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BUYER BEWARE!
We love for our clients to be well informed. Even if you choose not to get a puppy
from us, please read on some of the most popular questions or concerns we receive and our answers. Sometimes we
get calls from people who for one reason or another do not like to wait for a puppy. Whether it is because they recently lost
a beloved pet or have been wanting one for a while. Our best advice is to be patient. If you are in a big hurry to get a pet
you could be asking for trouble. You may find yourself to be disappointed in the long run. A pet is a big decision and should
be throughly researched as well as making sure your new family member has the temperament you are looking for and not that
they are just a Jack Russell. Remember these pets can live 15-20 years if they are healthy and well taken care of. That
is a major commitment! For even more please check our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.
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I have heard that
Jack Russell's are not good for young children. Is this true?
Jack Russell’s
are terrific dogs. As with any breed, there can be bad apples. A lot of sites do discourage adopting a Jack if the children
are under 8 years of age. Personally I believe it has a lot to do with how the Jack was bred and raised as well as how they
are brought up in their new home with the children. My Jacks are all wonderful with great temperaments and are especially
good with children. We have had all of our Jacks from the time they are 8 weeks old and raised them with our children which
are now ages 3,5,11.13 & 16. My puppies are handled on a daily basis. My older children handle them starting at 3
weeks of age and the younger ones are allowed to handle them at 5 weeks of age. It is important to watch the children
closely to make sure they handle the Jack properly. All too often a child will hit or kick a dog thinking it is play and dogs
do not perceive it this way, so it is important to be strong in forcing that those actions are not tolerated. This is true
with any breed.
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Should I Purchase From A Pet Store?
When looking for your Jack, do not purchase one from a pet store. Pet stores acquire their puppies from puppy
mills. Reputable breeders will not sell their puppies to pet stores. Most dogs are severely mistreated in their breeding
and raising and will not have the temperament you want. Many people feel that they are saving this puppy but in reality
they are just enabling the puppy mill to continue their business and mass produce these poor puppies. Although many pet stores
say their puppies are purbred and have papers, they have no direct knowledge on how these puppies were bred. It is quite possible
for a puppy mill to breed with a dog that is not purebred and claim that another dog with papers was the father. There have
also been instances where the pet store has sold a dog as purebred and went out of business without ever giving out the papers.
Pet Stores will also tend to charge much more than a reputable breeder will and not have given the love and attention a growing
puppy needs in their young life.
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What is a puppy mill?
The general puppy mill is a
place where a person or persons keep dogs stacked in cages for breeding purposes only. These poor dogs are left in these cages,
kept unclean, mostly even lying in their own feces. The females are overbred and when they are no longer of use, they are
discarded. The puppies are also kept in cages and in the same condition. They are not handled and loved, given proper nutrition,
vet checked, and most likely not given any vaccinations or wormed. For more information on puppy mills click here. You can also do a general internet search for more information.
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How can I be sure the breeder
I am communicating with is not a puppy mill?
Ask questions. Do you own the
parents? How many dogs do you have? Do they live in the house? Are they kept in kennels? etc...
In our opinion, anyone who
breeds 10 or more litters a year is doing it for profit only. More than likely they have a lot of dogs- probably kept in kennels-
or they overbreed. Do not purchase from the internet and have your dog shipped. I speak from personal experience. All you
have to go by is their word and pictures they have sent you. You may very well not get the dog you chose or it may not be
what you thought or sadly you may not even receive a dog at all. There are many scams out there where you pay money and never
receive a dog. There are also scams ran by people who steal photos of other dogs claiming them as their own.
You will want to purchase from
a reputable breeder close enough to you so that you may visit their home. You will want to look at the living conditions.
Make sure their living area is clean and they have fresh food and water. Ask about their socialization. Make sure they are
not blocked off from the family and their home all day. Puppies need socialization and love. They should be allowed out in
the family area to play and socialize at least 4 times a day for an hour each time, as well as individual attention and love.
If you have children at home you will want to be sure they are socialized and handled by the children in the home. Make sure
you can meet the parents. All puppies are cute. Meeting the parents will give you a better idea of how the dogs are cared
for, what the puppies will look like when they are older and what temperaments they will have. Don't be afraid to bring your
children and allow them to be around the adults. Again, you want to see how the adults interact with children.
Also, I would steer clear from
any breeder who breeds more than one breed. It is hard enough to be responsible in caring for one breed and watching the mating
closely much less than multiple breeds. All you have is their word that it is pure bred and did not accidentally get pregnant
from another breed. If they have more than one breed more than likely they are kept in kennels and not free to interact with
the family and children
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What about getting a Jack from
a Jack Russell Rescue?
There are many Jacks at rescues
around the world in need of good loving homes. Jacks have been turned in for many different reasons. A lot of the time it
is because the owner did not realize that a Jack needs a lot more attention and exercise than they expected. They may not
have taken their puppy to training classes to aid them in caring for their new puppy and instead just deemed them as a bad
dog. There are lots more reasons.
If you have children, I would advise to take your time in choosing
from a rescue or an animal shelter. In many cases, you do not know why the dog was abandoned from their previous owner.
They could have been mistreated and if so they will not make the best pet for your children. Make sure if children are
involved, you have the time to see how the JRT interacts with your child and if you have other pets be sure there is no issue
with the JRT having problems interacting with other animals. After taking the time to consider these possibilities,
you can find some Russell Rescue sites on my links page.
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Lucky Jacks / Melissa Laro
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You may not copy or use them without written consent.
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