Parson Russell Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier Information
The alert and confident Parson Russell Terrier was bred to be a red fox hunter in England. They have considerable agility, endurance and strength. Parson Russell Terriers also exhibit affection with family members, do well with children and are clean dogs. They should be exercised and played with daily. For this breed there are generally recognized two different size classes and two different coats (smooth and rough). Different kennel clubs sometimes use different names for the two classes. American Kennel Club (AKC) names the shorter class Russell Terrier and the taller class Parson Russell Terrier. United Kennel Club (UKC) formerly named the shorter class Russell Terrier but renamed it to Jack Russell Terrier on January 1, 2009. UKC uses the name Parson Russell Terrier for the taller class. Continental Kennel Club uses only the name Jack Russell Terrier regardless of size. The Canadian Kennel Club lists only the Parson Russell Terrier. Thus, there can be some confusion regarding the name.