Jack Russel Terrier question

[verlaj]

I've had 2 JRs with chickens. When I first got the chickens, I had to put a hot wire around the base of the chicken enclosure, not to discourage wild animals, but to stop the JR from charging the (coop. I know each one of them killed a chicken. However, they ultimately accepted them.

With my new batch of pullets this year, I was very slow to allow the chickens out unsupervised with the remaining JR. Spent a good bit of time out there with the chickens and JR together, explaining things to the JR. Even when they were chicks and brooded in the house, wouldn't allow the JR to be loose in the house, because I was sure if a chick got out of the brooder it would be dead in a heartbeat.

Love the dogs, but won't have them again, because they are killers of all small things. One killed a pet guinea pig. Definitely harassed the cat when they got a chance. Came to trust the JRs with adult chickens, but it took a while.

 

[RedStickLA]

I have two Jack Russell Terrier's and about 200+ chickens, 4 ducks, 1 turkey, 2 cats, 4 Rabbits, 2 Parrots, 1 yorkie and 4 goats. My JRT's have never hurt or killed any of my animals. And yes some of my chicken’s free range...and the JRT’s have been accidentally, left alone locked in the pen with my chickens after following me in, I get busy feeding and forget about them because they are off looking for mice. They will sleep cuddled up with my cats but if any other cat crosses their path…look out! They have squirrels galore in everyone else’s yard…but not in ours, thanks to our JRT’s. They have killed 4 possums’ this summer and numerous mice, rats and snakes…but they don’t even bat an eye at our chickens and other pets. But I know they are not the norm for JRT's.

Mitzi

 

[Sammimom]

Mighty strong prey drive, Jack Russels. Many of them like to use their teeth in a sticky situation: Of the four severe dog bites I have recieved in working with animals, three were from Jack Russels.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
I have one!!

She is almost 15 and was a GREAT ratter but loves cats and all our other pets. The key was to give her a job and lots of training (positive reinforcement only--never punishment). She'd still get a squirrell or rat even now!!

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I knew there had to be some JRs that were good boys

 

[faykokoWV]

I think all the terrier breeds have a natural prey drive. the trick is going to be training early and daily if you decide to get one. they are great dogs, we have one, but she's of milder temperment than most. she would still go after the chickens if given the chance.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

I have 3 jack they sleep in the yard all day with my chickens and never bother them..But it all depends on the dog...As with any breed..I never have strange animals we had a opposume come into the yard they killed it..Shoot my 1 jack hates squirrels they sneak down the tree to eat chicken feed and the dog goes nuts

I would really watch them if they show to much interest in your chickens they will propably eat them...

 

[walkswithdog]

In any breed you are going to get dogs that are mellow and tend NOT to represent the nature of the breed as a whole. Maybe 10 or 20% with 20 being quite high.

Out of a hundred jacks - I'd bet on 85 or more of them just flat killing chickens - and usually cats - regardless of training. They've been bred for a couple hundred years to KILL SMALL PREY. (All terriers were bred from other terrier breeds and those were all bred to kill - hence my time period of CENTURIES.)

While some do luck out and have a vanilla terrier. Bland, mild, trainable. They are not the rule. And getting one NEEDING to find a vanilla one, and not WANTING the full flavored version, means if you get a dog with proper genetic drive - you won't like it. It will kill things.

You will be angry and sad, and most jacks are rehomed for that and the other Jack tendencies - digging and barking, and under-exercised - major destruction.

There are almost 10,000 jack russels in rescues, foster homes and humane societies and shelters, hundreds and over a thousand on petfinder.com most months.

People get them wanting that one perfect, easy jack. That's NOT what the breed is designed to be.

In the right hands, the right home, they're a joy. Those people accept them for who they are.

I have had a few and have two JRT mixes now. They're awesome dogs. But I've worked in shelters. A huge percentage of those sold see the inside of a shelter by the time they are two if not sooner. And they've killed something the owner wanted to keep.

Terriers are bred to kill. There are exceptions. You don't bet on the exceptions when you get a breed.

Rescues who have dogs IN FOSTER care, do have VANILLA, JRTs. They've had the dogs around cats, birds, kids and know about the dogs they have in their care. If you want to find a vanilla jrt, look into rescues. Be honest that you have chickens. They'll know if they have a bird safe dog or not.

Buying a pup would always be a crap shoot, because vanilla dogs do produce high prey dogs fairly frequently.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Quote:
Having been a professional animal behaviorist for many years I have to agree with most of what you said. You really do have to research the breed of dog you want and choose one that fits your needs. The other side is people adopting mixed breeds--sometimes you can't tell for sure what its parentage is (they themselves may be lovable mutts too!).

I had to work hard to get our very high prey super active terrier (definitely not vanilla!) to not kill everything that moves--I never would have succeeded in keeping her rat proof. How I did it was to give her things to chase that were OK and emphasize the "leave it" command (positive, positive, positive) and LOTS of bonding. Emma went through advanced obedience classes (yes classes--having lots of distractions is helpful to gain that focus) and graduated top of the class. Exercise, exercise for a balanced terrier.

Most folks cannot take the time to do all this so a JRT is a serious choice of dog. I also have an ex-military Belgian Malinois--now that will be my challenge once I get chickens since her drive was allowed to develop to a very high level for work.

I have already gotten her cat safe for my two indoor cats (they are very dog savvy) but stray cats outdoors are NOT safe. She actually is submissive to my cats as she was rewarded greatly for doing so. This is not for the average owner--its time consuming and you must be consistent 100% of the time.

 

[walkswithdog]

Do you know what lines the Malinois is from? Du Chenille De France??? There are a LOT of Du Chenille dogs in the military. If so you have yourself a gem, I know those dogs very well. Jean Claude Balu - the DVG judge, Du Chenille De France, who at one time had the most multiply titled (front and back end) Tervuren and Malinois in the nation, was my mentor. I lived at his kennel for four months. Many of his pups went to the military over many many years and many kennels breeding military dogs now were founded on them.

I want another of his Malinois. But boy..... DRIVE coming out their ears. Good luck with your rehab.

And I love JRTs too, my current crosses are insane - CattleJack (ACD JRT) and Border/Aussie/JRT (BorderJack) talk about Drive. The Border mix herded cattle, at 14 she's just mellow enough to herd chickens. chuckle. In another six years maybe the cattlejack will calm down.