Parson Russell Terrier
Learn about the temperament and personality of the Parson Russell Terrier. Discover what he's like to live with, his traits and characteristics and how he generally behaves. And look at lots of Parson Russell Terrier photos.

Parson Russell Terrier: | ||
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Ease of Training | ![]() | Explain rating |
Intelligence | ![]() | Explain rating |
Shedding | ![]() | Explain rating |
Watchdog | ![]() | Explain rating |
Guard Dog | ![]() | Explain rating |
Popularity | ![]() | Explain rating |
Size | ![]() | Explain rating |
Agility | ![]() | Explain rating |
Good with Kids | ![]() | Explain rating |
Parson Russell Terrier Temperament
The Parson Russell Terrier is a feisty, alert, bold, outgoing little guy who acts like he's trying to steal your heart. He is friendly to his people -- not so much with other dogs. Parson Russells are usually aggressive with same sex dogs. They have no idea how small they are and will not back down from a bigger dog. These are also not the dogs to add to a household that has rabbits and guinea pigs, as Parson Russells have a naturally high prey drive. They are usually good with children but will not tolerate rough handling. They are exuberant dogs who are filled with energy and need regular exercise. Parson Russells are smart and trainable, though they do tend to have a bit of an independent streak. They are athletic and clever and excel in agility, obedience, and rally competitions. Parson Russells are escape artists, so a potential Parson parent needs to be prepared to invest in a good fence, so he has some room to play. Parson Russells can be fairly vocal, so they make good watchdogs. The Parson Russell Terrier is a confident, overwhelmingly affectionate, loyal companion who is full of character and personality. They make great therapy dogs because they are so sweet and charming, and full of that special Parson Russells pluck! But gardeners beware: a Parson Russell likes to do a bit of "landscaping" himself.
Parson Russell Terrier Training
The Parson Russell Terrier is moderately easy to train. He learns new commands at the average rate. He is neither difficult nor easy to train.
Parson Russell Terrier Shedding
The Parson Russell Terrier sheds a fair amount of hair. You'll find hair stuck to your couch, carpets, clothes and everything else in your home.
Parson Russell Terrier Grooming
The medium-length coat of the Parson Russell Terrier only requires an occasional brushing. But because he sheds you may find yourself brushing him once or twice a week to remove loose hair. (What you get out with a brush doesn't fall out in your home!)
Parson Russell Terrier Photos
Rating: Ease of training
Tells you how easy or difficult a breed is to train.
A higher rating means the breed is easier to train, a lower rating means the breed is harder to train.
An easy to train breed require less time and patience to train.
Rating: Intelligence
Tells you how intelligent a breed is in terms of how quickly it can learn commands from humans. A higher rating means the breed will learn your commands faster (and is therefore generally considered to be more intelligent), while a lower rating means the breed will learn your commands more slowly (and is therefore generally considered to be less intelligent).
Keep in mind that this is only one way to measure a dog's intelligence and a low rating might still mean the breed is highly intelligent in other ways.
Rating: Shedding
Tells you how much hair the breed sheds. The higher the rating the more hair the breed sheds.
Rating: Watchdog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a watchdog and raising the alarm when a stranger approaches. A higher rating means the breed will bark vigorously to warn you of a stranger's presence on your property. A low rating means the breed probably won't bark much if a stranger enters your property.
Rating: Guard dog
Tells you how good the breed is at being a guard dog due to the appearance, size, and strength of the breed. A breed with a high guard dog rating will make an intruder think twice before stepping foot on your property.
Rating: Popularity
Tells you how popular the breed is in terms of ownership. A higher rating means that more people own the breed. The more popular a breed is the easier it is to find and purchase one because there are more breeders breeding it.
Rating: Size
Tells you how large or small the breed is. A lower rating means the breed is smaller and a higher rating means the breed is larger. It gives you a quick idea of how physically large or small the breed is compared with all the other breeds.
Rating: Agility
Tells you how agile the breed is. A higher rating means the breed is fast and nimble on its feet while a lower rating means the breed is heavier and slower on its feet.
Rating: Good with kids
Tells you how good the breed is with children. A higher rating means the breed is good with children. Note: all breeds are generally good with kids when they're raised with them.