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Parson Russell Terrier

帕森羅素㹴

SmallTerrierDouble coat

Draft — this profile is still being checked.

At a glance

The Parson Russell Terrier is a British working terrier bred to work fox, with the ability and conformation to go to ground; the standard asks for a workmanlike, active and agile dog built for stamina and endurance, without exaggeration. Its coat may be rough, broken or smooth but is always naturally harsh, close and dense with a good undercoat, and weather-resistant. The standard gives an ideal height at the withers of 36 cm for males and 33 cm for females rather than a range, and adds that the dog should be capable of being spanned behind the shoulders by average-sized hands.

Facts

SizeSmall
Height33–36cm
Breed groupFCI: 3
RoleTerrier
CoatDouble coat

Health

This page is general information compiled from published sources. It is not veterinary, legal or purchase advice. Dogs vary within a breed — talk to a vet or a reputable breeder about the dog in front of you.

Health notes are not veterinary advice. Conditions listed are those reported for the breed, not a diagnosis of any dog. Always consult a veterinarian.

Late onset ataxia (LOA), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) and primary lens luxation (PLL)

The Kennel Club (UK) lists late onset ataxia (LOA), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) and primary lens luxation (PLL) as the DNA tests available for this breed. This is informational only — ask your breeder whether the parents were DNA tested, and ask your vet what screening is appropriate.

[3]

Behaviour

Confident, energetic and happy; bold and friendly

The FCI standard's Behaviour and Temperament section reads in full: "Originally a terrier bred to work fox, a confident, energetic and happy dog that has the ability and conformation to go to ground. Bold and friendly." Utilization is given as working terrier with ability to go to ground.

[2]

Official guidance

Summaries of official documents are ours; the source is linked. Breed standards, laws and licensing rules change — check the issuing body for the current version.

FCI

FCI nomenclature — Parson Russell Terrier (standard no. 339, group 3)

FCI nomenclature entry for the Parson Russell Terrier, with the official breed standard in English, French, German and Spanish.

Read the source

Accessed 2026-09-09

Sources

  1. [1]Parson Russell Terrier — FCI nomenclature entry (standard no. 339, group 3) — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
  2. [2]FCI-Standard N° 339 — Parson Russell Terrier, 22.08.2017 (English) — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
  3. [3]DNA Testing Services — Parson Russell Terrier — The Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)

Still have questions?

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