Russell Terrier

The Russell Terrier is a small, mostly white working terrier with a strong instinct to hunt prey underground. It descends from the fox-working terriers of the clergyman Jack Russell in 19th-century England, but it was developed and standardized as a breed in Australia.

History

Jack Russell’s terriers were bred for fox hunting. They were much smaller than the show Fox Terrier and stayed working dogs. After his death, Jack Russell Terrier became a loose name for any mainly white terrier that worked below ground, not the name of one breed. All that mattered was the color, the will to work in the earth and a size that allowed it.

Jack Russell Terrier clubs began forming in the early 1970s, first in Great Britain and then around the world. The Jack Russell Terrier Club of Australia, founded in 1972, set up a thorough registration system and a formal standard, and opened talks with the national kennel club. Australia was the first country to standardize this 10 to 12 inch dog through kennel club recognition, under the name Jack Russell Terrier. Recognition by the FCI countries followed.

The name was already used in the United States and England for other dogs. For that reason a terrier that fits the Australian and FCI standard is called simply a Russell Terrier in the US. The United Kennel Club accepted the breed in 2001, and the American Kennel Club took it into its Foundation Stock Service on December 8, 2004, on the basis of the FCI standard. The AKC parent club brought in its own standard in 2010. The breed is kept separate from the Parson Russell Terrier.

Appearance

The Russell Terrier stands 10 to 12 inches (25–30 cm) tall. Its outline is rectangular, with the body slightly longer than the legs, which sets it apart from the Parson Russell Terrier. The chest is small and flexible enough to be spanned by a person’s hands, which lets the dog work efficiently underground.

Temperament

Although popular as a companion in the United States, the Russell is a working breed, and breeders aim to keep its working build and instincts. It takes part in earthwork, go-to-ground, agility, rally, obedience and tracking, and some serve as therapy and service dogs.

Care and health

An inherited form of ataxia has been known in the Russell group of terriers for more than 50 years, often with myokymia and seizures. A 2014 study identified the gene responsible, KCNJ10. The condition also affects the Parson Russell and Jack Russell Terriers.

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