Charming and loyal pets Jack Russell Terrier: breed standard, size and weight

Basics of the standard

The Jack Russell Terrier breed standard, according to the Russian Canine Federation (RKF), includes the following features: the dog’s appearance and proportions, movement patterns, the purpose of the dog, basic character traits, average height and weight, description of body parts, coat and possible colors, breed defects, possible diseases.

Future owners, in addition to the basic characteristics, are concerned with questions: to what age do Jack Russell terriers grow, what size does a restless pet grow? The development of the body of a dog of this breed lasts up to twelve months, and mini-dogs live on average 16 years with proper care.

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Weight and height by month

Standard parameters of Jack Russell Terrier puppies are in the table:

Small deviations from average indicators are individual characteristics of development. Jack Russells are often ahead of their peers in height and weight as puppies, but then their performance is compared. Sometimes the development of the little kitten is inhibited, but in “adolescence” it catches up and surpasses its brothers and sisters.

A puppy may be small and dystrophic in build, not due to poor nutrition or illness, but due to heredity and congenital characteristics. This is not a pathological, but a completely normal condition.

Appearance

The Jack Russell Terrier is a fairly active and hardy dog. It has an oblong and very flexible body of medium size and interesting color. The dog boasts an instant reaction, so the breed is characterized by a light chest and well-developed muscles.

Due to the rectangular build, it seems that the dog does not grow upward at all, but only stretches out in length, but this is not so. Based on the parameters specified in the RKF, in adulthood, the Jack's distance from the chest to the withers should be equal to the distance from the elbow joint to the floor. The tail is docked solely at the request of the owner.

Head

The dog has a proportional head, a flat skull, which gradually tapers towards the muzzle. The transition from the muzzle to the forehead is well defined. The nose is pure black. The lips fit very tightly to the jaw, the cheekbones are square, have very well-developed muscles, and form a scissor bite. The teeth are strong and strong. A damaged jaw as a result of hunting is not considered a fault, but underdeveloped muscles are grounds for disqualification from the exhibition.

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The eyes are almond-shaped, almost black, and the eyelids close very tightly. If the eyeball has a slight bulge, then this is considered a defect and the dog cannot participate in performances. The ears of Russell Terriers are dense and strong, hanging down, sometimes raised on cartilage. The shells are very mobile, thanks to which the animal can turn its ears 80°. But erect ears are considered a flaw. The neck plays a huge role in the proper development of the breed, so it should be muscular and proportional to the body. It is responsible for the balance of the body and helps hold the dog's head. Therefore, an elongated, thin, strong neck is a sign of a breed defect.

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Body type

The correct physique has a rectangular shape and a very straight back. Since the chest is light and large loads are contraindicated for it, the lower back took on this role. Despite the insufficient development of the chest, it is quite deep and wide; If you look at the rock from above, the ribs are clearly visible from behind the shoulders. An adult Jack Russell Terrier dog has a chest volume of 40–43 cm. In a calm state, the tail is lowered down; when excited, it straightens and takes a vertical position. If the tail has been docked, its length should correspond to the level of the ears in a standing position.

The angularity of the shoulder design allows the elbow joint of the paw to be clearly fixed. The muscles on the shoulder blades are moderately developed, the bone itself is tilted back. The forearm is smooth and straight - this can be seen when looking at the dog from the front. The paws are round in shape, with small toes located on soft pads. If the toes are turned outward or inward, this indicates a clear defect in the animal.

Hind limbs

The hind legs are strong, well developed, and help maintain the balance of the body relative to the weak shoulder blades. The joints are located low at a special angle, which allows the dog to show maximum agility when hunting.

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Conditions for keeping at home

As we noted a little earlier, having other pets is not a good reason to give up your puppy Milo. The presence of small children will only work to your advantage, because a dog raised with them will become a true friend and guard. Dogs of this breed require very active walking.

Care

In general, if we take into account the reviews of the owners, the Jack Russell Terrier is completely unpretentious. He feels equally at home both in the house and in the apartment. You need to learn several skincare procedures, which we will talk about in more detail.

Grooming

Depending on the type of six, and for Jacks it can be smooth, hard and mixed, caring for it involves different procedures. Given its high activity and restless nature, your pet will have no problem finding a place to get dirty. There is no point in bathing your dog every time, but you will have to wipe his paws with a damp towel after every walk. Frequent bathing washes away the protective layer and greatly dries the skin, so water treatments should only be used when absolutely necessary. For the same reason, you should use only high-quality shampoos that will not cause allergic reactions and irritation in your dog. At the same time, remember that you should not wash your dog frequently with detergents, but just water is quite acceptable.

In ordinary life, a dog’s molting period is clearly tied to the time of year, but at home the temperature difference is practically not felt, so we can say that molting is sluggish and almost constant. Your pet will have to be brushed constantly, so teach your puppy to use a hairbrush from early childhood. In most cases, Milo's relatives respond adequately to combing and happily expose their sides. You can see a neat and well-groomed Jack in the photo below.

Oral hygiene

The timing of the formation of tartar and plaque is individual for each dog, but if training and care included brushing the teeth from an early age, then this problem will probably avoid your pet. If your pet is among the problem ones and you notice tartar, there is no need to run headlong to the dentist. It is very easy to remove it at home using a special spatula. Otherwise, if your Jack’s diet is composed correctly, then he will not have problems with his teeth, but as a preventive measure, regularly inspect the animal’s jaws.

Eyes and ears

It is no wonder that the eyes and ears are the most vulnerable parts of the animal, so it is extremely important to constantly monitor their cleanliness. Wipe the inside of your ears with a cotton swab dipped in a special lotion, but do not go deep into the ear canal. Ear mites pose a great danger to dogs, but their presence can only be determined by getting tested in a clinic.

It is quite rare to come across reviews of Jacks having eye problems. Despite this, little fidgets can catch some kind of infection. A small amount of discharge is still acceptable and is not considered an abnormality, but if your dog scratches his eyes with his paws and they become noticeably red, you should immediately contact your veterinarian. At home, first aid is to wash the eyes with chamomile infusion or unsweetened tea.

Nail care

When living in an apartment, a dog has very few places to wear down its nails naturally. If they are not trimmed in a timely manner, the pet may harm itself. As a rule, a terrier accustomed to this procedure from childhood tolerates it without problems, but if the training and upbringing were not the best, be prepared for surprises. A treat that should be given to a pet with a harmful character after the procedure will help brighten up the procedure a little.

Optimal diet

Any owner is interested in a very simple question: how often and how much to feed a newly adopted pet? In most cases, Jack Russell Terrier puppies are raised on dry food, which is completely balanced and contains all the necessary substances for normal development. There is no need to change the diet suddenly, and if you want to feed your puppy natural products, then introduce them gradually and in small quantities. The animal should receive products of animal and plant origin, but the question remains - how much?

While the Jack Russell Terrier is actively growing, 75% of the diet should be milk and meat. This amount of protein should be enough for the normal development of the body. The remaining 25% consists of cereals, fruits and vegetables. It is very important not to overfeed the puppy. In the first 4 months, they eat six meals a day, and each meal should be different from the previous one. From six months the puppy begins to be fed 3 times a day, and from nine months they are given food twice - in the morning and in the evening. The weight of the daily portion should not exceed 10% of the puppy’s weight. On thematic forums you can find positive reviews about switching puppies to natural feeding.

An adult Jack Russell Terrier has a slightly modified diet. The need for meat is reduced to 60%, and the remaining 40% is occupied by plant products. How much to feed a dog is an individual matter, but the daily norm should not exceed 5% of its weight. It is also worth monitoring the cleanliness of the dishes and the availability of fresh water.

Dimensions

You can determine how much an adult Jack Russell Terrier should weigh on your own. One kilogram of weight is equal to five centimeters of height. Based on the data obtained, you can create a table. For example, if the animal’s height is 30 cm, then the ideal weight would be 6 kg.

The weight of an adult dog, according to the standard requirements, should be as follows:

• for a male – 5–6 kg with a height of 25–30 cm;
• for a female – 5–6 kg with a height of 23–26 cm.

Clothing size for Jack Russell Terrier

It’s worth saying right away that clothes are needed. Especially if the climate is quite harsh and the weather is often cloudy. Due to the fact that representatives of this breed do not have thick hair or warm undercoat, in winter, especially ours, it can be very difficult for them. They also do not tolerate rain and slush well, since the wool quickly gets wet and drops of water begin to fall directly on the skin, inevitably causing hypothermia or a cold. It is not difficult to find out what clothing size a Jack Russell Terrier has; it is enough to take basic measurements.

You can see the clothing size for the Jack Russell Terrier in the article “clothing for the Jack Russell Terrier.” It is worth taking into account the growth rate of your pet and taking clothes for growth.

Coat type

There are three main varieties of coat types: smooth, wiry and intermediate. Wool must fully cope with any adverse weather conditions. Long-haired dogs or animals with soft fur are considered faulty at shows. Puppies with long hair are not valued among breeders, since this defect is most often passed on to the next generation.

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Accessory sizes for Jack Russell Terrier

The first thing any dog ​​needs is a collar. The size of a Jack Russell Terrier collar is not such a mandatory attribute, since they are all adjustable. However, it is important that it be strong enough, since it is one thing to hold a puppy, and another to hold an adult male. Therefore, it is advisable to know what size the Jack Russell Terrier will reach in adulthood. So to speak, to know the maximum level.

The second most difficult thing is the selection of a crate and a bed, given that we found out the approximate maximum bar when choosing a collar, it remains to find out the minimum, namely the size of the Jack Russell Terrier puppies. This is necessary to select an optimally comfortable place for the dog, since if the house turns out to be too large for the puppy, he will quite possibly decide to find something more comfortable.

• The cage size for a Jack Russell Terrier should be about 70x90x70 cm (width, depth and height);
• The correct size of the lounger is about 57x48 cm.

To summarize, we can safely say that clothing and accessories are very useful for the comfort of your pet. However, if you have questions about size, do not despair - all dimensions, as well as the size of an adult Jack Russell Terrier, are relative. It is important to understand the unique individuality of each individual dog.

The Jack Russell Terrier is one of the most agile and active breeds in the world.

The pet is tireless and fearless.

Its owners are people with the same character.

Russells are also very friendly and love children.

They can make wonderful pets if you know how to raise and care for them properly.

Let's look at everything in detail.

Colors

A prerequisite for mini-dogs is the predominance of white color.

The most common dogs are bicolor - when the dog has white fur with red spots. But recently, tricolor wool (black, red and white) has become popular. Some animals of this breed are white and red in color and have a darkening on their muzzle, but this color cannot be classified as a tricolor, nor is it considered a flaw.

Advantages and disadvantages

The mini breed has a huge number of advantages: they fit perfectly into any family; love long walks; get along with children; despite their small size, they are considered excellent guards; are trainable and remember a lot of commands; do not require much care; do not have a specific odor characteristic of dogs; wool does not cause allergic reactions.

Despite all the positive features, the breed has several negative aspects: dogs are not intended to live on the street, they require a lot of attention, and often bark, which is annoying especially in an apartment.

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Origin story

Great Britain gave rise to many famous dog breeds. Especially in the old days, hunting animals were valued, which were at the same time popular with both poor farmers and eminent lords.

During the Middle Ages, the latter especially loved hunting on horseback, when a deer or some other wild animal was driven by a whole pack of foxhounds. At the beginning of the 18th century, a new technology for breeding livestock was introduced in Great Britain. It provided for large fenced areas in which sheep and cows grazed quietly. Fences helped protect farm animals from forest predators and prevented the herd from scattering throughout the area. However, the same technology almost completely destroyed the corral of horses, since they could not move normally in conditions of a large number of fences. It was then that hunting on foot for burrowing animals (foxes and badgers) began to develop, which could be carried out without horses.

Around the same time, an English priest and famous hunting enthusiast, Jack Russell, lived in Devonshire. It is he who is considered the founder of the terrier breed named after him. At that time, smooth-haired terriers were very popular, and Jack himself was a member of the famous Kennel Club and was involved in creating the fox terrier standard there.

Everything changed in 1819, when he acquired a female wire-haired terrier named Trump (translated from English as “trump card”). She gave rise to a whole group of wire-haired dogs, which the priest bred specifically for hunting and refused to show at exhibitions. Over time, he began to crossbreed his animals with other hunting breeds, and his goal was to breed a small but strong animal, which also had considerable courage.

The resulting dogs fully met the hopes of their creator. They were small, but had rather long and powerful legs, and were also distinguished by good obedience. These animals were able to climb into the hole of a wild animal and pull it out.

It is worth noting that this is quite a difficult task. After all, the holes were often quite deep, there was pitch darkness in them, and a cornered animal, as we know, is twice as dangerous as usual. Nevertheless, the brave dogs valiantly did their job, which earned them the respect of a large number of hunters of those times.

After Jack Russell's death in 1883, his business was not abandoned. Many English dog handlers took up the priest's cause and continued to crossbreed his terriers with other dogs. The new goal of the breeders was to improve the exterior and give the little hunters a more fierce disposition. To achieve this, some owners even began to breed them with fighting bull terriers. The resulting dogs were distinguished by an even tougher character and strengthened bones.

Russell's terriers retained such features until the outbreak of World War II. After its completion, the dog handlers decided to focus on the calmer nature of these animals, as well as their white color.

The latter was valued because it did not allow a dog to be confused with a fox. The complete formation of the breed was completed only in the 70s of the last century. At the same time, its standard was registered in Great Britain under the name of its creator. In subsequent decades, clubs for these wonderful pets began to open all over the world. This breed received recognition from the International Federation of Cynologists in 2001.