Jack Russell Terrier

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History/Origin
It was the late Reverend Mr. John Russell, a hunting aficionado, who bred the first Jack Russell Terrier. While finishing his studies at Oxford University, he purchased a small terrier named Trump from a passing milk man with the plan to start developing a new breed of Russell Terriers possessing strong stamina for hunting and the courage to go after foxes, but not necessarily too aggressive as to harm the foxes. The breeding program proved successful as the late reverend produced Jack Russell Terriers (JRTs) that were highly respected for having excellent hunting skills.

However, most modern JRTs today are most likely descended from other breeds as those that were supposedly bred from Trump had all been sold when John Russell experienced financial difficulties shortly before he passed away in 1883.

Description
The predominant color of the Jack Russell Terrier is white, with its tail base and face having black, tan, and tricolor markings. The standard height ranges from 10 - 15 inches at the shoulders. Its ears are often small and v-shaped and are often characterized as folding sharply forward, while its tail's measurement ranges from 6 - 8 inches and is usually straight and upright. The breed's double coat is dense and can appear in three different kinds namely, smooth, where the coat is seen as very short aside from being stiff; rough, where the coat is comparatively longer; and broken, where the coat is of average length.

Temperament
The breed is basically outgoing because it is quite inquisitive and friendly, not only with people but with other dogs as well. It makes up for its rather compact size by being strong and speedy and always ready for any playful action. Yet, in spite of this, it's also a working dog that needs to be given regular training and attention just so its mind will be occupied.

Jack Russell Terrier gets along well with children, although its tends to be rather intolerant of even the slightest abuse. A few of its kind have been found to exhibit aggression toward dogs of the same sex. Still others show "Napoleon complex" syndrome, especially with larger breeds of dogs. This can lead them into trouble at times since they may be naturally fearless but are apparently unaware of how small they are.