He’s bold, he’s lively, he’s energetic, and he’s charming.
Of course, we’re talking about the athletic dog with the large personality, the Jack Russell
Terrier.
Charismatic and affectionate, the Jack Russell makes a great pet, but he can be difficult
to manage.
His outgoing personality has even outstaged famous actors and gotten him involved in a
bit of a civil war.
Hi, Welcome to Animal Facts.
Today, we look at the dog of constant digging, the Jack Russell.
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10.
Hunting was once a favorite pastime among England’s men of property, including men
of God.
Some 200 years ago, John Russell, known as "Jack" to his friends, a priest from Devonshire,
England, wanted an efficient hunting dog and decided to design exactly the dog he had in
mind.
The result was a bold, athletic dog who won hearts with his quickness, intelligence, determination,
and intense desire to hunt.
Although the records are murky as to what dogs the Parson used in the process, most
believe it was a collection of white terriers (a type of dog that is now extinct).
9.
Jack Russell terriers need a lot of structured training early in life.
The intelligent dogs tend to outsmart the average dog owner, so the breed is not for
everyone.
Regardless, no amount of training can get rid of the dog’s natural instinct to hunt.
They love to run and need a lot of space.
Despite being small, these dogs are not ideal for apartments or small homes.
8.
Speaking of your yard, it shouldn’t be a surprise that dogs made for hunting foxes
love to dig.
His small stature is perfect for following his prey into underground homes.
Yup, he’s an efficient digger.
Unfortunately, that means that your dog is capable of digging up your back yard at a
moments notice.
It’s probably a good idea to put your fence a few feet below the ground.
7.
If you have the time and patience to devote to him, the Jack Russell has many qualities
that make him an ideal family dog.
He's devoted to his people and loves being with them.
His heritage as a hunting dog makes him an excellent jogging companion once he's full
grown.
Active older children will find him to be a happy and affectionate playmate, but his
rambunctious nature can overwhelm younger kids.
However, first-time or timid dog owners would do well to choose another kind of dog.
The Jack can be a challenge even for an experienced dog owner.
6.
The Jack Russell Terrier Club of America maintains an independent registry and considers the
Jack purely a hunting dog, but the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America (JRTCA) sought
recognition by the American Kennel Club, which was granted in 2000.
To differentiate it from the dogs registered by the JRTCA, the American Kennel Club renamed
the breed, calling it the Parson Russell Terrier.
5.
British explorers Ranulph and Ginny Fiennes traveled to the far ends of the Earth, often
with their Jack Russell terrier, Bothy, in tow.
In 1982, Bothy became the first dog to go to both the North and South Poles.
The terrier had a plethora of experiences most little dogs could only dream of, including
a run-in with Arctic wolves.
4.
Anyone who watched Frasier will probably remember Eddie, the charming Jack Russell.
The charismatic little dog was played by a Jack Russell named Moose.
Fans loved him so much that the canine got more fan mail than anyone else on the show,
including show star, Kelsey Grammer.
3.
If you were alive between 1995 and 1998, you likely remember Wishbone, the time-traveling
canine literature expert of the multiple award-winning PBS Kids series of the same name.
Wishbone was known as "the little dog with a big imagination”.
Wishbone was played by a Jack Russell named Soccer, who got his name thanks to the small
dots on his ear resembling a soccer ball.
He went on to star in more than 50 episodes of Wishbone and even a movie called Wishbone's
Dog Days of the West.
2.
Jack Russell terriers come in three different kinds of waterproof coats: smooth, rough,
and broken.
Smooth coats have short hair that clings closely to the body, rough coats have long hair, and
broken coats have a mix of both.
Jack Russells vary widely in size because different types were used for different purposes
and terrain.
They range in height from 10 to 15 inches at the shoulder and weigh 13 to 17 pounds.
1.
When the American Kennel Club decided to recognize the Jack Russell Terrier, it wasn't well-received
in the United States, stirring a bit of a civil war.
They already had their own registry, the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America, with very
strict standards, and didn't see any good that could come out of AKC recognition.
Another group of fanciers felt differently and formed the Parson Russell Terrier Association
of the United States, the AKC parent club for the breed.
The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1997, and the name was changed to Parson
Russell Terrier in 2003.
The dogs themselves don’t seem to care.
They have plenty of fervent adherents on both sides of the fence.
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