Jack Russell Terriers

HARRIS

Since my husband was a kid, he wanted to have a dog. But, as many parents do, his parents had a different opinion. They bought him canaries, the bought fish, but he wanted a dog. Me, on the other hand, grew up with dogs. When I was 22 and our last dog died and my parents said they won't have another, I felt frustrated. So, the decision to have a dog, was a one way street! since it would be the first dog-pet me husband would have, we thought we shouldn't risk adopting a stray -not knowing what it will grow up to become- and ended up buying the worse -maybe- breed a rookie could buy....We had a Jack Russell!

When we laid eyes on his snout in the ad we fell in love. We traveled the distance required to meet him and decide If we should buy him. His angel little face got us! He seemed so unprotected. Long story short I took him in my arms and let him go only to relieve himself in one or two stops. We named him Harris

From the beginning I was struck by the following:

-he was never a puppy. He was never unstable or clumsy like the puppies I knew. He wasn't afraid of heights, he climbed up and down stairs as if he was born for it.

-he seemed housebroken. It literally took us less than three days to teach him and we had very few "accidents" inside the house.

-he was very stubborn. When he set his mind on something it was almost impossible to distract him. Even if you managed it for a while, he would soon return to what he wanted to do in the first place.

We had him for about a month (in order to be efficiently vaccinated) when we were told he could go for walks. He understood how the leash worked in a trifle, but of course there was no healing. Too much strength, too much nerve. In the street everyone was mad about him. Everyone (mostly girls) would stop and play with him. A woman from Germany stopped us and after the proper compliments, warned us about his adolescence, as she said, near his 18 months. Adolescence? Come on!

We had read about this breed...We had studied. But reality was even harder. We weren't ready for him. Before we knew he was the boss! He did whatever he wanted. He was reading our minds...We were reading "Jack Russell Terriers for Dummies" like crazy, but Harris was always one step ahead. All this energy, all this mischief... He demanded 110% of our time. He was smart, learning tricks easily...but he never stood still. He started becoming aggressive towards other dogs and humans and impossible during his walks and that's when we decided we needed professional help.

Luckily, with the right guidance and a lot of effort on our side, Harris came around. He is always a demanding child. But growing up and since my two children were born, he seams to have accepted his place in our family. This period is a bit tough for him. Two babies with no help (we live far from our parents) the time we have for him is so little and some days non-existent. Thankfully, now that my son is almost four years old (Harris is now 5,5) they play together, running inside the house, venting some of their energy.

Jack Russells are a very demanding breed. Reverent John Russell, near the 1820s, decided to create a breed, suitable to go with him while fox hunting. For his line of selective breeding, he was chosing the best terriers he could find and the first mother in history, that gave birth to these tiny little devils was Trump. Jack Russells are mostly white with some brown or black marks or spots. Their eyes are brisk and bright with a very distinctive mischievous look. They have tons of energy, absolute self assurance and complete ignorance of their size. They endure pain and are extremely bossy. They are not suitable for young children since they are not willing to put up with them. It's very easy for them to show aggression which is why they should be trained and exercise a lot. A Jack Russell can follow you anywhere. The more time they pass with you the more they understand your habits and adjust to them. They need human companionship and fell depressed if left alone for many hours. They need exercise. If their boss doesn't provide them with adequate exercise they will try to find ways to defuse their energy with unforeseen consequences! Over the years they have evolved to be rodent hunters which is why it's almost impossible for them to ignore anything moving fast. They can learn tricks easily so they are often used by the entertainment industry. Their body is strong, full of muscles and an edgy posture. Their snout is pointy and their ears when they are calm should be like reverse triangles. There are two types based on their height (Parsons and Jacks) and three types depending on their fair (short, long and shaggy).

I adore Harris. He is my first child. He is the first dog that I, personally, am responsible for and not my parents. But it wasn't easy to find balance with him. A lot of patience, experience and firmness was required. And of course lots of time, space and probably another dog! This is a period in our lives that Harris is quite underprivileged. I hope when my children get a bit older, I'll give him again more time (in quantity as in quality). It is a consolation knowing he forgives this inevitable neglect, but it also makes me sad.

Harris! Better days will come. I love you!

More Harris' photos here. Feel free to add yours!