Essential Things to Know About the Jack-a-Poo Dog Breed

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The Jack-a-Poo is a dog with many names – Jack-A-Poodle, Poojack, Jackadoodle, Jack-A-Doodle, Jackdoodle, Jackapoo, Jackpoo, Poo-Jack, and others. And that’s fitting as it’s also a dog with various personality traits and quite diverse characteristics. That’s normal for a designer dog breed but does it make the Jack-a-Poo the right dog for you? To help you find out, let’s go over the 8 vital facts to know about the Jack-a-Poo below.

What to keep in mind before getting a Jack-a-Poo?

So, you want to get a small dog breed and you’re looking at the Jack-a-Poo – a fascinating cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Poodle. Should barking be a worry? How about its general sociability? Health? What exactly is its personality going to be like? How about we start with the Jack-a-Poo’s size and energy needs first?

1. The Jack-A-Poo is tiny but has lots of energy to burn

As the Jack Russell Terrier is a rather small breed, the Jack-a-Poo is the result of a JRT crossed with either a toy or a miniature Poodle. A cross with the much larger standard Poodle would hypothetically be possible but obviously ill-advised.

So, the end result is the rather small Jack-a-Poo. These dogs will typically grow up to 10 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder (25 to 41 cm). They also won’t get heavier than 13 to 25 pounds (6 to 11 kg) unless you overfeed them. Granted, as this isn’t a purebred dog, all these measurements are approximated but they should hold true for most Jack-a-Poos.

Unlike many other small dog breeds, however, the Jack-a-Poo is not a lap dog. As a cross between a terrier and a gun dog, the Jack-a-Poo loves to run and play as much as possible. This dog needs a minimum of 60 minutes of outdoor time a day, preferably divided into two or three walks. Additionally, the pup will also try to get as much indoor playtime as it can every day.

2. This crossbreed is suitable for apartment living despite all its overactiveness

With the above being said, the Jack-a-Poo is still pretty well-suited for apartment living. These dogs are hyperactive, yes, but they are also pretty small. So, as much as a Jack-a-Poo may love to run, it can still do so in your living room.

Additionally, having a yard can be more trouble than is worth with this dog. For one, the Jack-a-Poo is part-terrier, meaning that it loves to chase everything it sees. So, if you have a yard that’s not properly fenced, you’d be risking your dog escaping the minute it sees a squirrel or a stray cat.

Additionally, why let your dog get extra dirty in the yard when it can get that same playtime indoors?

3. The Jack-A-Poo can have a terrier-like prey drive but that’s mostly offset by its small size

One problem of having a dog with a strong prey drive is the question of bringing other pets home. There’s also the need to always walk your dog on a leash but that’s a given by law in most places anyway. If you want a cat, however, your dog’s strong prey drive can be problematic.

Fortunately, the Jack-a-Poo is so small that most average-sized house cats shouldn’t trigger the dog’s prey drive – it just won’t see them as prey. Remember that terriers were bred to hunt rats not larger game. So, unless your cat is a newborn kitten, there shouldn’t be much of an issue. Hamsters and mice, on the other hand, will likely be a worry.

4. Socialization is quite essential if you want a second pet

All that being said, it’s always advisable to socialize your dog well before adopting other animals, whether cats, dogs, or others. If you’ve missed the “socialization window”, i.e. the first year or so of your pup’s life, it may be better not to get a second pet.

You can still try socializing an older dog, of course, although that will require much more patience and persistence. Still, even if you don’t intend on getting a second pet, at least some socialization is smart if you don’t want your Jack-a-Poo to be unmanageable around other animals and people.

5. The Jack-A-Poo is very smart but its trainability may vary

Terriers and gun dogs are both very smart. However, they differ a lot in terms of how trainable they are. Gun dogs are bred to follow commands and to always look for their human’s input and praise. Terriers, on the other hand, were bred to be independent and willful hunters – dogs that, once released on its prey, won’t listen to anything or anyone until they succeed or loose the trail completely.

In essence, Poodles are very easily trainable while Jack Russell Terriers are quite stubborn.

What does this mean for your Jack-a-Poo?

It means that this crossbreed’s personality can swing either way. This can seem like a major variation, however, it’s usually not that big of a deal for a pet dog. It basically just means that some Jack-a-Poos are a bit more stubborn than others. Even in those cases, however, with some good obedience training early in the dog’s life, you should have little trouble raising a smart, interactive, and manageable dog.

If you skip your dog’s obedience training you may be in for a decade and a half of living with a willy and disobedient canine but that’s true for most breeds.

6. This breed is more than gentle and lovable enough… once it gets its exercise for the day

Don’t take the Jack-a-Poo’s energetic and wild side as a sign that these dogs don’t love to cuddle – they certainly do. Like most energetic and restless breeds, however, the Jack-a-Poo will need to have a bit of playtime first before it looks for your hugs. This is what differentiates “lap dog breeds” from the rest – they are always ready for a cuddle whereas a Jack-a-Poo will need to get rid of its excess energy first.

7. The Jack-A-Poo’s coat can vary greatly – much more than any other characteristic of this crossbreed

The one trait of the Jack-a-Poo that can really go either way is its coat. That’s because the coats of the Jack Russell Terrier and the Poodle are wildly different.

Jack Russell Terriers have short and thick double-coats, meaning that their coat has a thick underlayer to keep them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. This also means that JRTs shed quite a bit for their size, need regular brushing to minimize the shedding, and are definitely not hypoallergenic.

Poodles, on the other hand, have a single-layer coat – they don’t have an undercoat. This is a major difference as Poodles shed much less, are as close to being hypoallergenic as a canine can be, but are also more vulnerable to sudden temperature shifts. They still need regular brushing too to avoid hair matting and skin problems.

So, as you’d expect, the Jack-a-Poo’s coat can go either way. Some dogs will be single-coated and hypoallergenic while others will be double coated, just like a Jack Russell Terrier. The coat’s length and texture will also vary based on which parent the Jack-a-Poo looks more like. Fortunately, which pup is which will usually be noticeable by the 8th week.

As for their colors, these come in a wide range too – white, grey, blue, tan, brown, black, and most bi-color or tri-color mixes.

8. This cross has good health overall and a nice, long expected lifespan

A Jack-a-Poo is usually expected to live up to 12 to 15 years on average. This is pretty nice but is also to be expected for a small dog breed. With good care, a healthy dog should be able to surpass the average too. Still, to do so, you’d need to watch out for some of the health issues that are possible with this breed even though it’s overall pretty healthy. Such issues include:

It seems rather clear that the Jack-A-Poo is a fun breed to bring home. While this crossbreed’s personality can seem a bit too varying at first, the difference between a terrier breed and a gun dog breed isn’t actually all that significant. Yes, your Jack-A-Poo may be a bit more trainable or a bit more stubborn but, in either way, it should be perfectly manageable for a family pet.

The only thing to really note is how strong the dog’s prey drive is in case you want to have other non-canine pets. Yet, even that is offset by the Jack-A-Poo’s small size which means that most cats should be safe with this dog. So, the real question is whether you want a small but energetic pet or you’d rather go with the other two main options – a larger breed or a small but calmer breed.

If you do want a small dynamo to play with your kids, the Jack-A-Poo is indeed a great option.