Dog breeds :
Jack Russell Terrier / Russell Terrier
Silver Creek Lil Coleman, owner: Ken & Shannon Coleman
General
The Jack Russell Terrier was developed in the south of England in the 1800's as a white
terrier to work European red fox both above and below ground. The terrier was named for
the Reverend John Russell, whose terriers trailed hounds and bolted foxes from dens so the
hunt could ride on.
To function as a working terrier, he must possess certain characteristics: a ready attitude,
alert and confident; balance in height and length; medium in size and bone, suggesting
strength and endurance. Important to breed type is a natural appearance: harsh,
weatherproof coat with a compact construction and clean silhouette. The coat is broken
or smooth. He has a small, flexible chest to enable him to pursue his quarry underground
and sufficient length of leg to follow the hounds. Old scars and injuries, the result of
honorable work or accident, should not be allowed to prejudice a terrier's chance in the
show ring, unless they interfere with movement or utility for work or breeding.
Characteristics
The Jack Russell Terrier is an agile, active, small-to-medium hunting terrier,
built to go to ground after fox. The body is slightly longer than tall and capable
of being spanned by an average man's hands placed behind the front legs. The
length of back from withers to set-on of tail is roughly equal to the dog's
height at the withers. Regardless of the size of the individual terrier, the legs
must be long enough to allow the dog to move quickly and with agility in rough
terrain. The head is moderately broad, with a flat skull, a barely perceptible
stop, and a powerful muzzle that is slightly shorter than the skull. Ears are set
at the outside edges of the skull and are V-shaped, dropping forward, and
carried close to the skull. The tail is straight, set high, and normally docked,
but not close to the body. The skin is thick and the coat, whether wiry or
smooth, is always dense. The Jack Russell Terrier is predominately white with
black, tan or black and tan markings. The Jack Russell Terrier should be
evaluated as a working terrier, and exaggerations or faults should be penalized
in proportion to how much they interfere with the dog's ability to work. Scars
should neither be penalized nor regarded as proof of a terrier's working
abilities.
Temperament
Bold and fearless, friendly but quietly confident.
History
The Jack Russell Terrier was named for the Reverend John Russell, a 19th
century parson with a passion for hunting. Reverend Russell was particularly
keen on fox hunting and developed a well-known strain of Fox Terriers. During
the Rev. Russell's long life (1795-1883), the Fox Terrier evolved from a
sportsman's dog to a popular and successful show dog. By the end of the 19th
century, the show Fox Terriers, smooth- and wire-coated, had diverged so far
from their ancestral type that Reverend Russell's old-style Fox Terriers were
referred to as a separate breed-the Jack Russell Terrier.
Because the proponents of this breed were so determined to maintain the
breed's hunting capability, they opposed recognition by all-breed kennel clubs
for many years, on the theory that such recognition would lead to degradation
of the breed. The Jack Russell Terrier today is virtually unchanged from its
origins, and breeders are striving to keep it that way.
Origin
Australia
Utilization
Hunting
Classification
Terriers
Size
Small
Height
25 cms (10 ins) to 30 cms (12 ins)
Weight
The weight in kg being equivalent of 1 kg to each 5 cms in height
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