There are many misconceptions about Jack Russell’s from what their appearance is to what their behavior is. There is so much information out there on the web that it can all make your head spin. Let me start with some basics. Whether you hear them called Jack Russell’s or Parson Russell’s, Russell Terriers. They are all Jack Russell’s. It mainly depends on what club they are registered with. Jack Russell’s originated in the 1800's and was exclusively registered with the JRTCA (Jack Russell Terrier Club of America). They have a broad standard of Jacks ranging in height of 10-15 inches. In July, 2004 when the AKC (American Kennel Club) started to recognize the Jack they only recognized the longer legged narrowed bodies. The JRTCA having rights to the Jack Russell Terrier had them change their registering to the Parson Russell Terrier.  Recently, the AKC has decided to allow a domestic approved FSS (Foundation Stock Service) registry, the AJRTA (American Jack Russell Terrier Association) to register the shorties 10-12 inches known as the slightly longer than tall, registered as the Russell Terrier. The NKC (National kennel Club), & the CKC (continental Kennel Club) recognizes them as the Jack Russell Terrier. You may also hear the terms Irish or English Jack Russell terriers or Puddin' Jacks. The Puddin Jacks are usually 8 or 9 inches and only registerable with the EJRTCA.     As far as behavior goes, I firmly believe there are "bad" dogs in every breed. It all depends on how they are bred and raised and their environment. When looking for a Jack be sure to see how the breeder raises and takes care of their Jacks, the temperament of the parents and if you have children I highly recommend choosing a breeder who raises them with children. Below you will find an example of the worst case Jack that is posted on JRTCA. I added a few facts about what type of temperaments my Jacks have as compared to the "worst" example.

Jack Russells ... ..... are a strain of hunting dogs, which to the wrong owners display what they call "bad habits". The habits that I refer to are digging, barking, and hunting. First, understand that Jacks were meant to go underground, following the scent of their prey then barking excessively to let their owner know they found their prey. If they do not have an outlet for their natural instincts, they will find other means of expressing themselves, such as hunting birds, gophers, or bugs that cross their path. They will also dig and dig and dig. So if this is bothersome to you, then Jacks are not the right pet for you. They can be trained with lots of time & patience to overcome these issues.

….big dogs in little bodies, meaning they require lots of exercise. At least 2 hours a day. They are not the type of dog you want if you are away at work all day and no one is home to care for them. They will seek their revenge by chewing anything they can, especially if you do not provide enough chew toys for them.

….can be aggressive with other dogs especially if they feel threatened. If you desire to own more than one, you should have opposite sex Jacks only, this is especially true for the males. In fact, I will not place one of my male Jacks with you if you already own a male.

….are not a non-shedding breed. There are 3 coat types. Smooth coats, which shed constantly, but can be helped by daily brushing and I also used a shedding agent called Shed X. Rough or Wire coats, which maintain a guard and dead coat that requires annual manual shedding. Broken coats which are in between the two

….require firm and constant discipline. they will continually test you to see who is the "top dog" of the house. Giving in to their whims will only cause problems down the line. You must be firm and assertive.

….can become possessive of their owner or favorite person. They will protect them to every instinct if they feel a threat, even if you are doing something as  simple as wrestling around. It is best to handle this situation straight on and let him know who is boss.

….will harass other animals. My Jacks are raised with cats, but they were raised with some from puppies and the new ones they had to be taught to tolerate. To this day if they see a neighbors cat they will not hesitate to chase it as far as they can. They are hunters and will hunt your guinea pig, hamsters, gerbils and birds as well.

….need a fenced in yard. Even if you have trained your Jack to be by your side, there will come a time when he sees something he wants and he WILL leave your side and chase it. I speak from experience. Because they are diggers you will need to make special adjustments for your fence. If you already have a fence, get some chicken wire and bury it under the fence and attach it to the existing fence. If you are putting  up a new fence make sure to do the same.

….are country dogs, they are not suggested  for apartment or condo living. At minimum, they need a house with a fenced in yard so that they can run and play. They will not be satisfied on a dog run or in a kennel. If you are in an apartment or condo they would need to be left alone no more than 2 hours at a time and exercised frequently. They NEED their exercise, and a couple walks a day will not do it.

….will not stand any mistreatment by a child. My Jacks are raised with children, and LOVE them very much, but you have to train your children how to properly treat your dog, and no child under the age of 6 should be left unattended with your Jack

….are not how they are portrayed in movies and on T.V. Those are highly trained Jacks with their trainer beside them, and they only work for short periods of time. I highly reccomend obedience training classes. Agility training is also very good as it gives them a job to do.

….require a long term commitment. Their average life-span is 15-20 years, so please be sure you are ready for that type of commitment. Jacks are very intelligent, funny, amusing, loyal and loving dogs but they do require alot of "special" love.

Please remember...Russell Rescue  is very busy with displaced Jack Russell Terriers because...MANY PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE LIFE WITH A JACK RUSSELL TERRIER!!

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