MyDogBreeds
Parson Russell Terrier is originated from United Kingdom but East German Shepherd is originated from Germany. Parson Russell Terrier may grow 29 cm / 11 inches shorter than East German Shepherd. Parson Russell Terrier may weigh 32 kg / 70 pounds lesser than East German Shepherd. Both Parson Russell Terrier and East German Shepherd has almost same life span. Both Parson Russell Terrier and East German Shepherd has almost same litter size. Parson Russell Terrier requires Moderate maintenance. But East German Shepherd requires High maintenance
The Parson Russell Terrier hails from England and is a small to medium sized dog dating back to the 18th century. It is believed that Reverend John ‘Jack’ Russell was the developer of this dog. The Parson has always been involved with England’s sport of foxhunting.
They’re spritely and quick and have been able to keep up on a hunt and take on a fox in its lair. The dog was first recognized in 1990 in the United Kingdom as the Parson Jack Russell Terrier and in America in 1997.
All the top kennel clubs recognize this dog as the Parson Jack Russell Terrier.
The East German Shepherd is a line of the German Shepherd Dog breed. The German Shepherd Dog came about when the three types of “continental shepherd dogs” separated into the Dutch Shephers, German Shepherd and Belgian Shepherd. In the 1800’s it was local shepherds who bred their dogs and selected the traits they needed in their geography. The result was dogs in various local areas who all could herd and guard flocks; who were intelligent, strong, fast and had a good sense of smell, but their appearance and skills varied from town to town.
The changes in Germany from agriculture and sheep to industrial cities rendered the German Sheep Dog obsolete. But was it really? Many felt the dog could be a good working dog in the cities as well but needed some refinement in the breed according to Max von Stephanite. At a dog show in 1899, he found what he wanted – the perfect working dog.Stephanitz bought the dog and founded the Society for the German Shepherd. (Verein fur Deutsch Schaferhunde) Stephanitz is considered the developer of the German Shepherd Dog.
The East German Shepherd is a line of the same breed. There are several different lines of the German Shepherd Dog, with slight difference for the reason they were bred. For instance, the German Shepherd Dog is bred for looks while the East German Shepherd is bred to be a working dog. Often called a DDR German Shepherd, they came about from the Deutsche Democratic Republic or the Republic of East Germany. For about 40 years in East Germany these dogs were bred only within the DDR bloodline.
The East German Shepherd is stronger, heavier boned, leaner, more muscular and solid. During the time of the Berlin Wall, from 1961-1989, there were few German Shepherds for breeding stock on either side of the wall, but especially in the East. There the government controlled the development of the breed. They developed a separate registry for the DDR – East German Shepherd. With such strict standards for a perfect working dog and such little breeding stock, the only dogs allowed to reproduce were the ones that passed a rigorous test and were deemed perfect working dogs.
In West Germany they continued to breed for appearance. The West German Shepherd are the most popular ones and are usually simply called German Shepherds. The show dogs of today and the American line came from the West.
Preserving the East German Shepherd today is important and difficult. It means preserving not improving. The Strength of the East German Shepherd is their body line and style, Today’s breeder must maintain this while making sure there is enough diversity in the gene pool to keep the line healthy without losing its body style and working temperament. It is important that the East German Shepherd have a straight back rather than the sloping one of the German Shepherd Dog or the American lines of the GSD. The working dog is also more aggressive and has a much higher work drive than any of the other German Shepherd Dogs lines.
The Parson Jack Russell is essentially a white dog with black and tan or orange-fawn patches. He can be tri-colored too. The coat is either smooth, rough or broken.
He stands at between 33–36cm tall at the withers and weighs between 5 and 8kg. Unlike the Jack Russell, the Parson Russell Terrier has longer legs. He has some longer hair on the head, legs and body. The ears are floppy wit the tip pointed forward. The tail has always been docked but when left long it it held high, slightly curving over the back.
Feisty, brave, cheeky and alert, the Parson Russell Terrier is an energetic dog who gets on well with children as he knows that this is essentially where his games come from.
He is bold and clever and you’ll be able to have him trained and socialized without any trouble. These little dogs are full of life and they are protective of their humans and their property, making excellent watchdogs.
What are the differences between the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) and the East German Shepherd? The East German Shepherd has a straight back and a larger bone structure. He has a very large and block shaped head with a lean, athletic build. His lips are taunt and dark, and his nose must be black. He has a scissor bite and strong teeth. His eyes are medium sized almonds that are slanted slightly. The eyes are also very dark. His ears are erect and not too big. His legs, haunches and feet must all be coordinated so that he trots rather than runs.
In general the Parson is a friendly,loving dog, fairly small but packed full of feisty personality.
They make excellent pets for the entire family. He is an intelligent dog, but typical of most terriers he can be stubborn, but this can easily be fixed with training and socialization. With good care, he’ll make you a wonderful little pet and companion.
The East German Shepherd is a well- balanced dog. He is sure of himself, friendly, loyal and wants to please his owner. He is intelligent, resilient and attentive. He will make a great family pet. He is aggressive with a high prey drive but that can be tempered with good socialization and training. He is easy to train.
Your Parson Jack Russell can live to be between 12 and 15 years but nonetheless he does have some breed-related health issues to watch for.
Eye conditions which can affect this dog include primary lens luxation,cataracts, corneal dystrophy and progressive retinal atrophy. With cataracts the lens of the eye develops a cloudy look resulting in poorer vision and sometimes blindness. Cataract surgery is available for dogs.
Your Parson Jack Russel should be lean and muscular and always full of energy. Avoid feeding him unhealthy treats which can lead to obesity and other health problems.
All kinds of parasites such as ticks, fleas and worms can invade your dog’s body. Roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms can cause havoc with their health and some of these parasites can even be transmitted to humans. It’s why it is important to get your puppy to the vet to be de-wormed and to get his first injections.
A liver disorder known as portosystemic shunt can mean that some of the blood supply doesn’t get to the liver and it doesn’t function properly. This will mean the liver can’t remove toxins from the bloodstream effectively.
Because the East German Shepherd line has been isolated behind the Berlin Wall, there are not many genetic health issues in the line. Most importantly the East German Shepherd shows no hip dysplasia which plagues most GSD. There are a couple of situations to look out for. They are:
A life threatening issue that must be addressed immediately for fear of death. Bloat is caused when a larger dog with a deep chest eats too large a meal before or after strenuous exercise, eats too fast, or drinks too much water. The stomach distends with air or gas and twists. Sometimes it is completely inverted. Get help fast or your dog will die.
The Parson Russell Terrier has different coat types – the smooth and rough and both will require regular brushing. Rough coats will require plucking or clipping to avoid matting.
Check his eyes and ears regularly. Look inside his ears for excess wax and dirt which could lead to an ear infection. His nails should also be trimmed.
The best thing you can do for your Parson Russell Terrier if you don’t want your pet producing puppies is to have it spayed or neutered. Spaying for females or neutering for males decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers too so it can be beneficial.
Diet is hugely important for a Parson Russell Terrier and the food you decide for him can impact his health. Many time those ‘treats’ you feed your pet do nothing more but give him a stomach ache.
It's tempting to pop chocolates, popcorn, nuts and ice cream into your pets mouth when he is so adorable but in the long run it is shortening his life. All he basically requires and needs is a simple, consistent diet of the top commercially manufactured foods mixed with some tasty home made food from time to time.
Boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach will do your pet wonders. Ensure he always has fresh, cool water available to him.
Because these dogs were bred to work you need to feed them a high quality dry food, made for working dogs. It needs to have a good amount of calcium and glucosamine. Feed about 3-4 cups per day divided into 2 feeding times.
In addition to bloat as mentioned above, the East German Shepherd can also have both air born, and food born allergies. These are easily treated by your veterinarian.
The East German Shepherd is a high energy, high activity dog so you have some for him. He is agile and athletic. He needs serious exercise and a job is essential. If you can’t give an East German Shepherd a job, then don’t get this dog. He loves tracking and has a high prey drive. Keep him trained, challenged and working. Try tracking and herding trials, obedience, agility, fly ball and bar hunt.