Are Jack Russells Affectionate Dogs? Yes, Find Out Why
“Dogs are man’s best friend.” Does this phrase sound cliché? Maybe it is. But as cliché as it sounds, we couldn’t agree more on how correct this phrase is. That is why I thought about writing whether Jack Russells are affectionate dogs or not.
Most of us adopt dogs because they are undoubtedly great companions to have. If you are a dog owner, I’m pretty sure that your four-legged friend holds an exceptional place in your heart. What I like the most about dogs is how they reciprocate their love and affection towards owners.
But we should also be aware that not all dogs have the same personality traits. Therefore, how they show affection and how much they show affection could differ.
So if you are planning to adopt a dog, it’s always better to have a fair understanding of the breed. If you are looking forward to adopting a Jack Russell Terrier, you might want to read this article. Today we are going to find out if Jack Russells are affectionate dogs.
So, are Jack Russells affectionate? Without any hesitation, the most straightforward answer would be yes. These adorable little dogs tend to be very close to their owners. And they often attempt to show their love by cuddling and playing. Sometimes they show love by being overprotective of their owners as well as being clingy to them.
Generally, Jack Russell Terriers are considered affectionate dogs. Yet, there are more things that you should know about these charismatic pooches. To understand the topic thoroughly, refer to the subsections below.
How to recognise whether Jack Russells are affectionate dogs?
Let’s get started with the most crucial question of the discussion. How to recognize whether this dog breed is affectionate towards its owners?
Despite their breed, any dog would typically indicate gestures such as wagging their tails, licking, cuddling, and playing to express their affection. Some dogs show such gestures quite a lot, while others show a little less.
When it comes to Jack Russell Terriers, this dog breed prefers to impress their masters and show their love towards them.
Jack Russells inherit so much energy, and the roots of origin come from a hunting background. Therefore they are devoted towards the owner.
Due to their energetic and feisty personalities, Jack Russells often show their love while spending most of their time with owners.
They also display their love through playing; furthermore, if your Jack Russell Terrier responds obediently to you, that is also a sign of affection.
How to enhance the bond between you and your Jack Russell
As mentioned before, Jack Russell Terriers are love seekers. They show their affection to the owners; in return, they expect the owners to reciprocate it.
If you don’t show affection towards your Jack Russell, it might lose its bond with you. Indeed, this dog breed usually is close and loyal to owners.
But as the owners, the way you treat them significantly impacts either increasing or decreasing their affection towards you. So here are some simple things that you can follow to lift your bond with your Jack Russell.
Train them from a young age. Jack Russell Terriers are active dogs; training them from a young age makes them obedient and helps to create a strong bond between you and the dog.
When providing training, be mindful and not force the dog to do things. After training sessions, you can also give them small treats, making the dog happy and raising their affection for you.
Apart from training, taking your dog for a stroll, playing fetch in the park, giving some cuddles once you are home will certainly help to enhance your bond with them.
Jack Russell’s affection levels with other dogs
If you already own a dog, perhaps you are a bit reluctant to get another one because you might worry about how it would cope with the other.
In most cases, Jack Russells are super close to the owners. They adore it when the owners pay them good attention. How could another pet in your house impact the affection levels of a Jack Russell Terrier?
As a result of being too devoted and affectionate towards the owners, Jack Russell Terriers could potentially get a sense of jealousy when there are other dogs around the owner.
And this is why training is essential. If you train your Jack Russell Terrier from the pup stage, they learn how to maintain the bond with the owner without getting aggressive though there are other dogs in the household.
Proper training makes it easy for them to get socialized, so it will be helpful for them to mingle better with other dogs and still show their affection to owners.
Anyways, as the owner, do not forget that you have a critical duty to fulfill. If you already own a dog or more and also plan to get a Jack Russell Terrier, provide them space to get along with one another. Most importantly, show equal love and attention to all the dogs.
Jack Russell’s affection levels with children
Jack Russell Terriers are well known for their energy levels. Being energetic dogs, they could be ideal dogs to have around children. Due to their extreme energy levels, Jack Russell Terriers like to spend time playing with children.
Speaking of Jack Russells’ affection levels with children, it is important to understand children of what age we are referring to. Children above 3 or 4 years old get along pretty well with Jack Russells.
Small children aged 4 to 10 especially can be the ideal friends for Jack Russells as they love to spend most of their time playing. So Jack Russells show great love towards children. However, as these dogs are highly energetic, they might not be ideal to have around toddlers.
Yet, parents should teach them to be gentle and friendly if they plan to adopt a Jack Russell in a household with children.
What can you do if your Jack Russell doesn’t reciprocate affection?
A dog can change your mood dramatically. It is incredible how these four-legged creatures bring so much joy to humans. Anyone would feel great to be loved by a dog. But if your dog doesn’t show love towards you, that might be disappointing.
Before discussing what we can do to address this question, it’s essential to know the possible reasons behind this. The first and the most important thing is how you treat them.
Remember, “Jack Russells are affectionate when they are properly treated.” Hence these dogs seek attention it is necessary that you show them affection.
And once you do it, Jack Russells also reciprocate their love for you. However, you should also know that not all dogs show affection in the same way; in some cases, though they belong to the same breed. So be prepared for such exceptions.
Being sick could be another possible reason why Jack Russell doesn’t show much affection. Especially if the dog shows affection a lot and then suddenly stops doing it. If you take proper care of your dog but still don’t show affection, here’s what you can do.
Allocate some time to play with them. Suppose that you have a tight schedule, but try to spend at least 15-30 minutes per day playing and have fun with your Jack Russell Terrier.
Usually, the more you interact, the more they will love you. If the dog keeps following you, don’t ignore it; rub its head and show that you are concerned. That reassurance is vital to creating a solid bond.
Another tactic you can follow is changing your Jack Russell Terriers routine. If it spends most of the time at home, take it to the park on the weekends. Do training with your Jack Russell Terrier.
Give some yummy treats and cuddle them to appreciate their good behavior. These little things help a lot of your Jack Russell to reciprocate their affection.
Final thoughts of JRT’s affection
We have come to an end, so here are some final thoughts. Today we discussed the affection levels of Jack Russell Terriers. Jack Russell Terriers seek to get affection from their owners. In return, they don’t hesitate to reciprocate their affection towards owners.
Despite that, we also should know that there are certain cases where your Jack Russell isn’t very affectionate. Sometimes it happens due to their personality; however, you can enhance your bond with the dog to raise their affection levels.
The bottom line is how you treat your Jack Russell Terrier matters greatly to reciprocate their affection. In my opinion, being a dog parent is challenging but at the same time rewarding.
If you take proper care of the dog and make it feel loved, the dog will also do the same. And that will surely make you have a soft spot for your pet dog in your heart that will last forever.
Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts. Greetings from Shaggy and Lenny!
