Breeding Philosophy:
We are specifically dedicated to the Connemara line of Jack Russell Terriers. Over a decade ago, before we bred our first litter of Jack Russell puppies, we outlined our goals and what would be of importance to us. Here is that list:
1.) To continue the Connemara line of Jack Russell Terrier.
2.) To breed a healthy Jack Russell Terrier using science and health testing as a tool. Our terriers have been screened for 32 known genetic diseases.
3.) Accept nothing less than producing a sane terrier. One you can trust with children and cats.
4.) We decided to maintain the Connemara Jack Russell Terrier as it had been bred for over a century and made plans to improve upon it in a few ways; as in a better ear set and straighter legs without changing it drastically.
Breeding Criteria
Health: Our Jack Russell Terriers have completed several screenings and clearances: Primary Lens Luxation (PLL), Thyroid panels, Heart, Luxating Patellas, Blood Chemistry & Complete Panels, B.A.E.R. (hearing test). Temperament testing and Comprehensive Personality Profiles done on every Jack Russell Terrier. Many of our Jack Russell Terriers have completed DNA screenings for 32 known disease markers discovered/mapped.
Temperament: Equally important, we look for sound temperament, going beyond simple friendliness to dogs and people. We look for self-confident dogs who take life in stride, stable when faced with most circumstances and comfortable with their position in the world. After confidence, we are looking for intelligent, eager, tractable dogs whose greatest desire is to please, live with and/or work side-by-side with their human partner. The final component of temperament we demand is friendliness and reliability. We expect our dogs to accept polite dogs of all ages and types and to be comfortable with men, women and children. However, we also expect our terriers to display normal dog behaviors of protecting themselves if attacked by an unfriendly dog. We also expect our dogs to breed naturally and easily. We find all of these behaviors to be most appropriate to a correct and sound Jack Russell Terrier.
Conformation: After the foundation of longevity and temperament, we look for sires that complement our dams by building on their strengths and correcting their weaknesses. For example, we use conformation dogs to strengthen type. We always look beyond the dog himself, at the strengths and weaknesses of his pedigree. We know that some combinations meld well while others simply do not.
Breeding Goals - Our ideal Jack Russell, the goal of our breeding program, is a dog of smaller size and substance that:
- meets accepted standards regarding height and weight, with correct ear set and terrier expression, who moves like the athlete he/she is and who is immediately identifiable as a Jack Russell Terrier. We do not breed for rare colors or for “Hard Terriers”. We prefer a slightly longer than tall dog... (one who measures roughly 2” longer than tall) not an almost square dog.
- carries a proper, weather resistant coat, in one of the correct coat lengths (Smooth, Broken & Rough) for Jack Russells. We breed colors that meet the worldwide accepted standard (White dog with black and/or brown of any shade).
- is an average energy dog that has the spunk to hunt field mice and squirrels but not with enough prey drive to harm your cat or chase cars. This same dog must settle well in the house afterwards.
- tractability and intelligence to be trained with ease but recognized still as a terrier.
- loves the family's children and tolerates all dog-appropriate handling by them.
- gets on well with other dogs but not afraid and nervous or incapable of functioning as a normal dog.
- is healthy and sound, with no chronic illnesses of any kind.
- lives a long and healthy life as a beloved member of his or her family.
We follow the strictest of ethics and seek to treat our families fairly and to use our interactions as a means to educate them as well as the general public about dog behavior and the responsibilities of dog ownership.
We are very concerned about the problems facing purebred Jack Russells in the United States today: poor or aggressive temperaments; genetic diseases and general poor health. We are saddened at the astronomical number of Jack Russells euthanized in animal shelters each year because they are unable to find or keep a loving home. We believe these problems are primarily the result of poor breeding practices and a general lack of understanding of dog behavior and training. Our concerns are reflected in the priority of our goals and our requirements for our owners.
All though we have many years of experience, we are devoted to our own continuing education as breeders, trainers and owners. We do this through extensive reading of contemporary and historical literature on genetics, veterinary science, animal behavior, and dog breeding, seminars, and discussions with veterinarians, scientists, professional dog trainers and handlers and other members of the dog world. And we make it a point to attend seminars each year.
Today, Connemara is still small, exclusive and family run. We place our puppies with discriminating families, catering to those expecting professionalism in us - and quality in our terriers. Our breeding decisions follow our established criteria and contributes to our goal of producing a healthy, sane Jack Russell Terrier you will be able to manage and trust with your family.
QUICK LINK: JACK RUSSELL TERRIER PUPPIES