OT: Jack Russell Terriers

Stonington · 09-25-2006, 11:32 AM

DH and I are thinking about getting a puppy. We are very interested in Jack Russell Terriers. For those of you out there that may have one in your family..I am concerned because we both work full time and I am worried about leaving the puppy home alone all day. Are they a breed that would be too lonely to leave home alone? We visited some at a pet shop over the weekend and I fell in love.

So bright eyed. I would love some in-put from this wonderful group!

Thanks so much!

anne
sebago, ME

dustinac · 09-25-2006, 11:45 AM

I hate to say this but prolly not.. they are known to be very energetic and active dogs... my cousin has one and that little thing has so much energy it is never still.. I know she has to kennel him when she runs errands or take him with her.. she came home one day and her dh had left and not put him up... all her mini blinds chewed up and he was prolly 3at that time.... he has so much energy..they are really cute... I found this site that says

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.

sara_jayne · 09-25-2006, 11:52 AM

Anne -

I have 2 Jack Russell Terriers at home - one is 1 year 9 months old and the other is 1 year 3 months. We adore the Jack Russell breed, just adore them.

However, when we got the first puppy we had NO idea what we were getting ourselves into....we were stupid and didn't do any breed research what so ever. We kept the puppy, did a lot of research and took training classes with the puppy and made it work, because we feel in love with the boy. We ended up getting a second one because we fell in love with him too. We LOVE having 2 - they play together and wear eachother out. It took a few days for them to get used to each other, but now they love eachother like they were brothers.

Jack Russells are VERY energetic and VERY smart which can lead to problems. They need to be exercised and played with and trained. If left up to their own devices they will tear your house apart! I'm lucky enough to work from home, so they stay out of the kennels all day but still need exercise. We found an off leash dog park that we go to several times a week, we play fetch in the house, work on tricks, and go for walks.

I think as long as you have them crated during the day while you are gone with lots of things to do (aka. Kongs, buster balls) they will be fine as long as you make a commitment to exercise their mind and body.

I'm not trying to discourage you from getting a Jack, afterall I do adore them myself!

They can be such a great pet! Training them from the beginning is a must and they will excel in tricks too! They are a great breed because not only are they small but since the breeding line has been kept so pure there are relativley no health problems (there are no major breed standards, they are breed to work) and they do live for a long time (15 years).

I am a huge fan of Jack's and LOVE our two and all the others that I've met....I'm sure a Jack would be a great addition to your home!

And, just for fun, here are my boys, Sparky & Skeeter!

orcoastknitter · 09-25-2006, 12:20 PM

In my opinion, please do not buy a puppy from a pet store. Most puppies that are in pet stores come from puppy mills or backyard breeders that breed just for the $$$. Please find a reputable breeder. Just because they say they are AKC registered doesn't mean a thing. Please research the breed before taking the plunge. I am in the process of purchasing a cairn terrier. I started my search by going to dog shows. I met and visited with a few breeders until I found the right one. I know it's a lot of work, but well worth it in the end.

Here are a few links to check out:

Parson Russell Terrier Association of America

Information on puppy mills, not a pretty picture

American Kennel Club

Lieke · 09-25-2006, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by orcoastknitter

In my opinion, please do not buy a puppy from a pet store. Most puppies that are in pet stores come from puppy mills or backyard breeders that breed just for the $$$. Please find a reputable breeder. Just because they say they are AKC registered doesn't mean a thing.

I totally agree on that. Never ever buy a pet in a pet store. They are just kept to make money really fast, but most of the times, the pets in the pet store aren't healthy.

About Jack Russels. We own one, we got him from a shelter, so there wasn't any breed-checking. We just fell in love with the enthousiastic little dog that loved humans so much. Well, we have known that. He teared our whole house apart while we were away. That took about 2 years. We were lucky. After that, he only took (and still takes) our shoes to the place where he sleeps. Fortunately no chewing involved. Jack Russels are energetic. We usually walk him about an hour ever day. He really needs that, even now he's 11 years old. When he was young, we could walk him all day, and he still wanted more.

Personally, I wouldn't take a dog when I was away from home all day. They really need a companion. But I think that's your own decision.

Stonington · 09-25-2006, 12:47 PM

orcoastknitter - I agree, I would not purchase from a pet shop. But I can not resist going in to them if I am near. We have a few breeders quite close to us and my husbands cousin was a breeder for years and can share a quite a bit of information with us. He just retired but still has 2 at home. My biggest concern is that the pup will be lonely.

Thank you so much for the links. I will check them out as well.

anne
sebago ME

Originally Posted by orcoastknitter

In my opinion, please do not buy a puppy from a pet store. Most puppies that are in pet stores come from puppy mills or backyard breeders that breed just for the $$$. Please find a reputable breeder. Just because they say they are AKC registered doesn't mean a thing. Please research the breed before taking the plunge. I am in the process of purchasing a cairn terrier. I started my search by going to dog shows. I met and visited with a few breeders until I found the right one. I know it's a lot of work, but well worth it in the end.

Here are a few links to check out:

Parson Russell Terrier Association of America

Information on puppy mills, not a pretty picture

American Kennel Club

Liliyarn · 09-25-2006, 01:02 PM

This is a toughy. This breed needs *lots* and I cannot say that enough *lots* of attention, interaction, and exercise. I baby sat one for a few weeks.

I had to crate her so we could sleep at night. And I could tell you about the difficult time we had with her because we worked all day.

I can say this with absolute honesty....the dog wasn't natural. We never saw her sleep. Never. She never sat still. Not to eat or drink. All the pictures I took of her were blurs. Forget the energizer bunny. It really needs to be a Jack.

I was glad to see her go. It wasn't that she was a bad dog or a bad breed, she just didn't fit our lifestyle. Give me Bostons and give me Rat Terriers, but I'll never have a Jack Russell.

Moral of the message: Do breed research. The dog isn't cute when she's ripping up all your towels. Breeders are the best way to go because they put a lot of time into their animals and want to see them go to the right home. They will tell you if Jacks aren't for you.

brendajos · 09-25-2006, 01:07 PM

That actually sounds about right for a Jack Russell. Them and dalmatians...freakishly high energy!

I would say, though, that most dogs are social creatures and don't do well when left home all day. They really are like kids who misbehave to get their parents' attention. There are doggie day cares in the world that you can take your dog to during the day and people who will come to walk the dog while you are at work. Or if you can go home during lunch to let them out even...

orcoastknitter · 09-25-2006, 01:10 PM

I am all about research when looking into purchasing a dog.

My 62 year old co-worker purchased a Jack Russell on a whim. Not a good idea. The dog is tied out all day in the front of house. That just rubs me the wrong way. And the dog isn't potty trained yet!

Stonington · 09-25-2006, 02:18 PM

:crying: I work over an hour from home... so popping home at lunch is not a option. The concern of having the puppy home alone is a real one. I hate to think that we will have to retire before we can seriously consider having a puppy... that is a few years off lol. Thank you all for your input, it means alot to me to hear all sides!

anne
sebago ME