Jack Russells

Do they make a good trapline dog. Easy to obedience train? Make or female?

They need to be bigger, or have more than one! They have no quit, and that gets them in trouble, that said, they are quick enough that most of the time a trapped critter can't get ahold of them. I love my jacks, but for a trapline companion, you have to constantly worry about them, their heart is bigger than their arse!

It depends on the individual dog. I raised Jacks for many years and had a few that would mind well and did good. Others were to high strung and with no fear in them, a dog like this won't last long especially on a K-9 line. If you are just trapping smaller furbearers most any jack will add fur to the truck.
Something else to consider is the time spent digging to your dog if they bay in a hole. I never had enough traps out to need all the daylight hours. If a dog went after something in a hole I dug them out and was happy to have more fur. If you are running hard and don't have the extra time to spare, a terrier may not be the best choice. I still use a terrier as a trapline dog, I have just switched to patterdales over jacks now.
Hope this helps in your decision and good luck with what ever you decide.

If you're good with dogs and like dogs with character get one! I got one that is nice and calm but still has lots of drive when we're working. Bigger Parsons Russell's are just fine alone as long as you're not decoying.

Consider going to a rescue shelter and tell the folks you are looking for a dog to be your companion in the Out-of-Doors. Don't say hunt or trap or you will probably be shown the door. Be patient and wait for a good candidate. Some (all) of the best dogs I ever owned had 1 thing above their average kennel mates. They were smart and could learn. Be it Yak (German Hunt) , Fox, Welsh, Irish, Airedale, Patterdale Terrier,,,, Lab, Walker, B&T, Redbone, Bluetick hound, Brittany, Golden Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer,,,,,,,, I owned them all at one time and there were more dumb ones than I care to remember. Breed was less important than brains when hunting , bolting, and finding game came into play. The folks at the shelter, if there is any reality in them at all, will know a smart dog after a few days (week) of care. May not be the friendliest or prettiest but they will know by its mannerisms. You can get a young adult if you want and skip the puppy problems. Most folks now-a-days are more interested in selling pups than keeping track of their genetics and culling the dummies and non performers so beware. Don't sell the mongrels short as I have seen and been around some special mixed breeds that were well worth feeding, wearing my collar and keeping. Sorry i can't comment on owning a Russell (smaller version of a Fox Terrier), But I have went to the Terrier trials here in Norfolk for several years (mostly all Russells) and the winners are not the best hunters when you visit with the owners (hunters). What ever you choose, establish a relationship and give them the chance to learn by repetition...... and enjoy the right one.

Jack's are wonderful companions and if you get one, be prepared to spend a lot of time together as they will demand it. There's also a good chance that your life will revolve around the dog and not the other way around. I always said I wouldn't give my little guy up for a million bucks or pay a plug nickel for another one.

They're like a small German S.hair but even more hardheaded , determined is the word.

Balls of fire. Never seen a calm one. Seem to be smart dogs.

We adopted a 2 year old male in 2010. He's a short-legged one. Cannot hunt him because he is extremely gun shy but that has relaxed a little since we got him given all the hunting going on around our house. I grew up with Beagles and have had many Labs. This little guy is the smartest, most determined dog I have ever been around. He has a nose like no other dog I have ever been around.

Interestingly, he is also a very calm couch potato. Really a great companion for my wife, who is disabled. I tell her just about every day how I wish he was not gunshy because, using my deceased beagler Dad's words to describe a great dog, he'd be a "huntin' fool".

Most fun dog we have ever owned and I wish he would live forever.

Moosetrot