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.

In the beginning...

Hello! Well, if the title didn't give it away, I'm going to tell you all about Jack Russell Terriers, along with their counterpart, the Parson Russell Terrier. So, before I get anywhere else, a lot of people are curious: What is the difference between a Parson Russell Terrier and a Jack Russell Terrier? The answer is actually quite simple. Parson Russell Terriers have much longer legs than the Jack Russells, along with a broader chest. They are considered the "show" version of the Jack Russell, which I really don't think makes sense. In my opinion, both the Jack Russell Terrier (JRT) and the Parson Russell Terrier (PRT) are just as able as each other. Second, you probably know the Jack Russell better than you think. Ever seen the TV shows Frasier, Wishbone, or the movie My Dog Skip? All three of these venues have JRTs as the stars (yes, Eddie is the star!). Until tomorrow, peeps!