Reviews for The Parson and Jack Russell Terrier Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks Series)

The average rating for The Parson and Jack Russell Terrier Handbook (Barron's Pet Handbooks Series) based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-07-26 00:00:00 Robert Grimsley This book is geared toward readers that want to raise a purebred Jack Russell/ Parson Russell Terrier for competition. However, Coile does dedicate paragraphs advocating for animal shelter adoption for those looking for a companion. I like that Coile elaborates on breeder options, nutrition, grooming, basic training, and healthcare. Healthcare especially touches upon common ailments such as parasites, hereditary disorders, and injuries. The best part of the book is all the pictures of adorable terriers. My main criticisms are that (1) this handbook has outdated information and that (2) the most of the useful information can be easily found online today. In particular, the training chapter discusses using choke chains and similar devices as punishment. Not only is this practice inhumane by today's standards, but the writing is contradictory, stating that punishment serves no benefit to dogs. Coile stays neutral on docking, but should stress that removing part of a dog's tail should only be necessary for medical reasons, not for a competition requirement. Coile's weakest chapter is on behavior. Coile suggests that the owner must dominate their dog, despite stating that dogs have evolved from their wolf ancestor. Domination cannot be applied to dogs because humans have spent centuries domesticating them. Additionally, digging behavior can be mitigated by redirecting the dog's attention to other physical activities in order to prevent boredom. Although there is some good information in this handbook, I think the average JRT owner would benefit more from reading a modern handbook on dog training applied to all dogs. Owners that wish to train their JRT/PRT for competition should look online with the club they are registered with to see if their dog meets all qualifications. Take this handbook with a chunk of salt rather than a grain.

Review # 2 was written on 2015-08-27 00:00:00 Ruth Anderson Doing some research on the breed my son is in love with.