Quick Links: Table of Contents
- Jack Russell Terrier Breed Overview
- History of the Jack Russell Terrier Breed. Where Jack Russell Terriers came from
- What the Jack Russell Terrier Looks Like
- How Much is the Jack Russell Terrier Puppy?
- Adopting or Rescuing the Jack Russell Terrier
- Jack Russell Terrier Growth
- What Colors do Jack Russell Terriers Have?
- The Temperament of the Jack Russell Terrier
- How Long Jack Russell Terriers Live
- Jack Russell Terrier Litter Size
- Good Names for Jack Russell Terriers
- How Intelligent are Jack Russell Terriers?
- Health Problems in Jack Russell Terriers and How to Prevent Them
- How to Take Care of Jack Russell Terrier
- Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Jack Russell Terriers
- Other Things to Know About Jack Russell Terriers
Jack Russell Terrier Breed Overview
The Jack Russell Terrier is a small-sized dog.
The adult Jack Russell Terrier stands 10 to 15 inches tall at the shoulder.
The Jack Russell Terrier belongs to the Terrier Dogs group.
Dogs in the Terrier Dogs group, like the Jack Russell Terrier, were originally bred to go underground to hunt rodents and other small wild animals (vermin).
Terriers come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, but all terriers are energetic, highly intelligent, and territorial. Terries also have the tendency to escape. They require a securely fenced yard.
The fact that the Jack Russell Terrier belongs to the Terrier Dogs group is one of the reasons why Jack Russell Terriers have the personality and temperament that they have.
The temperament of the Jack Russell Terrier is generally described as:
- Athletic
- Clownish
- Energetic
- Fearless
- Intelligent
- Stubborn
- Vocal
History of the Jack Russell Terrier Breed. Where Jack Russell Terriers came from
The Jack Russell Terrier is an actual working Terrier and has been strictly bred for hunting since its beginning in the early 1800s.
The Jack Russell Terrier is a newer member of the AKC terrier group, and two national kennel clubs recognize the breed.
The Reverend John Russell bred the small white fox-working terriers we know today from a now extinct English white terrier.
He described Trump, his first dog, as an animal he had only seen in his dreams.
A terrier was developed in the 1850s by John Russell that had high stamina for the hunt and the courage and formation to chase out foxes that had gone to the ground.
Hunt enthusiasts were well respected for their qualities and were often taken on.
The Fox Terrier Club was formed in 1875 with John Russell as one of the founder members.
By the start of the 20th century, the breed had altered more towards the modern breed.
.
What the Jack Russell Terrier Looks Like
There are three types of coats that the Jack Russell terrier has: smooth, broken, and rough (coarse, longer straight hair).
This species has a compact, muscular body that is white with tan or black markings.
In addition to being energetic and happy, the Jack Russell Terrier has a great work ethic.
Although they make wonderful watchdogs, they may not tolerate small children or other animals in the house.
The Jack Russell is not a breed for everyone.
They are hunting dogs and may not get along with other pets.
The Jack Russell terrier needs lots of exercises and a large fenced yard.
If kept indoors, daily brisk walks are a must!.
How Much is the Jack Russell Terrier Puppy?
The average price of a Jack Russell Terrier puppy is $1100. The price of a Jack Russell Terrier puppy ranges from $700 to $1250.
A lot of factors determine the price of the Jack Russell Terrier. These factors include what health records the Jack Russell Terrier puppy has, the lineage of the Jack Russell Terrier puppy, the US state the breeder is located in, etc.
To estimate how much you can expect to pay for a puppy Jack Russell Terrier based on the many factors that determine the price of the Jack Russell Terrier puppy, check out our calculator that lets you estimate how much you should expect to pay for the Jack Russell Terrier puppy based on what you want in the puppy.
When looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of the Jack Russell Terrier breed, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.
You may also consider adopting instead of buying a puppy. Adoption costs are very low compared to the price of a puppy.
Adopting or Rescuing the Jack Russell Terrier
You may consider adopting a dog instead of buying a puppy. Many dogs, Jack Russell Terriers included, are currently available for adoption in your local dog shelters.
These helpless but adorable dogs are waiting in dog shelters hoping that someday someone will rescue them. Dog adoption costs are lesser than the cost of a new puppy. Dog adoption costs are usually around $300 or even less.
In addition to your local dog shelter, another good place to find dogs that are available for adoption is petfinder.com.
Below is an adorable Male Jack Russell Terrier named Winston that is currently available for adoption on Petfinder.com. You can find other lovely Jack Russell Terriers like Winston on pefinder.com.
Roscoe is the name of another Jack Russell Terrier (Male) on petfinder.com that is looking for a new forever home.
You can find more Jack Russell Terriers that are available for adoption on petfinder.
Jack Russell Terrier Growth
New Jack Russell Terrier owners need to know about the growth of their Jack Russell Terriers. This will help them plan their living spaces accordingly.
Also, knowing the typical growth pattern of the Jack Russell Terrier will help new owners catch the abnormal growth of their Jack Russell Terrier early.
See our calculator for predicting how big your Jack Russell Terrier puppy will get. You will also learn about the typical weight of the Jack Russell Terrier at different ages and how to catch abnormal growth in your Jack Russell Terrier
What Colors do Jack Russell Terriers Have?
Jack Russell Terriers come in the following beautiful primary colors:
- White / Cream
- Black
- Bicolor
- Tricolor (Brown, Black, & White)
- Red / Chestnut / Orange
- Brown / Chocolate
- Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
- Apricot / Beige
Jack Russell Terriers come in the following lovely secondary colors in addition to their primary colors:
- Apricot / Beige
- White / Cream
- Yellow / Tan / Blond / Fawn
- Black
- Brown / Chocolate
- Red / Chestnut / Orange
- Golden
The Temperament of the Jack Russell Terrier
The temperament of the Jack Russell Terrier based can be summarized as in the table below.
The table shows the scores of the Jack Russell Terrier for 13 important dog behavioral factors.
We obtained these scores by analyzing raw data from the C-BARQ dog personality survey tool. The higher the score of a dog for a factor, the worse the temperament of the dog regarding that factor.
The C-BARQ tool was developed by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, and it is a scientific tool that is used worldwide for reliably measuring the temperament of dog breeds.
See our complete analysis of the temperament of the Jack Russell Terrier here.
| Factor | Score |
|---|---|
| Prey Drive | 82.1 percent |
| Energy Level | 79.1 percent |
| Excitability | 70.1 percent |
| Dog Directed Aggression | 65.8 percent |
| Attachment Attention Seeking | 64.4 percent |
| Dog Rivalry | 61.7 percent |
| Separation Related Behavior | 50.8 percent |
| Stranger Directed Aggression | 43.9 percent |
| Dog Directed Fear | 39.9 percent |
| Stubbornness | 39.1 percent |
| Touch Sensitivity | 37.8 percent |
| Nonsocial Fear | 37.5 percent |
| Owner Directed Aggression | 32.5 percent |
| Stranger Directed Fear | 19.5 percent |
How Long Jack Russell Terriers Live
The lifespan of the Jack Russell Terrier is typically from 10 to 15 years.
Jack Russell Terriers live long if they eat well, drink well, exercise well, and visit the veterinarian regularly.
Jack Russell Terrier Litter Size
Researchers from the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science did a study where they counted the numbers of puppies in 138 different Jack Russell Terrier birth litters.
From this study, the researchers found that the average number of puppies that Jack Russell Terriers can have is 4 puppies. Also, the Jack Russell Terrier can have as few as 1 puppies per litter and as many as 10 puppies per litter.
The number of puppies that the Jack Russell Terrier will have depends on factors such as the age of the Jack Russell Terrier, the method of pregnancy, etc.
Click here to see our calculator for predicting how many puppies your Jack Russell Terrier will have and how the litter size of the Jack Russell Terrier compares to the litter size of other dog breeds.
Good Names for Jack Russell Terriers
Here are some really good names that are typical for the Jack Russell Terrier ranked by popularity:
- Jack
- Jake
- Russ
- Adam
- Snoopy
- Toby
- Jackson
- Peanut
- Watson
- Wishbone
How Intelligent are Jack Russell Terriers?
| Jack Russell Terrier | |
|---|---|
| Intelligence Rank | 46 out of 130 dog breeds |
| Trainability | Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions |
According to Prof. Stanley Coren, a Canadian psychology professor/dog trainer, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
- Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence that comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that have been historically bred to be guard dogs will have a high `guarding` intelligence compared to dogs that were not bred for guarding.
- Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. You can improve your dog`s adaptive intelligence by investing time to train your dog.
- Working/Obedience Intelligence: This type of intelligence is breed-specific. Certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. This type of intelligence can be measured for each dog breed and compared to that of other dog breeds.
Professor Stanley Coren measured and ranked the working intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.
Prof. Coren found that the Jack Russell Terrier has an obedience intelligence rank of 46 out of 130 dog breeds. Thus, Prof. Coren put Jack Russell Terriers in the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category.
This means that Jack Russell Terriers tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.
However, we should mention that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone. There are other important factors you need to consider when deciding on which dog breed to get. These other factors include sociability, adorability, and compatibility of the dog breed with your lifestyle.
See the intelligence ranking of some other dog breeds below:
| Breed | Intelligence Rank |
|---|---|
| Golden Retriever | 4 |
| Australian Cattle Dog | 10 |
| English Springer Spaniel | 13 |
| Cocker Spaniel | 20 |
| Chesapeake Bay Retriever | 27 |
| Airedale Terrier | 29 |
| Manchester Terrier | 32 |
| Bedlington Terrier | 40 |
| American Water Spaniel | 44 |
| Bichon Frise | 45 |
| Scottish Deerhound | 47 |
| Boxer | 48 |
| Ibizan Hound | 53 |
| Skye Terrier | 55 |
| Norfolk Terrier | 56 |
| Pug | 57 |
| Saint Bernard | 65 |
| Pekingese | 73 |
| Bloodhound | 74 |
| Chow Chow | 76 |
Health Problems in Jack Russell Terriers and How to Prevent Them
Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it tends to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.
The Jack Russell Terrier is prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is an organization that keeps track of genetic health problems in dog breeds.
From the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop.
Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.
If you want a Jack Russell Terrier puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Jack Russell Terrier breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.
The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Jack Russell Terriers for:
You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Jack Russell Terriers here.
How to Take Care of Jack Russell Terrier
To take good care of your Jack Russell Terrier, you need to make sure that you groom your Jack Russell Terrier regularly.
Secondly, you need to find a veterinarian in your area that will routinely check the health status of your Jack Russell Terrier regularly, and give you appropriate recommendations on your Jack Russell Terrier`s preventative care.
Thirdly, you need to commit some time to exercise your Jack Russell Terrier daily. Regular exercise helps improve the health and quality of life of your Jack Russell Terrier.
Also, you need to feed your Jack Russell Terrier high-quality dog food, and the food should be of the right amount to prevent your Jack Russell Terrier from getting overweight or underweight.
See our recommendations on what to feed the Jack Russell Terrier and how much food to feed the Jack Russell Terrier at different life stages.
Finally, you need to make sure that your Jack Russell Terrier has access to clean water all the time. See our recommendations on how much water your Jack Russell Terrier needs to drink at different ages.
Dog Breeds That Are Similar to Jack Russell Terriers
If you have not made up your mind on which dog breed to get, you may also want to consider some other dogs similar to the Jack Russell Terrier.
We crunched the numbers and found that the following dog breeds that have similar behavior and temperament as the Jack Russell Terrier:
- Airedale Terrier (79 percent match with Jack Russell Terrier). Learn more about the Airedale Terrier here.
- Finnish Lapphund (80 percent match with Jack Russell Terrier). Learn more about the Finnish Lapphund here.
- Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (78 percent match with Jack Russell Terrier). Learn more about the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever here.
- Welsh Terrier (79 percent match with Jack Russell Terrier). Learn more about the Welsh Terrier here.
Other Things to Know About Jack Russell Terriers
Here are some of the very important characteristics of the Jack Russell Terrier that you need to know about the Jack Russell Terrier breed: