Many readers will correctly guess that when we write, “The Teddy Roosevelt Terrier isn’t one of them, but the Russell Terrier, Parson Russell Terrier and Border Terrier are,” we’re referring to terriers that are “spanned” during an evaluation.

Spanning is a hands-on examination where the person evaluating a dog wraps both hands around the terrier’s chest to feel whether it is small and flexible enough to work underground.  As of this writing, the Parson Russell Terrier, Border Terrier, and the Russell Terrier are the only three AKC terrier breeds that require spanning per their breed standards.

The Teddy Roosevelt Terrier standard doesn’t call for spanning (and says so) because this low-set, rectangular, muscular farm dog was bred to work mostly above ground, not to squeeze through tight spots that demand a highly compressible chest, so its standard never added a spanning requirement.

The Border Terrier standard does, however, and spanning is so important in evaluating a Parson Russell Terrier that it is mentioned six times in the AKC breed standard. It even concludes with a helpful “how to” paragraph:

To measure a terrier’s chest, span from behind, raising only the front feet from the ground, and compress gently. Directly behind the elbows is the smaller, firm part of the chest. The central part is usually larger but should feel rather elastic. Span with hands tightly behind the elbows on the forward portion of the chest. The chest must be easily spanned by average size hands. Thumbs should meet at the spine and fingers should meet under the chest. This is a significant factor and a critical part of the judging process. The dog cannot be correctly judged without this procedure.

While the Russell Terrier standard does not mention the “s” word as frequently as the Parson Russell Terrier standard does, the section on the chest leaves no doubt about the importance of a compressible chest. The standard describes this attribute as not only the hallmark of the breed, but the single most important feature allowing the Russell Terrier to work efficiently below ground. An incorrectly shaped, unspannable, uncompressible chest that falls below the dog’s elbow is a severe fault. The dog’s chest should be small enough that average adult hands can span the chest right behind the elbows, roughly 14 to 15 inches in circumference at the biggest part.

If we may opine, but this guidance is not terribly helpful to many women (and some men) who are evaluating a Russell Terrier. We did, however, come across a more effective tip in the American Russell Terrier Club’s Amplified Guide. A standard computer CD is about 14 to 15 inches in circumference. Evaluators need only visualize their hands encircling a CD to gauge their hand span in relation to that circumference, and then transfer that mental picture to the dog’s chest. From the quick test, they should be able to determine the dogs chest size, chest shape, and the compressibility of the chest.

We’d like to leave you with a scenario (completely fabricated) that might more fully illustrate the importance of this chest.

“Marlene” is a sweet Cavalier King Charles who lives next door to “Pinkus,” a spunky Russell Terrier who is the love of her life. Pinkus is brave. Pinkus has adventures. Pinkus regales Marlene with his exploits, and Marlene loves hearing them.

One day, Pinkus has followed a critter deep underground into a narrow, twisting tunnel that is barely wider than a dinner plate. He’s a good eight to ten feet away from daylight when behind him, loose soil suddenly slumps, squeezing the passage like a closing fist. Oh no!

Were Pinkus a dog with a round, rigid rib cage, he would have nowhere to go because his chest is the same size whether he breathes in or out, and the tunnel has just become a cork around his body. But Pinkus is a correctly made Russell Terrier.  Pinkus has an oval, compressible chest and flexible rib spring that can flatten slightly allowing him to turn his shoulders, and “flow” forward or backward through that tight spot, instead of being wedged into place.

In that moment, the difference between a spannable, elastic chest and a big, barrel one is not about a ribbon in the ring; it is the difference between Marlene ever seeing Pinkus again, or Pinkus becoming a dog that never sees daylight again.

Spanning, then, is not a quaint ritual or a nod to tradition—it is a functional test tied directly to a terrier’s original purpose. In breeds where it is required, it separates the merely correct outline from the truly workable dog. A terrier that can be spanned is one that can do the job it was bred for, with the structure to enter, maneuver, and—critically—return. And in a world far removed from the earths these dogs once worked, that quiet, hands-on assessment remains one of the most meaningful ways we honor the breed’s history, preserve its function, and ensure that dogs like Pinkus are built not just to chase adventure, but to survive it.

Photo of the fabulous Chester, a 10 month old Russell Terrier at the time the picture was taken. His photo was shared with us a while back by Sue Jeffrey who told us he has what is called a “broken coat” – not fully wire haired, but not a smooth coat either