Thankfully, caring for your Jack Russell isn’t as challenging as training him. Because they aren’t prone to many health problems, and they don’t have a coat that requires constant, tedious grooming, the care you need to provide you Jack Russell to make sure he remains healthy and happy is relatively light.
Jack Russell Care Tips
Grooming – Grooming a Jack Russell isn’t difficult, regardless of the type of coat he has. A Jack requires the occasional currycomb to tidy up his short, rough coat, particularly during shedding season. If you give him a good comb or brush twice a week, this should suffice. You’ll discover he is pretty good at keeping himself clean.
Other Jack Russell care that is needed as far as grooming is concerned includes:
Bathing – You will want to give your Jack Russell a bath every 2 months to keep him clean.
Coat trimming – if your Jack has a broken coat he will need to be plucked (especially if he is a show dog) or trimmed with an electric clipper every 6 – 8 weeks. This is relatively easy to do, but if you are not up for the job, there are plenty of professional groomers who will do the job for you.
Nail clipping – you can either learn how to do this yourself or have a professional groomer or your vet do it.
Ears – Twice a month you should check your Jack Russell’s ears to make sure they are healthy and clean. There should be no foul odor, and the skin should be a pleasant pink.
Teeth – Jack Russell Terriers can and will get cavities and periodontal disease if their teeth are not taken care of. Introduce your Jack to teeth brushing at an early age. Also provide him with dentabones, as well as have his teeth cleaned professionally by the vet when needed.
Exercise – Your Jack Russell Terrier needs to be exercised regularly to allow him the opportunity to release his energy, and to prevent him from becoming overweight, which can lead to health problems.
Diet – Your Jack Russell needs to have a well balanced diet. This means putting him on regular food schedule and providing him with the recommended amount of food for his weight. The dog food bag will provide a food guideline based on the weight. However, you should seek the advice of your Jack’s vet to find out what’s best.
In addition, you should refrain from feeding your dog human food. This is because dog food has the nutritional balance your dog needs to stay healthy and strong. Human food can make Jack Russell’s overweight, causing health problems.
Vet – Quality Jack Russell care involves regular checkups at the Vet. Ensure that all of his shots are up to date, and every summer, make sure he is tested for heart worm, and then given heart worm pills to protect him from getting the illness.
Continuous Access to Clean Water – Your Jack Russell always needs to have access to clean water to stay hydrated. Clean water is important to make sure that your Jack Russell isn’t drinking water that contains bacteria or is dirty.
Safe Environment – Make your home hazard free. Think of your Jack Russell as a curious toddler. You need to keep him from finding any objects, foods, cleaning chemicals, electrical wires, or plants that pose a serious health risk to the dog. Keep items such as plants, sharp objects, and cleaning chemicals out of reach by placing them on high shelves, tables or counters, and make sure the floors are clean and free of any food.
You should also ensure that the garbage is never left out so curious doggies won’t get into mischief that could lead to possible choking or sickness from bad food or foods they are allergic too such as chocolate.
Jack Russell care should be a natural part of yours and your dog’s daily routine. Enjoy taking care of your Jack Russell as it is time you get to spend with him, and improves his quality of life.
Jack Russell Training…
