Читать книгу Jack Russell Terrier: An Owner’s Guide - Robert Killick - Страница 18

In 1873, Russell became one of the founder members of the Kennel Club, but although he showed dogs for a short period he believed that dogs bred for the show ring would lose their working characteristics and he was only interested in function. Writing about him in 1904, H. Compton stated, ‘For where shall you find any Terrier strain, or for that matter any strain of dogs, as honoured and renowned as that of the Devonshire Parson whose distaste for show dogs was almost as profound as his admiration for working ones’.

Although he was said to be ‘the father of Fox Terriers’, which he kept within his own stud, there were some people who claimed he would buy up any likely looking Terrier and breed him or her. Unfortunately, we will never know the full truth because few of his records have survived, but, to use a stockman’s expression, ‘he had an eye for a dog’ and by a process of selective breeding became the most famous Terrier man in Britain. His fame extended far and wide, not only for his hunting prowess but also for his knowledge of country matters.

The Reverend John (Jack) Russell died on 28th April 1883, and, to illustrate how greatly he was esteemed and loved, over 1,000 people attended his funeral, including 24 clergymen, the mayor of Barnstaple and many hunting celebrities. Even the Prince of Wales sent a wreath of wild flowers celebrating Parson Jack’s love of the countryside.