Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier" Compare Cairn Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier. Which is better: Cairn Terrier or Jack Russell Terrier or Parson Russell Terrier?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Cairn Terrier	Jack Russell Terrier	Parson Russell Terrier
Origins	Scotland	England	England
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Hunting Dogs	Hunting Dogs	Hunting Dogs
Popularity Rank	69	78	119
Reviews	0	0	0
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Other Names	Cairn, Toto Dog	Russell Terrier, JRT, Jack	Jack Russell Terrier, Parson, Parson Jack Russell Terrier
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1913 as a Terrier breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2012 as a Terrier breed.	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1997 as a Terrier breed.
FCI Group	Recognized by FCI in the Terriers group, in the Small sized Terriers section.	Recognized by FCI in the Terriers group, in the Small sized Terriers section.	Recognized by FCI in the Terriers group, in the Large and medium sized Terriers section.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Club Espanol De Terriers	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Irish Kennel Club Club Espanol De Terriers Jack Russell Terrier Club Of America	No set
Price	$700-$1000	$700-$1000	$400-$600

General Appearance - Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier

Size	Small	Small	Medium
Weight	Male: 14-18 pounds (6-8 kg), Female: 13-17 pounds (6-8 kg)	11-18 pounds (5-8 kg)	14-18 pounds (6-8 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 16 pounds (7 kg), Female: 15 pounds (7 kg)	14.5 pounds (6.5 kg)	16 pounds (7 kg)
Height	Male: 10-13 inches (25-33 cm), Female: 9-12 inches (23-30 cm)	8-15 inches (20-38 cm)	12-14 inches (31-36 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 11.5 inches (29 cm), Female: 10.5 inches (26.5 cm)	11.5 inches (29 cm)	13 inches (33.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier

Coat	Waterproof	Rough	Rough
Colors	Cream Red Wheaten Brindle Gray Silver Black	Tan White Black	Tan White Brown Black
Grooming	Average: The Cairn Terrier requires average grooming effort.	Easy to groom: The Jack Russell Terrier doesn't require a lot of grooming.	Easy to groom: The Parson Russell Terrier doesn't require a lot of grooming.
Shedding Level	Cairn Terriers shed moderately.	Jack Russell Terriers are heavy shedders.	Parson Russell Terriers shed moderately.

Characteristics - Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier

Temperament	Active Courageous Intelligent Assertive Fearless	Alert Courageous Independent Cheerful Energetic	Energetic Eager Intelligent Bold Happy Obedient
Intelligent Rank	Smart: Cairn Terrier's has great intelligence.	Average: Jack Russell Terrier's has average obedience intelligence.	Low to average: This canine intelligence is not the brightest one.
Trainability	Cairn Terriers are easy to train.	Jack Russell Terriers are easy to train.	Parson Russell Terriers are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	The Cairn Terrier is a playful breed.	The Jack Russell Terrier is a highly playful breed.	The Parson Russell Terrier is a highly playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	Cairn Terriers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	Jack Russell Terriers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.	Parson Russell Terriers have an average emotional level and are not the most sensitive dog breed.
Affection Level	Cairn Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Jack Russell Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.	Parson Russell Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Cairn Terriers need a lot of social interaction.	Jack Russell Terriers need for social interaction is average.	Parson Russell Terriers need for social interaction is average.
Barking	High: The Cairn Terrier is a very vocal breed.	High: The Jack Russell Terrier is a very vocal breed.	High: The Parson Russell Terrier is a very vocal breed.
Watchdog Ability	Cairn Terriers are good watchdogs.	Jack Russell Terriers are good watchdogs.	Parson Russell Terriers are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Cairn Terriers are average defenders.	Jack Russell Terriers are extremely protective guard dogs.	Parson Russell Terriers are extremely protective guard dogs.
Biting Potential	Low The Cairn Terrier has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Jack Russell Terrier has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Parson Russell Terrier has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Cairn Terriers have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Jack Russell Terriers have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Parson Russell Terriers have a higher than average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Cairn Terriers have average wanderlust potential.	Wanderlust potential of the Jack Russell Terrier is strong enough to escape from home.	Wanderlust potential of the Parson Russell Terrier is strong enough to escape from home.
Prey Drive	Cairn Terriers have a higher impulse to chase and catch something than other dog breeds.	Jack Russell Terriers have a high impulse to chase and catch something.	Parson Russell Terriers have a high impulse to chase and catch something.
Apartment Friendly	Cairn Terriers are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	Jack Russell Terriers are not apartment-friendly dogs.	Parson Russell Terriers are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.
Adaptability	Cairn Terriers adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.	Jack Russell Terriers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Parson Russell Terriers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Cairn Terriers tend to have separation anxiety when their owners left them alone at home because they bond very closely with them.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.	Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.

Good With - Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier

Stranger Friendly	Cairn Terriers are average friendly towards strangers.	Jack Russell Terriers are average friendly towards strangers.	Parson Russell Terriers are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Cairn Terriers are kid-friendly dogs.	Jack Russell Terriers are kid-friendly dogs.	Parson Russell Terriers are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Cairn Terriers are average friendly towards cats.	Jack Russell Terriers are not the most cat-friendly dogs.	Parson Russell Terriers are not cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Cairn Terriers are average friendly towards other dogs.	Jack Russell Terriers are not the most dog-friendly dogs.	Parson Russell Terriers are not dog-friendly.
Office Friendly	Yes Cairn Terrier is one of the best dog breeds for office environment	No Jack Russell Terrier is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Parson Russell Terrier is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Cairn Terriers are usually recommended for elderly people.	Jack Russell Terriers are usually recommended for elderly people.	Parson Russell Terriers are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Cairn Terriers are generally with other pets.	Jack Russell Terriers usually don’t get on well with other pets.	Parson Russell Terriers do best when they’re the only pet at the family.
Good For First Time Owners	Yes Cairn Terriers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	Yes Jack Russell Terriers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.	Yes Parson Russell Terriers are good for novice owners, due to their easy-going personality.
Service Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Not really A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Cairn Terrier breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Jack Russell Terrier breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really Parson Russell Terrier breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier

Health Issues	Cairn Terriers tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.	The Jack Russell Terrier is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Parson Russell Terrier is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Cataracts Craniomandibular Osteopathy Cryptorchidism Glaucoma Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy Hypothyroidism Legg-perthes Disease Luxating Patella Microvascular Dysplasia Portosystemic Vascular Anomaly (PSVA) Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA)	Deafness Glaucoma Legg-perthes Disease Lens Luxation Patellar Luxation	No set
Life Expectancy	12-15 years	13-16 years	13-15 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	Yes	No	No
Energy Level	Cairn Terriers are high energy dogs.	Jack Russell Terriers are high energy dogs.	Parson Russell Terriers are high energy dogs.
Exercise Need	Cairn Terriers need quite a lot of exercise.	Jack Russell Terriers need a lot of exercises.	Parson Russell Terriers need a lot of exercises.
Sleeping Need	Cairn Terriers don't need too much sleep.	Jack Russell Terriers don't need too much sleep.	Parson Russell Terriers don't need too much sleep.
Avg. daily food consumption	0.5 to 1.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1/4 to 1 cup of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	1/2 to 1 cup dry food a day.
Weight Gain Potential	Average.	Average to High.	Low.
Weather & Climate	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Cairn Terrier can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Jack Russell Terrier can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.	Prefers average to cold weather conditions The Parson Russell Terrier can adapt to well to cold weather conditions, some dogs even can be a good mountain dog.
Stinkiness	Medium The Cairn Terrier has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Jack Russell Terrier has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Parson Russell Terrier has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Cairn Terrier is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Jack Russell Terrier is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Parson Russell Terrier is a perfect example for low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Cairn Terrier vs Jack Russell Terrier vs Parson Russell Terrier

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	2-10 puppies	4-8 puppies	4-8 puppies
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