Russell Terrier

The Russell Terrier originated in Australia in the 1900's, although its ancestor, the "Jack Russell Terrier", originated in the 1800s in England. The existence of the Russell Terrier and Parson Russell Terrier is thanks to Reverend John "Jack" Russell, an avid foxhunter from England who bred the small tan and white hunting dogs. The Reverend started his breeding program with a female white and tan terrier that he purchased from his milkman. In the breeding process, he selected for independent thinking in his dogs so that they could problem solve quickly while in the field. During the 1900's, Jack Russell Terrier clubs began emerging across the world in countries including Australia. The Australian Kennel Club recognized the shorter legged version of the "Jack Russell Terrier" as the Russell Terrier in 1990. Other kennel clubs in different countries followed suit in acknowledging the Russell as a separate breed about a decade later. In the United States, there is no official "Jack Russell Terrier", but rather the shorter-legged Russell Terrier and the longer-legged Parson Russell Terrier.