The JACK RUSSELL TERRIER is a courageous, fast, and tough hunting dog. The English Kennel Club had long and adamantly refused to recognize is as an official breed, but finally relented in 1989, doing so, presumably, because it did not want to miss out on the Jack Russell's growing popularity. This breed, unsurpassed as a hunter of wild boars and a pursuer of vermin and small game in narrow burrows, has meanwhile been recast into a salon dog. It is seen everywhere; in riding stables, on boulevards, at fashion shows, in theater lobbies, and in offices. Yet, the Jack Russell is not a lap dog by nature. It does what it wants to. It is an enthusiastic yapper and a diligent digger of holes. Keeping these dogs in a kennel is not the answer because they become too independent under those conditions. Basic obedience training takes two years, and even after that they still will refuse to obey commands given by other family members. Anyone who has been fortunate enough to experience a Jack Russell "at his best" becomes a fanatic admirer of the breed. The Jack Russell is always there when anything is happening, merry, comical, and never to be outdone. This dog is filled with incredible energy and is consequently a good match for physically active people, such as marathon runners.