Jack Russell Terrier
Learn about the temperament and personality of the Jack Russell Terrier. Discover what he's like to live with, his traits and characteristics and how he generally behaves. And look at lots of Jack Russell Terrier photos.
Jack Russell Terrier smooth coated variety:
Jack Russell Terrier rough coated variety:
| Jack Russell Terrier: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ease of Training |  | Explain rating |
| Intelligence | | Explain rating |
| Shedding |  | Explain rating |
| Watchdog |  | Explain rating |
| Guard Dog | | Explain rating |
| Popularity | | Explain rating |
| Size |  | Explain rating |
| Agility |  | Explain rating |
| Good with Kids |  | Explain rating |
Jack Russell Terrier Temperament
One word: feisty. These little guys are full of energy and character, and can be alarmingly assertive. In fact, some people find their energy levels to be overwhelming, and the Jack Russell will not do well with a confined living arrangement or a sedate lifestyle. They need to be busy and they need a lot of exercise! They are both a working dog and a companion dog, and are equally adept at killing rats in your barn or beating the crap out of your slipper. They are highly intelligent and will amuse you for hours on end. But you will earn it, as they seem to need an extraordinary amount of human attention and discipline. If you don't train them, they will train you. Jack Russells tend to be aggressive with other dogs and will chase cats and other small animals. They are bold and fearless little guys and are not intimidated by other dogs of any size. The Jack Russell is first and foremost a hunting dog, so is bred to bark, follow a scent, roam around, and dig. Be careful that you don't lose sight of them, as they have been known to go on hunting binges, and can stay "lost," underground, in pursuit of their prey, for days on end. They will need a fenced-in yard to romp around in, because it is nearly impossible for them to get enough exercise on a leash. You will need to be committed to ensuring that the fence is secure, because Jack Russells are escape artists. They can also climb fences. The Jack Russell is an extremely loyal and loving family pet and will do well with gentle children. However, a Jack Russell will not tolerate abuse from anyone, certainly not a child, even if the child doesn't know any better. Jack Russell Terriers will be hopelessly devoted to you, and might even become possessive of you. They do not do well when left alone for extended periods of time. So be prepared for a full-time, high maintenance, best friend!
Jack Russell Terrier Training
The Jack Russell Terrier is moderately easy to train. He learns new commands at the average rate. He is neither difficult nor easy to train.
Jack Russell Terrier Shedding
The Jack Russell Terrier sheds a fair amount of hair. You'll find hair stuck to your couch, carpets, clothes and everything else in your home.
Jack Russell Terrier Grooming
The short coat of the Jack Russell Terrier only requires an occasional brushing. But because he sheds you may find yourself brushing him once or twice a week to remove loose hair. (What you get out with a brush doesn't fall out in your home!)
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Jack Russell Terrier Photos
Rating: Ease of training
Tells you how easy or difficult a breed is to train.
A higher rating means the breed is easier to train, a lower rating means the breed is harder to train.
An easy to train breed require less time and patience to train.
Rating: Intelligence
Tells you how intelligent a breed is in terms of how quickly it can learn commands from humans. A higher rating means the breed will learn your commands faster (and is therefore generally considered to be more intelligent), while a lower rating means the breed will learn your commands more slowly (and is therefore generally considered to be less intelligent).
Keep in mind that this is only one way to measure a dog's intelligence and a low rating might still mean the breed is highly intelligent in other ways.
Rating: Shedding
Tells you how much hair the breed sheds. The higher the rating the more hair the breed sheds.
Rating: Watchdog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a watchdog and raising the alarm when a stranger approaches. A higher rating means the breed will bark vigorously to warn you of a stranger's presence on your property. A low rating means the breed probably won't bark much if a stranger enters your property.
Rating: Guard dog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a guard dog due to the appearance, size, and strength of the breed. A breed with a high guard dog rating will make an intruder think twice before stepping foot on your property.
Rating: Popularity
Tells you how popular the breed is in terms of ownership. A higher rating means that more people own the breed. The more popular a breed is the easier it is to find and purchase one because there are more breeders breeding it.
Rating: Size
Tells you how large or small the breed is. A lower rating means the breed is smaller and a higher rating means the breed is larger. It gives you a quick idea of how physically large or small the breed is compared with all the other breeds.
Rating: Agility
Tells you how agile the breed is. A higher rating means the breed is fast and nimble on its feet while a lower rating means the breed is heavier and slower on its feet.
Rating: Good with kids
Tells you how good the breed is with children. A higher rating means the breed is good with children. Note: all breeds are generally good with kids when they're raised with them.