After the release of the film "The Mask", Russian viewers literally fell in love with the dog of the protagonist - charming and smart Milo. Since then, the Jack Russell Terrier breed has become very popular in Russia. And I must say that the owners of these dogs are simply in love with their pets and are ready to talk for hours about the advantages and benefits of this breed.
History of the breed
Correctly this breed is called "Jack Russell Terrier". According to legend, the history of the breed began in the English Devon, where the minister of the church Jack Russell found time for boxing and hunting. In 1819, the pastor began to breed dogs for hunting badgers, the ancestor of which was a bitch bought for the occasion, in whose family there were undoubtedly terriers. Her body was white, her coat was coarse, and there were well-defined yellow-brown spots at the base of her tail and around her eyes and ears. After some time, many white terriers of a characteristic color appeared at the priest's kennel. Short, up to 35 cm at the withers, energetic and mobile, with narrow shoulders and strong paws, they were excellent burrowers, and local farmers were happy to buy them, using them to hunt foxes and badgers.
The priest purposefully weeded out aggressive individuals that, in the heat of the hunt, could damage and injure the animal. To enhance the sense of smell of his terriers, he crossed with beagles, and to improve speed qualities - with greyhounds. And although Jack Russell did not consider his dogs a separate breed and did not register it, it took shape and took shape after his death.
Subsequently, to develop the breed and give it new qualities, Jack Russell terriers were crossed with dachshunds and corgi. Corgi blood made terriers smarter, and dachshund blood improved their hunting characteristics. As a result of such selection work, a shorter-legged subspecies appeared, and in 1999 the breed was divided into two - long-legged Parsel Russell Terriers and Jack Russell Terriers, more stocky.
Character traits
That Jack Russell Terriers have a character, no one doubts: the dog, who played the role of Milo in the movie "The Mask", portrayed himself. This is a very friendly and intelligent companion dog, the only drawback of which is increased activity. Therefore, this dog should not be started by those who want peace and quiet, do not like to leave the house, who do not have time to play and run with their pet.
They are very loyal friends who just need constant communication with the owner. They are not at all characterized by aggression, so dog handlers recommend Jack Russells to families with children, especially if the children in the family are also hyperactive. In this case, your child will not find a better playmate. This breed can also be advised for those who like to hike: a tireless, cheerful and courageous companion will gladly share with you all the difficulties of the hike.
