Atlas Terrier
Country of Origin: The United States
Breed Status: Although listed by some sources as simply a strain of Jack Russell Terrier allowing for solid coloring, this is in fact wrong. The Atlas Terrier is in actuality a mixture of terrier breeds that is being developed as a breed of its own. Given the amount of time required by many registries before purebred status is given and the short time since it's creation, it will be many years before the Atlas Terrier is recognized.
Distribution: The Atlas Terrier has a very small population and is restricted to the United States.
Etymology: The Atlas Terrier takes its name from an actual road atlas. Unable to decide on a name it occurred to the Atlas Terrier's creator when she saw a picture of the globe on the road atlas she had bought that the name would be prefect since she had combined dogs from all over the world including Germany, England, Wales, Ireland, Finland, and Australia.
Other Names: No other names
Breed History: The Atlas Terrier is the result of a breeding program begun by Lauren Wolfe of Long Island, New York. Concerned about the health problems associated with the Jack Russell Terrier due to piebalding, Lauren set out to breed solid colored individuals. In 1990 she acquired two solid red dogs that she thought were purebred Jack Russell Terriers. These two dogs however were the result of a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Border Terrier. Deciding to go another way and create a new breed, Lauren crossed these two dogs into her line of Jack Russell Terriers. Lauren also had a line of Jack Russell Terrier/ Patterdale Terrier crosses at the same time, and she began blending these two lines together. Wanting to make her breed even more special, Lauren found a line of Rat Terriers used for hunting that had the merle gene. Incorporating a merle male from this line and his son, a merle Rat Terrier/Patterdale Terrier cross, gave her the foundation for the Atlas Terrier.
Just as the piebald gene carries defects, so too does the merle gene. With this in mind the Atlas Terrier Association (ATA) was created in 2001. Though careful breeding and rigorous health testing it is the goal of this association to keep the Atlas Terrier free of the many health concerns that sometimes plague its ancestor the Jack Russell Terrier.
Appearance: Three sizes of Atlas Terrier occur; toy, miniature, and standard. The toy variety stands from 9 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs 6 to 12 pounds (2.7 to 5.4 kg). The miniature stands 11 to 13 inches (28 to 33 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs 10 to 15 pounds (4.6 to 6.9 kg). The standard size stands 13 to 15 inches (33 to 38 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs 13 to 18 pounds (6 to 8 kg). All three varieties are identical except in height and weight. The skull is flat between the ears. The stop is defined but not abrupt. The almond shaped eyes are variable in color and may be amber, yellow, green, hazel, cobalt, brown or glass in color. The ears are V-shaped and folded. The neck is of decent length. The chest must be spannable. The tail may be docked but this is optional. A docked tail is carried erect, while a natural tail curls over the back and hangs down. Both a wire haired and smooth coat occurs. The Atlas Terrier can occur in any color as long as the only white present is restricted to a white collar, facial blaze, and a white chest and toes.
Personality and Uses: The Atlas Terrier is used both for earthwork and as a companion. They share many traits common to terriers, including a high prey drive making them unsuitable to be around small family pets. The Atlas Terrier also thinks it is larger than it really is, but is less dog aggressive than some other breeds of terriers. While intelligent and quick to learn commands, the Atlas Terrier can also be willful causing it to test the boundaries of rules it is meant to follow. The Atlas Terrier is a high-energy breed and needs plenty of exercise or it will attempt to amuse itself, often in the form of digging, barking, and chewing.
Breed Status: Although listed by some sources as simply a strain of Jack Russell Terrier allowing for solid coloring, this is in fact wrong. The Atlas Terrier is in actuality a mixture of terrier breeds that is being developed as a breed of its own. Given the amount of time required by many registries before purebred status is given and the short time since it's creation, it will be many years before the Atlas Terrier is recognized.
Distribution: The Atlas Terrier has a very small population and is restricted to the United States.
Etymology: The Atlas Terrier takes its name from an actual road atlas. Unable to decide on a name it occurred to the Atlas Terrier's creator when she saw a picture of the globe on the road atlas she had bought that the name would be prefect since she had combined dogs from all over the world including Germany, England, Wales, Ireland, Finland, and Australia.
Other Names: No other names
Breed History: The Atlas Terrier is the result of a breeding program begun by Lauren Wolfe of Long Island, New York. Concerned about the health problems associated with the Jack Russell Terrier due to piebalding, Lauren set out to breed solid colored individuals. In 1990 she acquired two solid red dogs that she thought were purebred Jack Russell Terriers. These two dogs however were the result of a cross between a Jack Russell Terrier and a Border Terrier. Deciding to go another way and create a new breed, Lauren crossed these two dogs into her line of Jack Russell Terriers. Lauren also had a line of Jack Russell Terrier/ Patterdale Terrier crosses at the same time, and she began blending these two lines together. Wanting to make her breed even more special, Lauren found a line of Rat Terriers used for hunting that had the merle gene. Incorporating a merle male from this line and his son, a merle Rat Terrier/Patterdale Terrier cross, gave her the foundation for the Atlas Terrier.
Just as the piebald gene carries defects, so too does the merle gene. With this in mind the Atlas Terrier Association (ATA) was created in 2001. Though careful breeding and rigorous health testing it is the goal of this association to keep the Atlas Terrier free of the many health concerns that sometimes plague its ancestor the Jack Russell Terrier.
Appearance: Three sizes of Atlas Terrier occur; toy, miniature, and standard. The toy variety stands from 9 to 11 inches (23 to 28 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs 6 to 12 pounds (2.7 to 5.4 kg). The miniature stands 11 to 13 inches (28 to 33 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs 10 to 15 pounds (4.6 to 6.9 kg). The standard size stands 13 to 15 inches (33 to 38 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs 13 to 18 pounds (6 to 8 kg). All three varieties are identical except in height and weight. The skull is flat between the ears. The stop is defined but not abrupt. The almond shaped eyes are variable in color and may be amber, yellow, green, hazel, cobalt, brown or glass in color. The ears are V-shaped and folded. The neck is of decent length. The chest must be spannable. The tail may be docked but this is optional. A docked tail is carried erect, while a natural tail curls over the back and hangs down. Both a wire haired and smooth coat occurs. The Atlas Terrier can occur in any color as long as the only white present is restricted to a white collar, facial blaze, and a white chest and toes.
Personality and Uses: The Atlas Terrier is used both for earthwork and as a companion. They share many traits common to terriers, including a high prey drive making them unsuitable to be around small family pets. The Atlas Terrier also thinks it is larger than it really is, but is less dog aggressive than some other breeds of terriers. While intelligent and quick to learn commands, the Atlas Terrier can also be willful causing it to test the boundaries of rules it is meant to follow. The Atlas Terrier is a high-energy breed and needs plenty of exercise or it will attempt to amuse itself, often in the form of digging, barking, and chewing.
