Jagdterrier: varieties, rules of content and choice of a nickname

Most terrier breeds were bred in Great Britain as hunting dogs, but by now they have mostly turned into pets and cute companions. The jagd terrier stands out from this list for most of the basic qualities - it comes from Germany, and still remains an avid hunter, which in most cases is not recommended to start in a city apartment.

In the century before last, when the majority of modern terrier breeds appeared, new dog breeds were often bred on a situational basis - they did not have a certain “founding father” who would be engaged in full-fledged selection, setting the task of improving certain characteristics of the animal from generation to generation.

Then ordinary people, who needed a dog to hunt or protect the territory from rodents, looked by sight for puppies capable of solving the problem. The German Jagdterrier in this respect differs from most of its congeners - it is a factory breed, that is, it was created meaningfully, already understanding what should happen in the end.

The Jagd Terrier is an older fox terrier that has been improved by adding impurities from other hunting breeds. By that time, Fox had been considered a top hunting dog for several decades - it was massively used by European hunters, since such an assistant turned out to be invaluable not only in the fight inside the burrow, but also in the pursuit of such prey as hares or even ungulates.

At the same time, the dog was highly valued from an aesthetic point of view - he was distinguished by his handsome appearance, and therefore became a regular at various cynological exhibitions. It was this versatility that in many ways prompted the creator of the German hunting terrier to create a new breed.

Walter Zangenberg was also involved in breeding fox terriers, but the man's favorite hobby was hunting, and he decided to focus on the fighting qualities of the dog. Hunters have repeatedly noted that black and tan individuals, which strongly resembled the classic Old English Terrier and were not considered handsome, showed themselves much better in combat conditions.

In 1923, a German specially bought "defective" puppies - their mother was almost black, so another breeder gave him the kids for a penny. The brood consisted of two bitches and two males, which Zangenberg crossed with other color-rejected fox terriers that displayed wonderful properties during the hunt.

Surprisingly, Nazism, which was gaining popularity, helped a lot in the emergence of a new breed - his ideology did little to combine with the fact that something good could be produced abroad, therefore many other German breeders joined in the development of their own hunting breed, which would be very different from foreign ones for the better. Already in 1926, Zangenberg organized

The German Jagdterrier Club also formulated the main principle of the new breed: no exhibitions, the main thing is maximum practicality for hunting use. The new organization attracted the famous dog handler Herbert Lackner to its activities, and the following year a review was held, in which 22 dogs took part.

However, today's game terriers are very different from those that were bred in the 20s of the last century. The fact is that at first the gene pool was very limited - we recall that there were only four common ancestors, so after a few years there was a risk that the new breed would simply degenerate due to incest. In order to avoid such a development of events, Old English Terriers, which had practically disappeared by that time, as well as Welsh, were discharged from England.

In 1934, the first official standard appeared, in which practically nothing was said about appearance - it simply should not interfere with the dog from doing its job. At the same time, a lot of "professional" requirements were put forward - the dog must be physically resilient, having the ability and desire to confidently follow the trail and bark loudly when detecting prey, the absence of any fear of water or a fight in a confined space.

Already in the 40s, the creation of a new breed was finally completed, and at that time Jagdterriers were considered the most aggressive dogs towards the inhabitants of burrows.

After the Second World War, Germany was divided, so the development of the breed went in two separate ways. In the GDR, there were very few representatives of the breed, and for a long time the emphasis was on a simple increase in the population, which is why here the German Jagdterrier was close to extinction.In addition, the country was not a member of the International Cynological Federation (ICF), and therefore representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany rode to exhibitions, where there are much more such dogs left and breeding continued successfully.

The IFF recognized the breed in 1954, but the English and American Kennel clubs of the jagdterrier were never included in the official lists - the unpretentious appearance affected... These dogs, despite the lack of official status, still ended up in the States, but they were never popular here - the local hunters used the help of dogs of local breeds. Animals came to the USSR from the beginning of the 1970s and managed to take root there.

The main feature of the jagdterrier is that it is a purely hunting dog, not an exhibition dog - it looks unassuming for those who are looking for aesthetics for the sake of aesthetics, but is a model of functionality.

An adult dog is distinguished by a relatively small, but firmly knocked-down body - it is ideal for entering burrows and engaging in mortal combat... The dimensions of the dog are modest, but clearly standardized: the height is 33-40 cm, while the girth of the body should be 10-12 cm more than the height at the withers.

There is no other dog breed in the world where a similar proportion would be established, but in this case it is fundamentally important: an even more powerful animal will not be maneuverable in a burrow, and a smaller chest volume will be insufficient for good endurance and a loud voice.

The animal's head has an elongated shape and resembles a pointed wedge; its main detail is powerful jaws with a strong grip and a pronounced chin. The bite is scissor and very tight, it is often impossible to break out of the grip of such a dog. The eyes of the jagdterrier are small and hidden quite deep in the cranium, while even from the look of the animal it is clear that it is not afraid of anything and is extremely determined.

Experts note that immediately before the clash with the enemy, the gaze completely becomes "serpentine" - there is nothing in it but coldness and mercilessness. The ears are in the shape of the Latin letter "V", they hang down freely, being somewhat deflected towards the forehead.

The head is attached to the body by a powerful, but relatively short neck, which flows into a strong back. The tail, as befits a burrowing dog, the animal holds either straight or slightly raised - this characteristic makes it easier for the owner to remove the pet from the burrow. The body is supported by oval paws on volumetric pads of a hard consistency.

Representatives of the breed are divided into two types - smooth-haired and wire-haired, although obstacles to their mating with each other are usually not expected. Moreover, many hunters value the intermediate version of the coat above all else. Regardless of which variety the individual belongs to, its coat is always distinguished by a high density and coarse texture, it fits snugly to the body of the dog and is combined with a thick and warm undercoat.

The peculiarity of the hairs is that neither dirt nor snow sticks to them, and they do not even need any kind of care, although they warm their four-legged owner in accordance with the best expectations. For a real jagdterrier, the main requirement for which is the maximum practicality of characteristics, it is essential that the body is completely covered with hair - the belly and inner thighs must also be protected. As for the color, combinations of black and dark brown with tan dominate here, gray or the presence of a "mask" is possible.

The Jagd Terrier was conceived as a typical bully, which is quite a useful characteristic for a burrowing hunting dog. The beast for this dog is the causative agent of simply boundless aggression, in a fit of rage, the animal rushes into attack even at that enemy, which, it would seem, can crush him by its size alone. The dog is brutal and least of all he thinks about how to get off with minimal losses - he will not deviate from his, because such pets can easily be seriously injured or even die while hunting.

It is foolish to expect a pet with such characteristics to be subservient or extremely obedient. In a burrow, a dog must constantly demonstrate independence and determination., he is not afraid of anything and does not compromise, and all these characteristics inevitably spill over into everyday life. In the language of psychology, this is a very strong personality, and if you take such a puppy home, you should prepare for the fact that education should start as early as possible.

The Jagd Terrier often demonstrates excessive independence, therefore, he cannot be given slack - the owner, who wants to control the situation, must constantly demonstrate severity. A distinction should be made between severity and cruelty - the second is completely inappropriate, especially since it is better not to provoke such animals once again.

If you treat the dog reasonably, he will surely become attached to you, but his hospitality concerns only well-known people. This is not the kind of dog that happily greets any person. In most cases, the dog is completely indifferent to strangers, however, it can show aggression and attack, therefore in public places it is worth watching it more closely.

The owner of the jagdterrier is always one - the dog can normally interact with the rest of the household, but will not obey them. Representatives of the breed are distinguished by their tolerance for the presence of living creatures, they often coexist peacefully even with other pets, but the option is not excluded in which the animal will arrange a real war for your cat. It is extremely difficult to solve this problem - if you remember, a four-legged hunter in pursuit of prey always goes to the end and will not miss his own.

With innate endurance and adaptation to significant physical exertion, it would be foolish to keep the jagdterrier in captivity - at least it will become sad and will not feel happy. For this reason, the dog, even if used as a guard dog, is never chained. Street maintenance on a personal plot is quite possible, but only if there is a spacious kennel and the same enclosure.

The creators of the breed in the process of selection made the main emphasis precisely on that in order to simplify the care of the animal as much as possible, reducing it to a minimum. It is not for nothing that the Jagdterrier is still not recognized as a separate breed either in the USA or in the UK - in terms of appearance, it looks like a mongrel, and an ignorant person does not recognize him as a purebred dog, but on the other hand, you will have to take care of such a pet no more diligently than for an unpretentious street four-legged.

At the same time, experts still advise combing the dog's hard hair at least once a week. - this is necessary both for elementary accuracy and so that bacteria do not start in the accumulated dirt.

Animals with significant endurance usually need regular use of their abilities, and Jagdterrier is exactly the dog that loves long walks and really needs them. Experienced dog breeders point out that representatives of the breed walk for at least an hour, and the more often you do this, the better for the pet's well-being.

On the backyard, the pet's need for walking is partially leveled, provided that it is not tied and closed in the aviary - that is why they say that the animal must not be kept on a chain. As for the apartment, the question is complicated with it: on the one hand, such a friend of a person will absolutely not be able to roam here and will feel constrained, on the other hand, an intensive mode of walking along the street could probably solve the problem.

Berry terriers are credited with immunity at the level of the dogs most resistant to various infections, but one must take into account the conditions in which its owner lives. If a slightly more painful dog is constantly looked after and monitored, then a dog of this breed is acquired by those who do not need unnecessary trouble, and the fame of the "unkillable" health of the pet leads to the fact that its condition generally starts to take its course. At the same time, the animal often lives on the street, and even if not, it requires regular long-term walking, therefore it can easily pick up an infection or parasites in the yard.

In order not to bring the situation to extremes and not to face unnecessary problems, it makes sense to take certain preventive measures - then the dog will become truly immortal. All necessary vaccinations must be done on time (it is better to consult a veterinarian who knows the specifics of the region about their list), in addition, regular processing of the wool from parasites should be carried out. Helminths often pester game terriers, therefore, antihelminthic drugs must be constantly present in their feed.

A certain health hazard is also posed by dirt, which, during walks in the fresh air and especially when digging holes, can clog in the most unexpected places. The ward's ears and eyes are subject to regular examination, from there, using a damp cloth, it is necessary to remove any extraneous contamination, and if any pathologies are found, do not rely on the dog's bulletproof immunity - contact the veterinarian.

The condition of its claws is a peculiar indicator of the correctness of the content of the yagdterrier. If the dog walks enough, they will wear themselves to a length that does not particularly interfere with the animal and does not harm the floor covering. If the claws do grow back, they must be trimmed. This is useful not only for the aesthetics and preservation of interiors, but also for the dog itself, which they interfere with normal movement.

On the one hand, the jagdterrier is unpretentious in everything, including food, on the other hand, a hunting dog must always be in shape and full of combat readiness, and therefore the owner himself is interested in feeding his pet as efficiently as possible. As with any other breed, you can make up the animal's diet both from factory-made dry food and from independently selected products.

With dry food, everything is clear - here the recommendations are the same for all dogs. The higher the class of the product, the better, and although premium and super-premium costs a lot of money, it is not worth saving on the health of a dog risking his life in a fight with wild animals.... Experts point out that certified products are not only completely safe for the pet's body, but also contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals. At the same time, dry food practically does not contain water, which means that for their full assimilation, the animal needs constant access to drinking water.

If you decide to refuse the services of factory producers and are ready to independently compose a diet for your dog, please note that all products must be fresh. The dog should not be given yesterday's food - be prepared to cook it again every time. The list of permitted and required ingredients should include the following products.

• Meat... This component is fundamentally important for any predator, and doubly important for the jagdterrier, because these are proteins responsible for building muscle mass. It is the meat that makes the dog strong and capable of defeating any enemy in close combat. At the same time, the dog's digestive system is not always ready to digest excessively fatty foods, therefore pork or lamb is undesirable. Better to focus on chicken, beef and turkey.

• Offal... In principle, they can be considered another type of meat - it is tasty, healthy, and relatively inexpensive. The hearts and lungs, stomachs and kidneys of a cow or bird will do just fine.

• Fermented milk products... Fresh milk should not be given to an adult Jagdterrier, like most other dogs, since adult animals have no ability to break down lactose. At the same time, milk contains many useful components, which are also found in yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk and low-fat cottage cheese, but lactose is no longer there.

• Cereals. The Jagd Terrier is rightly one of the most active and mobile dogs. For a healthy individual, constant movement is the norm and an indicator of normal health, and this requires a large amount of carbohydrates. The source of such can be the same products that are used for these purposes and by humans - buckwheat and oatmeal, millet and rice.

• Vegetables. For good health and a full-fledged metabolism, a dog needs a complex of vitamins and minerals, and vegetables are their primary source. Ornamental dogs are often fed fruits, but the yagdterrier can get everything you need from just improvised food - zucchini and beets, carrots and cabbage, as well as greens. All this can be given both raw and boiled.

As is the case with the vast majority of breeds, jagdterrier is forbidden to feed food from the human table - the digestive system of the dog is arranged in a fundamentally different way and will not cope with such a challenge. Sweet, spicy, spicy and fatty foods, as well as smoked meats and pastries will be completely superfluous in her menu. By feeding your pet such unsuitable products, you run the risk of being left without a faithful assistant on the hunt for a day or two.

The feeding regime of the animal depends on what stage of life it is in. So, babies consume very little food at a time, however, they need to be fed at least four times a day. For an adult, in most cases, two meals a day will be enough, but exceptions should be made for pregnant and lactating bitches - their body requires an increased amount of energy and nutrients, therefore three meals a day are provided for them. In the latter case, experts also recommend adding tableted vitamins to the menu as a separate item, which are sold in any veterinary pharmacy.

Like many other breeds of dogs, jagdterriers do not understand when to stop eating - a predator cannot be sure that the next prey will be soon, therefore it gorges itself to its fullest while there is such an opportunity. In the wild, this would hardly harm the dog, but with home keeping, the carried away owner can easily feed the pet to the state of a greasy and clumsy carcass, with which there will no longer be any sense in hunting.

Calculating the dosage of food usually has to be done by eye, but keep in mind that in winter, individuals permanently living in open enclosures need to increase the portions - you can fight the cold only through additional calories. Experienced dog breeders point out that in the presence of pure snow, it is better to give it instead of water.

It is necessary to begin training a self-willed jagdterrier from the first day of being in the house, otherwise he will consider himself the master of the situation. Certain rules of conduct for a new family member should be thought out even before he appears in the house, since representatives of this breed lose respect for an illogical person who is able to dramatically change his views.

For the same reason, the requirement to comply with the rules should be constant and obligatory, any indulgences are unacceptable. Agree with all household members that everyone will respond to a certain behavior of the dog in the same way - then the training will go much faster.

Hardness and perseverance for the owner of a jagdterrier are mandatory traits., otherwise an uncompromising dog will not consider him sufficient authority. It is unacceptable to build authority for yourself with the help of physical strength, even if it seems to you that the dog consciously does not want to follow your commands.

By allowing corporal punishment of a puppy or repeatedly demonstrating unfairness, you run the risk of getting backlash when he grows up. and such an enemy is extremely serious and dangerous.

Certain manifestations of aggression, which sometimes occur in an unprepared jagdterrier, are completely inappropriate in society, therefore it is important to engage in socialization of the baby in a timely manner - without this, you will have constant problems with him in the city. It is necessary to try to develop in the puppy a normal reaction to strangers and other animals - he should not see prey or enemies around him. You can already accustom your pet to such rules from the age of three months.

A properly trained jagd terrier becomes not only a friend, but also a real protector of the whole family, he can effectively guard private households and be a desperate helper for his hunter-master. However, in order for the training to be successful and without irreparable mistakes, it is better to entrust such a task to an expert in his field. A professional knows how to subordinate a willful and aggressive dog to his authority, without breaking his psyche and without generating unnecessary anger towards the whole world.

The Jagd Terrier is a ferocious hunter who is not characterized by excessive regularity or the pursuit of a stylish appearance. For the same reason, the nickname for him is chosen in such a way as to convey the harsh hunting essence. For boys, most often they choose foreign names, place names or derivatives from foreign words, meaning a certain characteristic that praises the dignity of the dog. Given the German origin of the breed, dogs are often given appropriate nicknames - they sound organically Hans, Helmut and Dietrich.

For girls, German names are not chosen - theoretically, it could only be suitable Greta, but they are called various foreign names from other languages. The name sounds very bright Storm - it fully conveys the essence of the character of a hunting dog and its restlessness. It will be unusual and original to call your favorite Armor. From the rest of the popular options, we single out Troy, Bagheera and West.

For the peculiarities of the Jagdterrier breed, see the video below.