Adopting a new dog always presents some unique challenges.
It also presents a lot of excitement and opportunity.
Before doing so, it’s essential to understand how your pets may interact with one another.
I had this question as well before adopting my Jack Russel.
I already had my 6-year-old yellow lab and wanted to know beforehand; can Jack Russell’s live with other dogs?
I’ve now had my Jack Russell for 2 years living with my yellow lab, and here is what I can tell you on this topic.
Yes, Jack Russells can live with other dogs. Jack Russells who are introduced and socialized around other dogs at a young age, can live with other dogs. Jack Russells who are socialized at a young age are not aggressive dogs and can co-exist with other dogs in the household and make for excellent pets.
Now, that’s only the quick 2 sentence answer to the question.
I want to take this a step further and truly break down this topic for you in-depth to give you a full understanding of how to ensure your new Jack Russell can co-exist peacefully with other dogs in the household.
To make life simple for you, I’ve created easy to navigate links directly below that outline what I plan to cover and allow you to skip to any specific section of this post that you desire to learn more about.
Here is what I have on the lesson plan for today’s brief post:
- Can Jack Russells Live with Other Dogs Recap?
- How Do You Introduce A Jack Russell to Another Dog?
- What Breeds of Dogs Go Well with Jack Russells?
- Dogs That Jack Russells Should Not Live With
- Are Jack Russells Aggressive with Other Dogs?
- Jack Russell Terriers Can Definitely Be Around Other Dogs
- Share Your Thoughts
If you are in a hurry or need to skip around, feel free to use the links directly above to jump around.
Otherwise, provide me about 3 minutes of your time, and I’ll break down everything you need to know on this topic.
Here is the critical information to understand.
Can Jack Russells Live with Other Dogs Recap?
Like mentioned previously, yes, it’s 100% possible for a Jack Russell to live with other dogs.
I do it now and have been doing it successfully for the past 2 years.
It’s never been an issue, and I don’t believe it ever will be.
They are friendly towards one another and prefer to use each other for entertainment and companionship.
Both dogs co-exist nicely and I haven’t ever seen any form of aggression outside of the two dogs playing with one another.
Currently, I have a 6-year-old yellow lab and my female Jack Russell that is coming up on her 2nd birthday.
Clearly, two years into this journey, I’d have some indicators if I believed this was going to be an issue in the future, but overall, it’s been smooth sailing.
So, why do Jack Russells sometimes get a negative stigma to them when it comes to living with other dogs?
Well, certain things, in my opinion, need to take place to allow a Jack Russell to live with another dog, and it’s the topic I want to touch on next.
How Do You Introduce A Jack Russell to Another Dog?
The best way to introduce a Jack Russell to another dog in the family is to begin the process as young as possible and break them into each other slowly.
For me, I started this process when my Jack Russell was only 10 weeks old.
This is the age I adopted her.
My lab was obviously already at the home when I arrived back from the Jack Russell breeder.
I started with crate training in the early days and allowed the dogs to interact with each other slowly in the same room.
My yellow lab is a gentle dog who is more curious than anything.
It didn’t take long for them to become friends and begin interacting in a more playful manner.
Sure, my Jack Russell irritated him some in the early phase doing the everyday things that puppies do, such as barking or play biting, but overall, these two dogs are now connected at the hip and do just about everything together.
This includes playing in the backyard together, going outside to potty together, and even sleeping by one another on the same oversized chair.
My yellow lab almost acts as her protection at this point, and the friendship has flourished between the two.
I believe this to be the key to successfully bonding and having a Jack Russell live with another dog.
Start young and start slow, and I’m confident that things will play out in your favor, and a new friendship will be born from the interaction.
What Breeds of Dogs Go Well with Jack Russells?
In my opinion, there isn’t necessarily any rhyme or reason to the dogs a Jack Russell is going to get along with one dog breed compared to another.
However, I do 100% believe that some dog breeds are going to line up much better with your Jack Russell’s personality.
Again, to match a Jack Russell’s personality, you are wanting a dog that has hyper energy and a playful demeanor.
Jack Russells love to move around, burn energy, and show enthusiasm with just about every move they make.
They also get bored relatively easily.
So, what dog breeds fall into this group of dogs?
Let’s look at some of the dog breeds with relatively similar personalities.
Terrier Dog Breeds- Terriers will typically mesh well with other terriers.
Makes sense, right?
This is due to matching high energy levels, and instead of your Jack Russell perhaps annoying a calmer dog breed, their personalities can go hand in hand, and they can play together.
Labradors- I’m stating this as a compatible dog breed because I’m currently living that life as we speak.
Labs can be calm, but they can also match high energy dogs and prefer to do so when possible.
My lab and Jack Russell do just about everything together and have never had an issue or a situation where I have had to intervene with any rough or dangerous behaviors.
Working Dog Breeds- Instead of listing out every dog breed that your Jack Russel will get along with, it’s better for you to understand the personality standpoint to this conversation.
Every dog, regardless of the breed, may have a different energy level to them based on their socialization and upbringing.
Dogs adapt and adjust to their owner’s lifestyles.
When looking for a dog breed that your Jack Russell will co-exist and live together without issue, simply research the dog breeds ahead of time or simply ask yourself….
Will a Jack Russell drive my dog insane?
Am I willing to work on it and socialize my Jack Russell at a young age?
If the answer is that you don’t prefer this active role, then it’s likely best to not adopt.
If you are a dog person or a pet person in general, then I’d highly recommend it.
I’m a firm believer that the power is in the hands of the owners, and what you do is what they will follow.
Jack Russells are no different if introduced at a young age.
Dogs That Jack Russells Should Not Live With
Now that we know how to determine which dogs your Jack Russel can live with let’s discuss which dogs your Jack Russell likely shouldn’t be living with.
This is just as simple as the previous section of this post.
Don’t adopt a high energy Jack Russell if you have a lap dog or low energy dog that doesn’t get along with a playful and active pet.
A Jack Russell will want to play and will want to burn some energy.
If your confident that your dog won’t respond well to this, it’s best not to adopt a Jack Russell.
If you think that your dog needs a companion like this, then a Jack Russell is a great dog to choose and will make an excellent pet for the entire family.
Are Jack Russells Aggressive with Other Dogs?
Yes, Jack Russells can be aggressive with other dogs due to their strong prey drive.
Jack Russells are most typically aggressive with other dogs of the same sex, and experts usually advise that no more than 2 Jack Russells co-exist with another dog of the same sex.
Especially if they are going to be left alone.
Again, a lot of this comes back to how socialized your dog is and how you have trained them.
Introducing them to other dog breeds at a young age, whether they are the same sex or not, can make a dramatic difference as to how your Jack Russell will behave towards other dog breeds.
Jack Russell Terriers Can Definitely Be Around Other Dogs
Jack Russells are loyal dogs.
They make for excellent family pets, and 100% can make excellent companions for other pets in the household.
Take the time to train your Jack Russell and recognize the importance of introducing your Jack Russell to other pets and getting them socialized at young ages.
I assure you that that end of the day, you don’t have anything to worry about and won’t regret the decision to bring a Jack Russell into the family using the approaches detailed in this post.
Luna and I sure wish you the best of luck with your journey and hope your Jack Russell makes for a great addition to the family.
How Does Your Jack Russell Behave Around Other Dogs?
Do you have any further tips or recommendations for the Terrier Owner community when it comes to having a Jack Russell living with other dogs?
Do you think anything needs to be added to this post?
Be sure to share those thoughts, stories, and concerns by dropping a comment below.
As always, Luna and I wish you the best of luck and appreciate you reading.
Thanks again, and we will see you next time.