A Jack Russell Terrier for Your New Pet - The Pros & Cons

Why You Should or Shouldn't Choose a Jack Russell Terrier for a Pet

Terriers are among the most popular dogs around the world. There are about 7 different breeds of terriers that have reached the top 50 in popularity. Most terriers are lively, intelligent, and cheerful dogs who will be your new best friend. The Jack Russell Terrier is becoming one of the most popular of the terrier breeds as pets.

They were actually bred as fox hunting dogs and they certainly have a strong hunting spirit as they enjoy outdoor activity. If you're about to get a Jack Russell Terrier you need to learn more about them, especially their personalities. Like all pets there are a number of pros and cons to consider before taking the leap.

A Jack Russell will make an especially great pet for active owners. They have a lot of energy and do best where they can interact with outdoor type owners. Jack Russell Terriers are considered to be one of the most intelligent dogs in the world. They learn very quickly and have the potential to learn many difficult tasks. They need to be trained properly to get the most from them, although they will learn quite a bit on their own.

The Jack Russell Terrier has a good reputation for getting along with children. They always appear to be happy which has a positive influence on children. Once they make an interaction, the children respond well to these bundles of energy. Because children also have tons of energy they get along well with these pets and usually become inseparable.

Even if you live in an apartment or mobile home it doesn't mean a Jack Russell Terrier won't be a good pet for you. They are small enough so any dog rules won't preclude you from owning one, but you need to be able to take them outside often.

Another plus of them being small is they don't eat much so it doesn't cost a lot to feed them. Jack Russell Terriers are pretty hardy little dogs and don't need any special food or medicine, just make sure you feed them a good diet. Their small size also helps keep them clean as bathing and brushing them is quick and easy.

One of the disadvantages of the Jack Russell Terrier is that they don't get along well with other animals. They tend to be aggressive with other dogs as well as other pets, especially cats. If you have other pets you might want to think twice before getting one. I have talked to people who say they have raised Jack Russell's from puppies with other pets and have had no problems.

Make sure your pet terrier gets outside often so that it can run off some of its energy and you can do some training with them. Don't keep them confined or ignore them as this will make your pet Jack Russell unhappy, which could lead to destructive behavior and might even cause aggression towards people.

You should probably get a Jack Russell as a puppy so that you can train it to interact in the correct way with your family. They are very smart little dogs and will take to training especially when its done correctly. Rather than try to come up with a training schedule on your own, you should study professional training books or videos before trying to train your pet.

The problem with trying to do it yourself is that it's typically hit or miss because life often gets in the way and the kids don't normally have the discipline to train correctly on their own. Your pet Jack Russell terrier has so much energy that you have to really bear down on them to keep their attention for training. Unless you have plenty of time to exercise and train them you should probably not think about getting one as a pet. They really need to be exercised every day which will also help with their training and obedience.

Jack Russell Terriers could be great choice as a pet dog if you are looking for a happy, active and loving pet. Make sure you and your family have the time to devote to training and provide lots of exercise. Normally it will be a good pet for a family who wants only one pet. The Jack Russell doesn't have to have any special housing requirements, which is good if you live in an apartment or mobile home. It also doesn't have any special feeding requirements. Now that you have considered both the advantages and disadvantages of having a pet Jack Russell Terrier, I think you'll agree it would be an excellent choice for your new pet.

If you are a pet owner or thinking about becoming one you should go to the website at Natural Pets Health to get more information on natural pets health foods, products & cures. You will also find general information such as the pros & cons of owning along with the caring for & feeding of all types of pets from dogs to snakes to fish to exotics.