New Puppy?!?

laurenburns

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My Mum has two cats one aged 3 the other 2. I am wanting a puppy to keep me company and hoping to get a Jack Russell Terrier. I am worried that it may hurt my Mums cats and couldn't allow any dog that would hurt the cats around the house. Anyone know if this breed can be okay with cats? Help please :)
 

cccdlx

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I had a roommate that brought in 6 month old boxer-pit mix.  After I met the dog and assessed it's temperament, I proceeded with the introduction. One of the girls walked calmly over to the puppy and gave it a super slap to the tender part of it's nose.  Claws and all.  The puppy took off running.  Whisper right on her heals.  I laughed so hard.  Well, the roommate moved out suddenly and left the dog. I still have her. Dolly's almost three now and LOVES all the kitties, very respectful too.  Those claws are the best lesson a puppy could ever get.  The thing was, Whisper wasn't afraid of anything. I wouldn't have done it that way with one timid ones.

 

zohdee

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I would stay clear of any dog that has a high prey drive. 

So far so good here with my Newfie and the cats.  Mr. Orange Kitty is a bit upset with ME.  He refuses to sleep on my bed where that "stinky dog" was....so he sleeps on my side.  They are usually both on the bed with me when I take my nap.
 
 

red thing

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I wouldn't chance a Jack Russell unless you are prepared to rehome either the cat or the dog should things not work out. Jack Russell terriers were originally bred for fox hunting. After the hounds had brought the fox to ground, a terrier would be sent down the hole to chase the fox back out again.  They were also used to kill rats and other vermin in the barn and farm sheds.  A good terrier needed to have high prey drive, stubbornness, quick reflexes, fearlessness, and the ability to ignore pain while subduing prey which were fighting back.  These are not traits which encourage peaceful and quiet home life.

It's possible you might get a Jack with less drive than a typical working terrier.  It's possible you might be able to overcome inborn traits with enough supervision and training. Some Jacks do live happily with cats. However, the odds of success are better with one of the companion dog breeds like a Papillon, Poodle, or Bichon.
 

lucyj

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hey laurenburns, my uncle has a cat and just got a jack russell puppy, all is well so far and its been about 2 months
 

maewkaew

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I  have heard too many stories of Jacks going after , stalking,  attacking and even killing the family cats,  even cats they were raised with.... and  people who love ALL their pets ending up in heartbreaking situations where they have to find a home for either the dog or the cat(s)  before a cat gets seriously hurt or killed -- or after one cat is killed or ends up with a £600 vet bill.  Sure,  some JRTs turn out to be more mild mannered .  and I know people can give examples of JRT  puppies and adult dogs that peacefully co-exist with cats  (at  least so far) .  And some never do have a problem with their own family's cats .   But there's no guarantee you would be so lucky.   To some extent it may help that the puppy is raised with cats, but it is still more of a risk than I think is wise.     I just would not press my luck  by deliberately choosing to bring into a home with cats, a dog from a breed that was selectively bred for centuries to hunt and kill small animals,  and   is one of the breeds most KNOWN for killing cats.  It's really like playing Russian Roulette with your mum's cats' health and lives.

 I will just give you this quote and link from a Jack Russell Terrier  breed club  -- people who really know and  LOVE this breed ( and are seeing far too many end up in rescue) : 

Quote:    " Jack Russells are commonly known to harass, injure or kill other small pets, such as cats, birds, rabbits, mice, rats, gerbils, etc...simply due to their strong natural hunting instincts. These instincts have been bred into the JRT for hundreds of years, and what makes them such excellent working dogs in the field. 

Raising a Jack Russell puppy with a cat does not guarantee the cat's life-long safety. Don't be lulled into a false sense of security, there is often a "honeymoon" period of sometimes many years before mishaps occur. Please refer to the true-life testimonials below." 

http://www.therealjackrussell.com/wwwboard/faq/cats.htm

 and it basically says if you do try to live with JRT and cats you can never leave them alone together.  You have to monitor them and not allow any rough play,  provide escape routes for the cats,  high shelves to jump to , etc.  and if you leave home,  they have to be kept separated.   The trouble is, even when people try to do that,  it can turn out that eventually someone makes a mistake. 

This covers more about JRTs  like exercise, training and discipline needs  http://www.therealjackrussell.com/breed/baddog.php

 They also have a  form  to fill out to determine if the JRT is the right dog for you  http://www.therealjackrussell.com/breed/jrprofiler.php

  Jack Russells are   high-energy, feisty little working dogs who have an enormous need for exercise and mental stimulation --  they need a job.  and they need firm structure, discipline and training.  They are getting too popular (which has disadvantages of  a lot of badly bred dogs being produced to fill the demand, and a lot of  dogs ending up in shelters or rescue due to people not doing  research ahead of time,  or not taking seriously the advice .  Fortunately you ARE trying to do that.     If you want a puppy at the same time you're living with your mum and her cats,  I would look at some breeds that are not known for having such strong prey drive.
 
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1 furmama

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I agree with the above comments. Each dog is different but the Jack Russel does have a tendency to  chase cats. Might want to look at another breed. Here I have a Beagle x Terrier and a  Chinese crested Powder Puff.  Both have grown up with cats so here are no issues here. Although my CCPP likes to play with the cats at times
 
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