Question:
We are thinking of buying a Jack Russell cross. What stuff should we know?
2008-07-19 16:16:08 UTC
Hi there

We are thinking of buying a Jack Russell cross and decided we want to go thru a pet shop as we know they will let us know everything we need to know.

What would a pet shop give us? What else do we need to know?

Thanks in advance. Best answer will be given today!
Twelve answers:
mungalow
2008-07-19 16:32:24 UTC
Please, please consider looking at your local animal shelter before you buy a dog at the pet shop. There a ton of wonderful dogs there that need great homes, and at our local shelter there are a ton of jack russell mixes. Also, the experience of going to the shelter is great for anyone interested in getting a dog. You see what a big commitment it is and where they end up if you don't fulfill your end of the commitment.
glamourjunkie
2008-07-19 16:43:29 UTC
What the people at the pet shop haven't told you is that they're about to make a killing off of selling you a mutt for an outrageous price. I'm sure they've sold you on some sort of 'puppy package' and ranted and raved about the quality of their dogs and how you're giving them a good home blah blah blah. You're having the wool pulled over your eyes and you don't even seem to realize it.

You can easily find a great JRT mix from a shelter, rescue, and you can find better information on purchasing/caring for a dog through a local breeder, trainer, or shelter volunteers. When you buy from a pet store, you're pobably buying from a puppy mill. http://www.dogsindepth.com/images/puppy_mill.jpg.

Go to petfinder.com and find an adoptee in your area. JRT mixes are common in shelters because many novice owners buy them expecting that such a small dog wouldn't have such a large amount of energy and possible temperament issues, I'm sure you'll find tons. The advantage of buying from a shelter is that you can usually find one that's already housebroken or at least familiar with basic expectations [potty training, commands etc.], and it is already spayed/neutered and may already be microchipped. Not to mention, since a shelter's goal is to give pets homes, rather than rake in huge profits--the dogs are priced much more reasonably. Don't be duped into thinking that pet store prices can guarantee quality.



With that said, there's no way to predict the behavior of a mutt, only pure breeds are somewhat predictable [when bred well] in temperment, energy, etc. Just because it's mixed with JRT doesn't mean it will act like one. Pure bred JRT's are usually very hyper and energetic and commonly aggressive when not trained well. I would really only suggest a JRT to a former terrier owner, or one who has experience with the breed, as they are very different from what most would expect. The cuteness can lose it's charm quite quickly with a novice owner. If you think that because they're a little dog, they have little energy, or are low maintenance, you couldn't be more incorrect. They are also prone to sight/hearing disabilities/loss as well as joint disease. So be prepared for that possibility as your dog gets older.
miaugh
2008-07-19 16:32:59 UTC
Nothing wrong with buying a Jack Russell puppy--but why would you choose to buy one from a pet store and not a reliable breeder? Will the pet store really tell you "everything you need to know"---like that the puppy came from a puppy mill?



Find a reputable breeder instead, one who only breeds Parsons (Jack) Russell Terriers.



http://members.tripod.com/~Jerrier/find-breeder.html



http://www.akc.org/future_dog_owner/find_breeder.cfm



http://www.prtaa.org/





If you are buying a "Jack Russell mix" from a pet store--any information regarding JRTs may or may not be relevant, because the dog is a mix. Temperament, health, genetic makeup--it's all anyone's guess with a mixed breed.
2008-07-19 16:51:06 UTC
Well, most Jack Russels are extremely hyper! You have to be willing to give it a lot of attention! Kids may get trampled by Jack Russels so be careful! Good Luck!
2016-05-26 09:45:32 UTC
First of all, she's selling a mutt for 250 euro. Way too much money for a mutt. You can get one at your local shelter for cheaper. Anyone who gets defensive and angry and refuses to allow you to meet the parents is not someone I would buy any animal off of. It means one of four things: (1) she's lying about the breed mixture, (2) the parents are aggressive and should not be out in public, thus leading me to believe the puppy is going to have a bad temperament, (3) this is a puppy mill breeder trying to get rid of a dog she couldn't sell through other means, won't let you to her house because the dogs are kept in horrid condition, or (4) she doesn't have the parents, likely a stolen dog or one she got cheaply at a shelter and is trying to make some money off of. Steer clear of this one. If you want a mutt, go to your local shelter and find one.
Lestaire
2008-07-19 16:23:15 UTC
Jack Russells have brain problems later on in life...
2008-07-19 19:57:27 UTC
I inherited my Dad's JRT he is 6 years old, Sheds like there is no tomorrow, even though I brush him daily.They are a very intelligent dog BUT.. do not let him be the boss.If I have to growl at him for doing something wrong he growls back at me. He think he was thoroughly spoiled and only seems the like males.They do have trouble with their eyes later on in life. My son's 3 JRT'S went blind at about 10yo. anyway goodluck and do not buy from a pet shop. go to the rescue home or a breeder..
animalover1412
2008-07-19 16:26:36 UTC
omg i just adopted one about 3 hours ago she is a cutie jack Russel mixed with an australian shepard she is a cream color and so cute! i named her freckles. any ways, well they are extremely active and need lots of attention, you need to walk them a lot and play with them all the time. it is not an animal you can just throw in a cage and foget about. they will be adorable, cuddly, ACTIVE, playful, sleepy, whiny, and CUTE. you need to get him or her puppy classes to teach her to not chew on stuff, pee and poo in the house, and sit, stay, and that stuff. you will need to treat it like a newborn baby, waking up every few hours to let it pee and the whole nine yards, but if you get one that is already older and not a puppy and you won't need to worry about the classes and all that. but make sure you get the right food, i like iams for my dogs. my little freckles was playing around with me and my boyfriend and now she is just sleeping in my arms.
Susan
2008-07-19 16:22:59 UTC
Adopt http://www.petfinder.com/



Why would you spend hundreds of dollars on a mutt from a puppy mill?



http://stoppuppymills.org/

http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/get_the_facts_on_puppy_mills/index.html
2008-07-19 17:00:02 UTC
they are crazy!!!!!

i know somone who has one and chases a brick and makes weird noises!

they are very active and they need alot of exxercise and stimulation (toys, bones etc)
2008-07-19 18:06:25 UTC
aww. they are so cute. i have one and she is precious... but i dont know how much they cost. i guess it depends on who you buy it from.
2008-07-19 16:20:36 UTC
that they are hyper as **** and annoying! sure they are cute but um, bad choice.


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