Jack Russell Terrier – charismatic hunting dog

If you dream of a dog with whom you could spend your time actively, and have great fun, the Jack Russell Terrier will be an excellent choice. These dogs are incredibly joyful and lively, they approach people and other animals and encourage them to play together.

Jack Russell Terriers require much affection and involvement from their owners, therefore, you should provide them with a proper amount of physical activity, but also with much love and caress that will be reciprocated. The Jack Russell Terrier is a great companion for hiking, horse riding or biking.

It is very important to be consistent in training – these dogs are very intelligent and require much mental activity, they do not like to be left alone for a longer time. They instinctively chase other objects during walks, and bark a lot when they sense danger or while playing, so it is better to keep them on a leash in a city.

FCI Classification

Group: 3 Terriers
Section 2: small sized Terriers
Working trial: Subject to a working trial only for the countries having applied for it
Origins: Great Britain
Use: working terrier, good for bolting animals out of their burrows. Great companion dog.
Other names: Russell Terrier

History of the breed

These dogs were bred by an English reverend, John Russell, a real hunting enthusiast, whom they owe their name. The Jack Russell Terrier usually accompanied hunters during hunting, being seated in special bags attached to saddles. Only when it was necessary to bolt out an animal out of its burrow, the dogs were taken out by their tails and did their job, namely, flushed an animal from its den.

John Russell bred two varieties of dogs that were very similar, and they slightly differed with their size and proportions. The taller and sturdier dogs were named Parson Russell Terriers, and the smaller ones with elongated bodies – Jack Russell Terriers. In 2001 this breed was recognized by the World Canine Organization (FCI) as the Parson Jack Russell Terrier. The breed included both types of dogs then, but in 2004 two separate breeds were distinguished.

Nowadays, terriers are brought not only for hunting, but they became great human companions because of their joyful temperament, charisma and endless will to play.

Characteristics

Appearance

Jack Russell Terriers are small sized dogs; they have agile bodies. They have characteristic, highly seated tails and a flat head, narrowing towards the muzzle. The Jack Russell Terrier has strong jaws with a strong biting force, and also strong teeth, so these dogs were great for hunting. The eyes are dark and small, and the ears are close to the head and droopy.

The skin is quite thick and flexible, and the coat can be smooth, rough or broken. Both the fore and hind legs are not very muscular, they are of medium length, and the paws are rounded with hard pads.

The coloration of Jack Russell Terriers is very characteristic – white hair is predominant, with brown or reddish-brown or black spots, usually on the muzzle, around the eyes and ears. Hair is short and coarse, and it grows in one direction. These dogs stand up to 25 cm (10 in) at the withers, and weigh 6 kg (13 lb) on average.

Temperament

It is difficult not to like a dog that is so joyful and active. It is said that the Jack Russell Terrier is a dog for any worries that shows as much affection as you need. These dogs are likely to get easily excited or chase other animals, so they need to be trained well – it is not very difficult because they are highly intelligent and remember commands fast.

This breed is a great choice for families with children, especially with the older ones. It is because terriers adapt well to new conditions and can find themselves in every situation, they are not moody and they do not want to draw attention at any cost, although they do not like to be treated badly or ignored.

The Jack Russell Terrier is a dog that needs plenty of physical and mental activity, so you have to devote it not only much time for walks but also for exercises – you can teach them many interesting commands and tricks. If you know that there will be no one home for the most of the day or you are not looking for a dog that needs much attention, do not choose this breed.

Health

The Jack Russell Terrier is a dog that can live with you for many years but you have to take care of its good health. These dogs cannot be obese and have little physical activity, because they can suffer from serious illnesses. The condition of these dogs can be controlled in a very easy way: there should be 1 kg (2,2 lb) of body weight per each 5 cm (2 in) of height at withers.

It is rare that these dogs suffer from genetic diseases, the only affliction that may occur often is patellar luxation – untreated may cause arthritis. What is interesting, cases of deafness have been observed in Jack Russell Terriers that are completely white colored.

Detailed information and measurements

Jack Russell Terrier

Height at withers: males: from 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 in)
Weight: from 5 to 6 kg (11 to 13 lb)
Lifespan: 15 – 17 years

Jack Russell Terrier – interesting facts

Because of their liveliness and temperament, these dogs often star in movies and TV series; the most popular representative of this breed is Milo from “The Mask”.
Jack Russell Terriers are favorite pets of many famous people, for example, Paul McCartney, Serena Williams or Mariah Carey.
One of Jack Russell Terriers called Bothie was the only dog in the world that reached both the North Pole and the South Pole.