Grooming of Jack russell terriers

Smooth coated jack russells

This type of jack russell has a short and dense coat with almost absent undercoat.The white coloured hairs are often thicker and heavier and tend to fall easily than hairs of other colors.That is how dogs with predominate white color(less marked) loose their hairs a lot,with pics in automn and summer.It's quite annoying for owners,who are tempt to avoid dark clothes(white hair are grabbed on clothes,which makes them very apparent!),or leave the dog at home when visiting people  or even use several times per day the vacuum cleaner!

To resolve this permanent loss of hairs,it is recommended to brush regularly the dog ,or use a rubber glove.Sometimes a good bath,coupled with a long brushing for about 10' ,can give nice results but theses are not permanent!Don't wash your dog too frequently:every 4 months is a good frequence for a dog living in town.Wash it every time the dog smells too much or when it is really dirty or 2-3 weeks before showing.Water does not harm him ,it is shampoo that softens and weakens the coat.Never use a hair dryer!Use a bath towel and rub the dog ,till it is almost dry.

Conclusion:smooth coated jack russells don't need much of specific grooming,but it is important to know that loss of hairs is permanent all over the year:we must accept it,live with it and change our clothes color,to make white grabbed hair invisible!

Rough and Broken coated jack russells

This type of jack russell has a rough or broken coat and a short,soft undercoat.It must to be brushed and plucked,to maintain a beautiful appearance,comfort and to protect the waterproof texture of its coat.Grooming time is also a good time to check your dog's physical condition:ears,skin,anus,nails,eyes,external parasites,fleas....

The ideal grooming is twice a year

It is strictly forbiten to shave,cut or clip a jack russell's hair,because this makes their loss more important and damages the quality of the coat(coat becomes wooly,soft and not resistant).

Here is the equipement required:

• A metallic brush or comb

• A serrated knife(to pluck or strip)

• A pair of straight scissors

• A nail cliper

• A solid table to put the dog on while grooming

Begin with brushing or combing  the entire dog,first in the opposite direction of hair growth then towards the direction of hair growth.Be careful of sensitive areas (eyebrow,whiskers) cause the hair groth in this region is very slow:It is recommended to remove only as much hair from the face as will make the dog look neat,giving his face definition.Be sure that both sides of the head are even;you know that you are finished when you see the neat white undercoat.Talk to your dog when grooming,so as he doesn't get bored,and assure him.

Then take the knife and comb in the direction of hair growth;this will allow you to remove the undercoat and dead hairs.Thus the coat gets more neat and forms of the dogs are more apparent.Somme breeders use their fingers to strip their dog,but this requires some experience .There are more specific acts for each part of the body(ex:tail,muzle,leggs),but they are reserved to dogs prepared for showing.

Using straight scissors you can also trim hairs betwenn the toes.Clip nails once you are in this area.It is safely to ask your vet or professionnal groomer to do this for you in the begginning,to avoid cutting nails too short and wound the dog(he will take that very badly!).Nails must be cliped regularly and not only when the dog is groomed.

Try to pluck hairs from annal area(long hairs tend to get dirty and make the dog uncomfortable),penil area and aroun the nipples (in females) to make the region neat and clean.

Check your dog's ears and clean them using a cotton ball,imbibed with a bit of physiologic liquid..If you see evidence of mites or the ears smell foul,consult your veterinarian.

Do the same for the eyes.

Breeders avoid in general bathing their dogs:good grooming is more important than bathing.Dogs living in towns need to be washed quite often,because their coat is full of pollution and dust.Idealy,every 4 months is correct,but if you live in town,bath him whenever he smells bad or when he is very dirty.A dog-specific shampoo is essential;do never use a human-shampoo,because it is very acide and irritant for your dog's skin.Use warm water,avoiding sensible areas(eyes,nose ears) and wash a lot to get rid of the entire product.Use a  bath towel(not a hair dryer!) and rub the dog,till he is almost dry.Keep the dog in a warm place(in winter) to avoid health problems.

Finally ,you can also use calcium carbonate powder,mixed with baby talc or a flea powder,as a dry shampoo:work the powder in the entire coat(in the opposite direction of hair growth) and then using a brush,remove the product.Powder is also useful to facilitate plucking of the dog.

To view an interesting article about coat color and pattern in jack russells ,click here!

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Photos:-"Dazzling Diiva of Jacks Paradise":owner:Jonna Soinio-Finland

            -"Macbraedly African Queen":ownerr:Minna Tallberg-Finland

Both photos:(c) M.Tallberg