as Crag Crest was fondly called. One of my favorites was from the Collie days. A very loooong headed, spindly bodied rough collie, titled Grand Champion Pinbody Peerless. Some of her education was on a working ranch where she developed the strong work ethic and appreciation for a good, sound, using animal that she has maintained her whole life.

When I was closest to Jane was from 1963, when I met my first Fox Terrier, to 1982, when I left Crag Crest to open my own kennel in the Carolinas. Jane and her husband Fred, had a 66 acre ranch in Colfax, California. They had raised rough Collies for many years and were winding down the Collie end of the ranch. At my first meeting with Jane she had one of the biggest German Shepherds I had ever seen. Beau was German bred and very tough. I doubt I will ever forget the sight of that huge head sounding alarm over the ½ door to Jane's bedroom/study. There were still a few creaky old Collies at the barn, and the beginnings of a great Fox Terrier kennel.

They were looking for a smaller breed, which would be easier for Jane to show. She was beginning to have trouble with her knees. She read an article in, I think, Kennel Review, which said Smooth Fox Terriers were a breed in need of saving. Fred and Jane talked it over and did some research, and decided to look into getting a few smooths.

The first dogs were from the Jan-Jac Kennels, in Petaluma, California, Mr. Jacobsen. They were primarily Andely breeding. They were much loved and very typical FT but were not of the quality that Jane wanted. Jane and Fred took a trip to England and bought a few very good ones and made contacts that enabled them to buy more. They bought the black and white Newmaidley Black Tulip and her brother, whose name escapes me. Tulip excelled in head and ear. They also bought Newmaidley Joshua, a tan and white who was known for his strong character and soundness. Shortly later she bought Grambrae Serene, nicknamed Irish, a tan and white who did a lot of winning in the late 60's or early 70's. Also Watteau Snufsed of Crag Crest,a tan and white Snuff Box son. Also among the imports was Ch. Boreham Barrister, black and tan. Taury also excelled n terrier character, a grand little dog. These dogs were the nucleus of the breeding stock at Crag Crest until the early 70's. They bred many litters and kept, unshown, almost all of the offspring.

Part of the reason Crag Crest has not bred the greatest number of Champions is that Jane couldn't bear to let the "homedogs" go off and become great showdogs. The dogs that the Kuska's showed were primarily dogs they had bought. They also sold very few dogs. Unless the prospective buyer could satisfy Jane that they could provide a better home than she could for the dog the dog stayed at the ranch. They had lost interest in the showing end of the dogs when Jane could not show the dogs herself because of her knees. Many of the dogs they bought were sent to handlers to be shown and finished then returned to the ranch to live out their lives like real dogs.

In the early 70's Jane and Fred bought Viscum Violet and her brother Viscum Vildean. Shortly before that they had bought Grambrae Silver Glint and Foxformee Joan. These were the start of the famous Crag Crest whites. Violet was like a little Dresden statue, white with tan ear freckles, quiet in disposition, and a darling. Her brother Vildean was a very stallion type dog, also tan and white, fantastic bone and general body shape. Silver Glint, Paddy, was very typy, white with a black eye patch. The most beautiful little flinty eye I have ever seen. Very short back without sacrificing the proper angulation. His tailset was also superb.

Foxformee Joan was bred to Ch. Boreham Barrister and produced Jane's beloved Evel. Crag Crest All Clear. Evel was shown very lightly and acquitted himself well but his true value was as Jane's constant companion and the sire of some of the first homebred Champions in many years.

I came to work at Crag Crest in 1976 to help in the new kennel section and to train and show the youngsters bred on the ranch. They were just too good not to show. The litter of Brucie, T'other, Twoie, was about 6 months old at the time. We finished Crag Crest Violet's Are Blue, "Tother" fairly quickly. Brother Brucie, whose registered name was Right Royal of Crag Crest, earned a major and about 9 points. The others from that litter were unshown.

After she finished T'other was bred to Brat. This litter was packed with quality. Yukon, " CC To Beecher's Brook", Ch. Crag Crest Boxcar Willie, Sinful Sabra of Crag Crest,14 points 3 specialty majors, and Ch. Crag Crest Shogun. Shogun, of course, went to Dottie Carlson who has done well with him and his kids. I must confess Shogun was my favorite from this litter and I was heartbroken when he was sold. Sabra died very young from an injury.

Next litter was Violet to Evel. This produced the all white litter pictured. They were beautiful. Little China Doll was almost ethereal in her beauty. These guys were somewhat different than the old style working type FT. They were more hair-trigger, more stylish. Gorgeous heads and ears, varminty expressions, and, of course, the sound movement required by JK.

The breeding philosophy at Crag Crest was always breed type with unquestioned soundness. Always seeking size, feet, zest-grit, and black eyes. Generally there were only one or two litters a year bred at the ranch. Jane was very definite on the way the dogs would be treated, and had the staff and the knowledge to make sure they were treated properly.More on the kennel operation in the Reflections on Crag Crest article. Only the best were bred, the rest were housed royally, lived very happy and healthy lives, and enriched the lives of all who knew them.

It was a privilege and a joy to have been able to spend many years as the helper and companion to such an astute dog woman. The education in Fox Terriers was priceless.

Thc/2002