JRT owners...quick question

karenjj

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Hi all, I've got a year old yellow lab, Ruby (she's in my siggy) and she's MAD! She loves to play..all the time! Unfortunately, I work so she has to chill out at home in the day, I've borrowed my Mum's choccie lab to keep her company in the day and she does love him but when I get home and do the horses, Ruby comes with me and runs about non-stop but the choccie boy gets a bit fed up with all the madness! I thought about getting a JRT to keep Ruby company but am worried he/she would get too bored in the day? What are JRT's like are they aggressive/would kill the hens/ankle biters?! I've heard lots of bad things about them but lots of horsey people have them so they can't be all bad? Are they?!!!!
 

genie

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We have 4 JRTs. 3 are great with all stock including chickens but do kill rats and mice and the odd rabbit...then we have a bitch just 12months old.and she is lethal with anything that moves. Our dogs are all related too and great with people.especially kids...so, I don't think there is any set rule with them.
 

fruity

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If you have chickens then you'd need to def keep them seperate,there are very few JRT out there that wouldn't kill chickens in an instant. They are also not the sort of dog to be left all day at home. As far as the biting/aggression goes it all depends on the dog and how it is bred. I often find too many litters are bred from terriers that don't get on with children/men/other dogs etc. I generally find i come across more male JRT that are agressive/have more issues but maybe thats just how it's come with me. If you do get one do lots of research and def check out both parents and make sure your happy that both have no behaviour issues. Of course puppies can get learnt behaviour problems as they get older but if you can start off with one that has no problems in it's lines then your more likely to get a cracker!

NB) I hand rear JRT puppies and rescue and rehome them. I have 2 of my own and have numerous clients that come to me with their JRT problems!
 

fruity

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One of my JRT was an angel with chickens until one day i came round the corner from untacking my horse and she was litlerally eating a chicken alive bum first! not pleasant and after that we had to fence the dogs off seperate to the chickens at our yard then!
 

TinChicken

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no experience with jrts and chickens but mine is very good to be left (has been for 8 hours once) absolutely no problems there. but she does have a lot of excercise and mental stimulation which is very important with jrts, contrary to popular belief the do love to learn and can listen. jelly is very loyal and responsive too. they are excellent dogs but you have to be firm with them when they are growing up as they love to test you. good luck
 

itsme123

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we had a JRT when I was growing up who was quite intolerant of children and men, he was fine with family but agressive towards anyone else. he would kill anything small that moved.

My JRT is slightly insane
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although he IS still a pup, he has bags more energy than my friend's black lab who is the same age. The lab can't keep up with mine. Mine, at 4 months will happily do 6 mile walks and STILL be raring to go
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(I don't walk him that far normally, I did it once with him and realised it wouldnt tire him so didnt bother again lol). But he definately requires 3 good walks (runs!) a day, and he also spends much of the day outside playing.

All that said he's fabulous with my children, fabulous with cats and very very loving. Wouldnt swap him for the world
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TinChicken

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just thought i'd add that i have left jelly on her own almost as soon as i got her (building up the time slowly). she has a routine whereby we go into the kitchen and fill her kong with pate (she only has it when left) by which time she can't wait for me to go so she can have it. she's always snoozing when i return home- never had any desructiveness and neighbours haven't heard a peep out of her.
 

QUICKFIRE

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My JRT is 3yrs old and very puppy like when she meets any humans, but anything that is fluffy and running, if its caught is basicly dead meat!!!! but most of the time is asleep on sofa curled up in a blanket
 

queenb

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We have a JRT x shiuzu and he is fantastic. I echo TinChicken he has been left from a young age and has been fine, he does thrive on a routine and is a very quick learner. They do need a lot of exercise for a small dog ! Our spend every evening bombing around the yard ! I was worried about the ankle bitter/yapping reputation JRT have so we went for a cross. He is fine with cats and children, the only thing he has not yet grasped it that he can not chase horses ! I think he thinks they are just big dogs !!!!
 

kerilli

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i've got 4 jrts and 1 puppy, patterdale x something (v prob foxhound) who i thought was a jrt cross when i bought her...!
the jrts are all as good as gold. they never touch the chickens, or my pet duck (who, unlike the chickens, who do at least have a pointy beak to stand up for themselves a little, is helpless). the pup is a different matter... it killed one duck but has left the other alone for the last few months. the duck follows the russells around and they totally ignore it. great with the horses too. lethal to mice and rats though, ideal!
the jrts are very trainable, great temperaments. i'd trust them with anyone's kids, they have never snapped or bitten. they love a good run but are equally happy being lazy lapdogs or kipping all day. fab little dogs.
 

RLF

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My JRT is fine with most birds we have ducks, geese, chickens, guinie fowl and peacocks at our yard. But if a small bird lands (sparrow/robin) size etc he will chase it. He will also chase rabbits/rats/cats basically anything that runs from him. Mine is at home while i'm at work (although sometimes he does go off on a mission and stays out all day with the farm dogs). He is brilliant with people and other dogs. So what I'm trying to say is every JRT is different and you'll never know what floats their boat till you have one.
 

Ranyhyn

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I have two JRT's, one parsons type and one traditional.

They don't fight, bite, yap or snap. They have been brought up well, socialised to the point of madness and never allowed to bark or yap.

I can take anything from them, their food, their toys, bones etc they would never dream of biting anyone! If you bring up your dog right, any breed can be well trained and a joy to be around.

Lil however, plays a mean raging bull game with any socks and or knickers found lying around! And Roly is the strangest dog around!

Wouldn't change em for the world!
 

ladyearl

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The YO has 4 JRT and 1 lab currently. Also chickens who remain intact. She usually takes a litter every second year and is very careful about the father - as a result all the JRT are fun and fast but not furious. Although I have to say ab rubbish at ratting!!!!!!
 

ljpinkhorse

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I have an un-spayed 1 1/2 year old JRT and she is very gentle - loves kids ect . However she does chase things ( such as birds) - hence why she loves me throwing tennis balls
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They are quite active dogs but are generally friendly and mine has never bitten anyone although she ' mouths ' alot . She is also very mischievous !
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I have found other dog walkers to be prejudiced about her , and even though she is friendly ect other dog owners cross the street to avoid her in case she nips !
Also my JRT does not get on very well with very large dogs ( greyhounds especially) and would probably nip them if she gets frightened ebough .
 
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