dogage.co
SmallTerrier Group

Parson Russell Terrier

The Parson Russell Terrier derives from the working terriers bred by Reverend John Russell in 19th-century Devon for hunting red fox.

Calculate Parson Russell Terrier age
Lifespan13.8 yrrange 13–14
SizeSmallTerrier Group
Weight13–17 lb5.9–7.7 kg
Senior at8 yrgeriatric at 12

Gallery (3)

About

About the Parson Russell Terrier

The Parson Russell Terrier derives from the working terriers bred by Reverend John Russell in 19th-century Devon for hunting red fox. It is the longer-legged AKC sibling of the shorter Russell Terrier (both split from the working Jack Russell Terrier).

Aging

How Parson Russell Terriers age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 13.8 years (n=3,776). Primary lens luxation is the defining breed-specific ocular inherited concern — DNA-testable — with hereditary ataxia (two distinct syndromes) secondary late-life neurological concerns.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 13.8 yr · range 13–14Senior careSenior at 8 · geriatric at 12Common health issues6 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
13–17 lb(5.9–7.7 kg)
Height
13–14 in(33–35.6 cm)
Coat type
Wire
Colors
White
Temperament

Temperament

How Parson Russell Terriers tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

cleverathleticfearlessfriendly
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~1 yr

    Congenital Hearing Loss (Deafness)

    Description and veterinary guidance for Congenital Hearing Loss (Deafness) land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Low prevalencetypical onset ~5 yr

    Primary Lens Luxation

    Description and veterinary guidance for Primary Lens Luxation land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
90min
per day

Parson Russell Terriers are high-output dogs — plan for 90 minutes of daily activity across a mix of walks, off-leash play, and purposeful work.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

Compare

Compare Parson Russell Terrier to another breed

Pick any of the 200 breeds in the library and we'll open a side-by-side comparison.

Start typing a breed name.

References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.