Dog Breed Guide

Parson Russell Terrier

Profile

Size

Small

Country of origin

United Kingdom

Origin

19th century

Bred for

Fox hunting

Height

male about 36cm (14in), female about 33cm (13in)

Weight

6 - 8kg (13 - 18lb)

Life span

13 - 15 years

A lean terrier, white with tan or black patches. It closely resembles the Jack Russell Terrier but has longer legs, and seen from the side its body is nearly square. The coat may be smooth or slightly rough.

The Parson is bursting with energy, a bundle of vigor and curiosity. It is smart, brave and loves to play. It is affectionate with its family, but it is stubborn and very independent, so training takes patience.

Its exercise needs are very high, and without plenty of running and mentally challenging play every day it will turn to mischief and nuisance barking. It is a strong jumper and an expert digger, so watch out for escapes.

Good to know

The breed is named after John Russell, a 19th-century English parson and passionate fox hunter. In 1819, while a student at Oxford, he bought a small white female terrier with tan markings named Trump from a milkman. Trump is considered the common ancestor of both the Jack Russell Terrier and the Parson Russell Terrier.

What Parson Russell wanted was a brave terrier with legs long enough to keep up with hunters on horseback and a body small enough to go down a fox's earth. The word "Parson" in the name means a clergyman, a tribute to the breed's creator.

For a long time it was treated as the same breed as the Jack Russell Terrier, but this long-legged type was later separated as a breed of its own. The American Kennel Club changed the breed's name to the current one in 2003.