Pastimes
The Jack Russell Terrier I walk is my easiest walker. His owner requests a 60 minute walk every time because he realizes that his little guy has lots of energy to burn throughout the day. So I take him (let’s call the dog Max) out for a nice long walk. He has a retractable leash, which works very well for him as he waits for me before he crosses a street. We walk quickly and cover a lot of ground - usually walking 4 miles in an hour. As far as friendliness, he seemed to realize right away that I was there to walk him, and didn’t see me as a threat, but Max has NO interest in my attentions. One day, when we returned from our walk, Max rolled over to show his belly. I thought he wanted a belly rub. I was wrong. He growled but I missed it, and then he turned and gave me a little warning nip. After that I realized that Max, like most Jack Russells, was more interested in walking with me than in snuggling with me. He loves his owners, and that’s enough for him. If we pass another dog on our walk, Max will go fully aggressive. He will growl and attack - no matter that he is a quarter of their size! And fortunately, since he is so small it is no problem for me to keep him away from the other dog, and to keep the situation from escalating. Max also seems very intelligent. I think normally his walks aren’t for a full hour unless I’m walking him, so sometimes he will head back home. When I turn down a side street he will stop and look at me, confused, assuming maybe I’ve gotten lost. But despite his confusion, he will never stop walking for me. Unlike so many other breeds that I walk, Max just keeps going and going, like an Energizer Bunny, never really seeming to get very tired. Once we return to his home, he may sit with me on the couch for a bit, though he clearly still isn’t all that interested in snuggles. Sitting near me, he just seems to want to indicate that he’s ok with me being there, and to say “thank you” for our walk. I think a Jack Russell is a good idea for someone who wants a small dog (maybe for a small space) who has big-dog energy. A Jack Russell is a good exercise buddy who doesn’t take up too much room.
5 years, 5 months ago