Jack Russell Terrier

 

Summary

• The Jack Russell Terrier is an alert and easily trained dog that is well suited for active families
• It thrives best in the company of others and is a versatile breed that is used in various activities
• The breed is known to be a good hunting dog and excellent walking companion
• The Jack Russell Terrier is a strong, active and agile working terrier with great self-confidence and lively movements
• The fur requires different levels of care, depending on the type of fur

Important considerations

The Jack Russell Terrier is an alert and easy-to-learn dog with a big motor, and it is excellent for active families. The breed thrives best in the company of others and is known for being versatile. Today, it is used in many different activities and is both a good hunting dog and a wonderful hiking companion. It is an easily trained dog that picks up both good and bad habits with ease!

Unique characteristics and mentality

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small, agile, strong, active and slender working terrier with great self-confidence, lively movements and an intelligent expression. These dogs often have big personalities and are remarkably brave despite their size. They are good at hunting and have the potential to become good companion dogs if they are given sufficient stimuli and exercise. Activities such as agility, game tracking, chanterelle search and obedience suit the breed well. Due to its independence, it can also come up with activities on its own. However, it is important to teach it to relax. In order to maintain a harmonious dog herd, it is therefore necessary to have a good knowledge of the breed’s inherent characteristics.

Appearance and size

The Jack Russell Terrier is a strong, active and agile working terrier with a flexible body of medium length. It moves efficiently and with great confidence. The ideal height is between 25-30 cm. The breed can have smooth hair, straight hair or broken fur. A healthy and correct coat is dirt and water resistant. In terms of colour, white should dominate with black and/or tan drawings. The tan drawings can vary from light to dark (chestnut). A Jack Russell Terrier can never be black/tan, as this is not in the breed’s genes.

Health

The Jack Russell Terrier is generally a healthy breed with no widespread diseases. There are limited statistics available on the breed’s health status. Swedish statistics show that the breed is below average when it comes to veterinary visits. Injuries and accidents are most common, followed by digestive problems, skin problems, itching, allergies and problems with the immune system.

Caring for the coat

Caring for the fur depends on the type of fur. The smooth-haired Jack Russell Terrier sheds a bit and requires little grooming, only a little brushing to remove loose hair. Broken and shaggy fur requires more care to maintain a healthy, dirt- and water-resistant coat. It is recommended to trim a straight-haired Jack Russell Terrier 3-4 times a year.

History and origins

The Jack Russell Terrier originally comes from England, where churchwarden John Russell developed a type of fox terrier that was supposed to be small enough to go into dens and hunt predators. The breed also became popular among horse people, as it kept rats and mice away from the stable. In Australia, the breed’s followers were also impressed by its friendly temperament and discovered that these dogs were well suited as companion dogs. For decades, breeders have emphasized breeding social, safe and brave dogs. The Jack Russell Terrier was approved by the FCI in 2002.

The breed club

We recommend anyone who wants to buy a puppy to contact the breed club. The breed club has specialist knowledge of the breed, an overview of breeders and insight into the breed’s health. You can find the link to the breed club at the bottom of this page.

Want to learn more?

We recommend that everyone contact the breed club for the breed they are interested in.Supporting sources: Wildlife , Anicura , Animalbar