04/06/2022
What’s in a name? Don’t be fooled!
There are many different breeds of dogs. Most were originally bred for a specific purpose, whether herding, pointing birds or simply as lap dogs. The “real” Jack Russell Terrier was bred to work an English Fox underground. Not only do these terriers need the correct structure to enable them to venture into a dark, deep hole and face a very formidable quarry; they need the heart, intelligence and courage to do so. Breeders of true working Jack Russell Terriers did NOT want kennel club recognition. Why? There are two main reasons. The first is the "almighty dollar" factor. Simply put, the more dogs registered with the AKC, the richer the organization gets. While the AKC once prioritized the protection and quality of purebred dogs, it now doesn’t care how those dogs are bred and cared for. AKC papers guarantee nothing in terms of animal care—nothing about a dog’s health, quality, behavior or even whether the pup’s parents were bred early, or repeatedly or kept in humane conditions. Many AKC-registered pups sold at pet stores and online (even ROM "Register of Merit" Breeders) later turn out to be sick or have expensive, painful genetic defects. The same is true for other dog registries. But because the AKC and its member clubs sponsor many Best in Show competitions such as Westminster, many puppy buyers are duped into thinking AKC papers denote a healthy, well-treated animal.
Secondly, the Kennel Club has a long history of show ring breeders changing the majority of breeds to a dog that can no longer perform its original purpose. One only has to look at all the gun shy and/or stupid Sporting breeds, the unsound Working breeds or the pitiful brachycephalic breeds that cannot breathe or even breed properly! A prime example is the Kennel Club Fox Terrier. When they were first recognized in England in the late 1800’s, they looked very similar to today’s Jack Russell Terrier. Show ring fads led to a dog with extremely straight shoulder angulation, a deep, un-spannable chest and a ridiculously long muzzle. Show Fox Terriers no longer have the conformation to work underground; even less the desire to do so! So the breed itself has mutated away from it's working base. Many of us did not want to see that happen to the Jack Russell Terrier.
The Jack Russell Terrier was developed in England over two hundred years ago. The JRTCA, founded in 1976, is the oldest and largest breed club for the Jack Russell Terrier. It’s Registry is unique in the dog world as it requires each dog to be registered individually, at one year of age and after a Veterinarian’s certification, etc. Moreover, the JRTCA Registry will not accept Terriers with genetic faults or close inbreeding. This is opposed to the Kennel Club’s registering entire litters at birth without any critical health documentation! The JRTCA is affiliated to the Jack Russell Club of Great Britain (JRTCGB), the breed club for the Jack Russell Terrier in England, its country of origin.
So how did we get to the point where there are now Jack Russell Terriers, Parson Russell Terriers, and Russell Terriers? Some years ago there was a lawsuit. In a very oversimplified explanation, our trademarked name "Parson Terrier" was sold to the American Kennel Club and stipulations put on that the breed standard and name must be different. The JRTCA standard allows for terriers between 10" and 15" recognizing that there is a need for different sized terriers for different jobs and terrain. The Parson Standard only allows for terriers that are between 12"-15". Now, many of the current “winning” Parsons are un-spannable, partly due to the fact that many KC Judges are licensed to judge different breeds, and the vast majority of them have never worked a terrier and don’t appreciate the importance of chest size, etc. Sadly, they don’t even know how to properly span a terrier. There are also a lot of 16”+ AKC Parsons around as a result of such a narrow height standard! It should also be noted that the Parson was recognized with a very small number of terriers in their initial gene pool and is now showing the effects of inbreeding and the introduction of other breeds.
Now we come to the Russell Terrier. This breed originated in Australia and bears little resemblance physically and mentally to a real Jack Russell Terrier. They are short legged, standing between 10"-12" and are rectangular in shape rather than the squarer stance of the Jack Russell and Parson Russells. Sure, they can be cute but, in my opinion, they are a bad imitation of both! They are the “stuffed, plush toy” version of a JRT. It’s like they took out all the “terrier” in them. And again, they have all the same problems associated with Kennel Club registrations as the Parson Russells.
So...there are three breeds stemming from all of this. 5 if you consider the Smooth and Wire-coated Fox Terriers; even more if you add in the mongrel aberrations of “Irish” Jack Russells and “Mini” Jack Russells you’ll sometimes see advertised. This is not to say that there are no Russell or Parson Terriers that hunt underground. Just as this is not to say that every JRTCA Jack Russell Terrier hunts or is able to fit. There may even be a few Fox Terriers that still hunt. And I do not mean ratting or chasing rabbits and squirrels above ground.... I mean legitimate earthwork. To completely ignore the core purpose for a breed is to risk losing the very traits that make it what it is. Yes, the JRTCA has terrier trials where many dogs are judged solely on their conformation. Yes, people will argue that those shows are also taking the focus away from the purpose of the breed. However, many of our conformation judges are also working judges who have spent many hours in the field hunting with terriers and understand the priorities within our breed standard. All JRTCA Conformation Judges are required to have in-depth, first-hand experience of terrier work.
The bottom line is that there are three “Breeds” now and many times social media, articles and TV shows lump the JRT in with the other two or make it sound like they are all one in the same. The Jack Russell Terrier is registered and recognized by the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America and has been for decades prior to either the Parson or the Russell being recognized by the AKC. There are three different breeds that look similar but do your homework and choose wisely if you want a REAL Jack Russell Terrier!
Carlisle Tack (Fox Terrier born 1884)
