Mary Allen
The German Jagdterrier is small to medium-sized hunting dog. It is primarily used to track down games and to hunt small games such as hares and foxes, the so-called burrow hunt. He is one of the recognized German hunting dog breeds and is recognized by the FCI. There he is listed under FCI Group 3, in Section 1 Long Legged Terriers. With work test. Under the standard number 103. First and foremost, the German Jagdterrier is a pure hunting dog, but more and more families are finding favor with the bright dog.
Jagdterrier Dog Breed Information
Size: 33-40cm
Weight: 7kg,5-10kg
FCI Group: 3: Terriers
Section: 1: Long Legged Terriers
Country of origin: Germany
Colors: black-brown
Life expectancy: 9-10 years
Suitable as: hunting dog
Sports: –
Temperament: Reliable, brave, outgoing, intelligent, strong-willed, adaptable
Leaving requirements: high
Drooling Potential: –
The thickness of hair: –
Maintenance effort: low
Coat Structure: Plain, dense, hard, and rough
Child-friendly: rather yes
Family dog: no
Social: –
Origin and Breed History
The ancestors of the German Jagdterrier included the very popular Fox Terrier and other small hunting dog breeds. The dogs specialized in tracking down small wild animals and chasing them out of their burrows. The dogs should act courageously and not shrink from a fox or an angry badger. The hunt is largely carried out very independently by the small dogs and therefore shaped their stubborn nature and their partial lack of willingness to cooperate if they do not see the point of a task.
Breeding of the new breed began shortly after the First World War. At that time, some hunters wanted to breed a new hunting dog that would not be judged on appearance, but purely on its performance in the hunt. Because in their eyes, the fox terrier club measured too much by the appearance of the animals.
The leaders in the new breed were the hunting cynologists Rudolf Frieß, Walter Zangenberg, and Carl-Erich Grünewald. The breeding goal of these gentlemen was to breed a small to medium-sized black and red hunting dog for hunting under the ground. Walter Zangenberg brought four black and red terriers to breed from his good friend, the zoo director Lutz Heck/Hagenbeck. These should establish the breed, the four dogs came from an unknown mating between terriers and fox terriers. Two other breeds were crossed with the four terriers, on the one hand, the old English wire-haired original terrier and the Welsh terrier. The puppies soon exhibited the desired behavior when hunting, but it took a few years for a clear identity for the new breed to emerge. The characteristics of the German Jagdterrier were already the most important breeding goal at that time. The German Jagdterrier is a very courageous hunting dog with a loud track, who goes into every burrow without hesitation and has a particularly pronounced hunting instinct. The official association Deutscher Jagdterrier-Club e.V. was founded in 1926.
How Many Puppies Does a German Jagdterrier Have?
As a rule, there are between four and eight puppies per litter in the German Jagdterrier. In very rare cases there can be more young animals, but often the mother needs help with the birth and the young animals are smaller than average.
Nature & Temperament of the German Jagdterrier
The German Jagdterrier is a dog with character. He is an unmistakable representative of the terrier category and is characterized above all by his high hunting performance and his persistent will. Like many other terrier breeds, he can work independently and needs little instruction from his owner. He bravely follows even a full-grown wild boar if he is not slowed down.
The German Jagdterrier has a lot of energy and needs a lot of exercise and exercise to be a quiet companion around the house. In contrast to many other terriers, the German Jagdterrier is much more willing to cooperate. Terrier breeds are known for being stubborn and the German Jagdterrier sometimes doesn’t see the point of a task and tries to get his own way, but this is much less pronounced than with other terriers and the German Jagdterrier is even considered to be good to handle.
With a good education, he is a very reliable dog who follows his owner’s instructions. He is an extremely sociable terrier, this is the greatest feature of the German Jagdterrier compared to other terriers that were used for building hunting. Due to this positive characteristic, the German Jagdterrier has also become a loyal companion for private individuals and entire families in recent years. Since the bright dog is neither shy nor aggressive towards people and other dogs, it is even suitable for novice dogs who have the necessary ambition to train it and can keep it busy on a daily basis.
The Appearance of the German Jagdterrier
The German Jagdterrier is small to a medium-sized hunting dog, reaching 33 to 40 cm in size. Bitches and males are in the same size range but differ in the weight of the animals. The males weigh an impressive 9 to 10 kg while the females are a bit lighter and should only weigh 8 to 9 kg. In appearance, he is a long-legged dog with an even build without exaggerations in appearance. If the German Jagdterrier is heavier and still within the normal breed standard size, he is probably overweight and should be put on a diet as being overweight can be seriously detrimental to the dog’s health. Obesity is often due to a lack of exercise.
The German Jagdterrier comes in two different types of fur, the first variant has a dense and quite hard wire-haired coat and the second version has a rough, smooth-haired coat. Both variants have a short coat length and are black with brown borders around the dog’s muzzle and paws and chest area. Other coat colors are not allowed in the breed standard.
How Big Does a German Jagdterrier Get?
The German Jagdterrier are small to medium-sized dogs, measuring around 33 to 40 cm in height. Their appearance is long-legged with a well-proportioned body.
Training and Keeping of the German Jagdterrier – This is Important to Consider
Compared to other terrier breeds, the German Jagdterrier is easy to lead and easy to train. Still, early socialization and consistent positive reinforcement training are important. The German Jagdterrier is only suitable for beginners if they get support from a dog school or a club that has experience with hunting dogs and terriers. Training takes time, but it’s worth it. With good basic obedience, the German hunting dog becomes a very good companion for everyday life and for sporting activities.
The training itself should be consistent and based on positive reinforcement because the German Jagdterrier likes to work with its owner and is quite willing to learn. Due to his hunting instinct, however, he is easily distracted by small things and his fine nose sometimes disturbs the dog’s concentration. Here it is important to proceed with patience and give the dog time to understand the desired commands. In addition to good training in the basic commands and suitability for everyday use, it is very important that the terrier is sufficiently busy. As a perennial hunting dog, it needs a lot of exercises and preferably a fixed task, such as a dog sport or training as a rescue dog. With a good nose and instinct to track down prey, the German Jagdterrier is a good search and rescue dog. Dummy training, retrieving or agility are also busy and useful activities for the German Jagdterrier.
For good suitability for everyday use, the hunting behavior of the German Jagdterrier should definitely be worked on. Hunting control training is ideal for this. Alternatively, the terrier must be kept on a leash at all times unless in a fenced area.
Diet of the German Jagdterrier
The German Jagdterrier is a very robust dog that does not make any special demands on its diet. Dry food is more suitable for training, as it is easier to take with you. Wet food can also be fed. The owner should only make sure to stick to the age guidelines for food. A young dog gets puppy food between eight weeks and twelve months, and from the age of about seven years, it should be switched to senior food. The food should be aimed at small to medium-sized dogs and adapted to their urge to move.
Health – Life Expectancy & Common Diseases
Like many smaller terrier breeds, the German Jagdterrier has a long life expectancy. The terrier is usually fitted into old age and still needs a lot of exercise and activity. An age of 14 to 16 years is not uncommon for German Jagdterriers.
The breed has no known hereditary diseases, although care should be taken to ensure that the terrier’s hips remain in good order as they age. With a healthy lifestyle and regular vet check-ups, the German Jagdterrier can enjoy a long and healthy life. It is only important to ensure sufficient exercise, otherwise, the active dog can quickly gain weight and suffer from the consequences of being overweight. Being overweight in the German Jagdterrier is always a sign of a lack of exercise, which has other consequences in addition to being overweight, so the dog can get used to unpleasant idiosyncrasies, such as barking or digging in the garden.
How Old Does a German Jagdterrier Get?
As a rule, the German Jagdterrier can live between 14 and 16 years. There were also some dogs that even lived to be 19 years old. Of course, this is only possible with good health and long and good care.
Grooming of the German Jagdterrier
The German Jagdterrier is very easy to care for. Its short and mostly rough fur is insensitive to cold and heat. Burdocks and similar plants very rarely get stuck in the fur and simple brushing is completely sufficient for grooming. The most important thing is to make sure that the German Jagdterrier gets enough exercise and does not become overweight due to too little exercise.
The German Jagdterrier has a coat change twice a year, once in the summertime and the second at the beginning of winter. He loses more fur than in the rest of the year, but the effort is limited due to the short fur during the change of fur.
German Jagdterrier – Activities and Training
The German Jagdterrier is a smart dog that wants to be kept busy by its owner. A lot of exercises and small tasks during the daily walks keep the small dog fit and promote the bond between man and dog. In general, the terrier likes to do things with his people and is up for any adventure. As a minimum of exercise, the active dog needs three walks a day, which are at least one hour long per walk and during which he is also occupied with playing games or a ball.
A dog sport that takes place once a week completes the daily program. There are many suitable sports, such as dummy work, track work, agility, but horseback riding and cycling are also good for the clever and energetic dog. The German Jagdterrier feels most comfortable in the forest, but with good basic obedience, it can also become a nice office dog. Since he does not show any kind of aggression towards people or other dogs and is a sociable and alert dog, he can be easily exhausted in dog parks and other outdoor areas.
Good to Know: Special Features of the German Jagdterrier
What is special about the German Jagdterrier is its lack of familiarity. Although he is an excellent companion and a reliable hunting dog, the dog breed is only known among enthusiasts. There are only a few breeders of the breed, but this has the advantage that only experienced breeders deal with the animals and there is no risk of being caught by a scammer. Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more common with popular dog breeds. The breeding image of the German Jagdterrier was also not changed and the dogs are therefore in good health and can still be used for hunting.
His uncomplicated nature and his easy handling are very unusual for a real terrier, but he still has the courage of his relatives and the will to stick with something until he succeeds.
How Much Does a German Jagdterrier Cost?
With a good breeder who gives the puppies the best possible start in life, a puppy can cost between $1200 and $1400. Trained hunting terriers can cost up to $2000 and are good hunting companions and hunters.
Cons of the German Jagdterrier
The German Jagdterrier is a scavenger and hunting dog and therefore also has a strong hunting instinct that can quickly distract the dog and thorough anti-hunting training is necessary to keep the German Jagdterrier’s impulses under control. But if you take the time to do this, you will get a great companion and a friend for life. Apart from the hunting instinct and its high need for a task, the German Jagdterrier is a calm companion and a good dog for singles and families who know what the animal’s needs are.
Is the German Jagdterrier Right for Me?
Although the German Jagdterrier is a fairly small dog, it is by no means a lap dog. He is a self-confident and courageous dog, who nevertheless shows no aggression. He needs a good education, a lot of activity, and exercise to lead a happy dog life. He can be left alone if he has been able to go for a long walk first. Due to his open character, he can also be taken to work as an office dog.
He is a good family dog and gets along with children without any problems, since he has a higher threshold than other terriers, he also gets used to the wild playing and romping of the children without jumping directly between them. He is a good companion for singles and is very loyal to his owner, but he likes to go his own way and explore his territory independently. A large garden is, therefore, an advantage, but not a must for keeping it.
Seniors who are still active in sports and have already gained some dog experience are also suitable to keep this breed. However, you should be aware that the German Jagdterrier needs a lot of exercises and likes to enjoy long hikes in the woods or parks.
Is the German Jagdterrier a Family Dog?
The German Jagdterrier can be a very good family dog, playing with children and accompanying the family on long walks. A good upbringing and a solid reference person are important.