Are Jack Russell Terriers Friendly? Reality + Hints

Jack Russell Terriers are popular as hyperactive and aggressive dogs. So, most future JRT owners ask us, are Jack Russell friendly? Therefore, this article is all about the JRTs and their friendliness. 

So, are Jack Russell Terriers friendly? Yes, JRTs are friendly. But they have some aggressive behaviors as they originated as hunting dogs. So, constant training is important to create more friendly relationships between you two. It also can be done through mutual understanding and playing. But, first, you have to understand that JRTs are hyperactive, energetic, and lovely terriers. Not only that, but you also should have a clear idea about their friendliness towards strangers. This can be varying from one dog to another as it depends on their socialization. 

Accordingly, in this article, I have covered who Jack Russells are, are they friendly, how to strengthen your friendly relationship, and finally, I have given you an idea about their friendliness towards strangers. Let’s jump in!

About Jack Russell Terriers 

Before discussing; are Jack Russells friendly, it is important to know about this terrier well. They originated as hunting dogs and developed in Southern England during the mid-1800 by Parson John Russell. They are very energetic, and they love hunting as well. 

So, these dogs have been very popular among many sportsmen, especially those who hunted on horseback. This breed had been popular in the USA by the 1930s.

They can be identified through their different size as it takes various types for various purposes and terrain. The height is around 10-15 inches at the shoulder, while the weight is around 13-17 pounds. 

Among the variety of JRTs, Shorty Jacks who are tall, about 10-12 inches, are very much loved.

When it comes to the personality of all the Jack Russells, they are energetic, spirited, devoted, loving, and playful. You can enjoy your life with the pet if you are an owner of a dog from this breed.   

When we pay attention to the health of JRTs, generally, they are healthy terriers. But, they also will catch various diseases with their growth and age.

Accordingly, it is important to be aware of the health issues like; Legg-Calve-Perthes Diseases, Patellar Luxation, deafness, glaucoma, lens luxation, etc. And make sure to choose a good breeder if you are finding one. 

Also, it is recommended to provide 1.25 to 1.75 cups of a quality diet for a dog daily. And, do not forget that the feeding amount also depends on the age, size, activity level, metabolism, etc., of your pet. So, it is on your hand to maintain the health of your Jack Russell by providing a healthy diet. 

Not only that, but you should also have a clear idea of the grooming habits of this terrier, and it depends on their coat type. They should be brushed only weekly, and make sure to remove their dead and loosen the hair.

Also, bath them rarely. Trimming nails is also very important, even once or twice a month, while the other grooming care includes dental hygiene. There, you have to brush your teeth at least twice or thrice a week. So, this is about the Jack Russell terrier that we are talking about today.  

Are Jack Russell Terriers friendly? 

Now, you know about the JRTs. So, it is not a secret that you will hope to raise one of them. Therefore, your next question will be; are Jack Russell friendly? We can give a short answer for this as; yes. But, there are many things to discuss here. So, let’s talk about them in more detail. 

This terrier originated as a hunting dog. So, they are a little bit aggressive from their origin. So, sometimes they may not respect you, but it will be not their disrespect but their inability to understand what you say.

Accordingly, it is very important to understand each other. It can be done through training and being together. Therefore, better training is important to make them friendlier.

But, don’t worry here because they love to be around their owners and have the company of their family. It will be easy for you to train them. 

This terrier has a few characteristics that make them different from the other dogs. They love to interact and play with you and will seek the owner’s attention. They want to please their owners by showing their love for you. So, how can we say that they are not friendly? 

This terrier gives priority to its owners and the family. Love and friendliness are immeasurable. You also have something to do here; you may cuddle and show the love for your pet to show it back with more love and friendliness. 

How to increase the bond between your Jack Russell and you?

Knowing how to strengthen the bond between you and your pet dog is very important as now you know the answer to the question; are Jack Russell friendly. It will help both of you to live happily together. Therefore, here let’s discuss this in more detail. 

Accordingly, your mutual bond can be strengthened through;

1. Learning your Jack Russell‘s language 

This will be a good and effective way to improve and deepen the relationship between you two. So, understand their language, their way of communication, behaviors, and facial reactions.

Then, you can understand their internal feelings and act accordingly. It will increase your pet’s love for you, and it will be bound to your family as well. 

2. Training 

As Jack Russells are originally hunting dogs, you need to provide them with better training to socialize well and strengthen your relationships. When you train it, you will be gifted with a fruitful time to communicate and be together.

There, you will learn to communicate effectively with your pet. Following that, you will be able to strengthen a friendly relationship with it.

When the pet gets to know that you are understanding and engaging more with it, it will be friendlier to you. 

3. Playing

JRTs are energetic, lovely, hyperactive, and playful terriers. So, they like to be with their owners and play with them to spend more time together. There, they will be conveyed that you love and care for your pet a lot.

So, it will likely be friendlier with you. This is a very funny and effective way to make you two closer. And, make sure to select the games that your pet loves.

It may be swimming, running, playing with a ball or something, etc. Anything that both of you can enjoy will be helpful here. 

Are Jack Russells friendly towards strangers? 

Of course, you will like to select a friendly dog for both you and your family. Then, what about the strangers? Is Jack Russell friendly towards strangers? 

Generally, many dogs are fond of people. Some of them are naturally sociable and are always likely to meet new people.

Friendliness is not a matter of the breed type as the majority of the dogs are friendly with their growth and when they are exposed to new places, people, and experiences. 

So, it is the same for the Jack Russells. They also become friendlier with their growth and ways of socializing. As they originated as hunters, they are likely to be a little aggressive.

Still, when socializing well through training, they will become good friends, even strangers. But, it doesn’t happen from first sight as they are good guardians for their owners; only if they feel that the specific stranger does not harm their owner will they become friendly to them.

Accordingly, you can socialize your pet well to face any person by carrying him for walks and making it meet new people, new places, and new experiences. He will learn to adapt to any situation when you practice with him well.

Make your pet meet new people and learn their communication, behavioral changes, and patterns of life. Then it will not be difficult for you to create the best pet dog at your home.

You can see how it will become friendlier for others, and you will never receive complaints from outsiders about your furry friend. 

Final thoughts about Jack Russell Terriers friendliness

We have discussed; are Jack Russell friendly with more details. I think this article will work out for all the JRT lovers as I have discussed some important areas of concern related to them like; who are Jack Russells, are Jack Russell friendly, how to strengthen your friendly relationship and finally, I have given you an idea about their friendliness towards strangers.

Many people like to raise dogs as their pets. Jack Russell is one of their major choices. They have originated as hunting dogs, and they are hyperactive and energetic. Also, this terrier is a good guardian for their owners as they love and try to protect their owner always.

So, there is no doubt that it is a friendly animal too. You can make it friendlier through training, playing, and learning its language as well.

And when talking about their reactions to strangers, they can be aggressive from first sight, but it can be changed by making it to face new experiences and meet new people and places. So, then you will own the best pet dog that you ever wanted.

Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts about your favorite dog breed.