Jack Russell Terrier vs Black and Tan Terrier - Breed Comparison

The popular Jack Russell Terrier was developed in Devonshire in the south of England in the late 1800's so as to hunt foxes.

Often believed to be the Parson Russell Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier was developed by Parson John Russell. This is where the dog gets his breed name from. Some people get the Jack Russell Terrier a little bit mixed up with the Parson Russell terrier, when it fact its actually a different breed, but sharing a common ancestry.

The Jack Russell Terrier is smaller than the Parson and bigger than the Russell Terrier. The breed became known in the U.S. by the 1930s and the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America wanted recognition by the American Kennel Club, which was granted in 2000.

There is limited information on the Black and Tan Terriers since it is extinct. Black and Tan terrier came out of the “Terrier Wars” between the British and the Welsh in the late 1800’s. With dog shows on the rise, a race began to develop terriers that “belonged” to the Welsh or the British. The Black and Tan Terrier started out as the “Old English Broken-Haired Black and Tan”. The outrages Welsh responded with their first dog show filled with Welsh only terriers. There were 90 dogs at this first show. During this time, the British could not get their act together in respect to starting a club. Even agreeing on the name was difficult for them. Unfortunately, the dogs from both countries were not truly a “breed” but rather first-generation crosses between a wide variety of terriers. These terriers included breeds such as the Lakeland Terrier, the Welsh Terrier, the Patterdale Terrier, Fell Terriers, Border Terrier, Scottish Borders and the Manchester Terrier. The winner of that first dog show was a terrier cross between a Smooth Fox Terrier and a Border Terrier.

In 1885 both the Welsh and the British Black and Tan Terrier were featured. However, the English could not get the club together, so they were dropped from the Kennel Club Listings and only the Welsh Terrier was offered. The Black and Tan Terrier became extinct before 1900.

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog that weighs between 6 and 8kg and stands at between 25 – 38cm. The body length of the dog should be in proportion to the height.

He is essentially a white dog with orange or fawn colored patches. The coat is mostly smooth and short, but the coat can also be longer and rough or it can be broken which is a combination of rough and smooth. Regardless of coat type, they are dense, double coats which will require brushing at least twice a week to remove loose hairs. He may also be tri-colored such as being white with black and tan patches.

He has alert, bright dark brown eyes and ears which are somewhat erect and which flop over at the tips. The tail has always been traditionally docked, giving him an attractive, compact look about him but unfortunately the tail is often left long on the dog these days.

Temperament:

Your Jack Russell Terrier is a lively, tenacious, bold, fearless, feisty, cheeky, confident, independent, intelligent and full of life dog. He is super energetic and exuberant, spirited and full of personality.

There are some dog owners who are exhausted by him and would prefer a more quieter dog breed as their companion. Nonetheless he has some excellent characteristics such as being a totally devoted and loving dog.

It is why it is a good idea to have him trained and socialized as it calms him down and makes him more obedient. He is very intelligent and training him will be easy.

The Black and Tan Terrier was an active, alert dog. A ratter as most terriers are. With a sleek coat, tan markings and thumbing, he was a handsome dog. Looks very much like the other terriers of his size and color with a truncated tail. He had small erect ears and a snout that was moderately elongated.

With loads of vibrant personality, the energetic Jack Russell Terrier has got so many wonderful characteristics to his name – devotion, intelligence, charming, lively, playful and he is an entertainer – you’ll always be laughing a him.

You do need to pay him attention – you can’t just plonk him in your backyard and forget about him. He wants your love and attention and ignoring him can lead to problem behavior such as obsessive barking.

Give your Jack Russell Terrier all the love and care he needs, and you’ll have an exceptional pet and friend.

He was an alert and active dog. He was a good guard dog, an excellent ratter and a great family dog. He was affectionate, warm and gentle of the most alert and active of dogs, as game as a pebble, an ideal watchman, an unexcelled ratter and all done up in a small package. No dog exceeds him in beauty of outline, and this is enhanced by his sleek coat, with its sheen that the costliest satin does not possess; set off by the rich Tan markings, dainty penciling and thumbing that would puzzle an artist to reproduce. Information is limited on this extinct breed.

This particular dog breed has a reputation for being healthy and living to a good age such as 16 or 17 years of age. Of course he needs to be given proper care to reach such a good age.

Some common dog disorders you might want to be aware of are -

Eye disorders:

Lens luxation is actually a common hereditary disorder in these dogs, but even so, with good care, your dog isn’t likely to battle with it. What happens is that the lens in the eye becomes displaced. There are two types, with Posterior luxation being the lesser severe one.Treatment is available.

Musculoskeletal conditions:

Patellar luxation is an hereditary disorder affecting the knees of the dog. The kneecap slips off the groove where it sits and you may notice your dog running while holding his hind leg in the air. It can sometimes slip back in place and then you see your dog running in his usual way. It becomes more serious when it affects both legs.

The Black and Tan Terrier suffered from similar ailments as all terriers. He dealt with patella luxation (kneepads floating), skin allergies and eye issues. Because the breed is extinct there is little if any research on the health issues they might have experience before distinction

Exercise:

The Jack Russell Terrier isn’t just a small dog that can be left to his own devices. He will need proper training and socialization early in life to make him obedient and better to get on with.

He may be a small dog, but he certainly won’t do in the city where he is cooped up in a place with a handkerchief of a garden. He needs lots of space to run and play. He wants his human family to join in with walks, hikes, ball games and swimming.

Diet:

You can buy excellent commercially manufactured dog food which caters for energetic small dog breeds like the Jack Russell Terrier.

Once you have selected the best one for your pet, with dry kibble being better in terms of dental health - you can also add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken. This is highly beneficial to all dog breeds. A little bit of raw meat can sometimes be added in too.

The bottom line is to to prevent your pet from eating foods high in preservatives, additives and fillers. Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Feeding

As you would with any terrier of his size 1-2 cups day.

Health issues

The Black and Tan Terrier suffered from similar ailments as all terriers. He dealt with patella luxation (kneepads floating), skin allergies and eye issues.

Exercise and games

The Black and Tan Terrier is in fact a terrier. He was a ratter and he needed intelligent exercise to keep him happy and non-destructive. Activities like barn hunt, agility and fly ball are perfect for this breed. A walk a couple times a day with a time for games is what was needed, and he would love to play ball with kids. They were very cuddly dogs as well.