History of the breed

In those days, fox hunting became extremely popular in Great Britain, and this fun required special dogs - fast and dexterous to keep up with the fox, strong enough, but small enough to get into holes, fearless in a fight with the beast, if... it will come to this, well, they are as dexterous and cunning as the fox herself!

Parson (translated from English as priest, pastor) John Russell, whose friends called him simply Jack, was concerned with breeding just such an ideal breed. Actually, it becomes clear where the name of the breed came from - Parson Jack Russell Terrier, because the original name was just that.

While studying at Oxford in the early nineteenth century, Pastor John Russell bought a white bitch named Trump, who became the generally recognized ancestor of the breed.

The female, named Trump, had a completely white coat with a small round spot at the beginning of her tail and symmetrical red markings on her head - the eyes and ears were colored red (the so-called Jack Russell head mask). It is this color that is still considered ideal for Jack Russell terriers, but not the only acceptable one.

John (Jack) Russell did not have the goal of breeding an ideally beautiful dog; his main goal was the above-mentioned working qualities. The main parts of the body that the priest paid attention to were the ears and the girth of the chest.

That is why, in his understanding of the exterior, the ears had to cover the auditory opening and be pressed tightly to the head, because earth should not get into them while the dog was working in the hole. Well, a narrow chest (should be covered by two palms) is necessary so that the dog can easily fit into the hole.

Russell constantly experimented by mixing the blood of other terriers that existed at that time in Great Britain. In particular, with a fairly high degree of probability it can be argued that the genes of fox terriers are undoubtedly present in the blood of the current representatives of the breed.

Following John (Jack) Russell, subsequent generations of breeders began breeding the breed. Thus, the development of the breed smoothly went in two different directions - shorter dogs, slightly elongated in length and dogs with high legs and a square build.

This is how completely different breed types appeared, often completely different from each other. Only in the 2000s of the 20th century were the breeds officially divided into two:

• Jack Russell Terrier is a dog up to 30cm at the withers with a slightly elongated build.
• The Parson Russell Terrier is a dog up to 40 cm at the withers a square build.

Description of the Parson Russell Terrier breed

Breed standard Jack Russell Terrier

The breed standard was approved in the eighties of the 20th century. In those years, Jack Russell Terriers and Parson Russell Terriers were still listed under a single standard, which, as we wrote above, were later identified as a separate breed.

So, the Jack Russell Terrier is a strong, active, fearless working terrier with a very lively temperament, compact, slightly elongated build. Ideal height is from 25cm to 30cm.

The dog's weight should correspond to its height. It is generally accepted that the average weight of a Jack Russell is calculated as 1 kg for every 5 cm of height, so we can assume that a dog 25 cm tall weighs on average 5 kg, and a dog 30 cm tall weighs 6 kg. However, this is a very relative definition, since all individuals are very individual.

The head is not big. The forehead is flat, the stop is moderately pronounced. The muzzle is not long. The length of the forehead from the top of the skull to the stop should be greater than the length of the muzzle from the stop to the nose.

The eyes are small, almond-shaped, very dark, with a lively sparkle. The eyelid should be painted black.

The ears are small and very mobile. Two types are allowed - the so-called “button ears” - ears slightly raised on cartilage and tightly fitting to the head at the level of the skull line. The ear is short in length; the tip of the ear should end at the level of the corner of the eyes. Hound ears, i.e. Elongated ears hanging at the sides are considered a fault; erect ears are not allowed.

The jaws are strong, tightly touching, the teeth are large. Scissor bite. Working dogs may have missing or damaged teeth.

The neck is strong, not too short.

The body is slightly elongated, but not dachshund-like. The back is straight and strong. The chest is quite deep. The distance from the withers to the elbow is approximately equal from the elbow to the ground. The chest is not too wide - it should be covered by two palms (about 40-43 centimeters in circumference)

The shoulders are muscular, with well-defined angles, the elbows fit snugly to the chest, not turned out. The paws are straight, perpendicular to the ground, not bent at the elbows or pasterns.

The hind legs are strong, muscular, the angulations and hock joints are well defined. In the stance, when viewed from behind, the pasterns should be parallel.

The tail is set high, straight or slightly curved towards the skull. Not curled, no kinks Quite thick at the base.

Coat. Three types of wool are allowed - smooth, hard and brocken (transitional type). Even smooth-haired dogs have fairly dense fur. The wool is not cut. Hard and transitional types are trimmed.

Color. At the moment, two colors are recognized: white and red (bicolor) and white, red and black (tricolor). In any color, white should predominate.

The movements are free, strong, with a good push.

Maintenance and care

Keeping Jack Russell Terriers in city apartments is not particularly difficult. Dogs are quite unpretentious when it comes to food; on the contrary, they love to eat, which is why they often gain excess weight.

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When it comes to grooming, it all greatly depends on what type of coat your breed has. Of course, the easiest to care for is the coat of smooth-haired Jack Russell terriers.

Here it is enough to brush your four-legged friend weekly with a rubber brush and wipe with a damp cloth. However, it must be taken into account that it is Jack Russell Terriers with a smooth coat type that are most susceptible to shedding. And when the Jack Russell sheds, the whole house and all the clothes are covered with small white hairs.

As for wire-haired terriers and brockens (transitional type), they shed significantly less. Wirehairs practically do not shed on their own. This is due to the fact that all wire-haired dogs lack a mechanism for hair renewal (that is, shedding). But it is precisely for this reason that such dogs need regular trimming (stripping) - that is, plucking out dead hair.

How often you need to trim your dog is a very individual question. It all depends on the dog itself, on the time of year and on the goals pursued by the owner.

If we are talking about pets and not show dogs, then trimming the dog is enough once every 6 months. However, in this case, the dog is unlikely to have a well-groomed appearance. Half of that time she will be either bald or overgrown. Since over such a long period the wool becomes overripe and is completely removed.

Show dogs are trimmed regularly - approximately once a month. This condition is called rolling and it allows you to always have a well-groomed coat.

Well, the truth, as usual, is somewhere in the middle. If you are not lazy, but trim your wire-haired pet approximately once every three months, then he will always delight you with his appearance.

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Speaking about keeping Jack Russells, we should definitely mention once again the activity of this breed. If you want life with a dog to be enjoyable for both of you, then remember that these dogs require serious physical and mental stress.

If you are planning to get a dog of this breed, you should be able to take long and active walks with your pet every day. Walking for 10 minutes around the house is not an option for a Jack Russell Terrier.

The pet will simply find something to do with energy in the apartment! Expect at least two hour-long walks per day with an adult dog, and the dog should spend time actively moving and playing during the walk.

Maintenance and nutrition

Caring for a Jack Russell Terrier is simple and easy. The emphasis should be on walking and wool. Walks should be daily. Preferably twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. The minimum duration is half an hour, but provided that you and your dog spend this time quite actively.

• Weekly brushing. Once a week, using a special brush, the dog must be combed, removing dead skin particles and lost hair. Weekly brushing will keep your home clean and minimize the amount of hair on the flooring.
• Swimming on request. Due to the self-cleaning function of the animal’s fur, the dog does not require regular bathing procedures. It is necessary to wash it only when it is absolutely necessary. For example, if a dog has generously rolled around in something smelly.
• Sufficient activity. The dog is characterized by irritability, which occurs in case of insufficient physical activity. Only by running out properly will the dog not pester the person.
• Diet. When choosing a diet for your pet, you can choose high-quality food. Acceptable categories are “premium” and “super-premium”. When choosing food, you need to take into account the age of the dog and the characteristics of its coat. A single portion is calculated based on the weight of the animal. If the owner prefers to feed his pet natural food, the menu should be based on meat products and offal. 75% of food products should be of animal origin, another 25% should be a storehouse of fiber (fruits and vegetables). You can feed meat, raw bones, fermented milk products, peeled tripe, carrots, cabbage, cucumber and other summer fruits, depending on the animal’s preferences.

The size of an adult dog can give an indication of its body weight. For every 1 kg of weight there is 5 cm of height at the withers. Therefore, a dog with a height of 25 cm should weigh 5 kg. A dog with a height of 30 cm should have a mass of 6 kg.

Health of Jack Russell Terriers

In general, Jack Russell Terriers are quite healthy. They are very hardy and active, but Jacks have pathologies and diseases that are typical for representatives of this breed.

Hip dysplasia is a developmental disorder of the joint where the bone does not fit into the joint correctly and the joint itself becomes deformed, causing severe pain to the dog. Dysplasia comes in various forms and treatment depends on the form of development of the disease.

Patella (knee) luxation is another hereditary joint disorder. Patella luxation is a hereditary disease in Jack Russell Terriers and reputable breeders do genetic tests on their dogs to confirm that they are not carriers of the disease.

In addition, joint diseases affecting Jack Russell Terriers include arthritis and arthrosis , which often affect older dogs.

Another hereditary disease common to all terriers is cataracts , a lesion of the lens of a dog’s eye. The disease is often incurable, leading to the dog's blindness. As with patella luxation, genetic tests are done in dogs to determine whether they are susceptible to cataracts. Thus, when buying a puppy, you can protect yourself from similar vision problems in your beloved pet.

Diabetes mellitus is a disease associated with impaired production of the hormone insulin and, as a result, an increase in glucose levels in the dog’s body.

Allergies are another common illness for Jack Russells. Let us remind you that allergic reactions are typical for any breed of dog in which white coat color predominates. Manifestations of allergies or atopic dermatitis may not make themselves felt for a long time, but appear only in adulthood, or they may begin to “spoil life” already from the first period of flowering of allergenic plants.

Character of Jack Russell Terriers

At first glance, it may seem that the Jack Russell Terrier is an ideal companion dog for an apartment. Cute, cheerful, small - what could be better? However, it is in this misconception that the biggest mistake of inexperienced owners lies!

Life with a Jack Russell Terrier is not particularly difficult, but only if you understand exactly what the character of this dog is.

The Jack Russell Terrier is perhaps the most active dog breed. This is a motor, an engine, an awl in one place - call it what you want. And if you don’t give your dog enough physical and mental exercise, then big problems await you, both in terms of your house being torn to smithereens, and in terms of absolute disobedience on the street.

Another serious mistake is that inexperienced owners perceive the Jack Russell Terrier as a decorative dog. No and no again! The Jack Russell is a working terrier with all the ensuing consequences. He is a hunter of mice, cats, birds, squirrels, toads, etc.

If you do not teach your dog the correct behavior from childhood, then it will run after everything that moves - instinct will take its toll.

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Jack Russell is a very smart and cunning dog. Remember the origin story, because in terms of cunning and dexterity he was not supposed to be inferior to the fox. If you don’t initially show him who’s boss in the house, then you will be guaranteed an impudent dog that sits on its head.

As for the attitude towards children, we can say that for small children (on average up to 7-8 years old) a dog of this breed is not very suitable. Firstly, the Jack Russell is small enough that a child could easily injure the dog, and secondly, like any terrier, he is unlikely to allow a child to do pranks that cause him pain.

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But for older children, the Jack Russell is an ideal friend and companion. The child and the dog will be able to spend a huge amount of time in active and fun games in nature. The Jacks have no equal here!

Regarding Jacks’ communication with other dogs, it should be said that these relationships are not always successful. On the one hand, the Jack Russell Terrier is a very sociable dog that needs dog games like air, but on the other hand, especially for males, dogs of this breed can show aggression towards other dogs.

With a Jack Russell Terrier, you always need to remember that these small dogs are confident that they are no smaller or weaker than a shepherd or a pit bull, and if Jack doesn’t like something, he will certainly enter into an unequal fight! Therefore, owners of male dogs should be on guard at all times when interacting with other dogs.

Disadvantages of the breed

This breed also has disadvantages that can play a decisive role when choosing a breed. First of all, “Jack” is a terrier, and that says it all. This dog is hyperactive. You will have to teach him discipline and order from childhood, and also play active games with him and often take him for walks.

Moreover, the walk itself should be active. Otherwise, this baby can destroy your apartment and chew on literally everything - from new shoes to furniture. You will have to entertain him every day - be it long active walks, just playing with a ball or a laser pointer.

If you are rarely at home or are simply not ready to devote so much attention and time to an animal, it is better to look for another breed.

Secondly, this breed belongs to the hunting category, so be prepared for the manifestation of hunting instincts in your dog. For example, walking with Jackies without a leash is strictly prohibited. No matter how well you train your pet, as soon as he sees a cat or pigeon (or any other living creature), he will immediately rush in pursuit. This can lead to your pet getting lost, running away in an unknown direction, chasing its “prey”, or, even worse, causing harm to another animal. Therefore, you only need to walk them on a leash, remembering to stop any attempts to keep up with the yard or neighbor’s cat.

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Thirdly, the “jack” constantly digs the ground with his nose, and even tries to dig through parquet or carpet in the apartment. Of course, this cannot be considered a full-fledged disadvantage, but such behavior may irritate someone. If you, for example, live in a private house, forget about flower beds - the entire area will be immediately dug up as soon as you bring your pet there. Although it must be said that if moles or mice bother you, your four-legged friend will quickly sort out this problem.

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Fourthly, some owners may have problems leaving the dog alone in the apartment. In most cases, a spacious enclosure is also purchased for the Russell Terrier in order to lock the animal there while the owner is at work. Otherwise, the dog may destroy the apartment itself and even shit somewhere on the floor. But even here the problem is solved with the help of educational methods.

So, the Jack Russell Terrier breed has both pros and cons. It is clear that such a dog is not suitable for everyone, because in essence the Jack Russell Terrier is an “eternal child”. Be prepared for a hyperactive dog to live in your home and entertain the whole family with his antics. The main thing is to love your pet, because we are responsible for those we have tamed.

Training and education

The Jack Russell Terrier is the smartest dog that has excellent abilities for completely different types of training: from performing in a circus to searching for drugs at the border.

These little dogs are very easy to train, it’s not for nothing that they are such frequent guests on film sets. The owners of the Jacks will not let you lie that each of the representatives of the breed, even those who are not specifically trained, can definitely show a couple of tricks. And all because Jack really, really likes studying.

Jackies are very active dogs, so they can often be found in agility or dog dancing competitions.

These little nimble creatures adore their owners, and if the owner has established good contact with the pet, then their tandem will undoubtedly be successful in obedience classes! You can also develop in this path and go further into dog sports by participating in obedience competitions (dog obedience competitions).

The main thing to remember when it comes to training a Jack Russell Terrier is that you need to start raising a dog from a very early age, from the first day the puppy is in your home. If you let everything take its course, then smart and stubborn Jack will certainly “sit on your neck.”

If you show interest in your pet’s activities, train the puppy through play and with love, then any Jack will reciprocate your feelings and you will truly enjoy the relationship with your four-legged friend.

Advantages of the breed

Undoubtedly, these small dogs have many advantages that make them worth owning. Firstly, these are very loyal dogs. They will love their owner and his family until the end of their days, and at every opportunity, “Jack” shows his love in every possible way.

Of course, this may cause a little jealousy, but if you pay due attention to raising your dog, there will be no problems with this at all. Secondly, these cute dogs are very smart and easy to train. Although here it is also worth considering that you need to do this while the dog is still a puppy - you are unlikely to get along with an adult quickly and effectively. Because of this, on some forums there are reviews that “Jack” is very difficult to teach anything. However, it all depends on the owner - a person who loves animals and knows how to handle them will quickly find a common language with the pet.

Thirdly, “Jack” gets along well with children and does not behave aggressively towards them. Of course, if a child allows himself too much, the dog may bite slightly. Therefore, before getting such a dog, have an explanatory conversation with your child and explain to him in detail how not to behave with animals. If the attitude towards the dog is appropriate, then there will be absolutely no problems. A loving Jack Russell Terrier will be an excellent “nanny” for your child.

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Again, there may be opposite reviews, but here, as in all other cases, everything depends solely on upbringing. Fourthly, caring for a representative of this breed is not particularly difficult: it does not need frequent haircuts and is not picky about food. However, you don’t need to skimp on their food so that you don’t have to visit the vet later. Thanks to its small size, the dog is perfectly adapted to apartment life. In addition, you can take such a pet with you on a trip (provided you have a passport and vaccinations, of course). And the last thing is the touching appearance of the animals. The Jack Russell Terrier is a very beautiful dog, and this is what primarily attracts dog lovers.

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These babies will help their owner overcome any depression - just one look at their cheerful face is enough.