Are Jack Russells Good Guard Dogs? Yes, JRTs are Fearless & Protective

If you are a Jack Russell Terrier lover who needs extra protection to your home and your near and dear ones, you probably must be contemplating bringing a furry four-legged friend home. So, it is natural that a question arises whether Jack Russell Terriers would make good guard dogs.

In fact, many dog lovers have approached me with this question. I, therefore, thought of writing about how successful Jack Russells are in guarding homes and humans. 

So, are Jack Russells good guard dogs? I would answer this question with a confident ‘yes.’ Jack Russells make excellent guard dogs. JRTs are extremely loyal to their owners and can easily be trained to protect your home and loved ones. Despite their comparatively smaller size, Jack Russells are very energetic dogs full of life. Once you get a better understanding of the nature of the Jack Russells, you would be convinced that Jack Russells are one of the best guard dog breeds you could ever bring home!.

In this article, I will discuss in detail how Jack Russell Terriers become excellent protection dogs. Firstly, I will briefly discuss the origins of the Jack Russells, which is crucial to understanding how they become good guard dogs.

Then, I will discuss unique characteristics JRTs possess that would make them excellent protection guard dogs. I know it’s a bit challenging to handle such an energetic dog at first.

Therefore, I will share some valuable tips that would help you train your JRT to protect your home and loved ones without hassle. So, don’t forget to keep reading!

Are Jack Russells good protection guard dogs?

As I previously mentioned, Jack Russells make excellent protection dogs. For those of you unfamiliar with Jack Russells’ origins, let me tell you why they are such affectionate guard dogs.

Jack Russells inherit their extremely energetic and curious nature from their forefathers. Jack Russells’ origins date back to 19th century England, and they were first trained for fox hunting.

Therefore, the present-day Jack Russells possess excellent hunting skills and are inquisitive, always on alert, and quick at recognizing threats. These traits that the Jack Russells inherit from their forefathers have made excellent guard dogs. 

Apart from the characteristics the JRTs inherited from their ancestors, they also have other unique characteristics that make them excellent guard dogs. They are known to be highly protective of their owners and are easy to be trained.

In addition, they are also gifted biologically, which immensely helps them be excellent guards. So, I will next explore these characteristics in detail.

Why Jack Russell’s make excellent guard dogs?

There are many reasons why Jack Russells would make excellent guard dogs. Their extraordinary hunting skills and inquisitive nature make them stand out among other dogs.

Most importantly, Jack Russells have a ferocious bark that would scare the strangers away!. While Jack Russells are extremely affectionate towards their owner and family members, not so is the case when it comes to strangers.

Therefore, they tend to show aggression towards threats through their natural instincts. They identify threats and show aggression even without special training. 

I will now give an explanation on some of the distinguishing abilities Jack Russell Terriers have, which would make them amazingly skilled guard dogs. 

• Sharp hearing capabilities 

Jack Russell Terriers’ sense of hearing is known to be one of the most extensive hearing ranges among dog breeds. This is one of the biggest advantages of having a Jack Russell.

Due to their amazing hearing capabilities, Jack Russells are always on alert to threats. Researchers have found out that Jack Russells’ sense of hearing is 4x greater than humans.

This is indeed helpful for them to keep the thieves away from your homes!

• Minimum training or no training at all 

Another special skill of Jack Russells is that they do not need to undergo special training in order to bite in the face of danger. JRTs are inherently skillful hunters and very sensitive to threats.

Therefore, even without proper training, it is highly likely that they will bite unwanted visitors. They tend to do this especially when their owners are in danger.

Some five years ago, Jack Russells were selected as one of the dog breeds that are most likely to bite unwelcome strangers. What more do you want to hear to be convinced of their biting capabilities?

• Eager to be trained and learn new skills

A trivial problem Jack Russell owners have is that JRTs sometimes bark a lot. Of course, that’s what it means to be a guard dog. Yet, sometimes it is a bit too much.

However, the good news is that by showing a little patience, you can make your JRTs learn all the good habits you want. Jack Russells are eager to learn new skills and are usually obedient to their owners.

So, if you want your four-legged friend to guard your family and property while being calm and less aggressive, just know that they are fully capable of mastering those skills. All you have to do is show them a little kindness. 

Train your JRT to guard the home and family

As I mentioned before, Jack Russells are one of the easiest dog breeds to train if you take the right approach. At first glance, Jack Russells may not look like the most trainable dog breed on earth.

Sometimes they turn a bit aggressive and unruly, especially when they feel that their surroundings are not safe. However, you need to know that Jack Russells are highly intelligent dogs.

They are quick at absorbing new skills and would love to show what they learned to their owners. So, if you have an idea as to how you want your dog to be, it’s just a matter of being patient with them.

In time, they would turn out to be obedient, affectionate dogs even if they bark a little too loud!. So, Jack Russells are one of the perfect dog breeds that could be trained to guard your home and family. 

Are Jack Russells good fighters?

Many dog lovers who intend to bring home a Jack Russell to protect their homes and loved ones have asked me whether Jack Russells are good fighters.

As someone who owned different types of Jack Terriers, I can assure you that Jack Russells are indeed good fighters.

As I already mentioned, Jack Russells are inherently capable of hunting, and in the wild, they were adapted for a rough life. It is generally considered that Jack Russells, especially the males, are aggressive by nature.

They tend to fight with dogs of other breeds as well as their own if they feel threatened. While some dog owners dislike this particular characteristic of them, there are instances where this may turn out to be an advantage for their owners.

A Jack Russell is not the dog to hide behind his owner in the face of danger. They are very brave, and their inherent tendency to fight with other dogs comes in handy when unwanted strangers or thieves enter your home.

Your four-legged friend will not let go of them without giving a good fight!. Therefore, Jack Russells are an amazing dog breed who would love you and protect you simultaneously. 

Are Jack Russell Terriers fearless?

Any proud owner of a Jack Terrier would have countless stories to share about the fearless nature of their furry friends.

As I have been telling you throughout this article, Jack Russells are hunting dogs. So they have an inherent ability to fight their opponents.

Be it another dog, a cat, or a threatening human, and Jack Russells are not the dogs to hide in a corner. They will fight the game even if it comes at the cost of losing their lives.

When it comes to mentioning the bravery of Jack Russells, a well-known story goes that once, Jack Russell has been fighting two pit bulls who came to injure its owner’s children.

Although the JRT lost its life in the end, this story shows the loyalty and affection Jack Russell Terriers show to their owners.

So, I’m sure the same thing applies when an unwanted intruder enters your home without your knowledge. Your Jack Rusell pet will surely give a good fight no matter how big in size the intruder is.

Final thoughts about JRT as a guard dog

So, are Jack Russells good guard dogs? If you read this article, I’m sure now you are convinced that they are. To put what’s discussed in this article, in a nutshell, Jack Russell Terriers make excellent guard dogs for a number of reasons.

Firstly, they come from a generation of hunting dogs, so they are energetic, inquisitive, and brave. They are always ready to give a good fight even at the cost of their lives.

Although a bit aggressive, Jack Russells can easily be trained to become well-behaved dogs. Last but not least, Jack Russells are extremely affectionate towards their owners. So they would protect you from danger at all times. 

Thank you for reading this post. Stay tuned with Jack Russell Owner for more interesting posts. Greetings from Shaggy and Lenny!