24 Aug Interesting Facts about the Jack Russell Terrier Breed

The Jack Russell Terrier breed is good if you love lively and playful dogs. This little dog is a member of the terrier family. Although small, he has a bold, brave, and reckless personality. The Jack Russell Terrier dog breed is one of the most popular pet dogs and has many fans. However, this dog has special maintenance and training conditions and isn’t suitable for everyone. In this article, we want to introduce the Jack Russell Terrier breed to you in a specialized way and talk about his appearance, temperament, and how to care for him. After reading this article, you can decide whether this beautiful and playful breed is right for you. So stay tuned.

History of the Jack Russell Terrier breed

The Jack Russel Terrier breed was bred in the middle of the 19th century by a person named Parson John Russell in the south of England, so it’s called Jack Russell. The purpose of breeding this dog was to create a working dog that could go hunting with big hunting dogs and pull the foxes out of the den so other dogs could hunt the foxes. Currently, there are different types of Jack Russell dogs, and there are still disputes about the standards required for him. Especially the disagreement about the length of the legs of this breed has caused him to be divided into several separate species in England: dogs with longer legs are called Parson Russell Terriers, and dogs with shorter legs are called Jack Russell Terriers.

Temperament and characteristics of Jack Russell breed

These dogs are pleased, energetic, and playful. Because of their history, they are very interested in working. Therefore, if you give this dog a task and work, he will be pleased. This breed loves to dig holes, and if there are mice or small animals in the yard, he must dig holes to catch them. Of course, the high hunting instinct and the high energy of this dog may become troublesome. So it’s necessary to train this breed from a young age properly. 

Jack Russell loves to bark, and sometimes he barks just because he enjoys hearing his voice. At the same time, the barking sound of this dog is mighty and loud, and the neighbors aren’t unlucky to hear the sound of this dog! Jack Russell dogs were bred to chase and hunt foxes; Therefore, they may be aggressive and violent towards other animals, especially dogs. 

Jack Russell Terrier breed training

This dog is very playful and intelligent, and his training is challenging. If he feels that the owner doesn’t have the decisiveness, he will become stubborn and won’t listen to you anymore. So this dog needs an experienced owner who treats him with certainty and seriousness and trains him properly from a young age. A professional trainer deals with the dog with a severe calm tone and patient but decisive behavior. He trains the dog quickly by using positive affirmation. The best way to train this playful and energetic breed is to teach him different things in the form of games and encourage the dog to do it by giving rewards and treats.

From the very first day you bring the dog home, you should teach him the rules of the house and basic commands such as sit, come, stay, let go, etc. Toilet training and being alone are essential training for a Jack Russell puppy. In addition, you should adequately socialize this dog from a young age to be friendly with other animals, especially dogs. So when your dog is small and young, introduce him as much as possible to people, other animals, strangers, and new environments and places so that he becomes wholly social and well-behaved. These charming hunting dogs are brilliant and can learn anything, Provided that you know the right way to train this playful and intelligent dog.

Diet and nutrition

These dogs need 1.5 to 2 cups of high-quality dry food daily, which is better to give your dog in 2 meals. Free and constant access to food isn’t recommended for this dog; Because he may be obese and overweight. This dog is energetic and active and needs to get his daily energy from the food he eats. Therefore, Jack Russell Terrier’s breed food should be high quality and nutritious. In addition to dry dog ​​food and commercially canned food, you can cook and feed your homemade dog food. Of course, be aware that every dog ​​has different nutritional needs at every stage of his life (adolescence, puberty, adulthood, and old age) and needs exceptional food. Therefore, the composition and amount of raw food ingredients must be balanced and entirely suited to the dog’s condition; Otherwise, the food we give to our dogs can cause health and digestive problems such as malnutrition and obesity in the long run.

Maintenance and living conditions

Due to Jack Russell’s specific personality traits, this breed isn’t suitable for everyone. You can’t destroy the hunting instinct in this dog. So, seeing your friend’s little cat or hamster, his hunting instinct may suddenly wake up and become difficult to control. Of course, if this dog has lived in the house with other animals since childhood, he will get used to them and have friendly behavior; But in any case, keep this feature in mind.

This dog is very energetic and needs a lot of activity and jumping. So, a house with a yard is the best condition for keeping this dog. Of course, this dog is very loving and emotional and needs to be with his owner and family. He shouldn’t always be held in the yard. If you don’t have a yard, you must take him outside once or twice a day so that he can be active and discharge his energy. Of course, a simple walk isn’t enough for this dog, and he needs 30 to 45 minutes of vigorous activity and jumping. Therefore, this dog will be a great companion if you’re into hiking, climbing, and sports.

Characteristics and physical characteristics of the Russell Terrier

The Jack Russell Terrier breed looks somewhat similar to the Fox Terrier but is smaller. This dog has a compact, shaved body, and a particular unique personality. His flexible and agile body is longer than his height, and despite his small size, he has courage, boldness, and good physical strength.

Height

This breed is between 25 and 30 cm tall, and the male Jack Russell is usually a few centimeters more elevated than the female Jack Russell.

Weight

These dogs are tiny and weigh about 5-6 kg.

Life span

These small and playful dogs can live between 13 and 16 years if properly cared for.

Body color

According to the standards defined for the pure type of this breed, the primary body color of this dog should be white. It means that we only have white Jack Russell, and if you see a dog with other colors like brown or black, he must be a mix of Jack Russell with another dog breed. But there can be spots and designs in different color ranges of black or fawn on his body.

Hair and body covering

The body hair of this breed is concise, and its texture is very rough, thick, and wire-like, which helps the dog to tolerate bad and cold weather well.

Diseases

In general, the Jack Russell Terrier is considered a healthy breed; But like any other dog breed, he may be susceptible to some diseases. Some of the Jack Russell Terrier breed diseases are:

• Congenital deafness
• Patellar dislocation of the dog’s knee
• Ataxia or imbalance in movement
• Eye problems
• Legg-Calve-Perthes

Grooming

Brushing the coat

Jack Russell Terrier breed has two types smooth and broken coats. Both types of this coating have two layers with a coarse texture. This dog’s coat should be brushed weekly and taken to the bathroom to remove dead hair.

Trimming nails

The frequency of trimming nails depends on their growth, but usually, it’s better to cut the nails of the Jack Russell Terrier dog twice a week so that he doesn’t damage the equipment or grab you. If he feels pain and discomfort while trimming his nails, he will become a bitter experience for him. If you hear his nails dragging on the ground while walking, it’s time to cut them.

Oral Health

Oral hygiene is the cleaning that this dog needs. Brush his teeth several times weekly so he doesn’t get periodontal disease.

Ear cleaning

Clean the ears of this breed regularly to prevent wax accumulation and infection. You can clean their ears with a cotton ball and vet-approved cleaners.

To wrap up

The Jack Russell breed is an energetic, bold, and playful dog that needs a lot of physical activity. This dog is brilliant, but because of his high intelligence, he gets bored quickly and may cause trouble. In general, we recommend the Jack Russell dog to be energetic and active, interested in outdoor activities and sports, or severe and decisive in training them. To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, exercise, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs, so they count the moments for the next session.