Terrier

Terriers are a special type of dog. Long ago, people bred them to hunt. They were used to find small pests. These dogs are often small and brave.

Some terriers have long legs. Other terriers have short legs. They can be very large or very small. Some even have no hair at all. Most terriers are now family pets. They are very loving to their owners. It is fun to meet a terrier.

Terriers are a special type of dog. The name comes from an old French word. It means "earth dog." People first bred them to hunt vermin. Vermin are small pests like rats. These dogs are often small and wiry. They are also known for being brave.

In the past, terriers did many jobs. Some dogs helped hunt foxes in England. Other dogs were used in contests. The fastest dog to kill rats would win. Later, people crossed terriers with other dogs. They used hounds to help them hunt. They also used bulldogs to make them more courageous.

Today, terriers come in many shapes. Some are very small and smooth. The English Toy Terrier can weigh only 2 pounds. Other dogs are much larger. The Airedale Terrier can weigh up to 70 pounds. Some terriers even have no hair. We call these American Hairless Terriers. Most terriers are now family pets. They are loyal and love their owners.

Terriers are a special type of dog. They were first bred to hunt vermin. Vermin are small pests like rats. These dogs are often small and wiry. They are also known for being very brave. There are five different groups of terriers. Each group has a different shape and size. Most terriers are now loyal family pets. They are very affectionate with their owners.

How these dogs work depends on their job. Some hunting terriers find and track prey. They often look for animals underground. These dogs can also bolt the quarry. This means they make the animal run out.

Many terriers were made from older hunting dogs. The name comes from the Old French term chien terrier. This means "earth dog." In the 1700s, people in Britain saw two types. They saw long-legged dogs and short-legged dogs.

In the 1700s, people crossed terriers with hounds. They did this to help them hunt better. Some were crossed with fighting dogs. This was done to increase their courage.

Terriers come in many sizes. The English Toy Terrier is very small. It can weigh only 2 pounds. The Airedale Terrier is much larger. It can weigh up to 70 pounds.

Some dogs are even hairless now. The American Hairless Terrier comes from the Rat Terrier. The United Kennel Club recognized it in 2004. Most kennel clubs put terriers in one group. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale puts them in Group 3.

A terrier is a specific type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. Vermin are small pests like rats. These dogs are known for being small, wiry, and fearless. They are also described as having a high level of gameness. This means they show great courage and tenacity during tasks. Today, most terriers serve as loyal and affectionate companion dogs for families.

The name terrier comes from the Old French term chien terrier. This literally translates to "earth dog." This name reflects their original purpose of working in or near the ground. In the 18th century, people in Britain recognized only two main types. They categorized them simply as long-legged or short-legged terriers. Over time, these purpose-bred dogs were refined into many different breeds and landraces.

History shows that breeders changed terriers to suit different needs. In the 1700s, some terriers were crossed with hounds. This was done to improve their ability to hunt. Other terriers were crossed with fighting dog breeds. Breeders wanted to intensify tenacity and increase courage through these crosses. Some of these bull and terrier crosses were used in dog-fighting. Modern breeds like the Miniature Bull Terrier are now listed as Bull type terriers.

Terriers are organized into several distinct groups based on size or function. Hunting-type terriers are used to find, track, or trail quarry. They often work underground to find prey. They can also bolt the quarry, which means forcing the animal to run out. Examples of hunting types include the Jack Russell Terrier and the Jagdterrier. The Rat Terrier and the Patterdale Terrier are also in this category.

Other groups include short-legged terriers like the Cairn Terrier and the Scottish Terrier. The West Highland White Terrier is another example of a short-legged breed. These dogs were also used to kill small vermin. Some original hunting terriers had specific regional jobs. The Fell Terrier was developed in northern England to assist in killing foxes. The Hunt Terrier was developed in southern England for traditional mounted fox hunts. These dogs helped locate, kill, or bolt foxes during the hunt.

Bull-type terriers are another major category. These breeds were refined from combinations of bulldogs and terriers. The Bull Terrier and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier are modern examples. While they have bulldog qualities, they have been bred into suitable family dogs. Most of these are included in the Terrier Group of kennel clubs. However, the Boston Terrier is an exception to this rule. Some descendants, like the Asian Gull Terrier, are still raised for dog-fighting.

Toy terriers are a third group bred from larger terriers. They are often shown in the Toy or Companion group. These include the English Toy Terrier, the Toy Fox Terrier, and the Yorkshire Terrier. Even though they are small, they retain true terrier character. They are not considered submissive "lap dogs." Terriers also show a massive range in physical appearance. The English Toy Terrier is very small and can weigh as little as 2 pounds. In contrast, the rough-coated Airedale Terrier can weigh up to 70 pounds.

Modern science and breeding have created even more variety. In 2004, the United Kennel Club recognized a new breed. The American Hairless Terrier is a hairless breed derived from the Rat Terrier. Kennel clubs use specific systems to classify these dogs. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale, or FCI, groups pedigree terriers in Group 3. This classification helps organize the many different breeds within the terrier family.