2. Jack Russell Terrier – Legacy of the Hunt: A Jack Russell’s Journey Through Time
The Jack Russell Terrier’s development and breed relations can be traced primarily through British hunting dog lines. The breed was developed in the early 1800s by Reverend John Russell, known as “The Sporting Parson,” who aimed to create a working terrier that could keep up with horseback hunters and effectively bolt foxes from their dens. The breed’s closest relatives include:
The Parson Russell Terrier, which was actually once the same breed – they were officially separated in the 1980s, with the Parson Russell being slightly taller and more square in proportion. The Fox Terrier (both Wire and Smooth varieties) shares very close ancestry with Jack Russells, as they were often interbred in the early days of development to maintain working abilities. The Russell Terrier (also known as the English Jack Russell Terrier or Short Jack Russell Terrier) is essentially a shorter version, recognized as a separate breed in some countries.
Other closely related breeds include the Fell Terrier, another British working terrier developed for similar purposes, and the Hunt Terrier, which shares common ancestry through early British hunting dogs. The Border Terrier also shares some common ancestry, though it’s a bit more distantly related. All these breeds emerged from the same general pool of British working terriers used for hunting in the 18th and 19th centuries.
It’s worth noting that many modern Jack Russell lines also have some influence from Welsh Terriers and White English Terriers (now extinct), though these connections are more distant than the breeds mentioned above.
1. Parson Russell Terrier
2. Smooth Fox Terrier
3. Wire Fox Terrier
4. Russell Terrier (Short Jack Russell)
5. Fell Terrier
6. Hunt Terrier
7. Border Terrier
8. Welsh Terrier
9. White English Terrier (extinct)
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