I'll probably have a new Parson Jack Russell Terrier by the end of next week and I need to know how to take care of them… I mean, I knowhow to take care of dogs, but what do I have to do different for Jack Russell's? Are they more independant? Do they need more attention? How often should I bathe him? How long can he stay home alone without going crazy? Are they stubborn? Easy to train?

THESE are the questions I need help with. (You don't have to answer all of them)

First of all, why is it that you have your heart set on a Jack Russell Terrier? I know they are cute and smart, but this is a very tough breed of terrier to train and you are in for some surprises, so prepare yourself and get this breed of dog for the right reasons. There are too many JRTs who are in rescue shelters because their owners did not do their research on the breed. This is a big dog in a little dog’s body. I have a JRT, but it is more like she has me. She is 8 years old and I am still training her, but she is the smartest, most loyal and loving dog I have ever had and wouldn’t have it any other way!

OK, first… you must buy a copy of, “The Complete Idiots Guide to Jack Russell Terriers.” I am going to type out a portion of the forward of this book, so here goes:

“Training any dog, let alone a JRT, is never easy. You need a lot of patience and an understanding of what make your own dog tick before you can be successful in your training endeavors. Although the JRT is an incredibly smart breed, these dogs also are opinionated and are more than a little odd. They have quirky behaviors not found in other breeds, which makes training them a bit of a challenge. They are notoriously hard to focus and can be quite stubborn when they want to be. They certainly are not the dogs for everyone.

If you decide this is the breed for you, I would urge you to have a solidly fenced yard and to be prepared for a whirl-wind of activity. JRTs are NOT couch potatoes. They love to be active, and strong obedience training is a must for this breed. They are good with children and families, and they love to be surrounded by attention. If you are an outdoor person who loves an active lifestyle, such as jogging or camping, this might be the perfect breed for you. If you prefer a more sedentary lifestyle and you are not sure you are ready for the “Tasmanian Devil” of terriers to enter your home, consider another breed for your doggy options.

If you decide to purchase a Jack Russell, be prepared. You will laugh, you will be amazed and frustrated by your dog’s intelligence and you will have a lifelong friend that will probably go to the ends of the earth to try to please you. In other words, you are about to be owned by a Jack Russell Terrier!”

Hope this helps!!

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I have a female 1 year-old boxer who does not like the gentle leader. We have been using it for about 6 months to take her on jogs around the neighborhood. I wouldn't be able to walk her without it as she is easily distracted and stubborn sometimes, but she will still paw at the gentle leader around her face and put up a "tantrum" 1-3 times during the walk. When we take the gentle leader out, she will run away, and it has become quite difficult when getting ready to leave dog parks. We've followed the directions on the dvd (treats, approach from back, 1 finger, no pulling, positive words etc.). Is there anything else I can do to "make" her like the gentle leader? Or should I not be using the gentle leader because of the fact that boxers have shorter snouts? Are harness leashes better for boxers? Thank you, as any help is much appreciated!
Thanks for the responses, I'll try them out!

The absolute best training book I have found is basically any dog training book by Dr. Patricia McConnell. She has a a book called Beginning Family Dog Training that has some good tips for teaching a dog to heal. Also The Other End of the Leash is excellent for understanding dog behavior and what our body language and words are REALLY saying to our dogs.

To start with, find something your dog really loves as a treat (liver, chicken pieces, peanut butter, bananas, etc.) and use it only for walks. Take her to an enclosed area (like a baseball field or school track and field. A dog park will work but only if there is an area that is separate and you can work with her without other dogs around and on the leash) to practice. Practice walking her next to you and treating her when her head is next to your left knee. Make constant changes in your direction, walking to the left and in front of the dog. If you run into her, you waited to long to make a change. If she starts to pull ahead, turn to the right so she has to stay next to and behind you to keep up. Treat her when she's by your side and only when she's by your side. After several good rewards, allow her off the leash or on a long leash for a game of fetch or chase as a reward. Keep the training sessions short (10 minutes or so) and she will soon learn to stay by your side, rather than at the end of the leash. The goal is to keep the leash loose at all times. If she fights the gentle leader, start without it and when she seems like she's getting it, put it back on. You can use it with a short nosed dog, but make sure you keep is slack when she's in the correct position (not pulling). Make sure it's not too tight so it's not rubbing her nose or pulling up into her eyes.

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Jack Russel's own the world around them - next time ask for permission to turn on the vacuum cleaner.

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just wondering

The Parson Russell Terriers tend to have slightly longer legs than the Jack Russell Terrier and represents what the breed was bred to look like:

Authorities claim that after Rev. Russell’s death some of his Parson Russell Terrier bloodlines were crossed with the Welsh Corgi and other terrier breeds, creating a different type dog, the "Jack Russell Terrier." The parent club for the breed requested a name change from Jack Russell to Parson Russell Terrier.

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My dog is good on the leash- sometimes. When she's not she's pulling and if we're walking in the neighborhood she's okay but when she sees a chipmunk she pulls and she makes a bad sound because her throat hurts from pulling so much. We told the vet about this and she said to get a gentle leader.

Now that the story is told…
Should we get a gentle leader…. or a harness?
Why a gentle leader and not a harness…. or a harness and not a gentle leader?

Or I just heard about the Canny collar? Any opinions about that- some say it's better then a gentle leader but it looks almost the same..?

My preference is the Halti. It works the same way as the Gentle Leader. I like the fit better, and can control the mouth if the dog reacts. I love the body harness. I rather control the whole body and it gives me something to hold onto. So what I like is to use a multifuction leash and I will hook one end to the harness and the other end to the Halti. The Halti will control the head to easily stop the dog from pulling. The harness will give the dog added feeling of security. Eventually you will not have to use the Halti, but I normally keep it in my pocket just incase.

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Does anyone out there have a Jack russel x Westie? If not tell me what dog you have anyway
well i dont have a full blood jack russel terrier, but i have a jack russel terrier mixed with a yorkie. I also have a german shepard mixed with a golden lab, he is really pretty. here is links to them xDD

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/chamlanmaboy/puppiecloseup.jpg

the golden lab mix, in my garage

http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/chamlanmaboy/AHVEHANDEMIWEE371.jpg

the terrier mix, on my sisters bed

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I have a black lab/basset hound 6 month old puppy who pulls when I walk her. I feel like I've walked 2 miles just going around the block with her. The dog trainer at PetCo recommended the Gentle Leader. Has anyone used this before and does it work as well as they say it does?

Yes, the Gentle Leader works! I bought the one that is halter style, not the one with the thing around his nose. After about a few months of that, my dog no longer needs it and walks wonderful on a leash. With the harness on, I praised him whenever he behaved properly and I would also give him treats on walk.

Best wishes.

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It depends on the dog, its sex, pedigree, etc. I have two Jack Russells, unrelated to one another. My female is 6, and weighs about 14 pounds. My male is 8 and weighs about 20 pounds. Both are considered by my veterinarian to be a healthy weight based on their size. If I remember correctly, they didn’t grow much in height from 9 months onward, but seemed to “fill out” until they were about a year and a half old.

Jack Russells on average are 15 pounds when fully grown, so somewhere between 10 and 15 pounds is likely acceptable. Jack Russells are traditionally bread to be lean with visible muscle tone.

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his nail is bleeding and won’t stop , i wrapped his paw up and he chewed it off. what can i do!!!!!!!

let him be. it will be fine a little sore but he will be fine
p.s. it will bleed a lot don’t freak out

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Rotties can be aggressive and stubborn, but they are MUCH better family dogs than Jack Russell Terriers!!!

JRs are extremely bright, inquisitive and very difficult to train if you're not very experienced and up to the challenge. They will dig up your yard and bark all day if left outside where they can see the world passing by. They will dash around an apartment, jumping on and off the furniture, until you and your downstairs neighbors are insane. They will play tug-of-war with your kid's clothes and steal anything just to get you to chase them. They will also torment your cat and kill your kid’s hamsters. Hell of a lot of fun or frustration - take your pick! I love and own terriers, but I've never recommened a JR to someone else. An awful lot of them end up in the shelters.

Those aren't your only choices, you know! I'd recommend one of the Sporting breeds for a child (but NOT a Weimaraner!) My all-time favorite mid-sized dog for kids is the English (or Welsh) Springer Spaniel. They require some grooming, but don't shed too much, are generally great with kids and easy to train. Females are a little bit easier than males, but either should make a terrific pet. They will need a good thirty minute walk every day.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Pekingese are great too and need less exercise. They are small, sweet and quiet.

Vizslas, Setters, Labs and Goldens are usually great with kids but they're bigger and are very boisterous until they are about two. Labs shed a LOT.

I'd also suggest reading some really good books on training. Try not to do it randomly - there are a lot of bad books out there also! These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know - Volhard
Good Owners, Great Dogs - Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog - Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method - Volhard
Dog Problems - Benjamin
Cesar's Way - Cesar Millan

Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.

Whatever breed of puppy you decide on DON'T go to a pet shop or buy one off the internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are kept in deplorable conditions. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases - that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there. These "breeders" have figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.

Find a good breeder by going to www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site - they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money.

Find a breed rescue organization by going to www.akc.org - you can get an older dog for less money. Be VERY careful about getting a shelter dog with children that young. You are often adopting someone else's problem dog. And people often lie about the dog's temperament, hoping he'll get a new home that can deal with him.

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