Life with a JRT
Are Jack Russells good with children?
Jack Russells, like most other dogs, are good with children who treat them appropriately. Being typical terriers, they won’t tolerate teasing, harassing, or any other form of mistreatment, even if it’s unintentional. It’s up to you to use common sense. Small children should never be left unattended with a dog of any breed. Anticipate problems before they occur by educating your children in how to play with the dog and provide the necessary supervision. You and your children will be rewarded with all the joy associated with having a dog in the family :-)
How do Jack Russells get along with farm animals and other family pets?
Jack Russells can make excellent farm dogs if taught early not to pester the livestock. Since Jack Russells naturally consider small rodents as prey, they are especially good at keeping the barn free of rats, mice, and other vermin. For this reason it can be risky to attempt to keep a terrier in a home along with rodent type pets such as gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, etc. There are many instances of Jack Russells and cats tolerating and even enjoying each other but there are no guarantees.
Most terriers can be noted for same-sex aggression with other dogs and the Jack Russell is no exception. No more than two terriers should ever be left together unattended. If a fight were to happen, it would likely end up being “two against one” with possibly disastrous results.
Most terriers can be noted for same-sex aggression with other dogs and the Jack Russell is no exception. No more than two terriers should ever be left together unattended. If a fight were to happen, it would likely end up being “two against one” with possibly disastrous results.
I’ve heard that Jack Russell puppies can be destructive. How can I puppy-proof, our house?
Jack Russells are no more destructive than any other breed in the puppy stage. If left unsupervised and not given the proper stimuli to keep them occupied, they will get into trouble. I do not recommend leaving a young puppy unattended at all during the first few weeks/months. You need to make sure that they don't get into anything that may hurt them.
All puppies need to chew. It is important to provide plenty of appropriate chew toys and a watchful eye is necessary to make sure the puppy uses them rather than the legs of your antique dining room table for its chewing exercise!
It is important for the pup to learn what it can and cannot do, and what it can and cannot play with right from the start. This is one of the main reasons for not leaving a puppy unattended. Realistically, a puppy can't be expected to differentiate between its toys and a child's toys if they are all on the ground. When my kids were young, the rule was “if it's on the ground, it's fair game for the dogs.” Needless to say, this helped to teach my kids to keep their toys picked up!
All puppies need to chew. It is important to provide plenty of appropriate chew toys and a watchful eye is necessary to make sure the puppy uses them rather than the legs of your antique dining room table for its chewing exercise!
It is important for the pup to learn what it can and cannot do, and what it can and cannot play with right from the start. This is one of the main reasons for not leaving a puppy unattended. Realistically, a puppy can't be expected to differentiate between its toys and a child's toys if they are all on the ground. When my kids were young, the rule was “if it's on the ground, it's fair game for the dogs.” Needless to say, this helped to teach my kids to keep their toys picked up!
What kinds of toys do Jack Russell puppies like the best? What kinds of toys can be unsafe?
Rope toys are usually a big hit. Puppies also like the soft toys made of fleece. Be careful of those with squeakers inside. Most Jack Russells can disembowel a toy in a matter of minutes trying to get to the squeaker inside, which they may choke on. To meet your puppy’s teething requirements, chew hooves last a long time and many dogs love them. Bully Sticks are also a favorite of many. Tennis balls are a great way to teach early retrieving skills and provide lots of exercise, but be sure not to let the dog have one unattended. Constant chewing on the "fuzz" covering the ball can damage teeth over time.
Will hunting with my terrier have any effect on his temperament as a loving pet?
If your terrier has a sweet loving temperament to begin with, hunting will not change that. If anything, I find that working together with my terriers strengthens the bond between us and furthers our understanding of each other.
The instinct to work is very strong in these great little dogs and they enjoy nothing better than a good day out with their favorite person in the world. By all means, if you have any interest in pursuing this aspect of terrier ownership, I offer you every encouragement!
The instinct to work is very strong in these great little dogs and they enjoy nothing better than a good day out with their favorite person in the world. By all means, if you have any interest in pursuing this aspect of terrier ownership, I offer you every encouragement!