Origin

In the 19th century a minister of England created the Parson Russell Terrier. His target was to create a dog that would be excellent in hunting of small animals. The breed has remained totally same over years except the name. Till 2003 the dog was called the Jack Russell Terrier.

General Description

This dog is really small in shape and they have a small but muscular body. Their chest is small and it helps them to reach the holes of the foxes. They have small head and a small muzzle in the same level as the head with a black nose at the tip. Their neck is of average size and their back side is level. They have two big eyes set apart and they are black in colour. Their tail is long and curved a bit at the tip. The Parson Russell Terrier has small ears folded in front. Their coat is mainly of two types. Some may have a smooth one or some may have rough coat. They are mainly found in white colours with black spots.

Character

The Parson Russell Terrier were basically used for hunting foxes. Basically they are devoted to their master and gentle and loving in nature. They are the sole companion of their master provided he is dominant and experienced in keeping pets. They are excellent guard dogs and they are also very much protective of their families and homes. The Parson Russell Terrier is very much well behaved to strangers and they also remain happy and excellent towards children. This breed is very obedient and always want to please others. This is an intelligent , brave and trustworthy breed.

Temperament

The Parson Russell Terrier has a very stable temperament and that’s why they make a great companion. They are very good to children but they should not be left alone with children as it is a very strong and powerful breed. They are excellent to other dogs but a watch should always be kept on their temperament. These dogs are very confident and easy to deal with. They are very loyal in nature and are a real good companion to their masters. Sometimes they are very destructive and aggressive due to bad breeding but that does not happen always. Generally they are good to strangers but mainly their behaviour toward strangers vary. Sometimes they are good but sometimes they are also reserved and protective.

Training

The Parson Russell Terrier is very difficult to train as they are a very energetic breed. In spite of being an intelligent breed they are very much adamant in nature. For this reason a firm training is required from a dominant and experienced trainer. Training should be started from an early age otherwise it would be very late once they grow old.

Health

The Parson Russell Terrier is generally a healthy breed compared to other breeds. But they are sometimes affected by some very known diseases like hip dysplasia, eye cataract and heart problems. Their average life span is 9-15 years and their average litter rate is 5-10.