All about terrier dog breeds

Some terrier dog breeds that you might find interesting

The personality of a lively child put into dog- this might be a good way of describing the general personality of terriers. But as it stands, that still would not justify their lovely temperaments.

These dogs came from the British Isles where they were first trained to hunt foxes, rats, otters and similar small animals above and below ground. And as its name suggests, “terrier” came from the word “terra” which means, “earth”.

While terriers may be identified through their particular physical characteristics, they are still divided, like most dog breeds, into various sub-categories under the 'terrier' umbrella.


The sub-categories of terriers are as follows:

Show Terriers- These are basically bred as small dogs and are used for show rings. They include breeds such as the Austrailain silky terrier, the Japanese terrier and the Yorkshire terrier. Toy terriers can also come under this category.

Bull and Terrier Types - these came from breeding between bull dogs and terriers. Includes dogs such as the American pit bull terrier and the Staffordshire Bbull terrier.

Hunting and Working Terriers - The breeds that were primarily bred for hunting. Includes the German hunting terrier.

Toy Terriers - These are the smaller versions of terriers, which are basically categorized into the companion breed. Includes the English toy terrier.

This is a classic Yorkshire terrier. 

Photo credited to www.i-tarif.de.

Within these loose categories are particular breeds. The following is a bit about just a few breeds, to give you an idea of the nature and history of the breeds.

Airedale Terrier- This is known to be the largest dog in the terrier breed. Standing an average of 23 inches from the shoulder, this dog shows off both beauty and elegance that make them popular for both dog obedience trials and show rings.
A cross-breed between Otterhound and Black and Tan Terrier, the Airedale has a good nose for tracking and is a superb swimmer. .

Australian Terrier - A cross breed between the forerunner of Dandie Dinmont and a rough coated terrier is said to have been shipped to England. The offspring of these two was then taken to Australia.With the scarcity of dog breeds in Australia at the time, the cross-breeding that did happen resulted resulted in a smallish type dog, which has the characteristics of terriers while at the same time being a good watchdog and ratter. It stands 10 to 11 inches with a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years.

Border Terrier - A true working terrier, this dog is marked by its medium build which gives no indication of it's aptitude for work. Border Terriers are agile and alert and can squeeze into narrow gaps while hunting.
Aside from its affectionate natue and good  response to training, border terriers can also make good family pets.

Bull Terrier- Originally bred for dog fighting and bull baiting, this dog has a reputation for being tough and tenacious. Bull terriers originated from fighting dogs combined with Dalmatian and English Terrier to produce all-white breed. This new breed though is very much more reserved in temperament, which earned them the nickname “White Cavalier”.

There are of course a variety of other terrier species. If terriers are of interest to you, some further research may be in order to ascertain exactly which terrier is good for your situation.