Terrier breeds range in size, coat length, and personalities. Although some may look similar, their needs and traits can differ completely. Two of the most popular dog breeds that are considered terriers include the toy fox terrier and the Jack Russell terrier. We’re going to explore these two breeds and compare them. You’ll learn how to distinguish the toy fox terrier from the Jack Russell terrier in several ways so that you know how they’re different and which dog is better for you!
Comparing a Toy Fox Terrier and a Jack Russell
The Jack Russell terrier weighs 13-18 pounds and stands 10-15 inches tall.
©nexusby/Shutterstock.com
| Toy Fox Terrier | Jack Russell | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Weight: 4-9 pounds Height: 8-11.5 inches Length: 12-17 inches | Weight: 13-18 pounds Height: 10-15 inches Length: 18-21 inches |
| Morphology | – Tall, erect, V-shaped ears – Short and smooth coat – Somewhat muscular – Short tail | – Button ears or droopy ears – Have a double coat of thick hair – Known for their smooth, broken, or rough coats – Jack Russell terriers with broken coats have longer fur on their face |
| Colors | – Black, white, tan, and chocolate – Typically, they are mostly white with patterns of colors | – Brown, black, tan, and white – Mostly white with patterned colors |
| Traits | – Very friendly towards everyone – Known for barking often unless otherwise trained – Very playful and energetic – Needs plenty of things to do | – Alert and active – Very curious dog – May be aggressive toward small children – Need a lot of exercise, or they can be destructive – Require training to prevent them from damaging their surroundings – Propensity for barking |
| Country of Origin | – The United States – Often kept as companions – Used to hunt foxes by climbing into their dens | – England – Originally bred for hunting foxes, now used as a companion dog |
The 5 Key Differences Between a Toy Fox Terrier vs Jack Russell
The greatest differences between a toy fox terrier (TFT) and a Jack Russell terrier can be found in their size and morphological qualities.
In particular, the toy fox terrier is smaller than a Jack Russell terrier, weighing between 4 and 9 pounds and measuring between 8 and 11.5 inches in height while having erect ears, a muscular body, and a short, smooth coat. Meanwhile, the Jack Russell terrier weighs 13-18 pounds, stands 10-15 inches tall, and is known for having button style or drooping ears and a coat that can be smooth, rough, or broken.
These are the most identifiable differences between the creatures. However, several other unique qualities exist as well. We’re going to cover five major differences in greater detail below.
Toy Fox Terrier vs Jack Russell: Size
The toy fox terrier will only weigh between 4 and 9 pounds.
©iStock.com/Vasilisa_k
Jack Russell terriers are about double the weight of the toy fox terrier. The average Jack Russell weighs between 13 and 18 pounds, but the toy fox terrier only weighs between 4 and 9 pounds. While the Jack Russell is a small dog, the toy fox terrier’s name is self-explanatory; they’re toy-sized dogs.
The Jack Russell terrier also stands taller than the average TFT as well. The toy fox terrier will measure between 8 and 11.5 inches tall on average, while the Jack Russell stands upwards of 10 to 15 inches. Although both dogs are small in the grand scheme, the toy fox terrier is far smaller than the Jack Russell terrier.
Toy Fox Terrier vs Jack Russell: Morphology
Jack Russell Terriers were originally developed to hunt foxes in England.
©iStock.com/alexei_tm
The tox fox terrier and Jack Russell terrier have noticeable differences in their ears and coat. The toy fox terrier has tall, erect, V-shaped ears, while the Jack Russell has drooping or button ears. Most toy fox terriers will have a short and smooth coat, but the Jack Russell’s double hair coat can be smooth, rough, or broken.
Jack Russell terriers with rough or broken coats will have longer hair on their bodies and are known for having long hair on the face. Both were formerly working dogs, and the toy fox terrier and Jack Russell are muscular dogs for their respective sizes.
Toy Fox Terrier vs Jack Russell: Colors
The toy fox terrier can have black, white, tan, and chocolate colors in their coat.
©iStock.com/Farinosa
Toy fox terriers and Jack Russell terriers of the same size can look similar because their coloration is nearly identical. Both dogs have a white base coat that includes patterns of colors. However, the available colors on these dogs are different.
The toy fox terrier can have black, white, tan, and chocolate colors in their coat. However, the Jack Russell will have brown, tan, black, and white. So, you can discern the dog’s breed by knowing their potential coloration in purebreds.
Toy Fox Terrier vs Jack Russell: Traits
Jack Russell terriers must be frequently exercised, or they will find contentment in chewing and tearing your home apart.
©iStock.com/alexei_tm
The Jack Russell terrier and the toy fox terrier have similar traits, but not all are alike. For example, the toy fox terrier is a dog breed known for being great with everyone, including kids. However, Jack Russell terriers, given their larger size and more recent use for hunting, are not great with little kids because they can become aggressive toward them.
The toy fox terrier needs training; otherwise, it will bark at almost everything. They’re very energetic and playful dogs that do best in an environment with plenty of things to do to stay busy. They will let you know if someone comes knocking.
Jack Russell terriers are also very alert dogs, and they’re described as curious. They may not welcome strangers. Also, they must be frequently exercised, or they will find contentment in chewing and tearing your home apart. They need training! Like toy fox terriers, they have a penchant for barking, especially if they perceive a threat.
Toy Fox Terrier vs Jack Russell: Country of Origin
Toy fox terriers were also developed to hunt foxes, but they were developed in America.
©iStock.com/betyarlaca
Jack Russell terriers were developed by a man named Jack Russell in the Victorian Era. They come from England, and they were used for hunting foxes. Nowadays, they’re mostly companion dogs, but some are still used for hunting.
Toy fox terriers were also developed to hunt foxes, but they were developed in America. These dogs are mostly lapdog companions these days and aren’t used to hunting in the U.S. very often.
Up Next:
- Jack Russell vs Beagle: What Are The Differences?
- Jack Russell vs Parson Russell: What Are The Differences?
- Rat Terrier vs Jack Russell: Are They Different?
- Border Terrier vs Boston Terrier: 5 Key Differences
The photo featured at the top of this post is ©
Ready to discover the top 10 cutest dog breeds in the entire world?
How about the fastest dogs, the largest dogs and those that are -- quite frankly -- just the kindest dogs on the planet? Each day, AZ Animals sends out lists just like this to our thousands of email subscribers. And the best part? It's FREE. Join today by entering your email below.
Sources
- Humanimalia, Available here: https://humanimalia.org/article/view/9524
- American Toy Fox Terrier Club, Available here: http://www.atftc.com/about/about.htm
- The Kennel Club, Available here: https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/terrier/jack-russell-terrier/
- The American Kennel Club, Available here: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/toy-fox-terrier/
How to Add Us to Google News
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
