Jagdterriers are a fairly rare breed that most people have never heard of.
If you have found yourself thinking about this unusual breed and wondering whether it is a good fit for your home, the degree to which they shed and require grooming is an important consideration.
Do Jagdterriers shed? Jagdterriers have fur as opposed to hair, and they do shed. However, the dense, course coat is less prone to shedding than many other types of fur. Provided you brush your dog regularly, you are unlikely to find lots of shed fur around your home.
If you are curious about how much Jagdterriers shed, how they behave, and other aspects of having one in your home, you’re not alone.
Many people are instantly delighted by this breed and consider adding one to their family, but are they the right choice for you? Let’s find out.
How Much Do Jagdterriers Shed?
Jagdterriers are not hypoallergenic dogs, and they have fur, not hair.
That means that they shed more than some breeds of dogs, such as Maltipoos.
However, they have a coarse coat that is not nearly as prone to shedding as some other dogs that also have fur, like Golden Retrievers.
You can expect your Jagdterrier to shed slightly more seasonally, but in general, you are not likely to find shedding to be a very big problem with this breed.
What Kind of Coat Does a Jagdterrier Have?
Jagdterriers come in two coat types: rough and smooth, both of which will experience the same degree of shedding.
- Rough-coated dogs have hard, longer hair that may be longer at some parts than others.
- Smooth-coated dogs have course, smooth hair that lies closer to the skin.
What About Grooming?
As far as grooming is concerned, this breed is fairly low maintenance.
A thorough brushing once or twice per week with a regular slicker brush, like this one, will help remove loose hair and dirt trapped within the coat.
A bath will be needed periodically, the ears cleaned routinely, and of course the teeth should be brushed several times per week.
What you will need to be diligent about is trimming the nails regularly.
The nails grow quickly as this breed, like other Earthdogs, was designed to dig in the ground while hunting prey.
Why Is the Jagdterrier’s Coat Like It Is?
The Jagdterrier’s coat is similar to other types of Terrier coats. It is not unlike that of the Fox Terrier, the breed from which he descended.
Fox Terriers also have two types of coat: smooth and rough. The coat is also very similar to the rough coat of a Border Terrier or a Wire Fox Terrier.
The coat is developed in this way for a couple of key reasons.
Protection Against Rough Terrain
The Jagdterrier’s wiry coat of either variety is dense and hard to protect the skin from brambles or thorns that the Jagdterrier might run through while hunting.
This breed is dedicated to the hunt and brave enough to keep hunting no matter what.
Breeders needed to develop a coat that could protect the dog, since the dog was unlikely to slow down to protect himself.
Both types of coat are effective for protecting against rough terrain and brambles.
The longer coat is not long enough that it can be caught in the brambles.
Protection Against Water
The thick coat of Jagdterriers is designed to be water resistant and quick drying.
This enabled Jagdterriers to chase prey into the water and flush prey from patches of wet vegetation without being at risk of hypothermia.
This was especially important since these are such small dogs and the German terrain is often very cold.
Distinctive Look
The Jagdterrier was developed in contrast to the Fox Terrier and other Terriers popular in Germany at the time.
This is largely the reason that the black-and-tan coat was desirable. It made the dog clearly distinct from other Terriers that may look similar.
Today, black and gray are acceptable as well, but the coat still has a very distinct look.
What is The History of The Jagdterrier?
Jagdterriers were developed after the first World War as a separation from the Fox Terrier Club.
Breeders believed that the Fox Terrier Club was becoming too focused on the appearance of the dog, whereas they (Jagdterrier breeders) wanted to focus entirely on hunting performance.
To distinguish their dogs, they aimed for a primarily black-and-tan color pattern.
The foundation stock were all a black-and-tan color and were believed to be purebred Fox Terriers.
Over time, the breed was also crossed with Welsh Terriers and Old English Wirehaired Terriers to arrive at the Jagdterriers we know today.
These dogs still do not have AKC registration, although they are included as Foundation Stock Service dogs.
This means that breeding records are being kept and that these dogs will likely be a registered breed at some point.
What Are Other Considerations When Choosing a Jagdterrier?
Before you think about bringing a Jagdterrier into your home because the coat matches your shedding requirement, there are other important things to know about this unusual breed.
Rare
Jagdterriers are still not an AKC registered breed, although they have been in existence for some time.
The reason that they are not fully recognized by the AKC has nothing to do with how long they’ve been in existence.
The reason is that this breed is pretty rare, and not many records of purebred dogs exist.
You will probably have a very hard time finding a Jagdterrier.
Thus, you are unlikely to choose this breed over any of the more available, similar breeds unless you are interested in breeding them yourself.
High Prey Drive
Jagdterriers were developed to be the superb hunters of Germany, far above Fox Terriers and other types of Terriers.
Whether or not these are truly the ideal small-game hunters of the world, they certainly have inherited a very high prey drive.
Jagdterriers are very trainable and can learn to delay the instinct to chase, but asking them to resist the urge altogether is unreasonable.
If you do not have land for your Jagdterrier to run, get the exercise he needs, and satisfy the desire to chase, you’ll need to provide him with other activities that will fulfill his instinctual needs.
Events like Barn Hunt (more details can be found here) or Earthdog competitions are perfect for Jagdterriers, as both events mimic what they were bred to do.
Toys like the flirt pole (Outward Hound makes a great one) can imitate prey and satisfy your dog’s instincts as well.
The Jagdterrier is not a dog who is likely to be safe in a home with smaller pets like cats, although some individuals may be safe around confident cats if they are raised together.
Jagdterriers may be prone to chasing children as well, especially if the children tend to scream and run away.
This means they may not be the best dog to choose in a household with small children.
High prey drive also means that you will need to walk your Jagdterrier on a leash unless you have plenty of room for him to run.
Since this breed is unlikely to resist the urge to chase something and may run into a road, be sure the collar fits correctly and snugly.
Some owners prefer the extra security that a harness (this one is incredibly popular) provides, but that is up to you.
Courageous and Intelligent
Jagdterriers are extremely intelligent dogs who will stop at nothing to accomplish their goal of chasing down the prey they want to catch.
They are very trainable and can learn to delay impulses and do all kinds of highly trained behaviors.
However, their courage can get them into trouble in modern society.
These are not dogs who are likely to show instinctual fear of cars, bigger dogs, or other potential dangers.
If you are considering a Jagdterrier for your household, it will be your responsibility to make sure that he doesn’t get himself into any trouble.
Colors
Jagdterriers can be black, dark brown, or grayish black with tan markings..
Most individuals are black and tan, which means they have yellow-red marks on the eyebrows, chest, muzzle, legs, and base of the tail.
They may have a light or a dark mask and small white markings on the toes and chest.
What Other Dog Breed Should You Consider?
If Jagdterriers are attractive to you but you don’t think they are exactly the right dog for your family, there are some other breeds that are very similar that you can consider.
Here are a few choices and why you might choose them instead:
- Fox Terrier – These dogs are very similar to Jagdterriers and come in two distinct rough-coat types.
- Havanese – Like the Jagdterrier, Havanese are happy to please but may also have their own minds. Unlike the Jagdterrier, these dogs have hair and not fur and will not shed.
- Border Terrier – If you want a little dog that is simply adorable, this is an excellent choice that is usually more readily available.
Last update on 2024-04-23 at 00:11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
