Petfinder Links: Jack Russell Terriers

Frankly, this post is a challenge. (That's why it's fun.) First of all, Google has changed its codes so the pictures don't link directly to the animals' web pages any more; you may be able to click on the URLs below, or you may have to paste them into your browser. 

Then, even though Jack Russell Terriers are one of the classic all-round breeds of dogs that have been popular pets for more than a century, they're not my favorite breed. This is mainly because a puppy of this type stayed with us when I was eleven or twelve or so; because my brother and I didn't know how to train a puppy, he became a miserable little "spoiled brat" of a dog, snuggled and spoiled when nobody had anything better to do, tied to the fence and ignored when anything else was going on, and after chewing up objects, yapping, and jumping on people's legs for a few months he finished by eating my favorite pet bantam hen. If he'd been adopted by an adult who'd given him firm, consistent, loving discipline he might have been a great pet. 

So, eventually I grew up and worked for a very nice 87-year-old writer who lived with a Jack Russell Terrier who had been properly brought up. That dog was as satisfactory a pet as the puppy I'd spoiled was not. He'd go downstairs and lead me up to his human's office, then supervise our work until he felt satisfied that his human was safe. I actually started to bond with him.

But I still find myself tending to feel that the cutest Jack Russell Terriers at Petfinder are the mixed breeds who look more like something else. I still have to fight this tendency.

The dog breeds called terriers have different characteristic coats, ears, and colors, but they have typical traits in common. They are bigger than cats, smaller than hounds, very strong for their size, tough little predators, famous for hunting and fighting nuisance animals. They can be rough and aggressive, even with friends, if not properly trained. If they don't want to be picked up and treated like baby humans, they'll let you know with a corrective nip. Not all terriers are as aggressive as the breed stereotype but it's not unusual for a terrier who feels neglected or rejected to kill another pet, even if the other animal is bigger, and especially if it's a rodent. When they're well disciplined their strength and tenacity can be useful to their humans. They are well known for solving rat problems. Many terriers are remembered as protectors of children, some even as having been strong enough to pull a toddler out of water or some other danger. Some terriers understand dozens of words; together with their strength, this means that some people have that incredible experience of telling a pet terrier, in an emergency, "Fetch the rope" or "Fetch the knife" or "Bring Tracy," and having the dog actually bring the object or person they need. They tend to be healthy, and live longer than bigger dogs usually do. A hundred years ago, because they are relatively long-lived and cheap to feed, they were the most popular family pets in North America. 

Jack Russell Terriers have short coats that don't shed much. They can be any combination of black, brown, tan, or white. The "pure" look for this breed features square jaws designed for heavy-duty chomping. Crossbreeds can look like almost anything the wide range of dog DNA makes possible. They need some objects they're free to chew up. They usually like an active life with a lot of exercise. 

All three terriers featured below are described as healthy, up to date on vaccinations, and already neutered.

1. Near New York City: Charlie from Pennsylvania

Here's Charlie from northeastern Pennsylvania, a mixed breed whose known ancestors include beagles as well as terriers, currently up for adoption at https://www.petfinder.com/dog/charlie-46268989/pa/stroudsburg/animal-welfare-society-of-monroe-pa539/ . The shelter encourages people interested in adopting a dog to make an appointment to meet the dog or dogs who interest them. Charlie is a little over a year old.

2. Near Washington: Tanya from Pennsylvania 

 

In southeastern Pennsylvania, Tanya is looking for a home. This senior dog is described as sweet, shy, snuggly, and dozy, good with children but intimidated by bigger dogs. 

Shelter staff prefer to deal with local residents only. Seriously, if you've ever advertised anything online and received online responses only from spammers and scammers, you'll understand. They consider D.C. local enough. If you're in Maryland, Pennsylvania, or D.C., click here to meet Tanya: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/tanya-49667637/pa/dillsburg/canine-rescue-of-central-pa-inc-pa255/ . I didn't ask how they feel about New Jersey but I'm guessing that, if you drove to Dillsburg and made a generous donation, they wouldn't even care if you were from Ohio.

3. Boomer from Madison (Georgia) 

Born in 2013, Boomer would be considered old if he were a large breed, but he's only middle-aged for a terrier. Visit his web page at https://www.petfinder.com/dog/boomer-48069108/ga/madison/humane-society-of-morgan-county-ga150/ to learn more...When you're accustomed to living with cats, all dogs seem high-maintenance. When people who are trying to find a home for a dog advertise that he's active, high-energy, not recommended for a home with smaller animals, seven years old and still a "pup" who needs training, that's enough to put me off. People are different. You may be a dog person who wants excitement and a bit of a challenge in your life. If so, this dog is guaranteed to provide it.

(Update: The Sullivan County animal shelter in Blountville, Tennessee, has some dogs of this type who need homes. Do they ever need homes. A private Dog Sanctuary folded and turned forty-some sickly dogs over to the shelter, most in too poor condition even to be available for viewing at the shelter yet, but they need to empty out some cages. Local lurkers, please consider adopting a Sullivan County dog. The mixed breeds really are homeless dogs.)