Children and the Jack Russell Terrier Charm

The photo to the right is a good place to begin when discussing Jack Russell Terrier charm and their incredible capacity for companionship, be it to children or adults.

They want to be in on every adventure, every escapade. And since children, by nature, are always in search of fun, this is the perfect environment for these fun-loving dogs.

So while your child might be trekking down a wooded path, or catching tadpoles in the nearby creek, or exploring an abandoned castle, your Jack Russell will be RIGHT there, gleefully taking part in any curiosity the child might entertain.

But let me caution you, as was described in the pages dealing with Jack Russell temperament, these dogs are independent thinkers and have preferences about how they are treated.

They do not tolerate abuse very well. But, this is mostly with strange children that they are not familiar with.

Sometimes even with children who are not abusive but have come upon their territory, say a new neighbor's child...the dog can be extremely suspicious and even growl or nip at the heels of the child.

This must be watched for and corrected in the dog immediately, as you could lose some potential friends for your children that way.

But with children the dog knows and loves, I couldn't recommend a better dog companion, or a breed more capable of deep bonding.

Nor could you find a dog more protective of their young masters. They truly, once past the early training, live to serve and please. And this is typical Jack Russell Terrier charm.

Russells also love to ride...be it in cars, on 4-wheelers, bicycles, mowers, or rubber floats.

This is a throw-back to their past when they were afforded the right to ride on the horses in the fox hunts of England.

This too makes Jack Russells a lot of fun for children who love pulling pets in little red wagons.

But late at night is the best.

I'm a story-teller and have always loved bedtime with my kids.

And there was nothing like having my little son tucked close up beside me, the window next to us with the moon and stars shining down on us, and Jimbo tightly wedged somewhere betwixt us.

If my son happened to fall asleep before the story was finished, I felt inclined to continue, as it seemed there were other ears that seemed fixed on the outcome.

This too, is typical Jack Russell Terrier charm.

So, is this breed of dog good with children?

My children would tell you there's no charm like the Jack Russell Terrier charm.

And so would I.

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