The purpose for any breed is the criteria for its mere existence as an official breed. The purpose of the Russell Terrier is to enter the earth to work vermin and has been since the 1800’s. In order for the Russell Terrier to do the work for which the breed originated it must have the correct conformation outlined in the standard. The Russell Terrier is a working breed and must be a well balanced sound specimen to perform that work. Excessive characteristics such as heavy chest size, double muscling, excessive head size will hamper the terriers underground. It also must be noted a perfectly conformed specimen without the will to employ the work intended for the breed would not be considered desirable either.

Correct breed type or conformation outlined in the standard is equally as important as the instinct to hunt. That makes emphasis on conformation paramount. The strong hunting instinct gives the breed the desire to race and go to ground and breed type allows them to do it effectively. Conformation true to the breed is the single most important ingredient for the success in the working events combined with the will to employ the task which is the strong instinct for hunting. The terriers must exhibit characteristics true to the breed to be proficient at these events. The Go to Ground box is a three sided box liner 9" X 9" X 9" the terriers enter to follow a scent to locate the quarry. Small chest size with well conformed conformation allows our terriers to enter the liners with great mobility racing against the clock combined with the nose and instinct for vermin.

Quest of JRS from our club is a prime example of the breed type needed to be competitive. He competed against thousands to be one of the very select few who qualified for the Purina Dog Challenge in the working events. His small size with sound balanced conformation combined with his strong hunting instincts made him a tough contender. He is small but has substance with sufficient head. Imagine a small fragile terrier working a Fox or ground hog. The terriers must be matched in size to their quarry to give them equal advantage at work. Quest is hardly an example of a one off. He comes from a strong working line that originated from legitimate working strains. He has generations of ancestors behind him that have earned their working titles in JRTCA and our club events for many years. Our club has kept detailed records of title holders in racing and GTG with certificates of achievement dating back to 1995. We have also given special recognition to those terriers who have worked in the field. The AJRTC has actively promoted the working events for the past eleven years at our terrier trials to preserve the purpose of the breed.

Our club fully intends to continue in the future to promote our working events with a more detailed structure to provide participants with rewards to promote the breed as a working breed. We be posting a list of Russells that our club has recorded since 1995 who have achieved special merits in GTG, racing, and natural hunting. In addition we will give special recognition to those that have earned conformation titles, agility titles, obedience titles and good canine citizens certificates since 2001.