The Jack Russell Terrier is a British breed of small terrier. It is principally white-bodied and smooth-, rough- or broken-coated, and can be any colour. It derives from dogs bred and used for fox-hunting in North Devon in the early nineteenth century by a country parson , Jack Russell — for whom the breed is named — and has similar origins to the modern Fox Terrier.
Though closely similar, it is a distinct and different breed from the Parson Russell Terrier. Jack Russells are an energetic breed that rely on a high level of exercise and stimulation. It has gone through several changes over the years, corresponding to different use and breed standards set by kennel clubs. Recognition by kennel clubs for the Jack Russell breed has been opposed by the breed's parent societies — which resulted in the breeding and recognition of the Parson Russell terrier.
Jack Russells have appeared many times in film, television, and print — with several historical dogs of note. The small white fox-working terriers we know today were first bred by the Reverend John "Jack" Russell , a parson and hunting enthusiast born in , [ 4 ] and they can trace their origin to the now extinct English white terrier.
An important attribute in this dog was a tempered aggressiveness that would provide the necessary drive to pursue and bolt the fox, without resulting in physical harm to the quarry and effectively ending the chase, which was considered unsporting. It is unlikely, however, that any dogs alive today can be proved to be descendants from Trump, as Russell was forced to sell all his dogs on more than one occasion because of financial difficulty, and had only four aged and non-breeding terriers left when he died in The Fox terrier and Jack Russell terrier type dogs of today are all descended from dogs of that period.
However, documented pedigrees earlier than have not been found. Several records remain of documented breeding by John Russell between the s and s. The Fox Terrier Club was formed in with Russell as one of the founder members; its breed standard was aspiration, and not a description of how the breed appeared then. By the start of the 20th century, the Fox Terrier had altered more towards the modern breed, but in some parts of the country the old style of John Russell's terriers remained, and it is from those dogs that the modern Jack Russell type has descended.
