So - my backup plan is to consolidate in one place all the links to sites where I've read about the history of the JR breed. If I had more time and energy I'd write an actual article, but I'll just give you the links and let you come to your own conclusions for the moment - do let me know what you think though, as I find it all somewhat confusing.
I do find it interesting that the Jack Russell Club of Great Britain say, on their History page,
"The Jack Russell Terrier of today is still able to perform the functions it was originally bred to do. It has longer legs which enable it to run with the hounds."
If you read their breed standards, Mollie is way off - her nose is too long, her head too round, her tail probably too long plus it's not straight, her elbows stick out too far, she's far too timid. Mind you, her inherent Terrier bravery is coming out more and more - she was giving the monsters in the garden what for again last night (well, you never know - they might attack at any time!!).
Other sites with information about the breed are:
- Battersea Dogs Home - breed guide
- Wikipedia - quite a good entry
- www.jack-russell.co.uk - an interesting site that's growing all the time - and Mollie's in the gallery of course!!
- Pet Planet's Parson Russell page - they state that the Parson Russell is the long legged variety (the JR club just have two height categories for the JR)
- Jack Russell Terrier Club of America - again, for them Parsons is just another name for the same thing and terriers with ickle legs are simply achondroplastic dwarfs
- Another Article on JRs
- D For Dog article - an owner's view of living with a JR
- Jack Facts - 'fact' sheet from an Irish breeder site
The AKC and UKC recognition of Jack Russell is in general staunchly opposed by working dog clubs such as the JRTCA and JRGB:
- JRTCA Stance
- Confusing article on DogBreedInfo
- A page illustrating different KC standards - does it make it any less confusing?
- JRGB rules page - see Rule 2 para f
In my opinion, the move by the UK KC and AKC to give the two different sized variations different breed names and set a conformity driven by looks alone is proving horrendously confusing, especially since no-one quite seems to agree on the names.
Some rescue centres and breeders are now calling the long-legged variety such as Mollie a Parsons Russell, some just call her a JR, some a Russell..*shrug* Well, she's registered with her insurance and chip companies as a JR, but we just call her Mollie. I don't think she conforms to any breed standard, but she's a wonderful pet.
