Jack Russel Dog?

They are highly intelligent, happy little dogs with a drive to please who excel at dog sports like agility and 'earth dog' trials. They have load of personality. On the flip side, they require an enormous amount of exercise along with mental stimulation every single day or they can and will be incredibly destructive and obnoxious. They tend to be barkers, and need to have activities to do all the time, or they will entertain themselves in inappropriate ways. Most people are not well-suited for a Jack Russell Terrier, but in the right home with an owner who understands their needs, they can be a great pet.

The Jack Russell Terrier: A Working Dog

The Jack Russell is a happy, bold, energetic dog; they are extremely loyal, intelligent and assertive. Their greatest attribute is their working ability, closely followed by their excellent qualities as a companion. A Jack Russell can be equally contented bolting a fox or chasing a toy in your living room, or equally adept at killing a sock in the living room or a rat in your barn. Their funny antics will continually amuse you, their intelligence seems to know no bounds and their assertive nature and boundless energy can at times be overwhelming.

A Hunting Dog

While adaptable to a variety of environments, they are first and foremost bred to be hunting dogs. City or apartment living, or a confined or sedate lifestyle, do not meet the needs of a Jack Russell. These little dogs require what may seem to be an extraordinary amount of human attention, outdoor activity, exercise, discipline and an understanding and acceptance of their hunting nature. They have been known to train their owners more often than not.

Jack Russells can be very aggressive with other dogs, and in fact more than two should never be kept together unattended. There have been many instances of terriers being hurt, even killed, by their fellow terriers; even young pups over the age of eight weeks must be carefully monitored. It is imperative that prospective Jack Russell owners understand this part of the terrier's nature. Special facilities and handing are absolutely necessary when owning a Jack Russell, and especially when owning two or more Jack Russells. Their natural hunting instinct also brings out aggression towards other small animals such as cats, gerbils, guinea pigs, etc.

It is said that the courage of the Jack Russell is never in doubt; surely a true statement, as they have often been known to take on an adversary twice (or more) their size. They require firm, consistent, responsible handing; they are very intelligent, determined and bold (sometimes to the point of abandon, which could be fatal).

While outdoor activity and exercise is essential, the Jack Russell should never be permitted to roam unattended, even in the most remote country setting. The Jack Russell is, above all, a hunting dog - and will go to ground at every given opportunity, to any quarry - they are afraid of nothing. Many a Jack Russell has been known to stay in an active earth for days, even weeks, without food or water because of the strong instinct bred into them to stay with their quarry. It can be very frightening experience to lose your terrier and an impossible situation to the untrained owner inexperienced in earthwork; the results could be tragic.

A Family Pet

The Jack Russell can make a terrific family pet, and gets along well with well behaved children. One of the Jack Russell's most surprising qualities is a kind and gentle nature. He is usually friendly with small children, provided the child understands how to properly handle the terrier. Having the natural assertive terrier characteristics, however, the Jack Russell will not put up with even unintended abusive nature from a child. This should be carefully considered, particularly with children under the age of six.

The Jack Russell has been a popular breed in England for many years, and is now attracting a variety of followers with varied interests in this country and other countries around the world. The JRTCA strongly encourages all those interested in the breed to thoroughly study all aspects of the Jack Russell, its special characteristics and needs, and to make a careful evaluation of whether this unique little dog will fit into your lifestyle.

The Jack Russell does require special handling, and there is special information to determine if the Jack Russell Terrier is the right dog for you.

The Jack Russell is a very special breed; it has been kept sound, functional, intelligent and relatively unchanged because of responsible people who have cared about its heritage. The major goal and purpose of the JRTCA is to maintain the Jack Russell as the wonderful working terrier that it has been for more than 100 years. The real future of the Jack Russell, however, depends on all owners and breeders, who will hopefully share the JRTCA's dedication to preserving the Jack Russell Terrier as the sound working breed it has been for many generations and for many more generations yet to come!

Pros:

--They are very fun, loyal, and playful dogs....are great dogs if you have the right attitude (patience, energy, consistency, and a good sense of humor). Sometimes no matter how much trouble they get into...you can't help but laugh...they are funny dogs!

--Really smart and learn tricks quickly.

Good/Bad Depending on the Situation:

--Jack Russells need a ton of exercise....it seems like they are never tired. So you have to have a lot of free time and energy to keep up with them. (This is not necessarily a good or bad thing.....it's good if you like to be outdoors/hiking etc....if you don't want to walk everyday don't get one)

--One person dog--Sometimes they become extremely attached to one person in the house

Cons:

-Do tend to bark a lot ...at just about anything.

-- They are typical terriers...can be nippy or mouthy

--Can have really obsessive personalities--with squirrels, cats, tennis balls, chasing cars, etc.

Jack Russels are great little dogs! They are very cute, smart, and small! They are affectionate, loyal, and very protective of their owners. They can be fearless. However, they can also be moody and stubborn! They are NOT for everyone! They need A LOT of exercise! They can be good with children if introduced to them slowly and carefully, but they can be very protective of their territory. They can also be cat aggressive.

hey - firstly welcome to the world of JRT (jack russel terriers!)

the PROS -

they are VERY loyal dogs to their owners/family and are protective

they are always ready to please and want to be doing something with you all the time

have bundles of energy!

the CONS -

like many smaller terrier type dogs they are often quite noisey - however can be trained not to bark!

will chase anything...rabbits especially!

they love to dig and hunt!

general facts - females are generally easier to train than males as males are often more stubborn!

having a smaller dog does mean that it can go more or less EVERYWHERE with you! i.e...walking round the town and need to pop into the post office for example...just pick it up and tuck it under your arm...you dont have to tie it up outside and DEF easier to lift than a great dane!!!!

but seriously - before you go ahead with getting any breed...research into everything, from its needs, its history, the cost and i have found in the past if you go and look at a few litters to just check the breed out..just dont fool for the first cute one you see!

Good luck and enjoy the fantastic life you will have with your new best friend!

ENERGY!

they are also small cute very smart but they are hunters and love to do so. Some not all dig and enjoy it very much. They can be noisy again some not all. They can learn new tricks easily yes they also can jump, HIGH! they dont require much grooming but much attention and lots and lots of play. some do consider them the smallest of the bully breeds they can be very dominant dogs. they are definitely a BIG dog in a small package

Pros

very loyal, great rat killers, sweet to their owners

Cons

Very very hyper, like to wander (need a good fence), can be agressive if not trained well (you must become the alpha or else the dog will rule the household), not good with small children, not good with cats.

answer: if you have a good sized yard, have lots of energy to play with them and exercise them regularly or you live on a farm, get one! Otherwise... avoid these jumping mexican beans!

They are very hyper dogs and love toys and tricks. Sometimes some are not as dog friendly as other breeds. They usually are sweet to people. They demand lots of exercise...walks etc. When they are bored some like to be distructive. Some have straggly hair that requires grooming. Its up to you and what your personality is like also. I think AKC and other websites have a deal where they help you see if that breed is a breed for you. Good luck!

I know they bark a lot. They are easy to train, love to learn tricks. Very agile, athletic little dog.

Pros: lots of energy, small, cuddly

Cons: bark alot, jump alot