Where the Jack Russell Terrier came from
The Jack Russell comes from England and is named for the Reverend John Russell, a fox-hunting parson in the 1800s. He is said to have started his line in 1819 with a small white and tan terrier named Trump, bought from a milkman. He wanted a terrier with the courage and stamina to follow a fox underground and bolt it out for the hunt.
Other breeders took up the type and bred for working ability rather than a fixed look, so sizes and leg lengths vary. The AKC lists the longer-legged type as the Parson Russell Terrier and the shorter-legged type as the Russell Terrier. The Jack Russell Terrier Club of America keeps the Jack Russell name.
The AKC first recognized the breed in 1997 as the Jack Russell Terrier, and changed the name to Parson Russell Terrier in 2003. Today they are active pets and sport dogs, and they still go to ground after rodents given the chance.
- 1819 Russell buys a small terrier named Trump, who is said to start his line of hunting terriers
- 1997 The AKC recognizes the breed as the Jack Russell Terrier
- 2003 The AKC renames it the Parson Russell Terrier
The job a Jack Russell Terrier was bred for
The job was running with the hunt, then going into the earth and facing a fox. The dog had to be tireless, bold and willing to work alone. At home that means a dog with a motor that does not turn off, a love of digging, and a loud voice.
Sports that fit a Jack Russell Terrier
- Earthdog. This is the original work done safely.
- Agility. Quick, tireless and fun to watch.
- Barn hunt. A fun way to use their rat-finding instincts.
- Flyball. They love fast ball games.
- Disc. They like chasing and catching.
Training tips for a Jack Russell Terrier
- Give them a daily job and a lot of exercise. A tired Jack Russell is a good one.
- Teach an off switch: rewards for settling on a mat.
- Use short, fast sessions and play. Repeating things bores them.
- Fence the yard well. They climb, dig and bolt.
Body and health
They are tough, but long jumps from heights can hurt their legs and back. Watch for knee problems.
Fun fact. Reverend John Russell was one of the founding members of the Kennel Club in England in 1873.
Breed is where we start
A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Jack Russell Terrier is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.
Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.