Excellent breed of Dog - A true companion (Jack Russell)

Member Name: jpegington

Product:	Jack Russell
Date:	06/12/06 (3228 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Friendly, nice, loyal, small

Disadvantages: None

Now I have had my little Jack Russell for nearly a year now and have grown up with them virtually my entire life.

I thought it might be helpful then to put together a review on the Jack Russell and what you would have to consider before deciding whether to have one as a Pet and I have based this review on that theme so that hopefully it is a help to anyone considering one as well as talking about my little Roly (which is the name of my Jack Russell) and some general tips that I have picked up. Sorry about the disjointed method of this review, but want to include a lot of information.

First thing to consider is what do you actually want from a Dog?

The reason this is important is because a Jack Russell is an energetic dog and needs to be walked twice a day and will be very lively. Should you be looking for a quiet life with a nice quiet dog, then go for another species.

However if you are looking for a guard dog, then although the Jack Russell is a small dog, they are excellent guard dogs. They hear everything (Roly my dog can hear you open up a packet of crisps from downstairs) which is excellent if you are worried about someone breaking in and when a Jack Russell sinks its teeth into an intruder, he is not going to let go.

A Jack Russell will be a true friend for life, they are loyal as can be and will always be excited when they greet you.

Second thing to consider is who much space do you have in your house?

Now a Jack Russell is a small dog, but with boundless energy. They need a good amount of space and I recommend stairs, because it tires them out nicely running up and down them. Also you need to consider that any dog will chew things up and Jack Russells do as well. I am quite lucky in that my Roly is quite calm and thankfully bar the carpet in a couple of places has not done to much damage. But if you have a house full of antiques, then you better be able to shut your future dog out of that room.

How much will a Jack Russel Cost?

Obviously when considering a dog, cost does matter. When I bought my Jack Russell (from a nice farm where I could see the parents as well) it cost me around £250 which is normal for a Jack Russell puppy. Of course the initial cost is not all the expenditure, you have also have injections, worming tablets, vet bills, Dog Basket, Dog Food, toys, etc.

Therefore do consider that the Dog will cost you a lot of money and if you do not have a lot, then you have to think about whether you wish to make that kind of expenditure.

Choosing which Puppy?

First you need to decide whether you want a male dog or a female dog, personally I would only choose a male dog but that is just my personal choice.

The trick that I have been told is that when choosing a puppy, turn it onto his back and tickle his belly. Should it let you do this without to much fuss, then you have a nice quiet puppy which should have a good quietish nature. Not foolproof but is supposed to be a good guide.

Where to keep your Dog?

Now I must admit that we tried crating our dog, but never really got it working correctly, but I do recommend crating.

Crating for those who do not know is a good place for your Dog to stay when you are out, this is because they do not soil their own beds, so they learn their toilet training, and also should you travel, then you just take the crate with you and they have a place to stay which is home to them. There are some excellent articles online for crating so google it and you should get relevant hits and tips.

Most important is that you keep your dog somewhere out of direct sunlight where it is not too cold, etc.

I think that I have covered the major issues that I was thinking of when I started this review. In summary I would say that a Jack Russell is a lovely breed of dog that I recommend to all. Yes they are lively and need to be kept occupied, but they are true companions and when you are not feeling well, they will come and comfort you. Also a Jack Russell can be trained very well (as long as you are firm with them) which is excellent.

Hope you enjoyed this review and it helped.

UPDATE:

Been asked two questions so added it on here as well,
firstly my little dog does not eat that much, probably at most 2 sachets of dog food a day mixed in with some dry dog food.

Secondly in regards to grooming, I have a short hair Jack Russell and he needs very little grooming, I would expect Long Hair Jack Russells to need more but never having owned one cannot really comment.

Summary: An excellent companion to anyone who has the time to keep them entertained.