A sparky, athletic cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a small Poodle, terrier drive with Poodle brains and a lighter coat.
Designer crosssmall breedJack Russell Terrier and Miniature or Toy PoodleParent profiles checked
About this profile: the Jackapoo is a cross, also known as the Jackadoodle, not a recognized breed with a standard. Size, lifespan and care figures here are estimates drawn from our full profiles of the two parent breeds, the Jack Russell Terrier and the Poodle, and individual dogs vary more than purebreds do. That variation is normal for a cross and is stated plainly rather than hidden.
The Jackapoo is not recognized by the AKC and has no breed standard, no registry and no guarantee of traits. The AKC recognizes the parent breeds, the Jack Russell Terrier and the Poodle, but not their cross. Coat, size, temperament and health vary more in crosses than in purebreds, and two puppies from one litter can grow into noticeably different dogs. Any breeder who promises an exact adult size, a non shedding coat or a fixed temperament for a Jackapoo is promising something no one can deliver. Judge litters by the actual parents: their health testing, their temperaments and how they are raised.
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The Jackapoo crosses the most relentless small terrier in the dog world with the cleverest small breed in it. The Jack Russell brings stamina, courage, prey drive and a comedian timing. The Poodle brings quick learning, trainability and a coat that sheds far less than a terrier double coat. Most Jackapoos are busy, bright, athletic little dogs that need real exercise and real training, and they are wasted on households looking for a quiet lap dog.
Jackapoos appeared as the Poodle cross wave reached the terrier breeds in the 2000s. There is no registry or standard, and litters split noticeably: coats range from smooth and broken terrier style to wavy and Poodle like, and shedding and grooming follow the coat each puppy happens to get. Temperament varies too, though the terrier engine is present in almost every puppy this cross produces.
Expect energy, confidence and opinions. Jackapoos are alert watchdogs, keen diggers and chasers, and clever enough to learn rules and then test them for sport. The Poodle side adds sensitivity and a love of games with rules. They are affectionate and funny in active homes, and they need owners who enjoy training a bright terrier mind daily rather than expecting a placid companion to entertain itself.
Energy (5/5)
Trainability (4/5)
Grooming needs (4/5)
Shedding (2/5)
Barking (4/5)
Good with children: Better with older children
With other dogs: With early socialization
With strangers: Friendly with strangers
Apartment life: With enough exercise
Coat: Variable by litter: smooth or broken like a Jack Russell, or wavy to curly with Poodle influence. Shedding is usually light in the curlier coats and moderate in the terrier style ones.
Colors: Mostly white with tan, black or brown patches from the Jack Russell side, plus Poodle solids and blends.
Brush weekly at minimum, more for softer coats, and plan clips every six to eight weeks for Poodle type coats. Secure fencing matters, because the hunting instinct outruns recall training when something small and fast appears. Keep the dog lean: terrier appetite on a small frame gains weight quietly.
Forty five to seventy five minutes a day, with real play, sniffing and training built in. A Jackapoo walked round the block is an under exercised terrier, and terriers with spare energy dig, bark, chase and chew. Ball games, agility style play and scent work suit this cross perfectly.
Coat dependent: terrier coats need a weekly brush out, Poodle type coats need combing several times a week and regular clips. Keep ears clean, especially where hair grows in the canals, brush teeth and trim nails as routine.
Reward based training works, delivered with humor and consistency. Jackapoos learn fast, bore fast and keep a terrier selective hearing for recalls around wildlife, so train recall on a long line and proof it honestly. Early socialization with other dogs matters, because terrier confidence can tip into bossiness, and a settle cue protects the household peace.
Jackapoos suit active households, including flats if the exercise and barking training are real. They do better with older children who respect a terrier's boundaries, and they are not the cross for owners wanting a quiet, undemanding companion. Given work, games and company, they are hilarious, loyal little athletes.
About $11 per month for a typical 13 lb adult eating roughly 0.8 cups a day of a standard quality food ($1.60 per lb). Full breakdown in our food expense calculator.
Plan 45 to 75 minutes a day of walks, play and training. Under exercised dogs of most breeds invent their own projects, and they rarely pick good ones.
Estimated US range $34 to $60 per month for accident and illness cover, estimated from the parent breeds' published ranges on this site; see the insurance estimator and the insurance guide.
On the monthly figures above, a typical adult year runs to about $132 for food and $408 to $720 for insurance, before routine vet care, grooming and gear. Year one costs more: vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, a crate, bedding and training all land at once.
How weight typically builds with age for this cross, estimated from the parent breeds sizes.
| Stage | Age | Typical weight |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy | 8 weeks | about 1 to 3 lb |
| Puppy | 4 months | about 3 to 7 lb |
| Puppy | 6 months | about 5 to 10 lb |
| Young | 9 months | about 6 to 14 lb |
| Young | 12 months | about 7 to 16 lb |
| Adult | Full grown | 8 to 18 lb (typical range) |
| Senior | From about 8 years | Healthy weight stays in the adult range; watch for slow gain or loss |
Growth figures are estimates interpolated from the adult weight ranges of the two parent breeds, following the size class growth pattern used across this site. Cross puppies vary more than purebred puppies; steady growth matters more than hitting any single number, and your vet's growth checks come first.
Puppies are bold and mouthy and need wide socialization, bite inhibition work and early recall training. Adults are energetic, funny companions who stay terrier busy into middle age. Seniors slow gradually and need dental attention, weight control and prompt checks for any limp, given the patella background.
Ask for patella results from both sides, eye examinations and Poodle DNA screening, and Legg Calve Perthes and hearing history from the terrier side when you interview breeders.
Health notes summarise the conditions the two parent breeds profiles and breed guidance most often flag. They are general information for choosing and caring, not a diagnosis or a substitute for your vet. Parent profiles: Jack Russell Terrier and Poodle.
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A typical lifespan is 12 to 15 years. That range is an estimate drawn from the two parent breeds, and weight control, dental care and buying from health tested parents give a dog the best chance of reaching the top of it.
Food for a typical adult runs about $11 a month at a standard quality tier, and accident and illness insurance is estimated between $34 and $60 a month in the US, based on the parent breeds' ranges. Try the full cost calculator for a complete year one and yearly picture.
Better with older children. As with every breed and cross, supervise dogs and children together and teach children to respect the dog's space and rest.
Plan on 45 to 75 minutes a day, split between walks, play and training games. Puppies and seniors need gentler, shorter sessions.
It depends on the coat. Puppies inheriting the Poodle type coat shed very little; those closer to the Jack Russell coat shed moderately. A breeder cannot honestly promise which coat a young puppy will finish with, so meet adults of the cross if shedding decides the choice.
The Jack Russell Terrier profile The Poodle profile All breeds Compare breeds
This page is general information drawn from the published guidance of the organizations listed under Sources below. It is not veterinary advice, and it does not replace your own veterinarian, who knows your dog. If your dog is unwell or has eaten something toxic, contact your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661 straight away. A consultation fee may apply on the helplines.
Last updated: November 2026. Cross figures on this page are estimates drawn from the two parent breed profiles and are labeled as estimates wherever they appear. How we work: our methodology.