The Parson Russell Terrier is slightly taller than it is long, of medium bone. Its long legs enable it to keep up with the horses and hounds during a fox hunt. Its slender build allows it to fit into small passageways in pursuit of its quarry. Spanning is a critical part of judging the Parson. The chest behind the elbows must be easily spanned by average-size hands, such that the thumbs should meet at the spine and the fingers under the chest. Its gait is free and lively, with good reach and drive. Its coat can be either smooth or broken, both coarse and weatherproof with a short, dense undercoat. The outercoat of the smooth is flat and hard; that of the broken is harsh, straight, tight and close lying, with no sculpted furnishings. The PRT’s expression is keen and full of life.

This is a dog that thrives on action and adventure. In the process, it often finds itself in the middle of trouble. It is a true hunter at heart, and will explore, wander, chase and dig when it gets a chance. It is very playful and intelligent. It gets along well with children and strangers. It can be scrappy with strange dogs, but is better than many terriers. It does well with horses, but it may chase cats and is not good with rodents. It may tend to bark and dig. It makes an ideal companion for an active person with a good sense of humor who wants a lot of entertainment — and mischief —in one dog.