The Border Jack is a cross between the pure breeds Border Collie and Jack Russell Terrier. Both parent breeds are known as highly active dogs, intelligent and trainable for a variety of tasks. The owner that decides on a Border Jack should be one that is ready and committed to take on the needs of a dog that can quickly become bored and unhappy with routine or little activity.
The Border Collie is one of the most intelligent breeds and was originally a herding breed in the regions of the Anglo-Scottish border. It is an instinctively skilful herder of several kinds of livestock and farm animals, and has proven to be athletic and adept at other activities as well, such as dog sports, obedience trials, and tracking.
The Jack Russell Terrier, often confused with the Parson Russell Terrier and the Russell Terrier, is a small, predominantly white dog originally bred by the English for fox-hunting. Possessed of speed, agility, and large amounts of stamina, the Jack Russell Terrier is used to bolt foxes from their dens for the hunter. A narrow body and chest are necessary for this task, to allow the Jack Russell Terrier to squeeze through confined underground holes and dens.
