Jack Russell Terrier (boundless energy personified)

Descended from a long line of working dogs, this courageous terrier requires an abundance of physical and mental stimulation. His breeding has given him a sturdy, tough and athletic body, used to being challenged. His high level of intelligence and alertness make him very trainable (a must, in fact, to keep him from boredom and destructive forms of behavior). If you can meet his unrelenting demands, this may be the dog for you.

Similar to the Parson Russell terrier, he is still very much his own breed, smaller in size, but with great agility and resilience. They can be quite vocal in pursuit of their quarry and in guarding their own environment. Not usually suited to living in an apartment or condominium, they simply need vigorous forms of exercise on a regular basis, by their very nature.

My Jack Russell, Frankie, was the choice I made for my active lifestyle as a jogger, biker and avid hiker. He is always ready and eager to chase after whatever I toss for his retrieval. We are true mates. He would forever be in hot pursuit of something, if I let him…nothing low key about this boy. Only when he is finally exhausted (or am I the one totally spent?), that he makes his way to his pet steps and indoor dog ramps to rest on the sofa. This is his “normal” routine several times a day.

Frankie is great with my nieces and nephews, as long as they respect his space and are kind. He romps and plays with them for long periods, always tenacious during their games. Again, they give in before he does. He protected my niece (on one occasion) from a larger neighborhood dog, standing his ground fearlessly until the other dog finally retreated. This points up the need for taller fences for some breeds, mine most definitely

As busy as my little guy is burrowing, chasing, retrieving and plunging into the backyard pool, he is mostly easy to groom and keep clean, even as a moderate shedder.

At night his devotion is at the forefront when he uses his bed dog ramp to catch his Z’s close to me. Only recently has he had a problem with his hip joints, but has been helped by medication, water therapy and with regular use of his pet steps and dog ramps in the house and getting into the car.