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Does anyone have any experience of these - particularly in relation to neediness? We recently had to have our super relaxed, happy to be left in the house for a couple of hours as just slept lots, mostly lab x collie x ? family mutt put down and so we are looking to foster some dogs for a local charity. My wife helps out with home checks for a different charity and so knows about everything we need to do to get ready but nothing about this particular breed.
Mother in law has had 2. The current one is a snappy mental little bugger. Wouldn't trust it around children, and it is snappy to other dogs.
The first was a joy and very placid. This one is off it's tits. We are dog people and can't stand it. 😕
It has been to classes but these were a waste of time.
My parents one is sitting on my lap at the moment, waiting for its walk. Very friendly and intelligent, ok around kids but as above does not play well with other dogs.
I'm not sure what the difference is betwixt Parsons- and non Parsons-Jack Russell, but our standard model is lovely. Soft, playful, intelligent, energetic, attentive... perfect little family dog.
We spent a lot of time doing training when she was little though. Puppy socialisation classes, and obedience classes. I'd definitely do the same with any dog we get in future.
Mate of mine has a beagle / parsons-jr cross. A lovely placid dog, women and kids all over him wherever he goes.
I have a part psycho part long legged JR, he was a rescue dog and he came to us at 6 months old, he's five now and he's been ok, he can be a bit unpredictable with other dogs so he does need watching, he needs a firm and consistent hand, give him an inch and he'll take a mile, not had any problems with kids and if I did he'd be gone. He'll do 5/6 miles alongside the bike at an easy pace, if he sees or smells a fox he's off although they easily out run him, he's fine with our cat indoors but will chase him in the garden, he's a good dog, not great but not bad.
We have one, he's very loved here. Hardly ever makes a noise, in fact it was around 2 months after we got him that we even knew he could bark! Likes to assert himself with other dogs and can be grouchy with bouncy puppies but never goes beyond a growl or yap. Otherwise will run with his park friends in great big circles like a lunatic.
Happy to sit or lay in any manner of positions, be it upsidedown on my 7yo sons lap or tucked up under my armpit.
Doesn't eat too much, only ever lays dog eggs during his walks and is small enough to carry at any given moment - should it be needed. Oh, and he regularly runs between 5-10 miles alongside me during my SDW rides. He adores being outside and it takes a real good 1hr plus walk/run to get near at tiring him out.
Typically terrier in having selective hearing, & strong prey drive for rats/rabbits, but this one happens to adore cats (?!).
Would have another in a heartbeat but not convinced I'd ever be able to be as lucky to find another so placid - he's not the typical ankle biter you often hear about.
Extremely intelligent, once you begin to realise the extent of their mind games it becomes a fascinating little exchange!
Edit* sounds similar to the post above
our Paddy the bastard Parsons russle is a sweetie 10 years old in Jan
yes to the selective hearing when on the scent of rabbits
14 mile runs with the bike and ready for more after 20 mins asleep
loves everybody
and took on a huge alsation when it approached my daughters new baby in its pram the alsation lost and ran away that was the one and only time we have seen him look dangerous .
hates fireworks
very loyal and keeps cats out of out garden
life span about 15 -17 years
no real breeding issues and very tolerant to being left home alone for 3 or 4 hours .
likes sleeping , playing , and cuddles
Our 6 year old Parsons is pretty much similar to what lazybike & slimjim have said above.
He can be a bit mental sometimes and mischievous if he gets bored, I'd like to take him out with me riding but I know I'd spend more time waiting for him when he's picked up a scent and disappeared than I would riding 😆
He'll disappear for ages if he gets a scent of something when off his lead, thought I'd lost him a few times over the years. And he slipped his lead once and chased some horses for about a mile across the quantocks with me chasing on behind 😳
He's really good with our 2 year old daughter now but there was a point after she was born where we thought he might have to go as he didn't like her to start with. I'd still never leave him alone with her but that's the same with any dog, he'll quite happily sit there though and let her pull him around etc.
Most of the time he just wants to sit up on the sofa next to somebody.
Dunno if we ever had anything pure enough to call a Parsons Jack Russel but had a number of hounds in the family at least closely related - mostly lovely and sociable, can behave, but aggressive with other dogs no matter how likely to get their asses handed to them.
I'm not sure a Parsons sounds like the right dog for you sorry OP.
Mine looks at me as if her heart is going to break whenever I leave her in the house alone.
Although they are quite independent dogs in many ways, they love to be close to you too and will sleep in the same bed as you, preferably under the covers, given half a chance!
They are working dogs too so need a lot of input and stimulation and exercise and the like.
As others have noted, they tend not to be good with other dogs so unless you can get one as part of an established pair, it's difficult to get a second dog to keep them company which makes them even more reliant on you.
Having said that, they are fantastic, great fun little dogs but only if you have the time for them.