RiverStar-Aura Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Until recently I'd wrongly assumed that the Parson Terrier was just another name for the JRT. I've only just now come to realise that they're two different breeds. What are the main differences between the two breeds as I'm going to assume that they're closely related. Is one bigger than the other? And I noticed that they appear to have slightly different head shapes (or is this just my imagination?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erinonthefarm Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I got told when I bought my JRT from a pet shop that he was a Parsons (he was probably neither) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I'm certainly not an expert, but I think the Parson Russel Terrier is leggier in build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aziah Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Google "differences between with the Parson and the Jack Russell" :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizT Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 The Parson Russell Terrier is a breed of small white terrier that originates from the Fox Terriers of the 18th century. The breed is named after the person credited with the creation of this type of dog, the Reverend John "Jack" Russell. It is the recognised conformation show variety of the Jack Russell Terrier and was first recognised in 1990 in the United Kingdom as the Parson Jack Russell Terrier. In America, it was first recognised as the Jack Russell Terrier in 1997. The name was changed to its current form in 1999 in the UK and by 2008 all international kennel clubs recognised it under the new name. A mostly white breed with either a smooth or broken coat, it conforms to a narrower range of sizes than the Jack Russell. It is a feisty, energetic terrier, suited to sports and able to get along with children and other animals. It has a range of breed related health issues, mainly relating to eye disorders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I find it easier to explain this way . The dog on Frasier (TV show) Parson ,in American there called Jack Russells,here the Jack Russell is what we now & the parson the taller leggier & slightly different head shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumsie Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Our first JRT is a Parsons - long legged, thin body and small paws - bred to chase foxes, hence the need for speed and slim build to follow foxes through hedges, undergrowth etc. She is mostly white Our second JRT is a "Pudding" - short legged, thick chest and larger more splayed paws - bred for rabbiting, ferreting etc, hence the splayed thicker feet for digging out burrows. Typical markings with spot on base of tail and heart shaped splodge on back both are affectionate, naughty, intelligent and wonderful pets. having a home office they are not often left to their own devices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 (edited) The Parson is rare, hasn't been bred to death by BYBs and structurally is likelty to be sounder. I've yet to see a Parson with an east/west front (mind you I've only seen a few) I know which of the two I'd be going for. It's always nice to provide a home to a breed that is struggling in numbers. Edited February 13, 2012 by Telida Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe001 Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Parsons are longer in the leg as they were designed to run with the hounds. The JRT is shorter in the leg and was placed in a bag in front of the hunt-masters (or whoever was responsible for it) on the horse. They were brought out (apparently carried by their scruff and the tail dock) and placed down the hole when the fox went to ground. The ran up the hole, barking all the time, and when they reach the fox it would increase their frantic barking so the digger knows where to dig to get the fox out. There are at least one Parsons breeders in the ACT/NSW. The breeder I met did earthing with his dogs. They were lovely dogs but not generally for the family house - very active and hyper. My friend bought a puppy and it was a nice dog with people but wow - mad as a cut snake. It killed a fox one day while on a walk. Was off lead and just ran in when it saw the fox and shook it to death. The fox was bigger than it was. It was also a terror on rabbits - but the owners liked that as there was lots of them. He was a shocking escape artist. They had amazing fences that you never believe a dog could excape from - but it did. It dug - so they dug in wire under the ground; it climbed - so the extended fences up and electrified the top and side; it pushed unti it made holes in wire. The last time it excaped we couldn't even find how it got out - never came home that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flaves Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) Dont parsons also have a slightly different foot shape? and are finer than a jrt? or am i thinking of a tentie? Edited February 15, 2012 by Flaves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bohunt Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 The Parson was bred to work exactly the same as a Border Terrier. They are an earth dog but quite a frothy breed and would not have been run with the hounds very often,as a Border, due to temperament - the Border has a temperament that must get on with other dogs to enable it to run with hounds. I started in this breed and was on the National Committee in the UK during the recognition of the breed and had 2 on the Foundation Register. The breed never really took off out here and 3 of mine were registered as JRs in Australia and are behind many of the Aussie dogs today but as JRs not Parsons. The 8 I brought home from the UK were all homed as the NZKC would not Register them back then. Huge waste. All the JR dogs from the UK and Europe in the earlier days (even registered JRs) are in fact from the exact same gene pool as Parsons and were just shorter in height but had the same proportions as a Parson and of course threw some bigger, leggier pups. They were used here to refine the JRs and fix up the poor fronts. They are quite big overseas but are losing out to the cute factor of the Aussie generated small cobby breed which really has little in common with the working Parson. One of the big differences in the 2 breeds is temperament. I remember being amazed at how wonderful the Aussie JRs were compared to the Parsons and UK JRs (that were just unregistered Parsons) - there was a huge division in the Club with some feeling that the breed would be ruined and that is why the Register was reopened a few years ago to let the others come on board as they were desperate for the gene pool. Many of the dogs remaining that did not come on board originally, were the finest in the UK. That is a bit of history of the breed - sadly it had a small run in NZ with Gloria Geraghty but an American Import decimated her Kennel with a serious health issue and she lost heart. She now has 3 Border Terriers from me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Wish I could add something to this, beyond that there's a little Parsons at my park, who's a gorgeous little guy. He is smaller than a JRT, though his owners refer to him as a Parsons Jack Russell. I just thought it was a .. variation fo the breed or something. He's fine boned and actually a bit smaller than my (small) toy poodle, and very nimble. He's from the wife's brother's farm, where he was bred- no idea where, though it's somewhere in Vic. And no idea whether they're registered or what the deal is- he was a Christmas present about 2 years ago, and is the first dog either of them have owned. He's awesome! Thus ends my inane rant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Wish I could add something to this, beyond that there's a little Parsons at my park, who's a gorgeous little guy. He is smaller than a JRT, though his owners refer to him as a Parsons Jack Russell. I just thought it was a .. variation fo the breed or something. He's fine boned and actually a bit smaller than my (small) toy poodle, and very nimble. He's from the wife's brother's farm, where he was bred- no idea where, though it's somewhere in Vic. And no idea whether they're registered or what the deal is- he was a Christmas present about 2 years ago, and is the first dog either of them have owned. He's awesome! Thus ends my inane rant. If he's smaller than a JRT or a Toy poodle, he's not a Parson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe001 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 My info re running with the hounds came from a documentary I saw late one night on SBS about fox hunting so no idea if correct. Bohunt sounds much more credible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Wish I could add something to this, beyond that there's a little Parsons at my park, who's a gorgeous little guy. He is smaller than a JRT, though his owners refer to him as a Parsons Jack Russell. I just thought it was a .. variation fo the breed or something. He's fine boned and actually a bit smaller than my (small) toy poodle, and very nimble. He's from the wife's brother's farm, where he was bred- no idea where, though it's somewhere in Vic. And no idea whether they're registered or what the deal is- he was a Christmas present about 2 years ago, and is the first dog either of them have owned. He's awesome! Thus ends my inane rant. If he's smaller than a JRT or a Toy poodle, he's not a Parson. Aww! Ah well, I wonder what he is - probably just a small.. something. Who knows. I'm going to take some photos tomorrow and get some opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 You'll find Parsons on DOL breed community. Here is a random profile with pictures to show you what they look like: http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/profile.asp?dog=63527 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverStar-Aura Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Thanks for the link Alyosha!! From the look of a Parsons I'd say that Zeus is more beagle x PRT not JRT as his legs are very long. Parsons are gorgeous looking dogs!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenhill Posted April 3, 2012 Share Posted April 3, 2012 The Parson Russell was developed in the 1800's in England as a dog to run with the hounds and horses and whenthe fox went to ground it went down the hole and bailed the fox out. It was very carefully and specifically bred by Parson John Russell for this purpose. Because of needed to follow the hounds, the Parson must be between 12-15 inches tall, and a leggy, not too stocky of a terrier. It must be mostly white so that the hounds did not mistake it for a fox! John Russell was very careful and selective of his terriers and the Parson must not be a gamey or aggressive dog at all. They must not want to kill the fox, because if they did the hunt was over. John Russell very strictly culled any Parson that was not a happy, friendly and easy to get along with dog. They were used quite extensively in the hunt with the hounds in south England where they were developed to be used. Both Parsons and Fox hounds had to be friendly dogs that got along with others or their would be no hunt!! Here is an article that explains their heritage and breed type well: http://www.prtaa.org/TheBreed.html The Jack Russell came about after John Russells death when his kennel maid took some of his stock and crossed it with a corgi and other terrier breeds. Hence the short legged, gamey Jack Russell. This was far off from what John had developed the breed for, and why they are now two separate breeds. The Jack has a totally separate breed standard than a Parson. Here in Australia people will use a few Jack Russells down a fox hole to push a fox out and kill it, but this is a modern adaptation to the ancestry of the Parson that was specifically to run with the hounds and chase the fox out of the home so the hunt could continue. I have had Parsons for years, and we used them in the hunt with hounds most times out, with no issues and they performed jusy as they were bred to do. I have never had a single Parson that had temperment issues in all the times we bred. They have been happy, lovely dogs that live on the farm with the horses and farm dogs, and in the house. Happy to sit on the lounge, and like to be with their people. I currently have the number 3 terrier in the Rising Star competition in NSW and our biggest issue is that he loves the judges and wants to lick them while he is on the table. Any Parson with an aggressive or "frothy" temperament should have been culled as John Russell did. I cannot speak to the temperament of other Parsons here, except for the ones I have encountered which have been related to my dog and are lovely well tempered. As an example, my husband being new to the breed tried to take my Parson out rabbit hunting but was sorely dissappointed when he would happily chase the rabbit, but wouldn't kill it and wouldn't put his mouth on the rabbit! I had to explain the history of the breed to NOT kill game before he gave up trying to teach the dog to grab and shake the rabbit to kill it! They are small in numbers here in AU, but we are out with ours and doing very well. They are a very common breed in the US and the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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