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History
The Parson
Russell Terrier was developed in 19th century England by a clergyman
named Parson John Russell. This feisty little terrier was used to hunt
small game, particularly fox, by digging the quarry out of its den. The
energetic and playful Parson Russell makes a good family companion. The
Parson Jack Russell Terrier Club was formed to preserve and promote the
old type of West County Terrier who had been bred and worked since the
Parson’s lifetime. This breed was recognised by the English
Kennel Club in 1990.
and in 1999 its name was changed to the Parson
Russell Terrier, to avoid confusion with the short-legged Jack Russell’s
who have been recognised by other governing bodies.
The breed was definitely
recognized by the F.C.I. on June 4th 2001
when
the breed number 339 was established.
Temperament
This is a dog that thrives on action and adventure. In the process, it
often finds itself in the middle of trouble. It is a true hunter at
heart and will explore, wander, chase and dig when it gets a chance. It
is very playful and intelligent. It gets along well with children and
strangers. It can be scrappy with strange dogs, but is better than many
terriers. It does well with horses, but it may chase cats and is not
good with rodents. It may tend to bark and dig. It makes an ideal
companion for an active person with a good sense of humour who wants a
lot of entertainment-and mischief-in one dog.
Upkeep
The Parson Russell needs a lot of mental and physical stimulation every
day. It is not a dog that can sit around inside. It needs a long walk or
strenuous game every day, plus a short training session. It enjoys the
chance to explore on its own, but it must do so only in a safe area
because it tends to go off in search of trouble, and some go down holes
and must be dug out! It can live outdoors in temperate climates. It does
best when allowed access to a house and yard, and it is not a good
apartment dog. Coat care for the smooth type consists only of weekly
brushing to remove dead hair; for the broken coat it also consists of
occasional hand stripping.
Official Breed Standard
GENERAL APPEARANCE:
Workmanlike, active and agile;
built for speed and endurance.
Characteristics:
Essentially a
working terrier with ability and conformation to go to ground and run
with hounds.
Temperament:
Bold and friendly.
Head and Skull:
Flat, moderately broad,
gradually narrowing to the eyes. Shallow stop. Length from nose to stop
slightly shorter than from stop to occiput. Nose black.
Eyes:
Almond shaped, fairly deep-set,
dark keen expression.
Ears:
Small V-shaped, dropping
forward, carried close to head, fold not to appear above top of skull.
Mouth:
Jaws
strong, muscular. Teeth with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite,
i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to
the jaws.
Neck:
Clean, muscular, of good
length, gradually widening to shoulders.
Forequarters:
Shoulders long and sloping,
well laid back, cleanly cut at withers. Legs strong, must be straight
with joints turning neither in nor out. Elbows close to body, working
free of the sides.
Body:
Chest of moderate depth,
capable of being spanned behind the shoulders by average size hands.
Back strong and straight. Loin slightly
arched. Well balanced, length of back from withers to root of tail equal
to height from withers to ground.
Hindquarters:
Strong, muscular with good
angulation and bend of stifle. Hocks short and parallel giving plenty of
drive.
Feet:
Compact with firm pads, turning
neither in nor out.
Tail:
Strong, straight, set on high.
Preferably docked with length complimenting the body while providing a
good handhold.
Gait/Movement:
Free, lively, well
co-ordinated; straight action front and behind.
Coat:
Naturally harsh, close and
dense, whether rough or smooth. Belly and undersides coated. Skin must
be thick and loose.
Colour:
Entirely white or predominantly
white with markings which are tan, lemon or black, or any combination of
these colours, preferably confined to head or root of tail.
Height:
Dogs ideally 36 cms (14 ins) at
withers. Bitches ideally 33 cms (13 ins) at
withers. 2,5 cm above or below ideal height is acceptable.
Faults:
Any departure from the
foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with
which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its
degree.
Note:
Male animals should have two
apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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