The Jack Russell Terrier get their name from the Reverend John Russell who bred a particular strain of terriers for working fox in Devonshire, England in the mid to late 1880's. Reverend Russell (1795-1883) was a fox hunting enthusiast which led to his passion of the breeding of fox hunting dogs.
His first terrier, Trump, is known to be the foundation of the strain of working terriers John Russell bred.
Russell was strolling around the countryside one day when he was met by a Milkman with his terrier; such an animal as of yet he had only seen in his dreams. He bought the bitch on site!!
Russell's biographer E.W.L. Davies wrote of the meeting: "Before he had reached Marston, a milkman met him with a terrier - such as an animal Russell had yet only seen in his dreams; he halted as Actacon might have done when he caught sight of Diana disporting in her bath; but unlike that ill-fated hunter; he never budged from the spot till he had won the prize and secured it for his own."
John and I wanted a puppy soon after we started seeing each other. It was a new thing for me. I've always had cats but, boy ever did I want a puppy! John had wanted a Jack Russell since he was 12. We talked and talked about puppies for maybe 2 years and then one random day when we lived in Homosassa we were at Howard's Flea Market and we happened upon a little JRT in a crate all by himself in the corner. We thought he was just the cutest thing but, wanted to make sure we were making the right move and decided to walk around and think about it. We got about two rows over at the market and looked at each other and pretty much high tailed it back to that puppy! That puppy is Mike!!!! The total apple of my eye, love of my life, Mike. Who on the other hand is my little demon. My very own devil dog. I love my terrier!
This is baby Mike. I can't believe next month we've had him for 3 years!
Here we have 3 year old very happy pretty chill for a JRT, Mike!
(Look for a story about Mike's partner in crime, Parker, soon!!!!)
SOME FAMOUS JACK RUSSELL'S:
Charles and Pooh!
The above photo is from the 1938 film Bringing Up Baby with Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. ....and George a wire haired Jack Russell.
George later became known as Asta. Shown here in a picture taken from the Thin Man series!
(Surprisingly enough, I'd never heard of this series until Sunday when Janet was telling me that she watches it and it's rad and the terrier in it is bar-none. Heh!)
Of course, there's Wishbone the PBS show...another show with a JRT that I haven't seen!!
Then we have Moose who played Eddie on Frasier (a show I still have never seen!). If you do some digging around you'll find that Moose was well loved but, was a nasty dog just like my little demon, Mike. [I use the term 'nasty dog' in a loving way, anyone that has a Jack knows what I mean but, it may sound weird if you don't know a JRT, they are just feisty little dogs!]
Jack Russell's are an amazing breed. I adore them and am always saying that I want a total of 5!! I know I am off my rocker and recently have made my husband promise that he won't let me get 5!! With the stipulation: unless we have a farm! These dogs are great, a great hand full!
