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Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix – Complete Guide 2023

Spunky and lively, the Jack Russell Chihuahua mix is a very popular designer dog breed. These small dogs inherited the best traits from their parent breeds and do well in apartments or homes with or without a fenced yard.

What is a Jack Chi? The Jack Russell Chihuahua mix, also known as Jack Chi, is a designer breed. Known for their small size, short smooth coat, and lots of energy Jack Chis make great pets to singles or families with children. Affectionate and sweet, this mix is friendly towards everyone and likes to have company. 

If you are looking for a small, active, and loving canine sidekick, the Jack Chi might be the perfect dog for you. Keep on reading to learn everything you need to know about this cute designer breed! 

What Is a Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix?

The Jack Russell Chihuahua mix is a designer breed, developed by crossing a purebred Chihuahua and a purebred Jack Russell Terrier. This mix is also known as Jack Chi, Jackahuahua, and Jackhuahua.

Being purebred dogs, both Jack Russell Terrier and Chihuahua breeds are officially recognized. However, the Jack Chi isn’t recognized by the AKC and they won’t have pedigree papers. 

Brief History

brief history of jack russell

The Jack Russell Chihuahua mix may have existed naturally, but breeders started creating Jack Chis on purpose a couple of decades ago. Designer breeders began mixing these two dog breeds to create a small dog breed that can adapt to modern living and be an affectionate companion. 

Jack Russell

Developed in England in the 1800s, the Jack Russell Terrier is a working terrier used to hunt foxes. Very smart, bold, energetic, and lively, Jack Russell makes a good companion to active people. 

Chihuahua

The Chihuahua is the smallest dog breed and a member of the toy group (source). Although tiny, the Chi has a larger-than-life personality and is an alert, loving, and active dog that prefers to be the sole pet of the household. 

Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix

When you mix a Chihuahua with a Jack Russell you get a Jack Chi – a people-loving, active, playful, and affectionate canine. While intelligent, Jack Chis tend to be stubborn and like to be in charge, so training can be a challenge, especially for novice owners.

Characteristics of Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix

Characteristics of Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix

Being a mixed-breed means that there is no way of predicting the exact appearance of any individual Jack Chi. 

Buy, as an offspring of two small dog breeds, you can expect your Jack Chi to be on the small side too. Most have a short neck, triangularly shaped head, large round eyes, and their ears can be erect or floppy. 

Jack Chi Highlights:

SizeSmall size dog
Weight8-18 pounds
Height12-15 inches
Coat TypeShort coat
SheddingLow shedding
Energy LevelVery energetic
Overall HealthVery good
Lifespan13-18 years

Size

Being an offspring of two small breeds, the Jack Chi is also a small sized dog. 

Height

Most adult Jack Chis are between 12 and 15 inches tall at shoulders.

Weight

When it comes to weight, expect your Jackhuahua to weigh between eight and 18 pounds. 

Coat Color

The Jack Russell Chihuahua mix can come in a variety of different colors and their coats are often a mix of two colors. However, some Jack Chis can be tri-colored and even have spots.

The most common coat colors are:

  • Black
  • Chocolate
  • Fawn
  • White
  • Cream
  • Golden

Shedding

Most Jack Chis have short dense coats that are easy to maintain and don’t shed a lot. However, if the Chihuahua parent has a long coat your mix may inherit this trait and shed more. 

Temperament

While it is hard to predict the exact character traits of any mixed-breed, looking at Jack Chi’s parent breeds can give you some clues about this mix. 

The Jack Russell Chihuahua mix is an outgoing and friendly dog that craves human companionship and can develop separation anxiety if left alone a lot. They are very affectionate with their people and your Jack Chi will become a full-fledged family member in no time. 

Like their Chihuahua parents, Jack Chis tend to be bossy and will happily take over your entire household if given the opportunity. Therefore, you must show your pooch that you are in charge, as soon as you bring them home. 

While they are very smart, most Jack Chis are stubborn at times which can make training difficult, especially if you are a novice owner. However, with a bit of patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement you’ll be able to teach your willful tiny pooch obedience (source).  

Pet Friendly

Most Jack Chis get along with other pets, especially if they were properly trained and socialized from a young age. However, if your pooch takes more after its Jack Russell Terrier parent, they might have a strong prey drive and an urge to chase smaller animals and other pets. 

Child Friendly

The Jack Russel Chihuahua mix is a great choice for families with children since this fun-loving and playful dog gets along well with kids. Make sure that your kids know how to play and handle a dog properly since Jack Chis can easily become injured if roughly handled. 

Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix Care

You should develop a care routine as soon as you bring a Jack Chi home and keep up with regular veterinary checkups. As always, pay special attention to the following things:

Health Risks

The Jack Russell Chihuahua mix is considered a generally healthy breed, but some may be prone to the same problems both Jack Russells and Chihuahuas face. 

The most common health problems seen in this mix are:

  • Patellar luxation
  • Hearth problems
  • Tracheal collapse
  • Hypoglycemia

Jack Chis have an average lifespan of 13 to 18 years and can reach senior years without health issues if cared for properly. 

Grooming 

The Jack Chi has a short dense coat that’s fairly easy to groom using a bristle brush once or twice a week. Regular brushing will keep your dog’s coat clean and remove any loose hairs before they end up on your floor. 

Bathe your dog once every two months or as necessary, using a mild dog shampoo. Since Jack Chis are easily chilled you should avoid bathing your pooch during cold weather and dress them in a warm doggy jacket. 

The rest is basic care and involves daily teeth brushing, nail trimming, and ear cleaning. 

Food or Diet

An ideal diet for Jack Chis should be formulated for small dog breeds with high energy. Make sure that the food you’re feeding contains the right levels of protein, carbs, fat, and essential vitamins and minerals. 

Keep in mind that your dog’s dietary needs will change from puppyhood to adulthood, and senior years, so feed your Jack Chi according to a life stage (source). Know that this mix can easily become overweight if overfed so stick to recommended portion sizes and limit the number of treats your pooch is eating. 

Training and Exercise

Despite their small size, Jack Chis have a high activity level and need at least 60 minutes of daily exercise. Activities such as walking, hiking, and jogging combined with daily play sessions will keep your dog properly exercised and in good shape.

While Jack Chis are very smart dogs, they tend to be stubborn and challenging to train, even more so if you are a novice owner. Use reward-based training and a lot of praise to train and socialize your Jack Chi from an early age. 

Start introducing your Jack Chi puppy to other dogs from a young age, to teach them how to interact with other dogs and curb behavioral problems associated with small dog syndrome (source). 

Housing

Jack Chis should live indoors where they can spend time and interact with their human families every single day. Due to their small size, this mix adapts well to life in small apartments or large homes with or without a yard. 

Where to Get Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix

There are only two ways you can bring a Jack Russell Chihuahua mix home – either adopt or shop. 

Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix Breeders

The Jack Chi is an increasingly popular designed hybrid and there isn’t a shortage of reputable breeders that make puppies available. So, you shouldn’t have trouble locating a trustworthy breeder in your area. 

Jack Russell Chihuahua Mix Price

On average, Jack Russell Chihuahua mix puppies cost between $200 and $750. However, you may end up paying more for a Jack Chi puppy depending on the breeder, coat color, lineage, and demand in your area. 

Adoption

Although they are designer dogs, many Jack Chis end up abandoned and in the care of animal shelters and rescue organizations. Check your local shelter if you think that a Jack Russell Chihuahua mix is the perfect breed for you. 

Also, contact Jack Russell Terrier and Chihuahua breed-specific rescue organizations, since they also take in and care for mixed dogs. 

Conclusion

While small in size, the Jack Russell Chihuahua mix has a larger-than-life personality and makes a great companion to singles and families with children. Clever, lively, bold, alert, and affectionate this mix craves attention and human companionship and hates being left alone. 

If you lead an active lifestyle and are looking for a spunky dog that won’t leave your side, the Jack Chi might be a perfect choice. 

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1 Comment

  1. collette j young

    I have had a jack russell/chihuahua mix for the last 10 years. She was one of the easiest dogs to train, she has an amazing vocabulary. She has been a great joy. great with kids, not real friendly with other animals. Very attention oriented.

    Reply

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