Mary Allen
The Parson Russell Terrier is a lively and spirited dog with a friendly nature that can be found in many German families. All information about the history, husbandry, and care can be found here in the profile.
History of the Parson Russell Terrier
The British pastor John Russell was a passionate hunter and dog breeder. Despite enormous costs, he kept a pack of foxhounds. When breeding, he attached great importance to the fact that the dogs could scare the fox out of the burrow and keep up with the horse. In Australia, a fox plague was contained thanks to these intelligent dogs alone. The dogs were first known as “Working Terriers” but were later named “Jack Russell Terriers” in honor of their breeder. The male Carlisle Tack was a particularly successful descendant of his dogs, who is now considered the ancestor of the Parson Russell.
Since the terrier was bred purely for performance, there was no uniform appearance for a long time and the dogs were rarely seen at exhibitions. So there was a wide range of sizes from short-legged to long-legged. Today, the FCI separates the two breeds, with the smaller being referred to as the Jack Russell Terrier and the larger as the Parson Russell Terrier. Since 2001, this larger breed has been recognized as an independent breed and is classified in FCI Group 3, Section 1 “Tall Terriers”. The Parson can hardly be found as a hunting dog in Germany today and is popular with families.
Nature and Character Traits
The Parson Russell Terrier is a lively and spirited dog with a great deal of self-confidence. Like a typical terrier, he is brave and independent. The dogs do not avoid fights and tend to overestimate themselves, especially when fighting with larger conspecifics. In general, the small terriers have a low stimulus threshold and react quickly, irascibly, and loudly. With good socialization, Parsons also gets along with conspecifics and other animals without any problems. Dogs that like to work feel most comfortable in nature. They can be very stubborn and willful. Most Parsons have a strong hunting instinct, but you can get it under control with enough consistency. A typical Parson Terrier is nevertheless very playful and gets along great with children.
Purchase of a Parson Russell Terrier
What do I need to pay attention to when purchasing?
Even though terriers look so cute and are always friendly, don’t let their looks fool you. Before you get a Parson Russell Terrier, you need to realize that he is anything but a lap dog. The agile dog with a life expectancy of up to 15 years is active his entire life and wants to be kept busy. So the dog needs a sporty person who can challenge it physically and mentally. A house with a large garden would be best; with appropriate exercise, an apartment is also fine. You can calculate around €1,000 for a purebred puppy from a breeder. A great alternative to this is to get a poor person or mongrel from the animal shelter. A little more dog experience can be an advantage here, however, since the dogs are usually already fully grown. For a small fee, you can give an innocently distressed animal a new chance with you.
Puppy development and education
The Parson Russell is very easy to train and needs consistent training, especially when young. The spirited dogs test their limits, especially when they are puppies, and need strict rules. If the dog doesn’t know who the pack leader is, it can quickly become dominant. With the help of rewards and loving treatment, you can show the puppy what it can and cannot do right from the start. The puppy is happy about any kind of attention and likes to work together with his two-legged friend. With a lot of commitment and time, even a beginner can master this task, but some dog experience would be better.
How Do I Keep a Parson Russell Terrier?
Activities with the Parson Russell Terrier
The Parson Russell Terrier is a companion dog that is suited to a wide range of activities. The dogs need a lot of exercises and want to go for a walk in nature every day. You can also take the terrier with you for hiking, jogging, or horseback riding with a good education. It would be ideal to also do a dog sport where he can really let off steam. Activities such as agility, but also a normal ball and search games are well suited. If the weather is bad, you can keep the Parson busy with intelligence toys or little tricks. In general, make sure that your dog is well utilized and gets neither too much nor too little activity.
Health and care
In general, grooming the terrier is not very problematic. It is sufficient if you brush the dog regularly and remove dirt. You should trim the wire-haired representatives of the breed regularly because of their three-layer coats. It is best to carefully pluck the excess hair by hand and not to use a heavy machine, as this can destroy the fur structure. It is best to get your dog used to having its teeth, claws, and eyes checked regularly at an early age.