Feeding a Jack Russell Terrier is tricky due to the breed’s small size and very active nature. However, mastering the technique for feeding this breed is worthwhile if you’re considering adding one to your family.
Aside from the amount of food to give, this article aims to provide everything there is to know about Jack Russell Terrier feeding, including how often you should feed them and some frequently asked questions.
What Factors Impact How Much to Feed a Jack Russell Terrier?
Multiple factors influence the quantity of food that needs to be given to a Jack Russell Terrier. These include:
- Age: Depending on the life stage, the amount and even the type of food must be considered depending on the physiological needs of dogs. Puppies may need more relative to their body size to support their growing needs, while adults and seniors need just the right amount for their daily maintenance and overall health.
- Weight: Jack Russell Terriers are small dogs. Hence, sticking to the right food amount, depending on their size, will help in maintaining the ideal weight for them. This should also help avoid instances of both obesity and undernutrition in the JRT.
- Activity level: With their agility and high energy level, Jack Russell Terriers have to be given enough food to support this need, especially if they are utilized as working dogs. A larger consumption will make them slower, while a smaller one may subject them to hypoglycemia.
- Health status: Certain health conditions might heavily affect how much food to give our dogs. For instance, since the Jack Russell Terrier is prone to hip issues due to their very jumpy nature, giving them more food than required may aggravate this situation. This also stresses the importance of sourcing your Jack Russell Terriers from reputable breeders that ensure the health of their pups.
- Reproductive status: JRTs who are pregnant and lactating may need more nutrients to support their gestational needs. On the other hand, spaying and neutering them will lead to a slower metabolism and a lower diet requirement.
Using these factors to your advantage will help you determine what adjustments are needed to keep your Jack Russell Terrier nutritionally sound, regardless of its situation.
How Much to Feed Your Jack Russell Terrier?
Giving your Jack Russell Terrier high-quality dog food at any age is one of the most important factors in its feeding. This ensures that they are given the right balance of nutrients in the proper amounts.
The next few sections shall guide you through feeding your Jack Russell Terrier based on its age. As you go through these, take note that these recommendations are mere averages.
Adjustments may be needed depending on the individual needs of your Jack Russell Terrier, such as its medical conditions, weight, activity level, or whether it is spayed or neutered.
Jack Russell Terrier Puppy Feeding Chart (2 to 12 months)
Upon birth, Jack Russell Terrier pups must nurse directly from their mother to take advantage of the natural antibodies brought by the colostrum found in their mother’s milk.
Milk replacers may also be considered to support the mother’s milk further. This is usually used if the litter is too many or if the puppies are to be taken away from their mother at an early age.
As they reach their 3rd to 4th week of life, they get ready to wean or transition from pure milk to soft puppy food. This should be done under close monitoring to avoid any instance of bloat.
The feeding chart below should guide you in terms of how much dry dog food to give your Jack Russell puppy:
| Age | Daily Food Quantity (Cups) | Caloric Intake (Per day) |
| 2 – 3 months | ¾ – 1 ¼ | 327 – 549 |
| 4 – 5 months | ¾ – 1 | 334 – 468 |
| 6 – 7 months | 1 – 1 ¼ | 468 – 556 |
| 8 – 9 months | 1 – 1 ¼ | 496 – 615 |
| 10 – 12 months | 1 ¼ – 1 ½ | 530 – 648 |
As you give your JRT pup the recommended amount of dog food, ensure that it is properly hydrated as well. The right amount of water in its body facilitates the normal functioning of the rest of its body processes.
Adult Jack Russell Terrier Feeding Chart (1 to 7 years)
With the Jack Russell Terrier’s long lifespan, it would reach adulthood at the end of its first year. By this time, switching from puppy to adult food is necessary to tailor fit its diet to its age.
One thing to note, though, is that the Jack Russell Terrier is very active and agile even as an adult, so a calorie-dense dog food to fuel its energy demand is recommended.
Here is a table of how much food you need to give your adult Jack Russell Terrier:
| Age | Daily Food Quantity (Cups) | Caloric Intake (Per day) |
| 1 – 7 years | 1 – 1 ¼ | 424 – 518 |
Additionally, to achieve the best condition of your JRT’s coat, especially for those with long hair, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements may be given too.
Further, to support your Jack Russell Terrier’s active lifestyle, complementing its diet with glucosamine and chondroitin would be good for strengthening its bones and joints.
Senior Jack Russell Terrier Feeding Chart (8 years and above)
By the time a Jack Russell Terrier reaches its seniority, its metabolism becomes slower, and there is also an expected slowdown in its level of activity. As a result, senior JRTs may be prone to obesity.
Hence, its caloric intake must be reduced to match its level of energy. Further, protein-dense foods are also recommended to help keep an aging JRT’s muscle mass.
The feeding chart below shows the amount of food a senior Jack Russell Terrier needs:
| Age | Daily Food Quantity (Cups) | Caloric Intake (Per day) |
| 8 years and above | ¾ – 1 | 339 – 414 |
Due to age, your Jack Russell Terrier’s bones and teeth may start becoming brittle, but giving calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D supplements can help keep these intact.
How Often Should You Feed Your Jack Russell Terrier?
The feeding frequency of a Jack Russell Terrier changes as it ages. Newborn Jack Russell Terriers need 3 to 4 meals a day. Once they reach 12 months old, their feeding frequency can be reduced to three times a day. Meanwhile, adult JRTs may be fed twice daily, while seniors can eat just a single meal per day.
Smaller and more frequent feedings are needed for puppies since they have a faster metabolism and need more energy to support their growth needs.
Meanwhile, a single, well-balanced meal should suffice for the senior JRT due to its slower metabolism and its dwindling activity level.
The feeding chart below shows the recommended feeding frequencies based on the age of your Jack Russell Terrier:
| Age | Feeding Frequency |
| 0 – 12 weeks | Three to four times a day |
| 4 – 12 months | Three times a day |
| 1 – 7 years | Twice a day |
| 8 years and above | Once a day |
If your Jack Russell Terrier is a working dog and is very active in fieldwork, you may increase the frequency of feeding. This will help fuel your dog’s energy needs throughout the day, preventing the risk of hypoglycemia.
How to Transition Your Jack Russell Terrier to a New Food
As a dog owner, you can not avoid the instances of having to switch your fur baby’s food every now and then due to one reason or another.
Such instances may include switching from puppy to adult food, boredom, health situations, or maybe trying out a new dog food that has come out.
The general rule in transitioning your Jack Russell Terrier’s diet is to do it gradually while observing your dog’s physical and behavioral acceptance of the new diet.
The table below displays the proper ratio of food when transitioning your Jack Russell Terrier to a new diet:
| Day | Old Food | New Food |
| 1 – 2 | 75% | 25% |
| 3 – 4 | 50% | 50% |
| 5 – 6 | 25% | 75% |
| 7 | 0% | 100% |
Should you notice any negative reactions or physical manifestations from your JRT during this transition, slow down or halt the process immediately, then seek advice from your vet on how to proceed safely.
Tips on Feeding an Overweight Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russell Terriers are hearty eaters, with appetites driven by their high energy needs to fuel their active lifestyles.
Though it is a pleasure to see these dogs finish off their plates, they still need to be monitored closely against gaining excessive pounds.
Once you are not able to feel your dog’s ribs anymore, and you can observe its sagging waist, swinging tummy, or oval-shaped body, chances are your dog is overweight. Here are some tips on how to manage this condition:
- Monitor food intake closely: The feeding chart included in this article is based on the ideal weight of a Jack Russell Terrier based on its age. Hence, closely following the amount indicated should help you determine how much to give to bring your JRT back to its healthier state.
- Avoid overuse of treats: One might enjoy giving a Jack Russell Terrier treats since it is a form of positive reinforcement. However, these add to the calories being taken in by your pet. Hence, use them sparingly, and consider using natural and healthy treats like fruits and vegetables that are safe for your pet.
- Add fiber-rich foods: Fiber creates that feeling of fullness without adding too many calories. Hence, this is effective in keeping your overweight pet satisfied with its food intake. These fiber-rich foods may include carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and pumpkin.
- Increase daily exercise: With the Jack Russell Terrier being an active breed, this should be an easy task. However, one needs to consider consistency and keeping the sessions interesting to encourage the behavior further.
With enough discipline, it should be easy to get your Jack Russell Terrier back in shape, especially with its inherent agility and playfulness.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Know If I’m Feeding My Jack Russell Terrier Enough?
The most accurate way to determine if you are feeding your Jack Russell Terrier enough food is if it is within its ideal weight for its age. This can be confirmed further by your veterinarian as well.
Another practical way to determine this is by evaluating its body conditioning score chart. If you have difficulty feeling its ribs, your pet may be overweight.
On the other hand, if the rib cage is highly visible even without touching, then it is not being fed enough.
Why Is My Jack Russell Terrier Not Eating?
If a Jack Russell Terrier stops eating but continues to remain active, it may be as simple as it is just bored with its dog food, stressed at the moment, or adjusting to a new environment.
When this happens, try to switch its dog food to a more aromatic or palatable one. Give it attention as well to relieve it of the current stress it is probably experiencing.
However, if you observe lethargy, weakness, vomiting, or diarrhea along with your dog’s lack of appetite, have your Jack Russell Terrier checked by a trusted vet for a more accurate diagnosis.
Can I Feed My Jack Russell Terrier With Human Food?
Due to the Jack Russell Terrier’s same omnivorous nature as humans, they can indeed be fed with human food. However, take note that dogs have toxicities with a lot of foods that humans can digest normally.
That said, it is recommended to ensure that research is always done before giving your dog any human food for its safety.
Do Jack Russell Terriers Eat a Lot?
Jack Russell Terriers are such heavy eaters that they can devour anything you place in their bowls in a short period. Their insatiable appetites are usually brought about by their high energy requirements.
Hence, to make sure that all this food intake is converted to the energy released, ensure that they are given their much-needed daily physical activities.
Can Jack Russell Terriers Eat Bones?
Jack Russell Terriers love to eat bones, which are also good for their teeth and gums. However, always ensure that you follow the basic rules for giving a dog a bone.
Only give your JRT tiny, soft, and uncooked pieces of bones that will not crack or have sharp edges. Alternatively, you can also give very large ones that they can play or chew on but are impossible to crack.
Avoid giving cooked bones that they can choke on or crack when ingested, injuring their mouths, throats, or gastrointestinal linings.
If you own a Jack Russell Terrier and have best practices in feeding your dog, please share them with us in the comments section below! Also, feel free to ask any additional questions you may have.
