Article: A visit with Jack Sterling in Chiang Mai
I had a chance to travel up north to Chiang Mai again. This time, my destination was a Thai Ridgeback Dog
kennel of Jack Sterling, an American dog breeder who many people in dog business know very well. Jack had
told me about his background and the reason why he was interested in our Thai Ridgeback dogs. In 2002, his
story was published in a Thai newspaper called “Khom Chad Luek”, the issue of the fifteenth of December.
So I’d like to take this chance to republish that article because it will give a chance for us to know more about
Jack’s life.
The story of a businessman who is absolutely pleased with the Thai Ridgeback dogs is revealed by a fifty-five
year old American man, Jack Sterling, who breeds 15 Thai Ridgeback dogs and Thai Bangkaew Dogs in the
suburbs area of San Fernando in California, America. Jack has imported Thai Ridgeback dogs to America 10
years ago.
“ I imported the first Thai Ridgeback Dogs to America in 1994. I named my male “Sakorn” after the area
where he was born near Bangkok.... SAMUTH SAKORN... He is one of many son's of the TH Champion TRD
called "BULL" owned by the late Somsit Leelhusuwan. The same BLUE TRD that was used as the "model dog "
for the BLUE dog which was part of a set of 4 postage stamps printed in 1993.....
BULL was one very beautiful TRD.” Jack said."
The inside of Jack’s house is full of various sizes of dog cages. The backyard is big enough for the twenty Thai
dogs to run around comfortably. Right now, Jack has 19 Thai Ridgeback dogs; 10 in the gray color, 3 black,
and 6 in red; and 2 Bangkaew dogs, which are various ages. Some of these dogs are Thai dogs with American
nationality. But the studs and the breeding bitches are the real Thai dogs that Jack had bought from Thailand.
Most of Jack’s dogs have the Thai names, such as Bo-Dang , Jumpee, Chaiyo and Sakorn.
“ I became interested in Thai dogs in 1994, especially Thai Ridgeback dogs... One of my friends in Hawaii told
me to go to Thailand and find my future.. When I arrived in Bangkok I stayed in a small hotel that had 4 silver
blue colored dogs running freely in its courtyard.. These were the first time I saw the breed on March 15th
1994.
From 1994 to 2003, Jack traveled from America to Thailand several times in order to buy the Thai
Ridgeback dogs from his friends Mom Somkit, the late Somsit Leelhausuwan, Khun Pitak and Khun Siri in
BangNa. and many others.
Jack told us about the major characteristics of Thai Ridgeback dogs. One is the line of hair running along from
the neck to the base of the tail in the opposite direction of the rest of hair on the body. The size of body is not
too big or too small. There are some black marks spreading around the tongue. The tail is long, small and
pointed. The ears are erected. Most of the dogs are in three major colors; gray, red and black. For white, it’s
very rare to find.
“ American people are crazy about Thai Ridgeback dogs in gray; Jack calls it blue, but the Thai are crazy
about the ones in red.”
For 10 years, Jack has not only had these dogs for himself, he has also bred them and sold the puppies to the
American. Jack said that in the present time, there are more than 500 Thai Ridgeback dogs around America.
The price is about $2,000-$3,000 or about 86,000-129,000 baht. Some are worth more than $10,000.
“ I will load all of my dogs in the truck and show them at the dog shows or the fairs. Not only the American
have a chance to know Thai Ridgeback dogs, it will give them a chance to know Thailand as well. Because
some American still understand that Thailand is Taiwan. I have to explain to then that Thailand is not Taiwan.
So it seems like I do one more job in promoting Thailand at the same time.” Jack said.
Jack also said that there were many magazines and newspapers, such as New York Time, LA Time, Esquire
and Newsweek, had interviewed him as the pioneer who first brought Thai Ridgeback dogs to America and
introduced them to the American.
“One time, something interesting happened. Nicholas Cage, the famous Hollywood actor, wanted to buy a
monkey for his son as a present. He contacted me and asked if I had any monkeys for sell. I told him that I
had only Thai Ridgeback dogs for sell. He was interested so he stopped by. After he took a look, he really
liked them. By the time, there was one three-month-old Thai Ridgeback puppy in blue. I named him “LING”,
which means monkey in English. So Nicholas Cage bought that one for his son.”
Jack told us more about his story that he traveled with his Thai Ridgeback and shown them around the country
in at least 33 states. One time when he was in Washington D.C. for the dog show, after the show, he was
walking a dog near the White House. At that moment, the former president Bill Clinton was working out by
riding a bicycle around the yard inside the White House. The former president came up to Jack and asked him
about his dogs since they looked very beautiful.
Jack had to give knowledge about Thai Ridgeback dogs to the former president for a long time that Mrs. Hillary
Clinton suggested Jack to make a chart with information about Thai Ridgeback dog on it. So whenever
anybody asked him about his dogs, he could just hand them the chart so they could read the information by
themselves and Jack did not have to spend his time explaining the same thing over and over.
“I had an idea so I made the chart telling 10 characteristics of Thai Ridgeback dogs and hanged it around my
neck. When anybody was curious about the dogs, I would just give them the chart. So they could read and I
did not have to spend my time explaining to them.” Jack said.
Jack also showed his great impression that he had toward the King of Thailand in the case that he loves and
takes good care of his Thai dogs, which Jack mentioned that Thai people and Thai dogs are very fortunate.
“I’m happy that the King loves Thai dogs because it has encouraged Thai people to give more love to Thai
Ridgeback Dogs, take good care of them and not let them become the street dogs.”
And that is the story of Jack Sterling, the pioneer who brought and introduced Thai Ridgeback Dogs to
America. I, myself, have to accept his great ability in understanding the nature of Thai Ridgeback Dogs. When
I was at Jack’s house, I saw almost 20 Thai Ridgeback dogs and Thai Bangkaew dogs running around the
playing with each other and I have to accept that I had never seen anything like that before. I think it is very
amazing because naturally these two breeds cannot stay together. If they stay together, they will naturally
fight against each other. So if anybody has a chance to travel to Chiang Mai, do not forget to visit Jack
Sterling’s house and you will be impressed the way I was. Jack’s phone number is 081-716-0420.
Writer Khun Lek of Jatujak Dog Magazine Bangkok
False stories:
Contained in this section are a few false stories and statements you will find on the internet.
Once such story was written by a very bitter woman in London England, by the name of Carmen Zapertro who
could not have it her way, so, she decided she would rather fabricate this so call "JACK STERLING STORY" and
slander me.
Here is what she writes... I will counter her story with the real truth after you read her "story" about the guy
who got her started. This is the way she re-pays me..
This is how she starts off in her "ABOUT" page..on her website....
[1] We feel that we differ from other breeders because have been so selective with all our dogs.
(COMMENT) If this was really true then why does she complain at all about the one female BLUE
pup she bought from me... her very 1st TRD.. If my puppy was so bad.. ask yourself why did she
even breed her??
We spent 2 years just looking for our dogs. We traveled to many countries, breeders and dog shows in order
to find the best dogs. We have bloodlines that no-one has and no-one else knows about. 3 out of 4 of our
adult dogs are pick of litters and the other one was the product of 2 picks of litters.
We continually strive to better our dogs. Our dogs enjoy an active life and we never forget that they are
family members also. All our dogs are house dogs and all our puppies are well socialised from a very young
age with people, children and other dogs. We promised ourselves from a very early stage that we would
never have multiple kennels with dogs kept here there and everywhere. Although we are probably not
practical we prefer quality not quantity.
(COMMENT) This is actually quite comical.. Carmen bought her only BLUE female from me... in the
end of 1999.. it was her first and from what I see in her
photos on her site the very best! Where
she got all her breeding stock is anyone's guess.. but she sure tries to play it up as if they are
the greatest TRD of all times...She got her dogs from only 2-3 people and tries to fool you into
believing otherwise.
THE JACK STERLING STORY...(as she writes it...)
We got Suki from Jack Sterling. He told us that he had 2 female pups left one with a problem on it's belly the
other one was fine.
(COMMENT) This so-called problem was actual NOT a problem that she had to worry about.. it
was a umbilical herina in which D. Robert Collett (of the MISSING LINK company) located in
Sylmar, CA. repaired for me.
We paid $3000 for the one that was fine unfortunately he sent the other one.
(COMMENT) This is NOT true.. she only paid $2000 and shipping. She was send the best BLUE pup.
That was my last BLUE litter until Feb. 9th 2005 when I just had my first BLUE litter since then.
I later read an e-mail that he'd written in which he wrote that he could only get $500 for the pups because of
their problem.
(COMMENT) This also false as I never told her that.. I was referring to any puppy who had a DSC.
Not a umbilical hernis which is very common in BLUE TRD puppies..all over the world.
We were very angry with Jack and his excuse was that he'd forgotten to tell us that Suki had had an operation
for an umbilical hernia repair.
(COMMENT) This also false as she never told me she was upset and I never offered her back any
money what so ever. i told her to return the puppy as any breeder would if she was not happy
and I will send her a new pup...the return of any payments were never discussed..
He offered ½ the money back but never sent us a penny. We couldn't understand why he lied.
(COMMENT) This is NOT true at all.. I never lied to them. I never offered back 1/2 the money she
paid for a breedable female TRD...I have sold nearly 200 people and only she writes these lies..
We had intended to buy more dogs from him but felt we could no longer trust him.
(COMMENT) This again another lie.. I never had any intenstions in doing business with her at all..
but she pleaded for me to sell her a BLUE TRD and be the !st in the UK... Well, I just helped her do
just that and then this slap in my face... SHAME on you little girl..
Although Jack let us down Suki is our pride and joy and we love her so much. She's a fine looking dog and she's very affectionate.
(COMMENT) Of course she is their pride and joy as she is the last daughter of my male SAKORN...
who was the son of BULL the same dog you see in the 10 bath postage stamp from 1993. She also
bred her several times to sell her puppies to re-coup her money she paid out in buying her and
the quarantine costs..all she did was with a "two-face" smile was to breed a female she tries to
claim was no good to get her money back. Now where are these ethics coming from..???
Feeling down and dismayed we needed to find a new breeder, someone we could trust then Peter Checkley
stepped onto the scene.
(COMMENT) She was dealing with Mr Checkley all along... do not let her try to fool you with this
sentance. I told her to be careful of him and she paid me no heed.. and then she feels "his"
rip-off and trys to compare me to his unectical ways.. she just got suckered by him plain and
simple and was burned by you own countryman.. and then she tried to make it look as if I was
the one to blame the most for her own mistakes.. She did got a great BLUE female who we all
know she loves dearly and has bred several times to be the first TRD breeder in the UK... She
wanted so badly to be the first TRD breeder in her own country. She got her wish and to show
her thanks...she writes this on her website..
Remember... you can't believe everything that is written on the internet..
My daddy taught me... If you can't say something nice about someone...say nothing at all...
For several years I chose NOT to comment on this the "only" website who makes a negative
comment about me on the internet.. I cannot mend her false statements...but I can tell you the
truth about her comments..
AND NEVER BELIEVE WHAT YOU READ ON THOSE THREE SLANDER SEEKING MSN MESSAGE
BOARDS...
SO MANY JEALOUS PEOPLE.. |
Jack Sterling's 
