Breeds / Small
Parson Russell Terrier puppies
Bold, playful and tireless, a working terrier with powerful hunting instincts that suits an active household and needs a job to do.
The facts
- Size class Small
- Country of origin Great Britain
- Adult weight 5.9 to 7.7 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 13 to 17 lb
- Adult height 33 to 36 cm
- Energy level Very high
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short double and smooth
- Typical lifespan 13 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
Where these come from:
About the Parson Russell Terrier
The Parson Russell Terrier was bred in the west of England by a hunting parson who wanted a mainly white terrier tall and narrow enough to run with hounds and then go to ground after fox. It stands 33 to 36 cm and weighs 5.9 to 7.7 kg, with a smooth or broken coat, white with tan or black markings. It is bold, relentlessly cheerful and physically fearless, a working terrier that has never really been converted into a sedentary pet.
Energy is very high. A Parson wants a long walk with things to investigate, plus games and training, and it will not accept being left alone in a corner for hours. Grooming is light, brushing for a smooth coat and plucking or clipping for a broken one, with a monthly bath and nails trimmed monthly. Keep it on lead outside a fence, because the prey drive is not negotiable. Ratings with children are moderate, so supervise and socialise. Digging and barking are what owners most often fail to anticipate.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Parson Russell Terrier puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A small breed puppy at eight weeks is light enough to carry everywhere, which is exactly how you get it socialised before the vaccination course finishes. It will still need four meals a day. This is a very high energy breed. The mistake owners make is trying to tire it out physically. Training, scentwork and puzzles will do more than distance ever will. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Primary lens luxation, detectable by DNA test
- Congenital deafness, detectable by BAER hearing testing
- Late onset ataxia and spinocerebellar ataxia, both detectable by DNA test
- Patellar luxation, graded on veterinary orthopaedic examination
- Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist examination
From Parson Russell Terrier breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/parson-russell-terrier/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Parson Russell Terrier puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Small for a Parson Russell Terrier.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 5.9 to 7.7 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other small breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.