Jack Russell Terriers Are Big Energy in Little Packages

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog, but its stature belies its incredible strength, boundless joy and endless energy.

The Jack Russell is a predominantly white-bodied (the standard is 51 percent) dog. The breed's origins are in fox hunting. Although the name "Jack Russell" has been used to categorize a vast array of small, while terriers, it now most often refers to a working terrier -- not to be confused with a Parson Russell Terrier, which was created in recent years by narrowing the Jack Russell standard (the Parson Russell Terrier is much more likely to be found in a show ring than in the hunting fields).

On their mostly white bodies, Jack Russell Terriers can have black, tan or tri-color markings (these markings are most often found on the face and at the base of the tail). They have small, v-shaped ears that should fold forward. Their teeth, encased in strong jaws, should have a scissor bite.

There are three different coat types for Jack Russells -- smooth, broken and rough. All should be dense, not soft or feathery. The tail of the Jack Russell should be straight and held high and upright. Tails are usually docked to about 5 inches. Legs should be straight.

Jack Russells can be great pets in the right homes. Owners should understand that by virtue of what they were bred to do -- hunt and alert their masters that they had found prey -- they are very vocal dogs. They are extremely intelligent and energetic.

Despite the fact that they are relatively small, prospective owners who want a lap dog may want to look for a breed other than the Jack Russell. Although the dog will sit in a lap, the breed is one that requires training and a significant and consistent routine of exercise to channel its energy and mind.

Owners who don't do their homework and don't have time to work and play with their with their Jack Russells may end up with dogs that bark excessively, run off or dig in the yard. In America, there are a large number of Jack Russell rescue networks that work to find permanent or temporary homes for dogs whose owners discovered too late that their homes were not conducive for the breed.

Jack Russells usually play well with children, but adult supervision may be necessary because the dogs will not take even unintentional abuse. They are typically friendly with other dogs, although they have a tendency toward same-sex aggression issues. Unaware that they are small, they can get themselves into dangerous situations with larger dogs.

Their instincts can also take over and make them aggressive toward cats, hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs.

Jack Russell clubs and organizations generally shun larger kennel clubs and discourage inbreeding. Because of this, most Jack Russells come from healthy gene pools and can live very long lives -- as long as 14 to 21 years. As with all breeds, there are some health concerns for Jack Russells. They include cataracts and congenital deafness.

Jack Russell Terriers, which were named for the Rev. John Russell, an English parson and hunter born in 1795, are often confused with other terriers, such as the Australian Jack Russell Terrier or the Russell Terrier. These two breeds were accepted into the United Kennel Club in 2001, and were developed in Australia from dogs that came from England, according to information at online encyclopedia www.wikipedia.com.

Russell bought a small, tan-and-white female terrier from the milkman. With this dog, whose name was Trump, Russell's goal was to develop a terrier specifically for fox hunting -- one with great amounts and stamina and courage as well as the right body type to get into tight places. He also wanted to make sure the dogs he bred would not be so aggressive that they would hurt the animals they were chasing.

According to wikipedia.com., it is unlikely that all Jack Russells of today are Trump's descendants, as Russell had several spells of financial difficulty and had to sell all his dogs more than once. When Russell died in 1883, he had four aged and non-breeding terriers left.

Named for him though they are, the Rev. Jack Russell's dogs were not Jack Russell Terriers. Rather, they were Fox terriers. The name Jack Russell Terrier came into being well after Russell had died, and was used to differentiate between larger, non-working Fox Terriers and small working terriers.

According to American Kennel Club (AKC) publications, color, gait and expression are all very important elements in the working terrier class -- but they are not as important as the dog's chest size.

"If a terrier is too large to get to the ground, it is virtually worthless as a working dog," information at the AKC Web site said.

And for Jack Russell Terriers, getting to the ground was important when they were first bred -- the traditional Jack Russell was developed to hunt red fox, which den in any number of underground spaces. Simply put, the Jack Russell's chest could not be larger than the chest of the animal it was pursuing, as the dog had to be small enough to follow the red fox into whatever drain pipe, crawl space or rabbit hole it ran into. The average red fox -- and Jack Russell Terrier -- weighs about 14 pounds and has a chest that is 12 to 14 inches in circumference at the widest part.

There are many Jack Russell clubs. The largest registry in the work is the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America. The JRTCA promotes the breed as a working terrier, and its highest award is for working dogs. It has an open registry, and individual dogs are eligible for registration after they reach one year of age and have had a veterinary inspection.

Jack Russells have been seen in American television shows such as "Frasier," "Wishbone" and "Malcolm in the Middle." They have appeared on the big screen in the films "Crimson Tide" and "My Dog Skip."