Our Unpredictable Adventure with Chester the Jack Russell

How We Became Jack Russell Owners

We never thought we'd be bringing home a Jack Russell, but life had other plans. With a new baby on the way, we decided to get a furry friend to keep us company. Little did we know, our energetic Jack Russell, Chester, would bring endless joy and chaos into our lives.

Meet Chester, Our Mischievous Jack Russell

How Many Things Has Chester Ruined in 1.5 Years? Zero! Okay, maybe not zero, but he's still going strong. So, what's the secret to our harmonious household? It's not about long walks or hours of playtime. We've learned to keep things simple and fun, even on busy days.

Let's start from the beginning.

Price:
Prices for Jack Russell Terriers vary greatly, from 'free' to $1,400. However, be cautious of breeders who prioritize profits over the dog's well-being. We've heard horror stories about aggressive dogs and destroyed homes, all due to irresponsible breeding.

Life Hack: When we met our breeder, we made it clear that we have a small child at home and would return the puppy if it didn't meet the breed's standards. This helped us ensure we got a healthy, well-socialized puppy.

Our Chester has a good pedigree, no genetic predispositions, and pure Australian blood. We were confident he'd be a great companion. His ancestors are real Aussies, which means he meets the breed's description, not the negative stories people tell about Jack Russells.

What do official sources say about the Jack Russell Terrier's character?

Jack Russell Terriers are bundles of energy. They can't sit still for long and get bored waiting for playtime. This dog will find ways to get your attention, no matter what. They know the house rules and can deliberately break them to get a reaction from their owners.

It's essential to remember that your pet has a high level of intelligence. Physical activities should always be accompanied by mental stimulation, or any activity will quickly become boring. Mix up commands and toys, and come up with new activities to keep things interesting.

Personality

Many people claim that Russell Terriers are aggressive. Honestly, when we're out on a walk and we meet other Jack Russell Terriers, they can be really aggressive, and we were puzzled by this behavior for a long time. It turned out that people had bought their dogs from acquaintances, neighbors, or second-hand stores for as little as $30. In other words, they bought a 'Jack Russell in a bag,' and now it's a nightmare for both the dog and its owner.

But if you got a puppy with good roots and your dog is aggressive towards other dogs - congratulations, you or the breeder messed up the socialization process or just ignored it altogether. Now you're off to the dog trainer and several sessions will turn into several months of work. You can't just introduce your dog to other dogs of the same breed or let them play together without supervision - that's a huge mistake!

We were worried that our dog might behave aggressively towards our child, but it turned out that Chester is extremely friendly and affectionate, and our son immediately took a liking to him! The real issue here is that the child treats the puppy like a toy, and that's something we need to control to avoid any conflicts and make sure the dog doesn't get overexcited.

Activity Level. Chester is a very energetic Jack Russell Terrier. At home, we work on projects together, fix pipes, and do other repairs. He's always in the thick of things. It was a bit of an adjustment at first, as our previous dog wasn't very interested in our activities. But it's actually really cool and often hilarious. However, if the day was eventful and he's exhausted from all the activity, he'll be super calm or even take a nap in the middle of the day.

Relationship with the Child:
Like any animal, a Jack Russell Terrier needs some alone time to relax and recharge. So, it's essential to provide your dog with a safe space where it can retreat from the child and relax. This will make their relationship much smoother.

One More Tip: to make Chester feel comfortable around the child and enjoy their company, we would often scatter treats around the child (that's what the dog trainer suggested). This created a positive association between the child and the dog - 'the child is good, and there are treats around them!' Now, Chester is happy to be around the child and even lets them do whatever they want, and vice versa. It's a beautiful friendship, and we're always there to supervise and ensure everything goes smoothly.

Coat:

I've got to say, Jack Russell terriers come in all sorts of coats, but I'm only going to talk about our rugged one. The main thing about hard-coated Jack Russells is that they don't shed much. They don't need to be brushed often, and grooming is a breeze. But, you can't just give them a trim, because it'll ruin their coat - it'll become soft, get matted, and they'll be in pain. And good luck trying to fix it! That's why hard-coated Jack Russells have this famous process called trimming. It's completely painless, and our Chester just sleeps through the whole thing.

No Stink. Yes, hard-coated Jack Russells don't smell if you take care of them (regular trimming). They just smell like a dog, and if you bathe them with some nice shampoo, they might smell like coconut or whatever scent you like. Smooth-coated Jack Russells, on the other hand, are a different story - they smell like most dogs.

Trainability. Let's start with the fact that when you get a dog like this, you're faced with a choice: a hyperactive, nervous, destructive dog that chews up your shoes and furniture, or a dog that's active, but also trainable, obedient, and calm at home. Yes, training takes time, especially at first, but that's just the nature of the breed - they need to burn off energy and exercise their brain, or they'll find a way to do it somewhere else. Again: if you decide to get a breed like this, regular training sessions are now your responsibility.

Mini-Test: Do you know why it's so important to teach a dog not to pull on the leash and why it should be more interested in you than other dogs? If not, you're probably a beginner or just haven't done it right. And Jack Russells won't tolerate it - it'll come back to bite you.

More About the Character: I wouldn't recommend getting a dog like this to inexperienced people. Most people do it the old-fashioned way and end up training their dogs harshly. You have to train a Jack Russell gently, without yelling or violence, because they're terriers at heart. They learn fast with clickers and treats, and they'll strongly protest if you try to use force. Our Chester learns quickly, and it's amazing how attentive he is to our moods. If I'm feeling down and want to just relax, Chester will come over, lie down next to me, maybe lick me softly, and just look at me with those sweet eyes.

All photos are of him sleeping, because otherwise it's hard to catch him :)
By the way, he's a great alarm clock: if he's sleeping in a different room, just open the door in the morning, and he'll be bouncing around the bed like a kangaroo, eager to play, lick everyone, and flip around.

What Commands Does Our Chester Know?

Come to me, sit, wait, lie down, roll over, bunny, give me your paw, bang-bang (dies), drop it, give it to me, down (from the bed).

Walks

I've found that Russell's need plenty of exercise, or they can get bored and misbehave. They don't mean to cause trouble, it's just that they need to release their energy somehow. To keep Chester occupied, we've discovered some fun and engaging games for dogs. When we're short on time, he plays one of these games at home, gets tired, and then goes to sleep.

So, you don't need to take them on a three-hour walk every day (although that's great for both you and your dog). Just give them mental and physical stimulation through games and activities, and they'll be happy to curl up and sleep at home, without causing any damage to your belongings.

What to Play?

Here are some great games that are perfect for Russell's. You can read more about them in books or consult with a professional dog trainer.

Active Games:

FetchPulley (this toy is the best, and you can find a detailed guide on how to play with it on the link).DiscBallGames for Mental Stimulation (Russell's need these too):

Food Puzzle Ball (you can find this at a pet store)Learning Commands Kong (this is a great toy that helps Russell relax, and you can fill it with peanut butter and freeze it)Homemade games like hiding treats in cardboard boxes or paper bagsDiet

We've learned that every dog is different when it comes to food. Chester eats both natural food and commercial dog food. Some people think you shouldn't mix the two, but we've found that it works for our dog. If you have a previous dog that had a strong reaction to switching between natural and commercial food, it's best to stick with one or the other. But if your dog is like Chester, you can mix and match.

Hygiene:

We bathe Chester every week or two, depending on how dirty he gets. If he's just a little dirty, we use water and shampoo. If he's really dirty, we use dog shampoo. We also trim his nails every two weeks, give him a trim every four months, and let him chew on raw beef knuckle bones once a week to clean his teeth. We also give him a daily dental gel to prevent tartar buildup. During puberty, it's essential to keep an eye on their hygiene and consult with a vet if you have any concerns.

Drawbacks of the Breed

-Barking. Despite our best efforts to train him, Chester still barks a lot. It's not a big deal, but it can be a problem when we have a small child who needs to sleep.

-Willful. This isn't the dog that'll just lie down and stay there until you offer something else. Or the one that'll sit with you all night if it's already tired. So, it can be tough to get it to leave the bed or go somewhere when it's not in the mood. And outside, we always put it on a leash because if it spots another animal or a rustling leaf, its attention is completely focused on that and it can easily take off, even though it does well with commands at home. No matter how you train it, its natural instincts and traits just don't go away. It's neither good nor bad, it's just a fact.

-Doesn't get along with cats. And it's not just our cat. The likelihood of a Jack Russell not getting along with a cat is pretty much 100%. All the people I've talked to with these breeds said that they just didn't get along from the start. And it's not surprising: cats are calm animals that don't like being approached suddenly or being asked to play, even if it's done with good intentions. We've had our cat for a long time, and we got Chester as a puppy, but he's still chasing our cat to this day. You could say Chester won the battle against our cat, although our cat is no pushover.

When the dog is home, our cat just walks around the edges or hides in a safe spot. But as soon as it spots the dog, it's off and running in a game of chase, until our cat is completely exhausted and gives up. They don't have any bloody battles, but they're definitely not friends.

So, to Sum It Up: Jack Russell is a great option for active, experienced dog owners. The pros are endless: it's friendly, playful, active, and gets along great with kids. But there are also some significant downsides that you need to consider when choosing a dog. I'm only giving it a 'not recommended' rating because people often get caught up in the movies or the pretty pictures and want this dog just because it's cute and looks good. But it's not a toy, it's a real, living creature!

And if your dog is acting like a hyper-aggressive monster, believe me, it's your fault. Compare a child who's been loved and cared for, who's been developed and nurtured, to a child who's just been fed and clothed but has been completely neglected. Will they turn out the same? Will they behave the same way in public and have the same outlook on life? It's the same with dogs. The good news is that it's easier to deal with dogs than kids, so it's all up to you!

Thanks for reading the review! To all those searching for a new furry friend and companion, I wish you find one quickly and that you'll never be bored or have any problems!