The Australian National
Kennel Council Breed Standard
for the Jack Russell Terrier
General Appearance- A strong active, lithe working Terrier of great character with flexible body and medium length.
Characteristics- A lively, alert and active Terrier with a keen, intelligent expression.
Temperament- Bold and fearless, friendly but quietly confident.
Head and Skull-The skull should be flat and of moderate width gradually decreasing in width to the eyes and tapering to a wide muzzle with very strong jaws. There should be a well defined stop, but not over pronounced. The length from the stop to the nose should be slightly shorter than from the stop to the occiput, with the cheek muscles well developed. The nose should be black.
Eyes-Small dark and with keen expression. Must not be prominent and eyelids should fit closely. The eyelid rims should be pigmented black.
Ears- Button or dropped of good texture and great mobility.
Mouth-Deep wide and powerful jaws with tight fitting pigmented lips and strong teeth closing to a scissor bite.
Neck-Strong and clean allowing head to be carried with poise.
Forequarters-Shoulders well sloped back and not heavily loaded with muscle.
Forelegs straight in bone from the shoulder to the toes whether viewed from the front or the side and with sufficient length of upper arm to ensure elbows are set under the body with the sternum clearly in front of the shoulder blades.
Body-Chest deep rather than wide, with good clearance and the brisket located at the height mid-way between the ground and the withers. The body should be proportioned marginally longer than tall, measuring slightly longer from the withers to the root of the tail than from the withers to the ground.
Back level. Ribs should be well sprung from the spine, flattened on the sides so that the girth behind the elbows can be spanned by two hands- about 40cm to 43cms. The loins should be short, strong and deeply muscled.
Hindquarters- Strong and muscular, balanced in proportion to the shoulder, hind legs parallel when viewed from behind while in free standing position. Stifles well angulated and hocks set low.
Feet-Round, hard, padded, not large, toes moderately arched, turned neither in nor out.
Tail-May droop at rest. When moving should be erect and if docked the tip should be on the same level as the ears.
Gait/movement-True, free springy.
Coat – May be smooth, broken or rough. Must be weather proof, preferably unaltered.
Colour- White MUST predominate with black, tan or brown markings.
Size- Ideal Height: 25cms [10inches] to 30cms [12inches]
The weight in kg being equivalent of 1kg to 5cm in height, i.e. a 25cm high dog should weigh approximately 5kg and a 30cm dog should weigh 6kg.
Faults-Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree. However, the following weaknesses should be particularly penalised:
[a] Lack of true Terrier characteristics
[b] Lack of balance i.e. over exaggeration of any points.
[c] Sluggish or unsound movement
[d] Faulty mouth
Note- Male animals should have two apparent normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
Glossary of Canine Terms
Bone - The relationship of thickness, quality and strength of bone as seen in the legs.
Brisket - The lower part of the body between the forelegs.
Elbow - The joint between the upper arm and the forearm.
Hock - The tarsus or collection of bones of the hind leg forming the joint between the second thigh and the metatarsus [rear pastern].
Occiput - Upper, back point of the skull.
Stop - The step-up from muzzle to skull; indentation between the eyes where the nasal bone and skull meet.
Stifle - The joint of the hind leg between the first and second thigh equivalent to the knee.
Scissor bite - Jaws strong, with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite,i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.