What is a Jack Russell?

[Daveo 61]

As per title what is a russell?

Are they a distinct breed or where they originally another breed thats been changed so much they are not what they originally where?

Im sure i once read the original Russells where fox terriers? What happened there then?

Also while we are on the subject whats a Parsons type russell?

I hope someone can clarfy things.

[wilko 1]

terriers have been about for millenium but its belived revrend russell bought a terrier from a milkman in the street witch was called trump.. a prodomantly white bodied terrier witch was undoutedly crossed with whatever stock he had at the time .in doing so he starded to create a strain of terrier kown as hunt terriers witch he used for his love of fox hunting these terriers prodamantly white bodied was to become known as jack russels . witch really are a mixed bunch of mogrels it wasnt untill later when they started to breed to standard an the kennel club breeders got involved that they became known as parsons russells . although any white bodied terrier may be classed as a jack russell this coudnt be further from the tuth.. as in truth they are just a complete mix of many diffrent crosses and breeds mainly white bodied an all to become kown as the famouse jack russell.. and whatever thier makeup .. the dog world would be shit without them.......

[wilko 1]

as you say the fox terrier was to play a vital role in the desighn of the jack as i belive they are a far older breed of dog .an you can still see obviouse sighns of them into todays russells .it is stated that russell didnt care for the looks of the dog as long as it worked to its job in hand. and he let his best dogs live in by the fire and sleep on his bed .later refrences have found this to be untrue although no one can take away his knoledge of yhe hunting world an the breeding of dogs of witch he claims he would never sell a dog. other claim he would have no complaints about breeding dogs buying ans selling dogs for his own fortune aswell as horses.. as claiming he would never get involved in the show craze . but ther are refences to him judging at early kennel clubs shows at crysal palace in south london were the showing of dogs was a very big past time for early dog fanciers.. whatever the man an his name as left a legacy and a gem of a little dog.

[the_stig 6,614]

amen what betime reading you got your hands on wilko mate ..

[akton 15]

weres our dog specialist born2hunt we need info on these terriers mate

 

wiwikipedia

[dogs-n-natives 1,182]

The way I see it is... Jack Russels ARE (or should be) the working type fox terrier of the past, whereas the modern 'fox terriers' are show/pet bred dogs which have changed into something different looking by breeding for looks alone.

 

Same thing happened to the lakeland aswell, but they split into different strains (working and show) under the same name.

 

Borders went a different way with the boundries between workers and show stuff being a bit blurry, the breed has been over ruled by the greedy breeder with eyes on money and papers...

 

Patterdale owners will be affraid of the same ill fates that have changed terriers of the past, it is already happening with the breed, the money breeders, and others that get hold of the breed will not care for things such as conformation, gameness, fitness etc and in a few sad generations there will be pampered and trimmed measly specimens of so-called patts doing the rounds of crufts and earning their owners a quick proffit.... thats when you know a breed has been f****d.

 

JMO.... DnN

[wilko 1]

amen what betime reading you got your hands on wilko mate ..

all right stig .. only the the knoledge of many bedtime storys of my impecable library of jack books. witch had just had to learn an read up on .since having thr little feckers in our family since the early sixtys. although im only from the seventies... x x

[Daveo 61]

The reason this post came about is because i have a mate who is french (I know, I know. leave it he's alright really)

His family used to be big into terrier work back home and they used what he calls fox terriers the Wire haired type.

He would like to get a fox terrier here and believes it would hunt like a good un.

I said they are show dogs and he would be better off with a Russell.

Then we got to wondering how Russells came to be.

So there you go thanks for the info

[Daveo 61]

Cheers ill check it out.

[Malt 379]

I seem to remember reading that the JRT was bred from the old Black & tan terriers. They bred from the ones with the highest instances of countershading, (white bellies) until the dogs they bred were mostly white.

They were bred in the south of England to run with the mounted hunts, and ran amongst the hounds.

 

They were originally bred as baying types, as too flush the fox instead of killing it in the ground, so that the hunt could continue. The white dogs were less likely to be mistaken for the fox when the hounds were wound up, and they ran with the pack.

 

The dogs from the north of England, were also from the Black & tan terrier, but didn't need to be white as the land wasn't suitable for mounted hunting. They were also bred to kill the fox in the ground, as there was no need for the fox to be bolted.

 

The dogs in the south became the Jack Russell type, and the dogs from the noth became the fell type.

 

Like I say, it's only what I've read, if it's wrong I'm sure someone will correct me!