Parson or Jack?
 

The short version and the one easiest to remember, is that the Parson and Jack are cousins, having shared the same history. 
However only the Parson is considered the "Pure Breed" by Kennel Clubs world wide, and the FCI, the European registering body of over 100+ countries.

The Parson and Jack Russell are two different and distinct breeds.  The Breed Standards are very different. Parsons must have Kennel Club registration be that AKC, the Parson Club UK, the Dutch or Belgium Kennel Club or whatever. 

If you are buying a Parson puppy in Canada you should get an AKC Dog Registration Application. When you send it in you will get a Registration Certificate with the dogs own personal number on it. 

The CKC is currently in the process of bringing the Parson into full recognition in the Terrier Group. If both votes go as we hope they will, and with the approval of Agriculture Canada the Parson should be included in the CKC Terrier group early in '05.

The Jack Russell is not currently seeking CKC recognition.  The Jack Russell is not recognized by the AKC nor is it recognized by any other Kennel Clubs or the FCI.  The Jack Russell was taken off the CKC Misc List in Dec '02.  The Parson Russell was added to the List in March of '03.

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There is a great deal of confusion amongst the general public about what constitutes a Parson and what constitutes a Jack. One of the reasons for this confusion was due to the miss naming of the breed when it was first admitted to the American Kennel Club Terrier Group April 1, 2000.  However on April 1 2003 the AKC changed the name to the correct Parson Russell Terrier.  I understand there were legal problems that were sorted out and hence the correct name could now be used. 

There is a difference in philosophy amongst breeders of the two breeds.  The original Parson was bred to work. Most often the prey was fox.  The terrier was sent down the hole to bolt the fox back to the surface so as to allow the Fox Hunt to continue.  Today in Britain that sport has been outlawed. 

Here in Canada one would need a Trappers License to hunt any fur bearing animal other than a groundhog.  Hunting here in Canada is most often done by Jack owners, in the winter,  who are hired by farmers to rid their hay barns of raccoon.  A considerable amount of damage is done by the raccoon, and the farmers are well within their rights so do so. Jacks are bred for strong hunting traits.  A "hard" terrier.  They are generally smaller, strongly prey driven, and easily roused. Breeders themselves admit the jack is not a pure breed.  If a needed trait is required in the lines it can be obtained by breeding to any other breed.  

I have seen some so prey driven they damage themselves in an effort to get to the prey, and that was before they were let out of their cage.   I have even been on a few of those expeditions and to say I dislike the blood sport is an understatement.

 I have never hunted in the USA and don't ever intend to.  I understand though, that Jacks are primarily bred for "hunting" fox, raccoon, and opossum,( who have no other means of defense other than that of rolling into a ball.)  Dogs have also been hurt and killed.  If that is the kind of terrier you are interested in there are several clubs both here in Canada and in the USA that you can contact.  

Society changes, but even the Parson himself did not allow dogs in his pack that could not get along with other dogs, and people.  He bred terriers that would "bolt" prey not kill it. He did not allow "riotous behavior" in his packs.  We try to breed the kind of terrier that we believe the Parson Russell himself would be proud of.

The Parson's I breed are first and foremost bred for temperament.  They are not "hard" terriers and they are not bred to hunt.  (That is not to say that chipmunks and squirrels will not go down to the lightening quick reflexes of our terriers.)  They are show dogs, and companion dogs.  Their work now is in the show ring, or the agility ring or in the obedience ring.  They excel at fly ball, Frisbee and racing.  They have loving temperaments but they are still terriers.  They think they are big dogs, and it has been said they are big dogs in small bodies.  Parsons still have an abundance of energy, but they will wind down at the end of the day. It is not unusual for Ron and I to sit and watch TV with Buddy, the Golden Retriever,  with four or five terriers at our feet, or lounging in the "dog" chairs.

There are physical differences as well in the two breeds.  The head shape, length of body, and most importantly temperament are different. These will become more apparent over the years as the Parson is bred to Parson.  But these are sometimes hard to see in a breed that has just been added to kennel club.  The Breed Standard is also not the same.  Parson's should be 13 inches 33cm at the withers for females and 14 inches 36 cm  for males.  An inch either was is acceptable (12-15 inches.)  In contrast the jack standard allows for terriers from 10 inches to 14 inches.  An inch either way being acceptable (9 to 15 inches.)  That kind of huge difference makes for a different dog even within the breed.

So,  the one thing you can count on as proof that your prospective terrier is a pure bred Parson is to make sure that it has kennel club registration.  Kennel club means AKC registration, or registration from an approved kennel club IE Britain, Canada (CKC) etc.  It can only get this registration if both of it's parents are also kennel  club registered.  Before you purchase your terrier, ask questions, get references and try to visit the kennel.  That will give you the information you need to insure that you are getting a breed that is right for you.