Viewing Single Post From: Parson Russell Terrier

Viewing Single Post From: Parson Russell Terrier
RJL	Jul 11 2007, 11:11 AM
Chatterbox Posts: 1,387 Group: Full Members Member #179 Joined: January 25, 2006	It's not so confusing really...... What people tend to forget is that at the time Parson Russell was creating a strain of hunt terriers to his own specification (hound-marked, long-legged, able to run with hounds etc) there were other sporting parsons / huntsmen etc. connected to mounted packs all over the country who were striving to breed better and better working terriers too. Maybe Parson R's dogs were just exceptionally brilliant, or maybe he was just well-connected and able to spread the word about his dogs better than some, but somehow, the name gradually began to embrace the working-style fox terrier, as opposed to the dogs that were registered with the Kennel Club as Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers. Imagine the gene pool splitting 3 ways: the show dogs and subsequently the show-strain dogs that were bred and sold in huge numbers for the pet market - these are the Smooth and Wire Fox Terriers we know today. No.2: The working terriers bred for earth work. It is reasonable to assume that many hunts' terriers resembled the strain created by the parson. Remember though, it was a strain, not a breed. No.3: The odds and sods, if you like: the dogs that had either working terrier or KC regd. Fox Terrier somewhere in their genes, but were just bred through accidental matings, as pets and with no real purpose behind their breeding. Cracking little dogs, but it is these guys who have got everyone in a muddle :lol: Over time (who knows why?!) Jack Russell became the name used to describe any hound-marked terrier, regardless of leg length or provenance. Until..... .....a group of enthusiasts decided they were going to 'rescue' the type of terrier that fitted the blueprint created by Parson R. thus distinguishing between the leggy, working terrier the Parson envisaged and all the other little doglets referd to as 'Jack Russells' As a result, the Parson Jack Russell was granted KC recognnition, so from that moment on, only KC registered dogs could cal themselves 'Parson Jack Russells' However, confusion still reigned: many people still wanted to call their dogs Jack Russells, regardless of KC registration (or not) so in an attempt to clarify things, the KC dropped the 'Jack' and the KC Registered breed became Parson Russell Terriers. So.....a dog is only a Parson Russell if he/she is KC registered as such, regardless of original ancestory or purpose :blink: Controversial bit now....if the KC judges and exhibitors had taken more interest in hunting rather than showing for showing's sake, maybe the KC Wire and Smooth Fox Terriers would still resemble the Parson's ideal terrier and we wouldn't all be so baffled! Even now, folk are still creating their own strains. In the 80s, Brian Plummer crossed Jack Russell types with beagles and staffies to produce the ultimate rat-kiling machine and created a strain called Plummer Terriers that breed true to type, have their own breed club and hold their own shows. It doesn't mean every copper and white smooth-coated terrier is a Plummer Terrier though :)


Parson Russell Terrier · Breed Profiles