Jack Russell Terrier: breed description, character, standards and content

Jack Russell Terrier is a hunting breed dog. This dog is rightfully successful with dog breeders and not only has protective qualities, but is also able to become an indispensable assistant to a livestock farmer. The material in our article will be useful to those who liked the representative of this breed. We will tell you in detail about how the breeding of these dogs began, what are the nuances of their exterior, what are the pros and cons of animals, and also dwell on the aspects of their maintenance.

The story of a ball dog or little adventurer ready to accompany his master everywhere began in the UK when Jack Russell, a pastor from Devonshire, started breeding dogs for hunting. The priest loved the fashionable horse fox hunt at that time and was engaged in breeding fox terriers. His hand belongs to the first description of the appearance of the breed. At the same time, his opinion, as an expert, at the fox terrier exhibitions was unquestioned.

The pastor-breeder, during the breeding of dogs of the normal type, hunting foxes, instilled in his foxes the blood of small bull terriers, as well as border terriers and Lakeland terriers. The dogs he bred were fast and agile in order to keep up with the fox on the hunt. The ancestor of the breed was a dog named Trump, which the pastor bought during training in Oxford. Her color was white with red marks located at the base of the tail, as well as a mask on the head.

The priest paid attention to the ears and chest girth of the dogs being bred. In his understanding of the exterior, the ears were supposed to cover the auditory openings, snuggling tightly to the head. This was important so that the earth could not get into them when the dog began to dig a hole.

The sternum should have been covered by a pair of palms so that the animal could fit in a fox hole without getting stuck. Breeding experiments were carried out with the participation of fox terrier genes. Even after the death of the vicar, work on the breeding of a working hunting dog did not stop. However, the appearance of the dogs began to change and then went in two directions. Some dogs were more extended, others had high paws and a square build.

At that time, the dogs bred by the priest were called Jack Russell Terriers. Subsequently, the name was fixed in the name of the breed. However, the Jack Russell Terrier became a separate breed only in 2001, which was facilitated by activists from the UK and Australia.

A remarkable moment that separates the modern jack russell terrier from other brothers is white color with marks of red or black. Ginger marks may vary in color. Although earlier black color not particularly appreciated, today these dogs are no less popular with breeders. As for the tones ginger then they can be very dark, almost brown.

Another color option is considered tricolor, in which the main color remains white, and the spots can be black and red. However, whatever the color of the marks, they themselves should be round. Moreover, the total area of ​​spots should not exceed a third of the entire surface of the dog’s coat.

The coat itself can be smooth, having a dense undercoat pressed against the body. This coat should be stiff and thick.

Wools of moderate length do not have a snug fit to the body. They are softer to the touch of the wool of the previous type.

Also allowed Broken version, in which the wool can be broken in several places.

Such a fur coat is attached to the body, does not stick out, the dog does not have a beard and mustache. However, the type of coat in these dogs is determined no earlier than two months of age. Moreover, even in one litter it can be different, and sometimes an experienced breeder can not recognize it.

The exterior allows the growth of males in the range from 27 to 30 cm, while the height of the individual girls should not exceed 25-27 cm. If the dog is tall, it is subject to disqualification. The weight of an adult dog is on average 6 kg. It is generally accepted that the weight of the pet should correspond to its height at the rate of 1 kg per 5 cm of height. For example, a dog 25 cm tall should weigh 5 kg.

Representatives of the breed look memorable: the appearance of the Russell Terriers was once glorified by the relentlessly jumping dog, starring in the movie "The Mask" with Jim Carrey. According to the generally recognized standard, a purebred representative of the breed has a flattened skull, moderately wide, tapering from the orbits to the jaws. The nose of these animals is painted black, lips are tight, black, jaws are deep and powerful. Dog bite is correct, scissor-like.

The eyes of Russell Terriers are small, although their size visually increases due to the dark or even black stroke along the edges of the eyelids. The eyelids are characterized by complete closure. Ears can be erect or hanging, they are mobile and structural.

The neck of a purebred representative of the breed is strong and strong, physique tends to be rectangular, the croup is quite even, the loin is small, the sternum is deep, but not wide. The edges of the sternum are defined in front of the shoulders.

The Russell Terrier's paws are powerful and strong, their pads are soft and round, the gait itself is springy. The tail in the process of movement rises to a vertical position. When the dog is calm, he can hang. The standard allows tail docking, although today this practice is often suppressed by the rules of individual exhibition events.

Jack Russell Terrier is incredibly active and energetic. This dog is not peculiar to laziness or empty pastime. This animal is characterized by a strong will and ability to understand the owner almost at once. In this case, the owner of the animal can love unconscious.

At the same time, this dog does not know such a feeling as shyness. If necessary, she makes decisions instantly. In order for a well-educated pet to grow out of a puppy, it is necessary to start training and training it as soon as possible. Otherwise, a fool grows out of the dog, creating problems from scratch.

Lack of education can manifest itself in different ways. For example, with a lack of attention and affection, a pet can afford to sharpen its teeth on the master's furniture, show aggression to strangers or brothers in the canine world.

Such russels can become in the absence of the possibility of getting rid of a large amount of unspent energy. You cannot call the behavior of these dogs angelic: they become cute and obedient as a result of competent education. Given their passion for ball games, frisbee and other subjects, this is used in training. The fact that these doggies can pop balloons in seconds.

Compared to other types of terriers, russels are considered to be more balanced in terms of behavior. In addition, they do not spend as much time on barking and stubbornness as their relatives. These dogs are well trained and generally unpretentious, although at heart they are born athletes. With constant physical exertion and due attention, they do not cause problems to the owners, grow up strong-willed and developed pets.

They are not only playful: these dogs can be safely called positive generators. In relation to children, they are compliant and friendly, but this is the case when the pet grows with the children. As for pets, the friendliness of Russell Terriers does not apply to them. The reason for this is innate hunting instinctwith which the dog can not do anything.

A distinctive feature of the Jack Russell Terrier is need for permanent employment. If the dog is not at work, she begins to get bored and look for some activity up to digging the floor. Her curiosity sometimes knows no bounds, but this animal is not suitable for every breeder. For example, an elderly owner simply will not be able to give the pet the necessary discharge, it will be difficult for such a breeder to keep Russell.

In relation to strangers, these animals show at the same time interest and alertness.

Given their craving for adventure, you need to walk them on leashes, letting go of them in well-known places. At the same time, during the walk, it is necessary to give the pet the opportunity to completely pour out energy, the dog must run, jump. The jumps of these beauties seem to be laid in genes, if the dog cannot jump over the obstacle, he proceeds to dig.

Like any dog, the Jack Russell Terrier has its advantages and disadvantages.For example, the positive qualities of a dog include the fact that there is not much space for its placement. However, if the dog’s bed does not take up much space, then the area for dog toys sometimes requires a considerable amount.

A disadvantage of Jack can be called his habit of waking the owner in the morning. Its habitual habitat requires constant communication, running around and vanity. With a man who is far from sport and prefers to lie on the couch for a long time, a dog of this breed will be bored.

Russell needs an owner who runs morning runs, loves to travel, go camping, and go outdoors. With small children, these animals do not always get along. The reason for this is the dog’s reluctance to put up with when he is pulled by the tail or hugged until suffocation. The response to this behavior may be a demonstration of a roar. And although a dog of this breed rarely bites on business, such behavior can scare kids.

The advantage of these animals is excellent appetite with which they sweep away their food. However, it is precisely the passion for everything that is edible that sometimes leads to overweight. At the same time, dogs can be compared with a perpetual motion machine, which is good not only for them, but also for their owners.

Friendliness and love of love make dogs the darlings of the whole family. But among the representatives of the breed, individuals with a jealous character are found. They are not very patient when care and affection goes to another pet.

If, in addition to them, there are other pets in the house, Russell terriers will try to take a leadership position among them. These attempts can result in dog skirmishes, and at these moments the dogs usually behave especially bravely, defending their positions.

It should be understood that although these animals are considered hardy dogs, but they are not immune from bad heredity. Some individuals can have not only congenital, but also acquired diseases. For example, a number of possible ailments include a problem such as Perthes disease, which appears in puppies in the form of lameness. In addition, these dogs can be observed dislocation of the patella, hip dysplasia, deafness, heart disease, epilepsy and malformations of the sclera.

Buying a purebred puppy is not an easy task, it is necessary to approach it with an information knowledge. If the buyer is inexperienced, it is better to invite an independent expert to the deal, who will help determine which puppy to choose.

If a specialist cannot be found, it is necessary to rely on basic knowledge about the exterior and appearance of a particular baby. It should be remembered that you can only buy a baby from a trusted breeder in a nursery with a good reputation. These puppies are more expensive, but subsequently the buyer will not have to treat the animal for a long time in expensive clinics or constantly run into its uncontrolled behavior. You can take the baby as early as 2 months, when getting acquainted with him, you need to pay attention to the degree of activity, type of color, gait and behavior in general.

If the puppy is too lethargic and lethargic, this may indicate his illness. If he starts throwing, this may indicate poor socialization and, possibly, an unstable psyche. At an early age, puppies should not show excessive aggression towards people, but they should be able to communicate with each other.

In addition, it is important to pay attention to the conditions of puppies in the kennel. Mother and her babies should be neat and clean. They must have their own toys, as well as documents (veterinary passport and pedigree) The more generations will be indicated in the pedigree, the better.

Other points to consider when buying include The type of animal that can be domestic and show. The spread in prices in this case does not mean marriage, but the level of the animal. For example, if a buyer needs a pet who can take part in exhibitions, he will have to spend from him 50 to 60 thousand rubles. In this case, a typical working puppy will cost about 15-18 thousand rubles.

It is possible to keep a dog of the breed in question in a city apartment or in a private house. However, practice shows that a pet of this breed feels more comfortable in its home. The reasons for this are excessive activity and great freedom in games and walks, which allows pets living in suburban and private homes. Often, owners living in apartment buildings justify themselves by saying that it’s enough for the dog to go out for a walk only once a day.

In addition to walking, it is necessary to take the animal to the street every time he wants to use the toilet. In general, the animal adapts well to different climates, it loves to frolic under the sun in the summer and does not deny itself the pleasure of furrowing snow in the winter. Many breeders in the cold season take dogs outside in warm clothes. At the same time, the assortment of such products is so diverse today that you can easily choose an option even taking into account the complexion and age of a particular pet.

From the first day of appearing in the house, the puppy should have its place, as well as its own territory. This is a key content rule that teaches a pet to understand the basics of parenting. You can choose a place for the dog so that there are no drafts in its area. Also, it should not be in close proximity to heat sources (for example, you cannot "settle" the Russell Terrier by the fireplace).

Dishes for a newly-born family member must be their own. In no close relationship can you make it from your own plates and bowls, which are used by family members. If an animal eats and drinks from them, in the future they will be perceived as its property, which for some reason people use. There should also be no shortage in the dishes: the dog should have three bowls: for dry food, liquid and water.

Care and hygiene should be regular.: the animal is not able to wash and comb out itself. A characteristic feature of dogs of this breed is the fact that they molt throughout the year if they are kept at home. However, wool does not cause much trouble if you get rid of dead hair in time. For combing terriers with stiff hair, you must purchase special trimmers called furminators.

These devices are convenient in that without much effort and in a short time they can save the pet from dead hair, which impedes the growth of a new fur coat. Caring for the wool of other types of Russell is even simpler: it is quite enough for them to use the usual combing with a brush. As for washing, then frequent water treatments are contraindicated for these dogs.

However, the lack of need for frequent bathing does not relieve the owner of the need for paw hygiene after each walk. Each time you come home, you need to wipe the dog’s paws with a damp towel or special animal wipes. In addition, it is necessary to inspect them for cracks and wounds. Besides, Do not forget to examine your pet daily for ticks and fleas that he can bring from a walk.

Ear and eye hygiene is carried out regularly. This must be done 2-3 times a month. Earwax is cleaned with a cloth dampened in a special tool. If redness is detected in the area of ​​the auricles or eyes, the animal is immediately taken to an appointment with the veterinarian. In addition, the reason for contacting a specialist may be discharge from the eyes and an unpleasant smell from the ears.

Dogs need to brush their teeth once a week. So that the pet does not oppose such a procedure, it should be accustomed to it as soon as possible. You need to do this through special snacks sold in specialized stores, as well as using zoopastas and brushes for dog teeth. Pastes for humans are contraindicated for dogs, just like brushing your teeth with a fingertip.

If they get up, this is considered a serious drawback, and therefore, in order to prevent such a vice, they must be glued with a patch. If the situation is running, you have to solve the problem surgically.

There are no special requirements for feeding Russell. Like other dogs, they can be fed with natural food or dry granular feed of concentrated type. Given the small size of the dogs of this breed, a little food is spent on them. Due to the fact that it is concentrated, its amount per serving is less than the volume of natural food.

In addition, a ready-made industrial feed is convenient in that it significantly saves time for feeding a pet and contains all the necessary vitamins and minerals. However, it is completely balanced. only in premium varieties and holistic type. In cheap counterparts, the main ingredient is not meat, but meat flour, which is obtained at best from offal, and at worst, from minced hooves.

Given that lying on the shelves of a store of poor quality food can take a long time, the buyer risks acquiring a stale product. If you decide to feed the dog with natural food, from the list of allowed products is immediately exclude pork and lamb. Meat in the diet should be lean. Beef, turkey, veal and chicken are suitable.

In addition, you need to monitor for the animal to eat boneless sea fish, buckwheat and rice porridge. We need an active pet and vegetables (with the exception of legumes), which can be flavored with vegetable oil. We must not forget about dairy products, which in this case include kefir and low-fat cottage cheese. About once a week a pet needs to be treated with eggs (chicken and quail are suitable).

In order for the dog to get everything necessary for growth, development and maintenance of health, when choosing natural food, you need to add to it special vitamin complexes. It is important to understand the nuance that animal food should be varied.

The mind that an animal possesses cannot be discounted. In the learning process, it can be stubborn. Given that, in addition to physical exertion, he also needs intellectual, uniformity and mediocrity will put an end to learning. If the breeder has no experience raising a dog, at first you can contact a professional dog handler.

The dog is cunning by nature, and therefore she will quickly understand how to take a dominant position by managing her caregiver. Despite the fact that Russell terriers do not get along well with their relatives, with early socialization, this behavior can be corrected. You can’t shift the training and inculcation of certain rules from day to day, only in this case the owner will grow a dog that is neutral to passers-by and strangers.

When training Russell will have to stock up on patience and firmness of mind. This will establish itself in the role of authority. You can’t shout and beat a dog: a dog cannot be built on fear and hatred of its owner. In order for the animal to willingly carry out commands, it is necessary to include various games and rewards in the learning process. In addition, classes must be diversified and combined with outdoor activities.

Jack Russell Terrier justifies the title of one of the most intelligent and capable of training dogs. This is evidenced by the reviews of dog breeders left on the information portals of the Internet. According to owners reviews, these animals, even without special training, if necessary, can show several tricks, doing their improvement. They like to learn if the course is built in a playful way.

Also, as noted in the comments, these beauties are able to become companions for people with an active lifestyle. They quickly adapt to the rhythm of life of the owners and happily go on every street walk. If the dogs are sad, then, according to the owners, this may indicate poor health or homesickness. Some commentators write that Russell terriers may become less active with age.

The size of the puppies, according to the breeders, vary. In a month, a baby can weigh from 0.7 to 1 kg with a growth of 8 cm. In 2 months, his height increases by 2 cm, in 3 months he is 11 cm with a weight of 2.5-3 kg. At six months, the baby weighs from 4 to 4.3 kg, and his height at this time is 15 cm. After a couple of months, it increases by 4 cm.

About the features of the breed Jack Russell Terrier will tell the video below.