Jack Highland Terrier -- Jack Russell Terrier X West Highland White Terrier

		Jack Highland Terrier
		He is not recognized by the F.C.I.


Origin			Great Britain -> U.S.A.
Translation			Francis Vandersteen

A brief presentation of the Jack Highland Terrier

The Jack Highland Terrier is a hybrid of a Jack Russell Terrier and a West Highland White Terrier. The two parent breeds share personality traits of affection, alertness, cheerfulness, courage, friendliness and independence, with the Jack Russell parent adding gentleness, intelligence, energy and loyalty to the organic mix. The hybrid's appearance can take on characteristics of both parent breeds, with a body generally described as compact or athletic, and dark eyes with an intelligent, alert expression. Colors of white, white with black markings, white with tan markings and tricolor (black, white, tan) can be seen on the Jack Highland Terrier. Moderate grooming will probably be required, with bathing only when necessary and brushing several times a week.

History of the Jack Highland Terrier

The Jack Highland Terrier is the result of crossing a Jack Russell Terrier with a West Highland White Terrier and is a more recent hybrid. There is little or no information available on the hybrid itself, but there is an abundance of information available on the parent breeds. The information provided in this segment will reflect this combined information on the parent breed. As a hybrid dog, the Jack Highland Terrier can take on the appearance, personality and behavioral characteristics of one or both of the parent breeds. Both parent breeds, the Jack Russell Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier, were bred for hunting activities in their respective countries and during their respective decades/centuries.

	A little of the Jack Russell Terrier
	The Jack Russell Terrier was developed in the UK in the 1800s and used for hunting and tracking. The Jack Russell was large enough to keep pace with Foxhounds, but small enough to "go to ground" and chase foxes from their dens, a task less well performed by larger Foxhounds. The Jack Russell Terrier is not recognized by the American Kennel Club (but the Parson Jack Russell Terrier is), but this parent breed is recognized by the Australian National Kennel Council, the American Rare Breed Association, the American Russell Terrier Club, the Irish Kennel Club and the FCI.

	Standard of the Jack Russell Terrier
	A little of the West Highland White Terrier
	The West Highland White Terrier was developed in Scotland some time before 1904, when it was first shown under its modern name at the Scottish Kennel Club dog show in Edinburgh. The breed was then recognized by the Kennel Club (England) in 1906, brought to the USA in 1905 and recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as the Roseneath Terrier, a name that was changed in 1909 to its modern name of West Highland White Terrier. This parent breed was also bred for hunting duties, specifically targeting rats, rabbits, badgers and foxes. The West Highland White Terrier was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908.

	Standard of the West Highland White Terrier

Appearance of the Jack Highland Terrier

The Jack Highland Terrier can be white, white with black or tan markings, or tricolor (black, white, tan). The coat is likely to be dense and double and may be smooth or broken and of short or longer length, requiring at least weekly brushing and bathing only when necessary. Your hybrid may reach a height of 25.5 to 35.5 centimeters and weigh from 6 to 9.5 kilos, depending on sex and which parent breed dominates the biological mix. Your dog will probably have a compact, muscular body with a strong hindquarters that allows the bouncy, springy gait provided by the Jack Russell parent. The hybrid will have large eyes that don't protrude, and a wide set of ears with erect or V-shaped ears that are curved or folded. Teeth come together in a scissor bite and may appear larger in proportion to the size of the dog's head. Your hybrid's feet will probably be round, compact and well padded. The muzzle may resemble that of the Jack Russell or be slightly smaller, like the West Highland White Terrier. The tail can vary in length and can be carried high or slightly curled over the back.

Temperament of the Jack Highland Terrier

Your Jack Highland Terrier is a hybrid that can adopt the temperament characteristics of either of its parent breeds, the Jack Russell Terrier and the West Highland White Terrier. Personality traits that can be inherited include alertness, affection, courage, cheerfulness, friendliness, independence, energy, gentleness, intelligence and loyalty. It is good with children and strangers, but perhaps not so good with cats and small animals, as the parent breeds were both originally bred to hunt small animals. Early socialization will help modify some of these traits with children, strangers and small animals. He has incredible energy levels and will need plenty of daily exercise to expend this energy to avoid the destructive behavior problems that are generally known to accompany boredom. This hybrid has the potential to be described, like its parent breeds, as an energetic, loving and playful family dog who loves to run and play and, as his nose is always alert, seeking out interesting scents is also in his hereditary lane. He'll be curious from morning to night and, if left to his own devices, is likely to get into mischief if left alone for long periods.

Needs and activities of the Jack Highland Terrier

The Jack Highland Terrier hybrid will be an energetic addition to your family. Both breed parents are contributors to high energy levels, and this energy will require 60 to 80 minutes each day of appropriate physical activity to expend. These minutes of exercise can take the form of several daily walks or periods of playtime in the dog park, or high-intensity recovery in the backyard or obedience and agility training and practice. He's an intelligent dog and, if not mentally challenged as well as physically challenged, will probably let his inquisitive nature and sensitive nose get the better of him if left alone for long periods. He's a chewer and a digger, traits that, combined with his level of intelligence, can make him a true escape artist. He should be kept on a leash when walked outdoors, as he will happily follow his nose in search of interesting and unusual scents as he walks. His small size makes him perfect for apartments and condos, provided he is given appropriate exercise opportunities. He'll also be very happy in a family home with or without a fenced yard, provided he gets daily exercise. They can live in rural or urban areas in any climate, as long as they have adequate extra protection against extreme temperatures in areas where climatic extremes are likely.

Maintenance of the Jack Highland Terrier

Since the Jack Russell is not considered hypoallergenic and the West Highland is, the question of whether this hybrid takes on hypoallergenic traits will depend on which parent breed has the greatest influence in the biological mix. The same applies to shedding tendencies, as the Westie is a minimal excretor while the Jack Russell is considered a constant excretor. Coat length will also largely depend on which parent breed dominates the biological mix, with the West Highland having the longest coat. This means that brushing may have to be done twice a week instead of once a week, for example. The bathing issue remains much the same, with both breeds requiring bathing only when necessary, with recommendations to simply wipe the coat between shampoos to keep it cleaner. Of course, as with most canine breeds, regular ear examinations and cleaning, as well as regular dental examinations and teeth cleaning, will help prevent ear infections and periodontal disease, which can lead to tooth loss over time. Eye examinations should be performed at home as well as by your veterinary professional. Home eye examinations can be as simple as checking the cleanliness of the area around the eyes and cleaning if necessary.