HISTORY

The breed takes its name from the Reverend John Russell, who bred one of the finest strains of terriers for working fox in England and also was a member of the group that started the British Kennel Club in 1873. The Jack Russell is a baying terrier, meaning the dog should flush out the fox with his steady barking but is never to kill his prey. He had gotten his first terrier 1819 and wanted to develop it into a terrrier who would be able to get down in borroughs but at the same time be able to run along a horserider. It was utility, not looks that was important for reverend Russell in his breeding. The breed standard was set 1904 and a breed club started 1914.

In 1974 there was a clash between the old breed club and the newly started "The Jack Russell Terrier Club". The latter wanted to continue with the original standard , keeping good utility as its main goal and allowing for a greater size and height variation. They have a sister-organisation in Sweden (JRTC of Sweden) that register jack russell terriers that are not registered in the Swedish Kennel Club (SKK).

They do not differ the Parson Russell and Jack Russell as SKK does.

Today the JRT is considered australian. JRTs were imported there from 1965 and the breed club succeeded in making their breed standard nationally recognised by the Australian National Kennel Council 1991 and the international canine organisation FCI followed in 2001. By that time jack russell terriers were internationally well spread. Here in Sweden the studbook was open for registration for individuals with non-registrered parent until 2006. 

The ideal height for the JRT is 25-30 cm. At least 55% of the coat should be white. All tan/black colours are allowed anywhere else on the body and the fur can be either smooth, broken or rough.