The Jack Russell
Terrier has a rich and interesting history, which explains much about the temperament
and energy level of the breed. Find out everything you wanted to know about where
the breed came from, and how it became the beloved pet of our generation.
Reverend
John Russell And His Terriers
In England in the middle 1800s, a minister
named John Russell began breeding a strain of terriers that were particularly
adept at chasing foxes. His passion for hunting foxes led him to develop a highly
specialized dog that was perfect for hunting the quick, feisty animals. One of
his first terriers, a dog named TRUMP, is believed to have been the first Jack
Russell that started the line.
One interesting fact about Reverend Russell
is that he had a passionate, flamboyant personality that perfectly matches the
dogs he loved. It is perhaps because of his personality that the breed has been
named after him. He pushed his breed into the world of dog breeds, and their popularity
continues today, over a hundred years since the inception of the breed.
A
Little Hunting Dog
The color, size, and flexibility of the dog are each
designed for hunting foxes. They have a compact body that is perfect for chasing
little animals, and their straight hind legs, flexible joints, and balanced proportions
were bread with hunting in mind. Today Jack Russells are trained to hunt not only
foxes, but also raccoons and woodchuck. They will chase their prey down into their
dens until they succeed, so watch your little hunter carefully.
A Broad
Breed Standard
While the breed standard has been around for over a hundred
years, it is quite broad. This fact gives each Jack Russell his own unique personality
and look. There are many different sizes and types of Jack Russells out there,
but no matter what your little terrier looks like, if it is a Jack Russell, it
will be a dog packed with personality!
Recognition By The Kennel Club
The
Jack Russell gained recognition through the Kennel Club late in the 1800s. Since
that time, the breed standard has been changed here and there to conform to the
desires of show ring judges. The result of these changes is the rise of the Fox
Terrier in the show ring. The Fox Terrier breed has incorporated changes that
make a little dog that would likely be unable to hunt foxes and follow them into
their dens.
But the Jack Russell breed has been kept to the standards of
Reverend Russell through working dog enthusiasts. Today’s Jack Russell breeders
train their dogs to participate in conformation showings, which are hunting trials,
allowing them to maintain their hunting prowess, and thus correcting some of the
changes that were made to the breed standard.
Today’s Jack Russell has the
famous Jack
Russell temperament in their genes, so if you get a pure bred Jack Russell,
you are getting a dog that mirrors the temperament of their original breeder,
Reverend John Russell. These compact, feisty dogs have stood the test of time
and are rising to the top of the list of America’s favorite dogs.
Attention: To discover how
YOU can have the Happiest, Healthiest and Best Behaved Jack Russell,
get a copy of this Jack Russell Guide
NOW!
