Does anyone own a Jack Russell?!

[TropicPlunder]

Inspired by the bichon thread from earlier .
I'm in the early contemplating stages of a second dog, and have always liked JRTs. I've met some awesome little dogs, but not known any well enough to know what goes on in the background .
So....do they need a farm or regular ratting trips to be content? Or can they be great family dogs in an active home with decent garden and doggy company?

[Girliefriendlikespuppies]

We have a jrt cross yorkie and he's a cracking little dog. He's not yappy and we've really worked hard at socialising him well (had him from 8 weeks.)

He loves kids, friendly but not overly bothered by other dogs, happy with one long walk or two short walks a day, easy to train, extremely loyal....

Perfect family dog imo.

[Wibblytummy]

Ours is still just a young pup (15wks..) she is a JRT x Bichon but she doesn't fit a lot of the descriptions here. She is incredibly quiet, slept through in her crate the first night with not a peep. We have 3 children (8,6,3) and she allows them to be very hands on and loves the fuss. We're training now and I've not been through the adolescence phase but she trains well. So far her biggest downfall is how playful she is with the other pups at class.
She is incredibly clingy and loves to be by my side if I'm downstairs and I work from home so she has constant company but if set in the kitchen alone she can settle too.
All in all, a little gem but then we chose her because her mum (a JRT) was a lovely kind tempered little thing and we always wanted one if she ever had pups so not sure if they're the opposite to the JRT typical

[adaline]

Our next door neighbour has one and he's awful - so aggressive. This morning I was in the garden with my dog getting ready to go for a walk, and he had his head under our garden gate snapping and snarling at mine. If the hole was big enough he'd have been under and he'd have bitten him - he's done it before

Interestingly another Jack Russell went for him on our walk yesterday - snarling and lunging. Maybe they just don't get on

However all that said I've met some lovely ones but they've all been in homes where there's someone home all day and they've had plenty of attention, fuss, training and exercise. They're not easy dogs and need a lot of input - they're working dogs at the end of the day and terriers are bred to go for miles and miles and to dig and burrow and chase.

[Booboostwo]

but lot is likely down to lack of exercise
They do need big dog level of exercise and not lap dog mainly carrying around. My dogs get an hour or an hour and a half in the mornings, an hour in the afternoon and a short walk in the evening, all off-lead. They also spend 2-3 half-days outside while I faff about with the horses. The JRT has only now at 11yo started to opt out of some of these walks and mainly in bad weather.

[Gingerninja4]

Next door has 2 . One is lovely laid back not interested in other dogs other one can be nice to people but snappy at times when aaked to do things hates most other dogs(Is fine with mine as known since . puppy goes in nice then turns

But lot is likely down to lack of exercises they often only walk half block in morning left home alone all day and get maybe one other walk a week that is 45 mins

[TheSandgroper]

I’ve known a couple of jacks. One was fab. The other is the rudest little shit I’ve ever met.

We have a bt who is fab but don’t believe those who say they don’t moult. Pulled or not, her hair gets everywhere.

[Booboostwo]

I have a JRT and he is just lovely! He has the personality of a big dog in a small body. He was perfectly fine to train (using reward based methods) but he does have a strong hunting instinct. When the cats bring in a live mouse to play with, he is the one who steps in to sort things out. At 2yo he lost he recall because we moved house to a farm with a lot of squirrels which drove him mad, but a couple of months on the long line sorted that out. He does require long walks like the big dogs we have and he really enjoys playing with the other dogs. He is wonderful with the children, an 18mo fell on him while he was sleeping and he just walked away (obviously it was an accident and won't happen again, but still accidents will happen from time to time and it's good to have a tolerant dog).

[GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman]

They vary. I have lived with a JRT and a number of crosses. If you get one whose parents are farm ratters, expect independence, arsiness and a tendency to bark. And bark. And bark a bit more. They are not for everyone.

Properly raised and exercised they can be great family dogs, but they have a well-deserved reputation for dog-aggression (not all of them, obviously, but they tend that way) and they bear grudges (ours, after a bite, had a hated breed and still hated it a decade later).

[frostedviolets]

I used to ride horses and most of the stables had them - horrible, snappy little things.

One of my old friends had one, I always thought she was very sweet until she bit me for daring to stroke the other dog that had come to me for a cuddle.

And my in laws have one, and a JRT x Yorkie.
The cross is a nice little dog apart from the barking.
The jack is an affectionate little soul with adults but she is nervous around children and quite the bully and control freak with other dogs; other dogs can't get excited because she'll correct them, she'll take all toys off any other dog and hog them for herself.

I think if we'll socialised and trained they are probably nice, fun little dogs but they really aren't for me

[Hovverry]

JRs have only recently been recognised by the KC so most of them are quite mongrelly and differ hugely. Mine is a mixture but the JR predominates (wish it didn’t)
He doesn’t moult and has little prey drive but is very excitable and barks at everything. He can be nasty to other dogs, usually the sweet nice ones.
He’s hard work and I deeply regret the JR part.

[joystir59]

I wouldn't trust my rescue JRT around children at all.

[sulee]

My lovely JRT passed away two years ago and I still miss him. We rescued him when he was older but I believe he was an escape artist when younger. He was very yappy, but so are lots of small dogs. He was very reactive to bigger dogs, but he didn’t moult much at all! I would love another Jack but don’t want a puppy or youngster and haven’t yet found the right one in rescue.

[TropicPlunder]

But Oblomov.....look at that face!
She's lovely, Chickens

[Oblomov18]

Glad I read this thread. Think I need to consider a different dog actually.

[chickensaresafehere]

Here's my JRT 

[chickensaresafehere]

Sorry,that should say she's NOT particularly yappy,unlees she sees a cat.

[chickensaresafehere]

I had my first JRT when I was 26 & single,she was a puppy from a working farm,her Mum was called Mavis & her Dad was called Sid
We were best friends for 18 years.
She was brilliant with my dd1,as a baby & a toddler.Then had dd2 7 years later,who has SN & she was great with her too.
She was very dog reactive (but adored my Mum & Dads staffy) & was selective over what people she liked.I remember my now dh coming back to my house for the first time & I had warned him about her & how she may not like him.But she just jumped on his knee.I knew he was ok after that!
She died a couple of years ago & I knew I would have to have another JRT,so we got a rescue one.
She is very similar to my first one. Not over keen on other dogs but she is very people friendly & laid back.She is definitely my dog & always follows me everywhere,will only sit next to me on the sofa (& she has to be touching me) but she also is obsessed with light/shadows & will chase them incessantly for ages.We also think she hasn't got the best eyesight,as she completely misjudges distances when jumping,which can be quite amusing.She's not particularly yappy,unless she sees a cat
I personally love JRT's & think they are great dogs,full of feistyness & personality but I know they're not for everyone.

[TropicPlunder]

I'd be keen on rescue. Can deal with energy requirements, and unknown heritage; but we have an existing dog and small child which may be more complicated (the situation, I mean. Dog and child not complicated types!).
I can imagine them being given up for not making the grade as lapdogs though....

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

DDog came from a friend who couldn't look after him any more, though he narrowly avoided going into a rescue centre on two occasions. There are lots in rescue centres to choose from, partly I think because they're a common breed and every small terrier of uncertain breeding gets called a JRT cross, and partly I suspect because their exercise requirements are often underestimated due to them being small.

The KC only recognised the JRT as a breed in 2016 which probably explains the lack of registered breeders.

I'd definitely go to a rescue if I was going to get another JRT.

[TropicPlunder]

Thanks for all the stories
....think I might do a follow up on border terriers, and crosses thereof! Just for balance.
Did you get your JRTs from breeders? Farm dogs? Rescues? I like the type, not bothered about pedigree, but bothered about welfare. Seems to be fewer breeders of JRTs around than other breeds

[Anxious123]

I've got a JRT crossbreed, rescued from horrible circumstances (used as fighting bait, caged in a tiny cage etc) who is an absolute treasure of a dog.
His only irritating behaviour is reacting when he sees a strange dog.
He adores been cuddled up whatever time of day, loves a good walk but is content to do without if the weather's really bad. He's as daft as a brush. Brilliant with children. With time he's come to realise humans at the enemy and has become the most loyal, loving dog I know. Is happy to spend time with his friends including loopy lurchers.

[Maddy70]

Oh and mine are lazy. Not on a farm , just a normal semi they do go for a walk every day but certainly not for hours at s time!

[Maddy70]

I have 2. Never had one before always had labs , poodles or colliesbit jack russells are the best.
Very intelligent, which means you do have to get the training right as they can quickly learn bad as well as good.

Mine are well behaved, amazing with children, cats and dogs can take them anywhere

[cushioncuddle]

My only issue with mine round kids is that she loves a tug of war game with a toy, stick or the odd sock. She can get excited and go to snatch the toy. My worry is if the child is holding the toy and she accidentally gets their fingers when going for the toy.
She is so loving and is very gentle round people and the cats. It's just the toy especially if it squeaks.
She also digs awesome holes - all over my garden !

[Applepudding2018]

I also have a JRT

He's a happy, friendly little dog, likes to say hello to people and likes a lot of fuss.

Some dogs he will say hello to, mostly rolls over for them, some he ignores. Mostly will play happily.

Generally he is wary of cats!

Loves to chase balls, disembowel squeaky toys and play tug.

I only let him off lead if we are out in country or on beach as he has no sense at all regarding traffic, always pulling on his lead to run out in road. Recall - he will come for a treat as part of training at home, out he will return with his ball and stay within 2 feet of you but is difficult getting back on his lead.

Not at all snappy, quite cuddly, curls up on my lap. Doesn't like going out in rain.

As others have said, moults a lot. Will dig if left in garden and his 'demands ' for play are not met.


His main downside is his barking. He's very, very vocal. And his 'demand' bark is very high pitched. He barks if he's happy, excited, hungry, cross. He also guards us from any noise across the street, or on TV and will suddenly awake, growl then bark, bark, bark!

He's a very beautiful little dog.