How to Care for a Jack Russell Terrier

The Jack Russell terrier is a medium-maintenance breed. This is a dog that tests your limits. You must be able to be firm and kind to it. If you tend toward being the doting type of pet owner, the Jack is not for you.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dog Beds
• Dog Bones
• Dog Brushes
• Dog Combs
• Dog Dishes
• Dog Food
• Dog Leashes
• Dog Shampoo
• Durable Dog Toys
• Nail Clippers For Dogs
• Dog Shampoo

1. Understand Jack Russell Terriers are high energy dogs.

2. Prepare company before they reach your home. Jack Russells love visitors and will jump all over anyone who lets them.

3. Keep your Jack's weight down. Overweight dogs have more health problems, including heart trouble and arthritis.

4. Learn about what health problems are associated with this breed: cataracts, glaucoma, deafness (common in all white dogs), epilepsy, patellar luxation (poor development of the parts holding the kneecap in place), Von Willebrand's disease (a blood disorder), cardiomyopathy (a serious heart abnormality), allergies and skin problems.

5. Brush your terrier every other day with a rubber curry brush to help control shedding. There are three coat types: smooth, broken and rough. All three types shed year-round. The smooth coat sheds the most.

6. Bathe your terrier whenever it takes on a yellow cast. It doesn't require special grooming and can be washed at home.

7. Make sure to trim this dog's nails regularly ' once a month ' to prevent foot problems.

8. Remember that terriers are bred to dig. Expect this behavior, particularly if you leave your dog alone all day.

9. Keep your Jack Russell indoors or out. Remember that it will chase any and everything, and you absolutely must have a secure yard.

10. Remember that while it looks like a small dog, you essentially have a 130-pound dog in that body. These dogs are extremely intelligent, very bold and have no sense of their small stature.

11. Be prepared to enjoy a good 15 years with your Jack Russell, as this is the average life expectancy for a Jack Russell Terrier.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep your Jack Russell in a secure yard ' this dog can dig under and jump over 5-foot fences. Don't underestimate the escape skills of this terrier. If it sees something it wants to chase, it will do everything it can to go after it.
• Make sure you or someone in your home is willing to spend at least 60 minutes a day playing with and exercising the dog.
• Keep a roll of tape handy; the Jack sheds constantly, and a vacuum will get some, but not all of the coarse hairs.
• Most Jack Russell terriers don't do well in apartments or condominiums. They need more space than that and require a lot of exercise.
• This breed usually is not good with children or other pets.
• Note that terriers require a lot of attention. This is an extremely active dog. The main reason people give up a Jack Russell is that they weren't prepared for the activity level of the breed. The second reason is that the Jack nipped at the children.

[danny40]

on 6/22/2009 I can count on one hand how many people my jack russell
will let near me or my wife. he hates big dogs and male
dogs. only lets my brother inlaw in the house. he does
bite strangers, but he gets along with are labradoodle
female shes 1yr. we got her at 10 weeks she mimmics everything he does. id never hit him what do i do?
and he hates kids got him at the pound 5 yrs. ago.

[cheyanne04]

on 5/17/2009 I got a jack russell pup 2 weeks ago she is 11 weeks old and she doesn't want to take time to eat. All she wants to do is play. I'll put her food down and she tries to bury it along with any of her snacks. She drinks plenty of water. I have her in a crate during the night . We are trying to house train her but its not working. I need help?

[mypup]

on 2/28/2009 i have a 8 mnth old JRT his name is baby! his pick not mine! lol! i have two teen boys that he is very controling of they have to lay a certain way or he bits they go out with out him he cries till they come back he wont let me brush him clip his nails he wont eat his dog food he only wants table food is there some food that JRT like better then others i feed him now puppy chow with no meats it was with beef i dont know what to give him any one?

[candiceclark]

on 11/26/2008 I have a 14 year old cat and 2 kids, we just adopted a 2 year old JRT he is great with the kids and a lovley dog, but seems to be very aggresive towards our cat, i feel so bad for the cat, can anyone help with how to get the dog to accept the cat and not hurt hi? please email me if you have any suggestions or advise ? [e-mail]

[dixieOZ]

on 11/24/2008 we have a JRT smooth coat and we love him so much he gets lots of exercise i take him for walks in the morning (and he reminds me every morning) and my husband plays games with him when he gets home from work. Shedding hair is probably the one bugbear with JRTs that we have every morning i have to vacuum polished floors and some carpets but we love him so its not a problem. He thinks everyone that visits only comes to see him so i have to be careful with the elderly person but he is fine once he calms down. We got a kitten at the same time - they get on so well, they preen one another and play and both are 2 years old now and that also keeps the JRT occupied although i did feel sorry for the cat when he was a kitten but since grown he gets his own back or stays out of the JRTs way, but they get on very well. Lots of exercise and training lots of love and attention, good food, grooming a