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The doghouse

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Original poster

Jack Russell - yes or no?!

48 replies

Jungfraujoch · 02/04/2016 14:28

So, I posted on here some time ago that we were seriously considering getting a rescue dog. Lots of great advice on here and since then we have been procrastinating a little!

Anyway, DH and DS2 (11) went to an open morning today at a rescue that DH had spoken to. Once a month they 'show' some of the dogs and you can meet them and chat to the rescue people etc. DS was rather taken with a 2 year old Jack. Apparently he was very friendly, loved having a fuss made etc. His foster dad said he was a lovely dog - not nippy and yappy which is sort of the impression I had of them?

This is the first rescue centre we've actually visited so probably not going to jump straight in but just wondered about other people's experiences of Jacks?

OP posts:

BibbidiBobbidiBoo1 · 02/04/2016 17:35

I have a parsons (long legged JRT and slightly bigger over all) and she is adorable. She had plenty of training when younger! She can have a 'mad 5 mins' when someone comes to the house but she knows to calm down and will happily have a cuddle or go to her basket.
As for other dogs, she's fairly scared of her own shadow and will have a sniff but that's it.

She will bark if something passes the house she doesn't like, but a simple quiet is enough and she settles, but is nice to know she thinks she's protecting the house.

When she was a pup she was no trouble either, had plenty of toys and chews and knew what was hers.
She doesn't touch my daughters toys and doesn't attempt to eat the cat. Overall I couldn't ask for a more loving and lovable dog - but do realise that isn't everyone's experience.

WeAllHaveWings · 02/04/2016 17:41

We know about 4 JRT when out walking. 3 of them are young and play with our Labrador brilliantly. Lovely looking wee dogs, especially now when they get to keep their tails. The other one is a bit of an issue, it was fine when younger, but quite elderly now (owner elderly too and unfortunately completely deaf so cant have a conversation with him about it) and it runs at and attacks anything it sees to the point most walkers in the area give it a wide berth.

hotandbothered24 · 02/04/2016 17:49

We have a Jack Russell and have had one before. She has been well socialised and is fine with other dogs but if another dog charges up to her growling will growl back but that's as far as it goes. Very affectionate and good with people but they do love to chase small furry things rabbits,squirrels, rats so you have to be prepared for that , once in pursuit of something they tend to become completely deaf.

EasyToEatTiger · 02/04/2016 19:19

My aunt has had JRTs for decades. Some have been absolutely fantastic, and others awful. She likes the breed and for her, no doubt they have all had their good things and misgivings. My mum had a JRTxborder terrier who was fantastic. Her offspring were a nightmare. All the dogs were brilliant with children, people, other dogs, but rubbish with cats and rats. Squeaky toys last for about 5 minutes. They are bred to be ratters. There is a huge difference between show dogs and working dogs. But yes, they can be fabulous.

LadyDeadpool · 02/04/2016 19:25

I have a JRT that will happily cuddle up with my pet rats. Not keen on other dogs, won't bark or try to bite but is stand offish with them. Soft as anything and utterly dumb. Deaf as a post now at 15 he was a rescue and has been the perfect dog.

JohnCusacksWife · 02/04/2016 19:55

Don't say no to a dog based on what people on the internet say. Go and meet it and decide for yourself.

JustBeingJuliet · 02/04/2016 21:37

I've had dogs all my life and swore I would never, ever get rid of a dog, however, I had a JRT from 8 weeks old and he beat me completely. I loved the little fella to death but he hated everyone and everything and, after over £1000 spent on a behaviourist who ended up refusing to take my money as nothing was working for him, I ended up rehoming him to a lovely dog mad lady on a farm and he's much happier now. I just couldn't take the risk of him seriously hurting my ds, as he'd snapped at him several times, and has permanently scarred my calf when he latched on whilst trying to get to a passing dog. It broke my heart to admit defeat and let him go, but he was so fear aggressive and was never going to be happy in a busy household with my ds around. I adored him but I'd never have another one, and it's made me very wary of getting another pup, as much as I'd love one as a companion for my 8yo ddog.

sulee · 02/04/2016 22:16

I have a JRT who was given up as his previous owner lost her house, my second JRT. He barks a lot TBH and is not keen on bigger dogs when out on walks, but he is lovely with humans, not at all nippy, fine with cats, chickens and other smallish dogs. He was well socialised as a pup, but was attacked by a larger dog in the past. He is always up for a walk and will walk for miles. Another plus is they are generally very fit and healthy, my boy is 14 years young, but you would never know it, he runs around like a puppy. His annual vets appointments consist of a booster jab and a thumbs up! He is short coated and doesn't seem to moult much at all.

JoffreyBaratheon · 02/04/2016 22:43

I have a staffy/JRT cross - have had staffies/bull terriers all my life, but never a JRT before. Most of her personality is identical to staffies I have had in the past (people-centric, quite sensitive, very loyal, full of character) but she has what I'm assuming are JRT qualities as well - barks a lot, good at guarding (which I appreciate as I'm alone in the house all day and have dodgy neighbours), lively, cheeky - also vocalises a lot like a staffy; grunting, aking what the kids call her 'baby noises', etc.

When I was a kid my friend's grandad bred JRTs and we used to be round the kennels all the time - walking them and playing with them. On the whole they're great dogs. But I don't think they would be ideal for first time/inexperienced dog owners. As we have cross of two different sorts of terrier, I think mine's a lot of terrier!

Individual dogs have different characters and it is down to the individual whether this one would be problematic or not. I'd definitely rather have one a rescue had fostered, rather than one from kennels, as any problems would have had time to show themselves, with a fosterer.

BagelGoesWalking · 02/04/2016 23:29

Frllly hope you don't mind that I quoted your post! Just seemed useful for this OP

Juliet God, I remember your saga.

It's amazing how different JRTs are, seeing all these different viewpoints

annandale · 02/04/2016 23:36

Our JRX was lovely in so many ways but also absolutely awful. He was very clever - if he didn't fancy the walk or got bored he just did his own thing and then went home solo, could always find us and our car wherever. He was HUGELY territorial and HUGELY protective - and HUGELY fear aggressive. He was a rescue too and I'm not sure what happened to him before coming to the rescue, I actually think the previous owner probably didn't tell the whole truth to the rescue. It was noticeable how suspicious he was of men, including dh unfortunately.

I can see that JRs are a bit addictive because they are so clever and affectionate, but I would only even begin to consider it again with a puppy, and could/would commit to vast amounts of training and walking. Really they are dogs to live on a farm and roam about under their own steam.

frillyflower · 03/04/2016 06:27

I think the answer is: if your JRT is well socialised, trained, exercised and knows his place it will all be fine. However as others have said they are clever little dogs with lots of energy so they need occupation.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend if adopting from a puppy as you can put in the effort to make them fit in with your family and lifestyle (it's hard work though!).
A rescue dog is more problematic as you would have to make sure they didn't have problem behaviours which are then hard to address (they are stubborn little devils).
Our dog 'gets' any training at lightning speed, but then chooses to forget it if something more exciting comes up. At puppy class the trainer called him (affectionately?) 'the hooligan'.
In short: they are great if you like a cheeky, quirky little dog and are prepared to train them a lot. But if the dog already shows signs of snappiness or dominance I wouldn't adopt - especially with children around.

georgedawes · 03/04/2016 08:44

Dominance has been widely discredited as a theory these days. Not being pedantic, I think it's potentially possible to add to a dog's issues if people really follow that path.

ProfessorPickles · 03/04/2016 08:49

Absolutely loved ours, she was a lovely temperament always very calm and loving. Would bark at passers by but that's it.
Never barked at other dogs and kept out of their way, would sometimes snap at them if they were fussing her too much which is fine I think.
She was loved so much and such a lovely dog, not all Jack Russell's are the same!
Depends on the individual dog and how they are raised from being a puppy

gailforce1 · 03/04/2016 11:11

OP go to the fb page "Jack Russells - small dog, massive personality"
I think that the page title sums up the breed perfectly!

Original poster

Jungfraujoch · 04/04/2016 22:36

Thank you everyone for your yays and nays! If my DS is still keen on him we will see if we can visit the dog at his foster home and talk in more depth with his fosterer and try and get the lowdown!

Otherwise, the search will continue .....

OP posts:

EnPapillot · 04/04/2016 22:45

I honestly don't think you can make such a sweeping generalisation.

We've had 3:

Softest dog ever, totally trusted him, barked a bit but no more than my Pils dog (not a jrt)

Small jrt, and needed to be the only dog in the house, wasn't so good with smaller children, a bit yappy.

Tiny jrt, again totally soft and lovely. Barks but not overly.

Just putting it out there that they're not all the same. I'd definitely have another.

FarrowandBallAche · 05/04/2016 07:52

I adore dogs. Nearly all of them.

Apart from a few, JR being one of them.

I've known many in my life and nearly all of them have been vocal when they see another dog, the owner having to walk quickly past with it on a lead. They have SO much to say - especially to any dog bigger than it.

They bark a lot inside the house too. People walking past, someone knocking at the door etc. They have a lot of energy and are very excitable.

You do get the odd one that's sweet but I'd say that's rare.

So many other better options than a JR.

Obs2016 · 05/04/2016 08:35

Interesting. Dh had one, before I met him.

JoffreyBaratheon · 05/04/2016 09:50

Must admit my JRT cross is the least aggressive-on-a-lead dog I've ever had. She usually hides behind me if she sees another dog approaching. Never shows any aggression to them although she is clearly afraid of them (despite being fully socialised by the Dogs Trust, then us, puppy classes, etc...)

LimeJellyHead · 06/04/2016 11:41

I haven't found them to be nippy or yappy. But they are a challenge. All fun dogs are They are a bit like Marmite though and definitely not for everyone. Very bright and energetic and consider themselves better than all the other dogs at the dog park, of course, lol. They are great fun to be with but yes, that comes at a price. A clever, energetic Jack is not going to sit in his bed all day while you do other things. The world revolves around them. Well my world used to revolve around my Jack, lol.

After our Berkeley passed away in January I said no terriers ever again. It had been great fun but I felt I needed a breather. We still had a sensible 'normal' dog and I thought that would be grand, just to have her. Fast forward a few weeks and my life was so lacking in terrier joy, I rescued another. He has made my life whole again. Maybe I like the chaos and challenge. I certainly like the fun and joy of having a terrier around. So yeah, not for everyone... not if you like a quiet life. So in my opinion, not nippy and yappy but definitely funny, clever and a little egocentric Gawd love them.

LimeJellyHead · 06/04/2016 11:47

Oh, I just saw what Farrow posted. Of course, we all have our various experiences but I always found Jacks to be very sweet indeed. Not many people outside thought that though, I will admit. He was a terrorist outdoors. But in the house he was the sweetest little chap ever. You couldn't ask for a lovelier, funnier, more loyal little friend.

I don't know if this video will still work as YouTube banned some of the songs (on tablets) but this summed up my terrier.

sulee · 06/04/2016 19:58

I think most posters who have actually owned JRTs would say they tend to be vocal, but I think sweeping generalisations are just that. I don't particularly like cocker spaniels, having owned one once. All the tendencies other people seem to find so adorable grated on my nerves and I wouldn't want one again, but I can see why some people would find them appealing and maybe I was just unlucky. Lovely to hear your news Lemon Jelly, I followed your posts following your loss of Berkeley, and I'm with you- could never be without a terrier! Horses for courses springs to mind...

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