Jack Russell Terrier Temperament, Pictures And Information
Jack Russell Terrier Temperament, Pictures And Information: Before owning Jack Russell Terrier Puppy, Know these hunting dogs from England.
The Jack Russell Terrier also known as Parson Russell Terrier is a hunting dog breed that is known for its small size, courageous personality, and facial long wire hairs. They are often considered unsafe for kids and being aggressive to other dogs because of their high prey drive. Here we will discuss the information of Jack Russell Terriers regarding their Appearance, pictures, coat, history, temperament traits, diet, and health.
Basic Information regarding Jack Russell Terriers-
Size–
Height
- Male: 10 to 14 inches
- Female: 9 to 13 inches
Weight
- Male: 6 to 8 kg
- Female: 6 to 8 kg
Breed Group: Terrier
Average Lifespan: 12 to 15 Years
Health level: Good
Appearance
Jack Russell terriers have a small-sized, athletic, and muscular body with normal-sized head. The length and height of the dog are balanced. The ears are small and v-shaped. The eyes are almond-shaped and the nose is black. The muzzle is neither too short nor long it is medium-sized. They have a muscular jaw with sharp & pointed teeth.
Coat of Jack Russell terriers
Jack Russell terriers have 3 types of double-layered coats.
- The broken coat is long-haired and has more hair on the legs, eyebrows & face of the dog which looks like a beard.
- Another one is a smooth coat; it didn’t have such long hairs on the body, especially on the face, legs, and eyebrows.
- The rough coat is having long and too much hair on the body, especially on Face, legs & eyebrows, more than the Broken coat.
All of these coats are of coarse texture to protect the soft coat or undercoat from weather and dirt.
Coat Colors
The color of the coat is white and the combination of black & tan colors. The white color would be more than black or tan. White with markings of Tan color is most popular among dog lovers.
Shedding in Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russell terrier dog breed is known for shedding moderately. There is no particular season for their shedding however many of them sheds higher in warm weather. The shorter smooth coat sheds higher and is more difficult to groom than a Broken and Rough coat.
You should avoid bathing them too frequently and You can also use De-shedding tools. You should bathe your Jack Russell terrier once a month or whenever you feel their coat gets dirty. Daily brushing is necessary for them and according to their coat, Slicker brush is good.
Jack Russell Terrier Temperament
Jack Rusell terriers are highly active, playful, and energetic dogs that don’t get tired easily. This dog breed needs to be trained and exercised consistently to drain their energy.
They are friendly and affectionate with family and love to be with people all the time.
They hate to be alone! If you need a dog that you would leave alone at home while being out for work then this breed is not for you. Leaving them alone at home may be a bad idea.
Jack Rusell terriers are very intelligent and clever. Still, it’s not an easy task to train them. They may be the most courageous thing you have ever seen. These qualities of Jack Rusell terriers make them excellent guard dogs. They may attack anyone for their family without thinking twice.
The Courageous temperament of Jack Rusell terriers can cause trouble for them. As many times they may fight stronger and larger dogs.
Usually, they are not good with other animals and love to consider small animals their prey. Generally, they don’t get along with cats, and catching squirrels may be a good time pass for them due to their Hunting instincts. They may be good with other animals if they are grown up with them.
Their behavior with children may depend; it would be better not to leave them alone with kids. Some of them are extremely fine while some are not much nice.
If they are grown up with kids or children then they will be really friendly and affectionate with them. However, if you have small kids in your house then you may avoid getting this dog breed.
Behavioral Problems
Jack Russell terriers are not too calm or gentle; they are also notorious for biting people. Kids around them should be taught how to behave with dogs. Most of them are one-person dogs (which consider only one person their true owner). To avoid such behavioral issues they need proper socialization from an early age.
The most common Behavioral issue which is found in almost all Jack Rusell terriers is their chewing habit. Chewing carpet, destroying sofa and furniture, toilet paper and other things is the common habit observed in them. This may be due to their high prey drive and high energy. That’s the reason they should be exercised regularly.
Another thing that an owner should concern about is those Jack Russell terriers are great escape artists. So you have to be that door and windows are properly closed while you go out. The fence of the backyard should be high otherwise they can run after strangers.
History of Jack Russell Terriers
The History of the Jack Russell terrier is from the 1800s and its origin is England. This dog breed got its name from the Hunter and parson named John Russell.
He wanted a fast & aggressive dog breed for Fox hunting and Jack Russell terrier was developed. This dog breed helped the hunter in exposing and tracking the hidden foxes out of their dens and assisted them in hunting.
By the mid of 1800s, this dog breed gets recognized as a dog breed. After some time this dog breed gets popularity among Hunting lovers.
After WW2, leading to a ban on hunting sports the demand for Jack Russell terriers also gets declined as hunting dogs and increased as family dogs. It increases its popularity as a family dog breed.
It is also considered that Parson Jack Russel Terriers dogs and Jack Russell terriers are different dogs, however, both are very much the same. The long-legged ones have Parson before their name and short-legged ones are just known as Jack Russel terriers.
There are two associations for this dog breed The Jack Russel Terrier Club of America (JRTCA) and The Jack Russel Terrier Association of America (JRTAA).
JRTCA believes that this dog breed is mainly a Hunting breed. But Later in 1975 AKC considered only JRTCA and differentiate this dog breed by naming it Parson Russel Terrier.
Health Issues
Jack Russell terrier is considered to be a healthy dog breed as compared to other ones. The average lifespan of this dog breed is 12 to 15 years but a healthy Jack can live for more than 15 years. But like other dog breeds Jack Russell terriers are also prone to some health issues however there are minor chances of some of them to occur but it’s important to know.
Mainly this breed is prone to a Knee problem called Patellar Luxation and Eye diseases including Cataract, Glaucoma, and Ectopia lentis.
Some other diseases of which you should be concerned are Deafness, Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease, Ataxia, and von Willebrand’s syndrome.
Many of the diseases or health problems of which Jack Russell terriers are prone to are Hereditary so you should take a Jack Russell terrier from an honest and good reputable dog breeder.
More interesting information regarding Jack Russell terrier
Do Jack Russell terriers bark a lot?
Yes, Jack Russell terrier is a vocal dog breed, and many jacks bark excessively. There may be many reasons for being noisy, they may be in anxiety. Sometimes they also bark for gaining attention.
Some of them can bark at strangers and other animals, which is a sign of lack of socialization. As Jack Russell terriers are protective and territorial in nature they do bark excessively at strangers and sometimes bite them too whenever they enter their territory. This noisy temperament of this dog breed can be reduced by proper socialization.
Exercise requirements for Jack Russell Terriers
A Jack Russell terrier is a very active and agile dog breed and they hardly got tired easily. Besides their size, Jacks can run very fast and can jump very high. They need consistent training and regular exercise. They should be exercised for around 1 hour per day. If you don’t like workout and exercising much then you should avoid getting a Jack Russell terrier.
You can exercise them in many ways like fetching, flirt pole, Frisbee toss, jogging, and long walks. You can also take him hiking.
Diet for them
Diet is an essential factor that determines the health of a Jack Russell terrier. The food you feed should be nutritious and balanced. It’s up to you if you feed your dog Veg or Non-Veg, but if you feed Vegetarian food make sure it has all the basic nutrition that a dog needs. You can feed your dog raw meat but don’t depend too much on it as the risk of health issues. Don’t forget to add some healthy vegetables (like carrots) to their diet because vegetable contains some nutrition that other food doesn’t. You can also feed the readymade dog food.
Make sure the diet of an adult dog contains around 20% protein. Try to serve your dog twice or thrice a day only because they may get obese as this dog breed is known for doing overeating also. The intake of Calories depends upon their activity level, an adult Jack Russell should take around 500 to 700 calories a day. However puppies need more protein and calories, they should be fed more times a day and in smaller quantities.
Some foods are poisonous and allergic to dogs and can lead to health issues. So you should never feed these foods to your Jack Russell Terrier. Chocolate, avocado, alcohol substance, onion, garlic, grapes, almonds, and other nuts.
Are Jack Russell Terriers good Guard dogs?
Jack Russell terriers are both protective and territorial in nature, so they don’t like any stranger to enter their territory. Don’t consider them too small to be guard dogs, they are considered to be good guards. Jacks are known for attacking strangers and other animals that enter their territory.
Jack Russell terrier’s behavior with other dogs
Jack Russells are territorial in nature so they didn’t like anyone to enter their territory. They are considered to be aggressive with other dogs. Jacks are very courageous and sometimes they attack any dog regardless of his size, and they may get themselves in trouble by fighting with a larger dog. However, this behavior can be avoided by proper socialization. Also if they are grown up with another dog then they would be good friends with him.
Are Jack Russell Terriers easy to train?
They are not easy to train, Training a Jack Russell terrier could be challenging for you. New dog owners would find it difficult to calm them down as they are very frisky. You should also take care that they didn’t get bored otherwise it will become a tough job. They need to be trained consistently and patiently, without letting them get bored.
Are Jack Russell Terriers Good with Cats?
No, Jack Russell terriers are not good with cats. As they have a high prey drive they consider almost all small animals their prey. You may observe them running after squirrels and other small animals.
Behavior with kids
Jack Russell terriers are good for little elder children because small kids do not know how to interact or behave with dogs. So little kids could also let them get bitten as this dog breed is not so good with smaller children. If the child knows how to interact with this dog breed then they may be really good friends.
Is a Jack Russell dog good for first-time dog owners?
Owning a Jack Russell terrier could be very challenging as regardless of his size they are difficult to train. Sometimes they can be really stubborn and strong-willed. They are not too friendly with kids and other animals, so we don’t suggest any new dog owner own a Jack.
Can we leave Jack Russell terrier alone at home?
No, leaving a Jack Russell terrier alone for more than 2 hours alone could be a bad decision. This dog breed is known for getting separation anxiety which is not good for their health. Being alone for many hours could make them aggressive and destructive. They may break and destroy things and furniture.
Do Jack Russell terriers need a large house?
Yes, though they are of small size it doesn’t mean that they are good as apartment dogs. Jack Russell terrier is an active dog breed and needs more space to run or walk freely. Also, Jacks are much noisy so they are not good for an apartment.
You should own a Jack Russell Terrier if you need a dog which would be-
- Small Sized
- Very Agile and Active
- Little Aggressive
- A good Guard
- Loyal
- Intelligent
- Highly Trainable
- Little Noisy
- Hairy
You should not own a Jack Russell Terrier if you need a dog which would be-
- Easy to train
- Very Calm
- Well with strangers
- Quiet
- a less hairy
- Large sized
- Good with kids
- Less Active
- a low-shedding dog
- Nice to Cats and other dogs
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