What is the difference between the Parson Terrier and the Jack Russell Terrier?
The quick answer is the Breed Club. The Parson Terrier is the AKC or American Kennel Club registered dog and the Jack Russell Terrier is the JRTCA or Jack Russell Terrier Club of America registered version. Both of these Breed Clubs have different ideas and don’t agree on specific standards etc. In fact, when the AKC wanted to admit the Jack Russell Terrier into the Kennel Club registry, the JRTCA fought this action as they knew it would forever change this precious little dog from what it was originally bred to do and that is to hunt. (look at the American Cocker Spaniel). A lawsuit was filed. The JRTCA lost the battle to have the dog kept from AKC registry but won the right to keep the name Jack Russell Terrier and it forced the AKC to change the name of its dog to the Parson Terrier. It will be interesting yet probably sad to see the Parson Terrier 20 years from now. It will quite possibly look very different and lose what we hold precious in the Terrier of today. The Jack Russell T
