Jackweiler

The Jackweiler is one of many new hybrid dogs that have been recently gaining popularity. Not much is known about the origin of these breeds, and therefore we must consider the history of the parent dogs. This particular breed is made from a Jack Russell Terrier and Rottweiler. The history of the Jack Russell Terrier begins during the 1800s in Devonshire, England. The breed was created by a man named Jack Russell, who was a student at Oxford University. One day while on campus he came across a small terrier dog, which he fell in love with and adopted. The ancestry of this dog is thought to be a mix of Black-and-Tan Terrier and a Fox Terrier. Jack Russell then chose to breed his dog to make a new dog type that would be small enough in size to enter fox dens but could also keep up with his hunting hounds. This eventually created the Jack Russell Terrier, which is thought to be a mix of Fox Terriers and Beagles. The look of these dogs could vary, since Russell valued the fearless but non-killer temperament of his dogs over appearance. Mr. Russell eventually passed away, but this new breed of dog lived on. They quickly gained popularity among sportsmen, who may have crossed them with Dachshunds, Corgis and other Terrier types, which also led to a variety of sizes and looks. Because of this large variety, the breed was not accepted into the American Kennel Club until 1997. Rottweilers as a breed do not have a very defined history, but are thought to have descended from drover dogs. These dogs were used many centuries ago to move livestock with the Romans. They would also accompany the Romans on their quest to conquer Europe by managing the large stocks needed to carry goods as well as protect the soldiers at night. A site with ancient Roman baths was ordered to be replaced with a Christian church by a local ruler in 700 A.D. An excavation took place and that is where some tiles from the old baths were discovered.  The site was named “das Rote Wil”, or “the red tiles”. The name was later changed to Rottweil, and was a place that was commonly occupied by cattlemen and butchers. These new settlers would bring along their dogs, which is why they were called Butcher’s dogs or Rottweiler Metzgerhund. The breed’s numbers faced a decrease in the mid-1800s throughout the industrial revolution due to a dying need for cattle dogs. These dogs then gained popularity as a police dog during the beginning of the 20th century.