JRT Lover

Hi everyone, I am in the process of studying for my exam to gain my breeder's prefix and looking for experiences of those who have sat the exam recently - is it a multiple-choice exam? And does the interface work well on an iphone? It's been a while since I've sat an exam, so I'm just trying to work out how to best pitch my studies! Thanks

Thanks for the replies everyone. I picked up some Royal Canin bics today and she ate them well tonight, so hopefully she doesn't lose interest like usual. She would be a 3 or 4 out of 10 in terms of condition, so not emaciated but a definite demarcation where her rib cage ends. I'd like to see her a 5 out of 10.

Our JRT is 12 months old and I'm concerned that she's too lean. She's healthy and active but a bit disdainful of dog food in general and will often just pick at her meals. Changing brands of food (canned and dry biscuits) seems to perk her up for a little while and then she loses interest again. I have two little kids and just don't have time to prepare home-made food for her. Does anyone have any ideas for things I can add to help her gain some weight? Or particular brands of commercial food that might be suitable? She's been on puppy food until now and I'll transfer her to adult food now that she's 12 months old.

I have just paid a deposit on a baby Jack Russell puppy, who we will be bringing home in early January at 8 weeks of age. We live on a rural property and a few people have recommended the electric containment systems rather than attempting to contain a small puppy with rural fencing. For those who have used these, how young have you started with your puppies? I feel like I would be being awfully mean to a little JR puppy! Another question I have is regarding crate training. I have never used a crate for a dog before but we now have a toddler and I quite like the idea that the puppy would have somewhere safe to get away from him if he was being too annoying. We will of course supervise their interactions and teach our toddler how to behave around a puppy, but the puppy will probably never get a moment's peace if she just has an open bed in the living area. Are soft crates solid enough for this purpose? What would you recommend? Thanks in advance! It's been 16 years since I had a puppy in my life and we haven't had a dog at all since my beautiful old JR passed away 18 months ago, so I feel like a total novice all over again.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm pleased to hear that there are people out there who do breed for performance. I understand that structural soundness is part and parcel of good performance - I'm a horse breeder! The funny thing is that many dog breeds (and horse breeds) have gone down the path of not being structurally sound as the show ring tends towards extremes, so performance animals are not necessarily what would win in the show ring. So if I wanted to find a JRT puppy for agility, on the main register so I could breed with her if she was good enough and I wanted to become a breeder down the track, could I get such a thing or are all puppies registered on the limited register unless I express an interest in a show puppy on the main register? Can you register a puppy on the main register if it's not really a show puppy and your intentions are not to show it? I am a newbie to all this dog registration stuff, just considering my options with regard to my choice of puppy this time around. I've had JRTs before, but not papered in any way.

I am interested in whether there is such a thing as a breeder who breeds based on the success of their pet dog/s at agility, obedience etc, rather than on show performances. So if I was to buy a puppy for a pet (on limited register), but the dog grew up to be amazing at agility etc, would it be considered acceptable or unacceptable to breed from the dog to aim to pass on this ability? I understand that you should be a registered breeder to breed, but do you have to breed based only on show performance? And what if the dog is on limited register because the intention was never to show it? I'm from a horse breeding background where performance is pretty strongly heritable and it's considered normal and desirable to breed with well performed animals, regardless of registrations (though the horse breeding world is considerably less restrictive than the dog breeding world). Interested to hear your thoughts...

Following on from my other thread tonight, what sorts of things might deem a puppy to be "only" pet quality? I understand that it's related to meeting (or not meeting) the breed standard, but I'm interested to know what the differences might be in a JRT. I'm looking at some breeders' websites and see some gorgeous dogs, just the sort of JRT we love, but of course they're all the show and breeding dogs so the pet quality puppies might end up nothing like these ones. There are prices for pet quality puppies on the websites (approx $800-1000 depending on breeder) but POA for show quality puppies. What sort of % increase in price would you expect to see in a show quality puppy?

We are soon to look for a new JRT puppy to add to our family after losing my old JRT a year ago. I've never had anything to do with dog shows but am considering looking for a show quality puppy so we can have a bit of fun showing her. If I buy a "pet" puppy does this mean that she's not good enough quality to be shown? Or that we could show her but just not expect to do particularly well? Or that she couldn't be shown at all? Any tips you have for starting out in showing would be much appreciated, especially before we make a decision on a puppy.

The very sad post about Roo has made me think of the presence that our departed doggies leave behind and the times that they visit us again. I have had quite a few visits from my JRT who crossed the rainbow bridge in April - my 1yo son saw something in the bath with him one day, was shrieking and pointing in excitement at the (seemingly) empty end of the bath, then moved up there and proceeded to pat the air for ages, giggling in delight. I couldn't believe my eyes and wish I had videoed it because it seems so unbelievable! Once, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her race across the front of the shed in her purple coat, another time she ran across the back yard as I was near the window, another time I was asleep and felt her little body climb in beside me and lie down along my side like she used to do so often. Sometimes I can just feel her presence in the room or beside me in the car. I miss her so much, but it's so comforting to feel her presence still here, even if it makes me feel like I must be a bit mad! Love to hear your stories of visits from your doggy friends....

Don't get me wrong - I'd have another JRT in a heartbeat but I need to come to a compromise with my hubby, so something sized somewhere between a JRT and a lab, which is where the beagle idea came in. Thanks everyone for the posts. I'm starting to form a clearer picture of what they are like. I made the mistake of searching for beagles on YouTube and found some impressive escapes caught on camera! LOL

Thanks for the replies everyone. Regarding the shedding, do they shed more than a smooth JRT? My girl did a bit of shedding but NOTHING like the lab. If beagles shed like labs I'll go crazy! We live on acreage which means that there would be no shortage of off-leash exercise, but I guess that also gives a scent hound a lot to sniff and opportunities to disappear. Our house yard is reasonably secure but will need some reinforcements for a beagle methinks. It contained an elderly JRT easily but a young beagle may find some escape routes. Just how high can a beagle climb up a netting fence?! My husband is so suckered in by the cute factor!

My husband is a Labrador man (too big and too much shedding for my liking!), but has finally suggested another breed that he would consider - a beagle. I'm a JRT lover (hence the username!) but we need something less inclined to be snappy as we have a toddler. I've read all the breed reviews for beagles about them being wilful wanderers, so I'm looking for real life experiences with them. Are these dogs as wicked as they sound? Bearing in mind that I'm used to JRs so wilfulness is not a new concept!! Are they digging, chewing maniacs as puppies like labs? Your real experiences would be much appreciated! :)

By easy to manage I mean not one of those long silky coats that would always be full of burs. Clipping and/or stripping are fine.

Sheridan, my username is JRT Lover. I get terriers!!

Sheridan, if you were to read my post in the other thread you would see that non (or low) shedding was one of a list of characteristics I'm looking for. I'm not sure why you feel the need to jump on people for having a preference. I don't mind leaves and sticks, but I detest dog hair in my house. Each to their own!

Sleeping inside is a definite....in fact would be inside pretty much all the time while we are home. Our house yard is reasonably well fenced but the dog would come with us off-lead around the property.

I'm the OP in the other thread so will answer here too :) As you might gather from my login name here, my heart really belongs to the JRT. I lost my beloved old girl just a few weeks ago and am helping myself to deal with her loss here. We aren't in a hurry to get another dog, but I want to be well researched when we do. I recognise that a JRT is perhaps not the best choice for toddlers so am looking at my options. Frankly, I find dog hair in the house to be pretty offensive. I'm house proud and don't like seeing little tufts sitting in the corner and having to sweep every day to keep on top of it. My JRT was a short hair and did shed more than is my ideal, but my hubby's old lab/golden mix shed like nobody's business. If there was a cobweb anywhere, indoors or out, it was full of dog hair. The screen doors were caked in it. The pot plants were full of it. It drove me insane frankly, and I'd rather take care of the coat of a dog than feel disgusted at hair everywhere all the time. I know many people don't mind it, but it bothers me. Each to their own :)

Thanks so much to everyone for the many and varied replies. I'm quite pleased that people have had positive experiences with many breeds with little kids. Now to narrow it down to our circumstances! We are looking for a non-shedding or low-shedding breed (only through a preference to not have a house full of dog hair), small to medium sized so as to be portable and not too damaging on timber floors inside, tough enough and with a coat that will be relatively easy to maintain living on a property, compatible with horses, not a mad digging chewing puppy for too long, and of course good with toddlers. This will count out quite a lot of the suggestions but it was an exercise in proving to ourselves that you don't have to have a lab or a golden retriever if you have kids!

An adult is a definite possibility if we can find the right one. Just looking for your breed experiences at this stage :)

What breed would be your number one recommendation to mix with toddlers, always well supervised of course? I have a few more specific criteria but am keen to hear your views without being coloured by my preferences initially :)

Thank you so much for all the replies. My heart is broken for losing my girl and your sympathy means a lot. Lots of different perspectives here, which is what I was hoping for, thank you. I have time to give it all some thought, as we certainly won't be getting a puppy just yet, but it's good to start thinking about it so its a well considered decision. Breed choice is another whole different issue and choosing a breed that my hubby and I agree on is even more of a challenge!

Hi, this is my first dol post. I have just lost my beloved 14.5 year old JRT and am devastated, but looking for some advice from fellow dog lovers about when to introduce a new puppy (not necessarily a JRT) as I have an almost-crawling baby and will hopefully have another child in a couple of years. I'm not in the head-space to get a new puppy just yet, but interested to hear your thoughts on when to do that. Should we get one soon and train the puppy along with the child/ren? Or wait until the second child is past the dog-terrorising age? My head says wait until they're old enough to not pull its ears, but my heart doesn't know if I can be dogless for so many years. And while I'm on the topic, breed suggestions would be most welcome. Small-medium inside dog to live on a horse property with lots of opportunity to run, non-shedding coat preferred as well as a coat that won't pick up half the paddock. Your thoughts most welcome :)