When choosing a Jack Russell Terrier puppy, you need to examine the baby you like for defects and observe how he behaves with other puppies. This will help you choose a puppy without physical and psychological flaws. Along with this, you need to make sure that the breeder provides the necessary set of documents for the dog, including a pedigree. You can learn more about all this from this article.
Advantages of the Jack Russell breed influencing the choice
A very energetic and smart dog is suitable for an equally active family. Miniature sizes are ideal for keeping even in a small apartment. An intelligent and active disposition will surprise you. Children will be delighted with such a friend, and he will be delighted with them. But these are not all the advantages of the breed. Let's look at them in more detail:
- Intelligence. Jack Russell grasps everything on the fly. Therefore, there is no need to fuss with it during training; even a puppy will understand the commands. However, it is worth keeping in mind that, in addition to intelligence, boys and girls are also cunning. The owner needs to be on guard so as not to become a victim of the insidious manipulations of the Jack Russell.
- Attitude towards children. A dog is simply necessary for an introverted child. Communication with her will benefit those with developmental delays or disabilities: cerebral palsy, autism, etc. But it is worth keeping in mind that the Jack puppy will not tolerate disrespectful treatment; he may growl or bite if he is hurt.
- Activity. The dog is suitable for people leading a sporty lifestyle. Therefore, any outdoor games are beneficial for both the owner and the pet.
- Grooming. The Jack Russell has no odor and comes in two types: smooth-haired and wire-haired. In the first case, no special care is required, but during shedding it should be combed every day. In the second case, it will be necessary to remove dead, coarse hair, since it does not fall out on its own, but after the procedure the dog will look neater and shed less.
- Unpretentiousness in food. But you shouldn’t overfeed and you shouldn’t give too fatty foods either.
- Lack of aggression. Even to strangers. The breed is very friendly, so it is worth paying attention to training.
Upbringing
There are 3 types of training: burrow hunting, searching for wounded animals, game hunting, including pursuit on the ground. Owners themselves decide which is preferable for their plans.
Training begins at 8-10 weeks of age and takes place in a playful way. With age, classes become more difficult.
- They build obstacles and use incentives. The animal is characterized by temperament and unconditional obedience must be curbed.
We invite you to familiarize yourself with: Scotch Terrier (Scottish Terrier) – photo of the dog, description of the Scotch Terrier’s character and characteristics of the breed
Self-confidence, pressure, activity are manifested from a young age. If you let your pet's life take its course, it will educate itself.
The result will be damage to furniture, shoes, carpets, books, and cords. Holes will form in the sofas, and the Internet, TV and washing machine will stop working. Become the leader of the pack, the dog will obey the leader.
How to choose a Jack Russell puppy. Basic recommendations
Before choosing, you should decide on its future fate. If a pet is purchased for the soul, then the selection criteria may be softer. When you plan to participate in competitions, exhibitions or further breeding, it is best to find out the breed standard and carefully search for a suitable nursery that would meet all the required criteria.
We don’t choose a Jack Russell baby from the first breeder we come across. Although they have good health, pathology can still manifest itself - hip dysplasia. Kennels that care about their reputation do not allow such dogs to be bred, however, this does not stop others. Therefore, an animal with bad genes will be a frequent visitor to veterinary clinics.
You should carefully inspect the place of detention. Are the dogs kept in separate enclosures or enclosures? Is it clean there? The toilet and place for games must be located separately.
The space for games must be spacious, preferably in the fresh air. Floors should not be slippery, otherwise there will be problems with the formation of joints.
You should meticulously ask the owner about the health of the animals, about the parents, conditions of feeding, maintenance, etc. It is advisable to be skeptical about excessive praise of your shelter. The answers should dispel all doubts of buyers.
Jack Russell must have a set of necessary documents that the breeder must provide:
- Puppy card.
- Pedigree. To understand that the breed is pure.
- The act of mating breeding dogs.
- Inspection report.
- Veterinary passport. Puppies must be vaccinated.
Please note that there must be a stamp or chip.
Whom do we choose? Boy or girl
The character of dogs is individual. However, before you decide which gender to take, you need to know what awaits you in a given case. When choosing a girl, you need to be prepared for estrus and pregnancy. The breed can also have false pregnancies. However, the female half is most attached to home and family. Bitches are smarter and better trained than males.
Boys are larger than girls, so they have many chances to win at exhibitions or competitions. Although male dogs do not become pregnant or give birth, they can break loose and run away when they smell a female. They are also aggressive towards members of their own sex.
Breed standard, appearance and health
Dogs stop growing between 10 months and 1 year of age. They live on average up to 16 years, but it all depends on the quality of life. According to the standard, the Jack Russell Terrier must have the following description:
- Weight. An adult animal weighs 5-6 kg and grows to 25-30 cm. A puppy at the age of 1 month weighs approximately 1 kg. Jack Russell puppies measure up to 9 cm at one month of age.
- Appearance. Flexible body of medium length. The muscles are developed. The body is stretched in length and has the shape of a rectangle.
- Muzzle. The transition to the nose is clearly visible. The head is wedge-shaped: tapering from the skull to the tip of the nose. The lips are pressed tightly to the jaws, black, well pigmented. The nose is black. Scissor bite. The eyes are small, dark almond-shaped with well-pigmented eyelids that close tightly. The ears are mobile, hanging on cartilage.
- Wool. Animals can be smooth-haired or wire-haired.
- Color. The main color is white, with spots ranging from chestnut to black. Jack Russell Terrier at any age is the same color of a small puppy no different from an adult.
- Body. The back is straight, the loin is short, but muscular and strong. The chest is deep, but not wide, but the sternum is clearly visible.
- Tail. Stands upright in an excited state. May be cropped.
- Limbs. The front ones are straight with well-developed muscles, the rear ones are muscular but balanced.
To understand what an adult animal looks like, it is better to have a photo.
Behavior and character
Jack Russell Terrier, especially a boy, will become a companion to an active person. Thanks to his intelligence and insight, the puppy will make friends with any person. Commands will be given easily when trained. However, due to the fact that the breed was originally bred for hunting purposes, namely for hunting in holes, the dog will show independence and initiative. You need to be prepared for this.
The Jack Russell Terrier boy will make friends with other members of the owner's family. However, you should be careful and from puppyhood teach him to fight back against strangers, because with his good disposition he can become a victim of thieves.
Lively character requires long walks and active games. You definitely need to throw out the accumulated energy. Otherwise, the animals will damage the furniture in the house and become withdrawn and aggressive. You need a lot of toys.
At what age should I pick it up?
How to choose a Jack Russell Terrier puppy by age? Don't take him away from the family too early. The optimal age is 2-3 months. It is by this time that he already shows independence and receives his first training in simple commands. And most importantly, he is already independent of his mother.
If an animal is purchased for the purpose of attending exhibitions or competitions, then it should be purchased even later. This is done at about 5-7 months, or even after a year. This is done in order to fully appreciate the description and necessary characteristics of the puppy of the breed. It is by older age that they will already be distinguishable.
If taken too early, his connection with his mother can be disrupted. This will lead to improper formation of the nervous system: an adult may become too aggressive or cowardly.
Immunity will also suffer because the process of breastfeeding, which is important for the formation of the body's resistance, will be disrupted.
From the history
The creator of Russell is considered to be the British priest John Russell (Jack is his nickname). He began deliberately breeding a new breed in 1818. John-Jack Russell was fond of hunting and loved dogs that could help in hunting small game. The new breed was started by a bitch named Trump. Despite the fact that her physique at that time was still little reminiscent of modern Russells, their color has not changed from that time to this day. Trump had white fur with bronze-red (less often with black) spots on her head and a red mark near her tail.
The exterior of the modern Jack Russell is the result of deliberate crossing of Trump and her offspring with white and colored terriers. It is characteristic that attempts were made to give the Russells a quarrelsome fighting spirit. For this purpose, a number of breeders tried to cross them with bull and terriers - but this was rather a temporary phenomenon during the period of popularity of dog fighting. As you know, such battles were banned in 1835, and since then such selection has lost relevance. However, dogs with bulldog characteristics are still observed to this day. They are stocky, their heads are more massive and wide, and their bark is not sonorous.
Why were Russells created?
The dog with short legs, light and small was created through selective breeding for hunting living creatures that live in normal conditions. What were the criteria for selecting features? What are the characteristics of the breed?
- It should be smooth-haired and rough-haired, since long hairs become clogged with soil while crawling through burrows. And the sticky clay and soil that stick around the small dog slow down its running speed and interfere with an effective hunt.
- The dog should be light in color (white with spots) in order to quickly identify a four-legged friend who has crawled out of a hole and not mistake it for a fleeing fox. Unfortunately, it was not so rare that hunters opened fire on their own dogs, confusing them with wild animals. These dogs were extremely valuable to their owners, and they sought to preserve the white color with red spots in new generations.
- Ears are supposed to droop; if they stand up, this is undesirable.
The breed created by a British priest fully met these conditions. Her character turned out to be purposeful, daring, and devoid of fear of animals. She received well-deserved recognition as the best hunter of burrowing animals - foxes, badgers, hares.
Russell is a recognized leader in rodent extermination. For example, in 1977, the English Jack Terrier Vampire caught approximately 1 thousand rats.
Source
How to choose a puppy for exhibitions and breeding
To become the owner of such an animal, you should understand that you will have to pay a considerable amount. Because from the entire litter only 1-2 individuals can be born that meet the standards. In addition, knowledge of the latter is a prerequisite before purchasing. The weight of a purebred Jack Russell puppy should not weigh less than 700 grams by one month. It is advisable to consult a veterinarian. You should only choose trusted nurseries that can provide all the necessary documents.
Parents must also be winners in various competitions and exhibitions. Mating must be planned and carried out through the club.
Training for hunting
To engage your pet in hunting, he is taught not to be afraid of loud noises.
To do this, you will need an assistant who will shoot from the scarecrow. First, the assistant moves away to a distance of about 150 m. Gradually the distance is reduced. If the dog gets scared, breaks from the leash, or tries to hide, the owner calms it down and shows with all his appearance that everything is in order. In total, the training takes 3-4 days. Subsequently, the animal is taught:
- fetching;
- come on the whistle;
- work on game.
Starting from six months, you can carry out special training - baiting on a burrowing animal.
How to choose a Jack Russell for your family
In this case, you don’t need to pay too much attention to breed standards. It will be enough to choose one with average characteristics. For the home and the child, it is best to take the calmest one. A small Jack Russell puppy, especially a girl, is suitable for a low-active person.
You need to do an inspection before purchasing. You need to check the condition of the mucous membranes, the presence of discharge, and look at the bite - it should be scissor-shaped. If you plan to adopt a boy, you need to check for undescended testicles. Erect ears, crooked paws and a muzzle that is too long indicate defects in the breed.
When to pick up
If you plan to participate in various exhibitions or breed Jack Russell Terriers, then you should not pick up the puppy from the kennel before four months. Ideally, it is best to take your baby home when he is six months old.
At this age, it will become clear what size, bite and other features your pet has. In addition, he will already have basic parenting skills - accustomed to cleanliness, adapted to the world around him. It also becomes clear what kind of character the Jack Russell Terrier has.
By purchasing a dog ahead of schedule, you risk not noticing any flaws, both psychologically and physically.
What should the diet be like?
In the first few weeks that you have a puppy, you should feed it the same as the breeder fed it, gradually transitioning it to the desired diet .
If you plan to feed your Jack Russell with industrial food in the future, then choose premium or super-premium products.
If you want to feed your pet natural food, then begin to gradually introduce the following products into his diet:
- meat;
- fish;
- dairy products;
- cereals;
- vegetables and fruits;
- eggs.
For 1 kg of puppy, 20-30 g of meat per day is required.
Ideal meat choices include beef, turkey and chicken breast. Shred the beef before serving, but you will have to cook the chicken and turkey.
A couple of times a week you should give fish, but only sea or ocean fish. Before serving, boil and remove bones.
At first, small puppies should replace cow's milk with 10% cream diluted with water. Calcined cottage cheese can also be an alternative. It should be given several times a week, 30-50 g.
You can start your first complementary foods with buckwheat and rice porridges.
The Jack Russell digests carrots, beets, zucchini and pumpkin best. During the season, you can add a little greenery to them.
You can give an apple as a fruit. You can give other fruits if the puppy is interested, but you should avoid feeding citrus fruits .
Sometimes give your puppy an egg omelet, but no more than 1-2 times a week.
