The Parson Russell Terrier was recognised by the UK Kennel Club in 1990, followed by Australia and FCI countries, then American Kennel Club in 2001, as Parson Jack Russell Terrier and then in the USA as the Parson Russell Terrier. Because the name “Jack Russell Terrier” was trade-marked in the USA by a group of people who did not wish to become a part of an all-breed kennel club, the Kennel Clubs of the world had to “re-badge” their terrier. The name was changed to “Parson Russell” Terrier for the American Kennel Club because of a compromise with the Jack Russell Terrier Club of America. The rest of the world now recognises the Jack Russell and the Parson Russell as 2 separate breeds.

The Parson Russell Terrier is descended from early primarily white-bodied foxing terriers used in the hunt field. At the end of the 19th Century, these dogs were drawn into the Kennel Club as “fox terriers,” but their still-working antecedents were referred to as “Jack Russell” terriers throughout the 20th Century in honour of the Rev. John “Jack” Russell, a noted fox hunter of the 19th Century “The Sporting Parson” who is credited with creating the breed.

Breed Standard

The ideal height of a mature dog is 14” at the highest point of the shoulder blade, and bitches 13”. The weight of a terrier in hard working condition is usually between 13-17 lb. The terrier should appear balanced and proportionate with the height at withers is slightly greater than the distance from the withers to tail. These terries have medium bone, which is not so heavy as to appear coarse or so light as to appear racy. The head is to be proportionate with the body with small V-shaped drop ears and a full pigmented black nose. The bite should be a scissor bite with the top set of teeth very slightly overlapping the bottom. The coat can be smooth or broken, consisting of a double coat which is naturally harsh, close and dense, straight with no suggestion of kink. There is a clear outline with only a hint of eyebrows and beard if natural to the coat. This terrier is intended to be shown in his natural appearance and not excessively groomed. Their colour is predominantly white with black or tan markings, or a combination of these. Colours are clear but grizzle is acceptable and should not be confused with brindle (which would disqualify the terrier).

Temperament

The Parson is a bold and energetic happy go lucky terrier. They often do well with people who possess those same attributes as well as patience and a sense of humour. Parsons can do very well with children, but many Parsons won’t tolerate being handled roughly, so it is not recommended that they be placed in homes with very young children. Parsons do not do well in flats or apartments because of their high exercise requirements. Because the Parson was bred to hunt, it can be difficult for them to live with some pets such as small rodents. While, they will get along fine with cats if raised with them, it’s not suggested to leave them alone together unsupervised. They are very intelligent and eager to please. Many excel in activities such as obedience, agility, conformation and earthdog.

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The Papillon (French for “butterfly”) is a small, friendly, elegant breed of dog of the Spaniel type, distinguished from other breeds by its large butterfly-like ears. The Papillon is one of the oldest of the toy Spaniels.

Papillons were bred for companionship, and make excellent watch dogs.

Appearance

The Papillon’s ears are very large and butterfly-like (in fact, ‘papillon’ means butterfly in French). Papillons are beautiful and adorable parti-coloured (white with markings of any colour). An all white dog or a dog with no white is disqualified from the conformation show ring.

Papillons can be registered with AKC as the following colours, though not all of these colours are permitted in the conformation ring:

White & Black
White & Lemon
White & Red
White & Sable
White Black & Tan
Black Brown & White
Black Red & White
Brown & White
Fawn & White
Red
Red White & Sable
Sable
White
White & Liver
White & Silver

The most distinctive aspect of the Papillon is its large ears, which are well fringed with coloured (not white) silky fur. The colour covers both eyes and the front and back of the ears to give the ideal butterfly look. A white blaze and noseband is preferred over a solid-coloured head. Nose, eye-rims, and lips should be black. Paw pads vary in colour from black or pink depending on the colouring of the dog.

The Papillon is considered to be a “wash and wear” breed and does not require excessive grooming. Papillons have a coat of fine fur, single length coat. As puppies, papillons have short length fur and as adults, the coat is long and silky. Their fur is very long, plush and soft to touch, until about three months old.

There are two ear variations of this breed, the completely upright ears of the more common Papillon, and the dropped spaniel-like ears of the Phalène. The American Kennel Club and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale consider the Phalène and the Papillon the same breed. The Papillon coat is abundant, long, and silky. There is no undercoat. Ears are well-fringed with the inside covered with silken fur of medium length. Tail is long, well-fringed, set on high, arched over back with fringes falling to side to form plume. The head is slightly rounded between the ears, and the muzzle is fine, tapering, and narrower than the skull with an abrupt stop. Height: 20-28 cm (8-11 inches), over 11 inches is a fault and over 12 inches is a disqualification from the conformation show ring. Weight: 7-10 pounds (3–5 kg), but they can also get to (14- 16), pounds at the heaviest.

Temperament

The Papillon has the appearance of a dainty toy breed, but many owners will claim that their dogs are “big dogs in little dog suits”. Some people find that their Papillon is very capable of handling a good five-mile walk. One aspect of the Papillon that has led many to believe the “big dog” assertion is this breed’s surprising athletic ability. Don’t be surprised by this dog’s size and appearance; they are extremely athletic. In contrast to its staid and stately representation in the Old Master portraits, the Papillon is highly energetic and intelligent. The breed is far older than any other represented by the AKC and is only notable for its oft-cited, yet dubious “psychological abilities”; some strange proponents of the Papillon claim that its true strength lies in its ability to perceive the emotional needs of its owner and to translate them into a healthy psychological environment. But this is of course totally without substantiation in the scientific literature. In other words, the animal becomes what the owner needs at the time, depending on circumstances. Provided their genetic structure is sound, and they are not the product of “puppy mill” inbreeding, they are generally healthy animals. Papillons are built for movement, and most do not need any encouragement to apply their energy to athletic activities. They enjoy at least a half hour running about.

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The Otterhound is an old British dog breed, with Bloodhound ancestors, and one of the ancestors of the Airedale Terrier.

Appearance

The Otterhound is a large, rough-coated hound with an imposing head. Originally bred for hunting, it has great strength and a strong body with long striding steps. This makes it able to perform prolonged hard work. Otterhounds generally weigh between 80 and 120 pounds (36 to 54 kg). They have extremely sensitive noses which make them inquisitive and perseverant in investigating scents. Consequently, they need particular supervision. They are friendly dogs with a unique bass voice which they use frequently.

Hunting

The Otterhound hunts its quarry both on land and in water and it has a combination of characteristics unique among hounds; most notably an oily, rough, double coat and substantial webbed feet.

The use of Otterhounds to hunt otters by scent ceased in Britain in 1978 when it became illegal to kill otters, at this point otter hunts switched to hunting mink or coypu.

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The Old English Sheepdog (OES) is a large breed of dog which was developed in England from very old herding types of dog. The Old English Sheepdog has very long fur covering the face and eyes.

The Old English Sheepdog is nicknamed the Bobtail, since tail docking was traditional in the old sheepdogs. The breed is well known as the Dulux dog, as a result of their long-running use in advertising Dulux paint.

Appearance

The Old English Sheepdog is a large dog, immediately recognisable by its long, thick, shaggy grey and white coat, with fur covering their face and eyes. The ears lie flat to the head. In places where tail docking is still legal, the tail is completely docked, resulting in a panda-like rear end. Sometimes the breed has a natural bobtail. The Old English Sheepdog stands lower at the shoulder than at the loin, and walks with a “bear-like roll from the rear”. When the dog has a tail, it has long fur (feathering), is low set, and normally hangs down.

Height at the withers is at least 61 cms (24 ins), with females slightly smaller than males. The body is short and compact, and ideal weights are not specified, but may be as much as 46 kg (101 lbs) for large males.

Colour of the double coat may be any shade of grey, grizzle, blue, or blue merle, with optional white markings. The undercoat is water resistant. Puppies are born with a black and white coat, and it is only after the puppy coat has been shed that the more common grey or silver shaggy hair appears.

Temperament

The breed standards describe the ideal Old English Sheepdog as never being nervous or aggressive. The New Zealand Kennel Club adds that “they are sometimes couch potatoes” and “may even try to herd children by gently bumping them.” This breed’s temperament can be described as intelligent, social and adaptable. The American Kennel Club adds that the breed has “a clownish energy” and “may try to herd people or other objects.”

With wide open spaces being the ideal setting for an Old English Sheepdog, the breed is a natural fit in a rural setting, such as working on a farm; although they are perfectly comfortable with a suburban or urban lifestyle (with proper exercise). Their remarkable, inherent herding instincts, sense of duty, and sense of property boundaries may be nurtured and encouraged accordingly, or subdued by their owners. Old English Sheepdogs should not be deprived of the company and the warmth of people.

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The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, or Toller for short, is one of the most unusual breeds of gundog in how the dog works. The hunter stays hidden in a blind and sends the dog out to romp and play near the water, usually by tossing a ball or stick to be retrieved. Just like the fox the dog’s activity and white markings pique the curiosity of waterfowl, who swim over to investigate. The act of enticing or luring game to approach is known as “tolling”. When the birds are close, the hunter calls the dog back to the blind, then rises, putting the birds to flight, allowing him a shot. The Toller then retrieves any downed birds.

Appearance

According to the breed standards, the Toller should be athletic, well-muscled, compact, medium boned, balanced and powerful. The chest is deep. Conformation judges require Tollers to be capable of tolling, and physical faults that inhibit working ability are heavily penalised. They should be of moderate build—a lack of substance or a heavy build are penalised by judges, as both detract from the type and athleticism. The legs are sturdy and solid.

Those who breed Tollers for conformation shows consider the head (clean cut, slightly wedge-shaped) to be an important feature, and believe it should resemble that of a fox and must never be blocky like that of a Golden Retriever. The ears are triangular and set high and well back from the skull.

The tail is well-feathered and held jauntily when the dog is excited or moving.

Coat and colour

Colour is any shade of red, ranging from a golden red through dark coppery red, with lighter featherings on the underside of the tail, pantaloons, and body. Even the lighter shades of golden red are deeply pigmented and rich in colour. The Toller should not be buff or brown. Although very rare, there are chocolate/liver brown Duck Tollers.

The Toller has usually at least one of the following white markings – tip of tail, feet (not extending above the pasterns) chest and blaze. Lack of white is not a fault.

“The Toller was bred to retrieve from icy waters and must have a water-repellent double coat of medium length and softness, and a soft dense undercoat. The coat may have a slight wave on the back, but is otherwise straight. Some winter coats may form a long loose curl at the throat. Featherings are soft and moderate in length. The hair on the muzzle is short and fine. Seasonal shedding is to be expected.” Over-coated specimens are not appropriate for a working dog.

Size and proportions

Tollers are the smallest of all the retriever breeds. Tollers range in height from 17 to 21 inches at the withers, and weigh 37 to 51 pounds (17-23 kg); females are slightly shorter and lighter. Tollers are always a medium-sized breed, never large, however there has been a trend towards larger dogs in recent years.

Tollers should be slightly longer than tall (a ratio of approximately 10 to 9). However, they should not appear long-backed either.

Temperament

“The Toller is highly intelligent, alert, outgoing, loving, and ready for action, though not to the point of nervousness or hyperactivity. It is affectionate with family members and is good with children, showing patience. Some individuals may display reserved behaviour in new situations, but this is not to be confused with shyness… The Toller’s strong retrieving desire coupled with his love of water, endurance and intense birdiness, is essential for its role as a tolling retriever.

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