Jack Russell Terrier questions

[MarlinMark]

I'm considering what kind of dog to get next. I've heard great things about JRT's and I've heard not so great things.

Can a fella get a JRT to be a dog that will stick? ie. not go running off? Stay with the master etc? or are you lucky if that is the case?


I have a lot of other questions but this is the main one.


Mark

 

[SURVEYOR]

Yes. But like anything else a young one, say less than 2 will be a handful. I also go with females for what I think are more toned down dogs

 

[Southeast]

I have had two females that would have fit your definition of "stick". At the same time, my brother had a female that definitely would not have. We had to dig her out of a muskrat hole once or twice and she finally disappeared at about age 8 (probably down another hole).

In my experience, each JRT is going to be a little neurotic about something. One of mine was absolutely obsessed with chasing around a soccer ball. It would go until it was foaming at the mouth. My last one had the same type of obsession about chasing a 4-wheeler. I had another that carried around rocks all day. My brother's lived to kill snakes, mice, varmints, etc. They're very high energy too - don't get one if you're short on time (and space) for exercising it.

They are fun dogs though. That last one would water retrieve ducks and loved hunting pheasants (she wouldn't retrieve those though).

 

[Justin Crossley]

My wife has a jackshund named Benny. He's a great dog, but we can't say or spell squirrel in the house, or he'll try to tear down the back door to get outside and chase them.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

My friend HAD one. All it did was bark, all the time, at anything and everything.

 

[Wolf_trapper]

They are handy little dogs. I use them to hunt coyotes. They are working dogs so if all you want them to do is hang out it might not be the best breed for you.

 

[Phaseolus]

I had Spark, a tall JRT for 17.5 years. IMO the tall jacks are calmer than the short ones. In the early years he needed to run 10 miles a day to stay calm. He did everything with me from jogging, mountain biking, atv rides to big game packouts And coyote hunting. If you can’t give a Jack a lot of time and heavy exercise you might consider a different breed.

 

[*zap*]

Training and more training, use a leash, drag line on always...then long line, the e-collar properly done. Then dog wears e-collar always when your not holding the leash. My 9 month patterjack:

 

[bbell]

They are handy little dogs. I use them to hunt coyotes. They are working dogs so if all you want them to do is hang out it might not be the best breed for you.

Not to change the subject but how do you hunt coyotes with a JR? Denning, decoy dog? Always love hearing how dogs work. Thanks.

 

[TheTone]

My parents was a handful when he was young but as he aged turned into a great dog. Exercise, keeping him occupied and having access to a fenced yard all the time was huge for him. As much as he would run and chase around the house he never was much for taking off when he was out camping

 

[wnelson14]

Yes. But like anything else a young one, say less than 2 will be a handful. I also go with females for what I think are more toned down dogs

My grandfather, had and bred Jack Russell's all my life. Definitely some line breeding going on so take that for what it's worth. Most all the females were crazy, but substantially out lived the males. He had some really chill nice males, hardheaded but not crazy.

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

I have what I'm pretty sure is a feist, which are similar, and her lack of "stick" is one of the most notable things about her. For the first ten years of her life she did not care one whit where I was and would happily vanish the second she got out of sight. If you get them as a puppy and are a better trainer than me you could probably do better, but they are bred to be hardheaded, independent killers and mine sure is.

 

[Kindo]

Ours had a mind of his own but for the most part listened. If there was trouble on the farm, you can bet old Pete was going to get himself into the mix of it. That breed is tough as nails and he held his own during a coyote attack in the driveway one day. They’re ferocious little buggers. Pete lived to be just a couple months shy of 19.

 

[Wellsdw]

I’ve never had a jack russel but it sounds like they don’t generally have those traits you want. I’d buy a breed that fits your wants. Going against a dogs nature generally doesn’t go well. Just my 02 cents

 

[def90]

I have a client that has a couple JRTs. They seem to be great dogs but yes, they are working dogs and if they aren't working they will probably find a way to make you miserable. My clients have a 60 acre plot of land and those things will run until they can't run anymore. I can't imagine having one in a small house and yard or even worse an apartment. Like any dog, if they are bored and unexercised they will become anxious and will become a problem.

 

[*zap*]

Great dogs that need to have time invested in them. If you do not want to invest time into your dog then maybe get a stuffed animal instead.

I live in a tight space with no fenced yard and have a 9 month old patterjack...I have a friend/csr with a huge fenced yard and I take him there to run almost every day...but my situation enables me to keep that doggie with me almost all the time...for right now. He is a great dog, full of drive and very smart/wanting to please. He is wild to play but has learned to chill out when I tell him E-Z.

I enjoy the heck out of him being a part of my life and getting him was one of the best decisions I have made in the past many years....Got him at 8 weeks old...I have always found that the more drive a dog has the easier to train they are and you can do more with them as far as training.

I had a table at the fur takers convention and the folks next to me had 4 males and a female in a baby pen for the three days the convention lasted. The last thing on my mind at that time was to get a dog....my last dog was just wonderful and she passed in 2011. I watched those little doggies and thought that God must have put me there for a reason.....I was supposed to be in the other building but at sign in they had a table open in the climate controlled building so I switched...it has been a blast since my little Paddy came home with me.....some challenging moments for sure but it has all worked out very, very well. He is 19# of hell fire when it comes to critters, even deer.....but if you can channel all that in the right directions it can be a wonderful thing. We are working on hot tent manners/behavior at the moment.

He is gonna be a fantastic squirrel dog and much more if I take him to that level.....All I can do is share my experience and hope that helps you in your decision. I hope it works out for you.

 

[Alchemy]

This is my second JRT, they are great dogs.
Mine has a dog door in our garage, has never ran away, has 3 legs, and will kill anything anytime anywhere…. They are no more energetic than some labs, boxers, bird dogs I’ve been around. They make great companions on the ranch

 

[dtrkyman]

My friend had one and it was a royal pain in the arse, good tracker though. Can't say my friend was the best dog owner though!

 

[Bolt]

If you like a dog that sleeps under the covers get a jack. Mine in here younger days would do everything I told her. They tend to pee in the house, mine did it when I went to work but never when I was there. Friends does the same thing. They are good dogs I had mine for 17 years and she probably would have gone a couple more but she was in pain so I had her put down a year ago September.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

 

[weekender7]

Ours is 1.5 yrs old. She stays around mostly but we have had to go looking for her a couple times. They can be a real pleasure and the next day a handful. Lots of play biting which I don't like but haven't had any success in doing away with it.