The Jack Russell Terrier is a durable, brave, extremely active dog with a strong character. This clever brawler charms everyone with his funny, cheerful disposition. Despite its strong hunting instinct, it is a wonderful, devoted companion and a sensitive and affectionate family friend.
The Jack Russell Terrier comes from England. It was bred there for fox hunting. Thanks to its short legs, slim figure and extraordinary speed, it was a successful hunting dog and quickly gained great popularity throughout the country. It owes its name to the British dog breeder - Pastor John Jack Russell, who started focused terrier breeding in 1819. The progenitor of the Jack Russell terrier breed is a female dog named Trump. Reverend Russell's priority goal was to breed a smaller, smarter dog with a fearless character, predisposed to persistent chasing and scaring foxes from the den. The bred variety of terrier was called "working terrier".
Around 1880, the first dogs arrived in Australia, being direct descendants of John Russell's small terriers. In 1972, the first Jack Russell Terrier Club of Australia was established. However, it was not until 1991 that the Australian Kennel Club recognized the Jack Russell Terrier as a separate breed. In the early 80s, the British Kennel Club began developing an initial breed standard. Currently, the standard is number 345. According to the FCI classification, the Jack Russell Terrier belongs to group 3: terriers, section 2: small terriers and is subject to discretionary work trials.
Here are the suggested sizes for adult dogs of this breed. They were selected on the basis of many years of experience in sewing accessories and the most common choices of other dog owners of this breed. Remember, only measuring will give you 100% certainty - every dog is different.
Jack Russell terrier is one of the dog breeds belonging to the terrier group. The height of an adult is from 25 to 30 cm and the weight is from 5 to 6 kg. It has a compact and muscular body. The construction is strong, crepe. A straight back and strongly muscled hind legs go hand in hand with a fairly deep-set chest and a clearly defined sternum. Its limbs are slightly longer than those of other terriers, thanks to which the Jack Russell terrier can successfully chase prey. The head is moderately wide and has a well-marked but not prominent stop. The nose is black, the muzzle measured from the nose to the stop is slightly shorter than the skull. Small, almond-shaped eyes have a sharp, piercing gaze.
The Jack Russell Terrier has very mobile, inverted V-shaped ears that fold forward. The straight tail is left up when moving, and may fall slightly when at rest. Representatives of this breed have double fur: mainly white with black, red or black and tan markings. The coat is rough (hard hair) and resistant to weather conditions. It comes in three varieties: short-haired (short hair, close to the body, semi-hard, bristly), broken hair (medium-length hair, arranged in one direction, hard), and rough-haired (quite long hair arranged in different directions).
The Jack Russell Terrier has endless amounts of energy, likes fun, jokes and fooling around. He is lively, joyful and dynamic. It can be used as a working dog and will also work well as a companion, although it certainly won't work as a lap dog. This is definitely a hunting dog - a hunter! He is smart, observant, has an incredible sense of smell and great determination, which makes him great at tracking game. If you manage to cooperate with him, he becomes a useful helper to the hunter. Despite his hunting tendencies and considerable sense of independence, he loves family life. He is friendly, kind and affectionate by nature. Although in everyday life, especially during walks, you always have to take his personality into account and you should not let him off the leash in the forest.
Training dogs of this breed is not the easiest thing. A lot depends on the method the caregiver chooses. The more attractive the training, the more easily and willingly the Jack Russell Terrier will submit to it. Consistency, a patient approach and fair treatment definitely play a key role in learning. Divided into short stages, the training should be aimed primarily at focusing attention and building positive associations with learning. Only friendly, positive methods and the use of rewards bring good results. Introducing fun forms into training makes the Jack Russell Terrier more easily exercised and learns new skills faster. It is also important to constantly maintain your pet's interest in learning, e.g. by using attractive, original challenges, healthy snacks and praise.
When deciding to care for a Jack Russell, you should be aware that his tendency to bark and become overly excited (especially when he is bored) can cause many problems for the owner. This dog needs daily physical and mental stimulation, especially in which olfactory exercises play a major role. Therefore, it is good if the owner has appropriate theoretical knowledge and is fully aware of the needs of a dog of this breed.
This hunting, athletic, durable and dynamic dog has a great need for exercise. Short walks around the estate are not enough for him, he requires long daily trips enriched with intense activity. It does not necessarily need a large house with a garden, but it requires dynamic owners with a passion for sports. It will work great as a jogging companion. He loves playing with children, but when interacting with little ones, his boundless energy and feistiness should be taken into account.
Educating a Jack Russell is not easy, so the guardian who chooses a dog of this breed should be consistent and assertive. A properly raised pet becomes a great family dog - friendly, open, devoted and loyal. There is one more important issue - when choosing this breed, you should take into account that the fur of this terrier is allergic, especially the smooth-haired variety, which leaves more biological material in the surroundings. Regular care treatments only slightly reduce the reaction caused by allergy sufferers.
The short fur of your pet is easy to care for. Thick, rough fur should be combed or brushed regularly, once a week (daily during shedding). Make sure you trim your nails (every 3-4 weeks) and clean your eyes and ears frequently (every 2 weeks). Due to the tendency to develop tartar, the Jack Russell Terrier requires regular oral inspection and teeth cleaning. It is worth discussing the frequency of brushing your pet's teeth with your veterinarian. After walks, especially in the forest, check your dog's skin carefully. Jack Russell Terriers do not require frequent bathing. Every day, after intensive walks, just wipe the fur with a wet cloth.
Due to the tendency to skin allergies, it is best to use a hypoallergenic shampoo for bathing.
The Jack Russell Terrier is considered a robust, strong and relatively long-lived breed. When deciding to buy a dog of this breed, you must take into account specific predispositions to certain diseases, including:
In addition to the diseases mentioned above, the Jack Russell Terrier, like other terriers, is prone to ataxia and myelopathy. Both neurological diseases usually cause movement disorders, numbness and muscle tremors. Dogs of this breed are also affected by deafness - one-sided or total, especially those with white coats without markings. It is worth remembering that the Jack Russell Terrier is one of the dog breeds for which it is recommended to undergo tests for the possibility of inheriting certain diseases. You should also follow the mandatory vaccination schedule and follow your vet's advice regarding additional vaccinations, e.g. vaccination against leptospirosis or Lyme disease.
The average life expectancy of representatives of the breed is 13-16 years.
The food should be well-balanced, nutritious, high-quality, adapted to the dog's weight, age and daily activity. Actually, it doesn't matter much whether it is dry or wet food or self-prepared raw or cooked meals. Your pet needs two meals a day, at approximately the same time. A single dose of dry food should not exceed 80 g. Due to its large appetite, the dog should not have constant access to food. It is a good idea to enrich your meals with small doses of vegetable oil or biotin. Detailed guidelines regarding the diet should be consulted with a veterinarian, who will take into account the general health condition, level of physical activity and age of the pet.
Ticks are small arachnids from the mite subgroup, which can transmit pathogenic microorganisms that are dangerous to both humans and animals. From year to year, the population of these parasites increases rapidly, and the percentage of ticks infected with dangerous pathogens is also increasing. So let's get to know the threat better in order to be able to deal with it in the future. A dog's tick is always an uninvited guest that needs to be dealt with quickly! However, you need to know how!
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Some dogs become nervous at the sight of a leash, panic, run away, hide in corners. On walks, they try to free themselves, tear and pull. In such a situation, you should not break down your cancer. How to teach a dog to walk on a leash? You need a positive attitude, self-denial, consistency and a lot of patience.
