Pets
HERE’S
JACK!
Jack Russell terriers are loads of fun
for owners with time and energy to
spare, writesRoger Crosthwaite.N
amed after the English clergyman
who started the breed in the early
19th century, Jack Russell terriers
remain true to their hunting heritage.
Fearless and energetic, they were bred
to chase any small quarry down a hole,
bail it up and wait for their master. So it’s
not surprising that the characteristics
most people associate with Jack Russells
are their seemingly inexhaustible energy,
feistiness and intelligence.
In Australia, these pint-sized dynamos
traditionally put their assets to good use
as farm dogs, keeping barns clear of rats
and paddocks of rabbits, but how does
that translate to the role of family pet?
Pretty well, with some qualifications.
Anita-kaye Malby, who’s bred Jack
Russells at her Jacknthebox kennels near
Port Macquarie, NSW, for 23 years, lays
it on the line. “You need to have time for
them, a lot of time,” she says. “They’re
not the kind the dog that you can stick
in the backyard and leave.”
Malby caught the Jack Russell bug
from her grandfather, who used them
for hunting rabbits, as she still does
today on her rural property. But if
you don’t happen to live on country
acreage, what then?
“With a big yard and plenty of toys
to play with, they can keep themselves
entertained and wear themselves out to
some extent,” says Malby. “But they still
need plenty of human interaction.”
The thing with Jack Russells, she says,
is to channel all that intelligence andenergy in the right direction. And the
key to that is puppy training, from as
young as nine weeks old. An untrained,
unsocialised Jack Russell can be
aggressive towards other dogs, which
presents a problem in view of the
breed’s diminutive size and propensity
for not backing down in a scrap.
Given their hunting instincts, housing
a Jack Russell with other small pets such
as rabbits and guinea pigs is just asking
for trouble, but they can learn to get
along with cats if raised with them.
Because they have a tendency to snap
first and ask questions later, they’re not
great with small children, who might
accidentally hurt them with a poke in
the eye or a pull on the tail.
On the positive side, Jack Russells
are loyal, affectionate and endlessly
entertaining dogs to be around. They
love chasing balls, catching Frisbees, and
walks. Lots of walks. So they would suit
an owner or family with lots of time and
energy to devote to them, not to
mention a good throwing arm. #Photograph from Alamy.
BREED ALL ABOUT IT
Jack Russell terriers are a long-lived breed with
an average lifespan of 13 to 15 years. Desexed,
vaccinated and microchipped pups sell for
$1200-$1500. They come in smooth and
rough-haired varieties; the rough-haired dogs
will need weekly grooming. If you’re interested
in adopting an abandoned dog, contact Jack
Russell Rescue, a Sydney-based organisation
that helps find new homes for Jack Russells all
over the country. Go to jrtrescue.net.YOUR STYLE. YOUR WAY.ARTISAN COLLECTION.
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