Magyar Agar vs Jack Russell Terrier - Breed Comparison

The tall, slender Magyar Agar is a sighthound dog breed hailing from Hungary and which has been used for hunting and coursing, some dogs of which are still used for this purpose today.

Those who know the dog breed well will tell you that the dog isn’t the 'Hungarian greyhound', being a distinct breed with its own characteristics and breed designation.

They certainly go back centuries, and in fact, records tell us that they arrived in northeastern Hungary more than a thousand years ago.

The popular Jack Russell Terrier was developed in Devonshire in the south of England in the late 1800's so as to hunt foxes.

Often believed to be the Parson Russell Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier was developed by Parson John Russell. This is where the dog gets his breed name from. Some people get the Jack Russell Terrier a little bit mixed up with the Parson Russell terrier, when it fact its actually a different breed, but sharing a common ancestry.

The Jack Russell Terrier is smaller than the Parson and bigger than the Russell Terrier. The breed became known in the U.S. by the 1930s and the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America wanted recognition by the American Kennel Club, which was granted in 2000.

Described as a large dog resembling a Greyhound and being more longer in body than being tall they are more heavily boned than the fine-boned Greyhound.

The Magyar is a large dog standing at between 62 – 70cm in height and weighing between 22 and 31kg. If you want your Magyar to have puppies, these dogs can produce between 6 to 10. The dogs have a smooth dense coat and the coat can be any color, but not black and tan or tri-color.

The ears of the dog are short to medium and are semi-erect, semi-floppy and most times held back. The tail of the dog is long.

Temperament:

These are hardy dogs, and even with their short coats they are able to cope with lower temperatures. They are quiet and docile and are loving towards their human family. They also have a strong instinct to guard their owners.

They are amicable dogs, getting on well with children and pets in the home.As with most dogs, he can benefit from training and socialization. He is an adaptable dog too and will settle into life in the city or the countryside, but wherever he lives, he will need to be exercised well.

They love cozying up to their owners on the couch and thoroughly relaxing, but they also love being out and about too. A walk in the countryside or the park is a a chance to be let off the leash for some running.

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog that weighs between 6 and 8kg and stands at between 25 – 38cm. The body length of the dog should be in proportion to the height.

He is essentially a white dog with orange or fawn colored patches. The coat is mostly smooth and short, but the coat can also be longer and rough or it can be broken which is a combination of rough and smooth. Regardless of coat type, they are dense, double coats which will require brushing at least twice a week to remove loose hairs. He may also be tri-colored such as being white with black and tan patches.

He has alert, bright dark brown eyes and ears which are somewhat erect and which flop over at the tips. The tail has always been traditionally docked, giving him an attractive, compact look about him but unfortunately the tail is often left long on the dog these days.

Temperament:

Your Jack Russell Terrier is a lively, tenacious, bold, fearless, feisty, cheeky, confident, independent, intelligent and full of life dog. He is super energetic and exuberant, spirited and full of personality.

There are some dog owners who are exhausted by him and would prefer a more quieter dog breed as their companion. Nonetheless he has some excellent characteristics such as being a totally devoted and loving dog.

It is why it is a good idea to have him trained and socialized as it calms him down and makes him more obedient. He is very intelligent and training him will be easy.

The Magyar Agar may well have been developed for hunting, but today he makes a splendid pet.

He is intelligent and quiet, as well as being loyal. While he loves being outside playing or going on walks, he is quite happy to curl up on the couch with you – the nearness to you is what he loves.

Beautiful and loving, this dog symbolizes the best qualities that man wants in a canine friend.

With loads of vibrant personality, the energetic Jack Russell Terrier has got so many wonderful characteristics to his name – devotion, intelligence, charming, lively, playful and he is an entertainer – you’ll always be laughing a him.

You do need to pay him attention – you can’t just plonk him in your backyard and forget about him. He wants your love and attention and ignoring him can lead to problem behavior such as obsessive barking.

Give your Jack Russell Terrier all the love and care he needs, and you’ll have an exceptional pet and friend.

The Magyar Agár is looked upon as a healthy dog breed, and with good care can live to be 12 to 14 years of age. With this dog you want to be on the lookout for some of the common dog illnesses he could succumb to -

Thyroid Disease:

This is a fairly common problem in dogs. The thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine with other thyroid hormones. Playing a role in the dog’s metabolism, when the thyroid is out of sync it can cause problems for your dog.

Hypothyroidism happens when your dog doesn’t secrete enough of the thyroid hormones, slowing the dog’s metabolism. Some of the symptoms include obesity, lethargy, coat thinning and cold intolerance.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

This is an inherited disease of the retina, occurring in both eyes together. Thankfully it isn't painful for the dog. There are different types of inherited retinal degenerative diseases in dogs and the first signs of this are seeing your dog with night-blindness and the pupils being dilated. There is no cure, but specific antioxidant supplementation does help support the retinal health of the dog and can actually help to prevent vision loss.

Skin Allergies:

Itching outbreaks from a skin allergy can make your pet miserable with constant licking and biting. Whether these allergies are inhaled, food related or from flea bites, they can cause your pet great discomfort. The fur or coat may even have started to fall out in patches. Allergies like this can occur when the dog's immune system is weakened. Feeding your dog some raw meat, getting him to the vet and providing excellent grooming can help with your pet’s skin problems.

This particular dog breed has a reputation for being healthy and living to a good age such as 16 or 17 years of age. Of course he needs to be given proper care to reach such a good age.

Some common dog disorders you might want to be aware of are -

Eye disorders:

Lens luxation is actually a common hereditary disorder in these dogs, but even so, with good care, your dog isn’t likely to battle with it. What happens is that the lens in the eye becomes displaced. There are two types, with Posterior luxation being the lesser severe one.Treatment is available.

Musculoskeletal conditions:

Patellar luxation is an hereditary disorder affecting the knees of the dog. The kneecap slips off the groove where it sits and you may notice your dog running while holding his hind leg in the air. It can sometimes slip back in place and then you see your dog running in his usual way. It becomes more serious when it affects both legs.

Make sure you take wonderful care of your Magyar Agar. It is a social, living creature who needs to be loved and cherished.

Provide him with the best food there is. If you invest in dry kibble, try and add in cooked chicken, brown rice and raw or cooked vegetables from time to time as well as some raw meat. Keep the diet simple to avoid digestive upsets.

• Provide him with a warm, dry place to sleep.
• Never leave him outside without a shady spot to lie down in.
• He needs constant access to cool, fresh water.
• Check his eyes and inside his ears regularly for infections.
• Brush his short coat at least twice a week and check for fleas and ticks.
• Make sure to give him regular exercise like walks and ball games.

Exercise:

The Jack Russell Terrier isn’t just a small dog that can be left to his own devices. He will need proper training and socialization early in life to make him obedient and better to get on with.

He may be a small dog, but he certainly won’t do in the city where he is cooped up in a place with a handkerchief of a garden. He needs lots of space to run and play. He wants his human family to join in with walks, hikes, ball games and swimming.

Diet:

You can buy excellent commercially manufactured dog food which caters for energetic small dog breeds like the Jack Russell Terrier.

Once you have selected the best one for your pet, with dry kibble being better in terms of dental health - you can also add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken. This is highly beneficial to all dog breeds. A little bit of raw meat can sometimes be added in too.

The bottom line is to to prevent your pet from eating foods high in preservatives, additives and fillers. Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.