Do Jack Russell Terriers Shed? Truth, Tips and Guide

Dog is the closest friend of human. From a variety of dogs, Jack Russell is the best choice where many of them like to raise them as their pet. Jack Russell has its origin as a hunting dog, and this is a small terrier that is very loyal to its owners.

Anyway, do Jack Russell terriers shed is a commonly asked question by many Jack Russell owners. It is crucial to know about this issue when having a Jack Russell to keep both your living space and the pet clean.

Therefore, this article is all about the shedding of jack Russell terriers.

So, do Jack Russell terriers shed? We can give a short answer as; yes. They have quite short hair. Whether their coat is smooth or rough, we can see that they are shedding. But, with their short hair, it will be easy for you to groom them. And their shedding will not be a big problem apart from a lot of shedding happens with the seasonal changes like; spring, autumn, etc.

There will be many other reasons also for their shedding as; vitamin deficiencies, poor nutrition, etc. But you can take steps to control shedding such as; brushing the Jack Russell regularly, bathing the dog regularly, and providing a high-quality diet. 

Accordingly, in this article, I have covered do Jack Russell terriers shed, why does your Jack Russell shed so much, when do the Jack Russell shed a lot.

Finally, I have given some tips to deal with the shedding of your Jack Russell.  

Let’s get started.

Do Jack Russell terriers shed?

Sometimes, shedding is troublesome for both the owners and the dog. So, many owners are concerned about this when raising a pet dog like Jack Russell.

Do Jack Russell terriers shed is a commonly asked question by them. So, here I will give you a detailed answer to that.  

Jack Russell is a lovely, small and hyperactive terrier that is very loyal to its owners. They originated as hunting dogs and are highly intelligent. So, they are much loved by many people. When talking about shedding, we can say that Jack Russells shed.

When they have short hair, they tend to shed more. With more baths that they take regularly and with the seasonal changes, Jack Russells will shed a lot. 

Now you may worry that your pet will dirt your living space with its fallen hair. And on the other hand, you may worry that the excess shedding may make your pet less attractive.

But, there is nothing to worry about because you can take steps to reduce their shedding. So, it will not be a big issue with better control.

Therefore, do not be reluctant to raise Jack Russell as a pet by a misunderstanding that their shedding will create a mess in your place. 

Why does your Jack Russell shed so much?

Before finding the solutions for a problem, we should identify the causes for that problem. Then it will be easy to solve the specific problem. So, it is the same here.

The question do Jack Russell terriers shed and how to stop it can be well understood by considering the reasons for the dog’s excessive shedding.

Therefore, here let’s see about those reasons.

1. To keep the coat healthy

If you are unaware of the procedure of dealing with the shedding of a Jack Russell, it will be a big trouble. But remember that your dog has to shed to keep the health of its coat.

When your Jack Russell’s hair is much shorter, then it will shed a lot. There are three types of coats for Jack Russell as; rough, smooth or broken coats.

And there are double coat feature coats for Jack Russells. 

• Smooth coat: – The dogs with this coat have a bushy coat that has been closely packed to the skin. Though they look soft most of the time, there is a rough and wiry feel with them. These types of coats are likely to shed more but are easy to maintain. 
• Broken coat: – They differ from the appearance though they seem similar in feel. There is a smooth undercoat for this type of coat. There is long wire hair throughout their face, body, and legs. 
• Rough coats: – These coats are similar to broken coats, but there is long wire hair for these dogs. 

2. Seasonal changes

It is said that the Jack Russell’s coat adapts the seasonal changes like; spring, summer, autumn, etc. In spring, the coat of the Jack Russell gets prepared for the summer season.

So, they shed a lot within spring because they do not want the thick guard coat during warm temperatures.

And when it nears the winter season, they again shed their summer coat to get ready for the cool winter with its thick coat. 

3. Poor nutrients

Food is important for the health of your Jack Russell. So, make sure to provide high-quality nutritional food for them. If not, it will be a major reason to shed.

So, if your dog sheds a lot even out of the shedding season, it is a sign to pay attention to its food with necessary nutrients.

There, you have to consult the vet to give advice on providing nutritional food for the dog. 

4. Excessive bathing

Bathing is important to wash away the dust and dirt of the dog. But, if Jack Russell excessively bathes, it will be a major cause for shedding. So, make sure not to bathe your dog regularly. 

5. Various health issues

The Jack Russells also tend to shed due to some health issues.

So, if you notice your dog shed a lot apart from the seasonal shedding, it can be a parasite infection, allergy, thyroid, kidney, liver problem, sunburn, or any other medical reaction.  

When do Jack Russell Terriers shed a lot?

Do Jack Russell terriers shed is a question for all the Jack Russell owners. So, they seek tips to reduce the shedding of their pets. When they have a clear idea about when their pets shed a lot, it will be easy to take better steps to reduce it. 

We can’t say that the shedding of Jack Russells can be stopped or that they only shed within a specific period. Generally, they shed throughout the year.

But, we can see that they tend to shed more with the seasonal changes to make their body, face, and bear the environmental changes. 

Jack Russells often shed during the spring season, but it does not happen with the same amount. Also, they shed more within the summer season. This happens due to the daylight amount in the spring and summer seasons. 

There, you also may notice uneven coats or some thin patches on your dog. That is because they shed their previous hair and are ready to welcome the new coat.

So, this is a natural procedure for them to face the seasonal changes without any harm. 

If you notice that your dog shed more even in the absence of the seasonal changes, there may be a health issue. There, you can see bald patches, skin irritation, and open sores on your pet.

Also, if you notice that the Jack Russell licks or scratches, then you need to pay attention to its health.

This may be because of; poor nutrition, allergies, parasite infections, medical reactions, immune diseases, sunburn, liver problems, kidney or thyroid problems, etc.

So, in that situation, of course, you need to consult the vet. 

Tips for dealing with the shedding of your Jack Russell

When we ask whether Jack Russell terriers are shed from a Jack Russell owner, their answer will be yes, but all of them seek ways to stop or minimize the shedding of their dogs because it is not a good sign for both the owner and the pet.

So, here, I will provide some tips for your help.

1. Regular Bathing

When you bathe your dog regularly, it will help the dog maintain the health of its coat. But remember not to give baths excessively because their skin will be very dry if you bathe them excessively.

So, it is recommended to bathe at least once every two or three months. But if your dog catches dust and dirt by rolling around, digging, etc., you should clean it even once a month. 

Remember that bathing increases the dog’s shedding, but you can reduce it by keeping it clean.

When you bathe your dog and comb its fur after drying it, you can remove the loosened fur and accordingly reduce shedding.

2. Contact your Vet

You can carry your Jack Russell for a general check-up. And get the necessary guidance by finding the root cause if your dog excessively sheds.

He can decide the medication, whether to provide nutritional food or any other thing according to the dog’s skin type and health condition.

3. Using the correct grooming tools

After giving the bath to your dog, dry it with a clean and dry towel. If your Jack Russell has short hair, it is unnecessary to use a blow dryer because it may burn out its fur with too much heat.

So, they are good only for dogs with long hair. Then, you have to brush your jack Russell by using a rubber brush, stiff-bristle dog brush. You can’t use any brush as you wish.

There, you can remove the dead hair off your dog with the rubber brush and make sure not to tug or pull its hair.

Then, you have to remove the dirt and fine hairs of the dog with the stiff-bristle dog brush. If your home is dirty with the removing hair of the dog, you can remove them by using a vacuum cleaner. 

4. Providing proper nutrients

Shedding can happen due to poor nutrients. So, it can be controlled by providing good nutritional food. You have to give the due amount of food by considering its age, weight and health condition.

Especially, make sure to give them only high-quality food items, which help them to reduce shedding. The food you provide should include; carbohydrates and protein that help increase the coat health by reducing the excess shedding.

And, if you can add fish oil for your dog, you can improve the coat health of your dog, which makes the coat stronger and smoother.

4. Make sure to keep enough moisture in your dog’s food

You should give fresh drinking water to your dog by maintaining enough moisture in its food. When you only give them dry food products, they will be unable to maintain enough moisture in their coat.

There, you can’t avoid its shedding. So, make sure to add food that includes; carrots, cantaloupe, lean meat, green beans, etc., in enough amounts to maintain the moisture of the food you provide them.

It will be a help to improve the moisture of the skin of your Jack Russell. 

Conclusion – Do Jack Russell Terriers shed? Yes, they do

We have discussed; do Jack Russell’s terriers shed with more details. I think this article will be important for all the Jack Russell owners as I have given details about very significant areas of concern related to the Jack Russell terriers like; do Jack Russell terriers shed, why does your Jack Russell shed so much, when do the Jack Russell shed a lot and finally, I have given some tips to deal with the shedding of your Jack Russell.

Jack Russell is a small terrier and originated as a hunting dog. It is very likely to be raised by people with its loyalty to the owner, intelligence, and active behaviors. But shedding has become a much more concerning issue related to this terrier.

They shed a lot within seasonal changes, poor nutrients, allergies, frequent baths, etc. But, there is nothing to worry about because you can take steps to minimize their shedding though you can’t stop it.

You can provide nutritional food, give a proper bath, use proper grooming tools, etc. Then you can deal with the shedding of your Jack Russell without any trouble. 

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

Cheers from Shaggy and Lenny!