Parson Russell Terrier History, Grooming Tips, Temperament and Living Condtions

The Parson Russell terrier is similar in appearance to the Jack Russell terrier, although it is recognized worldwide as a separate breed. These dogs stand some 12-14 inches in height, with a weight of between 14 and 18 pounds. They have a medium boned body, to which their head appears to be in good proportion. They are very active, have a lively nature, and tend to be able to run very quickly due to their quite long legs. They were bred originally as working dogs and as such require a reasonable amount of exercise, and attention. The coat is naturally Harsh and can feel wiry to the touch. They are predominantly white in colour with patches of tan or black.

History. The Parson Russell terrier, was previously known as the Parson Jack Russell terrier, and was first bred in Devon by a clergyman called John Russell. They were first bred for foxhunting, they would run with the pack keeping up with the horses, but were small enough to flush the foxes from a den. They are very closely related to the Jack Russell. The Jack was dropped from the name of the Parson Jack Russell terrier after a dispute, in America, put forward by the Jack Russell terrier Association, who did not want confusion between the two breeds. The Jack Russell terrier Association did not want to be associated with any other breeds of dog, no matter how closely related.

Temperament. The Parson Russell terrier is fearless and energetic with an apparent devil may care attitude. They tend to get on best with owners of a similar ilk, although the owner would need to exercise a reasonable level of patience, and as they are inquisitive dogs a sense of humour will definitely help. They are a sociable dog and get on well with children; small children should be supervised in playing with the dog as there can be problems if the dog is handled roughly. Since they were bred as hunting dogs, it is not normally a good idea to leave them alone with small pets.

Generally speaking because of their eager to please nature and great intelligence, they are fairly easy to train. Due to their size and level of energy, they can get themselves into trouble on the odd occasion, as they can fit into some very small areas, because of their breeding and inquisitive nature, they tend to like exploring holes.

Health issues. They tend to suffer very few health problems with a lifespan of approximately 15 years. Some are prone to dislocation of the kneecaps and inherited eye diseases, deafness has also been known. Apart from that there are few problems.

Grooming. They are an easy dog to groom, using a comb and firm brush. Bathing is only performed as necessary.

Living conditions. As is common with terriers, and hunting dogs, lots of exercise is required by this breed. They are ideally suited to a medium-sized garden, or larger. Whilst they can be kept in an apartment; obviously, a lot of exercise is essential. If your dog is allowed to become bored and left alone for long periods of time, there will undoubtedly be problems.