Irish Jacks

[knightrider]

Anyone have or know of an Irish Jack Russell Terrier? Do they have similar personalities to the ones in the states? I’m considering a pup and the breeder’s claim is that they are calmer?

Just curious about the breed in general. First time JR owner if I get one and I’ve heard stories that they are tough, however, the ones i’ve known have been great dogs. I’m very active with my dogs and plan on doing agility with it as my current dog just had two CCL surgeries back to back and I’m not sure I want to continue doing agility with her.

[RacetrackReject]

Not exactly, but my JRT has one side that is English breeding and he looks more English in type.

I can’t say that he’s calmer than most other JRTs because I haven’t been around a ton of other ones, but I can say that he is usually pretty calm about things. He has the terrier intensity, but not the craziness (and his mom was not a calm dog). If we go to a store with lots of other dogs, he doesn’t care about them and just sits next to where I’m standing. He’s a very sweet and loving dog, and he likes to cuddle up and watch TV on the couch.

Everyone told me that I would hate my JRT pup within the first few weeks of getting him. They were oh so wrong. He is the best dog I’ve ever had, hands down, and the thought that I’m going to lose him one day breaks my heart. He is the perfect dog for me and my lifestyle.

[PNW_AMTS_Dealer]

I was an exchange student in Ireland and got to live there 4 months in 1987. I brought home an Irish Jack. I had her for 16 years and miss her terribly. She was a typical hard headed high drive rodent killing machine. She was tough. I had to make sure to keep her away from the irrigation canal or she would be down a nutria hole and fight to the death. She had her ear, cheek and neck chomped through more than once, but she’d keep fighting inspite of bleeding all over. But she was NOT as high strung, hyper or yappy like many of the Jacks I have met here in the states. She’d do barn chores with me and go for a walk around the fields and was then content to lay in from of the fire in her bed for a nap. She was also good with kids and pretty much loved every one.

[rockymouse]

We have a Russell terrier, also known as an Irish Jack. Our dog has loads of energy but I wouldn’t call him hyper. He’s four now, and mellowing a bit into his adulthood. He’s a wonderful, wonderful little dog - about 11 inches at the withers and 14 pounds of pure muscle. He can jump and run like nobody’s business and is the perfect size to be portable and easy to carry, if you need to. I don’t like little dogs but we needed one for our then-10 year old son…a Russell terrier is a big dog in a little dog’s suit.

I’ve known a couple Jack Russell terriers, which are the taller, leggier type, and they were indeed some high strung, hyper individuals. Our Russell terrier is high energy, always ready to go do something, whether it’s play tug, do barn chores or ride to the post office in the truck, but will also settle right down and loves snuggling in bed or on the couch. He’s a terrific companion for our son.

He has never ever met a stranger and is waggy-waggy friendly to every human or animal he meets…except for vermin.

It took him a long time to housebreak but once he got it down, he’s never made another mistake in the house.

Another thing: his nose will take him places. He’s got a great nose and if we’re out with him on a ranch and he’s unleashed, or if he walks through an open gate at home, he’ll start following a trail that may take him away for hours…and he doesn’t necessarily know how to get back home.

We’ve taught him that our cats and our chickens are to be left alone and he respects that. (It helped to have a confident cat.) We take him everywhere we can and he’s just adored by our friends and family.

Even in a litter of terriers, there’s going to be some that are high drive and high energy and those that will be milder. I say talk to breeders and indicate the personality/drive type you’d like and see how they steer you.

Hope that helps!

[Foxtrot_s]

We imported a bitch from the Portman Hunt in the UK in 1977. Had a number of puppies from her. Each and every one was a marvellous, true to type Jack Russell. Feisty, lovable, OBEDIENT, and real characters. When we stopped breeding we had calls for years asking for puppies, or did we know some like the ones we bred.

Far cry from the over-bred, hysterical, yappy pups that became the norm when they became so popular and turned into a fad, with no consideration to breeding for conformation or type and temperament.

Too bad they developed a reputation that is not warranted.