Making Your Environment Flea Free






If there are fleas on your dog, there are fleas in your home, yard, and car, even if you can’t see them. You must break the lifecycle of the fleas to remove them. All these steps will have to take place to break the cycle.


In your home:
• Wash whatever is washable (the dog bed, sheets, blankets, pillow covers, slipcovers, curtains, etc.).


• Vacuum everything else in your home—furniture, floors, rugs, everything. Pay special attention to the folds and crevices in upholstery, cracks between floorboards, and the spaces between the floor and the baseboards. Flea larvae are sensitive to sunlight, so inside the house they prefer deep carpet, bedding, and cracks and crevices.


• When you’re done, throw the vacuum cleaner bag away—in an outside garbage can.


• Use a nontoxic flea-killing powder, such as Flea Busters or Zodiac FleaTrol, to treat your carpets (but remember, it does not control fleas elsewhere in the house). The powder stays deep in the carpet and kills fleas (using a form of boric acid) for up to a year.


• If you have a particularly serious flea problem, consider using a fogger or long-lasting spray to kill any adult and larval fleas, or having a professional exterminator treat your home.

Grooming a Rough- or Broken-Coated JRT




Rough or broken-coated JRTs require a bit more work. Left to grow naturally, the coat may not look neat and tidy. Although grooming the roughs or brokens is more involved, you may derive more satisfaction from the finished product.


Always keep in mind the Jack Russell is a double-coated breed: He has an undercoat and an overcoat. The overcoat is made up of the coarser hairs that protect the dog from briars and brush in the field.


Begin by thoroughly combing and brushing the dog to loosen dead hair and dirt. Then step back and decide whether the dog needs to be stripped of more accumulated dead hair. Stripping means gently pulling out the dead, loose hairs by hand. A stripping knife is a tool for stripping the dog’s coat, and is easier for the novice to remove the dead hairs with than hand stripping.






Before you use your stripping knives, first dull them by running the blades over an old brick. Start with the coarse knife and gently comb the blade through the coat in the direction of growth to remove the dead and loose hairs. Use a light hand, since the blade of the stripping knife may touch the skin of the dog and cause discomfort. Longer hairs are removed in small amounts with a straight pull, without bending your wrist. To protect the skin under the hair, always pull in the direction in which the hair grows. Begin at the head and proceed to the neck and shoulders, then the back and thighs, ending with the sides.


The fine stripping knife removes the undercoat. Care must be taken not to remove too much of the undercoat, which is the dog’s jacket. A dog with too much undercoat stripped out loses the efficiency and comfort of this jacket.


Some terrier groomers only hand strip, gently pulling the dead and loose hairs in the direction of their growth. If you are hand stripping, do only a little at a time. The JRT does not enjoy long stripping sessions. Stripping is an art, so have your dog’s breeder show you how to groom your terrier.


When all the long hair has been pulled and your dog looks like he is in his underwear, you can let him rest a bit while you trim his nails, carefully remove unwanted hair from between his toes using the scissors, and generally check him all over, as described in the weekly routine for a smooth-coated dog.


When this grooming procedure has been completed, mark the date on a calendar and circle the date ten days from then. On the tenth day, rake out the undercoat with the trimmer knife, which is used only for raking and never for stripping. A trimmer knife has teeth on one side and a wooden handle. Use it sparingly, because this tool can cut the hairs—it is only used for combing the dog lightly between uses of the stripping knives. (Do not dull the trimmer knife as you did the stripping knives.) This is a sharp instrument, so be very careful not to dig into the coat.


Some people prefer to use a piece of volcanic rock, found in equine supply shops and called a bot block, to maintain the coarse outer coat of the JRT. Run the volcanic rock over the dog’s coat to remove the hairs that stick up. This tool is handy for grooming the legs, because grooming them may be uncomfortable for the dog with other tools and knives.


Many dogs have thick areas of coat growth over the knees that need to be thinned with thinning scissors and the volcanic rock. You can trim the hair on the back of the legs with grooming or thinning scissors, along with the tip of the tail if it has feathering or a flag of hair on it.


Now that the basic coat work is done, you will begin daily maintenance. Put the dog up on the table and, with your rubber hound glove on one hand and your horsehair glove on the other, alternately stroke the dog with each hand for five minutes. This soon becomes a favorite procedure for the JRT and, again, gives you an opportunity to examine him. After the “gloving” has been completed, selectively pluck the individual long hairs using your fingers. Gently pluck the hairs that will be sticking up. At this point, you will find that there will be a fair number
of such long hairs but, as the days go by and the plucking continues, the “jacket” becomes tighter and there will be fewer and fewer hairs that stick out.



Every week during the grooming session, rake the coat using the trimmer knife to remove excess undercoat. If this is not done, the topcoat will begin to lift and start to look like a hay field gone awry. Your JRT will appear very untidy.

Grooming a Smooth-Coated JRT




For a smooth-coated JRT, start with a thorough, all-over brushing, followed by a rubdown with a well-soaked, tightly squeezed magnet cloth A magnet cloth (or, as it is sometimes called, a “magic magnet cloth”) is used for its ability to absorb and hold water. It is often yellow and is made of a washable cloth fiber that can be washed over and over again but not machine dried. Equine or tack stores often sell them for polishing horse’s coats. Some dog supply catalogs offer them in the grooming section. The cloth removes old hair and debris, giving a nice fresh look to the coat.





Then look the dog over for anything that may need attention:


teeth, eyes, nails, injury to the foot pads, fleas and ticks (comb him through with the metal flea comb for a thorough check), an unusual smell in the ears, and so forth. (Any unusual smell or matter in the ears requires the attention of a veterinarian.) Follow this routine weekly.


You will also want to brush the dog almost daily because the smooth coat sheds so freely. During the shedding season in spring and fall, take your dog outside to groom him. You can use a bristle brush to remove loose hairs so your home is less filled with the cactuslike hairs of the Jack Russell.

The Jack Russell Coat




The Jack Russell is a double-coated breed, which means he has a dense undercoat with a harsh overcoat that will protect him from the elements and the underbrush. The coat comes in three varieties: smooth, broken, and rough.


Smooth coats shed more freely than the rough or broken coats, but if you are uncomfortable finding white hairs year round on your clothing and furniture, be warned that this is unavoidable with a Jack Russell in your home.



Basic Supplies
Here’s what you will need to groom your JRT:
• Bristle brush
• Grooming scissors
• Horsehair glove
• Magnet cloth
• Stripping knives, fine and coarse
• Metal flea comb
• Nail trimmer
• Rubber hound glove
• Thinning scissors
• Trimmer knife
• Styptic powder
• Volcanic rock



To begin grooming your dog, place him on a table set at a height that will make the dog easy to work with and that is comfortable for your back. A professional grooming table is easiest for this purpose; it’s adjustable, has a nonskid surface, and comes with an extendable arm from which hangs a loop of leash (known as a noose) that you can use to keep your hands free for grooming.


Never leave the dog unattended for even a second while he is restrained in the noose. If you must stop grooming, have a crate ready in which to place the dog until you return.


Pet Food vs. People Food




Many of the foods we eat are excellent sources of nutrients— after all, we do just fine on them. But dogs, just like us, need the right combination of meat and other ingredients for a complete and balanced diet, and a bowl of meat doesn’t provide that. In the wild, dogs eat the fur, skin, bones, and guts of their prey, and even the contents of the stomach.


This doesn’t mean your dog can’t eat what you eat. A little meat, dairy, bread, some fruits, or vegetables as a treat are great. Just remember, we’re talking about the same food you eat, not the gristly, greasy leftovers you would normally toss in the trash. Stay away from sugar, too, and remember that chocolate is toxic to dogs.


If you want to share your food with your dog, be sure the total amount you give her each day doesn’t make up more than 15 percent of her diet, and that the rest of what you feed her is a top-quality complete and balanced dog food. (More people food could upset the balance of nutrients in the commercial food.) Can your dog eat an entirely homemade diet? Certainly, if you are willing to work at it. Any homemade diet will have to be carefully balanced, with all the right nutrients in just the right amounts.


It requires a lot of research to make a proper homemade diet, but it can be done. It’s best to work with a veterinary nutritionist.

What to Feed Your Jack Russell Terrier (JRT)




Dry food, or primarily dry food, is recommended. Some warm water may be added to kibble to release more food odors. Canned foods are not always necessary but, if you feel you must add them, take care that they do not exceed 20 or 25 percent of the dog’s diet. A puppy raised on dry food, with or without the occasional addition of water, will be quite content with that food for her lifetime.


To help keep your dog’s teeth and gums healthy, avoid semimoist food (which has a lot of salt, sugar, and preservatives) and too much canned food. These soft preparations encourage tartar buildup, which can lead to periodontal disease. Hard kibble helps keep teeth clean and gums healthy.



There are so many brands and types of dog food, it can be difficult to decide what is best for your Jack Russell. Premium, high-quality food should always be chosen over less expensive food that may contain poor-quality ingredients, fillers, and artificial colors and additives.


The dog’s stool is a primary indicator of the digestibility (usable amount of nutrients) of the food she is eating. Lower-cost foods may be soy- or corn-based, which tends to produce a larger, looser stool. A food that is based on good animal proteins will produce a firm, well-formed stool. Although store and discount brands should probably be avoided, relatively low-cost, high-quality foods are still available in grocery, feed, and specialty stores. Read and compare labels, seek quality and palatability, and you can be sure that you will be providing the best food available for your dog.


Protein
One area of debate about canine nutrition involves protein. Some people believe that if some is good, more is better, particularly for puppies and bitches who are pregnant or lactating. But high concentrations of protein in a dog’s diet are believed to be hard on the kidneys, especially for dogs with a history of kidney problems. Working dogs and puppies may be fed food with protein levels of 25 or 26 percent; mature dogs fare well with a level of 20 percent.



Fat
Another consideration is the fat content of dog food. Owners of working dogs
and dogs housed in outdoor kennels in cold weather may prefer a higher fat content, maybe 15 percent. Dogs, and even puppies, who are housed indoors, and older and overweight dogs will probably do very well on a food with a fat content of around 10 percent.


Supplements
One more consideration is supplements. Don’t give them unless your veterinarian prescribes them for some special reason. All good-quality dog foods labeled as “complete” will provide all that your dog needs in the way of nutrition. There may be rare or special circumstances, such as pregnancy and lactation, when your dog requires some supplementation of one or more nutrients, if recommended by your veterinarian. But casual supplementation can cause serious imbalances and unexpected problems. More of a good thing is not necessarily better.


Basically, the food you serve your Jack Russell Terrier should contain protein,
fat, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, all in proper quantities and in proper proportions. It is highly unlikely that a high-quality food will be lacking in any nutrient your dog needs for healthy growth, development, and maintenance.


It is impossible to give general advice and be right all the time. You know
your Jack Russell Terrier better than anyone else. As a responsible pet owner, you should seek the advice of your veterinarian and the dog’s breeder, read labels, and then decide what food is best. The appearance of your dog is the best indicator of good nutrition; watch her as she develops, grows, and ages, and adjust her diet accordingly.



Snacks
Just like adding artificial colors to dog food, feeding table scraps does more to please people than to benefit dogs. Your dog doesn’t care about all those flavors and colors. She’s perfectly happy with that plain old high quality kibble she’s always eaten. And if you never feed her table scraps, she’ll never know what she’s missing.


Scraps tend to be full of fat, salt, sugar, and spices—nothing that’s needed by or is good for your dog.



Even if you feed something healthy from the table, the dog will still get into the habit of begging, which will become a mealtime annoyance forever—not to mention the fact that your JRT could end up being a very finicky eater. Good people food snacks for your dog, in moderation, are pieces of carrot or apple. Most JRTs love them. Offer the snacks between meals—yours and the dog’s—or as rewards in training sessions.


Never feed your dog cooked bones as they splinter and can perforate the intestines. And never feed small, sharp bones to your dog. The best bones to
feed are the leg bones of cows. Don’t overdo it, though, because too much bone chewing can cause extreme wear on a mature dog’s teeth.




Reading Dog Food Labels



Dog food labels are not always easy to read, but if you know what to look for they can tell you a lot about what your dog is eating.

• The label should have a statement saying the dog food meets or exceeds the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutritional guidelines. If the dog food doesn’t meet AAFCO guidelines, it can’t be considered complete and balanced, and can cause nutritional deficiencies.

• The guaranteed analysis lists the minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat and the maximum percentages of crude fiber and water. AAFCO requires a minimum of 18 percent crude protein for adult dogs and 22 percent crude protein for puppies on a dry matter basis (that means with the water removed; canned foods should have more protein because they have more water). Dog food must also have a minimum of 5 percent crude fat for adults and 8 percent crude fat for puppies.

• The ingredients list the most common item in the food first, and so on until you get to the least common item, which is listed last.

• Look for a dog food that lists an animal protein source first, such as chicken or poultry meal, beef or beef byproducts, and that has other protein sources listed among the top five ingredients. That’s because a food that lists chicken, wheat, wheat gluten, corn, and wheat fiber as the first five ingredients has more chicken than wheat, but may not have more chicken than all the grain products put together.

• Other ingredients may include a carbohydrate source, fat, vitamins and minerals, preservatives, fiber, and sometimes other additives purported to be healthy.

• Some grocery store brands may add artificial colors, sugar, and fillers—all of which should be avoided.

Feeding the Older Jack Russell



Jack Russells remain quite active well into their senior years. However, compared to the activity levels they maintained as youngsters, even these lively terriers tend to slow down and nap more as they age, perhaps gaining some weight in the process.

When JRTs get to be more than 6 years old they may require fewer calories (particularly if they are gaining some weight), although they still need all of the essential nutritional elements found in a well-balanced food. As the metabolism also slows down a bit, you may want to feed your senior JRT smaller, more frequent meals.

An older Jack Russell may become a fussy eater. Have your veterinarian keep a close eye on the health of the teeth of your older Jack Russell. Teeth should be examined yearly to avoid any problems that may prevent the older dog from eating comfortably.


Free Feeding?

Free feeding (having food available for your dog at all times) is not recommended for Jack Russells—it is just too tempting. A fat Jack Russell Terrier is not desirable, nor is she healthy.

JRTs should always be in good working condition. All calories do count. Be sure to include biscuits and treats when calculating your dog’s total daily intake. A good, quick way to determine if your Jack Russell is carrying too much fat is to put your hand over her back, thumb on one side, fingers on the other, and run your hand
lightly down the back. You should be able to feel the individual ribs but you should not be able to see them.

Feeding Your Jack Russell Puppy




Having started life on mother’s milk, puppies are weaned between five and six weeks of age. The timing depends on the dam’s willingness to nurse and the practices of the breeder. While the pups are still nursing, at about four weeks, the breeder will begin to feed them a fine-textured, well-moistened, nutritious gruel to begin to accustom them to solid food. 


At first the food is all over the place. It must be served in a low dish or pan so the pups can reach it, but then, of course, they can also walk through and play in it. This milestone in the puppies’ lives marks the beginning of several weeks of more cleanup work for the breeder.






Puppies should never leave their dam and littermates before they are 8 weeks of age, and by the time you bring your puppy home she will have been fully weaned and eagerly crunching on puppy kibble. The breeder should send you home with a supply of the food the pup has been eating. You can either continue feeding that food or change to a different one. If you change, do it gradually, starting with about 25 percent of the new food and gradually increasing the proportion for about a week until only the new food is being served. (Changing food for dogs of any age should be done in this gradual manner to avoid upsetting the puppy’s or dog’s digestive system.)



Young puppies should be fed three times a day, at about the same times each day. Offer one-third of the daily ration at each serving. Set the food down in front of the pup and allow her to eat for ten or fifteen minutes. At the end of that time, pick up the dish and do not offer more food until the next mealtime. You probably won’t have to worry about your Jack Russell puppy eating enough—most are eager eaters. They may play around or even miss a meal or two, particularly when they are first brought to their new home, but they will soon get with the program. (A loss of appetite for longer periods may require your veterinarian’s attention.) Be very sure that plenty of fresh, clean water is always available.


Puppies require more protein and calories per pound of body weight than adults, so a general rule for Jack Russells is to serve the same amount of food per day to a pup as you would expect her to eat each day as an adult. For the most part, this would be about one cup of good-quality, small kibble per day. You can check with the breeder for information on how much food he or she expects your pup will require as an adult. Feeding guidelines printed on dog food bags are only estimates and should not be relied on as the precise amounts to feed your dog or puppy.


When your puppy reaches 5 or 6 months of age, she can be fed just twice a day, morning and evening, one-half the daily ration each time. Many breeders continue to feed two meals a day throughout the life of the dog, but some choose to feed only once a day after the dog reaches adulthood.

Bringing Home an Adult Dog



Consider getting an older, already spayed or neutered Jack Russell as companion to your dog—or as your only dog, for that matter. Many healthy, well-behaved older JRTs need new homes and can be applied for through the JRTCA’s Russell Rescue.

An older dog entering your home and life for the first time will have different needs than a puppy. A new puppy adjusts easily and is more adaptable, but an older dog has a history and habits, and may be more cautious in his new surroundings. The best thing you can do is to make the homecoming as stress-free
as possible and make your home a comfortable, stable environment in which your new dog will feel secure.

If you get a rehomed dog from a rescue group or other source, you may not know much about the dog’s history. The more you can find out, the better prepared you will be for the task ahead. Unfortunately, some rescue dogs have been harmed by humans and will have to be patiently taught to love and trust again.
Many foster homes work on helping the dog gain confidence and trust before placing him in a permanent home.

You can make this easier by being sensitive to the special circumstances of your JRT. Notice anything that seems to make him uncomfortable. Avoid movements or noises that seem to scare him. Introduce children to your new dog in as calm a manner as possible. Don’t let them jump on him or make loud, excited noises that may startle or frighten him.


Take your dog for long walks around your neighborhood to let him get his bearings and familiarize himself with his new environment. The sooner he feels at home, the better.

An older JRT should adjust quickly to your home and lifestyle. They are “no-regrets” dogs. With patience and understanding, he will soon be his happy, eager Jack Russell self. You can be proud you have offered him a second chance and a wonderful new home.

Crate Training



Jack Russells love their crates and use them as dens. When the door is left open and there is a comfortable bed inside, the dog will seek the crate for privacy and rest. Either a wire crate or a molded plastic carrier is suitable, as long as it is large enough for a grown Jack Russell to stand up in and turn around comfortably. If
the crate is too large the dog may choose to sleep at one end and eliminate at the other.

The bed or pad inside should be one that is not easily torn. An added baby blanket will let a puppy snuggle in and will help provide warmth and protection from drafts, especially in cold weather. A crate should not be
used for more than a few hours at a time and should never be used for punishment.

The crate should be a safe and happy place for your dog—a place where he will go willingly, whether you put him there or he goes in of his own accord.

Where you place the crate in your home is important for your dog’s comfort. Keep it out of drafts and direct sunlight (for a wire crate, a sheet or blanket can be used as a cover for privacy and draft protection, and removed when not needed). It is also very important that the crate be in a “people area,” not in a place where the dog will be isolated from his family.

Choose a time to start crate training when the dog is ready for rest, after he has relieved himself and has had plenty of exercise. Start by feeding your dog in the crate with the door open. He will quickly associate the crate with this reward.

Now that he has been eating his meals in his crate, you can use a small treat and happy voice of encouragement, and add a command, and he will enter the crate.

At first, just quietly close the door and don’t latch it. Later, when he is comfortable with the door being swung shut and he is busy with a treat or a meal, latch the door a few minutes at a time. If he fusses, wait until he settles down to let him out.

By offering him special treats and chew toys in the crate, he should not be upset by the door closing. Take these special crate toys and goodies away when he is not in the crate. When he is in the crate and occupied with a treat or special chew toy, leave the room quietly and return. Teach him this important lesson without discussion: When you leave, you always return.

Puppy-Proofing Your Home



You can prevent much of the destruction puppies can cause and keep your new dog safe by looking at your home and yard from a dog’s point of view. Get down on all fours and look around. Do you see loose electrical wires, cords dangling from the blinds, or chewy shoes on the floor? Your pup will see them too!

In the kitchen:
• Put all knives and other utensils away in drawers.

• Get a trash can with a tight-fitting lid.

• Put all household cleaners in cupboards that close securely; consider using childproof latches on the cabinet doors.

In the bathroom:
• Keep all household cleaners, medicines, vitamins, shampoos, bathproducts, perfumes, makeup, nail polish remover, and other personal products in cupboards that close securely; consider using childproof latches on the cabinet doors.

• Get a trash can with a tight-fitting lid.

• Don’t use toilet bowl cleaners that release chemicals into the bowl every time you flush.

• Keep the toilet bowl lid down.

• Throw away potpourri and any solid air fresheners.

In the bedroom:
• Securely put away all potentially dangerous items, including medicines and medicine containers, vitamins and supplements, perfumes, and makeup.

• Put all your jewelry, barrettes, and hairpins in secure boxes.

• Pick up all socks, shoes, and other chewables.

In the rest of the house:
• Tape up or cover electrical cords; consider childproof covers for unused outlets.

• Knot or tie up any dangling cords from curtains, blinds, and the telephone


• Securely put away all potentially dangerous items, including medicines and medicine containers, vitamins and supplements, cigarettes, cigars, pipes and pipe tobacco, pens, pencils, felt-tip markers, craft and sewing supplies, and laundry products.

• Put all houseplants out of reach.

• Move breakable items off low tables and shelves.

• Pick up all chewable items, including television and electronics remote controls, cell phones, shoes, socks, slippers and sandals, food, dishes, cups and utensils, toys, books and magazines, and anything else that can be chewed on.

In the garage:
• Store all gardening supplies and pool chemicals out of reach of the dog.

• Store all antifreeze, oil, and other car fluids securely, and clean up any spills by hosing them down for at least ten minutes.

• Put all dangerous substances on high shelves or in cupboards that close securely; consider using childproof latches on the cabinet doors.

• Pick up and put away all tools.

• Sweep the floor for nails and other small, sharp items.

In the yard:
• Put the gardening tools away after each use.

• Make sure the kids put away their toys when they’re finished playing.

• Keep the pool covered or otherwise restrict your pup’s access to it when you’re not there to supervise.

• Secure the cords on backyard lights and other appliances.

• Inspect your fence thoroughly. If there are any gaps or holes in the fence, fix them.

• Make sure you have no toxic plants in the garden.

Puppy-Proofing



You still have work to do before the big day to provide a safe environment. You will need to puppy proof your home to preserve both your dog and your sanity. The box on pages 48–49 explains puppy-proofing.
Curious busy little teeth on terriers have been known to chew up dentures, hearing aids, and eyeglasses. It is better to be safe and not leave anything with your scent on it that can be reached and chewed by your puppy or adult dog. They are little athletes and can get up on things to reach items that interest them.

If you bring a puppy or adult dog home in the summer, make sure he cannot accidentally get into a swimming pool. Lots of Jack Russells love water and swimming, but your dog should always do so under your supervision. When your dog is allowed to swim, install a safety ramp so he can get out of the pool
without the danger of drowning.

Inspect your fence regularly. Make sure there are no gaps under, between, or through any part of the fence and that it is tall enough to contain a small dog who can jump several times his height. Because of their inquisitive nature, without attention to protection and good containment, JRTs can wander. Rather than risk your dog being picked up by animal control, and possibly not being reunited with you, keep him safely contained at home and safe on a leash when you’re out.

Puppy Essentials



You’ll need to go shopping before you bring your puppy home. There are many, many adorable and tempting items at pet supply stores, but these are the basics.

• Food and water dishes. Look for bowls that are wide and low or weighted in the bottom so they will be harder to tip over. Sturdy crock bowls are very good for JRTs. They are easy to clean (plastic never gets completely clean), difficult to tip over, and tough for your puppy to pick up and carry off to who-knows-where. Avoid bowls that place the food and water side by side in one unit—it’s too easy for your dog to get his water dirty that way.

• Leash. A six-foot leather leash will be easy on your hands and very strong.

• Collar. Start with a nylon buckle collar. For a perfect fit, you should be able to insert two fingers between the collar and your pup’s neck. Your dog will need larger collars as he grows up.

• Crate. Choose a sturdy crate that is easy to clean and large enough for your puppy to stand up, turn around, and lie down in.

• Nail cutters. Get a good, sharp pair that are the appropriate size for the nails you will be cutting. Your dog’s breeder or veterinarian can give you some guidance here.

• Grooming tools. Different kinds of dogs need different kinds of grooming tools. See chapter 7 for advice on what to buy.

• Chew toys. Dogs must chew, especially puppies. Make sure you get things that won’t break or crumble off in little bits, which the dog can choke on. Very hard plastic bones are a good choice. Dogs love rawhide bones, too, but pieces of the rawhide can get caught in your dog’s throat, so they should only be allowed when you are there to supervise.

• Toys. Watch for sharp edges and unsafe items such as plastic eyes that can be swallowed. Many toys come with squeakers, which dogs can also tear out and swallow. All dogs will eventually destroy their toys; as each toy is torn apart, replace it with a new one.

Where Not to Get a Jack Russell



Backyard breeders and pet shops are not the best places from which to get a dog, nor is someone breeding a litter so their children can see “the miracle of birth.” These folks are not the best guardians of the breed.

Backyard Breeders
Backyard breeders are those who have bred their dogs but do not have the knowledge (or desire, or energy, or finances) to do what is necessary to produce the best dogs possible. This could be someone who has a female Jack Russell Terrier and wants puppies, and so breeds the female to a friend’s male down the street. No health checks were done, no studies of genetics or background checks were done, and in many instances the dogs may not have been registered, either.

A backyard breeder may also be someone who hasn’t spayed the female and then doesn’t keep her safe when she comes into season and is bred by a wandering male. The puppies may or may not be purebred; the male (or males) may not even be known.

Most such people are not breeding for the future health and soundness of the breed. They have not looked over pedigrees and studied what stud dog would improve the qualities of their bitch and have not done all the appropriate homework and preparation for a litter of puppies. They likely have not had the bitch tested or even registered. Most such breedings are due to any convenient stud dog.

Why Not Buy from a Pet Store?
The only advantage to buying a JRT from a pet store is that you can have a puppy the day you walk in. There are many disadvantages. A pet store does not sell adults or rehome abandoned dogs. Many times the pups are taken from their dam and littermates way too early for their well-being.

Pet shops frequently buy their puppies from commercial breeding facilities (sometimes known as puppy mills) where there is little thought or care for the well-being of the puppy. JRTs in puppy mills are generally not registered with the JRTCA and there may be no way of verifying their pedigree—if, indeed, a pedigree is offered. Most puppy mill dogs come without pedigrees. You’ll also pay a lot more than you would from a breeder, you won’t be able to see where or how the dog was raised, you’re unable to meet the dog’s relatives to see if they are the kinds of dogs you would want to have, and you won’t know the dog’s health history. Pet store employees won’t be able to show you how to groom your dog and won’t be able to answer any questions you have as the years go by. And if you have to rehome the dog, a pet store will never take her back. A reputable breeder will.

Pet shops are selling Jack Russells strictly to make a profit. Dogs bred only for dollars are the worst possible choice.

Jack Russell Rescue



Instead of a puppy, you might want to consider a recycled Jack Russell Terrier. Perfectly wonderful dogs sometimes have to find new homes. It is not any fault of the dog. Humans get ill or move where they cannot keep a pet. People get divorced and can no longer care for a pet.

Dogs who need homes are most often adults. They are spayed or neutered and housetrained. Russell Rescue Inc., the rescue organization associated with the JRTCA, screens all dogs and is very careful not to place any dogs with known behavior problems or serious health issues. Rescue also screens the homes these dogs go to. All adoptions are by application.

Often rescue dogs go to foster homes before they are adopted, so the foster family learns a great deal about the dog in their care. You might enjoy being a foster home and eventually adopting a dog in your care. Rescues need foster homes as much as they need funds to carry out the work of rescue. All foster homes need containment for a dog and an understanding of the needs of the breed.

Some shelters and humane societies keep a list of people who apply to adopt a specific breed. Please know that Jack Russells do not fare well in shelters. Being in such unfamiliar surroundings and under such stress can make a Jack Russell behave uncharacteristically shy or aggressive toward the other dogs in holding runs. This makes JRTs tough to adopt out. Some shelters will not take Jack Russells because of their distress at being sheltered. They often are completely undone and fall apart in such circumstances. But that same unhappy dog in the shelter may be a happy dog if she is played with outside for an interview.

Dogs with a second chance for a home make wonderful, loving pets. Many rescued dogs seem to understand their good fortune and express great gratitude and affection to those who have chosen them. A rescued dog can give you boundless love, and you can do a dog a great service by giving her a second chance at life
in a permanent home. The love you give and the love you will get back from a rescue dog is very satisfying. It is a win-win situation for both of you.

What to Look For | JRTCA Breeders



If at all possible, arrange to visit the breeder’s kennel. You will better know the relationship the breeder has with their dogs if you visit. You will get to see firsthand how the dogs are kept and cared for. You want dogs who are well kept in clean conditions and looked after by loving keepers. If you can visit the litter, ask also to meet the dam and the stud dog if he is on the premises. Meet as many dogs in the puppy’s pedigree as you can while visiting. Reputable breeders will be proud of their dogs and happy you want to meet the other dogs.

You will want a puppy who has been raised in the breeder’s home, with lots of activity and contact with people and the normal sounds of a home. A puppy who has been introduced to gentle children is more apt to love children and more inclined to be more patient with them.

When you visit, here are some questions to ask the breeder and points to consider:

• The breeder’s house and surrounding area should be well kept up and clean.

• There should be no doggy smell when you enter the house.

• Ask if it is possible to meet all the dogs. The dogs should be friendly enough to happily receive visitors.

• Do the dogs have the run of the house? If not, can you actually visit the rooms they live in? This will tell you a lot about the environment in which they are raised.

• Are all the dogs happy and sociable?

• Are the dogs well groomed?

• Have the sire and the dam of the litter had health checks for genetic disease?

• Does the breeder BAER and CERF test his breeding stock? The BAER test scientifically proves the dog can hear, and the CERF test is to make sure the dog’s eyes are in good health and clear. The BAER test need only be one time in the dog’s life. The CERF test should be done yearly on dogs used for breeding.

• Does the breeder have a purchase contract?

• What kind of health guarantee comes with a puppy?

• Are the breeder’s adult dogs registered with the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America?


A serious breeder will probably interview you as carefully as you are checking out a possible puppy prospect. Good breeders want their dogs to have good permanent homes. They will have a contract that protects their dog and also protects you. Make sure the breeder is willing to answer any questions about your new puppy when the purchase has been made. Ask if there are any genetic problems that the breeder has seen in their litters.

Find out if the breeder will be helpful if for any reason in the future you cannot keep your dog. Beware of any breeder who does not care deeply about the fate of a dog they have bred.

JRTCA Breeders

The Jack Russell Terrier Club of America (JRTA) has one of the most unique registries in the world. It was set up by founder Alisia Crawford in 1976 specifically to protect the working terrier from genetic faults and structural characteristics that would be detrimental to the breed’s working ability and mental and physical health.

Unlike other registries, such as the American Kennel Club and United Kennel Club, which register entire litters at birth, each application for registration for a Jack Russell Terrier is considered on the merits of each individual dog when she is 1 year old. That means just because a dog comes from registered parents does not mean she will be registered. A dog at 1 year must be examined by a veterinarian, and the doctor must note any obvious defects on a form submitted with the registration application.


Inbreeding is highly discouraged. Father to daughter, mother to son, and brother to sister matings are strictly prohibited, because inbreeding and line breeding can lead to increased risk of serious heritable diseases and traits. These defects would be detrimental to the future health of the working JRT.

A breeder who is a signatory of the JRTCA’s Code of Ethics has contracted to uphold the club’s high standards of conduct. Everything in the Code of Ethics is there to protect the dog and the well-being of the breed. All breeding stock must be registered and kept under clean and sanitary conditions. The puppies are
required to be with their littermates and dam until they are at least 8 weeks old.

A reputable breeder, who is a caring guardian of the future and soundness of the breed, will be more apt to produce sound, healthy puppies. By selecting a soundly bred dog, you can better be protected from the later heartache of discovering your dog has serious health problems that could have been prevented
by careful and thoughtful breeding.

How do you find a reputable breeder? The first step is to get in touch with as many breeders as possible in your area and arrange a visit for the whole family. The Jack Russell Terrier Club of America has breeder referral resources. If you have friends or neighbors who have healthy, well-behaved JRTs, you might want to ask them who the breeder was. You can also attend JRTCA events to meet Jack Russell breeders.

Jack Russell Puppies

The Jack Russell puppy goes through an alligator stage where the entire world is centered in his mouth and those tiny sharp teeth. Expect puppies to be very active with their mouths. Teething may make the dog mouthy, too. They normally play roughly and practice “killing” socks or toys. This behavior is completely normal. If you walk by, they may grab your pant leg and pretend they have caught you. It can be very funny, but do limit and discourage any really rough play. Do not encourage aggressive behavior. It may be cute when
they are puppies, but it won’t be cute later.

They can be terrible teenagers, too, but they soon mature. Keeping a Jack Russell well exercised is the best way to control this behavior. In fact, most behavior problems can be handled by extensive exercise. Exercise can help soften their zealous nature and single-mindedness.

Be gently forgiving of puppies playing like big hunting dogs. It is amazing to see the instincts present in a little dog only weeks old!

Other Pets
If you have other small pets, you must know that gerbils, birds, and even reptiles become the objects of the Jack Russell’s compulsion to hunt. Any small pet may become the focus of the dog’s unwavering attention. These dogs will give up sleep to focus on the pet. Their strong hunting instinct is ready and loaded.

As a rule, Jack Russells are not good companions with cats. Very few can ever fully be trusted with cats. Even when a dog is raised with a cat, the day may come that is not a happy one for the cat. No domestic animal more resembles the fox than a cat. The Jack Russell will decide to hunt the cat just as eagerly as
his ancestors hunted fox.

A Jack Russell and chickens is about the most hopeless combination of animals there can be. The motion and squawking put the dog on overload. Not long ago, my next-door neighbor had surgery, so his nephew kept his Jack Russell, Buckeye, for a few days while his uncle was in the hospital. Buckeye had been mannerly around our chickens. But during his stay with the nephew, he met a talking parrot. As the bird flew off his perch to land on the shoulder of the nephew, Buckeye jumped up and caught the bird in midair in front of horrified children and the woman who had patiently taught the bird to talk.

This breed possesses prey drive and simply cannot resist the opportunity to be full of surprises—not all of them good. They are adept at catching things, and sometimes they just cannot remember or recognize the limits of the game. They write their own rules to suit the moment.

Two Jack Russells? | Jack Russell Terrier

The Jack Russell’s willful ways require patient and loving guidance. Some owners get the idea that if they get two, the dogs will entertain each other. Two JRTs can become very close and enjoy each other’s company, but a Jack Russell may not get along with another breed or another JRT of the same sex.

They have steadfast friendships with some dogs and strong dislikes to other dogs. They are somewhat snobbish and take to their own better than to other breeds. In a large gathering of Jack Russells, it takes only one dog of another breed or another color to get them all protesting. The one exception is hounds, for whom Jack Russells have a built-in respect, perhaps because they have hunted with them for generations.

It is best to keep only two Jack Russells together, and they should be of opposite genders. They are inclined to fight, especially dogs of the same sex, and if they do there will be no peace. When two females square off, the enmity between them can be to the death. Even catching the scent of the dog they dislike can raise their hackles in anticipation of a battle. Many owners report having to keep one dog crated or in a kennel while the other dog is out. Their politics are very complicated and baffled owners often have no idea why the sudden
animosity has hatched. One thing is for sure, though: There is no cure. I offer this advice because the appeal of the Jack Russell makes one inclined to have more than one. Managing a pack of Jack Russells is a lot like taking preschoolers to the ballet.

Courageous and Reckless | Jack Russell Terrier

If you can commit time and attention to a devoted, quick, intelligent companion, then the Jack Russell Terrier may fit into your life. You may find you are the dog’s pet. It is quite like having a child in that you must devote a great deal of attention to where the dog is and what he is doing any given moment. A Jack Russell is brave to the point of abandon, and you must prevent him from selfdestructing; more JRTs die from accidental deaths than from old age. If protected from themselves, they can live to be 20 years old. But you take on the job
as the human parent to this clever, sometimes devilish companion.

Jack Russells need patient, vigilant guidance whenever they are awake. In a split second they have been known to bolt out of a door and across a road. If they spot a chipmunk or a squirrel, no amount of calling will get them to stop. They never see the trucks coming—they only see the object of their attention. No amount of obedience training will ever guarantee this dog’s obedience. They have selective hearing and can completely ignore you. Heartbreak may be the result if you take chances.

It is always prudent to keep a Jack Russell on a leash in any situation where you could possibly lose control of the dog. Somehow they have such a spirit of adventure that their fearless nature compels many to make a bold leap into impending disaster without a split second of hesitation. There are many cases of Jack Russells leaping out of car windows at high speed. Heaven only knows why! I was on a lake one day when one of my own Jack Russell Terriers leaped out of the boat in the middle of the lake. He was rescued from the deep water with a fishing net. I do not know why my dog Cricketson jumped out of the boat. No way could that dog have swum to shore!

It is if Jack Russells are shooting stars with a brilliant light that shines through life, never looking back. They leave people who loved them in amazement and sorrow as they jump into danger’s gaping jaws without fear or hesitation. It is desperately hard for those of us who love them to know why this self-destructive element is so strong in them. But when they decide they want to pursue some course of action, they are willing to do just about anything. That is why we must protect them so vigilantly from themselves.

The Dog’s Senses

The dog’s eyes are designed so that he can see well in relative darkness, has excellent peripheral vision, and is very good at tracking moving objects, all skills that are important to a carnivore. Dogs also have good depth perception. Those advantages come at a price, though: Dogs are nearsighted and are slow to change the focus of their vision. It’s a myth that dogs are color-blind. However, while they can see some (but not all) colors, their eyes were designed to most clearly perceive subtle shades of gray, an advantage when they are hunting in low light.

Dogs have about six times fewer taste buds on their tongue than humans do. They can taste sweet, sour, bitter, and salty tastes, but with so few taste buds than we do, they are likely to try anything and usually do.
A dog’s ears can swivel independently, like radar dishes, to pick up sounds and pinpoint their location. Dogs can locate a sound in 6⁄100 of a second and hear sound four times farther away than we can (which is why there is no reason to yell at your dog).

They can also hear sounds at far higher pitches than we can. In their first few days of life, puppies primarily use their sense of touch to navigate their world. Whiskers on the face, above the eyes, and below the jaws are sensitive enough to detect changes in airflow. Dogs also have touch-sensitive nerve endings all over their bodies, including on their paws.


Smell may be a dog’s most remarkable sense. Dogs have about 220 million scent receptors in their nose, compared to about 5 million in humans, and a large part of the canine brain is devoted to interpreting scent. Not only can dogs smell scents that are very faint, but they can also accurately distinguish between those scents. In other words, when you smell a pot of spaghetti sauce cooking, your dog probably smells tomatoes and onions and garlic and oregano and whatever else is in the pot.

Jack Russell Terrier Not an Apartment Dog

Because the JRT is small and very cute, many have been brought into small city apartments and condos and left alone while people work all day. The restrictions of being left alone in a confined place all day has made for some surprised owners, who come home to find their apartment ransacked by the bored dog. If left to entertain themselves, JRTs can be very busy doing things humans don’t like.

That havoc is very entertaining to the dog, though. This is not a dog who can be crated for long hours and left alone. It is, in fact, cruel to crate a JRT for more than an hour or two. They do not thrive with such restrictions to their physical need for lots of exercise and their mental requirement to engage their minds in interesting activity.

Because of their enormous need for activity, Jack Russell Terriers are often misunderstood and even rejected. They can easily become unruly without good human leadership. Confused owners unprepared for the needs of the dog sometimes seek to place them with rescue groups or surrender them to shelters when they can no longer cope.

Why Choose a Jack Russell Terrier?

Choosing any breed of dog requires serious study of the attributes and behavior inherent in that breed. JRTs have become enormously popular, but the real Jack Russell Terrier may be very different from the dog you have seen on television or in the movies. That’s why it’s wise to get acquainted with a Jack Russell before you choose one.

They can be brave beyond belief and yet snuggly beyond compare. They can be brimming with love and affection, while at the same time they’re a powerpacked bundle of energy. A Jack Russell will make you laugh. Some will “hunt” the vacuum cleaner and try to grab it when you run it. They may pause at the top of an A-frame while doing agility just to take a look at their kingdom from that elevated viewpoint. They love the spotlight and thrive on your attention.

Because Jack Russells are compact in size, they make great traveling companions. A crate-trained Jack Russell can be taken many places where it would be harder to take a large dog. They enjoy riding in cars, too. Never leave the window open wide enough for a leap, though.


The only thing a JRT loves as much as being near you is going hunting. He may be glued to your side one moment and off on a mission the next. While a sense of humor is universal in the breed, when JRTs are hunting they are all business. They can change gears in a second from play to work.

Most the time, though, the Jack Russell is a comedian. Being playful and fun is part of his basic makeup. These are happy, cheerful dogs. But it is important to keep in mind that, besides being ready for fun, the entire wiring of the dog is based on his history as a hunting dog. The dog must be willing to be handled and be a cheerful companion to the hunter. A dog of disagreeable nature would not be useful in the field.

Preserving the Breed

The Fox Terrier was once the dog now known as the Jack Russell Terrier. However, today’s Fox Terrier no longer has the conformational structure or even the desire to perform her original function of holding at bay or bolting foxes from their earth dens. The Jack Russell Terrier today is the unspoiled working terrier of the 1800s. The breed has been preserved in the standards of most of the major terrier clubs, which emphasize working ability. The mental and physical soundness of the Jack Russell Terrier is protected by those dedicated to their breed’s performance and character.

Fierce protection of these traits motivates loyalty to the breed, and the members of the JRTCA are devoted to the organization and its task. Through understanding, the club can continue protecting this remarkable terrier. Today, the Jack Russell is a much-loved pet in homes and families across the country. In addition to preserving the working function of the Jack Russell Terrier, the JRTCA educates pet owners about the unique qualities and requirements of keeping a Jack Russell. The JRTCA offers services and activities to keep people working and bonding with these special dogs. The club encourages people to love, play with, and work their terriers, and to fight for the dog’s ability and instinct to work, both now and in the future.

The Parson Russell Terrier


The JRTCA breed standard has not changed since the club was formed. But the little terriers being shown in AKC breed rings began to change—much as the Fox Terriers of old began to diverge from the working terriers in Britain. The JRTCA eventually sold the name Parson Russell Terrier to the JRTAA. The idea was to help make clear the difference between the two breeds. In 2003 the AKC officially changed the breed name of the dogs it registers to the Parson Russell Terrier and the club changed its name to the Parson Russell Terrier Association of America.

With a more rigid standard that seems to place appearance above working ability, changes will happen quite quickly to this new terrier breed. The Parson Russell Terrier is already a dog of more substance than the Jack Russell Terrier. The Parson Russell standard tolerates less variation in height—just twelve to fourteen inches at the withers, compared to ten to fifteen inches for the Jack Russell, which is suitable for a variety of hunting applications. The Parson Russell breed standard notes a preference for a spot at the base of the tail, which will have some breeders working hard to breed dogs with those markings, rather than on striving to maintain the essence of what the dog should be, a working hunting terrier.

There is currently another group approaching the AKC with another variant of the breed that has short legs, again seeking to use the name Jack Russell Terrier. David Ross of the JRTCA comments, “By adopting the name ‘Parson Russell Terrier’ for the AKC variant of the Jack Russell Terrier, the AKC and the Jack Russell Terrier Association did in fact separate the standards into two different terriers, eliminating much of the confusion and leaving the name Jack Russell Terrier for the standard the JRTCA and the Jack Russell Terrier Club of Great Britain have used for many decades. While education and time will be needed for both our organizations to completely sort these terriers out in the public’s mind, a good start has been made. However, if the AKC now accepts yet another standard for ‘Short’ Jack Russells and calls them ‘Jack Russell Terrier,’
both our registries will be in the unenviable position of telling innocent buyers that while their breeder and pedigree say they own a Jack Russell Terrier, the fact is they have purchased a ‘new’ variant of the terrier named after our terrier.”

JRTs in America

The Jack Russell Terrier Club of America (JRTCA) was founded in 1976. Thirty years later, thousands of members are united in admiration of and dedication to the protection of the Jack Russell Terrier.

The history of the Fox Terrier and the Jack Russell Terrier seems to have repeated itself when the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America (JRTAA) broke away from the JRTCA, with the intention of seeking recognition for the breed from the American Kennel Club. The Jack Russell Terrier was recognized by the United Kennel Club in 1991 and by the American Kennel Club in 1997—two moves that were opposed by the JRTCA.

Why do most of the Jack Russell Terrier clubs and the Jack Russell Terrier United World Federation oppose recognition by any all-breed kennel club? Why does the Jack Russell need “protection”? Showing dogs in highly competitive conformation contests has resulted in physical and mental changes to nearly every breed in history. While this kind of competition may be fine for other breeds, it is not suitable for the Jack Russell because beauty alone has nothing to do with the dog’s ability to perform the task she was bred to do.

What Is the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America?

The JRTCA is the largest breed club in the world dedicated to the Jack Russell Terrier. It is opposed to kennel club recognition of the breed and has a breed standard and a unique registry that allows registration only of adult dogs who are reviewed by a veterinarian for soundness and are found to be free of detectable defects. The JRTCA sanctions judges for the canine sports it supports, including conformation, go-to-ground, racing, and field work.

The JRTCA is also an educational organization dedicated to the motto “Preserve, Protect, and Work.” It has an associated Research Foundation (www.jrt-research.com) that encourages, promotes, and supports research on genetic defects found in Jack Russells. It also supports Russell Rescue Inc. (www.russellrescue.com), a group that places abandoned, goodnatured, healthy Jack Russells in permanent homes.

After Jack Russell

Upon Jack Russell’s death, at the age of 88, his stock was scattered. It is doubtful that anyone today can trace a terrier back to Trump. What does live on is his strain or type of hardy, old-fashioned, willing-towork
terriers. Those who did not hunt were culled along the way, or kept as pets in homes of nonsporting people.
Others who did not conform correctly for earth work, perhaps having too much blood of other breeds, were kept by people who found they were useful above ground for the task of rodent control. Some of these dogs had short, bandy legs and barrel chests. They may have carried some Dachshund or Bull Terrier blood.

Many of these pet strains came to the United States with fanciers who brought them from England. With them also came fine examples of the hardy, well-conformed working terrier so favored by the Reverend Russell himself. Fortunately, while the show-ring Fox Terrier continued to develop—and change—devoted fans of the original Fox Terrier continued to happily breed and work their tough little dogs in both Britain and North America. During this time they were still called by many names: hunt terrier, white terrier (after their extinct ancestor), and working Fox Terrier.

But as Greg Mousley, a noted terrier man and world authority on Jack Russell Terriers, relates, “Parson Russell was an extrovert and a flamboyant character and in his role as the sporting Parson he became very well known. Along with his fame went the awareness of his terriers, and when the Fox Terrier Club was formed, a name was needed for the many thousands of white bodied working terriers belonging to the working terriermen of the day, in order to distinguish them from their Kennel Club counterparts.” They became known as Jack Russell Terriers.

The Reverend Jack Russell

John Russell’s dogs were of a type suitable to the terrain of the West Country where they lived. But, with the fame of both Reverend Russell and his dogs spreading, it became the desirable thing in other parts of the country to have one of his terriers. Apart from his church activities, the reverend was well known throughout England as a man passionate for the sport of fox hunting and breeding fox hunting dogs. Before long, the name Jack Russell Terrier spread and began to be applied to these feisty little working terriers.

The reverend’s foundation bitch was named Trump. In 1819, while still an undergraduate at Oxford  University, he bought her from a milkman in the Oxfordshire village of Marston. In Russell’s eyes, Trump was the ideal terrier. She was white with brown ears, a patch of brown over each eye, and one no larger than a British penny at the base of her tail. Her coat was reported to be thick, close, and wiry, but not the long jacket of the Scottish terrier. Her legs were as straight as arrows, her feet were perfect, and she was of a size that has been compared to a grown vixen. Said Russell of this lovely animal: “Her whole appearance gave indications of courage, endurance and hardihood.” Even now, there is a painting of Trump hanging in the harness room of the royal residence at Sandringham, in Norfolk, England.


In England, the red fox was considered a varmint, a killer of spring lambs and poultry, so if the hunt crossed a farmer’s land, risking damage to crops and fences, it was considered appropriate to kill the plentiful foxes encountered during the hunt. In America, there is little, if any, interest in harvesting foxes.

Americans concentrate on the chase, and the greatest admirers of the fox are those who have spent time observing them and their intelligent strategies. Foxes in the country have many safe escape routes and seem to exhibit a sense of humor about the hounds “singing” their scent. Country sport affords a participant
the pleasure of the sights and sounds of good hound work, and the enjoyment of following the hounds on horseback.

It has been reported that John Russell was also not interested in the killing of the fox. He said of the terriers: “A real Fox Terrier is not meant to murder and his intelligence should always keep him from such a crime.” When fair terrier work is possible, with a noncombative terrier employed, one can well understand John Russell’s fondness for the chase alone. He was a participant well into his 80s.

Russell became vicar of Swymbridge in 1832 and was occupied by both his church duties and his position as Master of Foxhounds. His circle of friends included the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and other Masters of Foxhounds and often, even late in his life, he would travel long distances on horseback to meets. Legend has it that the bishop of his diocese once accused him of refusing to bury a body on a Wednesday because it interfered with the hunt. There are also stories of the bishop repeatedly asking Russell to give up his hounds and hunting. He agreed to give up his hounds. “Mrs. Russell shall keep them,” he said

The Fox Terrier


The original strains of Fox Terriers were based on what were called White Terriers, which now are extinct. Many hunt kennels in Great Britain kept their own strains of terriers to work with their hounds. The hounds would give the fox chase, and the mounted staff and hunters would follow to observe and hear the hounds sing. Of course, chasing foxes with a pack of hounds and many riders is hardly an efficient method of fox control. It is more a country tradition and an active outing—part of the rich history of humans and hunting.

The hounds were always the aristocrats, and the terriers were the hunting partners of the hounds. Pedigrees were carefully kept on hounds, but many terriers were simply the product of one good working dog bred to another for the job of dislodging a fox the hounds had chased to ground. When the fox was chased into an earthen den, the hounds and field of riders were moved back by the Master of Foxhounds so the terrier could enter the deep underground passage.

Sometimes a staff member would carry a terrier in a pouch on horseback so the terrier would be handy the minute she was needed to enter the earth for the foxhunters. The terrier willingly
entered, and her intrusive presence below ground would give the fox the idea to move on and the chase could continue. The dog was not bred to do the fox harm. The fox is a formidable opponent, larger and more at home in the earth. The Fox Terrier therefore had to be a strong, spirited dog to encourage the earth dweller to bolt and continue the chase. Although smaller than the fox, the terriers often knew the landscape and where the dens were. They could listen and figure out which den the fox might duck into and be there before the hounds by taking shortcuts. The intelligence of the terrier has always been notable when applied to hunting.

The Fox Terrier in the Show Ring
The popularity of the terriers reached its zenith in the late nineteenth century, and Fox Terriers were accepted as an English Kennel Club breed. Popular fashion tends to require change, and it was not long before the Fox Terrier was caught up in the whims of the show ring.

The breed developed an upright scapula (shoulder blade), a deepened chest, and a lengthened, narrowed head. In the show ring a smooth coat was favored over the less popular but more protective wiry-haired coat (rough or broken coat). The show ring’s Fox Terrier was no longer at all like the working terriers in the hunt kennels. With its redesigned structure, it could not enter shallow earth even if the instinct to do so remained.

Russell himself was a member of England’s Kennel Club (he was one of the original founders in 1873, and judged Fox Terriers at the first sanctioned show in 1874), but he did not exhibit his own dogs. Apparently disapproving of the changes in the terriers, he stated: “True terriers they were, but differing from the
present show dogs as the wild eglantine differs from a garden rose.”

The Working Terrier
As the popular Fox Terrier went to the shows, John Russell and other working terrier men went into the fields and followed hounds in pursuit of quarry. Many a man lacking wealth or a fine horse would nevertheless keep a few terriers to hunt when they were not hard at work. The ability of a good working dog to afford a man some sport locating fox or badger meant more than any pedigree. With the limited transportation available in those days, the terriers were rather closely bred. The best local working dogs were bred to local bitches, and definite types began to develop region by region, with size and temperament suitable to the area. All of these types were called “hunt” or “fox” terriers.

These working terriers have also been residents of stables for many years. Many are very adept at hunting vermin. The characteristics of gameness, hardiness, and intelligence have shaped this dog to several jobs over the years. Sometimes other breeds were crossed for the necessities of the work or terrain the terrier was applied to. But always the dog had to remain a small dog able to enter an earthen den and game enough to want to. The Jack Russell Terrier remained at work, and the show ring terrier became known as the Fox Terrier.

The Jack Russell Terrier Standard

As stated by the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America (JRTCA), the largest breed club devoted to this breed, “Jack Russell Terriers are a type, or strain, of working terrier. They are not considered purebred in the sense that they have a broad genetic make-up, a broad standard, and do not breed true to type. This is a result of having been bred strictly for hunting since their beginning in the early 1800’s, and their preservation as a working terrier since. The broad standard, varied genetic background based on years of restricted inbreeding and wide out crossing, and great variety of size and type are the major characteristics that make this strain of terrier known as a Jack Russell such a unique, versatile working terrier.”

Still, there are physical characteristics every Jack Russell should have in common, and these are described in the breed standard. The Jack Russell must be compact and in totally balanced proportions. The shoulders should be clean, the legs straight, and the chest easily spanned by average-sized hands at the widest part of the dog behind the shoulders. The chest must be compressible.

This required conformation allows the terrier success below ground, where he must be able to maneuver underground in narrow dark tunnels to get to the very flexible fox. It begins by saying the Jack Russell “should impress with its fearless and happy disposition.” The Jack Russell Terrier is “a sturdy, tough dog, very much on its toes all the time. . . . The body length must be in proportion to the height, and it should present a compact, balanced image,
always being solid and in hard condition.”

The dog should not be slack of muscle or overweight. Nothing should be exaggerated about the dog’s appearance. A dog with a long back and stubby, crooked little legs is not acceptable. The dog should be a nice-looking, harmonious package, with everything in proportion.

He should move effortlessly, with both pull from the front end and drive from the back end. The topline of the dog (that is, the line of the back) should move smoothly when viewed from the side. The legs should be straight, without turned-in hocks or turned-out front feet.

The Jack Russell’s head “should be well balanced and in proportion to the body. The skull should be flat, of moderate width at the ears, narrowing to the eyes.” There should be a defined but not overly pronounced stop—the area where the muzzle meets the skull. “The length of the muzzle from the nose to the stop should be slightly shorter than the distance from the stop to the
occiput,” which is the back of the skull. “The nose should be black. The jaw should be powerful and well boned with strongly muscled cheeks.”

The dog’s eyes should be almond-shaped, dark, and “full of life and intelligence.” The ears are “small, V-shaped drop ears carried forward close to the head.” The ears should not stand up straight nor be thick and large like hound’s ears. The mouth of the Jack Russell Terrier has strong teeth and a scissors bite, which means the top teeth overlap the lower ones. A level bite, where the upper and lower teeth meet, is also acceptable. The neck of the Jack Russell is “clean and muscular, of good length, gradually widening at the shoulders.” The good neck allows the dog to spar with quarry below ground and adds to his athleticism while at work.

“The chest of the Jack Russell Terrier should be shallow and narrow and the front legs not set too widely apart, giving an athletic rather than heavily chested appearance.” The chest needs to be flexible and compressible to enhance the dog’s ability to work up close to the quarry in bending and winding narrow tunnels below ground. A largechested dog is limited in hunting below ground because he cannot fit in a narrow earthen den.

“The back should be strong, straight and, in proportion to the height of the terrier, giving a balanced image. The loin should be slightly arched.” In other words, the entire structure of the dog is designed for strength, to able to hold up under hard work and move efficiently.

The feet of the Jack Russell Terrier need to be “round, hard padded, of cat-like appearance, neither turning in or out.” The dog needs strong feet for digging and crossing varied terrain.

The tail “should be set rather high, carried gaily and in proportion to body length, usually about four inches long, providing a good hand-hold.” The tail is cropped at about three days old so it does not break while backing out of earth, and the dewclaws are removed. The tail is sometimes used as a handle of sorts to extricate the dog from the earth. It usually requires holding the dog’s tail and hind legs to dislodge him from work below ground.

The coat is “smooth, without being so sparse as not to provide a certain amount of protection from the elements and undergrowth.” The coat is so very important as the dog’s protection. Sometimes JRTs are in the damp ground working long hours. The coat makes an enormous difference to the protection of the dog at work. The coat seems to resist thorns and burrs, and the dog can
easily shake out loose dirt. The Jack Russell Terrier may wear a rough or a smooth coat, or it could be a combination of both, known as a broken coat. A broken-coated dog may have some tail or face furnishings (longer hairs).

As for color, the dog must be more than 51 percent white, with solid tan, black, or brown markings. White is handy to see when working in dirt with a dog who is face to face with a critter who is earth-colored. Brindle markings, made up of several different colors of hair, are not allowed because they indicate the blood of another breed.

Subscribe via email

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner