Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua"
Compare Jack Russell Terrier and Chihuahua. Which is better: Jack Russell Terrier or Chihuahua?
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Name | Jack Russell Terrier | Chihuahua |
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Origins | ![]() | ![]() |
Group | Hunting Dogs | Companion Dogs |
Popularity Rank | 78 | 32 |
Reviews | 2 | 6 |
Rate |
Other Names | Russell Terrier, JRT, Jack | Chihuahueño, Csivava |
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Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2012 as a Terrier breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1904 as a Toy breed. |
FCI Group | Recognized by FCI in the Terriers group, in the Small sized Terriers section. | Recognized by FCI in the Companion and Toy Dogs group, in the Chihuahueno section. |
Breed Recognition | American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Irish Kennel Club Club Espanol De Terriers Jack Russell Terrier Club Of America | American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club |
Price | $700-$1000 | $600-$800 |
General Appearance - Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua
Size | Small | Small |
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Weight | 11-18 pounds (5-8 kg) | 2-6 pounds (1-3 kg) |
Avg. Weight | 14.5 pounds (6.5 kg) | 4 pounds (2 kg) |
Height | 8-15 inches (20-38 cm) | 6-9 inches (15-23 cm) |
Avg. Height | 11.5 inches (29 cm) | 7.5 inches (19 cm) |
Hair & Care - Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua
Coat | Rough | Fine |
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Colors | Tan White Black | Chocolate Fawn Tan Cream Red Black |
Grooming | Easy to groom: The Jack Russell Terrier doesn't require a lot of grooming. | Effortless: The Chihuahua requires minimal grooming. |
Shedding Level | Jack Russell Terriers are heavy shedders. | Chihuahuas shed none to minimal. |
Characteristics - Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua
Temperament | Alert Courageous Independent Cheerful Energetic Stubborn | Alert Devoted Intelligent Courageous Lively Quick |
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Intelligent Rank | Very smart: Jack Russell Terrier is an excellent dog breed. | Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one. |
Trainability | Jack Russell Terriers are quite easy to train. | Chihuahuas are quite easy to train. |
Playfulness | The Jack Russell Terrier is a highly playful breed. | Chihuahuas, like any other dog breed, like playing. |
Sensitivity Level | They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds. | Chihuahuas don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. |
Affection Level | Jack Russell Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. | Chihuahuas are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. |
Social Needs | Jack Russell Terriers need for social interaction is average. | Chihuahuas need a lot of social interaction. |
Barking | High: The Jack Russell Terrier is a very vocal breed. | High: The Chihuahua is a very vocal breed. |
Watchdog Ability | Jack Russell Terriers are good watchdogs. | Chihuahuas are average watchdogs. |
Territorial | Jack Russell Terriers are extremely protective guard dogs. | Chihuahuas strongly protect their territory. |
Biting Potential |
Low The Jack Russell Terrier has a low chance of biting somebody. |
Low The Chihuahua has a low chance of biting somebody. |
Mouthiness | Jack Russell Terriers have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Chihuahuas have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. |
Impulse to Wander or Roam | Wanderlust potential of the Jack Russell Terrier is strong enough to escape from home. | Chihuahuas tend to escape less than other breeds. |
Prey Drive | Jack Russell Terriers have a high impulse to chase and catch something. | Chihuahuas have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen. |
Apartment Friendly | Jack Russell Terriers are not apartment-friendly dogs. | Chihuahuas are very apartment-friendly dogs. |
Adaptability | Jack Russell Terriers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Chihuahuas adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. |
Tolerates Being Left Alone | Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner. | Chihuahuas tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them. |
Fighting Dog |
Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog. |
Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog. |
Good With - Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua
Stranger Friendly | Jack Russell Terriers are average friendly towards strangers. | Chihuahuas are average friendly towards strangers. |
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Child Friendly | Jack Russell Terriers are average friendly dogs towards children. | Chihuahuas are not kid-friendly dogs. |
Cat Friendly | Jack Russell Terriers are not the most cat-friendly dogs. | Chihuahuas are very cat-friendly dogs. |
Dog Friendly | Jack Russell Terriers are dog-friendly dogs. | Chihuahuas are average friendly towards other dogs. |
Office Friendly |
No Jack Russell Terrier is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No Chihuahua is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
Senior Citizens Friendly | Jack Russell Terriers are commonly okay with elderly people. | Chihuahuas are not recommended for elderly people. |
Pet Friendly | Jack Russell Terriers usually don’t get on well with other pets. | Chihuahuas are one of the friendliest dog breeds. |
Good For First Time Owners |
No Jack Russell Terriers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
No Chihuahuas are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
Service Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog. |
Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog. |
Therapy Dog |
Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog. |
Yes This breed makes a perfect therapy dog. |
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog |
Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. |
Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones. |
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR) |
Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. |
Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people. |
Boat Dog |
Yes Jack Russell Terrier breed usually likes being on a boat. |
Not really Chihuahua breed usually doesn't like being on a boat. |
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog |
Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling. |
Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling. |
Health Factors - Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua
Health Issues | The Jack Russell Terrier is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. | Chihuahuas are commonly healthy dogs. |
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Health Problems | Deafness Glaucoma Legg-perthes Disease Lens Luxation Patellar Luxation | Collapsed Trachea Heart Murmurs Hydrocephalus Hypoglycemia Open Fontanel Patellar Luxation Pulmonic Stenosis Shivering |
Life Expectancy | 13-16 years | 14-18 years |
Hypoallergenic | No | No |
Energy Level | Jack Russell Terriers are high energy dogs. | Chihuahuas have an average energy level, so if you live a semi-active life, this breed can be a good choice for you. |
Exercise Need | Jack Russell Terriers need a lot of exercises. | Chihuahuas exercise need is very minimal. |
Sleeping Need | Jack Russell Terriers don't need too much sleep. | Chihuahuas sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed. |
Avg. daily food consumption | 1/4 to 1 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. | Recommended daily amount: 1/4 to 1/2 cups of high-quality dry food a day. |
Weight Gain Potential | Average to High. | Average. |
Weather & Climate | Prefers average to warm weather conditions | Prefers warm weather |
Stinkiness |
Medium The Jack Russell Terrier has an average chance of bad smell. |
High The Chihuahua has a high chance of bad smell. |
Drooling tendency | The Jack Russell Terrier is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The Chihuahua is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. |
Reproducibility - Jack Russell Terrier vs Chihuahua
Gestation Length | 60-64 days | 60-64 days |
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How often can the have a litter? |
Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy. |
Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy. |
Litter Size | 4-8 puppies | 2-4 puppies |
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Reviews
- ILUVPUPPIES
May 19, 2020, 12:33:20 PM:
I absolutely loved this comparison! But, sometimes it's hard to figure out which dog is better, because that's what I searched up in the first place. I guess that you people just want us to decide which dog is better for us. Thanks!