Instructions
Select the appropriate breeder or rescue service according to your purpose for buying a Jack Russell terrier. If you are interested in showing in current AKC events or breeding, you should only purchase registered Parson Russell Terriers. For agility, obedience and hunting trials, a family pet or hunting purposes, your options include other breeders and rescue shelters.
Familiarize yourself with health issues and genetic testing recommended for the breed. Jack Russell terriers' health concerns include heart, undescended testicles, umbilical hernias, eye problems, deafness and Von Willebrand's disease, a bleeding disorder. Additionally, Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which can cause serious lameness, and joint diseases exist in the breed. Make a list to discuss pedigree and testing with the person selling the dog.
Contact the Parson Russell Terrier Association of America and the American Kennel Club for breeder referrals and rescue contacts. Make a list of possible owners and rescues to contact.
Write down information that might be requested of you by breeders and rescue services. Information to prepare includes veterinary references, fencing or kennel details, information on past or present pets and family members and proof of homeownership or written permission from your landlord for keeping a dog.
Write down any questions you have for the dog seller and make a checklist including such issues as proof of health and genetic testing, health guarantees, type of registration (limited or full), contract requirements, refunds and costs for returning the dog.
Call the people on your list and write down information about each available dog, including cost, age and other relevant facts. Go through your checklist to help determine which dogs meet your requirements.
Discuss the list with your family or other house members if you do not live alone. Evaluate the list and narrow the dogs to your top two to three choices. Contact the owners to discuss buying the dog.
Arrange to meet the dog if possible. Breeders frequently evaluate their puppies and ship a puppy to the home they feel matches the temperament and potential of that puppy. Choose only breeders you trust to make this decision. Decide on the dog and pay the owner after reviewing and signing contracts.
How to Buy a Jack Russell Puppy
Owning a working dog, such as a Jack Russell terrier, requires much more effort than simply buying a dog. These dogs, bred in England to hunt red foxes, possess a level of energy that makes exercising and physical outlets a necessity, according to the American Kennel Club. The original breed of Jack Russell terriers acquired several names, different parent breed clubs and standards and many disagreements over which club and standards represent the true Jack Russell terrier. In the United States, the original Jack Russell Terrier Club changed the name to Parson Russell Terrier in 2003, according to the Parson Russell Terrier Association of America.