Jack Russell Basics

The Jack Russell is a happy, bold, energetic dog; they are extremely loyal, intelligent and assertive. Their greatest attribute is their working ability, closely followed by their excellent qualities as a companion. A Jack Russell can be equally contented bolting a fox or chasing a toy in your living room, or equally adept at killing a sock in the living room or a rat in your barn. Their funny antics will continually amuse you, their intelligence seems to know no bounds and their assertive nature and boundless energy can at times be overwhelming.


Natural instincts in any pure breed of dog are a powerful force. The JRT was bred for two things, hunting and companionship. If you fail to realize the nature of Jacks, and try to change what was bred into them, you are doing a great disservice to a fine animal. 


Jacks will hunt anything. They will adapt themselves to the environment into which you bring them, but they will never lose the need to hunt. If restricted, they will even hunt bugs. Edna is lucky enough to have 7 acres to hunt on. The predominant game here is rabbits, gray squirrels and deer. From the beginning, she has been fascinated with the squirrels, but realized she cannot get into the trees after them and is content to keep her nose to ground hunting the rabbits and trailing the deer. I have never had a mole problem as long as I have been owned by Jack Russells.

The Jack Russell does not realize they are as small as they are. On average, Jacks go at about 13 inches at the withers, and with responsible care and exercise weigh between 20 to 25 pounds. If they feel their territory or people are in a threat situation, without thought they will challenge dogs no matter how large they are. I have seen my Jacks charge full tilt after German Shepherds, and even Great Pyrenees without the least hesitation. The Jack Russell Terrier will literally die trying to protect what is theirs.


All domestic dogs are social by nature. You cannot find a better or more loyal friend than a JRT. While they have a tendency to consider you as theirs, they will give themselves over to you with complete abandon. They want nothing more than to please you, amuse you and be at at your side. When not hunting, they invent ways to keep you involved in interaction with them. From the first day you bring a Jack into your world, they immerse themselves in learning what makes you tick. Every JRT that has owned me has known me better than even my family, including my wives. 


The Jack Russell is a very assertive breed. No matter what level of expertise you reach with Jacks, they still leave you wondering at times if you are training them or they are training you. When you bring a Jack into your life, you constantly have to be aware of what they are needing and wanting in their day. They will, in a well balanced environment, find ways to amuse themselves while you are busy. On the other hand, you have to keep in mind that your Jack considers you the center of their world, and patience sometimes is not their greatest virtue. They will find things to get your attention even if it is something they know will not make you happy. They are not Charlie Daniels' Blue Tick Hound that likes to lay around in the shade.