Jack Russell Terrier: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 06:43, 1 April 2007

Revision as of 06:49, 1 April 2007

Line 23:

<!-- End Infobox Dogbreed info. Article Begins Here -->

'''The Jack Russell Terrier''' is a type of small, principally white-bodied<!--Short hair or long hair?-->, [[terrier]] that has its origins in [[fox hunting]]. The name "Jack Russell" has been used to describe a wide array of small white terriers, but is now most commonly used to describe a working terrier.

A Jack Russell Terrier is not the same as a [[Parson Russell Terrier]], which is a breed recently created by narrowing the Jack Russell standard. The Parson Russell Terrier is principly a show dog, and is rarely found in the hunt field.

The [[Jack Russell Terrier]] is also not the same thing as an [[Australian Jack Russell Terrier]] or [[Russell Terrier]], which are dogs first brought into the [[Federation Cynologique Internationale]] (FCI) in 2000 and the [[United Kennel Club]] in 2001, and which are maintained under a different breed standard and which are described areas beinghaving dogsbeen developed in Australia out of dogs that originatedoriginating in [[England]].

== General Appearance of a Jack Russell Terrierappearance==

[[Image:PinkyJRT_wb2.jpg|thumb|left|A rough-coat JRT.]]

A Jack Russell Terrier is a working terrier, and the most important physical attribute of a working terrier is not coat color, gait or expression, but chest size. If a terrier is too large to get to ground<!--What does "get to ground" mean? Can this wording be simplified for our readers?--> it is virtually worthless as a working dog.

The [[red fox]] is the traditional quarry of the Jack Russell Terrier, and the quarry pursued by the Reverend John Russell himself. Red fox may den in a wide variety of locations from old [[badger]] settes and drain pipes to building crawl spaces, old rabbit holes and [[groundhog]] dens, but in all cases the working Jack Russell must be small enough to get up to its quarry, which is to say a Jack Russell’sRussell's chest should be no larger than that of the animal it is pursuing. Red fox size are variable, but across the world they average about 14 pounds in weight and have a chest size, on average of 12-14 inches in circumference when measured at the widest part of the chest. As Barry Jones, former professional terrierman to the [[Cotswold]] Foxhounds in Andovers Ford, and a former Chairman and President of the Fell and Moorland Working Terrier Club, and the founding Chairman of the National Working Terrier Federation noted in comments directed to those in the UK who were intent on pulling the Jack Russell Terrier into [[The Kennel Club]] as a [[Parson Russell Terrier]]:

:''The chest is, without doubt, the determining factor as to whether a terrier may follow its intended quarry underground. Too large and he/she is of little use for underground work, for no matter how determined the terrier may be, this physical setback will not be overcome in the nearly-tight situations it will encounter in working foxes. It may be thought the fox is a large animal - to the casual observer it would appear so. However, the bone structure of the fox is finer than that of a terrier, plus it has a loose-fitting, profuse pelt which lends itself to flexibility. I have not encountered a fox which could not be spanned at 14 inches circumference - this within a weight range of 10 lbs to 24 lbs, on average 300 foxes spanned a year. You may not wish to work your terrier. However, there is a Standard to be attained, and spannability is a must in the Parson Russell Terrier.''

Line 39:

Jack Russell Terriers are predominantly white (more than 51%) with black, tan, or tricolour markings commonly found on the face and at the base of the tail. Jack Russell Terriers have small V-shaped ears that should fold downward, and strong teeth with a scissor bite. The body shape is approximately square.

Jack Russell Terriers come in three coat types: smooth, broken , and rough. In all cases, the coat should be dense and not soft, feathery or linty. A smooth coated dog should be smooth coated all over, with a dense topcoat that is approximately 1cm long. A rough-coated dog should have a double coat with fur as much as 10cm long, and should be rough-coated over its entire body. A broken-coated dog is any dog with a topcoat of intermediate length, or a dog that is largely or pratially smooth with longer hair on some parts of its body.

Jack Russell Terrier tails are straight, held high and upright. Traditionally, tails are docked to around five inches -- the length of a hand grip. It is not a serious fault to leave a tail a little long, but too short a tail creates a less useful dog in the field and a dog that looks poorly balanced.

Line 50:

[[Image:My.php?image=dscn3656hd8.jpg|thumb|right|A Jack Russell being hyper and crazy.]]

The Jack Russell is a working terrier. Terrier work requires a dog that will bark at prey so that the dog can be located underground and be dug out if necessary. As a result, JRTsJack Russell Terriers are most definitely vocal dogs.

Jack Russell Terriers are also very intelligent, high-energy dogs – requirements of a working dog which must problem-solve in the field and work tirelessy against often formidable quarry.

Line 56:

Due to their compact size, friendly and inquisitive nature, and intelligence, Jack Russells are popular as pets. Prospective buyers should be aware, however, that while these dogs may enjoy sitting in a lap, they are not “lap dogs” – they are dogs that require training and regular and consistent exercise to maintain their temperament and to occupy their minds.

Jack Russells whichthat are not trained on a consistent basis, or are not exercised regularly, may exhibit unmanageable behaviour, including excessive barking, escaping from the yard, or digging in unwanted places inside and outside the house. In America, several Jack Russell rescue networks have to work constantly to find temporary and permanent homes for JRTsJack Russell Terriers whose owners could not meet these requirements for keeping these dogs as house pets. Prospective Jack Russell Terrier owners are advised to do their homework.

Most JRTsJack Russell Terriers easily mingle with children, though they do not tolerate even unintentional abuse. Most are outgoing, and very friendly towards other dogs, but a good number show same-sex aggression issues. Some JRT's exhibit a "Napoleon Complex" regarding larger canines that can get them into dangerous situations. Their fearlessness can scare off a larger animal, but their apparent unawareness of their small size can lead to a lopsided fight with larger dogs if not kept in check.

It is not uncommon for a Jack Russell terrier to be cat-aggressive, and homes with other small fur-bearing animals in them (pet hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.) would do well to think through the ramifications of bringing a working terrier into the house.

==Health==

Jack Russell terriers are known for good longevity and health due to a healthy gene pool and lack of in-breeding when compared to some Kennel Club 'show dog' breeds. A well-cared Jack Russell can live between 14 and 21 years. Health concerns with the breed include hereditary cataracts, primary lens luxation, [[congenital deafness]], medial patellar luxation, [[cerebellar ataxia]], [[Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease]], myasthenia gravis, atopy, and [[von Willebrand's disease]]. Responsible breeders will have their puppies [[BAER]] tested for hearing before sale (this test is good for the life of the dog). Prospective dams and sires should be CERF tested and [[Orthopedic Foundation for Animals|OFA]] inspected before breeding in order to reduce the chance of passing on congenital eye or joint problems. Prospective puppy buyers are encouraged to avoid dogs sired or whelped by dogs under two years of age as congenital problems in the sire or dam may not yet have expressed themselves.

== History ==

Small white fox-working terriers were first bred by the Reverend John Russell, a [[parson]] and hunting enthusiast born in 1795. In his last year of university at [[Oxford]] he bought a small white and tan terrier bitch called Trump from the milk man. Trump was purchased based upon appearance alone. (Burns, 2005) She was the basis for a breeding program to develop a terrier with high stamina for the hunt as well as the courage and formation to chase out foxes that had gone to ground, but without the aggressiveness that would result in physical harm to the fox, which would have ended the chase, and so was considered unsporting. The line of terriers developed by John Russell was well respected for these qualities and his dogs were often taken on by hunt enthusiasts. It is unlikely, however, that any dogs alive today are descended from Trump, as Russell was forced to sell all of his dogs on more than one occasion because of financial difficulty, and had only four aged (and non-breeding) terriers left when he died in 1883. (Burns, 2005)

Line 81 ⟶ 79:

==Is a Jack Russell Defined by Function, Form, Registry, or Name?==

The Reverend Jack Russell did not have Jack Russell terriers – he had white-bodied fox-working dogs that, in his day, were simply called “fox terriers.”

Line 103 ⟶ 100:

==Controversy==

The Jack Russell Terrier, [[Parson Russell Terrier]] and [[Russell Terrier]] dogs registered with the various Kennel Clubs and the [[FCI]] are generally not working dogs and most working Jack Russells are either unregistered dogs or are registered with one of the breed-specific Jack Russell Terrier Clubs (The [[Jack Russell Terrier Club of Great Britain]], the [[Jack Russell Terrier Club of America]], and the [[Jack Russell Terrier Club of Canada]]).

Line 118 ⟶ 114:

In the UK, one of the most recognisable canine stars was [[restauranteur]] and [[chef]] [[Rick Stein]]'s irrepressible terrier [[Chalky]], who frequently upstaged his owner on his various cookery series - indeed, many feel Chalky is the more famous of the pair! He was unique in having his own line of merchandise, including plushes, teatowels, art prints, art paw prints and even his own [[real ale]] - ''Chalky's Bite.'' He earned a [[BBC]] obituary when he died in 2007.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/6268025.stm]

A Jack RusselRussell Terrier is also lightlybriefly seen in the movie ''[[Crimson Tide (film)|Crimson Tide]]'', in which it is referred to as the "Smartest Breed."

Ridley Scott has two Jack Russell Terriers.

Line 125 ⟶ 121:

==References==

* Burns, Patrick. ''American Working Terriers'', 2005. ISBN 1-4116-6082-X [http://www.amazon.com/dp/141166082X]

* Chapman, Eddie. "The Working Jack Russell Terrier," 1994. No ISBN [http://www.terrierman.com/terrierbooks.htm]