Jackrat terrier

A jackrat terrier lounging on a pillow: notice the characteristic large alert ears.

A jackrat terrier is a hybrid dog created by crossing a Jack Russell terrier with a rat terrier. Like most hybrids and crossbreds, the jackrat terrier has a variable appearance that generally picks up traits from its parent breeds, although which traits will be picked up from which parents cannot be predicted with accuracy. They typically have a short smooth coat with patches of black, brown or both; they are a small dog with a compact, muscular physique and large upright ears.

Jackrat terriers can make for quirky, fun, and affectionate companions.

The crossing of the parental breeds will usually produce a smart and active dog that can be adept at catching and killing vermin. However, like all terriers, this hybrid does not do well if left alone for large parts of the day. With plenty of attention and consistent training jackrat terriers can be good family pets.