Why are Jack Russell Terriers so popular?

Jack Russells have an endearing appearance. They have bright eyes, neat little ears and an inquisitive look. Many people have seen dogs like Eddie on the NBC sitcom Frasier and the dog who plays Wishbone on the PBS special of the same name, and think Jacks are cute and mellow like those TV dogs.What they don’t realize is that the average Jack Russell is nothing like Eddie or Wishbone. Many Jack Russell Terriers end up abandoned by their owners because most people can’t handle these complex dogs.

People who enjoy living with this breed appreciate their dog’s difficult personality, and even boast about it. They think it’s fun to have a busy, mischievous dog who always gets into trouble around every turn.

How are Jack Russells not like Eddie or Wishbone?
The Jack Russells you see on TV are acting in more ways than one. They are not just pretending to be Eddie or Wishbone, they are pretending to be nice, well-behaved dogs. You could even say they are acting like a breed other than a Jack Russell Terrier!

The Jacks who play Eddie and Wishbone have undergone thousands of hours of specialized training to get them to behave the way they do on TV, and put on a ruse of being mellow and easygoing. In real life, these same dogs are typical Jack Russell Terriers: they are extremely active and often get into trouble. In fact, trainers who work with movie animals look for dogs with a lot of energy and drive for this kind of work. That same energy and drive that makes them great movie dogs can make them terrible pets who will drive their owners nuts.

The good behavior of Jack Russell Terrier actors is usually limited to the short periods of time they are required to be in front of the camera. In fact, before he was finally adopted by his current trainer, one of the Jack Russell Terriers who played Eddie on Frasier was abandoned twice by pet owners who couldn’t deal with him.