Help - thinking of getting a jack russell.. all advise needed

angelic123

So the OH wants a jack russell, I want a shih tzu/yorkie. We are getting the jack russell from a friend whos dog just had pups.. Im worried about a few things, i have done loads of research but its all conflicting, like do jack russells get on with other dogs and are they as mental as people say. Not sure about the second dog as of yet.

Ideally we want to get 2dogs so they will keep eachother company and we had thought about getting 2girls, but the jack is a boy.. there fore it would be a boy and girl - both will be nuetered at 6months. They will not be bred!
Is a boy and girl good/bad idea?
Is it a bad idea to mix the breeds?

We will however be out of the house for a minimum of 8hours a day mon through friday, we have 0.5acre so plenty land (in the country) and it will be secured so that the dogs cant get out, however they will be able to get in and out of the garage/garden during the day and kept inside with us at night.

They will be walked night and day - for the most part - we have family and friends already enlisted for holidays. We know its a huge commitment. We have been thinking about it for over a year now and were ready to take it on.

We hope to crate train & get them obedience trained.. are we doing enough though? we dont want to end up having to give a dog back or find it a new home.. they are for life after all!

Can anyone give me there pennys worth.. similiar situation.. all advise needed and welcomed.
Thanks

mymo

Hi, while I don't have much experience of jack russels(never owned one but met quite a few), I always had dogs.
Any dog can be good with other dogs/cats/small animals/kids or whatever if mixed with them and trained to leave. If the parents of the pup have good temperaments you're half way there(Saw an interesting documentary on dogs and inherited traits on tv a while back but can't remember name), and any young dog will be a bit mental in the puppy months.
Two dogs are great as it gives them company and a playmate, but do wait a few months before getting another pup, or just adopt an older quieter dog. This will give you time to train a pup and give the second pup someone to follow, or an older dog will help quieten and train the pup.
8 hours is a long time to leave the pup alone, have you someone who could come in and walk then midway through the day?
If the dogs are neutered the girl/boy, two girls, two boys thing doesn't really matter, Its more a personality thing.(i have 1 boy, 1 girl, both a bit mad and 1year between them)
Puppy classes and/or training classes are great, for you and the pup and a great source of info regards looking for toys, nice local walks etc.
best of luck.

Blueprint

They generally say it's best to have one of each sex (ideally), or two males rather than two females together. Females tend to hold grudges, so if you have two and they fall out, you have a major problem on your hands, I've known people whose two bitches can never be in the same room unattended for example.

It's usually a good idea also to wait until the first dog is a year to 18 moths before bringing in the second one, as they need a lot of training and one on one time in the beginning and if you have two youngsters together, you run the risk of them bonding more with each other than you and never realy listening to you, which leads to all sorts of problems.

JRTs are great little dogs and I've met ones that get on great with other dogs etc. They just need loads of socialisation while they're young, so make sure they get out and about and meet loads of dogs and they should be fine. Training classes are a great idea.

It should be remembered though, that a JRT is actually a pretty high energy dog and ideally needs 1-2 hours of exercise every day; I think part of the reason that you can have problems with them is that they get incredibly frustrated if just left stuck in a garden on their own with no outlet for their energies and then start getting yappy and agressive.

If you are willing to put in the effort (and I warn you, it will have a major impact on your free time etc!), there's no reason you can't have a great and happy dog.

peasant

If you are in a situation where you wil be gone for 8 hours or more every day, then DO NOT get a pup.
If you absolutely have to have a dog, get an older one from a rescue that is used to being alone.

Pups need an awful lot of care, attention and training that cannot be provided if you're not there. If that care and training isn't put in right at the beginning, chances are that you will end up up with an adult dog that will have several "issues" and that will be a pain rather than a joy.
Please don't do that to the dog (nor yourself)

olaola

They are immense & individual characters and very intelligent. Need mental stimulation and are great guard dogs, very territorial, usually lead the pack - defo not followers! If you want a dog to become a real part of the family (they really think they're human!) then a JRT is for you.

Graces7

peasant wrote: »

If you are in a situation where you wil be gone for 8 hours or more every day, then DO NOT get a pup.
If you absolutely have to have a dog, get an older one from a rescue that is used to being alone.

Pups need an awful lot of care, attention and training that cannot be provided if you're not there. If that care and training isn't put in right at the beginning, chances are that you will end up up with an adult dog that will have several "issues" and that will be a pain rather than a joy.
Please don't do that to the dog (nor yourself)

That was my first reaction also.
It just is too long to leave a puppy alone.

Toilet training alone will be a huge problem. And even more, emotional issues.

SupaDupaFly

My family have had JRTs for as long as I can remember and they are such a wonderful breed of dog. I have my own place now so decided to get a JRT pup in february. I must say even with all my experience of having family dogs around it was a MASSIVE step getting my own one. I knew it would be a lot of work but you really must have so much time on your hands. Jack Russell pups get frustrated and bored very easily and I can't imagine leaving my one alone for more than an hour to be honest. She's four months old now and a super intelligent dog, fully house trained and great on lead etc but she is very demanding. If at all possible ye should maybe borrow a friends puppy or dog for a weekend just to see how much work is actually involved. Two male jack russells will get on great together if they are reared together but they do tend to be quite snappy with other dogs and young children are a no no unless they are around them constantly from the very start. Behind it all they really are a fab breed and will be great additions to the family if ye decide to go ahead with it. Best of luck

fishfoodie

olaola wrote: »

They are immense & individual characters and very intelligent. Need mental stimulation and are great guard dogs, very territorial, usually lead the pack - defo not followers! If you want a dog to become a real part of the family (they really think they're human!) then a JRT is for you.

Completely agree with all of this.

The one & only time I've ever been deliberately bitten was by a JRT who was completely spoilt & resented my entering the 'pack' for awhile.

I don't think the breed is any more aggressive than any other, but JRT's are very aware of pack hierarchies & if you aren't around to establish that you are the pack leader & they they rank below other humans, e.g. children; then you are just storing up troubles.

They are cracking companion dogs & have boundless energy; you just need to make sure they are occupied & know where they fit in, in the family.

goat2

olaola wrote: »

They are immense & individual characters and very intelligent. Need mental stimulation and are great guard dogs, very territorial, usually lead the pack - defo not followers! If you want a dog to become a real part of the family (they really think they're human!) then a JRT is for you.

i agree
i love them, they are so bright, full of energy
you will have to walk them, as they need to burn up energy, they love company, a warm bed, bones, chasing stones, being on your lap, they make great pets, easy train with a little bit of patience, if you expect them to just sit there, shut up, and entertain themselves, you are looking at the wrong pet

perri winkles

You say you will be gone a minimum of 8 hours per day? So you could be gone for even longer?

This is far too long to leave a pup on its own. Even with an adult dog, this isn't a great situation. I would suggest leaving it until you can really give the time to a dog. I know you say with two dogs they would be company for eachother, but I have two and they arn't left for more then 2 hours alone. One in particular used to occupy himself by chewing the floor boards even in that short space of time :rolleyes: Thankfully he doesn't anymore. But I would hate to see you get a dog and then possibly have to give it up because you don't have the time for it.