Jack Russell or Parson Russell?

I think I may have mentioned before that Jack Russell Terriers and Parson Russell Terriers are actually different from each other, but I guess I never told you how exactly this change happened. Well, when PRTs were first bred by a guy named Jack Russell, they were the long-legged version I told you about. Then, after the Reverend died, some people began crossing the Parson Russells with Welsh Corgis (at least, most people think so), and the Parson Russell-mixes suddenly had shorter legs and less-broadened chests, which is what Jack Russell Terriers are today. Still, most of the features of the PRT remain on the JRT, including having more than 50% white on their coat, v-shaped ears, and high-energy/stamina. Unfortunately, only Parson Russell Terriers are considered "show-dogs" out of the two; before anyone gets on my case for criticizing the Parson Russells, as a counter-attack...I own one. But I'm also not trying to say that Jacks are better than Parsons, or even German Shepherds, for all I care. A dog is a dog, and whatever those dog-show snobs think about it, I couldn't give a slice of toast about their opinion

Weird JRT News

Sometimes I wonder what goes through people's minds when they do these so-called crimes...In Willow, California, a Jack Russell Terrier was found to be vandalized--yes, vandalized--with a permanent marker. Among the things seen on the dog were a swastika, a tic-tac-toe board and lots of other markings that were apparently not present at birth. Whoever did this to the poor dog, please reflect on your little wrong-doing: Whatever "crime" you were trying to commit to impress your friends, family, or whatever really stinks. I mean, when you think of evil, it's usually not a vision of a dog being written on in Sharpie. Second, it's pretty lame that you did this only a few blocks away from the owner's house. Perhaps a little more logic? But please, don't take this away as a sign to commit another crime, because if you do, it's gonna end up being a cat that has stickers all over it or something, and you don't want to be laughed at again.

What do they do at dog trials?

A dog trial is supposed to "test" your dog's ability to function as it was bred to do, but seeing as most canines are used as companions rather than workers these days, that kind of thing is becoming obsolete. I don't really find it necessary to go to one of these, but it might be a good idea to go to one anyway. You never know if it might teach you a thing or two about the care and needs of your dog, or pick up people's opinions on how you're keeping up your pet. Example: "Boy, that dog is so fat! What'cha been feeding it, 'cause I think you eatin' the same thing!"

Part 3: History of the JRT

It's actually pretty rare for a dog breed to be so well documented throughout its history, but the Jack Russell Terrier (or Parson Russell Terrier) is one of those rare exceptions. They (or we humans, anyway) can trace their roots back to the late 1800s. It all started with a milkman. As he was delivering milk to Parson John "Jack" Russell, the Reverend spotted the milkman's dog, which was a mixed breed that was at least part White Fox Terrier. When he was interested in buying the dog, named Trump, he had absolutely no problem buying it. A few years later, with some careful breeding, he had created roughly what we now call the Jack Russell. Even after John Russell died, family and friends continued to make the JRT into the small, energy-filled, white dogs we cherish today.

Part 2: Care and Needs

Jack Russell Terriers, as I said in the last post, are energy balls disguised in fur. So, they need lots and lots of exercise, meaning an hour in the park AT THE BARE MINIMUM, but ideally Jacks should get about 4 hours of exercise each day. This will help to burn off some of that extra fidgeting and, sometimes, aggressiveness. It's pretty obvious when these dogs want to go out: They will whine, bark, and howl until they get what they want. Once your dog comes back into the house, how will you deal with all that dirt on his paws from digging (that's another story)? Because of their small size, they can usually be washed in the kitchen sink, but don't use dishwashing fluid for bathing; it may work for seagulls rescued from an oil spill, but it ain't gonna cut it for these guys. Instead, many hair care companies make special shampoos just for dogs, and there are different kinds of them for long-, medium-, or short-haired canines. Surprisingly, JRTs can range anywhere from short-haired to long, wired-haired, so you should choose what shampoo you get carefully. Finally, these little guys are chewers, so you should always have bones or other chew toys on hand. This may OR may not stop puppies from chewing things.

Part 1: Behavior

Guys, sorry I haven't posted sooner! I've had a pretty hectic week, with a bunch of stuff going on. Today, I'm going to talk to you about my first point: Jack Russell Behavior. As cute as they may seem, they are still a VERY big handful. They will bark at other dogs, yip and yap at people passing by, howl at dogs on the TV, and jump on strangers who come to your house. How do I know all this? I had (and have) to live it. Still, they make awesome companions, as they always want to play, lick, and lay on you. If you ever hear people talking about how awesome their Jack Russell is, chances are, they're probably not kidding. The bottom line is, if you're considering buying a JRT or a PRT (which has a very similar temperament), make sure to do extensive research on these little energy balls disguised in fur.

The Second Coming

Yo guys! I'm deciding to make a little series of posts about the history/features of the Jack Russell Breed. So, if you're looking to find out when they come out each day, be sure to follow this blog! Also, be sure to check out my YouTube Channel with lots of videos about JRTs at www.youtube.com/gwhizkids. Bye! See you tomorrow.