Breeds / Small
Jackapoo puppies
The Jackapoo is sharp, energetic and quick to learn, with more terrier drive than their size suggests. They need real exercise and training, and small pets need careful introductions.
The facts
- Size class Small
- A cross of Jack Russell Terrier and Poodle
- Country of origin Not published
- Adult weight 4.1 to 6.8 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 9 to 15 lb
- Adult height 25 to 38 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Short rough to medium curly
- Typical lifespan 12 to 14 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
About the Jackapoo
The Jackapoo crosses the Jack Russell type terrier with a Toy or Miniature Poodle. Adults are small, commonly 4.1 to 6.8 kg and 25 to 38 cm, and the coat varies from the terrier's rough or smooth jacket through to soft Poodle curls. This is a busy, sharp little dog: quick to learn, quick to get bored, and carrying enough prey drive from the terrier side to make squirrels and small pets very interesting indeed.
They need more exercise than their size suggests, plus training that gives the brain a job every day. Grooming depends on the coat, from a weekly brush for a smooth one to regular clipping for a curly one. Two things go wrong most often: recall, because the terrier follows scent and movement, and cats, which need extremely careful introductions or a home without them at all.
A cross, not a breed. There is no breed standard for the Jackapoo, because no kennel club recognises them, so the sizes here are typical observed ranges drawn from the parent breeds. Coat type is the least predictable part: one litter can contain smooth, broken and curly puppies, and terrier drive can come through strongly or hardly at all. A puppy backcrossed to a Poodle is more likely to carry a curly, low shedding coat than a first cross between two purebred parents.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Jackapoo puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get them socialised before the vaccination course finishes. They will still need four meals a day. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Patellar luxation, graded on orthopaedic examination
- Primary lens luxation from the terrier side, detectable by DNA test and by eye examination
- Progressive retinal atrophy and cataracts, detectable by DNA test and annual eye examination
- Congenital deafness, detectable by BAER testing
- Legg Calve Perthes disease, diagnosed by hip radiographs in a young lame dog
- Periodontal disease, found at annual dental examination
- Von Willebrand disease from the Poodle side, detectable by DNA test and a clotting factor assay
Your Jackapoo puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Jackapoo.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 4.1 to 6.8 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 24 inch (24 x 18 x 20 in, 61 x 46 x 51 cm) for an adult of up to 6.8 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other small breeds
Previous: Jack Russell Terrier · Next: Jagdterrier
Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- petmd.com for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming and the temperament ratings and health notes
- petmd.com for coat type
- Health notes from Jackapoo breed information at https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/russell-terrier. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
No published figure for country of origin, so nothing is shown rather than a guess.
Photo: Eddie Maloney from North Las Vegas, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.