Why Not Everyone Should Own a Jack Russell Terrier

I was out in my backyard plantation this week inspecting beds for Spring growth when I was yet again reminded of the vicissitudinous joys and aggravations of owning my Jack Russell Terrier named Spot a.k.a. The Wonder Dog or Spoticus. As with many terrier breeds, you have to have a serious sense of humor, willingness to go the distance (15 years average), and interminable sense of being the Top dog. So here are a few wake up calls as well as brags:

1. If you think you are getting a cute little lap dog like Wishbone or Eddie…think again. Cute yes. Lap dog, not really. Those TV doggie personalities are highly trained and working for treats proffered by dog trainers off stage. Spot is 10 years old and only has time for lap time when he’s tired or it’s dark out. The rest of the time he is on an obsessive-compulsive patrol of the yard for vermin, namely squirrels and cats. In his mind, it is his responsibility, nay, his duty to eradicate the premises of anything with hair that isn’t a person or a dog. He is really quite a show as he checks every knot hole in the fence for possible threats to the Hansen abode.

2. If you want a dog to take out in the field for a game of ball, you had better consider a Lab. As a rule, unless highly trained with a shock collar and radar antenna, a Jack will be way more interested in squirrels, cats, birds, ducks, geese, mountain lions, other dogs, and cars. Jacks are “go to ground dogs” and were bred to tunnel in after fox, rats, badgers and the like. They will stay with their quarry until either it or its quarry dies of exhaustion or the owner digs it out. Many Jacks have been lost to such a situation. Therefore, they are strictly yard dogs.
3. Spot has nearly a 5 foot vertical. Yes that’s right. All 13 pounds of him can jump his head over our 5 foot fence. Luckily, he hasn’t figured out that if he could get his front paws over the top he’d be over and have instant squirrel gratification. This is pretty annoying to one of my neighbors who planted a screen on their side of the fence to avoid seeing Spot’s head continually popping over the fence. A pretty good stand of prickly Oregon grapes on our side hasn’t deterred him so far. This is a video of a Jack jumping: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmW3LDxPKk0
4. Unlike many terrier breeds, Jacks DO shed. Even the smooth coated Jacks shed little white, barbed (I swear), hairs that imbed and weave into all of your clothing and furniture. Solution: leather. Spot is a rough coated Jack like Fraser’s “Eddie”. He requires regular combing/brushing and hand stripping of his coat, i.e. high maintenance. Also allergies abound in terriers, so Spot eats a special trout and salmon Vet diet = expensive.
5. Prepare to landscape a la Canine. Dogs usually take the path of least resistance when it comes to traversing the landscape. Add a Jack’s obsessive-compulsive nature and you get muddy trails right through the middle of your lawn. Now, you could just cover the path with stone or sand, hoping they’ll keep to it or cut your flowerbeds perimeter larger, but they’ll just forge another path. Sigh.
6. Obedience is a relative term to a Jack. Like an eternal teenager pushing the boundaries, Jacks are just too smart to lie down and take it. Once you’ve asserted yourself as the pack leader, expect to have your authority challenged fairly regularly. Typically this isn’t a challenge with teeth behind it, but yes Spot, the garbage is still off limits like it was a month ago.
7. Yappy? Yup. Citronella spray bark collar is a necessary accoutrement to keep peace with the neighbors, and just barely at that.
8. Spot will do anything for treats. He will even perform extra tricks on his own if he thinks you’ll give him more treats. He has a repertoire of about 8 tricks, but could be taught more given something yummy. He learned these tricks in the space of about a week. You’ll probably never find a smarter dog.

Given all of these issues, why have a Jack? They are great company, continually entertaining, and just plain adorable. No squirrels sup at my birdfeeders. There's always something to laugh about. Only Jack owners know.