Jessi is a 10-month-old lab/Jack Russell terrier mix with a striking black and white coat and a whole lot of personality packed into her young frame. She's playful, affectionate, and absolutely loves people and dogs. She does great with adults, kids, and larger dogs. Jessi can be reactive toward small …
Jessi is a 10-month-old lab/Jack Russell terrier mix with a striking black and white coat and a whole lot of personality packed into her young frame. She's playful, affectionate, and absolutely loves people and dogs.
She does great with adults, kids, and larger dogs. Jessi can be reactive toward small animals like cats and squirrels, and while she isn't necessarily aggressive, her enthusiasm and rough-and-tumble play style would likely be too much for small dogs or cats. If she spots a squirrel or exciting bird on a walk, she's all in and will pull hard to investigate.
Jessi is mostly potty trained and continues to improve with patience and a consistent routine. She has a strong preference for using her home yard. She will pee there before walks and currently only poops in the yard, so planning a quick potty break before heading out is helpful. She's crate trained and willingly goes into her kennel, though she can be quite vocal when confined, because of this, we recommend covering her crate to help her settle. It would also be best to place her kennel in a low traffic area. She also becomes vocal when other dogs are barking, or when there's activity outside the home or at the door.
She walks on a leash and does especially well with a waist or hands-free leash. She responds better to direction and pulls less compared to a standard leash. She loves walks, car rides, and playtime, so an active household would be a great fit for her.
Jessi is goofy, affectionate, and eager to engage with her people. She does have a habit of jumping up to greet new friends, but she's already improving and takes correction well. Continued work on impulse control will help her shine even more.
She's also an accomplished escape artist. Jessi has been known to clear a 6-foot fence if something exciting catches her eye, so secure containment and supervision are important. A tracking collar would not be a bad idea.
When it comes to toys and beds, Jessi has opinions. Stuffed beds and plush toys don't stand a chance, so no blankets and mat-style beds are best. She absolutely loves her red original Kong and toys of similar durability.
Jessi is a happy, energetic young dog who thrives with structure, activity, and engagement. With the right home, she'll be a fun, loyal companion who keeps life lively and full of smiles.
Jessi is from Texas. They arrive in Minnesota on 02/20/2026 and will need to be picked up from the Ruff Start Rescue office in Princeton, MN between the hours of 8:30am and noon. Please plan for their arrival accordingly as we cannot accommodate pickups outside of this time frame.
Since they haven't arrived yet, they are available exclusively through Ruff Start's Foster to Adopt (FTA) Program.
Click here
to learn more about the FTA program. Once they get to Minnesota, they might require further veterinary care. Ruff Start's veterinary suite is located in Princeton, MN, and, as the foster, you will be required to transport your dog to and from these vetting appointments.
If you are interested in getting to know this animal better, please fill out an
adoption application.
An adoption application is the best way to show your interest in an animal and is not a binding contract.
To learn more about Ruff Start's adoption process and the care our foster animals receive, please visit our
How to Adopt page.
*Rescue puppies are notorious for losing their birth certificates before entering our rescue. We cannot guarantee the breed or size they will be full grown.*
If you are unable to adopt but want to help this animal and others in our care, you can
donate
to support the medical and veterinary needs of all Ruff Start Rescue animals.
