The Jack Russell Terrier come in distinct varieties, the Parson Jack Russell and the Jack Russell Terrier. There are three coat varieties, a smooth coat, a broken coat and a rough coat.
They are lively, independent, clever and a whole bag of fun. If you are looking for an active dog or running companion and you don’t mind being challenged in training them, this could be your perfect breed.
They need plenty of exercise and playtime; they could make the perfect jogging partner; this is not a breed for couch potatoes. You will need to be able to commit to long walks and endless games to keep them happy. This isn’t really a good option for a flat or apartment dog as they may go stir crazy without a garden.
Remember, a bored dog will usually become a naughty dog, whether it be nuisance barking, chewing or digging. Try to ensure they are occupied with jobs, playtime or plenty of exercise to keep them out of trouble.
They are affectionate family dogs who love being with an active family. They are great with older kids but do have their limits to being pulled around, so this breed is best avoided if you have youngsters. Older kids they will play and run around the garden for hours on end.
They are excellent watchdogs, you will always be alerted to anyone at the door and anything going on outside. They can be known to be nuisance barkers, so you will want to train them to be quiet on command. They can be a little wary of strangers and slightly timid, so you must curve this with good socialisation.
They are terriers and will generally be OK with other dogs and animals brought up in the same household. Strange dogs might be unacceptable, and these guys will never back down from a fight, regardless of size and shape, they think they can win everything. With one of these around, small animals and neighbourhood cats will probably get chased out of the garden. Make sure your garden is well secured; this guy is one of the best escape artists going.
They are full of fun and will tear around the house chasing balls and getting into just about everything. They are intelligent dogs but stubborn; try to keep training both interesting and avoid being harsh with them. Identifying their motivation reward early will get you the best results, and it’s normally food. Being well trained doesn’t mean the same thing as being well behaved; they know what they should be doing, but whether they choose to do it is a whole different story!
As you’ve probably guessed by now, small pets that run, squeak, or flutter probably won’t last an hour.
Their hair is low maintenance, it’s short, and they shed moderately all year round, and they tend to shed worse during autumn and spring as they change their coats. Weekly brushing will be enough to keep it under control
Jack Russell Stats
The Reverend Jack Russell was very interested in fox hunting and saw the need for a small terrier to be used to flush out foxes that had gone to the ground. In 1814 he acquired a terrier female named Trump from the local milkman, which became his foundation female – and so the breed was born.
- Weight -5kg –8kg
- Size – 25cm – 30cm
- They live for 7-10 years