they are a seperate breed, a jack russle is bred to work and ability NOT for looks the reason they have the long body, and short legs and well muscled is because they are bred for hunting going into the holes, and fighting with the larger game, a parson russle however is bred soley for looks and AKC couldent give a damn if they can work or not, which they cant, not well, their legs are to long to be going down a hole. they have been considerd the smae breed for many many years but the working Jack Russle people fiannly won the fight to make the show things that cant work a darned a seperate breed from the true working Jack russle.