Jagdterrier

The Jagdterrier, written in full as the Deutscher Jagdterrier or German hunting terrier, is a small working terrier bred in Germany for all round hunting. The name puts together the German words for hunt (Jagd) and terrier. Height runs from about 33 to 40 cm at the shoulder and weight from about 7.5 to 10 kg, which puts the breed in the small class while it carries the muscle and stamina of a far bigger dog.

It was bred for a job rather than for the fireside. Breeders picked for the nerve to go to ground after fox and badger, the patience to stay with a track, and the grit to meet quarry underground. Those instincts are still strong in the dogs being bred today, so a Jagdterrier is driven, alert and happy to work for hours at a stretch.

Lifespan usually falls between 13 and 15 years and the breed is hardy with it. Owners describe the temperament as hardworking, focused, energetic, courageous and fearless. The same traits that make it useful in the field are the ones that call for an experienced handler and a real outlet for all that energy.

Who the breed suits

The Jagdterrier suits hunters, gun club members and very active owners who can put in daily work or hard exercise along with steady training. It is a poor match for a first dog, for an apartment with no outlet, or for a house with rabbits, guinea pigs or other small pets about the place. Anyone who wants a busy, willing partner for long days outdoors, and who takes pleasure in training, will get on well with the breed.

The Jagdterrier came out of Germany in the years after the First World War. A group of working hunters wanted a versatile terrier they could rely on above ground and below it, and one that stood apart from the terriers being bred for the show bench at the time.

The founders started from working stock, including dogs of fox terrier descent and other black and tan hunting terriers. Selection went on hunting ability, nerve and a dark coat that marked the new dogs out from the paler show terriers of the period. Temperament and field performance came ahead of looks at every stage.

Careful breeding through the 1920s and 1930s fixed the type, and the Deutscher Jagdterrier-Club was set up to mind the breed and its working standard. Dogs were tested for hunting traits from the outset, and breeding stock had to prove itself in the field rather than in the ring.

The breed later spread from Germany into the rest of Europe and on to North America, where it is worked on fox, badger, raccoon, wild boar and other game, and used for blood tracking. It is still a working dog first, and clubs in most countries continue to weigh field aptitude when breeding decisions are made. Owners here tend to come to the breed through hunting and working terrier circles rather than through the show ring.

The Jagdterrier is small, solid and well balanced. The body is a shade longer than it is tall, the chest is deep but still narrow enough to let the dog into a den, the legs are strong and the topline stays level. There is no spare weight on a fit one. The head is long with a strong muzzle and powerful jaws, and the V shaped ears sit high and fold forward. The tail is set high and was docked in the past where the law allowed, though under the rules that apply here most dogs now carry a full tail.

Coat and colours

Two coat types are recognised, the smooth coat and the rough or broken (wire) coat. Both are dense and throw off weather, which counts for a dog working cold water, heavy cover and underground, and it does no harm through a damp Irish winter either. The base colour is dark, most often black, though dark brown and a greyish black turn up as well. Tan markings are clearly marked above the eyes, on the muzzle, chest, legs and under the tail. A small amount of white on the chest or toes is tolerated under some standards, but it is not what breeders look for.

The Jagdterrier is a confident dog with a serious work ethic. It attaches closely to its handler and will work hard and learn readily for someone it respects, but it is no lapdog. It is alert and territorial, so it keeps an eye on the place and stays reserved or wary around strangers.

At home a well socialised one is affectionate and full of life, though the energy and intensity mean young children and the dog should never be left to their own devices together. Prey drive is the thing to plan around. This is a dog bred to meet and kill quarry underground, so cats, rabbits, hens and other small pets are at real risk, and recall goes out the window once wildlife is in the picture.

Jagdterriers can be sharp with other dogs, particularly with the same sex, so early socialisation counts for a lot. The breed wants clear rules from the handler and a proper job to do. Left short of exercise and mental work, a Jagdterrier will dig, bark and make its own entertainment, and the results are rarely welcome.

Grooming

• Brush once a week to lift out loose hair. Both the smooth and the rough coat are easy going.
• Hand strip or tidy the rough (wire) coat a few times a year if you want a neat outline on the dog.
• Bath only when the dog needs it, as the coat throws off dirt on its own.
• Check the ears after work in water or heavy cover and dry them out to cut the risk of infection.
• Keep the nails short, and brush the teeth several times a week while you check the gums.

Exercise

• Allow at least 1 to 2 hours of hard activity every day.
• Pair the physical side with head work such as tracking, scent games or short training drills.
• Keep off lead play to securely fenced ground, because recall can fail around wildlife.
• Put the digging and chasing to use in set activities rather than trying to stamp them out.

Where the breed lives well

The Jagdterrier does best in an active household with ground around it and a secure, well fenced garden. It digs and it jumps, so fencing wants checking for gaps and for soft ground along the base. The dense coat takes the damp and the cold in its stride, but the breed does not cope with long hours on its own or with a quiet house that leaves its drive nowhere to go.

Feed a complete, balanced food made for active small to medium dogs. A Jagdterrier burns through energy, so it does well on good animal protein with enough fat behind it for stamina. Match the amount to body condition. A dog out working through the season needs more than the same dog idling at home over the winter. Keep it lean, because extra weight tells on the joints and takes from field performance. Clean water should be there at all times, and especially after a hard day.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to around 10 percent of the daily calories and spend them as training rewards, since this breed will work all day for food. Most Jagdterriers on a complete diet need nothing added. A dog in regular work may do better with an omega-3 source for coat and joints, and your vet can advise on joint supplements for older or hard working dogs. Change food over the course of a week or so to avoid an upset stomach.

The Jagdterrier is a tough, healthy breed, helped along by a breeding history that kept working ability and soundness to the front. Lifespan is usually 13 to 15 years. Like any breed it carries some inherited and lifestyle problems, and a dog in work also picks up injuries from rough ground and from contact with quarry. Good breeders screen their stock and keep records of health through the line.

Preventive care

• Keep vaccinations and parasite control (fleas, ticks, worms) up to date, with extra attention to ticks on a working dog.
• Book a vet check once a year, and twice a year once the dog is into old age.
• Stay on top of dental care to head off gum disease.
• Watch the eyes, and ask any breeder whether the parents were tested for lens luxation.
• Go over the whole dog after every hunt for cuts, bites and thorns or grit lodged in the coat.

The Jagdterrier is clever and capable, with the focus to pick up complicated tasks fast. That brain comes with independence and determination, which is what you would expect from a dog bred to work out of sight of the handler underground. So you get a dog that learns quickly, pushes at the edges of the rules, and can go deaf once prey drive takes hold. Training goes best when it starts early, stays consistent and lays out a clear, fair structure. Recall around wildlife is the hardest thing to proof, so a long line and enclosed ground are sensible while the work is going in.

The basics

1. Start socialisation and handling in puppyhood, with people, animals and places.
2. Teach the pup its name and a solid recall first, and pay well for both.
3. Build the core obedience: sit, down, stay and leave it, in short sessions that hold the dog's attention.
4. Proof commands against mild distractions before you go near wildlife or strange dogs.
5. Add a set outlet such as tracking, earthwork practice or a scent sport to feed the working instinct.

Sound Jagdterrier breeding puts working temperament, soundness and health alongside type. Dam and sire should both be mature in body and mind before any mating, which usually means not before one to two years of age, when temperament and any inherited health issues have shown themselves. Breeders commonly test for primary lens luxation and assess working aptitude, in keeping with the field tested tradition behind the breed.

Gestation runs to about 63 days. Litters are small, often three to six pups. Whelping is generally straightforward in a hardy breed like this, but a clean, quiet whelping area and veterinary support should be lined up well in advance.

What happens in the first weeks shapes the adult dog. Pups do best with gentle handling, plenty of sights, sounds and surfaces to meet, and early friendly contact with people and other animals. With this much drive in the breed, structured socialisation from the start is what produces a confident adult you can live with. Pups usually go to their new homes at around eight weeks, and they are best placed with active or hunting owners who can meet what the breed asks for.

How to register a Jagdterrier in Ireland

A dog warden with a scanner can only follow the record, and a Jagdterrier whose record is current is home the same day. Register your dog free with United Pet Club: your contact details, his photo, and his chip number together on one profile that never lapses and never bills you.

The implant is the vet's job; the record is down to you, and the 2015 rules assume you'll keep it current. Register the microchip free on the lifetime plan: whatever brand the vet reached for is grand, a house move costs nothing to record, and the number stays searchable day and night. Create your free account and have the pair of jobs done before the tea goes cold.