Jack Russell Terrier Facts And Info

The Jack Russell Terrier is well-known for its fiery temperament yet small stature. There’s a lot you’ll want to learn about this energetic and oftentimes amusing breed. So here are the top Jack Russell Terrier facts.

Named For Its Creator

This breed is named for the man who created it:  Reverend John Russell also known as Parson Jack was the vicar (minister) of Swimbridge, in Devon England. He was also a fox hunter and developed the breed in an attempt to create a more efficient fox hunting dog.

Small With An Attitude For A Reason

The Jack Russell is not a small dog by accident. Both its size and tenaciousness come from its fox hunting ancestry. It needed to be able to fit into small underground tunnels and dens where it would then take on a fox that was fighting for its life, and typically in total darkness.

Three Coat Options

The Jack Russell Terrier coat comes in three types. It may be smooth, rough, or broken. A broken coat looks like a mixture between both the smooth and the rough coat types. The rough and broken coat Jack Russell Terrier, often have longer hairs around the mouth and on the tail than the smooth coat.

Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

Each breed is prone to specific health problems. One of the Jack Russell Terrier health issues is Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease. This condition causes a failure in the blood supply to the thigh bone of the dog. And this results in it crumbling as it degenerates.

It is typically seen in puppies after six months of age. Pets affected by this condition experience pain when their hip joint is touched and lameness in the hind legs. However, with surgery dogs are generally able to eventually walk and run in a normal manner.

Two Strains

There are actually two strains of this breed: the Parson Russell Terrier and the Jack Russell Terrier. The Parson Russell Terrier is considered to be the show strain while the Jack Russell is the working strain. However, both do come from the same roots. And both strains can hunt and are also used as pets. You can distinguish from each other by the fact that the Parson Russell Terrier has visibly longer legs than the Jack Russell.

Big Influence In The U.S.

One of the biggest influencers of the breed in the United States was Mrs. Ailsa Crawford. In the nineteen sixties and seventies she was one of the first Jack Russell Terrier breeders in the entire country and produced some of the top dogs in the nation.

She went on to found the JRTCA or Jack Russell Terrier Club of America. It is the largest registry Jack Russell club and registry in the world. And it has worked to preserve the Jack Russell terrier as a true working breed.

The Jack Russell Terrier And Children

While this breed can be good with children it is often recommended for families with kids that are six years old and up. That’s because the Jack Russell’s extreme energy and animated behavior can be intimidating to very young kids.

For those who have their heart set on this breed and do have young children adopting an older more mature dog may be a better option. Children will need to be taught to respect the dog. And like with any breed should always be supervised when with a canine.

Handle Tail

The Jack Russell Terrier tail is docked or shortened, not long after it is born. Although it’s not docked as short as other breeds and actually looks like a handle. This is no accident, as the tail is used as a handle to help pull the dog out of the den or burrow of prey when hunting.

Big Dog In A Small Body

One of the most amusing Jack Russell Terrier facts is that it has no idea it’s so small. Not only does it not realize it’s so small but it really believes it’s the biggest and baddest pooch around. This is often most obvious when it’s around larger dogs, which will often back down from them.

Extreme Energy

Having an extreme amount of energy is one of the Jack Russell Terrier traits. And unlike other breeds, even well-exercised Jack Russells can seem to have a limitless amount. This trait also means it’s a high-maintenance pet and definitely not for everyone.

Despite being one of the small dog breeds, it is not a pet for someone living in a cramped apartment or who does not have a lot of time to spend with their pet. These dogs require active owners but who won’t take their behavior too seriously.

Aggressive Behavior

Many dogs and especially terriers tend to show aggression towards other dogs. With the Jack Russell Terrier, however, aggression is often aimed at household objects and seemingly random items.

Vacuum cleaners, brooms, and mops are common targets especially when they are in motion. Sprinklers and even rocks for some reason also seem to be Jack Russell favorites. However, with this breed just about anything is fair game regardless of its size.

Problem Solving Pooch

The Jack Russell Terrier is known for its intelligence which also happens to help make it an excellent problem solver. However, this isn’t always convenient for its owners. It will often find creative ways to get into things and places you’d never expect possible once it smells something it wants.

Strong Hunting Instinct

One of the Jack Russell Terrier facts that all prospective owners will need to remember is that this is a breed with very strong hunting instincts. A Jack Russell is always looking for prey, whether that be rodents, insects, or even items that look like them. This cannot be trained out of the dog.

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