Jacques (Life Is Ruff)

## Jacques

**Jean-Jacques Saint-Germaine de Dupree**, a.k.a. **Jacques**, is a prize-winning, pampered Jack Russell Terrier belonging to a stuck-up, rich boy named Preston Price in Disney's *Life Is Ruff*. When Preston gives Jacques a command, Preston speaks to him in French with a rusty, nerdy, and annoying accent. Jacques is often referred to as a cute dog when in fact, he is a mean dog who only loves and obeys his master and likes to provoke harm to others like Calvin and Tyco.

## Role in the film

Preston has taught his two-time champion dog, Jean-Jacques Saint-Germaine de Dupree a.k.a. Jacques some new tricks, which he performs perfectly well at his command in French before a basketball match at Bedford High begins; thinking his dog's performance will inspire everyone to be champions, including the school's Wildcats; much to the bore of the players and other students.

The next day, Preston bosses some workers around about where to put his new fountain in his yard next to his mansion while scolding and insulting them about their "incompetence"; thinking Jacques needs more space for training and exercise, when Jacques, all of sudden, runs and attacks Calvin Wheeler, who is minding his own business while skateboarding. Nevertheless, Preston wastes no time tending to Calvin when in fact, he pampers and tends to Jacques; thinking it was Calvin who hurt Jacques instead. When Calvin recuperates and tells Preston off with the truth, Preston refuses to listen and gives him an uninteresting lecture and education about himself and Jacques. When Preston mentions the 1st prize for winning a dog show at the Bedford Civic, in which the next one is in two weeks from now, is $5,000, it interests Calvin; knowing he can use $3,000 from it to buy the first issue magazine of Gotham Man to finally complete his collection.

A few days later, after Calvin gets a Labrador/Saint Bernard hybrid from the pound named Tyco, Preston mocks Calvin and Tyco and threatens to "destroy" them at the dog show; thinking that "dog shows are out of Calvin's league." Then, he warns Calvin "to drop whatever scheme he's planning with Tyco." Luckily, Tyco comes to Calvin's defense by going around Preston, having him tied and stranded to his leash, and then, dragging him in the mud. Calvin and Raymond Figg try to get Tyco to stop but to no avail. Even Preston calls for Jacques' help but it does not work either.

The next day, at the Royal Hound's Obedience and Obstacle Dog trial, seeing that Calvin is still in one piece and with his dog and Figg, Preston tries to get them nearly kicked out due to Tyco not being properly groomed as he sarcastically wishes them "good luck" until Calvin calls up Rondel Borden, his teammates, and his mother, who is a Beauty Salon hair dresser, to take care of Tyco's grooming while Jacques is being groomed by his master.

At the trial, both competitors compete with their dogs through the obstacle courses with Preston losing control of Jacques and despite Tyco having caused a bit of a mess and a few time penalties, Calvin and Tyco are declared the winners with Tyco earning the nickname "Tyco the Terrible" and making it to the Top-Dog finals. Preston tries to angrily protest when believing it to be unfair and accusing Tyco of cheating. When Preston thinks that he and Jacques will be impossible to beat according to a lady reporter during a small press conference, Calvin simply replies with his famous motto: "Expect the impossible."

On the day of the Royal Hound Top-Dog finals, after Calvin and his friends manage to get Tyco back (since Preston tried to get rid of him by claiming he was "a lost dog named Chester already belonging to a family"), and Preston and Jacques have finished their routine and score a 98, Preston is shocked and surprised to find Calvin and Tyco back just in time before their disqualifications. He even tells them that it will be impossible for them to beat his score but Calvin refuses to listen and continues anyway. Seeing as to how incredibly well they are performing, Preston, worried that Calvin will win and refusing to admit defeat, takes Jacques and decides to take matters into his own hands by sabotaging one of the dog obstacle courses during the show. Nevertheless, Calvin and Tyco still win, beat Preston's score by one point, and get a 99/100, and Preston gets disqualified for the sabotaging.

Along with using that reward money to buy the last comic book, Calvin uses the money for good. He gives the money to the shelter (where Tyco used to be) so that the dogs can have better homes. In the end, the shelter is saved and Figg along with many other people adopt a new pet.

## Gallery

Jacques attacking CalvinJacques' (and Preston) defeat