Papijack Dog Breed

The Papillon and Jack Russell Terrier mix, as a crossbreed, is not an official member of any breed group. Neither does any info exist about these hybrids' specific origin; while a Jack Russell Terrier x Papillon mix may have existed naturally for a long time, no breeder or breed club has claimed its creation. Papijack dogs likely gained popularity during the designer dog "explosion" in North America in the late 20th century. Whatever the case, these friendly, energetic, often needy little dogs can make great family pets--but owners will need to provide the companionship, exercise, and training their Papijacks might need.

A few facts about the Papillon x Jack Russell mix dog: they're toy- to small-sized, averaging 11 inches at the shoulders in height and 11 pounds in weight; their coat length and texture can vary, but it most often medium-length and fairly silky; and they're very energetic and will need consistent exercise.

Some advantages and drawbacks to owning a Papijack:

The Jack Russell and Papillon mix is the offspring of two small breeds that are both energetic and enthusiastic--and if a Papijack inherits a lot of the JRT's terrier personality traits, the dog will be mischievous and feisty as well. Physically, these hybrids are pretty small: height at the shoulders is typically 9-13 inches, and weight generally runs 10-13 pounds. Papijack coats can vary a little depending on whether the JRT parent has a smooth or a broken coat--but the Papijack coat is usually medium in length and somewhat silky. Papijacks' coats are most often white with darker patches of black, brown, red, and/or tan, among other colors.

In terms of personality, these are take-charge little dogs that have the potential for being overbearing and spoiled if they're allowed. Both parent breeds are known for developing Small Dog Syndrome--disobedience, extreme fussiness, even aggression--if they're not properly trained, so a Papijack naturally has that potential as well. Owners will need to start obedience training and socialization as early in these dogs' lives as possible to help avoid any of those tendencies.

A Papijack will also be highly energetic, and will need exercise--preferably outdoors--on a daily basis. Papijacks will do okay in apartments (provided they get plenty of exercise), but homes with fenced yards are best.

Active, affectionate with family members, intelligent, loyal, and sometimes stubborn and strong-willed, the Papijack temperament is one of confidence and enthusiasm. These little hybrids are usually very friendly to loved ones, and they'll often be protective of them--but Papijacks can be selfish and fussy too, and will need training and socialization to help minimize that type of behavior. That said, Papijacks can get along pretty well with kids and other pets (though their high prey drives mean they may instinctively chase small animals like birds or rodents). Owners say it's best if your Papijack grows up alongside any children or household pets, so they learn to be accustomed to one another.

In terms of training: these dogs are smart, and can respond well to it--but their potential stubbornness means they may need some repetitions when learning commands or tasks. As with any dog, firm, consistent, reward-based training methods are best.

And Papijacks have pretty good watchdog skills. They're alert, confident, and usually quite vocal, so they'll bark at most unknown sights or sounds. While they're simply too small to really neutralize potential threats like intruders, their size won't stop them from trying!

The Papijack, due to hybrid vigor (in which a crossbred dog inherits the healthiest traits of its parent breeds), is very healthy. Even so, these hybrids can suffer ailments common to the parent breeds including patellar luxation, hypoglycemia, deafness (a condition genetically linked to white coat coloring), and various eye problems (glaucoma and Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA, among others). Potential owners are advised to ask breeders for health screenings for the dog and/or its parents, or they can have their own veterinarians do the screenings.

Life expectancy for the Papijack is 11-15 years.