A mostly white breed with either a smooth, rough or broken coat, it conforms to a narrower range of sizes than the Jack Russell.

This type of small white terrier dates back to the work of the Reverend John Russell, born in 1795.

[1] In 1819 he purchased a small white and tan terrier bitch named Trump from a milkman in the hamlet of Elmsford.

[3][4] In 1894, the Devon and Somerset Badger Club was founded by Arthur Blake Heinemann who created the first breed standard for this type of terrier.

[1] The international kennel association, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, recognised the Parson Russell Terrier on 4 June 2001.

[11] The American Kennel Club updated the name of the recognised breed from Jack Russell Terrier on 1 April 2003.

[18] The Parson retains the flat skull but not the elongated shape of the Fox Terrier, and with lower set ears.

[19] In addition, the Jack Russell Terrier has a greater variation in size, ranging between 10–15 inches (25–38 cm) in height at the withers.

They can excel in dog sports such as flyball or agility and require vigorous exercise in order to prevent them from becoming bored and potentially destructive in the home.

[17] However, it is unusual for dogs of this breed to be involved in work, such as fox hunting, typical of a small white terrier, as they are more adapted to the show bench.

[23] The Parson Russell Terrier is one of the more commonly affected breeds for primary lens luxation which is caused by an autosomal recessive mutation of the ADAMTS17 gene.

[24] Other eye conditions which appear in the breed include cataracts in juveniles, corneal dystrophy, progressive retinal atrophy and posterior vitreous detachment.