The Russell Terrier is not a Jack Russell Terrier which isn’t a Parson Russell Terrier, though they share a common ancestry and were all named after the Reverend John “Jack” Russell (1795 – 1883), a parson who lived in Devonshire, England during the 1800s. They were all bred to be confident, bold, and ferociously fierce, and as terriers, their job was to drive the prey out of its burrow for the hunters to catch. That said, the Jack Russell Terrier is smaller than the Parson but larger than the Russell Terrier. The Parson is the dog with the square body, while both the Russell and JRT have rectangular bodies.  Since there’s a size and appearance variation in the JRT, all Jack Russell Terriers that met a specific standard were renamed Parson Terriers. Both the Russell and Parson Terriers are recognized by the AKC, but the Jack Russell Terrier isn’t.

Got it? So show us your terriers below!

“Hang Over” by Debra Sisson
http://www.dailypainters.com/artists/artist_gallery/709/Debra-Sisson
www.debrasisson.blogspot.com