German Jagdterrier

History of the German Jagdterrier breed

The breed was formed at the beginning of the XX century, when dog breeders fed up with show terriers began to dream of working pets capable of bringing real benefits. By that time, European exhibitions were filled with representatives of the group with an exemplary exterior, but absolutely unsuitable for working on the beast due to muted instincts. After the First World War, German specialists began breeding a new, purely hunting variety of terrier, ideally working in a hole.

The pioneer in this business was the dog breeder and part-time passionate admirer of fox terriers Walter Zangenberg, who was later joined by Rudolf Fries and Karl-Erich Grunewald. The breeder began his experiments by taking four fox terrier puppies from the director of the Munich zoo Lutz Heck. Zangenberg was not confused by the fact that the kids had a vicious black and tan color, since breeder was going to develop hunting instincts in animals, and not glamorous appearance. As a result, the grown-up puppies were tied up with black foxes, known for their phenomenal viciousness and tireless pursuit of the victim.

In 1926, the first Jagdterriers' club opened in Germany, and 12 months later, the wards of Zangenberg began to be exhibited at the exhibition. At first, the breed was bred by inbreeding (closely related crossing), which did not affect the health of the offspring in the best way. And it was only in the 20s that dog breeders began to attract more distant relatives - Welsh Terriers and Old English terriers to the pumping of yags. After the Second World War, the breeding of the breed was no longer so active, which was facilitated by the division of Germany into occupation zones. In addition, the breeders of the GDR relied on the selection research of Zangenberg, that is, they continued to cross the jagd relatives among themselves. As a result, the number of dogs quickly recovered, but the number of defective individuals began to grow exponentially.

International recognition came to the Jagdterriers in 1954, along with the receipt of the FCI standard. After this event, dogs began to be exported to North and South America, but the hunters of the New World were not impressed by the small and nimble yags. German terriers were brought to the USSR in the 70s, although unofficial sources claim that the first acquaintance of domestic breeders with the breed took place 40 years earlier. Of the manufacturers imported into the Soviet Union, Cherry von Richebach, Dina von Gohlitsee, and Enke von Wolzi-Gersee are especially worth noting. It was these individuals that laid the foundation for the first generations of Russian Jagdterriers.

Video: German Jagdterrier

German Jagdterrier breed standard

Like a real hard worker who is not used to lying on the couch and posing in front of the camera, a jagdterrier can boast neither a stylish satin "fur coat" nor a special tenderness of appearance. However, he does not need this, since the vast majority of the owners of the breed are practical people who require professional skills and an exciting hunting show from the pet, but are absolutely indifferent to the exterior of the ward. Accordingly, the correct German Jagdterrier is first a hardy and strong earner, and only then – a friend, companion and everything else.

The standard height of yagda ranges from 33-40 cm, and these figures apply equally to both bitches and males. But the weight categories of dogs of different sexes differ. Yagda-girls weigh from 7.5 to 8.5 kg, while males are able to build more bulky muscle mass, keeping the weight in the range from 9 to 10 kg.

Head

The head of the German Jagdterrier looks moderately elongated with clearly marked cheekbones and a developed chin. The skull is flattened, rather spacious in the area between the ears. The muzzle is shorter than the head, without strong pointiness, with a light stop.

Jaws, lips, teeth

Representatives of the breed have massive jaws closed in a full scissor bite, hidden by brightly pigmented dense lips. Teeth are large, set straight, in the amount of 42 pcs.

Nose

Dogs have a harmoniously developed, small nose, predominantly black color. A brown shade is acceptable for individuals with the same coat tone.

Eyes

The German Jagdterrier is a dog with a resolute, direct look. The animal's eyes are small, oval, located at a distance from each other, which minimizes the risk of damage from the paws of forest predators.

Ears

The ear cloth of the purebred yagda is planted high, has medium dimensions and a regular triangular shape.

Neck

According to the FCI standard, animals should have strong necks of normal length, gradually turning into shoulders.

Body

The German Jagdterrier is a breed of compact build. Prerequisite: the girth of the dog's sternum should be 10-12 cm higher than its height at the withers. The length of the body also exceeds the height at the withers, but slightly. The top of the body is straight, with a muscular loin and an impressive horizontal croup. The chest of the animal should be deep, with arched ribs laid back. The line of the slightly selected belly looks very elegant, having an elegant curve.

Limbs

A prerequisite for the legs of the German Jagdterrier is their parallelism to each other when viewed from the front and from behind. In addition, the limbs should have a strong backbone and dried muscles. The shoulder blades are elongated, oblique, with developed muscles. The elbows are placed close to the body without an obvious inversion in either side. The forearms are vertical, straight.

The dog's hind legs look more solid due to elongated, moderately wide hips. Elongated sinewy shins, short vertical metatarsals and strong hock joints are responsible for a springy push in movement. The rounded-oval paws of the yagda are "reinforced" with stiff intensely pigmented pads, and the front paws are noticeably larger than the hind ones. In the stance and gait, the paws should not turn inwards (clubfoot) or outwards.

Tail

Jagdterriers living in countries where the cupping procedure is prohibited have long tails of a straight or saber-shaped design. Such a tail is carried horizontally or barely raised at the top. Working dogs in Russia have their tails docked for ⅓. In this case, it takes a slightly elevated, but not vertical position. In addition, the tip of the last vertebra should not deviate to the back, because in the conditions of burrowing hunting, the tail plays the role of a "handle", for which the owner can pull an angry dog out of an underground tunnel.

Wool

German Jagdterriers exist in two varieties: stiff-haired and smooth-haired. In both cases, the cover hair has a rough, dense structure that helps the dog not to get wet in rainy weather and protects the body from mechanical damage during hunting.

Color

Today's German Jagdterrier is a dog of brown, black or grayish–black color, having markings on the sternum, limbs, muzzle, in the area under the tail and on the eyebrows. Acceptable features: the presence of dark and lightened masks on the muzzle, the presence of tiny white spots on the toes and chest.

Disadvantages and disqualifying vices

External features that do not fit into the parameters set by the standard are positioned as exterior defects. There can be many such disadvantages, ranging from an overly pointed muzzle to loose toes. If an animal has behavioral and developmental defects that overlap its breed qualities, this is almost always disqualification at the exhibition. The most common disqualifying vices of jagdterriers:

• mismatch, blue-tinged iris or speckled;
• malocclusion, including misaligned jaws and incorrectly positioned incisors;
• incomplete dental formula (lack of M3 does not count);
• inversion or inversion of the eyelid;
• non-standard pigmentation of the lobe, lips, paw pads;
• too tall or too short;
• weak character, fear of shots and wild animals.

Photo of a German jagdterrier

Character of the German Jagdterrier

It is important to understand that there is no German jagdterri outside of hunting, so buying a dog for yourself, children or "on the sofa" and waiting for aristocratic manners from her is not the most logical thing to do. However, even a jagd who regularly goes to the forest and works on the beast is still a shrew. So say goodbye to the dream of sculpting an obedient "deliverer" of slippers from a pet – this breed likes to cooperate, but not to serve and fawn.

It is believed that professional training and early education are able to muffle the aggression and stubbornness of German Jagdterriers, but there are nuances here too. Yes, a dog can be weaned from the habit of pouncing on strangers, but even a dog handler with experience will not be able to make him fall in love with a cat or other domestic fluffy. Jagdas also attack small wild animals. For example, in rural areas, hedgehogs become one of the main victims of the breed. The black-and–tan "gladiators" are not stopped by needles or injuries inflicted by them - the massacre of the prickly enemy is carried out immediately and to the victorious end.

It's the same story with unfamiliar dogs. German Jagdterriers have a strategic reserve of courage and the same amount of recklessness, so they are able to provoke a conflict with their fellow tribesmen for no reason. There is also no time for the breed to understand the hierarchical system of the canine world, so even the puppies of the yags easily go to extreme like encroaching on someone else's bone or violent attacks on an adult wolfhound. Moreover, the larger the opponent, the more chances he has to get the terrier out of himself – the impressive size of the opponent causes a mixture of black envy and hatred among the "Germans".

In a relationship with a person, jagd prefers not to be sprayed, but to concentrate on one person. Usually, this is the one with whom the animal goes to pritravka and hunting. The dog recognizes the rest of the family members insofar as it does not hurry to fulfill their requirements. The companion qualities of the breed are also tied to working instincts. A jagdterrier will behave obediently on a walk only in a situation if there is someone nearby under whose guidance the animal is used to getting game. With all the rest of the household, "feedback" will be episodic, so you can let the ward off the leash in the park in a single case - if this park belongs specifically to you and there is not a single representative of wild fauna in it.

Education and training

The German Jagdterrier is a breed that needs to be brought up "yesterday". It is recommended to use traditional methods, but with an eye to the tendency of the yags to dominate, expressed in biting family members, suppression of other animals, attacks on random passers-by. So in the process of education, do not forget to inspire the dog with respect for himself and the household, showing her that the boss's chair has been firmly occupied for a long time.

In intellectual terms, the yagdas may not be geniuses, but they are quite intelligent comrades, so they do not have any difficulties with memorizing commands. At the same time, perfect adherence to the "charter" is not their strong suit. As an example: it is possible to train a German jagdterrier OKD in six months, but it is pointless to demand from him the endurance and diligence of a German shepherd. Moreover, the pet's mistakes should be treated leniently: in the end, you chose the ideal hunter, not a circus performer and a watchman. Connivance, however, is also not worth it. The basic OKD commands will be useful later on hunting, because with their help it will be possible to control the behavior of the dog.

The critical age of the breed representatives is 6 months. It is during this period that the German Jagdterrier begins to test the patience of the owner for strength with redoubled energy. It is not necessary to cancel the training of raging teenagers, but with a lack of personal experience, it is better to connect a professional to the case. A mandatory part of the program in the upbringing and training of a jagdterrier is the habituation to a collar, leash and muzzle. The breed does not like the last accessory, but without it, it is dangerous to let a four-legged varmint out into the street, if you do not want to save stray cats later and conflict with passers-by shocked by Yagda's attacks.

Approach the process of putting on the muzzle carefully, without haste. Experts recommend first giving the dog a sniff of the device, as well as putting the pet's favorite treat inside the mesh. Getting used to the muzzle should also take time. In the first days, 2-3 minutes of wearing the limiter will be enough, then the duration of use can be increased to half an hour or more.

Hunting with a German Jagdterrier

The breed is versatile and works perfectly underground, on the ground, in the water, but all this is subject to high-quality training and priming. It is believed that individuals from Soviet lines were angrier towards the beast than their descendants today, but in general, the yagds retained the purity of hunting instincts and phenomenal viscosity. The German Jagdterrier is an excellent aporterer of small game, and especially waterfowl. Representatives of the family are ready to dive for a padded feathered into a pond of any depth, without suffering from low temperatures at all. For example, there are cases when animals fished out a trophy even during an ice drift.

If desired, the dog can be involved in a friendly hunt to search for wounds, as well as for wild boar baiting. However, in the second case, a support group consisting of representatives of hounds will be required. But the real element of the German Jagdterrier were and still are burrows. Moreover, it is not recommended to bring the pet to a direct fight in the hole. Yagda's task is to keep the predator until the hunter arrives. If the dog has gone too far and is trying to deal with a fox or a badger on its own, it needs to be removed from the underground maze by the tail.

The first priming should be carried out no earlier than the animal turns 8-10 months old. For this purpose, a "walking" fox is used, keeping a decent distance and not repulsing the pursuer. Remember that a puppy at this age has an unstable psyche, and aggressive game can discourage him from hunting for life. A burrow for training can be built independently, or you can use ready-made designs of priming stations. The main thing is not to put pressure on the dog and not to push it into the maze. The Jagdterrier must become interested in the hole itself and dive into it.

The first to practice the skills of searching and chasing the beast. The second stage is the training of anger and grip, and the latter skill is recommended to "put" on the raccoon. Unlike a fox and a badger, this tabby is not capable of causing serious injury to a pet. Some hunters use yags on stray cats, but this method is not welcome, because it teaches the dog to consider pets as potential game. By the way, among professionals, jagdterriers are especially appreciated, who do not tear the beast to shreds, but competently dodge its claws.

Maintenance and care

The German Jagdterrier is an inquisitive choleric and hard worker who needs constant fresh impressions, so it is recommended to keep the breed outside of home walls. On the other hand, the climate of the middle zone is a bit cold for the yags, so the arrangement of a spacious aviary and a insulated booth with a floor is considered a necessary measure. Putting a dog on a chain is strictly prohibited – such motion limiters break the psyche of the animal, making it uncontrollable and aggressive. If the pet is too mean to the guests who set foot on the territory of the yard, it can be temporarily isolated in the aviary.

Keeping a hunting terrier in an apartment is less preferable, but possible. In this case, the pet will have to compensate for the lack of impressions with frequent and prolonged walks – from 3 hours a day or more. If the dog lives in a country cottage with a private plot and a garden, you can take him outside less often. Allow a four–legged friend to run around the yard, arrange a couple of digs in places where there are no beds and flowerbeds - this will help yagdu quench his thirst for activity and make him less insistent on demanding excursions outside the house.

Hygiene

The German Jagdterrier is not a decorative fluffy, he does not need visits to a groomer. To make a smooth-haired hunter look neat, it is enough to comb it with a brush or a rubber mitten, massaging the skin and thus removing the dead hairs. During the period of seasonal molting, the frequency of combing will have to be increased, but even if this is not done, the jagdterrier will not fill up the apartment with woolen "stacks".

With wire-haired individuals will have to tinker a little longer. By the way, despite the fact that formally trimming and grooming of the breed is prohibited, most owners pinch their shaggy wards. There is no serious crime in such hygienic procedures, but only if the dog is started for work. Owners who plan to travel with their "Germans" to exhibitions will have to forget about trimming forever, or do it a few months before the event so that the wool has time to grow and level out.

Otherwise, the care of the German Jagdterrier is the same as for any dog. Check your pet's eyes daily for the presence of inflammation and dust, and wipe them with a strong infusion of tea or a chilled chamomile decoction. Do not forget to inspect the ears, especially if you hunted with a berry the day before – there may be garbage and ticks inside the funnel. Be sure to have in your home medicine cabinet remedies for ectoparasites that terriers acquire on the hunt. And of course, keep an eye on the health of the paws. After walking and hunting, check for cuts and peeling on the pads, and periodically lubricate the skin with unrefined vegetable oil and greasy hand cream.

It is desirable to wash German Jagdterriers as little as possible. Firstly, hard tap water and pet shampoos worsen the quality of wool. And secondly, the yagd is already swimming enough on the hunt, jumping after a downed bird into the pond. An exception can be made when an unpleasant ambergris comes from the dog. Hunting terriers love to wallow in carrion, or even in excrement, which they use as a disguise for their own smell. So if the pet is too intensely "fragrant", he is supposed to arrange a bath day. In summer, the Jagdterrier is allowed to take to a deserted beach, where he will swim with pleasure and play enough.

Feeding

An actively hunting jagdterrier eats with an appetite everything that is offered to him. Mandatory products in the dog's diet are stringy meat and its trimmings, offal, cereals (buckwheat, rice, millet, oatmeal), fish fillets, low–fat cottage cheese and kefir. The menu of puppies includes natural milk and eggs, but adults can easily do without such "frills". The optimal dish for a hunting dog is porridge or soup on meat-bone broth, in which, in addition to cereals, potatoes, offal, beets, carrots, cabbage are added. So that the pet is not tempted to choose more delicious pieces, it is better to wipe the soup until smooth. In the spring, it is useful to add chopped young greens and scalded nettles to the feed.

The need for fats in animal dogs is an order of magnitude higher than in pets, so experts recommend mixing melted beef and fish oil into yagda's food. Rye bread is given only in dried form and only as a delicacy. If you do not like to clean the teeth of a German Jagdterrier, treat the dog with cartilage and sometimes flat spongy bones more often. This is both a source of collagen and at the same time a "brush" that removes food plaque. Vitamin complexes from the zoo will also not be superfluous, but it is better to pick them up after a veterinary examination.

Owners who want to save their own time and effort, transfer the berries to dry food. This is acceptable, but in order for industrial food to benefit and completely replace a balanced natural diet, it is necessary to choose varieties of the premium and holistic segment. As for the frequency of feeding, an adult jagdterrier should eat twice a day; a puppy under the age of 2.5 months – five times; a baby from 2.5 to 4 months – four times; a teenager from 4 to 8 months – three times a day.

Health and diseases of German Jagdterriers

Like most working breeds, German yags do not suffer from excessive morbidity and do not inherit dozens of genetic ailments from their parents that interfere with active life. The exception to the general rule is lens displacement, inherent in all representatives of the terrier group, and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. The latter disease also occurs in other breeds and is expressed in excessive elasticity and flabbiness of the skin.

To this day, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is not treated, so the only thing that can be done for an animal with such dermal lesions is to minimize the risk of injuries and tissue ruptures, which will then have to be sewn up by a veterinarian. German Jagdterriers are not insured against infectious and viral diseases, so do not neglect vaccinations against distemper, rabies and pyroplasmosis. This is especially true for dogs that regularly hunt and risk catching the disease from wild animals and ticks.

How to choose a puppy

• For frequent hunting trips, the males of the German Jagdterrier are preferable. Bitches in working with the beast are often hindered by heat, during which concentration and endurance decrease.
• Observe how the animal behaves with littermates. Little jagdas often arrange fights in which there are winners and losers. If during the conflict the puppy turned out to be an outsider and retreated at the beginning of the battle, this indicates his cowardice and failure as a future hunter.
• Hunting experience and working diplomas of puppy parents are an important attribute. Good viciousness and viscosity are inherited by German Jagdterriers.
• Check the accuracy of the information provided by the seller about the litter and the producers. Contact the breed club of jagdterriers and find out whether the mating was really planned and whether the puppies born after it claim pedigrees.
• Don't choose the most bullying and aggressive kid. Having matured, such an animal will have an explosive character, which will complicate the process of upbringing and training.
• The correct German Jagdterrier puppy will not be afraid of the presence of a stranger in the kennel, but will resist attempts to turn him over on his back. Such a reaction is considered normal and adequate, unless the baby is choking with screeching and growling.

Photos of German Jagdterri puppies

The price of a German jagdterrier

German Jagdterrier club puppies from parents with working diplomas and a package of documents will cost in $150 – $200. If passing field tests and going to exhibitions are not planned, you can contact familiar hunters who periodically knit their wards. Such berries are much cheaper, in the region of $50-$80, but in terms of working qualities they are not inferior to the offspring of champion producers. The only caveat: puppies from an unprofessional breeder may not have a puppy metric, which casts doubt on the purebred litter.