History And Origin Of The Jack Russell
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.
