Jack Russell Terrier vs Francais Blanc et Orange - Breed Comparison

The popular Jack Russell Terrier was developed in Devonshire in the south of England in the late 1800's so as to hunt foxes.

Often believed to be the Parson Russell Terrier, the Jack Russell Terrier was developed by Parson John Russell. This is where the dog gets his breed name from. Some people get the Jack Russell Terrier a little bit mixed up with the Parson Russell terrier, when it fact its actually a different breed, but sharing a common ancestry.

The Jack Russell Terrier is smaller than the Parson and bigger than the Russell Terrier. The breed became known in the U.S. by the 1930s and the Jack Russell Terrier Association of America wanted recognition by the American Kennel Club, which was granted in 2000.

The Chien Francais Blanc et Orange is one of the three versions of the Chien Francais. There is the Francais Blanc et Noir and the Francais Tricolor. These scent hounds were distinguished by their colors. The Francais Blanc et Orange like the other two, was a descendent of a variety of English and French hunting hounds, including the Hound of Saintonge.

The Hound od Saintonge is extinct but has several breeds coming from his line including the Billy – a pointer. Similar to the Francais Blanc et Orange, the Billy hunted in packs. Coming from these roots the Francais Blanc et Orange was developed around the 1900’s. Many considers the Chien Francais trio to be the Newest and Rarest French Hounds. The Francais Blanc et Orange is a white and orange hound, considered to be the rarest of the three. They were developed by crossing English Foxhounds with French Scent Hounds.

The Francais Blanc et Orange is a born hunter and a good one at that. In his pack he is happy and superbly equipped for the hunt. His vision and scenting skills are unsurpassed. They can cover a large expanse of territory in a very short period of time. They were known for hunting large boar and deer as well as small prey like foxes or rabbits. They were recognized as a separate breed by the UKC in 2006 but are not recognized by the AKC.

The Jack Russell Terrier is a small dog that weighs between 6 and 8kg and stands at between 25 – 38cm. The body length of the dog should be in proportion to the height.

He is essentially a white dog with orange or fawn colored patches. The coat is mostly smooth and short, but the coat can also be longer and rough or it can be broken which is a combination of rough and smooth. Regardless of coat type, they are dense, double coats which will require brushing at least twice a week to remove loose hairs. He may also be tri-colored such as being white with black and tan patches.

He has alert, bright dark brown eyes and ears which are somewhat erect and which flop over at the tips. The tail has always been traditionally docked, giving him an attractive, compact look about him but unfortunately the tail is often left long on the dog these days.

Temperament:

Your Jack Russell Terrier is a lively, tenacious, bold, fearless, feisty, cheeky, confident, independent, intelligent and full of life dog. He is super energetic and exuberant, spirited and full of personality.

There are some dog owners who are exhausted by him and would prefer a more quieter dog breed as their companion. Nonetheless he has some excellent characteristics such as being a totally devoted and loving dog.

It is why it is a good idea to have him trained and socialized as it calms him down and makes him more obedient. He is very intelligent and training him will be easy.

The Francais Blanc et Orange is a large , muscular and lean hunting dog, a typical pack hound out of France. They have a flat to somewhat domed head, long legs, and dropped, long ears and a square muzzle. The nose is either orange-brown or black and has large nostrils. Their eyes are deep set, dark and widely spaced. They have a deep chest which leads to their propensity toward the situation of bloat. This breed is smaller than the Chien Francais Blanc et Noir that hunts in packs. The skin is the fur’s color. They are athletic and display tremendous perseverance.

With loads of vibrant personality, the energetic Jack Russell Terrier has got so many wonderful characteristics to his name – devotion, intelligence, charming, lively, playful and he is an entertainer – you’ll always be laughing a him.

You do need to pay him attention – you can’t just plonk him in your backyard and forget about him. He wants your love and attention and ignoring him can lead to problem behavior such as obsessive barking.

Give your Jack Russell Terrier all the love and care he needs, and you’ll have an exceptional pet and friend.

Children friendliness

They are not exactly child oriented dogs as they are so oriented toward the hunt and the pack. With serious exercise and mental stimulation, they can become a good family dog, but it is not in their instincts.

Special talents

hunting in packs/scent and vision

Adaptability

He is not suited for apartment life and does need a large, fenced yard to run and play. Being a scent hound, he will constantly be sniffing for a trail to follow so put him to work.

Learning ability

The breed is highly intelligent and easily trainable.

This particular dog breed has a reputation for being healthy and living to a good age such as 16 or 17 years of age. Of course he needs to be given proper care to reach such a good age.

Some common dog disorders you might want to be aware of are -

Eye disorders:

Lens luxation is actually a common hereditary disorder in these dogs, but even so, with good care, your dog isn’t likely to battle with it. What happens is that the lens in the eye becomes displaced. There are two types, with Posterior luxation being the lesser severe one.Treatment is available.

Musculoskeletal conditions:

Patellar luxation is an hereditary disorder affecting the knees of the dog. The kneecap slips off the groove where it sits and you may notice your dog running while holding his hind leg in the air. It can sometimes slip back in place and then you see your dog running in his usual way. It becomes more serious when it affects both legs.

Ear Infections

As with any dog with log floppy ears, infection is always a concern. Make sure you clean them after every hunting trip, romp or play session.

Hip Dysplasia

Like many large dogs the Blanc et Orange has a propensity to acquire hip dysplasia. It is known that joint dysplasia has a genetic component and should be screened for. Can cause lameness and arthritis.

Bloat

This is a real danger for the Blanc et Orange. They are deed chested and these are the dogs that are most likely to get bloat. The stomach is twisted and distended. It can be fatal if not treated quickly.

Exercise:

The Jack Russell Terrier isn’t just a small dog that can be left to his own devices. He will need proper training and socialization early in life to make him obedient and better to get on with.

He may be a small dog, but he certainly won’t do in the city where he is cooped up in a place with a handkerchief of a garden. He needs lots of space to run and play. He wants his human family to join in with walks, hikes, ball games and swimming.

Diet:

You can buy excellent commercially manufactured dog food which caters for energetic small dog breeds like the Jack Russell Terrier.

Once you have selected the best one for your pet, with dry kibble being better in terms of dental health - you can also add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken. This is highly beneficial to all dog breeds. A little bit of raw meat can sometimes be added in too.

The bottom line is to to prevent your pet from eating foods high in preservatives, additives and fillers. Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Feeding the puppy

Until about 18 months of age feed between 1 and 1.5 cups of high quality puppy, dry food, made for sporting dogs. Divide this into 3 meals per day.

Feeding the adult

3 cups day – After 18 month feed 3 cups per day of a high quality, adult dry food made for sporting dogs. Divide this into 2 meals per day.

Points for Good Health

Outstanding scent and vision

Games and Exercises

Even though they are warm and welcoming to people, these are very serous dogs. They usually live outside in packs as they are an incredible pack animal. All they want in life is to hunt. However, if they cant hunt they need at least a couple hours per day od vigorous exercise. They are obviously better off in a rural environment than a city one. Put him in field trails, scent trials, barn hunt and playing fetch.