Russell Terrier is originated from United Kingdom but St. John's Water Dog is originated from Canada. Russell Terrier may grow 18 cm / 7 inches shorter than St. John's Water Dog. Russell Terrier may weigh 29 kg / 63 pounds lesser than St. John's Water Dog. Both Russell Terrier and St. John's Water Dog has almost same life span. Both Russell Terrier and St. John's Water Dog has almost same litter size. Both Russell Terrier and St. John's Water Dog requires Low Maintenance.
This feisty little dog was developed in England a couple of centuries ago. He has a well documented history. An interesting aspect with this dog is that the very name ‘Jack Russell’ became a common name for predominantly white terriers after the death of clergyman Jack Russell.
The Russell Terrier was developed from Jack Russell working terrier strains that were used in the 19th century for hunting fox. The dog has been standardized by Kennel Club recognition. The Fedédération Cynologique Internationale also recognizes the breed.
It was in the early 1970s that the Jack Russell Terrier Club of Great Britain was formed.
The breed known as the St. John’s water dog is an extinct landrace breed. They were domestic dogs found in Newfoundland and at times were called the lesser Newfoundland. There is not much information available about the other breeds that went into its development. Hypothetically it is believed they are a mix of the Irish, Old English and Portuguese dogs bred to work.
It is also thought that other breeds in their family tree, descending from them, include the Golden Retriever, the Flat-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Labrador and the Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland is also related to the St. Johns Water Dog through the line of Rafeirio do Alenteios that Portuguese fisherman brought to the island.
The breed was exported to England in the 19th century and early 20th. There the breeds of retrievers were developed. In Canada during this time frame restrictions were placed on dog ownership in order to encourage people to raise sheep. At the same time England imposed a long quarantine on all animals coming into the country in order to get rid of rabies. These two factors contributed greatly to the extinction of the breed. It seems the last two dogs were seen in a remote area in the 1980’s. All attempts to save the breed failed.
The Russell Terrier has a weatherproof coat that is mainly white with patches of tan or black or maybe even both. You get the smooth haired type, the broken type- as well as the rough haired Russell Terrier. All these coats shed.
He is a small dog standing at between 20-35cm in height and weighing between 7 and 12kg.
Your Russell Terrier is a jaunty, fearless, confident little dog with a powerful personality. The bright face with alert eyes are constantly telling you that he is just ready to spring into action when you’re ready.
He just loves games and sports and you won’t have to ask him twice to join in. Happy and energetic, you could say it's his desire to hunt as well as his high energy levels that make it necessary for him to be trained and socialized It is of particular importance because he is so strong willed. Super smart, you won't have any trouble teaching him some basic commands.
He also makes a good watch dog and while he can be aggressive towards other dogs, he is prepared to get along with children in the house who have been disciplined and who know how to treat animals with respect and kindness.
St. John’s Water Dog is strong, medium sized and stocky. They looked more like English Labs than American Labs. They had a thick, short coat, loved swimming, had a lot of endurance and rudder tail. It was also described as a thin, black dog with short hair. They had white patches on their chest and feet. His nose was thin and tapered, his legs powerful, his chest muscular. The breed is quick, swims, runs quickly and is a fighter as well.
Never accepted by any major kennel club except as a foundation breed. They became extinct.
It is true that this very active, very 'in-your-face' dog may not be everybody’s cup of tea. He will be discontent if not given the chance to run and be active.
If you’re a super active family who loves swimming, going on hikes or you enjoy sports such as cycling and horse riding, you can count the Russell Terrier in every time.
These dogs make a loving, loyal companion. They'll make you smile and be amused by their antics, bringing you lots of joy and entertainment.
The Russell Terrier is a robust little dog who can lead a good, healthy life of 13, 14 or 15 years if well cared for. There are however, a number of common dog ailments that he can succumb to. Some of these are cataracts, deafness and myasthenia gravis.
This disorder is caused by a breakdown of the transmission of impulses from the nerves to the muscles. The muscles can’t contract and the dog becomes weak. It’s a disease that can be an inherited congenital defect, and the Russell Terrier is at risk of getting this disease. Symptoms do vary from dog to dog but a common symptom is muscle weakness.
There is no documented history of any genetic or hereditary illnesses in the breed. However, it seems rational to believe they suffered from ailments similar to Labradors and newfoundland though they are smaller dogs.
This little dog needs plenty of exercise, and being lazy yourself and not exercising him will lead to him becoming destructive through no fault of his.
He will need walks every day as well as runs in the park off his leash. Ball- and frisbee games fill him with delight and he gives chase every time. Even though he is small, he isn’t recommended for life in the city and small properties as he is a small dog with high energy needs and requires a lot of room to run.
The weatherproof coat isn’t going to require much grooming apart from a brushing twice week. Regular checking of the teeth, checking the eyes, looking inside the ears and checking for lumps will be required. He will also need to have his nails trimmed.
Provide him with nice, warm, dry place to sleep.
Have him neutered or spayed if you aren’t wanting puppies.
Keep his vaccines up to date and get him to a vet if you see his is lethargic, miserable and in pain.
Provide him with top quality food, whether it is commercially manufactured food or homemade food.
Your Russell Terrier will be relying on you for good food. Try to include some home-made food for him which can be simply mixed into the kibble twice a week which is easy to prepare and totally uncomplicated.
You can add everything together in one big pot -chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This food can all be chopped up, refrigerated and added warmed up and in small portions to your pets dry kibble once or twice a week.
Simple and tasty, your Russell Terrier will love tasty treats like this. Ensure he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.
1Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed – they have a propensity toward obesity. Feed high quality, high protein 3 x a day.
2.Feeding the adult – Don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality, high protein 1-2 x a day.
4. Games and Exercises – They need space to run and they love to explore. They would also love to be near water where they could swim. Good at dock diving, field trials, flyball and frisbee.